Charity cycle - 1300 miles and a newbie!

[RussD]

Hi,

In March of this year a close friend tragically killed himself for reasons unknown to us. Since then I, with some other close friends, have been on a mission to raise moneys as well as keeping his memory alive. By speaking to his parents, they came up with supporting the charity CALM - Campaign Against Living Miserably - and with it we began to set up events and a memorial football match in order to reach our target of £1000.

Well the match was played on Monday (14/05/12) and after counting up we raised £2750, nearly three times our initial target.

I am now looking at going even further and this is where the cycling challenge comes in, Myself and Danny worked in Magaluf last summer, and my aim is now to ride from Chester to Mallorca to raise funds for the charity once again - a mileage according to google of 1314 miles. I feel it would be a fitting tribute to someone who I spent the best summer of my life with there.

Now comes to hard part - routes, fitness, training, getting a bike!, and everything else that comes with it before I can even think about taking on the challenge.

I am a fit active person, who plays for two football teams as well as being a regular gym goer so I feel the challenge isn't beyond me in terms of the physical strain. Obviously, I will have to go about training with a cycle but how would you recommend I start (apart from getting a bike)?

What obstacles am I likely to face? What equipment would I need for such a journey?

This very message is the start of this challenge and so it is a brand new idea... any help will be much appreciated.

Kind regards

Russ

 

[Fubar]

Hi Russ, sounds like a great adventure and a good cause - I've not done any touring but I have read a wee bit, I like this website: http://travellingtwo.com/ - lots of basic knowledge and advice, things to think about, etc.

I think as well realising that cycling fitness can be different to "normal" fitness for playing footie, etc. though it sounds like you have a good base to work from. Also adjusting to long days in the saddle, what to do when things go wrong, accomodation, costs, etc will need to be thought about, though you won't be able to plan everything (and probably don't want to).

Good luck, hope it all goes well. Regards, Mark

 

[Cal44]

What an epic ride, sounds awesome and to help out a good cause such as this in the process is great. Good luck and I'm sure any advice you need you will find it here and if not you shall be pointed in the right direction!

 

[RussD]

Thanks Mark, your post is much appreciated - I'll be sure to check out the website.

There's so much to think about and plan, it's exciting and confusing all at the same time though I'm sure when I get to grips with it I'll be fine. Using forums such as this will I'm sure be of huge benefit to us in planning the journey to a tee.

Any further information from anyone on the board will be gladly received no matter how small. Here's just a few questions that I can think of:

- Do you think there is a need to have someone driving behind us with medical equipment and so forth be essential? Or is is possible to carry such items in a rucksack without it causing problems for the trip?

- Has anyone cycled through France and Spain - what are your experiences in comparison to cycling in the UK?

- If you could give me 3 important pointers, what would they be?

I'm sure there will be further questions, to the point of annoyance but I'll try to keep them short.

Also, thanks Cal - I'm sure this forum will be of great assistance!

 

[suffolkcindy]

My advice having covered long distances is to:

• train by riding 50+mile rides here and then allow time to recover (this builds endurance metabolism, recovery being just as important as hours in the saddle)
• train on the bike you are going to use and have it set up to fit you perfectly to reduce likelihood of injury
• wear padded shorts, padded gloves and 'sports' fabrics so you are not fighting your own sweat the whole way
• pace yourself (dont set off at full speed each day)
• no, I dont think you need a support. Europe is mainly civilised Take essentials only (dont carry a backpack) and a phone with local emergency numbers already in it for getting local help if you need it

Best of luck for this important trip

 

[BigonaBianchi]

well done you!

No need for any support...echo Cindys comments above....make sure you know where you are going to sleep each night the night before...take a tent...euro medical card...learn how to fix your bike (at least the basics)...enjoy th eride.

 

[Dave Davenport]

well done you!

No need for any support...echo Cindys comments above....make sure you know where you are going to sleep each night the night before...take a tent...euro medical card...learn how to fix your bike (at least the basics)...enjoy th eride.

All of the above, but if you're camping I wouldn't worry about planning where you're going to stop each night (or over detailed route planning), you'll allways* find somewhere in France & Spain.
You don't say how long you plan to take but I'd allow about four weeks if you're camping.

*Well we've never had a problem!

 

[bof]

The first big decision you have to make is do you want to take your time or do it fast and furious. Maybe depends on how long you can take off work, be away from the family. I ask as the kit you need and the training approach could vary quite a lot as a result.

 

[RussD]

Thanks for all of your responses!

It's gave me more questions on how I approach this ride - I was looking at doing it in 15 days? Which would be 87 miles per day approximately (using google maps as the basis for this), however if it takes longer than so be it. Being self-competitive means I will want to do it in the fastest speed my body can do it in.

I've set up a little blog to follow me in my journey, and of course I will continue to post on here as I progess.

Check it out, if you want.

http://wp.me/2rQKT

Thanks

Russ

 

[Dave Davenport]

Your mileage is likely to end up nearer 1500 miles using smaller roads, unsupported in 15 days would be a serious, but possible challenge as long as you can train properly for it.

 

[steveindenmark]

Setting yourself a deadline of 15 days when you are not an experienced long distance cyclists is a sure way of scuppering your plans. You will soon realise you are not going to make it in the time and you will feel that you have failed before you started.
Surely the whole idea is to experience the trip and how can you plan that to a timescale. You don`t know what is going to happen along the way or who you will meet. I would just go with the flow and you will soon get there.

Make sure you have a decent saddle but not a Brookes. Brookes is usually the choice of touring cyclists and they are wonderful saddles once broken in. The problem is that they can take 2 years and more to get them how you want them.

A bike GPS , although not essential, is a great bit of kit not only for showing you the way but also tracking where you have been. Mine also shows camping sites, hotels, restaurants, etc, etc, etc. I have the Garmin GPSmap 60CSx. It runs on 2xAA batteries and so you don`t need to charge it up.

If you are camping. The Exped Synmat 7 UL is small light, warm and very comfortable. Top class air mat.

I have a Gelert Eiger 3 tent. It is a double skinned 3 man tent weighing 3.6kg and costs about £40. I have been in torrential rain, gale force winds, snow and sun in this tent and it performs just as well, if not better than £200 tents. Buy a bigger tent than you think you need so you can get your gear in there.

Sign on for the charity donation site "Justgiving" so the guys on here can donate.

With regards the bike get some decent size tyres. Marathon Plus are always a good touring tyre.

I look forward to see how this progresses.

Steve

 

[sabian92]

First off - congrats on raising nearly 3 grand. That's brilliant.

Second of all, I know nothing about touring but I do know that you'll have to spend some time before hand toughening your bum up - being fit will take most of the problem of training away but your bum will complain if you just jump on and do 1300 miles. Likewise with a rucksack, you'll get a sweaty, aching back and by the end of the first day you'll be wanting to burn it. Panniers and a bar bag will help distribute the load better and you won't have weight on your back for 10 hours a day.

Get a few pairs of padded cycling shorts (either bib shorts or just normal strapless ones - have a look online and you'll see what I mean). Boxers cause chaffing and saddle sores. The last time I rode wearing boxers I did 12 miles and I couldn't sit down for a week (not exaggerating either, and it was sore for another 3) because the seams around the leg ended up right up against the top of my legs and rubbed me raw. Not pleasant I can assure you

Enjoy yourself though and I hope you raise a whole lot more. I'll definitely donate if I can.