A campervan road trip with your bikes: planning rides from each stop

A campervan and a bike make the perfect pair: the vehicle covers the long distances, and the bike shows you what you can't see from the road. You still need to carry the bikes properly, choose stops that suit cycling and organise your rides, alone or as a group. Here is how to go about it.

Carrying the bikes

There are three main options:

• A rear bike rack, fixed to the door or a tow bar. Respect the maximum load given by the manufacturer, especially with heavier e-bikes.
• The rear garage, on motorhomes that have one: the bikes are sheltered and out of sight.
• Inside the van, with the wheels removed, for a short panel van.

A loaded bike rack makes the vehicle longer and can hide the number plate or lights: a repeater plate and lights are then required. Remember to recalculate your total length too, as explained in our guide on motorhome size.

Choosing bike-friendly stops

To ride from your stop, look for:

• an overnight stop where you stay more than one night, to free up a whole day;
• an aire or campsite near a voie verte (greenway), a canal or a waymarked loop;
• somewhere the bikes can be stored and locked up overnight.

Our guide where to sleep in a motorhome or campervan in France covers the permitted places. Campsites often have a storage room or a handy tap for washing the bikes.

Preparing the day's ride

A few habits before you set off from your stop:

• download the route's GPX file to your phone or bike computer;
• check the weather and the elevation gain, especially in the mountains;
• take what you need to fix a puncture, plus a lock;
• note the address of the aire for the ride back.

Riding with others: settling on a date without the hassle

As soon as several people are involved, whether friends joining you on the way or a local club, the hardest part isn't the route but the date. Messages pile up in the WhatsApp group and nobody knows who is coming when any more.

That is why we created CycloDate: you upload the ride's GPX file, suggest up to four dates, and everyone sees the route and the weather for each date before replying in one click. You then pick the date that suits the most people. It is free, with no account and no ads.

Let Pakvia plan the rest

While CycloDate takes care of the ride, Pakvia plans the trip: a day-by-day itinerary for your campervan or motorhome, with an official overnight stop every evening, lunch, dinner and up to two activities. Travelling without a van? Pakvia also plans cycling itineraries: see our guide cycle touring: where to sleep each night.

Ready to go? Plan your road trip for free.