Training for a long ride

[Bigsharn]

Hi all, first time touring so prepare yourself for complete newbie questions...

In July I'm wanting to go to Sonisphere in Knebworth, so figured why shouldn't I be able to do (most of) it on my bike? Hell, my bike even has touring in the name

Anyway to the point, the other day I managed a 25 mile run in and around York in about 3 hours (including stopping and starting at traffic lights). As a goal I'm wanting to be able to do the 160 miles over two days, (or over three at the most) I was wondering if you lot would consider that physically possible to train up to from that level in 4 months?

Now I know this is more training, but the other thing I was wondering was if you guys could recommend me a couple of cycle-friendly campsites or a cheap B&B along the way that I could stay the night or give me some pointers on my route?

York
Goole
Gainsborough
Lincoln
Newark-On-Trent
Sleaford
Boston
Spalding
Peterborough

This is the flattest route I could find, the only hill really worth mentioning is between Newark and Sleaford, which is climbing 225ft in a mile. There aren't many hills in the area I could practice on of that scale but I reckon one hill in 160 miles is doable (plus it's followed by 5 miles of descending pleasure). Most of the towns have or aren't too far from railway stations so if it doesn't look like I'm going to make it I have a plan B


The last thing, is that I would be getting a train (East Coast) from Peterborough to London, as I don't fancy climbing the remainder of the trip and hopefully a Megabus back up to York from London Kings Cross, does anyone know how either company are with transporting large, fully loaded touring bikes?


Thanks in advance
Sharn

 

[vernon]

Megabus don't do bikes. All rail companies do bikes but it's best to book your bike on the train in advance are they have limited capacity.

You'll not have any problems doing the ride. You just need to get out and get the miles in. There's no need to do 80 miles on any of your training rides. I suggest doing the ride in three days to make for a more relaxing ride.

Google for camp sites once you have an idea where you are likely to be at the end of day one and day two. There's plenty of site listings on line. I've yet to come across an unfriendly camp site.

 

[Norry1]

Mileage shouldn't be a problem, just get the training miles in. Personally I'd recommend a long easy pace ride once a week, where you increase the mileage a bit each time. Add to this as many shorter rides (which you can do harder, or intervals if you like).

I find B&Bs are about £30 - £40 a night. If you do them, you won't need to carry a tent, sleeping bag etc.

Martin

 

[snorri]

80mpd for two days carrying a touring load seems quite a lot for a first time tourer. Touring shouldn't be like some sort of timed endurance event, it's meant to be fun, stopping to look at interesting things along the way. You might consider booking the train for the first portion of the journey, to get you out of your home territory, then cycle the rest of the way.

 

[P.H]

You'll be fine. I'd prefer to do it over three days for the same reasons as snorri, but if you need to do it in two it's probably within your capabilities now. If you're only camping for a couple of nights, you don't need much kit, less than 10kg more than you'd need for B&Bs, on a flat route that's not going to make much difference.

The only thing that could stop you is comfort, it is more hours on the bike than you're used to, small discomforts become big ones when you're spending long hours in the saddle, so do a couple of all day rides before you go.

+1 for booking your trains and cycle reservation well in advance. About 12 weeks before for the best deals, if you're not too bothered about what time you can go, London - York is around £15.

 

[smith4188]

I was wondering was if you guys could recommend me a couple of cycle-friendly campsites or a cheap B&B along the way that I could stay the night or give me some pointers on my route?

Get yourself Google Earth and then go to:

http://www.myfavouritecampsite.com/vB/local_links.php?catid=7

where you can find files that load campsites for the UK (and other countries too) into Google Earth. That should help you to find which campsites are en route. It's a very handy little tool.

Cheers,
Steven

 

[Bigsharn]

Use B&Bs, they'll save you weight

I should probably emphasise that I intend to do this ride to get to a music festival, so I'll be carrying a decent level of camping equipment whether I use B&Bs en route or not

Mileage shouldn't be a problem, just get the training miles in. Personally I'd recommend a long easy pace ride once a week, where you increase the mileage a bit each time. Add to this as many shorter rides (which you can do harder, or intervals if you like).

Well currently I've got a goal of 50 miles a week commuting/just dossing around York on the bike. York-Goole and back is definitely on the cards as a gentler ride once a week (another 50 miles) but at the moment the only bridges I can use to cross over the Ouse are closed for repair, the alternative being the M62 (')

80mpd for two days carrying a touring load seems quite a lot for a first time tourer. Touring shouldn't be like some sort of timed endurance event, it's meant to be fun, stopping to look at interesting things along the way. You might consider booking the train for the first portion of the journey, to get you out of your home territory, then cycle the rest of the way.

It's less a tour, more an urge to prove to myself (and others) I can go that far on a bike. If I actually pull it off, I want to tour the east coast from Hull to Kings Lynn at a gentler pace later in the year (zig zagging into Lincoln and interesting spots I pass this time around). Seeing as by then I should know the first 25 miles it shouldn't be a problem... Then at least I only need Google Maps for after I get through Goole (and throwing away £17.50 on that train journey seems a bit of a waste of money)

The only thing that could stop you is comfort...

