bike touring 2012

[cycleruk]

The idea of this thread is to document every thing i do leading upto my bike tour. This will include evreything from the route i will take to the training i do. The snow come about later then last year so it ment the roads were passable, with this in mind i thought i would take the bike off the road early to start getting it ready for this years adventures!

The bike has had a lot done to it (well it is now 5 years old). late last year i started buliding a new bike up to use but i thought after everything me and the mongouse has gone through, it was only right to carry on using it for touring and use the newly bulit bike as a commuter. The bike was taken off the road around christmass time and spent about three weeks rebuliding it. The parts list was big and most people would say to buy a new bike but the memories i have ment i had no problems in spending the 200+ pounds needed to get it back into top condition! The parts i replaced are as follows: 2 new wheels, 2 new tyres and innertubes, front hydraulic brake conversion, bottom bracket, front chain set, rear cassette, chain, pedals and last but not least new cables. all this i done myself and im sure it wouldcost me more if i had it done through a bike shop. the bike is now up and running and the parts i have fitted have had more then enough time to bed in!

The first tour im doing this year (im hoping that i will do one to wales later on in the year aswell) will see me start in peterborough (well oundle tbh), have a mid tour break in brighton and then in clapton ( i have a family member who lives there that ive not seen for ages) the route im taking i will go more indepth later on in the thread.

ive had to change my traininga little bit because of how busy i am at the moment. I will now do about 20 miles a day monday to friday with rest days at the weekend. More about this later on in the thread.

Unfortunately i am unable to provide pics of the tour itself as i use a very basic desposable camera. i only take the basics that i will need: tent, sleeping bag, pillows, spare clothes (water proofs and so on), phone and first aid, spare chain, inner tubes and tools etc, maps, id, and of course water (i use some thing called a camel pack or hydration pack)

I realise that this isa big post and i will try to cut it down a little in the future but for me, i find muchpleassure in planning preping and executing a bike tour (well taking the rough with the smooth anyway!)

 

[defy-one]

Look forward to reading your blog ....

 

[vernon]

A blog is the best tool for the proposed activity.....

Try this site it accommodates bloated posts without complaint.

 

[saoirse50]

You train for your tours? How many touring miles a day do you do?
I have never trained specifically for a tour. I ride every day, shortish commute and at least one long ride at the weekend. That seems to be enough.
Looking forward to your posts. Or blog. Whichever way you choose to document it.

 

[psmiffy]

A blog is the best tool for the proposed activity.....

Try this site it accommodates bloated posts without complaint.

I find that I never get round to reading travel blogs fully - the upside down format puts me off - as an alternative try a journal on crazyguyonabike

for an example - mine is below

 

[doog]

I find that I never get round to reading travel blogs fully - the upside down format puts me off - as an alternative try a journal on crazyguyonabike

for an example - mine is below

I thought it was just me struggling after all these years with the upside down blog thing .

Crazyguyonabike is my choice too, I dont read books anymore..I read crazyguy journals.(One of mine is buried in there somewhere as well- great to look back on but not a par with some ie.the guy posting above)

 

[cycleruk]

A blog is the best tool for the proposed activity.....

Try this site it accommodates bloated posts without complaint.

mmm, good idea i had looked at doing a blog but was a little unsure about documenting this way and is something i will look into.

You train for your tours? How many touring miles a day do you do?
I have never trained specifically for a tour. I ride every day, shortish commute and at least one long ride at the weekend. That seems to be enough.
quote]
I have learnt from past experiences that the best way to enjoy a bike tour is to be fitter then you really need to be (fail to prepare and prepare to fail). I normally do around 60 miles give or take a day (the 4th day i use as a rest day and also time to exsplore the area). i have work commitments and so on, so my bike tours can be time restricted, saying that i plan for 7 days with a few extra days on the end incase i find something that takes my interest or if something goes wrong (weather being one example!)

I find that I never get round to reading travel blogs fully - the upside down format puts me off - as an alternative try a journal on crazyguyonabike

for an example - mine is below

I have been looking at a journal and infact this site was a source of valuable information for me, but, the journals on there are top notch and i dont think mine would fit in very well.

many thanks to every one for there ideas

 

[cycleruk]

This post is a little about the training i do. Through out the year i cycle to work (about a 6 mile ride) and once or twice a month i might go on a slightly longer ride.I wont start coming up with reasons (excuses) why but i have found that this does not guarantee i will do well on a long bike ride. Bike touring (for me anyway) can be both mentally and physically demanding, so its importent im ready for what ever comes my way (early morning setting off with a head wind and driving rain for 35 miles), so 3 months before the tour, i start putting in regular bike rides.
I start off small, doing about 20 miles plus the base miles i do to work and will do that 2 times a week for a month, 2nd month will see me do about 40 miles plus the base miles, then the third month i will try to get 60 miles plus the base miles and normally about a week or two before the tour, i will do a day tour to ensure both me and the bike are ready to go, lastly a few days before the tour i stop the training runs (i carry on with the base mile) to make sure i give my body time to recove before the big ride.
This program i have come up with has taken a lot of trial and error and is what i do to get ready for the tour, what works for me may not work for you but i have found this to be the best way to train the body and mind for anything that might come my way.
It is very importent to get training days and rest days to work together as over doing it can be just as bad as under doing it.

