I want to do a cycle tour!

[AlexStevens]

I am only 14 but I really want to do a cycle tour : cycling, camping, cooking on a camping stove and all that!
My mate who I want to do it with is 16 I was wondering whether you think my parents would let me do one!

 

[AlexStevens]

On this bike which i am building atm : http://buildingabicycle.tumblr.com/

 

[MontyVeda]

it depends on how responsible your parents think you and your friend are... you are after all their responsibility.

But you don't have to go that far away either, so if they are a little over protective, you can plan where you're going to camp in advance and run it by them.

 

[jags]

nice paint job well done.why don't you and your pal do a short round tour maybe to a campsite not to far from home spend a couple days there then head back home, see what your parents think of that idea ,then next time providing all works out well you can go for 3 or4 days.
best of luck hope your parents agree but dont be to hard on them if they think its a bad idea personally i think its great

 

[AlexStevens]

Yeh I thought that might be best I live in wiltshire and their are a lot of campsites around us! Maybe if me and my mate just did a cycle ride to a camp site say 30 miles away, then camped the night and then came back the next day?

 

[aberal]

Best bet would be to work out a route well in advance using as many B roads and cycle paths as possible. Stick to routes with very little or no traffic if you can.

Nice project with the bike by the way.

 

[snorri]

It might be an idea for your first night to camp in your garden. That's a good way of finding out just what equipment you will need for a tour, and if you have missed anything important it's easy to go back home to collect it. It will also reassure your parents that you know what you are doing, and make them more likely to consent to a night away from home.

Good Luck, this could be the start of something big.

 

[AlexStevens]

Yeh ok thanks!

Yeh I am enjoying building the bike
Handlebars and tape should arrive tomorrow and then later in the week the stem, brake levers and freewheel will arrive

 

[ufkacbln]

Yeh ok thanks!

Yeh I am enjoying building the bike
Handlebars and tape should arrive tomorrow and then later in the week the stem, brake levers and freewheel will arrive

Why not try a day trip with overnight camp and then back?

The trick is to do it in steps. As you develop experience and skills then your parents can establish the boundaries to suit.

My first "cycle tour" was a thirty mile trip to my grandparent's house, camp in the garden and return. This was followed about 6 months later by a weekend trip, and by the time I was 16 we were away fro a week at a time. However we were of the same age.

 

[400bhp]

What a refreshing change - a 14 y.o taking time to build up a bike.

Good luck, am sure your parents will give you some elastic, given the effort you have put in.

 

[Ticktockmy]

Its good to see the frame has some lugs on it so you can fit a rack, get the best you can afford, that will make carring your equipment easier.
Its also nice to read that guys your age and your mates age are planning to cycle tour.
Firstly I would say have some pratice rides maybe 30 miles over a weekend, you can camp in either yours or your mates garden.
Once you have sorted out any problems, with bike and equipment, take a ride out may be 30 odd miles to a campsite, however in this day and age most sites dont want to know under 16 Year olds unless they have a adult with them. but there is nothing wrong in finding a quite place to wild camp, camp early and leave early and normally you will not have any problems.
browes through past postings on here to see the vast amount of useful information that is on this forum.
good luck and enjoy.
Bob G.

 

[vernon]

I am only 14 but I really want to do a cycle tour : cycling, camping, cooking on a camping stove and all that!
My mate who I want to do it with is 16 I was wondering whether you think my parents would let me do one!

The only way that you'll find out is to ask your parents. The opinions of others will hold little sway. I speak as a parent.

I allowed my son to go off camping, unsupervised, with friends from the age of fourteen. They had some scrapes but came back in one piece every time.

The campers had several overnight practice runs overnight in our back garden where they got to grips with cooking pitching the tents and co-operating with each other.

Some of my son's friends weren't allowed to go by their parents because there were no adults supervising the adventure.

There's no way of me telling you how your parents will react to your request as I don't know them. How do you think that they will respond?

 

[AlexStevens]

I think they would definitely allow me to start off with a small one, one night, and then if that all went smoothly I think I could move up to a weekend and then when I was older, much longer tours!

They are relaxed parents and my mum has always encouraged me to cycle so that is a good thing!


Nice to hear you all think the bike build is going on well, most kids of my age just sit in front of a video game!

 

[e-rider]

Find an 18 year old mate too and do LEJOG; or talk your parents into doing it with you (if they are cool) that way they can pay for it as well.

 

[AlexStevens]

Haha my mum rides a pashley sovereign...