How much?????????

[Graham 26]

Am looking at the great-bears option as I want someone to lug my stuff about and the price looks reasonable compared to many. So also interested in anyone with experience of using them. Looking at a trip in May so will post a review when done.

Hi Haffers, I totally agree...everything he offers is pretty much how I would want it, you get the support but I think it will feel more personal. I too would be very interested to hear from anyone who has used them. Good luck with the training and everything and please keep us posted.

 

[Mr Bunbury]

I love it how the presence of a loo becomes a selling point...

This reminds me of Eileen Shereidan's LEJOG record attempt: her support vehicle consisted of a caravan and a portaloo loaded onto a flat-bed truck.

Eileen Sheridan's LEJOG Record - Wikipedia

 

[Hugo]

You do get a lot for the money, and having seen it first hand the medical support is not only welcoming even for a a blister or just some physic, but in some cases it can be vital, it is after all quite a dangerous sport! Here's their latest vid.

 

[jonny jeez]

I'm looking at LEJOG next summer at a cost of £1500. This includes all accommodation, all meals and support riders/mules.

I was dubious at first as frankly I wanted to just wing it a little and not ride to a schedule...but once you work it all out its not bad value for a 12 day trip.

 

[snorri]

, it is after all quite a dangerous sport!

Is it?

 

[srw]

I love the way their video of "the most beautiful route across Britain" focuses exclusively on the middle and the end.

 

[EltonFrog]

That video, makes it look like a fun event and has created a desire in me to do it. Bastids

 

[ankaradan]

Hello! New here! I signed on as I was doing some Internet research on the Deloitte JOGLE, which is happening in 2013 and I was trying find some folks views and experiences of having ridden these Deloitte events, as yet to no avail.

It's interesting to read the opinions above, it is a hell of a lot on money for a 9 day cycle trip, and I have no doubt, if I could be bothered I could do the JOGLE for a fraction of that cost, but can I be bothered? I'm not sure.

If I sign up to next years ride, I get everything done for me, the route is sorted, the luggage is sorted, the accommodation and food is sorted. I think there is something like 600 people do this event, and the organisers find the campsites, and set up all the individual tents, and provide the beds, the toilets the showers, the back up, the insurance, the sweeper vehicles. A hell of a logistical task I would think.

Anyhow, my mind is not yet made, though I have registered an interest in doing this event, I like the idea of it but it is a hell of a lot cash! I could have two weeks in the south of France in a private villa with pool for that money. But would it be as much fun?

I'd be interested in your opinions.

Surely part of the fun is planning your own personalised route, and knowing, if or when you get to the other end that you did it all yourself

 

[RaRa]

Surely part of the fun is planning your own personalised route, and knowing, if or when you get to the other end that you did it all yourself

Can't say I'm all that interested in planning my own version of the route - I struggle to tell left from right so it's actually really beneficial to me for someone else to have done that side of things. I still have to pedal the distances so I think i'll be happy enough with that achievement.

 

[ankaradan]

Can't say I'm all that interested in planning my own version of the route - I struggle to tell left from right so it's actually really beneficial to me for someone else to have done that side of things. I still have to pedal the distances so I think i'll be happy enough with that achievement.

In that case, you are better off with an organised trip. I just love pouring over maps and the like, looking for interesting and scenic places to include . I'm also intending to take my time, visiting relatives/friends on the way, so an organised trip would be no good for me.

 

[EltonFrog]

Surely part of the fun is planning your own personalised route, and knowing, if or when you get to the other end that you did it all yourself

Nope, not for me, the planning bit and organising is the dull bit, I'm not a planning sort of person me, just wanna go and ride the bike. I love the idea of folk luggin all the gear around and sorting out the other stuff. What I really would like, and would be prepared to pay for is something like the Deloitte package but better. Instead of camping, hotels, and someone to get me to and from the start and finish.


And someone to ride the difficult bits too.

 

[EltonFrog]

I have just found this http://iloapp.1000miles2wheels.co.uk/blog/robwaite?ShowFile&doc=1294145826.pdf, a pdf of a training plan the RAB team suggest. Do people really have the time to commit to plan like this?