...you can go, London - York is around £15.

That's the main thing that's concerning me at the moment. I was looking at getting a Brooks B17 before I go (hearing nothing but good about them), but they're so expensive, is there anything similar at the cheapskate budget end of the scale?

And I didn't realise there was that little difference in price between the trains and Megabus, if that's the case I'll just use East Coast for both sections that I'm on the train

My Favourite Campsites link

Cheers, I can see that coming in *very* handy.


The other thing I meant to ask in the OP but forgot Will it be worth getting clipped pedals before/for the journey? I don't fancy taking cleats/SPDs to a music festival and I currently ride with nothing but gravity keeping my foot to the pedal. It's comfortable as it is, but it's very rare I use the ball of my foot to pedal, which I know isn't ideal.


And thanks again for all the advice

 

[ComedyPilot]

FWIW I don't use SPD or cleats, just trainers, and I did 800 miles round Holland in 9 days fully-loaded, no worries

 

[andym]

80mpd for two days carrying a touring load seems quite a lot for a first time tourer. Touring shouldn't be like some sort of timed endurance event, it's meant to be fun, stopping to look at interesting things along the way. You might consider booking the train for the first portion of the journey, to get you out of your home territory, then cycle the rest of the way.

What he said. 3 days would be better. Or take the train part of the way. 50 miles a day for three days is a reasonable intermediate challenge before you set your sights on more ambitious targets (or alternatively decide that cycle touring should be a holiday rather than an endurance event).

It's good advice to book your space on the train - although SFAIK the trains on the East Coast mainline services have guards vans with space for half a dozen bikes so there's no reason to be deterred by fears about shortage of space.

No there's no cheaper alternative to the B17 (and they're about £50 so really they aren't that expensive). But buy it well in advance of your ride - as you may take some time getting used to it (depending on how hard your existing saddle is).

I wouldn't get SPDs specifically for a ride if you are happy with normal shoes. However, there are plenty of shoes with a recessed cleat that would be a perfectly practical proposition for schlepping around in at a music festival (eg Specialized Tahomas) - although you might well need to get the mud out before you head home. Alternatively take a pair of flipflops (or wellies depending on how pessimistic you are about the weather).

 

[delport]

I can do 160 miles in 2 days fully loaded with panniers,,not constantly, day in day out, but when needed.i was doing 100 miles every week a few months back as basic training.

Now with my Portsmouth-Gibraltar trip not that long away i haven't done any training during the winter,i only cycle about 50 miles a week just now.

I think a lot of this stuff is in the mind, if you are focussed and determined, as i usually am, then i think i'll be fine without much training.I'll still expect to do 60 to 80 miles per day with very little training.Partly because i know it can be done.
If the roads are flat it gives me an optimistic outlook on the day, i'm never keen on hils.

And rail fares can be next to nothing if booked in advance.london to edinburgh is £14 for example.

 

[mcshroom]

If you want to practise hills then head North. On the couple occasions I've been to York the Howardian hills and the NY Moors seemed pretty hilly

 

[Bodhbh]

I sometimes cycle up from london to the parents near grimsby, although my route is a little east of that by looks (cambridge, boston, horncastle, over the wolds).

With the extreme flatness the prevailing wind is always a big help going up, i'd keep an eye on it, lest you get caught out on the way down and put out of schedule. For that reason when you tour I'd probably go up the east coast, rather than down it.

Alternatively you could go over the humber bridge and take in the wolds for a change scenery? It's a pretty nice ride, Lincolnshire side at least (one that I know). Only 20miles or so to go over the top and then back to the flatness, so shouldn't slow you do much, might even cut some miles off, i don't know without checking.

/edit

other thing, if you could probably take this down, either to goole or the humber bridge, if you're bike can handle a bit of light off-road:

http://www.transpenninetrail.org.uk/

 

[Bigsharn]

What he said. 3 days would be better. Or take the train part of the way. 50 miles a day for three days is a reasonable intermediate challenge before you set your sights on more ambitious targets (or alternatively decide that cycle touring should be a holiday rather than an endurance event).

It's good advice to book your space on the train - although SFAIK the trains on the East Coast mainline services have guards vans with space for half a dozen bikes so there's no reason to be deterred by fears about shortage of space.

No there's no cheaper alternative to the B17 (and they're about £50 so really they aren't that expensive). But buy it well in advance of your ride - as you may take some time getting used to it (depending on how hard your existing saddle is).

I wouldn't get SPDs specifically for a ride if you are happy with normal shoes. However, there are plenty of shoes with a recessed cleat that would be a perfectly practical proposition for schlepping around in at a music festival (eg Specialized Tahomas) - although you might well need to get the mud out before you head home. Alternatively take a pair of flipflops (or wellies depending on how pessimistic you are about the weather).

