Planning my first cycle tour, and asking if anyone would like to join me?!

[Thomas Mellish]

Hi all,

My names Tom, this is my first ever visit to this site but it seems friendly and helpful so wondered if I could pick a few brains?

I resigned from work about a month ago, have built a new bike, have been putting a few miles in and looking at getting a trailer so I can start doing a few local camping trips around Cornwall as soon as possible...basically, I want to go on a big tour of Europe towards the end of the summer (September ish). Now, I have only been cycling seriously for about 2 months...so a few questions as follows-if you'd be so kind!

• Would anyone like to join me!? I live in Newquay in Cornwall, I have a fair amount of savings but really I would like to do some volunteering (WWOOF, workaway etc) and get food and lodgings when possible.
• I can currently easily do 30-40 miles in about 3 hours but I'm unsure as where this stands me on the touring way of cycling-is this to fast? What kind of training and nutrition should I be aiming towards? By the way I'm type 1 diabetic-I am in regurlar contact with my doctor and its under control as much as possible.
• What do people think of dynamo hubs/solar charges?
• ...and bob yak trailers?
• I have the idea of cycling to Plymouth and catching the ferry to Santander, from there I have no real idea as to where to go, perhaps circle the south and through andalucia, up the mediteranean coast, over the pyranees, then....who knows!? Any advice greatly recieved..
• I have a rough idea that I'd like to spend 3 months touring, maybe more-therefore missing the English winter cold and the Mediterranean summer heat! What sort of a budget would I need, I will be camping as much as possible and just spending on food and essentials...hopefully.

As I say, I'm a newbie to the whole cycling world but eager to learn and excited to see the world at a slower pace
Cheers!

 

[Pat "5mph"]

Welcome to CC Tom!
I cannot help you - others with answers will no doubt be along shortly
Wish you good luck with your plans, have a great time!

 

[Rymo]

I wouldn't worry about how far or fast you can cycle, that will sort itself out over a week or so
Just make sure you actually go
You won't regret it

 

[TheDoctor]

There is no 'right' speed - it's your tour, do what you like. Solo touring is great

 

[Crankarm]

The world is your oyster. Do you really need anyone to accompany you? You will meet people along the way who you can choose to ride with or not whatever fits your mood. You already seem to have some set ideas which might not appeal to many but I might be wrong.

Your cycle touring speed and distance each day is totally up to you unless you ride with some one else then you have to accommodate their abilities as well otherwise you end up riding seperately and what is the point of that?

Sorry but Cambs is a bit far to Newquay as nice as it is. I have visited, once.

What is your bike that you have built? A trailer too ............. you'll be carrying a fair amount of stuff then?

Dynamo hubs are ok SON. Solar chargers are ok but really need strong sun and best to charge some thing a like Power Monkey Extreme which then in turn powers your devices. Don't expect to be able to run lots of energy hungry gadgets as you won't be able to, unless you have your trailer covered in photovoltaics as well as you and your bike.

Why not just get the ferrry to France say Cherbourg or Dinant then ride south. It should be very pleasant in september.

There are Warmshowers hosts and couchsurfers network you can call on. But wild camping is good.

Good luck.

 

[takeonafrica]

Hi - sounds great!
i've got my own trip planned... don't feel you need someone to tour with - there are many benefits to going alone - you will meet other cyclists to travel with, if you want, on route no doubt too.
Sounds like you are plenty fit enough already - so just do what you feel comfortable with. i find the more days spent NOT cycling make the tour more enjoyable - it's good to get a balance. But you'll soon find what works for you. As a very general guide, I can sustain 1,000 miles per month on average, regardless of terrain/weather conditions/fitness etc.
Same for budget - it's hard to say - just do the trip with the money you have. if you have some spare, splash out occasionally, otherwise stick to wild-camping and pasta...
As for diet/diabetes - I'd say don't worry about it too much if you have it under control and are prepared - make sure you always have some extra medication / food on you always, so you can treat yourself if you get caught out a long way from a shop/help etc. Carry a phone and know medical emergency numbers and maybe carry something that says you have diabetes (even translated into Spanish/French etc) in case of a problem and you can't respond. Overkill perhaps, but a bit more peace of mind.
As for nutrition - just listen to your body - eat whatever you want!
Hub (SON) - expensive. solar chargers - ineffective. Just buy rechargeable batteries (AA/AAA for torch, gps etc) and/or a battery pack (for phone, ipod etc). Well, that's just my opinion. You should be able to recharge most days in Europe in cafes/campsites etc
I've no experience of trailers, but I'd say stick with panniers as you'll enjoy the hills if you have less weight - unless of course you really need the extra carrying capacity or are wanting to take off the racks frequently, which unless you've got suspension and plan to go mountain-biking too then it shouldn't be necessary.
That's my 2cents.
- and yes, check out warmshowers.

Just have fun!!

