I hiked and car camped all around Iceland and loved it. Saw some people doing the bike and camp thing and man I got to give them props. It looked pretty brutal. Some things to consider. Iceland's weather is super unpredictable and the wind is no joke. Like when you rent a car, the insurance will not cover damage cause by the wind - e.g. the door being blow so hard it damages the car. Beautiful country and you must see it whether you bike it or not, but as others have mentioned it might not be the best place to get your feet wet on that type of bike trip.
But of an obvious note, but do you know if you like biking? (Ex. From spin class or biking in the past)
Might be worth double checking that this is your preferred fitness activity first, vs hiking or something else.
Spin and road biking are vaaaaaaastly different and then trekking/touring is a whole different story. I would definitely do some smaller trips locally before you plan a trip around it.
I like your delusional plan!! I did a majorly long distance bike ride many years ago, and everyone gave you a ton of great advice on how to prepare. Sounds amazing!!!
The biking part is the easy part. The hard part is the pain. The seat will hurt places that you didn't know you had so seat training is really the most important part which takes the longest to get use too.
The other part is knowing how to change a tire and what to do if the chain breaks.
Also for long distance you really should clip in. It'll spare your ankles. This can take some practice.
I assume you will be mountain biking or are you on pavement? A fat tire bike comes with it's own challenges but if you are doing forest I recommend a fat tire.
Other people have said it, but practice riding in nasty wind, especially nasty CROSS wind -- headwinds are demoralizing and slow you down, tailwinds are fun, but crosswinds, especially variable/gusting ones, take significant bike-handling skills. Also there's a lot of steep, sharp ups and downs. Make sure your plan is flexible -- you'll need to adjust based on weather. Also there are tunnels that don't allow bikes, and there are ones that do but may be somewhat terrifying and difficult to take the lane riding solo. Though it sounds like you'll have van support so you can just plan to get a lift through them.
If you wanted something similar but shorter and less far away, the Cabot Trail in Nova Scotia is also amazing and has some similar terrain (longer ups and downs rather than more shorter ones, a lot of the time, but the same "running along the cliffside skating up and down the edge" profile. Could make a good week-long dry run.
Good luck!
I'm assuming this will be your first baby? I know pregnant women can keep working out but I'm not sure a whole new intense regime is very feasible, never mind when you have a newborn. I don't know, I just can't imagine how you're going to fit in training plus the three week practice through the pregnancy and newborn stages. It could take months to be able to sit on a bike again comfortably.
I got the note to consider training for overuse injury prevention, which is something I can hopefully still do if my fitness ambitions need to tone down for a pregnancy. This discussion has been very informative!
While other folks have hit on the cycling aspect, sitting for long periods and core strength will be important here. I regularly ride long distances on a motorcycle and it takes a lot of core strength to stay comfortable. I've found core-focused yoga classes on top of lifting (I follow the 3 day GZCLP from the wiki) works great to keep me in shape for riding season. A bicycle won't be quite as upright as my motorcycle, but conceptually, it's still going to matter.
For the saddle - you just need to ride a lot. There's not much else to it, I'm afraid.
Er... I've never been as fit, but I did use to go to the gym 3-4 times a week and trained under a bodybuilding trainer because I aspired to have good strength. All of that stopped with me getting pregnant and I'm only 11 weeks but weak as a kitten. Maybe discuss this future plan with your ob-gyn, although it's not really predictable from what I understand. If this happens and you're prevented from working out regularly, then it will probably add a lot more time to your reconditioning. I can't even lift something or do housework that requires lot of bending or I start bleeding. Riding a bicycle is strictly prohibited for me. I'm not trying to scare you, but my pregnancy is not even considered risky and I have so many restrictions already. I hope you are one of the lucky ones and can train regularly without any problems.
One advice: don't try to save money when buying the bike and the helmet. Plan for >2000$ at least. Don't buy cheap because you'll end up buying another more expensive one later.
Get familiar with your local bike shop. Learn to repair flats and brakes. Get a low-maitenance touring bike.
Yes, get a nice bike and a MIPS helmet and you'll be set, OP. Maybe look into a gravel bike to deal with some of the terrain in Iceland?
