Hi, what a wonderful plan to be making!
The Camino can be a fantastic experience.Note - I said can!
First things first, 5 years is a very long time for planning - there is a danger of over-planning or over preparing which means less of a reaction. If 5 years is chosen because that’s when you have the time or money, then that’s different. If 5 years is what you think you need to plan such a thing, I’d suggest you think again. The unhappiest people I met were those that had very specific ideas of what the Camino "should" be like, normally due to far too much research.
Secondly, you’ll want to decide if this is more of a typical Bike Tour or more of a Pilgrimage experience. As much as I hate defining things, I think it is an important first step that will help you decide on timing and length.
To my mind, the Pilgrimage experience implies a slower than normal place, frequent stops to mix with other pilgrims, visits to interesting places along the way and mixing it in the Albergues (Hostels). It implies a less planned, more go with the flow type of trip.
The Touring experience is more destination based, staying in more private accommodations. You can go with the flow, too.
A typical pilgrim is up before dawn, and therefore early to bed. A typical cycle tourer is later to bed. In a lot of places most pilgrims are in bed when the town is coming to life. Some of the best food is only served later! :-)
I did both, cycling from my home in NL, joining the Camino Frances at St. Jean Pied a Port, following to Santiago, then hitting the west coast, before wandering back along the northern coast, approximately following the Northern route (in reverse). For pure experience, I loved the Camino proper. For cycling, I enjoyed the wandering more.
You can cycle on roads the whole way, if that is what you want. Or you can try the walker’s path.
The roads in Spain are great, traffic is incredibly respectful. The path is various surfaces, some impossible in rain, some impossible in sections unless you’re an experienced MTBer with no baggage. Sometimes the road is right beside the walker.
I followed the walker’s path as much as possible, but….. It often meant me sitting down for an hour or 2 in the mornings having a coffee or 3 while I let the crowd disperse along the path. It meant I walked, pulled or dragged my bike over the most inhospitable sections. It meant I cycled very slowly because there were lots of people walking lost in thought.
However, I had some great conversations with people along the way and I firmly believe that it heightened my experience over the road options.
The last 100 km from Sarria was so busy, I only cycled the route in late afternoon when most of the walkers were already finished for the day.
Don’t forget there are different routes to Santiago, so you can approach from different angles.
CrazyGuyOnABike will have journals of people who have done different routes.
Caminodesantiago.me will have lots of info on routes etc.
One thing I will strongly suggest is to take your time. Depending on your route and your comfort levels there are places to stop and stay every 5 -10 km or so. You don’t have to do big mileage days. In fact, it’s often nice to explore an area in the morning while waiting for the walkers to spread out and then head off on the route proper. If you can take the time, use it. You won’t regret it.
Expect poor weather, especially rain. The rain can be heavy!
Expect hills!
Navigation is easy, but not foolproof.
There is a fantastic infrastructure so there is no need to worry - about anything.
A lot of walkers develop a “Camino family” of people they see most days, eat with, walk with etc. These bonds can become very strong. Unfortunately, these are more difficult to develop for a cyclist as we tend to move faster than most walkers.
I did it on a no-name hybrid bike with front suspension, carrying 4 panniers and a tent on tyres that were 1,4 inches wide. The only thing I’d choose differently would be wider tyres. Comfort is everything. From St. Jean to Santiago, I think was 15-16 days. If I’d taken a few more days I believe i’d have enjoyed it even more.
Timing depends on your route. Spring can be wet. Summer busy. Autumn, I think would be a good time.
There are no shortage of services in Santiago for boxing/packing your bike and shipping it home. There are also packing services at the airport. Again, easy logistics.
Fit a bell and use it.
Learn a little Spanish. It enriches the experience.
The Brierly guide is the most famous (English) guide book for pilgrims with the result that most people stay at his stages. Therefore, don’t follow his stages!
My story:
I had planned on doing the Camino from St. Jean in September, catching a bus down. In the end, I decided to pack in my dead end job in April and within a week of making the decision I was on the road. So very little planning was done. I biked to Paris, (picking up a stamp at Notre Dame - very Dan Brownish with secret doors etc!) across to the coast and followed the Velodyssey down to Bayonne. Over to St. Jean and started the most famous route - Camino Frances.
That first morning departing St. Jean was a highlight simply because almost everyone was starting. The atmosphere was fantastic! (I highly recommend starting or joining in at an established starting point for this reason).
Truthfully, Santiago was a let down. I found it very commercial. On the advice of a friendly bar-tender, I headed for the coast. Fantastic! Then Finisterre. Then the wandering commenced. I really enjoyed that. The freedom to sleep when I wanted, sleep past sunrise was wonderful. It was a relief to be back in my tent.
Please don’t be one of those cyclists who bombs past people walking on the path. There are a lot of people for whom walking the Camino is the realisation of a long held ambition. Flying past is just disrespectful in my view.
The problem with an idea like this is that once it takes root, it just grows!
Forgive my verbosity
Buen Camino!