snorri
Legendary Member
- Location
- East coast, up a bit.
NC500 solo, how many panniers??
- Thread starter Clydesider
- Start date
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steveindenmark
Legendary Member
Google search for transcontinental race and look in images.
robjh
Legendary Member
- Location
- Cambridgeshire - almost Essex
I imagined you were being humorous there, but you say it in such a deadpan way. You were joking, weren't you?
snorri
Legendary Member
- Location
- East coast, up a bit.
The OP was looking for touring advice, racing has different priorities.
steveindenmark
Legendary Member
This is not racing. It is my light touring set up. It is what I will tour in Italy with in a couple of weeks time. If he intends to do the NC500 in a week he wiĺl need to be in light touring rig and not 4 panniers.
steveindenmark
Legendary Member
No I was being serious. It is how I would do it.I doubt if someone on their first tour is going to finish the NC500 on a touring bike with 4 panniers in a week. 2 weeks, probably. I was just suggesting another way to do it that the op will not have thought about .
I have 2 touring set ups. Light and heavy. With the distance, climbing and the time scale involved. I would certainly be going light to give me the best chance of completing it.
It depends how important it is for the op to get all the way round or if he would be happy doing part of it and then getting the train home. Thats how I would tackle it if I were them on my first tour.
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robjh
Legendary Member
- Location
- Cambridgeshire - almost Essex
Fair enough. The bike-packing format would be quite restricting though as it implies either some pretty hardcore minimalist bivvying or else booking accommodation every night, and the former would be uncomfortable on the NCN500 due to the rain, sometimes the cold, and the midges which make a fully enclosed tent very desirable, plus the difficulty of carrying food when shops are so few and far between. Remember too you'll need some good waterproofs and extra layers that will come on and off as the weather changes, and will need to be carried when not worn.
Personally I'd go for the panniers and just make sure my gears are low enough - which is in fact what I did last year on part of that route. Once I add camping+cooking gear I find I always need 4 panniers - I guess otherwise I could load it high on the back but I'd prefer to have the front-back weight distribution.
I agree with you about timescales. The NCN500 is pretty tough and can be subject to severe weather, and 1 week may be pushing it in any case. I lost a day last year due to a storm that was literally blowing me off my bike.
robjh
Legendary Member
- Location
- Cambridgeshire - almost Essex
OP
OP
Clydesider
Active Member
Thanks for that, I might treat myself to a night or two in a hostel/bunkhouse.
Ticktockmy
Guru
- Location
- Crawley, West Sussex
Adding my two penny worth, I would think it will take you as a first timer more that 7 days as you are camping, It is never easy to advise as to what pannier setup will suit you, as we mostly have different bikes and camping equipment. I personally use two small front panniers as well as rear panniers, as it allows me to spread the weight across the bike, however if you are not used to riding with front panniers it can take a little while to get used to the way it alters the handling. I feel if it was myself who was doing the trip as a first timer I think I would use the Bike bus from Inverness and go to Durness and start the ride there and do half of the route either the east coast or west coast route, then you will be riding riding towards home which is a great incentive when things are not going as well as they should. And of course its downhill..LOL
I met a few guys doing it when I did my British coastline ride.
Most were supported. I,d take 2panniers, as I do usually. It's very busy with old cars,motorbikes, and damn motorhome rentals, not a clue how wide they are!
The passing places are a pain for a biker.
As has been said before its hilly, yeah no probs. Midgies? Yes. There is places to top up food etc, as it's getting popular.
Shame your not using the A90, such a lovely route by the coast.
I rode very early in the morning. Avoid the traffic.
Scourie, a little place on the east has a cycle repair guy, maybe worth noting that, as I needed it.
Good luck and enjoy it.
Most were supported. I,d take 2panniers, as I do usually. It's very busy with old cars,motorbikes, and damn motorhome rentals, not a clue how wide they are!
The passing places are a pain for a biker.
As has been said before its hilly, yeah no probs. Midgies? Yes. There is places to top up food etc, as it's getting popular.
Shame your not using the A90, such a lovely route by the coast.
I rode very early in the morning. Avoid the traffic.
Scourie, a little place on the east has a cycle repair guy, maybe worth noting that, as I needed it.
Good luck and enjoy it.
Crankarm
Guru
- Location
- Nr Cambridge
Crikey, you're hopeful aren't you! I would say by yourself a motorbike and you might be in with a chance.
berty bassett
Legendary Member
- Location
- I'boro
just done nc500 with minimum kit and staying in b&bs
if you are planning 70 a day i would have said the first day would be easy ish then days 2,3,4 and 5 would be brutal depending on weather
the east coast would be a breeze after what you have gone through !
i had a storm of 50mph headwind and lashing rain for 2 days that just chewed me up
the hills are relentless and the midges savage
although the scenery is spectacular it is a hard ride
met some doing it supported and struggling
met some doing it with panniers who were going a lot better
depends on your fitness i suppose , i know i wouldn't attempt it with full kit with a time limit
i did it in 5 days but wish i had took longer ( trouble with prebooking b&bs i suppose )
good luck
if you are planning 70 a day i would have said the first day would be easy ish then days 2,3,4 and 5 would be brutal depending on weather
the east coast would be a breeze after what you have gone through !
i had a storm of 50mph headwind and lashing rain for 2 days that just chewed me up
the hills are relentless and the midges savage
although the scenery is spectacular it is a hard ride
met some doing it supported and struggling
met some doing it with panniers who were going a lot better
depends on your fitness i suppose , i know i wouldn't attempt it with full kit with a time limit
i did it in 5 days but wish i had took longer ( trouble with prebooking b&bs i suppose )
good luck
OP
OP
Clydesider
Active Member
For anyone interested in doing similar this is my intended route
https://www.google.co.uk/maps/@57.9...!4m2!6m1!1s1a30BXDnsyDJHioS3UNzqjFuswdo?hl=en
its nearer 400 miles long based on the alternative route from https://www.pedal-nation.co.uk/cycle-the-north-coast-500 which misses out the apparently dangerous east coast A9.
I reckon roughly 10 days at 40 miles a day should be doable
https://www.google.co.uk/maps/@57.9...!4m2!6m1!1s1a30BXDnsyDJHioS3UNzqjFuswdo?hl=en
its nearer 400 miles long based on the alternative route from https://www.pedal-nation.co.uk/cycle-the-north-coast-500 which misses out the apparently dangerous east coast A9.
I reckon roughly 10 days at 40 miles a day should be doable
