Cycling advice needed: cycling from Germany to England

[Darkdawn]

Hi everyone, I joined this forum because I need some advice for a trip I am making at the end of June.

I will be cycling from Bremen, through the Netherlands, Belgium, France crossing the channel into Newhaven then cycling up to Wigan. I will be doing this alone and couchsurfing or staying hostels.

I'll be doing this for the MS society because they helped my step-father for the last 22 years!

What I really need is some advice because the furthest I've ever cycled is 22 miles!

So far the list of things I need to have is:
Clothes: glasses, gloves, 2xJurseys, 1xwaterproof jacket, 2xpadded shorts, cycling pants, socks and cycling shoes.
First aid: basic kit, Vaseline, heat pads, paracetamol, instant ice and heat pads, tube grips, immodium and sudocrem.
Bike things: Bike repair manual, inner tube, bike repair kit
Extras: Sim cards for each country, emergency phone charger, cycle navi
Nutrition: 2 energy drinks per day, 1 bottle of water, 2 energy bars and some fruit!

So does anybody have some advice or can see anything I have overlooked? Any advice is welcome!

Thanks everyone!!!

 

[TissoT]

Over shoes !.... Helmet !
What bike are you using for this Epic ride !
How many miles per day are you planning to ride ?

Where in Wigan will are you getting off your bike ?

 

[Brains]

You could also cut a lot of miles/kilometers off the route by crossing a Hook of Holland to Harwich, or Hook of Holland to Hull !

You will also need maps - I recommend the German 'Estebauer' Bike line books for the German, Holland, Belgian section, and the 'Sustrans' maps for the English section

Kit, I'd also bring something like a silk sleeping bag liner as you never know where you are going to end up.
Some sort of tablet computer or at least a smart phone

As you will be in 'civilisation' all the way, just make sure you have enough money to buy stuff as required along the route, don't be tempted to bring more than you need, buy as you require it.

 

[alpine fenlander]

Most important advice I'd say is to practise cycling all day every day. It depends on what sort of miles per day you are planning of course, but even if it's only 30 miles per day it'll be hard doing it every day if you aren't used to it. So slowly try and build up to some longer rides and by early June (the latest) try and do a long weekend trip to test all your gear so you'll get some idea as to what you need.

As for gear, maybe start with this guys advice: http://ultralightcycling.blogspot.co.uk/ It's of course very extreme so you might want to add a few bits. On the other hand you are cycling through Europe so you'll never be far away from shops to stock up. Most important is probably food and drink, try to always have a bit spare.
From your list:
Clothes - sounds ok for June
First aid: hmmm, not sure I'd bother with more than some chamois cream
Bike repair: 2 spare tubes, puncture repair kit, multi-tool. Drop the bike manual - if anything bigger breaks you won't have the right tools+spares anyway. Maybe take an app if you really want or even an app with bike shops like this http://road.cc/content/news/113674-cycle-satnav-app-now-finds-cycling-clubs-well-bike-shops
Extras: Roaming charges are quite low now so might not be worth changing SIMs, maybe a spare battery pack for your phone or sat nav (navi) (~£20 on Amazon or EBay)
Like I said, you can always buy more stuff en route if and when you need it.
Any reason for your particular route?

All just imho of course and others will have different ideas so you can pick and choose what suits you best :-)

 

[Profpointy]

bearing in mind this is western europe, I'd not bother unduly.with first aid stuff as there are shops after all - same applies to quite a.lot else that's easily purchased on the way. Puncture kit, spare tubes, some tools (but don't go mad) -.yes - as it could be a.long push to the next shop. Personally I'd.go for proper food rather than "energy" bars and the.like6

 

[alpine fenlander]

You could also cut a lot of miles/kilometers off the route by crossing a Hook of Holland to Harwich, or Hook of Holland to Hull !...

Yes I think skip Belgium, Norther France and central England (all very similar unless you seek out specific scenic areas) and go via Hook (Rotterdam) and then take a route via Eastern + Northern England (e.g. Peak District, Yorkshire, Lake District) or even Scotland if you have time.

 

[Darkdawn]

Over shoes !.... Helmet !
What bike are you using for this Epic ride !
How many miles per day are you planning to ride ?

Where in Wigan will are you getting off your bike ?

I'll just be using a standard hybrid bike, nothing special. Since I've not done this kind of distance I'm aiming for around 100km a day with a few days at 40-70km with travelling between cities! I should be finishing in worsely mesnes in Wigan

 

[Darkdawn]

Most important advice I'd say is to practise cycling all day every day. It depends on what sort of miles per day you are planning of course, but even if it's only 30 miles per day it'll be hard doing it every day if you aren't used to it. So slowly try and build up to some longer rides and by early June (the latest) try and do a long weekend trip to test all your gear so you'll get some idea as to what you need.

As for gear, maybe start with this guys advice: http://ultralightcycling.blogspot.co.uk/ It's of course very extreme so you might want to add a few bits. On the other hand you are cycling through Europe so you'll never be far away from shops to stock up. Most important is probably food and drink, try to always have a bit spare.
From your list:
Clothes - sounds ok for June
First aid: hmmm, not sure I'd bother with more than some chamois cream
Bike repair: 2 spare tubes, puncture repair kit, multi-tool. Drop the bike manual - if anything bigger breaks you won't have the right tools+spares anyway. Maybe take an app if you really want or even an app with bike shops like this http://road.cc/content/news/113674-cycle-satnav-app-now-finds-cycling-clubs-well-bike-shops
Extras: Roaming charges are quite low now so might not be worth changing SIMs, maybe a spare battery pack for your phone or sat nav (navi) (~£20 on Amazon or EBay)
Like I said, you can always buy more stuff en route if and when you need it.
Any reason for your particular route?

