Silly Questions - Stupid Notion.

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B

Bicycle

Guest
I'd be glad of the thoughts of experienced cyclists on the below:

I'm starting to plan a solo, unsupported LEJoG for this summer. The more I read the less inclined to proceed I feel, but the idea seems to have stuck in my head now.

I'm a 47-year-old man who has ridden a lot in the past, but little recently. I am not as light as I might be although not quite disgacefully unfit.

My instinct is to use an old steel road-bike low-budget fixed-wheel conversion - and to do the thing with the least possible baggage; essentially just riding, resting, pushing up hills or sleeping until I get there. I'm thinking of the Credit Card route for accommodation; closest B&B to wherever I get too tired.

The bike runs 50/17 gearing, which is fine on the flat and OK on the gentle dips and climbs where I live. Fixed-wheel gearing will always be a compromise, but I'm used to that set-up and it is good for most things.

In the past I've frequently done a 70-mile run in the Welsh borders for gentle exercise and am used to spending 4 hours in the saddle. I have a feeding and drinking routine that seems to work over that distance and which should adapt to longer rides.

The thing that unnerves me the most when I see touring and LEJoG riders is the fearsome amount of luggage that some carry. I'd like to make do with the least I possibly can.

I realise that I'm going to hit poor weather over 10-ish days of riding and that I can't wish away headwinds, rain and cold.

That being so, I'm looking for advice on the following:

1. Which is the best compromise on routes if I want the fewest big climbs/descents and also reasonably low mileage?

2. What are the things I really NEED to have with me, apart from the below:

Pump, tube, tyre repair kit.
Phone.
Basic tools - 15mm wheelnut spanner and some allen keys.
2 spare pairs of shorts - 1 spare of other clothing.
Bottles.
Credit card.
Something to keep me warmer & drier for when it gets cold and wet.
Chain and lock.
Map - I can't get into the idea of Satnav on a bike, daft as that might sound.


3. My current tyres are Conti UltraGatorskins 700x23c, which I usually run at 110 psi. Should I be thinking of something else?

I'd be glad for thoughts on all of the above.

Thanks in advance for any answers.
 
Amanda P

Amanda P

Legendary Member
Location
York. Well, York-ish...
The only stupid question is the one you didn't ask, but needed an answer to.

If you go ahead with the bike you have in mind, I think absolute minimum luggage is the way to go about it. If you're happy to wield your credit card to make that happen, I see no problems (except perhaps the usual ones of how to get yourself to the one end and back from the other. A credit card with a hefty limit may be necessary there too).

The CTC do an end-to-end pack which includes three routes - a mostly-youth-hostels one, a B&Bs one and a fast-as-possible one. Sounds like you want the B&Bs one - this takes you through towns that have B&Bs, but is otherwise pretty direct while avoiding some of the nastiest stretches of road.

The pack is free to members. If you're not a member, you really should consider becoming one.

I would also get a list of tourist info offices' numbers along your route - it may well be worth phoning ahead and getting them to book you rooms, rather than waiting until you arrive in a town and hoping for the best.

Other end-to-enders with fearsome amounts of luggage are probably carrying camping kit. That approach gives you a lot of flexibility about where you spend your nights - there are more places to camp than there are towns with B&Bs - but it does mean Luggage.

Your choice of tyres is probably OK if you're carrying the bare minimum of kit - but I'd make sure they (and all the rest of your bike) are in A1 condition before you set off.
 
D

delport

Guest
90 miles a day without a break?That is the way i am reading it, 10 day trip.
4 hours a day?

i done 14 hours a day at times, but i had a heavy bike loaded with 4 panniers and more heavy stuff as well on the pannier rack,including a camp bed on a cheap steel frame bike.
I'm 45, not overweight.
A couple of days i did 90 miles, i think you'd be doing well to do 90 constantly for 10 days, especially if going alone.
The problem i found was no one with me so i could take it easy and just take forever if i wanted, could you spur yourself on 10 days in a row to always do a 90 mile journey no matter what the weather or days events?