The train bookings will definitely be made a LONG time before I set off. This topic's pretty much drilled that into my head

I agree that it should be a holiday rather than an endurance event, but I only get a week off work, so it's a toss-up between cycling the 160 miles or sitting on my backside for two days before Sonisphere. I can do 50 miles already (I proved that to myself yesterday) so pushing that little bit further in 5 months shouldn't be difficult

£50 is a lot for a saddle, for someone on a disposable income of less than that in a month My existing saddle isn't hard, but it's definitely the wrong shape. I might look into a Charge Spoon if I can't get hold of a second hand B17.

It's not actually SPDs I was after, it's just a set of pedals with toeclips, as £20 for a set is what I'd call affordable

I can do 160 miles in 2 days fully loaded with panniers,,not constantly, day in day out, but when needed.i was doing 100 miles every week a few months back as basic training.

Now with my Portsmouth-Gibraltar trip not that long away i haven't done any training during the winter,i only cycle about 50 miles a week just now.

I think a lot of this stuff is in the mind, if you are focussed and determined, as i usually am, then i think i'll be fine without much training.I'll still expect to do 60 to 80 miles per day with very little training.Partly because i know it can be done.
If the roads are flat it gives me an optimistic outlook on the day, i'm never keen on hils.

And rail fares can be next to nothing if booked in advance.london to edinburgh is £14 for example.

So you're saying I should be doing 100 miles a week in training? That's about what I'm aiming for towards Easter anyway, but should I step it up before then? Like I said above, I only know for sure I can do 50 in a day so training will be a massive part of the next few weeks.

If you want to practise hills then head North. On the couple occasions I've been to York the Howardian hills and the NY Moors seemed pretty hilly

I've actually planned a training route out westwards, because that's when the hills really start getting intensive so it's decent preparation for any other longer rides I plan out later, thanks for the advice but the only places really worth seeing going north are Malton and Thirsk... Which turns it into a return journey on the same road (If I use the backroads I'll get lost).

I sometimes cycle up from london to the parents near grimsby, although my route is a little east of that by looks (cambridge, boston, horncastle, over the wolds).

With the extreme flatness the prevailing wind is always a big help going up, i'd keep an eye on it, lest you get caught out on the way down and put out of schedule. For that reason when you tour I'd probably go up the east coast, rather than down it.

Alternatively you could go over the humber bridge and take in the wolds for a change scenery? It's a pretty nice ride, Lincolnshire side at least (one that I know). Only 20miles or so to go over the top and then back to the flatness, so shouldn't slow you do much, might even cut some miles off, i don't know without checking.

/edit

other thing, if you could probably take this down, either to goole or the humber bridge, if you're bike can handle a bit of light off-road:

http://www.transpenninetrail.org.uk/

If I do the ride before the festival I know I'll make it all the way. If I do the ride after the festival I'll be too knackered and give up before I get home. As much as the wind will be against me there's method to the madness, though I might do it that way when I actually tour the coast in Autumn *fingers crossed*

That's actually a much longer way around, hence the route I've taken. The only way I can cut miles is to go straight from Lincoln to Spalding, or to go straight down the A19 to Selby, via Doncaster and Nottingham, which are both stupidly hilly routes.

Getting to the Humber Bridge is an atrocious ride, the roads are horrible (I know from being in the car) and there's a section which climbs 450ft over 3 miles or 200ft over .8 of a mile depending which way you go. The original plan was to use the Transpennine trail to Selby, then Goole, then carry on with the original route on depending how sore my rear is when I do that before I go.

 

[Bodhbh]

That's actually a much longer way around, hence the route I've taken. The only way I can cut miles is to go straight from Lincoln to Spalding, or to go straight down the A19 to Selby, via Doncaster and Nottingham, which are both stupidly hilly routes.

Getting to the Humber Bridge is an atrocious ride, the roads are horrible (I know from being in the car) and there's a section which climbs 450ft over 3 miles or 200ft over .8 of a mile depending which way you go. The original plan was to use the Transpennine trail to Selby, then Goole, then carry on with the original route on depending how sore my rear is when I do that before I go.

Yeah, I should have looked at a map first, as the one in my head was out a bit - going over the bridge is a bit of a dogs leg.

I don't recall it being that bad a ride from the bridge to york however, I did it a couple of christmas's back. Not sure what route I took, but iirc quickly clear the wolds then it's flat to york on the lanes.

 

[delport]

So you're saying I should be doing 100 miles a week in training? That's about what I'm aiming for towards Easter anyway, but should I step it up before then? Like I said above, I only know for sure I can do 50 in a day so training will be a massive part of the next few weeks.

Do whatever distance you feel is okay in training.
I was just saying i did 100 but now i only do 50 a week, yet i stil feel comfortable and confident about doing more than 1000 miles of cycling in a reasonably short space of time.

For me it is in the mind,if i know i've done nearly 100 miles in a day a couple of times recently there is no reason i can't do it when needed.

The other forum members are the experts, i'm just an ordinary cyclist plodding along.