c2c in a day (charity)

[jack smith]

i want to do the c2c whitehaven to sunderland in a day for charity, probably help for heroes or the RBL. has anyone on here done it in a day? is alot of it suitable for a road bike? i ride daily between sunderland and stanhope as that is my riding territory and i know a few of the paths are abit gravel'y but okay for a road bike, i will be sticking some heavy duty tyres on it for the hack though. im going to travel with basics, phone light food water and basic tools tubes patches and c02 inflator and planning to meet with people at checkpoints along the way to get extra kit food ect if need be. i want to do this solo as i love a challenge. are there any particular rough routes i need to know of or any steep climbs i should have nightmares about?

 

[Hacienda71]

I think @400bhp has.

 

[jack smith]

Thanks hopefully I'll hear something tommorrow

 

[DiddlyDodds]

Are you wanting to stick to tracks etc , or thinking of doing it all on the road , if you want a road route , see

http://www.opencycling.com/coast-to-coast-in-a-day/route.php

They do the C2C in day but is full this year now , but you can always use the GPX file and follow the same route , this is road all the way.


We are doing this event next month so will be able to let you know how hard it is .


Here is a short film from You Tube about some bloke doing it in a day

View: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ns9YwOKR8-U&index=41&list=FLwI0IscYTBedvktVpH2KhJg

 

[400bhp]

I haven't done the C2C from Whitehaven to Sunderland (Hadrian's Cycleway) and did The Way of the Roses (Morecambe to Scarborough).

However @gam001 has done it from Carlisle to Sunderland on a road bike (albeit he might have used some of the adjacent roads rather than the tracks). I think he really enjoyed it. I recall he sais there's quite a few rolling hills but nothing too steep. Hopefully he will be along shortly.

I have done Hadrian's cycleway from Ravenglass to Whitehaven which was great, albeit not really suitable for road bikes.

Hadrian's cycleway from Whitehaven is on my to do list funnily enough, not least because it can be done on a road bike.

 

[jack smith]

I'd prefer to stick to tracks as they are sign posted and easier to follow on a standard map, I don't have a garmin so would be relying on the blue signs and if need be my phone to quickly check the route

 

[jack smith]

Great watch that video btw! Looks like some big climbs for me to struggle up

 

[DefBref]

Is it the classic C2C route you want to use or just any route between Whitehaven and Sunderland.

The classic C2C has a few parts which will be a bit dodgy for a road bike if you follow it exactly. Theres a a mile stretch early on at Rowrah to Lamplugh school which is off road but easily avoidable, and the railway path out of keswick is loose gravel for four miles or so. I would use the road to descend down Whinlatter as well rather than the signposted route. Other than that you should be fine.

As 400bhp says , Hadrians is a better route for a road bike, no bits need avoided (also less climbing). I did it in one day last year Whitehaven to Newcastle.

http://app.strava.com/activities/76457463

 

[jack smith]

I'm not too fussed about routes tbh, aslong as I get to consett at some point as I live between consett and stanley but my girlfriend lives in consett so I could nab some cake lol I also know the best routes via road from Stanhope to SunderlandSunderland

 

[jack smith]

Wow that's a nice route, I usually do about that elevation on 40 mile rides around this way!

 

[DefBref]

Yeah the 60 miles to get to northumberland must be the flattest route in cumbria, any other direction and you'll be climbing a lot.

 

[gam001]

I haven't done the C2C from Whitehaven to Sunderland (Hadrian's Cycleway) and did The Way of the Roses (Morecambe to Scarborough).

However @gam001 has done it from Carlisle to Sunderland on a road bike (albeit he might have used some of the adjacent roads rather than the tracks). I think he really enjoyed it. I recall he sais there's quite a few rolling hills but nothing too steep. Hopefully he will be along shortly.

I have done Hadrian's cycleway from Ravenglass to Whitehaven which was great, albeit not really suitable for road bikes.

Hadrian's cycleway from Whitehaven is on my to do list funnily enough, not least because it can be done on a road bike.

@400bhp has pretty much remembered everything there - quite impressive given I told him about it back in 2010!
Carlisle>Gretna>Tynemouth - I did it solo on a hybrid w/ 25mm road tyres - just did it "for a laugh" and absolutely loved it
Did it 1 week after doing a shortened "Way of Roses" C2C (210km / 10k feet of climbing with @400bhp) and 2 weeks after my first (flat) century ride
This ride was a nice balance of distance / scenery / small & rolling hills - will definitely do it again at some point (next time family stay in Tynemouth?)
Travelled on fairly quet roads (except briefly when near Newcastle), just above the A69 - pretty much all road, few tracks
It was just shy of 100 miles, took it fairly easy and stopped at around 35 miles & 70 miles, did it in around 7 hours including stops
I have a gpx file / cafe stops info / list of what I took with me - very happy to email all to you if you are interested and PM me your e-mail address
If you slowly build up your stamina before you go and take the right kit with you, you'll really enjoy it
(EDIT - you can look at the gpx file on screen before you go if you don't have a gpx device on your bike.)