• Guest - w'd love to know what you think about the forum! Take the 2025 Survey »

Cycle touring

O

OscarLightfoot

Member
Messages
10
Type of diabetes
Type 1
Treatment type
Insulin
Hi, I am planning on circumnavigating the world next month on a push bike,as type 1 diabetic I understand this isn't the most common thing to do, I just wanted to reach out on here to see if any other fellow diabetics that have traveled to Central Asia or china? If so what is the availability of insulin, just incase things go **** up?
 
I can't add any useful information but it would be great to know more about your plans and preparation (both T1-specific and cycling related.)

I'm afraid I've never tried to source insulin abroad (I always took my own and had a fridge to store it in.) How long do you expect to take?

Good luck!
 
Hi, the plan is to go east through Europe,through central again enter China through tajikistan, down through china,to Vietnam, then head south to Indonesia,hop over to Australia and then to South America where I haven't made a plan. Diabetes wise I have been saving medication for the last 4 years so I have enough for the trip. (however have researched where i can get more if needed,apart from central asia and china) i am using a 2x4allfamily fridges to carry it all.i am planning it too take two years.could ask what fridge system you use?
 
My fridge comment wasn't related to cycling I'm afraid, more to say that I'd never needed to store insulin out of a fridge for a long duration - I used to travel with a coolbag and throw ice into it (in a plastic bag so it didn't get everything wet) but this does rely on being able to source ice. But not by bike - I've never cycle toured, but am thinking of doing so this year, though not all the way around the world!
 
If you do ever need to keep your insulin cool there is an American company called 4allfamily that make portable insulin fridges I would highly recommend. It's that or frio bags.
 
Thanks, and sorry I did mean to mention Frio bags - I was never overly impressed with them for travel, but my travel was always be short enough or close enough to somewhere with ice that I could top up a cool bag before arriving somewhere with a fridge in which to store insulin longer term. Long distance cycle touring is obviously a different matter completely! Other people report them working and are happy with them - I may need to think about this in a bit more detail for my sort-of-in-planning tour in the spring/summer (though it will be short so it would only be a defence against hot weather/sunlight on bags type effects.)

Do please keep us updated on your adventure
 
I have only ever had to source insulin in Europe when I was able to go to a pharmacy and buy direct without a prescription. I did know a type 1 English teacher that was able to do the same in China (but maybe you should check if anyone has any info on the travel forums). If you have the money it seems you can get pretty much anything in a lot of places.
As for keeping insulin cool (which you might need to do) then I can say that I have only ever used a water activated frio wallet for several days - in 25-30c) that seemed to work well (I kept it wrapped up in a toiletries bag out of direct sunlight in the centre of my backpack).

I don't know what kind of plan you have. Obviously if you are bikepacking (like with a tent and cooking equipment etc.) then extra weight MIGHT become an issue for you regarding taking along some kind of 'mini fridge'. Though I presume (again if you have the money) that you can probably get one that is more lightweight than they used to be - the one I still have in the loft IS literally a miniature fridge which I used when I was in a house share back in the day.

As for cycling itself, funnily enough I was only just looking up The European Divide the other day (a 7500km+ cycle route from Arctic Norway to Portugal).
 
Last edited:
TheRightStuff said:
I have only ever had to source insulin in Europe when I was able to go to a pharmacy and buy direct without a prescription.
Click to expand...
You cannot buy insulin without a prescription in Europe.
However, depending on the situation they might have helped you out because they didn't want you to die. If they did, it will have cost them quite some paperwork, unless they had a doctor sign a prescription by phone based on what you told them.
 
Hi, very interested in this thread. I have managed trips of up to 1 week with a Frio pack but got a bit nervous with how effective it was on a camping trip in Mexico. Now trying to work out if it is realistic to do an 8 week cycle from Canada to Mexico with a mixture of camping and occasional hotels and wonder if anyone has done something similar. If using my pump a 10ml vial will probably last 12 days so insulin supply not too much of an issue. Pump and CGM supplies on the other hand will be a challenge. Anyone done any long trips with a pump, how did you manage?
 
New research has found insulin can be kept at room temperature for up to 4 weeks:

Storing and travelling with rapid-acting insulin

NHS medicines information on how to keep rapid-acting insulin safely at home, while you’re using it and when you’re travelling.
www.nhs.uk

I've spent time camping in the Mojave Desert and not had a problem as long as its kept out of sunlight - I did use a frio to keep it cooler than ambient temperature though

Was fine in a pump - only 3 days in there and made sure the pump was out of direct sunlight most of the time
 
SimonP78 said:
I did mean to mention Frio bags - I was never overly impressed with them for travel
Click to expand...
I don't want to derail this thread about @OscarLightfoot going that extra mile to prove that diabetes does not have to stop you doing what you want
But I will jump in and ask what it is that you are not impressed by with regards to Frio. I have used them for trips of up to 3 weeks away from fridges (e.g. hiking and camping in India) without any issues.
 
Two issues, we had to ration water so keeping them wet was a bit of a problem and when I used saltwater it was as if the crystal dissolved. The second was that we were kayaking so the pack spent a lot of time jammed in a watertight compartment so couldn't breath and as they rely on evaporation to keep cool they didn't work too well. I think as long as you have them somewhere where air can circulate this shouldn't be an issue.
 
Sorry for being so slack on replying,have been busy cycling,I went and got myself from America a 4allfamily fridge for my insulin it works for 24h of a 25000mah it seems to be working well so far! However I am shocked about how little insulin I need at the moment,when you go cycling how much do you lower your insulin?
 
4allfamily do a medical fridge that i am using it can be charged of a power bank it is working well so far! However due to the length of the trip I have been stock pilling insulin for a few years, unfortunately I wasn't able to take cgm with me due to the space so I am testing my blood the old fashioned way. I think unfortunately if you have diabetes and want to travel you do need to stockpile but this also depends on your doctor.
 
https://www.medicalnewstoday.com/ar...for-months-without-losing-potency-study-finds

I am not suggesting anyone does this, but I needed to know if my insulin did freeze would it still work and it definitely does. it might have lost some potency. But it still did the job
 
Exactly with a bit of planning you can do anything with diabetes. Even if it's daunting.
 
Hi guys It has come to my attention that if I do complete this trip I will be potentially the first diabetic to circumnavigate the globe on the bike if anyone would like to follow my journey on Instagram my name is lightfootoscar
 
OscarLightfoot said:
I am not suggesting anyone does this, but I needed to know if my insulin did freeze would it still work and it definitely does. it might have lost some potency. But it still did the job
Click to expand...

Summary - no. The suspension the insulin is in goes clumpy after defrost and wont then inject consistently

Is Frozen Insulin Still Safe to Use?

At what temperature does insulin freeze? Can it be used once thawed again? Ask D'Mine considers what would happen if insulin was left out to freeze.
www.healthline.com
 
Mine didn't, I guess it was novorapid so not a mixed insulin as he says that mixed insulins would react differently.
 
Great to hear how you're getting on

I'm not doing multi-day rides, but for long days I'll dial back my basal to something like 60% of my daily total and not need any bolus at all during the day. If I were doing multi-day rides I could see dropping basal down to 50% or less and again not needing bolus until I stop in the evening, at which point I might need 30% of the usual dose.

What are you finding your insulin needs are compared with pre-expedition?
 
You must log in or register to reply here.
Menu
Log in
Register
Cookies are required to use this site. You must accept them to continue using the site. Learn More.…