Please help me xx

[gail0gail]

Hi there

My name is Gail and myself and a friend from our athletics club want to go on a cycle tour somewhere in Europe this summer. We have no clue where to go but we think we fancy Italy !!! We have about 20-25 days but we have very little cash so we are gonna camp along the way. Were both in our twenties and quite fit so the fitness should not be too much of a problem. To be honest I am looking for as much advice as I can get. I know we dont want to go on an organised tour but we also dont know the type of bike we should choose, should we rent or buy maybe second hand ? Is Italy a good choice ? In short help, help, help ha ha. We are quite tough so be brutal he he. Any help you can give me would be lovely xx Gail & Lisa xx

 

[jags]

Hi there

My name is Gail and myself and a friend from our athletics club want to go on a cycle tour somewhere in Europe this summer. We have no clue where to go but we think we fancy Italy !!! We have about 20-25 days but we have very little cash so we are gonna camp along the way. Were both in our twenties and quite fit so the fitness should not be too much of a problem. To be honest I am looking for as much advice as I can get. I know we dont want to go on an organised tour but we also dont know the type of bike we should choose, should we rent or buy maybe second hand ? Is Italy a good choice ? In short help, help, help ha ha. We are quite tough so be brutal he he. Any help you can give me would be lovely xx Gail & Lisa xx

why not try the camino route it's fantastic just google camino by bike loads of info.

 

[snorri]

We have no clue where to go but we think we fancy Italy !!! We have about 20-25 days but we have very little cash so we are gonna camp along the way.

One snag I see regarding Italy, with only 25 days available you will not have time to cycle there and back without using public transport and this costs money, which you are short of.
Have you considered doing a circular tour in the Netherlands, perhaps taking in the island of Texel and others of the Frisian Islands?
Or perhaps a ferry trip to Esbjerg and cycle south into Germany then The Netherlands and taking a ferry back to the UK from Ijmuiden, Hook of Holland, Dunkirk, Dover or Boulogne as time permits.(Although in this direction there is the risk of headwinds)
I don't think it would be easy to find hire bikes, better to buy second hand tourers, but you will have to consider luggage racks and panniers...could be quite a bit of expenditure , but you sound like the sort that can overcome most difficulties.

 

[gail0gail]

One snag I see regarding Italy, with only 25 days available you will not have time to cycle there and back without using public transport and this costs money, which you are short of.
Have you considered doing a circular tour in the Netherlands, perhaps taking in the island of Texel and others of the Frisian Islands?
Or perhaps a ferry trip to Esbjerg and cycle south into Germany then The Netherlands and taking a ferry back to the UK from Ijmuiden, Hook of Holland, Dunkirk, Dover or Boulogne as time permits.(Although in this direction there is the risk of headwinds)
I don't think it would be easy to find hire bikes, better to buy second hand tourers, but you will have to consider luggage racks and panniers...could be quite a bit of expenditure , but you sound like the sort that can overcome most difficulties.

Hi Snorri

Thanks for the advice, so what would you think I could pick up a touring bike to last the trip including panniers, I know you dont have a crystal ball (or do you?) but just a ball park figure. We have some cash so we could get a flight to Italy (bank of daddy!!!) Is it hard to transport a bike on a plane? xx

 

[snorri]

Hi Snorri

Thanks for the advice, so what would you think I could pick up a touring bike to last the trip including panniers, I know you dont have a crystal ball (or do you?) but just a ball park figure. We have some cash so we could get a flight to Italy (bank of daddy!!!) Is it hard to transport a bike on a plane? xx

I'm dodging the costs question.
lol You really do want to go to Italy, don't you?

Bikes on planes are certainly more problematic than bikes on ferries where you just cycle on, park your bike, then cycle off in a foreign land. These airline people usually require bike to be in a bag, and perhaps partially dismantled.

I suggest you hang on there for 24 hours at least and consider other responses to your original question.

 

[gail0gail]

I'm dodging the costs question.
lol You really do want to go to Italy, don't you?

Bikes on planes are certainly more problematic than bikes on ferries where you just cycle on, park your bike, then cycle off in a foreign land. These airline people usually require bike to be in a bag, and perhaps partially dismantled.

I suggest you hang on there for 24 hours at least and consider other responses to your original question.

Your good, managed to dodge that bullet huh! Will gladly take your advice and see what other people have to say. Dont be shy though, any more thoughts, just let me know. Night night x

 

[slowmotion]

Your good, managed to dodge that bullet huh! Will gladly take your advice and see what other people have to say. Dont be shy though, any more thoughts, just let me know. Night night x

I could be wrong, but.......:troll: :troll: ?

 

[slowmotion]

Sorry, this doesn't stack up.

"Bank of Daddy"

"Night night x"

Men trolls trying to be dizzy girls always get it wrong.

Troll.