Next post, i will show the bike i use and the changes i made to get it ready for bike touring,
till then, happy touring all

 

[snorri]

This thread illustrates the different approaches people can take to cycle touring.
I have to say I would be too physically and mentally exhausted to start out on a tour if I had done as much preparation as you.
Still, happy touring to you too.

 

[strofiwimple]

That is some approach to a tour-very well planned.
I reckon i am the antithesis to it.
Iv'e done a lot of 3 4 and 5 day tours with very little training-perhaps lucky that im fairly fit through doing other sports.
Doing lejog at the end of May-as long as i get a couple of 2day rides in the fortnight leading up I reckon I will be prepared (ie the backside is ready ) But whatever works is good to go I reckon. Happy touring.

 

[cycleruk]

Post to day is about the bike i use and what i done to get it ready for touring. There are many bikes out there that are designed for touring but were way ou of my price range, i
thought i would never get in to touring untill i looked at my bike. The bike i use is called a hard tail with disk brakes and no doubt is the last bike you would think to use as a touing bike but its not as hard as it seems to get the wheels turning.

First problem are the nobbly tyres, there great off road but the rolling resistance on road means you will waste a huge amount of energy, these were relaced with road tyres (punture resistent) for about £15 each. Next, comfort, i fitted a gel seat and the difference was huge but i was still suffering with saddle sore so i did have to give into cycling shorts, cost £30. i then added bottle racks and bottles ( now use a camel pack/ hydration pack), cost £10 each (bottle/rack combe). The last bit was the hardest to do. there are no extra bolt holes for racks and the disk brakes also take up the lower mounting points so i looked into bike trailers ( no arguments please). perfect for what i needed, cost about £100 (but i got some off). Lastly bike lights, i all ready had some led lights (still very bright and batterys last longer as well) but you can spend about £20-30 or more for lights. it may seem a lot but i spent a good few months getting the gear together so all in all alot cheaper then a touring bike and if you spread the cost it would be even cheaper as well ( PLEASE NOTE i am not putting touring bikes down, im just trying to show that you do not need a touring bike to go bike touring ).

I have used the hard tail nowto go to places like norwich, hunstanton,colchester and last year stone henge. i have enjoyed every minuite of it and will continue to use the old girl till i wear the frame out, at that point i will then buy another. Only a small amount isrequired to go touring and one thing i can guarantee,from the moment you leave the front door to the moment you get back, you will have an adventure you will never forget!!

Next post will be about route planning

 

[TheDoctor]

Good for you!! Indeed you don't need a touring bike to go touring.
I've toured on a Ribble audax / winter frame, a 531 ST tourer, a Brommie and a SS. All fun, all different. Granted, a tourer is (by definition) the ideal tool for the job, but that doesn't make it essential. If you enjoy the tour, you're doing it right

 

[vernon]

This thread illustrates the different approaches people can take to cycle touring.
I have to say I would be too physically and mentally exhausted to start out on a tour if I had done as much preparation as you.
Still, happy touring to you too.

I like the challenge of coping with the unexpected and my planning is confined to getting to the start and getting back from the end.

My training is confined to whatever cycling I see fit to do beforehand.

 

[cycleruk]

Its taken a while but the route planning is now done and its time to see how i go about it.

First of all i need to decide where to go, not as easy as it sounds! lots of places to go but very little time to do it in. ive not seen my nan for years so i thought this would be a good place to start, so i told her i was coming over to visit her for the day before seeing if it was really possble but that is all part of the fun, so the start location is oundle and the end location is clacton on sea, i also like to add a via route in , i then added brighton into the route, so now i go from oundle to clacton on sea via brighton, a londg way round but an adventure none the less. it may seem like i come to that route with no problems but trust me it took me hours to decide.

I now have to look at the distance from a to b via c and how long i have to do it. the distances im going to use are only rough guides. I have about seven day (plus extra should any thing happen) and i like to average about 10 mph, that means i will have 6 days on the bike and one day off or 3 days on, one rest day then another 3 days on. The rest day i book in advance ( so i know for sure i will have somewhere to eat, sleep and so on), this stop will be in brighton area and looking for b and bs i then book the time i need for the the rest day (day one of seven complete), next i need to look at camp sites and the distances between them, this will give me the total mileage i need to ride , i can then devide this by 3 days and that will give me the average mile count for each day from that, i can then work out how long each day will take me and what time i need to allow for.

day1= 62 miles
day2= 78 miles
day3= 65 miles
total= 205 miles 205/3= 68.3 miles now because i average 10 miles an hour that means it will take me ABOUT 7 hours a day for 3 days ( i need to allow for head wind and so on). Camp sites them selfs can be seen on maps as a tent sign but there are camp sites out there that dont show up on the map so i will need to keep my eyes open!

day5=49 miles
day6= 61miles
day7=69 miles
total= 179 miles 179/3= 59.6 i will need to spend about 6 hours aday on the bike for the last 3 days.
The cost of camp sites and the differnce between them is massive, they range from a fiver for the night to 20 or so pounds so i carry money on me to pay for this.

i use this method because of time and work but if i was not working then in reality you could just get on the bike and go

Next one will be about the food i eat and how i cook it, this will be shorter then this post, trust me and i will do this tomorrorw (i leave on the coming monday!!!)

 

[vernon]

Next one will be about the food i eat and how i cook it, this will be shorter then this post, trust me and i will do this tomorrorw (i leave on the coming monday!!!)

The suspense is killing me.....