All just imho of course and others will have different ideas so you can pick and choose what suits you best :-)

Good advice, thanks!
I'll be travelling through each of the capitals of the countries and then catching the ferry from Dieppe to Newhaven.

 

[TissoT]

I'll just be using a standard hybrid bike, nothing special. Since I've not done this kind of distance I'm aiming for around 100km a day with a few days at 40-70km with travelling between cities! I should be finishing in worsely mesnes in Wigan

I have the up most respect for what you are doing.. And I wish the best of luck .....
Take it easy on the mileage day by day build it up slowly ... one thing you do nt what to get is any Sores ...ie Feet,groin area
Which will hinder your cycling ... Eat the right foods to fuel your self... Keep safe !

I was born in Wigan (Goose Green)

 

[Auntie Helen]

I've done loads of touring in Germany including long rides (did Berlin to London a couple of years ago for Help For Heroes) though on a recumbent so different to your bike.

I second the Hoek van Holland to Harwich suggestion.

I've written lots of blog posts about touring in Germany, you can see my blog at www.auntiehelen.co.uk

 

[snorri]

It would save the tedious cycle through southern England if you sailed from Ijmuiden to Newcastle, but perhaps inc

I will be cycling from Bremen, through the Netherlands, Belgium, France crossing the channel into Newhaven then cycling up to Wigan. I will be doing this alone and couchsurfing or staying hostels.

I'll be doing this for the MS society because they helped my step-father for the last 22 years!

What I really need is some advice because the furthest I've ever cycled is 22 miles!

So far the list of things I need to have is:
Clothes: glasses, gloves, 2xJurseys, 1xwaterproof jacket, 2xpadded shorts, cycling pants, socks and cycling shoes.
First aid: basic kit, Vaseline, heat pads, paracetamol, instant ice and heat pads, tube grips, immodium and sudocrem.
Bike things: Bike repair manual, inner tube, bike repair kit
Extras: Sim cards for each country, emergency phone charger, cycle navi
Nutrition: 2 energy drinks per day, 1 bottle of water, 2 energy bars and some fruit!

So does anybody have some advice or can see anything I have overlooked? Any advice is welcome!

Thanks everyone!!!

luding Belgium and France is a requirement of your tour?

 

[Darkdawn]

I have the up most respect for what you are doing.. And I wish the best of luck .....
Take it easy on the mileage day by day build it up slowly ... one thing you do nt what to get is any Sores ...ie Feet,groin area
Which will hinder your cycling ... Eat the right foods to fuel your self... Keep safe !

I was born in Wigan (Goose Green)

Thank you, if you would like to support or follow me during this trip then check out my Justgiving page (link in signature) and I will keep updating it when something comes up!

 

[Darkdawn]

It would save the tedious cycle through southern England if you sailed from Ijmuiden to Newcastle, but perhaps inc


luding Belgium and France is a requirement of your tour?

I sort of promised myself that would would cycle to the capitals of all the countries so I shall have to visit London anyway. Plus if I try to get a sponsor it sounds better for their advertisement! The current estimation is around 1540 km

 

[snorri]

It's good to have a theme for a tour, Capitals Tour sounds good!

So does anybody have some advice or can see anything I have overlooked? Any advice is welcome!

Here's a non-camping tour checklist in no particular order of importance, but no one has the same requirements.
Sun tan lotion, lip salve, soap, sticky plasters, tube of Savlon.....small packet of paper tissues.
Maps...., passport,......EHIC card,.....YHA card(also accepted in mainland Europe),.......credit cards,......some Euros,......mini dictionaries can be handy for interpreting menus,signs etc, German/English, Dutch/English,French/English,.....cycle lock,..... puncture repair kit,......spare tube .....set of allen keys in a mini-tool,..... roll of insulating tape(for temp repairs,....... water bottles mounted on cycle frame,....... perhaps an OE spanner for brake adjustments(depends on type of brakes).....a few pairs of thin latex gloves to keep your hands clean if you have to deal with mechanical problem,.....camera....compass...sunglasses.....black poly bags can be handy for keeping wet clothes separate from dry stuff in panniers.....I like to have a handlebar mounted computer on the 'bars calibrated in Km, saves a lot of mental arithmetic(Miles/Km) and aids navigation. Do you really need to worry about phone/phone charging/sim cards? Just use public or hostel 'phones.

 

[Darkdawn]

It's good to have a theme for a tour, Capitals Tour sounds good!

Here's a non-camping tour checklist in no particular order of importance, but no one has the same requirements.
Sun tan lotion, lip salve, soap, sticky plasters, tube of Savlon.....small packet of paper tissues.
Maps...., passport,......EHIC card,.....YHA card(also accepted in mainland Europe),.......credit cards,......some Euros,......mini dictionaries can be handy for interpreting menus,signs etc, German/English, Dutch/English,French/English,.....cycle lock,..... puncture repair kit,......spare tube .....set of allen keys in a mini-tool,..... roll of insulating tape(for temp repairs,....... water bottles mounted on cycle frame,....... perhaps an OE spanner for brake adjustments(depends on type of brakes).....a few pairs of thin latex gloves to keep your hands clean if you have to deal with mechanical problem,.....camera....compass...sunglasses.....black poly bags can be handy for keeping wet clothes separate from dry stuff in panniers.....I like to have a handlebar mounted computer on the 'bars calibrated in Km, saves a lot of mental arithmetic(Miles/Km) and aids navigation. Do you really need to worry about phone/phone charging/sim cards? Just use public or hostel 'phones.

What is a YHA card? I bought a cycle Mio computer for the bike so I don't have to worry about distance etc. The SIM cards are in case of emergency when I am away from the hostels