 

[bof]

I have just found this http://iloapp.1000miles2wheels.co.uk/blog/robwaite?ShowFile&doc=1294145826.pdf, a pdf of a training plan the RAB team suggest. Do people really have the time to commit to plan like this?

Took a quick look, Way over the top IMO and struck me as a stupidly over-prescriptive plan - most of us have to fit this stuff around the rest of our life.. To do 110 miles a day comfortably you'll want a moving average of around 13mph minimum. Learn to be brisk with your breaks and you'll spend only 10 hours a day out on the road, even at that speed. See that as the "must reach" target, you can probably be a little faster.

I did LEJOG recently in 9 and a bit (2hrs) days with some time off to visit a couple of people, with, to be fair, a strong base from last year and a history of long-distance cycling. My serious cycling consisted of, over the winter, 1 hours very hard spinning and usually a hard, short weekend ride. During the summer I tried to get in a 100K ride most weeks and a commute to work (there's a big hill) about 3 days, plus other riding when I could. So around 8-10 hours a week on the bike most weeks. I also weight train once a week to maintain core strength - your upper body can suffer from long days in the saddle. This training was partly undone by very little cycling in the last month or so before the ride and I suffered from the first full day - my hardest - a bit more than I would have wanted.

If you are a "newbie" it is important that you get several rides of the daily distance or a bit longer under your belt before the start so you can address any problems you have with the distance - the thing about 9 days of 100 miles plus is that there is no recovery

If you're new to long distance cycling, you might want to take a look at audaxing - a forum called yacf has lots (too much?) about it. It will give you a way to build up doing 100Km, 150km and 200km organised rides at a reasonable pace without the pressure of being in a pretend race like some sportives. I see you're from Oxfordshire - Didcot's cycle club has several keen audaxers and there are a fair number of audaxes reasonably local to you. There is a book called Long Distance Cycling by Simon Doughty (who was a long distance cyclist himself till he was hit by a car cycling to work) which has a lot of sensible suggestions too.

 

[EltonFrog]

Took a quick look, Way over the top IMO and struck me as a stupidly over-prescriptive plan - most of us have to fit this stuff around the rest of our life.. To do 110 miles a day comfortably you'll want a moving average of around 13mph minimum. Learn to be brisk with your breaks and you'll spend only 10 hours a day out on the road, even at that speed. See that as the "must reach" target, you can probably be a little faster.

I did LEJOG recently in 9 and a bit (2hrs) days with some time off to visit a couple of people, with, to be fair, a strong base from last year and a history of long-distance cycling. My serious cycling consisted of, over the winter, 1 hours very hard spinning and usually a hard, short weekend ride. During the summer I tried to get in a 100K ride most weeks and a commute to work (there's a big hill) about 3 days, plus other riding when I could. So around 8-10 hours a week on the bike most weeks. I also weight train once a week to maintain core strength - your upper body can suffer from long days in the saddle. This training was partly undone by very little cycling in the last month or so before the ride and I suffered from the first full day - my hardest - a bit more than I would have wanted.

If you are a "newbie" it is important that you get several rides of the daily distance or a bit longer under your belt before the start so you can address any problems you have with the distance - the thing about 9 days of 100 miles plus is that there is no recovery

If you're new to long distance cycling, you might want to take a look at audaxing - a forum called yacf has lots (too much?) about it. It will give you a way to build up doing 100Km, 150km and 200km organised rides at a reasonable pace without the pressure of being in a pretend race like some sportives. I see you're from Oxfordshire - Didcot's cycle club has several keen audaxers and there are a fair number of audaxes reasonably local to you. There is a book called Long Distance Cycling by Simon Doughty (who was a long distance cyclist himself till he was hit by a car cycling to work) which has a lot of sensible suggestions too.

Thanks very much for taking the trouble to write this reply, I appreciate the advice and help. I am considering doing this next year, but when I saw this training plan it put me right off if I'm being honest.

 

[bof]

Thanks very much for taking the trouble to write this reply, I appreciate the advice and help. I am considering doing this next year, but when I saw this training plan it put me right off if I'm being honest.

Yes I can see why, but don't be. Once you have got your bike and gear set up just right for you, saddle-hardened your backside and got nutrition and hydration sorted, stepping up distances is really not that hard.