 

[pkeenan]

Hi Tom,
I had a similar idea to go cycling and WWOOF, initially my plans had been to cycle to Tuscany via East/South France and find somewhere there for a month or so.
Due to various things, I don't think I can go when I intended (and am thinking it may have to wait until next year!) - but there is an outside possibility that September would work for me (the spanner in the works is having to fly to Romania for a wedding at the end of August - so it's difficult to know what the funds will be like!).
Don't know if Southern France/Italy takes your fancy, but perhaps we could combine ideas if you're interested!

 

[fossala]

I resigned from work about a month ago, have built a new bike, have been putting a few miles in and looking at getting a trailer so I can start doing a few local camping trips around Cornwall as soon as possible...basically

I'll do some trips round Cornwall on my weekends off if you fancy. I live here and have been looking at someone to do longer cycles with.

 

[RussellZero]

Welcome, Tom. Sounds like fun, I'm envious! Check out this guys website for some insight into serious touring:

http://petergostelow.com/thebigafricacycle/

Might give you some ideas, I don't think you'll find any trailers! Good luck.

 

[asterix]

• • • What do people think of dynamo hubs/solar charges?
    • ...and bob yak trailers?
    • I have a rough idea that I'd like to spend 3 months touring, maybe more-therefore missing the English winter cold and the Mediterranean summer heat! What sort of a budget would I need, I will be camping as much as possible and just spending on food and essentials...hopefully.

• • • 
      A good dynamo hub is excellent. I have a Schmidt/Cyo combination and not only is it good at night, but if run on busy roads in the day it definitely has a good effect on people who might SMIDSY.
    • 
      I haven't used a Bob Yak but I do have a Y-frame Carry. It's great for shopping but for touring I'd find it a pain and much prefer panniers on the right kind of bike.
    • 
      WRT southern climes in winter, it can get very cold inland, especially at height. Madrid for example can be very cold indeed. It's a good idea to check out the prevailing winds and try to be places that don't get them blowing off the mountains.

 

[jugglingphil]

Sounds great, I'd love to quit my job and go cycling around Europe. Don't think the wife and kids would be too pleased
In case your not aware check out http://www.crazyguyonabike.com/
There are loads of blogs (journals) where you can get inspired by other peoples trips and learn from their experiences. There are a few CCers with pages too.

 

[Brains]

Why wait until September ?
Go next week !
To get you started I'd cycle to Portsmouth, it will take a few days, which as it's in the UK will give you a chance to offload some of the stuff you do not need, and if there are any issues it's a lot easier to sort out in the UK than abroad.
Then get the ferry over to Cherborg, poottle down the Atlantic coast of France, aim for the Canal du Midi, and from there you can decide what direction next.

Given where you are, a lot of touring cyclists on their way to/from Lands End would be using Newquay as a first/last stop.
Start talking to them about their gear and bikes (once stated they just go on and on .... )

(And I'd dump the trailer idea, get panniers, a lot less hassle and effort)

 

[Ticktockmy]

I think you have been given a variety of good advice. I would forget the idea of using a trailer, yes they are great for load carrying, But often when touring you come across places where you have to unhitch it to carry it across a footbridge or load it on a train where they want the train to depart. much better to use Panniers.

If you are already fit, then I would say load up the bike, take it for a few day rides increasing the distance each time, use that to shake out yourself and your kit.
Create a kit list, plenty on the web to use as a guide, then use your day rides to practice loading and unloading the bike, if you are camping; during lunch break practise erecting the tent and practise repacking the kit to get the best balance and to learn the best place to pack your equipment which best suits you. practise repairing punctures out on the road, you never get punctures in nice spots, the puncture Fairy always it seem to choose the worse of spots to strike.

Use the rides to adjust the riding position, at the end of a long day ride you don't want to find that the bike is not set up for you and there nothing worse than getting a sore bum or back and arm ache on the last leg of a days touring, it can make the last miles hell.

When touring Set a target for each days ride, also have a "what if " second plan, sometime road conditions and other factors set you back, allow for this and stop for the day before you get totally hacked off, if you over-stretch yourself on one day you will not be good the next, it all a matter of balancing your daily distance to achieve your aim, but to do it enjoyable.

 

[Thomas Mellish]

Wow thanks for all the advice! It has thrown more questions though-as was always going to be the case!

So, a bit more information-I've built a bit of an all rounder bike, its an on-one Inbred mountain bike frame (nice n strong, quite relaxed and it means I can put knobbly's on and go off roading!), 22/34/44 crankset, 11/34 cassette, BB7 disc brakes, Hope hubs n rims (second hand off a friend) with panaracer tyres. I only have normal bars but want to get some ends to give me a couple of position options. I have done a lot of research and have actually plumped for a trailer against the advice on here!!! Apart from the climbing stairs/getting on trains etc I think it'll suit me better, but hey, time will tell and a few smaller trips around the UK will certainly make my mind up! I certainly don't plan on carrying an excessive amount of stuff, I like the idea of everything in one bag, less weight on the bike, being able to go off road a bit more easily, being able to unhitch and have a bike to blast around on without all my luggage...watch this space!

