What You Need to Know About Selecting a Bicycle Tent

Okay, so you are getting excited about going on your first bicycle camping trip, but do you have everything ready that you will need? For instance, do you have your bicycle tent selected and purchased and ready to go?

Sure, you could just take a sleeping bag along, but will that protect you if you suddenly find yourself in the middle of a rain storm? Probably not, so you really should be taking a bike touring tent along with you.

A bicycle tent is just what the name suggests. It is a tent that you will be carrying with you on your bike. Often times you will find a bike touring tent as part of a set that will include your sleeping bag. If you haven't already made your selection, there are a few things you should keep in mind as you do your search.

The first thing you have to be mindful about is the type of environment you will be using your bike touring tent in. If the weather is going to be hot and muggy, you can easily get by with a cheap, lightweight sleeping bag with no thought to a cover, unless that is going to include the chances for rain. In that case a tent is mandatory.

If you will be traveling in colder climates or your destination at some point in your journey will lead you there, you will not want to rely on just a sleeping bag. A bicycle tent is in order, and you will want to make sure that it is not just the cheap kind.

The last thing you need on a cold wet night is a cold leaky tent that is poorly made. You may be looking to save some cash, but this is not the place to do it. A bike touring tent is like your home away from home, and you want it to provide you with all the comforts of home that a tent can produce.

Just a word of caution, there are some shoddy brands out there that will advertise their bicycle tent as being waterproof when they are far from it. Be sure to steer clear of this kind of scam because the last thing you want is to stuck in a storm with water seeping in and compromising your comfort and rest.

Remember you will be carrying your bike touring tent with you on your bike. You do not want long poles that will be interfering with your maneuverability. For this reason, you want to make your selection according to the length of the poles.

Short poles that work well for a Bicycle Tent are from twelve to sixteen inches long. Everything about your tent should be compact when it is packed away. You will also want to plan the way you will store it for travel, whether that is in a backpack or tied to your bike.

As a general rule, the weight or your bicycle Tent should be in proportion to the amount of people who will be sharing it and the distance you will be traveling. Of course, you do not want to carry more weight than you have to, and if you are the only one carrying a tent for a group, you could distribute other needed items between the others who are traveling with you.

A hoop tent may be the ideal solution, since it has less bulk to it but provides enough sturdiness and room to accommodate a number of people.

One last thing you will want to consider is how quickly your bike touring tent will dry when it becomes wet. Synthetic fabrics are often recommended for this use because they do dry rapidly after they have become wet.

Once you are well equipped with your travel necessities, you will be all set to get on with your great adventure. Take your time and enjoy the freedom of the great outdoors.