Also toooooooons of easy Zone 2 riding.
I think you should browse r/bikepacking, r/bicycletouring, and r/ladycyclists. Not a cross post, just go read and learn.
Also find a local bike shop, not a chain, but a good community shop. They can help you fit a bike, and more importantly, a saddle. Many also offer beginner repair classes, which you'll need to be safe on the road by yourself. And opportunities to join group rides or other community events, and to make bike friends.
On long trips like this, you reach a point where you can pedal all day, and your saddle usually becomes your weak point. The only training you can do for this is hours on hours in the saddle. And a good bike fit although that isn't exactly training.
Small trips are a great idea. Especially with overnights in the future. We're all different, so only you can figure out how you fuel best, how you like the weight distributed on your bike, ect. Cycling can burn anywhere from 300-1000 calories an hour, depending on your body, intensity, terrain. And then there's skincare, camping preferences, ect. It's all so specific, no one can tell you accurately from the information you have now.
And minor point for now, but on a drop bar bike, you are supposed to hold yourself up with your core, not your shoulders. To stay in an aero/aggressive position for longer, flexibility is actually more important imo. Pilates or ballet would be great cross training, and keep a balanced aesthetic.
I would start with learning more about "which are most common overuse injuries in cyclists?"
(Probably tour de france or italy infos arent trustable because they are at the edge of the legality about doping)
So I would be sure to condition and prepare these specific joints and movements.
Wrists pain are something to include too.
Dynamics of cycling, for example you can have a valgus dynamic knee in cycling too, so be sure to work on it.
Plantar fascia, achille tendons, and the choice of the shoes is important too.
Generally any good planned cycling conditioning will work well.
Always a gradual progression, enough rest, etc
Adding to this list of cautions…. Icelandic roads can be extremely dusty. There are free car washes (just a hose and a brush) at many service stations. Anything you can do to prevent or prepare for a mouthful/lungful of dust would be wise. Or plan your route based on the road quality. Also- it’s a beautiful beautiful country. Is this a race or an experience? You might consider your mindset. There’s a good chance you could meet some new 4 footed friends but that requires that you stop and say hello (and how *do* you greet a horse or a sheep in Icelandic?). Have a wonderful trip!
I just did a short trip this May, I want to really experience the whole country and this is how I’ve set out to do it. I’ll ride the ring road, most likely at “night” to avoid traffic but have sunlight
I have an approximate itinerary picked out, I need to do more digging on resources and hotels, etc. also weather :)
A friend from Alaska biked the ring road several years ago. He bikes in Alaska year round, but not for a month at a time, and is wildly self-sufficient in a super Alaska kind of way. He still got destroyed by the wind. He spent days and days peddling in a headwind and it took him forever to get anywhere. He said it was totally demoralizing. And if the wind can blow car doors off hinges, it can blow you off your bike. That’s not to say you shouldn’t do this, but it’s super hard to train for unless you have a wind tunnel handy.
But I would worry as much as or more about logistics than training. You can’t just stop and camp if you get tired or the weather is bad. It has to be in a designated campground. You will need to become 100% proficient at bike repair with limited tools. Bike shops are extremely scarce outside of Reykjavik.
Message received, I’ve come across many warnings about the high winds. The optimistic recommendation is to ride clockwise, but that isn’t a fool proof plan.
I’m in New Mexico, we have vicious spring winds. Perhaps there’s an opportunity to train (sighs)
Since I’m family planning, my intention is to have my husband and whatever kiddo we have in a vehicle on this trip. So if I have to seek shelter, so be it. It will also lighten my load. I plan to fully bike everything, but I’m not set on being self sufficient, not with an infant/toddler at this time.
I admire your sense of adventure and your long-term goal!
Riding clockwise will not prevent you from experiencing crosswinds or headwinds in Iceland. I've driven the ring road several times and parts of it in winter. There are parts that might be very very hard on a bike if not outright dangerous (exposure to wind, very steep, gravel on road, bad overview). I'm specifically thinking of the parts from Höfn upwards in direction of Myvátn, also around Akureyri or climbing up and down towards Vík with the sharp turns and strong winds from the ocean.
