Everyone wants sun during the summer vacation, but for the cycling tourist, a cloudy day can actually be even better. And those who are out for several days should bring a proper rain set that can breathe. This is according to Johan Storm, who owns Sjötorps Upplevelsecenter AB, which runs bicycle rental on the Göta Canal between Lake Vänern and Vättern.
In your experience, how important is it to the sun for a bike tourist?
At the moment of booking, fine and sunny weather is important, because then everyone wants to move out and move. When you are about to embark on your cycling journey, it is often better to have a little cloud in the sky. It is simply more comfortable cycling weather, ideally 20 degrees and cloudy.
Could it be too hot then?
Yes, it can, like the summer of 2014. People you talk to tell me that "what a great summer you must have had". So it wasn't at all, it was simply too hot many days for people to go out and ride a bike.
Do you have any wise advice on clothes and weather?
It is always good to pack a lightweight jacket that can withstand a rain shower. If you are going out for several days, it is good to have a high quality rain set that can breathe. The most important summer time is a cap with a screen. The sun is shining from the top and it can be painful with sun glare from the water. Sunscreen is also recommended.
Anything else that is important when it comes to cycling?
The food you eat. We ourselves invest in locally produced as much as possible, such as Vänergös and locally grown vegetables. It applies to us organizers to coordinate with other accommodation along the way so that not everyone offers hot smoked salmon. It is delicious, but as a cycling tourist you do not want to eat the same thing night after night.