Can anyone bike tour in South America?
Yes. Of course. All you need to do is get on your bike and ride it. Silly.

Do I need special skills beyond riding a bike to enjoy myself?
You should feel comfortable riding in major city traffic, riding on major highways, and riding on loose gravel and washboard. If you aren’t comfortable on gravel and washboard, you aren’t going to have too much fun.

What kind of “training” should I do?
The first week of bike touring is all the training you need.

How did you deal with traffic?
On two-lane roads with no shoulder, we generally rode single file. The cars and trucks passing us tended to give us plenty of room. However, the person in the back had a mirror. If there were two large vehicles going each way, and there was clearly no room for everyone, the person behind would yell “bail” and we’d move onto the unpaved shoulder for a ways until traffic had passed. It was kind of a bummer, but not too bad.

On unpaved, ripio roads, we tended to ride wherever the best line was, and there was rarely enough traffic to need to get off the road.

Most paved roads in Bolivia and Chile had wide shoulders, so it was no problem.

In Bolivia, when they honk at you, it is just their way of saying “hey” and “I’m passing you.” It gets really old after a while, but it’s not malicious.

What special gear do I need?
Well, you can check out our gear list for specifics.
You need camping gear, bike tools, and clothes.
However, there are a few things that I think are must-haves.
-a stove that runs on a variety of fuels (unleaded gas is pretty easy to find; kerosene and white gas were nearly impossible)
-rain gear and covers for all your bags
-seriously warm clothes if you are going to be at altitude
-antibiotics-ask your doctor or travel clinic. Seriously.
-hose clamps in a variety of sizes-they can temporarily fix everything from a broken rack to a busted frame.
-big plastic trash bags-instant waterproofing if your tent develops a leak, or when you need to make sure that your down bag doesn’t get wet.
-Clothespins and a line
-cutting board

Do I need to speak Spanish?
Well, it sure helps. However, we met a lot of european bike tourists that spoke very little Spanish, and they seemed to be doing just fine. If you don’t speak any, bring a phrase book, and learn the words that you are going to need-can I camp here, where’s the supermarket/gas station/campground/hospital/potable water, and anything else you think you want to communicate. And we are from Los Estados Unidos, or Yanquis (pronounced jhankies).

How did you get your bikes on the boats, buses and trains?
Buses
1. Shop around. Some companies have policies about bikes, some don’t. Sometimes, if you have your fully loaded bike with you, they will take one look and tell you no way, or say it’s no problem. Once, we had the ticket agent call a driver and ask. Listen for the word “encomienda”-, or “como encomienda.” That means it needs to be boxed up. They might also use the phrase “pagar aparte” or “excesivo equipaje.” That means that you will have to pay extra. These are good phrases to know when later, you are arguing with the driver.

2. When you buy your ticket be sure and tell the person selling it to you that you have bikes and “equipaje”- luggage. Ask the ticket agent to write “bicicletas” on your ticket. They rarely will, but they will probably remember you and that’s a good thing.

3. Try and find the bus that is least full. Morning buses are better, usually.

4. Always be prepared to pay extra. Ask at the ticket counter how much-again, they might have a policy. If there is a driver standing around, ask him. Finally, just have a bunch of small-ish bills in your pocket for tips as well as paying extra.

5. Make your four or so bike bags into two packages. This way, you only have three items of checked luggage per person. You will have to figure out how to carry all your crap pretty quickly, but it’s possible.

6. Remove the front wheel and strap it on to your frame. (If you aren’t boxing it already.) This makes it look like you have taken some effort. Also be prepared to turn your handlebars and remove your rear wheel if necessary.

7. Be incredibly friendly and polite, but also firm. If they told you that you could get your bike on, insist that your bike is going on that bus. (In Chile, I was taken by a manager into the back room of an office while he argued with the ticket agent who told us it would be ok, but eventually they had to relent.)

8. It is always touch-and-go, but stay calm. Insist that you will pay the extra fees.

9. Double decker buses have less storage space than the single level ones, but they are so much nicer.

Argentina-This is the hardest place to get a bike on the bus. You need to wrap them in cardboard, remove the pedals, turn the handlebars, and in general make them as small and stackable as possible. And then argue with the conductors at length. Some companies will refuse to take you, so don’t buy tickets from them.

Chile-easier than Argentina, but you still should remove your front wheel and be prepared to argue.

Bolivia-anything goes in Bolivia. We put bikes on top of the bus (very common) and LOCKED THEM DOWN). We also put them underneath, without bags but with the wheels, etc. We did get one conductor insisting that we pay extra after we arrived, which was annoying.

Trains-
We only took one train in Bolivia. About four hours before it left, we took our fully loaded bikes to the luggage room and checked them exactly as is. When the luggage car arrived, two little kids took our bikes and, with help, lifted them in the car. In this situation (and in all of them), we watched very carefully until both bikes were stowed. At the end of the ride, they were unloaded and we rode off. It was really, really easy.

Boats-
We took boats in all three countries. In Argentina, we just paid a bit extra, and the crew loaded them on full loaded. Same in Chile. It was incredibly easy. In Bolivia, we charted a little tiny boat to take us across the Straits of Esquina in Lake Titicaca, and again, we just lifted the boats down. (That ride cost less than three dollars. It was great.) As always, we told the ticket agent that we had bikes with eqipaje, and it was no problem at all.