If you're interested in bikepacking in Iceland/cycling around Iceland I'd suggest checking our Chris Burkard. He used to be pretty open about his training regime, too.
^ ***Please read [the FAQ](https://www.reddit.com/r/xxfitness/wiki/main), [the rules and content guidelines](https://www.reddit.com/r/xxfitness/wiki/new_rules), and [current frozen topics](https://www.reddit.com/r/xxfitness/wiki/frozen-topics) before [contacting the mod team](https://www.reddit.com/message/compose?to=%2Fr%2Fxxfitness)***. This comment is a copy of your post so mods can see the original text if your post is edited or removed.
>u/AdMaster4899
Like I said, I'm delusional. I don't even own a bike yet, but I'm gonna do it, hopefully summer 2026. I want to create a training plan that will get me in shape for the 3 weeks of endurance cycling, daily rides 28-103 miles with rest days built in throughout (828 miles total).
Some thoughts
*im in decent shape to start conditioning
*I want to build back strength to tolerate the posture and include upper body strength so I stay cute
*I like to leave room for my other lives, which include hiking, running, rock and ice climbing, river surfing, snowboarding
*Lord willing, I will be pregnant soon and I hope all goes well. I am not married to summer 2026, but that is the soonest I predict I'll be ready
*in Fall 2025, I want to "rehearse" my route by riding similar distances locally during a 3 week stretch so I can measure out my actual caloric needs and recovery time
Also I need gear lol, tips are welcome
*I am a bot, and this action was performed automatically. Please [contact the moderators of this subreddit](/message/compose/?to=/r/xxfitness) if you have any questions or concerns.*
I hiked and car camped all around Iceland and loved it. Saw some people doing the bike and camp thing and man I got to give them props. It looked pretty brutal. Some things to consider. Iceland's weather is super unpredictable and the wind is no joke. Like when you rent a car, the insurance will not cover damage cause by the wind - e.g. the door being blow so hard it damages the car. Beautiful country and you must see it whether you bike it or not, but as others have mentioned it might not be the best place to get your feet wet on that type of bike trip.
But of an obvious note, but do you know if you like biking? (Ex. From spin class or biking in the past) Might be worth double checking that this is your preferred fitness activity first, vs hiking or something else.
I love spin class, just started!
Spin and road biking are vaaaaaaastly different and then trekking/touring is a whole different story. I would definitely do some smaller trips locally before you plan a trip around it.
100% this, while I don't mind spin class I really am not a road cyclist.
I like your delusional plan!! I did a majorly long distance bike ride many years ago, and everyone gave you a ton of great advice on how to prepare. Sounds amazing!!!
The biking part is the easy part. The hard part is the pain. The seat will hurt places that you didn't know you had so seat training is really the most important part which takes the longest to get use too. The other part is knowing how to change a tire and what to do if the chain breaks. Also for long distance you really should clip in. It'll spare your ankles. This can take some practice. I assume you will be mountain biking or are you on pavement? A fat tire bike comes with it's own challenges but if you are doing forest I recommend a fat tire.
Apparently there are fancy pedals these days that allow you to clip in or use normal shoes.
Yeah the flip. Bottom side clip and top side cage. I prefer clip only. To me it's safer.
Mine are bottom side clip, top side flat. Cages are the worst od both worlds, imo 😅
Other people have said it, but practice riding in nasty wind, especially nasty CROSS wind -- headwinds are demoralizing and slow you down, tailwinds are fun, but crosswinds, especially variable/gusting ones, take significant bike-handling skills. Also there's a lot of steep, sharp ups and downs. Make sure your plan is flexible -- you'll need to adjust based on weather. Also there are tunnels that don't allow bikes, and there are ones that do but may be somewhat terrifying and difficult to take the lane riding solo. Though it sounds like you'll have van support so you can just plan to get a lift through them. If you wanted something similar but shorter and less far away, the Cabot Trail in Nova Scotia is also amazing and has some similar terrain (longer ups and downs rather than more shorter ones, a lot of the time, but the same "running along the cliffside skating up and down the edge" profile. Could make a good week-long dry run. Good luck!
