Lands End to John O Groats

[bigdavey1974]

Hi,

Am doing a supported Lands End to John O'Groats ride at the end of May.

I currently have been using my mountain bike to train on. The time has come to invest in a better bike. The shops I have visited so far have recommended both hybrid bike and road racer. Most seem to recommend the flat handle bars.

I really want something that will be comfoftable doing over 100 miles a day for 9 days but then can be used after for several years for 10 mile commutes etc. I am 6ft 5 so clearly need a lage frame.

I am looking for the most comfortable way to travel.

Thanks in advance.

 

[AlanW]

Hi,

Am doing a supported Lands End to John O'Groats ride at the end of May.

I currently have been using my mountain bike to train on. The time has come to invest in a better bike. The shops I have visited so far have recommended both hybrid bike and road racer. Most seem to recommend the flat handle bars.

I really want something that will be comfoftable doing over 100 miles a day for 9 days but then can be used after for several years for 10 mile commutes etc. I am 6ft 5 so clearly need a lage frame.

I am looking for the most comfortable way to travel.

Thanks in advance.

Crikey, you not leaving yourself much time to get a bike and get used to it are you! You will need to be doing several 100 miles rides between now and then, carrying out minor tweaks and adjustments. Plus experimenting with energy drinks/gels/bars, not all types suit everyone, so you do need to try before you commit to your big ride.

I did LEJoG back in August last year in eight days, and believe me what ever you buy you will get bloody uncomfortable towards the end of every day, no matter what bike you ride!!

A quality pair of shorts (or three) plus copious amounts of Assos creame are your best friends!

Best of luck, its a truly great feeling when you finally arrive. Despite the many aches and pains (and there were lots!) over the eight days, I would do it again tomorrow. However, certainly not the same route though, the more conventional way up the West side of the UK. We went straight up the centre, and over just about every main climb in the UK en route.......

 

[Brains]

Assuming budget does not matter, I'd start by using the Thorn Audax bike as the benchmark as they would have a frame to your needs.

 

[willem]

Or their Club Tour if you intend to take more luggage. Personaly I would use a drop bar as I find that far more ergonomical. And if you want to use it as a commuter, getting a hub generator now is a lot cheaper than getting it later. Personally, I would probably go for the Club Tour as I like camping, and because it will probably just accommodate (make sure it does) the new and absolutely wonderful Conti Topcontact Winter II winter tyres for much added safety. In summer the 37 mm Panaracer Pasela will be very comfortable.
Willem

 

[AlanW]

Assuming budget does not matter, I'd start by using the Thorn Audax bike as the benchmark as they would have a frame to your needs.

Personally I wouldn't touch a Thorn frame with a barge pole, there are much better frames out there, better made and certainly better finished. Its a long, long story!!

 

[bigdavey1974]

Thanks guys,

To recap, I will have no luggage.
My main decisions seem to be falt or drop
Racing or hybrid.

Cheers

 

[mcshroom]

Right with no luggage and long distance, then it's about speed, comfort and efficiency.

You could ride flat barred, but in your position I would be tempted to get a drop bar bike as it gives you a little more variation in position so should be more comfortable on longer rides.

If you really feel like getting a road bike then something like a Giant Defy, Specialized Allez or Specialized Secteur should be reliable and quick, and the ones with a carbon fork should dampen some of the road buzz. This sort of bike will be the lightest, but may not necessarily be the most comfortable.

I personally would look for something a little more upright and with wider tyres than an out and out racer but I'm sure that one would work for those distances, and in fact I'd bet a majority of supported riders would choose a road bike.

I would go for something like a cross bike or a fast tourer, things like the Ridgeback Century have a little more flexibility later on with rack eyelets and mudguards, and the Specialized Tricross is another good bike, built pretty much like a road bike but a bit sturdier and allowing slightly wider and more comfortable tyres.