Things like the odd bike repair,shopping,laundry and other things can eat into your day, i spent hours in the laundry one day. i fixed a few spokes, but i was lucky with punctures as i only got one.

I found john o'groats and head south ideal,until i reached Wales and Bristol i never noticed too many difficult stretches, not sure if i'd like to start at lands end and cycle up to John o'groats, probably more hills than what i saw going in that direction.
 
PpPete

PpPete

Legendary Member
Location
Chandler's Ford
Me too - I have a fixed based on an old steel frame, runs a 69" gear mostly, although I'd be tempted to put a 72" on for what the OP plans just to make the downhills less frantic, and accept that I'm going to walk up more hills. 77" sounds like hard work, but each to their own.

Tyres: 23s are OK or if replacing them anyway for this trip 25s for a little extra comfort?

Personally I would take a GPS (one that runs on AA batteries) and a small mains powered battery charger, rather than a lot of maps. Similar weight, and a lot quicker to navigate "on the go"
 
Ticktockmy

Ticktockmy

Guru
Location
Crawley, West Sussex
One word of advise, if you are intending to take the B&B route, at places accommodation becomes like rocking horse Pooh, hard to find, thus you need to if you have not booked ahead, start looking in good time, and take the first one you find, cos there may not be another one that evening.

About cyclist with lots of kit, sometimes it might look a fearsome amount, but in fact can weight very little.

In some ways for something like the LEJOG or JOCLE, having a companion, is a great incentive to complete in the planned time. I know from my own experiences as a solo tourer, that it so easy to take time out to look at something, an example was last year coming down from Durness, I keep stopping to watch red squirrels, and ospreys and relaxing with my back to a tree taking in the views, and if I found a tea room, I would linger over a nice cup of tea and a snack whereas if I had been with someone we would have chivvied each other to move on.
 
OP
OP
B

Bicycle

Guest
Correction:

When I wrote 50/17 I should have written 50/20, which is about 68 or 69 inches and much more sensible.

Apologies for giving the impression that I am in any way a tough guy.
 
T

troose

New Member
I cycled down from John O'Groats with a credit card. I carried about 5kg of baggage including the weight of the bag.

I agree that it might be wise to book B&Bs in advance, although this does take a bit more organising. I managed it in six days - about 150 miles a day but I was on the road for about 14 hours a day, including breaks.

You should be ok on a fixie until you get to the South West. Devon and Cornwall have no concept of flat, it is either up or down - and feels mainly up. I went stright down the A30 (not as bad as it sounds) and that was snakey enough. The quieter roads and lanes will be much worse.

Good luck though. Remember to enjoy it!
 
andygates

andygates

New Member
Looking at that kit list, you don't need the lock and it will save you plenty of weight. :smile:
 
Rebel Ian

Rebel Ian

Well-Known Member
Location
Berkshire
Good advice there Noel. Many of the B&Bs we've booked in advance won't take cards. I think if you are going to book each day you might need to deviate from the 'standard' LEJoG route a bit. We're pretty much on the usual route people take and booking accommodation as far back as March for a July ride some were full.
 
H

hubbike

Senior Member
Location
Edinburgh, Scotland
Bicycle said:
2. What are the things I really NEED to have with me, apart from the below:

Pump, tube, tyre repair kit.
Phone.
Basic tools - 15mm wheelnut spanner and some allen keys.
2 spare pairs of shorts - 1 spare of other clothing.
Bottles.
Credit card.
Something to keep me warmer & drier for when it gets cold and wet.
Chain and lock.
Map - I can't get into the idea of Satnav on a bike, daft as that might sound.
Click to expand...

If you fancied shaving off even more weight, the items in bold are not strictly necessary either.
Use repair kit there and then, use phone boxes and write a list of places to go through and use road signs.
 
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