I'm assuming this will be your first baby? I know pregnant women can keep working out but I'm not sure a whole new intense regime is very feasible, never mind when you have a newborn. I don't know, I just can't imagine how you're going to fit in training plus the three week practice through the pregnancy and newborn stages. It could take months to be able to sit on a bike again comfortably.
I got the note to consider training for overuse injury prevention, which is something I can hopefully still do if my fitness ambitions need to tone down for a pregnancy. This discussion has been very informative!
While other folks have hit on the cycling aspect, sitting for long periods and core strength will be important here. I regularly ride long distances on a motorcycle and it takes a lot of core strength to stay comfortable. I've found core-focused yoga classes on top of lifting (I follow the 3 day GZCLP from the wiki) works great to keep me in shape for riding season. A bicycle won't be quite as upright as my motorcycle, but conceptually, it's still going to matter. For the saddle - you just need to ride a lot. There's not much else to it, I'm afraid.
Er... I've never been as fit, but I did use to go to the gym 3-4 times a week and trained under a bodybuilding trainer because I aspired to have good strength. All of that stopped with me getting pregnant and I'm only 11 weeks but weak as a kitten. Maybe discuss this future plan with your ob-gyn, although it's not really predictable from what I understand. If this happens and you're prevented from working out regularly, then it will probably add a lot more time to your reconditioning. I can't even lift something or do housework that requires lot of bending or I start bleeding. Riding a bicycle is strictly prohibited for me. I'm not trying to scare you, but my pregnancy is not even considered risky and I have so many restrictions already. I hope you are one of the lucky ones and can train regularly without any problems.
I hope your pregnancy is smooth and healthy!!
One advice: don't try to save money when buying the bike and the helmet. Plan for >2000$ at least. Don't buy cheap because you'll end up buying another more expensive one later. Get familiar with your local bike shop. Learn to repair flats and brakes. Get a low-maitenance touring bike.
Yes, get a nice bike and a MIPS helmet and you'll be set, OP. Maybe look into a gravel bike to deal with some of the terrain in Iceland? Also toooooooons of easy Zone 2 riding.
I think you should browse r/bikepacking, r/bicycletouring, and r/ladycyclists. Not a cross post, just go read and learn. Also find a local bike shop, not a chain, but a good community shop. They can help you fit a bike, and more importantly, a saddle. Many also offer beginner repair classes, which you'll need to be safe on the road by yourself. And opportunities to join group rides or other community events, and to make bike friends. On long trips like this, you reach a point where you can pedal all day, and your saddle usually becomes your weak point. The only training you can do for this is hours on hours in the saddle. And a good bike fit although that isn't exactly training. Small trips are a great idea. Especially with overnights in the future. We're all different, so only you can figure out how you fuel best, how you like the weight distributed on your bike, ect. Cycling can burn anywhere from 300-1000 calories an hour, depending on your body, intensity, terrain. And then there's skincare, camping preferences, ect. It's all so specific, no one can tell you accurately from the information you have now. And minor point for now, but on a drop bar bike, you are supposed to hold yourself up with your core, not your shoulders. To stay in an aero/aggressive position for longer, flexibility is actually more important imo. Pilates or ballet would be great cross training, and keep a balanced aesthetic.
I’d also suggest contacting an Icelandic bike shop - The Fjord Hub in Ísafjörður would be a good resource
I would start with learning more about "which are most common overuse injuries in cyclists?" (Probably tour de france or italy infos arent trustable because they are at the edge of the legality about doping) So I would be sure to condition and prepare these specific joints and movements. Wrists pain are something to include too. Dynamics of cycling, for example you can have a valgus dynamic knee in cycling too, so be sure to work on it. Plantar fascia, achille tendons, and the choice of the shoes is important too. Generally any good planned cycling conditioning will work well. Always a gradual progression, enough rest, etc
Adding to this list of cautions…. Icelandic roads can be extremely dusty. There are free car washes (just a hose and a brush) at many service stations. Anything you can do to prevent or prepare for a mouthful/lungful of dust would be wise. Or plan your route based on the road quality. Also- it’s a beautiful beautiful country. Is this a race or an experience? You might consider your mindset. There’s a good chance you could meet some new 4 footed friends but that requires that you stop and say hello (and how *do* you greet a horse or a sheep in Icelandic?). Have a wonderful trip!
