Create a plan based on the least physically fit
person in your group.

Whether you are cycling alone or in a group, you will have fun as long as you plan according to physical fitness and experience. This is especially important when cycling in groups to ensure that everyone can have a good time.

1. Establish clear goals.

Cruising about town Discovering new streets on a bicycle gives you fresh perspectives and is one of the intoxicating charms of cycling. This is particularly recommended for novices who are just starting out. Traveling the open road This is particular good when you just want to go! It is one of the pleasures of cycling. Selecting a level and smooth road allows everyone to travel at the same pace, even when there are people with different levels of experience present. Challenging mountain passes A series of hill climbs and down hills is the perfect way to hone riding technique. This is recommended for experienced riders, but it can also be fun if groups with less experienced riders are separated by ability. Traveling to different regions to experience their seasonal delicacies Enjoying a mixture of sports and gourmet eating in search of the seasonal delicacies of the sea and mountains is another one of the allures of cycling. Getting one's fill of nature through overnight trips Using automobiles and other modes of transportation is not the only way to travel. On a bicycle, you can experience the seasons and come into contact with the people of the land as you enjoy your travels in a carefree manner. Challenging long distances Once you have accumulated enough experience, you are ready to enjoy riding long distances exceeding 100 or 200 km. Extending your distance record each time without overexerting yourself is one way to do it. Traveling to cultural and historical sites Another special feature of the bicycle is the ability to leisurely travel off the beaten paths to museums and historical sites found primarily in tourist destinations. With a bicycle, there is no need for a parking space, allowing you to easily visit that small museum you just happened across.

2. Determine distance based on physical fitness and experience.
Distance Standards by Age
Novice	40 to 50 km	Up to three cycling experiences
Child (6-9)	30 to 40 km	1 break every 30 min.
Preteen (10-12)	40 to 50 km	Lower speed
Teenager (13-15)	60 to 70 km
Teenager (16-18)	60 to 80 km
Adult female	60 to 70 km
Adult male	70 to 90 km
Well conditioned male	100 to 120 km
Overnight (male/1 day)	60 to 70 km

Determine the course after locating your destination on a map.

The 1:50,000 Scale Topographic Maps and 1:200,000 Scale Topographic Maps published by the Ministry of Construction's Geographical Survey Institute use contour lines to represent in detail geographical features and elevation and are indispensable tools allowing experienced cyclists to get the information they need before setting out. Road maps and maps of city districts, both of which show in detail such information as distances between areas and the locations of popular destinations, are easy to get used to and can be readily employed by beginners.

 
3. Decide on your course.

  
Measuring distance

  On a 1:50,000 scale map, 1 cm is equal to 500 m, while on a 1:200,000 scale
  map, 1 cm is equal to 2 km. You will find it handy to learn to use the
  length of your finger or some other object as a measure of distance on
  such maps. And since road maps indicate in detail the distances between
  cities, they are helpful as a guide to the actual distance of your planned
  course. 
  
Reading direction

  The top of a map is always north, and it is very important that you get
  into the habit of always being able to verify your present location on
  a map. 
  
Verifying present location

  During your actual travel, maps make it relatively simple to verify your
  location in places where you can rely on bus stops, addresses, and place
  names, but you must also practice long and hard on being able to infer
  your location from road bends, forks, and bridges when you are deep in
  the hills or other such locations where there are a lack of obvious landmarks.
  
  
Reading elevation

  On a 1:50,000 scale map, you can calculate elevation from the measurement
  standard indicated on the roads. You can also determine it from nearby
  spot elevations and from triangulation points. Contour lines are drawn
  using intermediate contours showing elevation in 20 m intervals and index
  contours that use thicker lines to show elevation in 100 m intervals. On
  road maps, you can calculate elevation from spot elevations and from triangulation
  points. 
  
Reading gradient

  An easy way to read the gradient is to figure that areas with contour lines
  closely packed together are steeper and those with contour lines loosely
  spaced are more level. You can get an accurate gradient reading by dividing
  the gradient difference of two points by the distance between them.