Fossala-a few local trips would be awesome! Send me a message with some dates you're free and lets arrange something, I'm busy next weekend and 18/19 may but otherwise free I think

Pkeenan-yes I would be up for those places, I have no definite plans as yet and no dates set in stone, Brains suggested ferry to Cherbourg then cycle to Canal du Midi, from there could head East to the Med and then who knows? The WWOOF thing would be a nice way to get involved, help out and learn more about local cultures I think. Where are you? Have fun at the wedding!

What do people know about cycling in the Alps? Particularly Switzerland??

Over stretching myself is one of my biggest worries-I do tend to push quite hard at the start, having not a lot of experience means I'm still finding my ideal rate-thinking of getting a cycle computer with cadence so I can monitor what I'm doing more easily-is it worth getting one with sat nav or just relying on local directions/maps etc, sat nav versions seem very expensive?? I've never had a sat nav and prefer maps as I think you discover more (and they are awesome to look at) but carrying maps is heavy/cumbersome?

I don't want lots of gadgets but would take smart phone so could go on the internet in cafe's n such, I guess it depends on the cafe owner whether they'd let me charge it up! Obviously it you don't get a charge then it's tough luck, I suppose once I'm out on the road I'll discover that people are a lot more willing to help than my perceptions tell me right now-as is usually the case. Hmmmm the dynamo hub sounds the best solution but is very expensive and requires new spokes/wheel rebuild etc etc???

What are people's experiences in regard not being able to speak the local language? If travelling through a few countries would it be worth trying to learn a bit of each?!

What clothes do people tour in? Full lycra or what? I don't have any lycra as yet and unsure as to the advantage of it? How much clothing do you take?!

Really like the look of warm showers, sounds like a really good way of finding out about cycling and touring in local areas..

Excited about getting started now, a long way to go before I'm ready but it's great to have so much advice in one place-thanks!

 

[SatNavSaysStraightOn]

As someone who has quit their job and went off, I will tell you now, you have to make up your own mind on a lot of the questions you are asking.

how far in a day? It will vary but what is the purpose of the tour? to cover as much distance as possible? (ours was not). to get out and see the sights? lots of days off to leave kit in room/tent and go sightseeing. to enjoy yourself? just do it, don't over plan it. We did roughly 40-50 miles in a day for 12 months. That's around 9,000 miles, more if you take into account time we had off at various points. It is quite stunning how much of Europe can be covered in that time.

What is it you want out of the tour? This is the most important thing and you must not lose sight of this.

Maps - we used paper maps for all of our tour. Excluding the UK, we did not purchase any maps until 8 months into our tour (in Finland). For the rest of that time we collected/picked up free maps in the countries we were visiting. Yes we took a GPS device with us and we also took a SPOT GPS Messenger device which when the insurance side was purchased as well (£11 per person per year) covered both of us if there was an emergency. It allows you a variety of things including an SOS option (I'm a moderately severe asthmatic with Addison's disease) and gave families peace of mind that if anything happened, we only had to press a button on the device for emergency services to be alerted and sent out (ironically the one time we needed it, it was not used because locals rang for an ambulance instead - that one time ended our tour but that is a different matter).

The SPOT GPS Messenger also had another use, twice a day we would use the 'check-in' option which our families & friends could log into and see where we were. that gave them a lot of reassurance.

Batteries - as already stated, you will be able to recharge them periodically. We also carried a powergorilla which is basically a larger battery that weighs 800g and allowed us to recharge everything we carried from it. We would periodically recharge this in a campsite, usually weekly when we finally had to accept defeat and wash some clothes & ourselves!

Clothes - wear whatever you want. We wore lycra because it was comfortable for us. We met some wearing a mixture of lycra & baggies, we met others wearing hiking/outdoor kit and some wearing shorts & T Shirts. It is entirely up to you, but you need to take into account helmet - in Spain they are compulsory, so at the very least carry it with you. We pretty much carried 3 sets of clothes. What we cycled in, what we changed into at the end of the day and something to wear when we were washing everything else! You will not need half of what you think you need.

Language - attempt the basics such as thank you, please, water, campsite, tent etc. It is a very good icebreaker in many countries especially if you deliberately say 'thank you' incorrectly and ask them to correct you... it shows you are trying and we found it usually lightened the atmosphere and people became much more helpful & friendly. There are smartphone apps that can auto translate audio for you... as well as basic dictionaries in most of the European languages.

Just remember why you want to do this... and don't turn it into an ordeal otherwise you won't enjoy it.

Also try a mini shake down tour in the UK before you leave. I would happily come with you but Cornwall is a long way from me in Cheshire and my leg has not fully healed enough for touring yet (the leg injury terminated our world tour).