Every year, around July 14th, it's the same ritual.
A few days blocked in diaries. Bikes loaded into cars. WhatsApp groups exploding. And one obsession: to go cycling together for 4 or 5 days in the most beautiful regions of France.
The Vosges, the Alps, the Massif Central, the Périgord... The destination doesn't really matter. What we're looking for is hills, small roads, incredible landscapes, and enough elevation gain to earn that evening beer.
Welcome to Vélopotos. A cycling trip with friends where the goal isn't just to perform, but above all to experience a sporting break from daily life together.
Riding 100 kilometers a day… for several days in a row
On paper, the program seems simple: about 100 kilometers a day, between 1,000 and 2,500 meters of elevation gain, for 4 consecutive days.
In reality, this type of cycling holiday requires real preparation. The issue isn't just the distance; it's the repetition of effort.
The legs on the first day are nothing like those on the fourth. The climbs seem longer. Recovery becomes a serious matter. And mistakes: nutrition, hydration, pace management, are immediately paid for.
Before a cycling trip like this, you need to arrive with kilometers in your legs and a real habit of long rides. Doing multiple weekends with two consecutive rides in the two months before departure is the best preparation. Not spectacular, but effective.
But even with the best preparation in the world, there's always an element of the unexpected.
Punctures are part of the journey
Because a real bike trip with friends is never a perfect sequence of Instagram-worthy landscapes.
It's also punctures at the worst possible moment. Derailleur adjustments in the middle of nowhere. Heat that turns an 'easy' climb into a struggle. The friend who forgot their energy bars. The one who blows up after attacking too early. Impromptu breaks in the shade of a village convenience store.
And strangely, it's often these moments that we still talk about years later.
The impromptu snack on a low wall. The Coca urgently gulped down in a mountain bakery. The pass finished completely economically, in a small gear, staring blankly ahead. The endless debates about whether the puncture was 'really' due to the poor road condition or the old tire.
A cycling trip with friends without hassles is a cycling trip without a story. Hassles make memories.
The evening ritual: preparing the next day's GPX track
At Vélopotos, some traditions never change.
Before dinner, the whole group gathers around OpenRunner, Komoot, or Strava to plan the next day's ride. We look at the profile. We debate 'the extra climb'. We vote to add or remove a difficulty. Then everyone uploads the GPX track to their Garmin or Wahoo.
Because in the mountains, gaps form quickly. Skill levels are not always the same. Fitness levels even less so. Having your own GPX track allows everyone to ride at their own pace without stress or frustration, groups naturally reform at aid stations, summits, or coffee breaks.
These moments spent preparing the next day's ride are almost as much a part of the experience as the cycling itself. Anticipation, discussion, camaraderie around a map — it's already a bit like riding.
"Lever le poteau": the art of the mountain break
There's a moment, in any good cycling trip, that we call 'lever le poteau' (literally, 'lifting the post', meaning taking a break).
When the effort is too long, the heat too strong, or you've overestimated your strength on the morning's route. You stop. In a mountain café, on the terrace of a refuge, on a low wall by a main road. You put the bikes down. You order whatever's available. And you don't move for an hour.
You disconnect from everything. You don't look at watches. You don't talk about watts or Strava segments. You're just there, with friends, legs dangling, eating whatever while watching cars go by.
It's often at that moment that you ride back on a cloud.
Cycling… and everything around it
What makes a cycling trip successful isn't just the sport.
It's everything around it. The evening barbecue. The Tour de France in the background in the afternoon, because yes, watching the stage after having climbed a pass yourself in the morning is nothing like watching it from your couch. Heavy legs on the couch. Huge meals 'because you need to replenish your reserves'. Discussions that last late into the night.
And then enjoying the regions you're passing through in ways other than on two wheels: hiking, rafting on a mountain river, canyoning, local markets, high-altitude lakes, perched villages. These activities allow you to stay active without using the same muscles as cycling – which promotes active recovery while enriching the cycling trip experience.
For a few days, the pace slows down. You look at your phone less. You forget notifications. You live outdoors.
The equipment that makes a difference over several days
A 4-day cycling trip is not a Sunday ride. The equipment must withstand repeated effort and allow for recovery between stages.
First, the bike: have it serviced before you leave. Chain, brakes, cables, tires. Take two inner tubes, a quick repair kit, and a spare chain link. In the mountains, 40 km from the nearest village, a puncture without equipment can turn a dream day into a nightmare.
Next, the cycling jersey. For a long-distance trip with elevation gain and temperature variations, a micro-perforated fabric for climbs and a full-length zipper for regulating ventilation on descents are essential. Deep, stable rear pockets, even at high speeds, make a difference for refuelling.
→ Kadenz SUMMIT and HORIZON jerseys are designed for repeated efforts over several days — micro-perforated fabric, YKK reverse zip, 3 to 4 stable rear pockets, 100% made in Europe. → [Discover the collection]
Finally, the cycling shorts, and this is the most critical piece for a 4-day trip. A poor quality chamois that causes irritation on day 1 becomes unbearable on day 4. Invest in a premium chamois before you leave: it's the purchase that will make the biggest difference in the long run.
→ Kadenz SUMMIT shorts with PAD SPACE II Elastic Interface chamois, and HORIZON shorts with ultra chamois for the longest efforts — designed to withstand several consecutive days in the saddle. → [Discover the collection]
Why we always come back transformed from a cycling trip
In the end, the same thing always happens.
We come back physically tired. But mentally lighter. Because a cycling trip with friends isn't just a succession of long rides.
It's a break. A way to reconnect with sport, nature, and others. Without pressure. Without artifice. Just kilometers, elevation, landscapes, and memories that linger long after the last ride.
It's precisely for this kind of cycling that Kadenz was created.
FAQ — Cycling trip with friends
How to organize a cycling trip with friends of different levels?
Individual GPX tracks are the solution. The evening before, prepare a main track and one or two alternatives depending on skill levels. Everyone uploads their track to their GPS and rides at their own pace. Defined meeting points (summit of a pass, village cafe) allow the group to regroup without anyone feeling pressured to push themselves or get bored.
Which region to choose for a bike trip in France?
The Vosges are ideal for a first cycling trip – accessible terrain, varied roads, warm atmosphere. The Alps for lovers of legendary passes and wide-open spaces. The Massif Central for authenticity and deserted roads. The Périgord and the Southwest for more rolling cycling with generous gastronomy. Choose based on the average level of the group and the type of experience desired.
How many kilometers and elevation gain per day on a cycling trip?
For a group of regular cyclists, 80 to 120 km per day with 1,000 to 2,000 meters of elevation gain is a balanced format, demanding without being exhausting, sufficient to earn the evening's recovery. Adapt according to your group's level and plan a lighter day mid-trip to allow everyone to recover.
What equipment to pack for a long-distance cycling trip?
The essentials: two inner tubes, a repair kit, a multi-tool, a chain link, a light windbreaker for descents. For clothing: at least one cycling jersey per day, quality shorts with a premium chamois, gloves, glasses adapted to varying conditions. And pack more food than you think you'll need, over 4 days, glycogen reserves rule.
Kadenz will be at the 2026 Étape du Tour village on the Galibier — come meet us and discover the collection preview. → [Learn more]