Hi I’m planning to do the [Tour Aotearoa](http://www.touraotearoa.nz/p/home.html) on my own, so not as a race. I gave my self plenty of time four month actually from Dezember 2024 till the end of March. I thought I’ll drive from camp site to campe site (or hostel), because I have a lot of time I don’t need to drive large distances on every day and I can maybe hike or explore New Zealand a bit.
I have no bikepacking experience. I have a road bike but I don’t ride that much for cyclists standards. In the summer I ride to work 38km in total, three days a week every other week. If I have time I ride 60-100km on the weekend (in this summer I plan to do that more often).
Like I said I don’t have any bikepacking experience so I don’t own a gravel or mountain bike nor the gear. I thought I’d buy everything in New Zealand. Because I am from Europe an I am planning on to travel to New Zealand in stops. First to Vietnam spend a couple of days there than to Australia stay there for a few days and then to New Zealand. I thought bringen a bike and the gear for all this stop and stay overs would be very challenging.
On the other hand I thought I’d buy a “cheap” decathlon riverside touring bike (with the gear) and use that in the summer here to getting used to bikepacking and maybe figure out a way to send in advance to New Zealand. I have a lot of elitist road cycling buddies who would never ride a decathlon bike :D. But I think maybe a simpler bike is better, because it can be repaired more easily?
I would love to hear your thought on my idea. Am I being naive on planning such a long tour with no bikepacking experience.
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by ThatGuy107