At the most relaxed but slower end you get to full on tourers like the Dawes Horizon or Ridgeback Voyage, which are great bikes and being Reynolds steel should be comfortable over longer distances, but you would want to lose the rack for the ride and they are (a little) heavier.

To be honest though it really depends on a bike that feels right and to know this I would really suggest you go to a local shop and try a few out and see what you feel comfortable on. Whatever you choose, choose reasonably quickly as a) the sales are now on and b) you need to get used to riding long distances on the bike as soon as you can so you can get the setup exactly right for you.

Good luck

Oh and for the record I'm looking at possibly riding LEJOG sometime early autumn and will be using a Dawes Vantage tourer, but I may be camping along the route yet so my requirements will be different and I already have the bike anyway.

 

[Cooks]

I did LEJOG on a 3 year old £250 Carrera Virtuoso from Halfords. Just make sure you are pretty upright and have a good pair of gloves and a good pair(s) of shorts.

It's 90% mental pal. Good Luck!

 

[dellzeqq]

If you really feel like getting a road bike then something like a Giant Defy, Specialized Allez or Specialized Secteur should be reliable and quick, and the ones with a carbon fork should dampen some of the road buzz. This sort of bike will be the lightest, but may not necessarily be the most comfortable.

All true (and the Allez is a wonderful bike), but the sad, sick truth of the matter is that if you spend a fortune on a road bike you'll get a more relaxed and comfortable ride. Sorry.

 

[patpalloon]

All true (and the Allez is a wonderful bike), but the sad, sick truth of the matter is that if you spend a fortune on a road bike you'll get a more relaxed and comfortable ride. Sorry.

I disagree. If you spend a fortune on a road bike you'll get a lighter bike with better components. But road bikes are built for speed and handling, rather than comfort.

A tourer would be better - but they will be about £900 +

 

[Christkd]

Hi Bigdavey!

Me and a mate + 4 others are doing LEJOG in April! Neither of us have much road cycling experience and we both went for the Specialized Secteur Comp. We've done a few rides together, the longest being 67 miles and the bike feels nice, the Zertz inserts work well to reduce to vibration from the road.

Happy hunting

Chris

 

[Paul Walters]

If you've used a MTB to train, why not use that for the main ride ? When I Lejog'd in '08, my riding partner was given a Specialised Hardrock that was pulled from a skip. Apart from changing the tyres to slicks, adding some mudguards and changing the front shifter to a friction type, the bike did 1100 miles no problems.

My bought-for-the-purpose Claude Butler Dalesman on the other hand suffered from needing 2 sets of brake pads, a new chain, a new cassette, front and rear mechs needing re-aligning during the ride, handlebars working loose, lost bolts on the pannier mounts, split weld on the pannier mount (take lots of cable ties with you !!), all these happening in the rain at least 10 miles from the nearest repair place.........

 

[Kirstie]

The key question is how much do you want to spend? There are countless recommendations to be made but what's your budget?

 

[rualexander]

Assuming budget does not matter, I'd start by using the Thorn Audax bike as the benchmark as they would have a frame to your needs.

At 6'5" I don't think a Thorn would be advisable.
I'm 6'2" and have a Thorn Audax Mk3 (size 600, their largest) on which I rode lejog last year. It is a good bike and coped well even with the four panniers and tent that I loaded it up with, but I would have preferred it if the frame was an inch or so bigger in the seat tube and head tube.
Thorn's other models largest sizes also are a bit short in these tubes in my view. I have a Sherpa as well.

 

[rich87]

I'm doing a 50 hour JOGLE at the end of May this year and therefore have no luggage to carry as I'll be supported. I bought a 2009 Trek 4.5 Madone in January this year. Found it both comfortable and massively fast.

As a result of Mr Armstrong's influence over the last 10 years Trek's are very comfortable, but are still racing pedigree. I could sit on mine all day no problem (and will have to x2!) and it's been fast enough to keep up with anything else in the preparation races I've done.

Rich