Colombia Bicycle Adventures

Colombia has a number of different climate zones. In Jericó, and most of the areas where we will be riding, the average temperature is in the low 70s (day time range is generally from low 60s - low 80s). It is frequently a mix of sun and clouds and when it does rain, it usually does so in the afternoons and evenings.

As we will be carrying our own gear, we recommend that you go as light as possible. The temperatures are generally quite pleasant (low 60s when we start in the morning to highs in the low 80s). There will be a hot shower at the end of every day, so generally, 2 sets of biking clothes and a change of clothes for the evening is sufficient. Clothing that will dry quickly is helpful. Here is a detailed packing list:

Clothes for Biking:

2 pairs of bike shorts

2 shirts for biking (long sleeve or additional arm covers can be helpful for sun)

2 pairs of lightweight socks

Lightweight rain jacket

Buff/head scarf (Optional) – Lots of options for purchase in Jericó

Other Clothes:

2 or 3 light shirts (t-shirts or similar)

2 or 3 underwear

Lightweight shorts

Bathing Suit (optional)

Light nylon or other quick dry long pants

Mid-weight thermal layer or light fleece for evenings

Cap or sun hat

Biking Equipment:

Hydration Pack

Helmet

Gloves

Sun Glasses

Shoes (if you prefer clipless pedals, please bring your own pedals and shoes)

Other:

Shoes to walk/hike in (If you ride in bike shoes with cleats, bring a pair of low hikers, running shoes, or something similar, water/hiking shoes can work really well. If you ride in non-cleat shoes, a pair of crocs or sandals can be nice if your biking shoes get wet)

Toiletries and Medications

Sun Block

Phone/Camera and charge cord

Compact headlamp (while we hope to not need them, they are very helpful if we do...)

While there is no shortage of options, a decent size (10L or larger) seat bag and a small to medium sized handlebar bag or harness with a dry bag should be sufficient, especially if coupled with a small hydration pack or midsize waste pack. Let us know if you have any questions about bag options and make sure to do a trial run to make sure everything you want to bring fits in your bag setup. If you do not have bags, please let us know, and we can provide them at a modest rental fee.

Whether or not to bring your own bike is a difficult decision with no right answer. It really depends on your preferences. By bringing your own, you can be sure that the bike is set up based on your preferences and that the geometry works well for you. If you do bring your bike, we can store your bike transport case during your trip. However, flying with bikes can add to logistical challenges and depending on what airline you fly, can be expensive. If you would prefer not to travel with your bike, you can rent one of our hard-tail mountain bikes for the tour for $25 per day. For a full discussion of pros and cons of various bike options, check out our blog post on the topic.

While there are occasionally a few mosquitoes at dusk and dawn, they are generally not very numerous or bothersome. In warmer weather (especially around coffee farms) there are some smaller biting flies that can be a bit of a nuisance if you are stopped by the side of the road. For some people (including myself) they don't tend to leave an itchy spot after biting, others (like Lenore) get something resembling a mosquito bite. If you tend to have a stronger reaction to bug bites it might be worth bringing a very small container of repellent, though it is likely that you will not need it.