Cycle touring, road biking or mountain biking all have a lot to offer those looking for adventure on a budget. The beauty of cycling is of course that a bike costs nothing to run, is fairly economical to repair if it does go wrong, and you get to keep in shape as you go!
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Cycle Touring on a Budget
No explanation needed here really - cycle touring by it's very nature is going to be cheap. You can take your bike on airlines if you package it well and at the other end it's your transport. If you carry a tent it's your home as well, you can go where you please, when you please, and the only fuel you need is what you eat to keep you pedalling. You travel fast enough to get from place to place within a realistic timescale, but slow enough to see it as you pass. Plus, as your carrying capacity is limited, you can't spend all your tourist dosh on uneccessary souvenirs. More for your pocket / to sample the local brew at the end of a hard one. Perfect!
Some countries lend themselves to cycle touring better than others, The Netherlands immediately springing to mind. Do a bit of research on the terrain you can expect before you go, many European countries and parts of America are pretty flat but if you're going somewhere hillier you might want to put in a bit of training so that you remember your time away with fondness rather than as hell on two wheels. And try to find out about the local driving attitudes - some places probably aren't wrth the risk. New Zealand.
Mountain Biking
Cheap adventure and thrills! Apart from the cost of renting / buying your bike and a helmet, most mountainbike trails are free to use, making their money from equipment hire, giving the lazier asses a ride to the top of the trail, or selling large cups of tea and slices of carrot cake ( the Hub, Glentress. Awesome). Some might ask for a donation to help with the upkeep of trails, whereas in countries like Scotland and New Zealand the trails are a joint venture between tourism / forestry / government recreation depts.
Top Mountain Biking Spots:
Scotland - Seven Stanes, Wolftrax, Fort William
New Zealand - Woodhill, Rtorua, Queenstown
Canada - Whistler