Thank you for that reminder. My dad had a double carpel tunnel surgery from road racing decades ago. It’s no joke, he was down for months recovering
I would crosspost this to /r/bicycling /r/bicycletouring
Have you been to Iceland?
I just did a short trip this May, I want to really experience the whole country and this is how I’ve set out to do it. I’ll ride the ring road, most likely at “night” to avoid traffic but have sunlight I have an approximate itinerary picked out, I need to do more digging on resources and hotels, etc. also weather :)
A friend from Alaska biked the ring road several years ago. He bikes in Alaska year round, but not for a month at a time, and is wildly self-sufficient in a super Alaska kind of way. He still got destroyed by the wind. He spent days and days peddling in a headwind and it took him forever to get anywhere. He said it was totally demoralizing. And if the wind can blow car doors off hinges, it can blow you off your bike. That’s not to say you shouldn’t do this, but it’s super hard to train for unless you have a wind tunnel handy. But I would worry as much as or more about logistics than training. You can’t just stop and camp if you get tired or the weather is bad. It has to be in a designated campground. You will need to become 100% proficient at bike repair with limited tools. Bike shops are extremely scarce outside of Reykjavik.
Message received, I’ve come across many warnings about the high winds. The optimistic recommendation is to ride clockwise, but that isn’t a fool proof plan. I’m in New Mexico, we have vicious spring winds. Perhaps there’s an opportunity to train (sighs) Since I’m family planning, my intention is to have my husband and whatever kiddo we have in a vehicle on this trip. So if I have to seek shelter, so be it. It will also lighten my load. I plan to fully bike everything, but I’m not set on being self sufficient, not with an infant/toddler at this time.
I admire your sense of adventure and your long-term goal! Riding clockwise will not prevent you from experiencing crosswinds or headwinds in Iceland. I've driven the ring road several times and parts of it in winter. There are parts that might be very very hard on a bike if not outright dangerous (exposure to wind, very steep, gravel on road, bad overview). I'm specifically thinking of the parts from Höfn upwards in direction of Myvátn, also around Akureyri or climbing up and down towards Vík with the sharp turns and strong winds from the ocean. If you're interested in bikepacking in Iceland/cycling around Iceland I'd suggest checking our Chris Burkard. He used to be pretty open about his training regime, too.
^ ***Please read [the FAQ](https://www.reddit.com/r/xxfitness/wiki/main), [the rules and content guidelines](https://www.reddit.com/r/xxfitness/wiki/new_rules), and [current frozen topics](https://www.reddit.com/r/xxfitness/wiki/frozen-topics) before [contacting the mod team](https://www.reddit.com/message/compose?to=%2Fr%2Fxxfitness)***. This comment is a copy of your post so mods can see the original text if your post is edited or removed. >u/AdMaster4899 Like I said, I'm delusional. I don't even own a bike yet, but I'm gonna do it, hopefully summer 2026. I want to create a training plan that will get me in shape for the 3 weeks of endurance cycling, daily rides 28-103 miles with rest days built in throughout (828 miles total). Some thoughts *im in decent shape to start conditioning *I want to build back strength to tolerate the posture and include upper body strength so I stay cute *I like to leave room for my other lives, which include hiking, running, rock and ice climbing, river surfing, snowboarding *Lord willing, I will be pregnant soon and I hope all goes well. I am not married to summer 2026, but that is the soonest I predict I'll be ready *in Fall 2025, I want to "rehearse" my route by riding similar distances locally during a 3 week stretch so I can measure out my actual caloric needs and recovery time Also I need gear lol, tips are welcome *I am a bot, and this action was performed automatically. Please [contact the moderators of this subreddit](/message/compose/?to=/r/xxfitness) if you have any questions or concerns.*