 

[willem]

Italy is a great country, but it is hard to cycle. First, there are not that many roads per head of the population, so the roads are crowded. Second, the roads can be very steep in the most attractive places. Third, as others have pointed out, it is hard to get there.
If your budget is tight, you should not spend it on transport. Use your bike for that. So either stay in the Uk, or just take a short ferry across, like to Holland (cheap ferry) or France. Do a round tour from there. Or take the ferry to Holland (or Belgium, depending on where you are in the UK) , go south through Belgium, Luxemburg and France, and then take a ferry back from France.
Second you need lightweight and compact camping gear. Do you have this?
Third you need bikes. Do you already have bikes of some description? If you do, use those and look for a destination that matches the quality of the bikes you have.
You also need bags if you don't have those. Get Ortlieb City Line rear panniers, and make sure you take so little that everything will fit into those.
How is this for a start?
Willem

 

[Ticktockmy]

Hi there

My name is Gail and myself and a friend from our athletics club want to go on a cycle tour somewhere in Europe this summer. We have no clue where to go but we think we fancy Italy !!! We have about 20-25 days but we have very little cash so we are gonna camp along the way. Were both in our twenties and quite fit so the fitness should not be too much of a problem. To be honest I am looking for as much advice as I can get. I know we dont want to go on an organised tour but we also dont know the type of bike we should choose, should we rent or buy maybe second hand ? Is Italy a good choice ? In short help, help, help ha ha. We are quite tough so be brutal he he. Any help you can give me would be lovely xx Gail & Lisa xx

To be honest, your ideas are a little ambitious I think, it sounds a nice romantic idea, however as it seems you have not done any cycle touring in any shape or form before, I would truly recommend you reappraise your options. As Peeps has said you really should have some miles under your belt in the UK before adventuring into Europe.

You know the British isles has some really wonderful cycling routes, that why so many peeps from other countries come to the UK, it would also allow you to get used to the Bike, and your touring equipment. You need also to be familiar in carrying out basic repairs to your Bike and equipment, Sods law dictates that things break at the lest convenient time and place.

If you really want to go, I personally would recommend Holland, Belgium, Luxemburg or the North of France, Brittany etc, as there are so many quite roads, with plenty of nice watering holes and bike shops. And easy ferry access from most Southern and eastern ferry terminals.

If you do think of the UK, then Lonely Planet have produced a guide called Cycling Britain, Cornwall and Devon and Somerset are nice cycling areas for the Summer season, and again nice views, plenty of watering holes and beaches to relax and linger on during your days ride.

 

[gail0gail]

To be honest, your ideas are a little ambitious I think, it sounds a nice romantic idea, however as it seems you have not done any cycle touring in any shape or form before, I would truly recommend you reappraise your options. As Peeps has said you really should have some miles under your belt in the UK before adventuring into Europe.

You know the British isles has some really wonderful cycling routes, that why so many peeps from other countries come to the UK, it would also allow you to get used to the Bike, and your touring equipment. You need also to be familiar in carrying out basic repairs to your Bike and equipment, Sods law dictates that things break at the lest convenient time and place.

If you really want to go, I personally would recommend Holland, Belgium, Luxemburg or the North of France, Brittany etc, as there are so many quite roads, with plenty of nice watering holes and bike shops. And easy ferry access from most Southern and eastern ferry terminals.

If you do think of the UK, then Lonely Planet have produced a guide called Cycling Britain, Cornwall and Devon and Somerset are nice cycling areas for the Summer season, and again nice views, plenty of watering holes and beaches to relax and linger on during your days ride.

Hi

Can someone tell my why being nice makes me a troll, I just had to look it up on google and I am slightly miffed by that suggestion. Thanks any ways good welcome to a new person !!!

 

[gail0gail]

Italy is a great country, but it is hard to cycle. First, there are not that many roads per head of the population, so the roads are crowded. Second, the roads can be very steep in the most attractive places. Third, as others have pointed out, it is hard to get there.
If your budget is tight, you should not spend it on transport. Use your bike for that. So either stay in the Uk, or just take a short ferry across, like to Holland (cheap ferry) or France. Do a round tour from there. Or take the ferry to Holland (or Belgium, depending on where you are in the UK) , go south through Belgium, Luxemburg and France, and then take a ferry back from France.
Second you need lightweight and compact camping gear. Do you have this?
Third you need bikes. Do you already have bikes of some description? If you do, use those and look for a destination that matches the quality of the bikes you have.
You also need bags if you don't have those. Get Ortlieb City Line rear panniers, and make sure you take so little that everything will fit into those.
How is this for a start?
Willem

Hi Willem

Thanks so much for a good in-depth take on it, starting to understand Italy might be a wee bit out of my range. Do you think panniers or bike boxes are best?

 

[willem]

Bike boxes are too heavy, and too stiff for convenience. Ortlieb do the best panniers in my view, and their City Line is relatively cheap and light (and fully fully waterproof). If you leave all the unnecesary junk at home, a set of rear panniers is all you will need for a camping holiday.
Willem

 

[Ticktockmy]

Hi

Can someone tell my why being nice makes me a troll, I just had to look it up on google and I am slightly miffed by that suggestion. Thanks any ways good welcome to a new person !!!

I am a little confused, and slightly miffed, as far as i am aware I did not say you where a troll, I just offered some sound advice based on some 40 years of cycling across this planet we live on!!

 

[rich p]

You had to look up troll!!!