What do you think ???

[oysterkite]

Hi All- Great site lots of useful info here

Would appreciate your views/advice on the a trip that myself and a friend are planning.

We are planning a trip through France and into Spain. Originally all the way to the Southern tip of Spain and have allowed all of May to do it. We are now thinking that we might go go across the Pyreneese and spending a week or so mountain biking in the in the Pyreneese and finish in Barcelona.

We are planning to do the trip on XC mountain bikes (Change the saddle to a Brooks, fit slickish tyres and change the handlbar position) and are looking at around 100k per day

Kit would be carried by a trailer on each bike(probably a Carry Freedom) and would include camping gear)

We are both pretty fit and have a reasonable amount of biking experience ( did the london to Brighton last year on a mountain bike with slicks in a reasonable time)

ANy thoughts or obvious pitfalls that you can see would be welcome as would any advice on routes through France and Spain?

Many thanks

 

[andym]

We are planning to do the trip on XC mountain bikes (Change the saddle to a Brooks, fit slickish tyres and change the handlbar position) and are looking at around 100k per day

Sounds too ambitious to me. An average of 70kms a day would be more sensible to allow time to actually see things on the way. There is a world of difference between a day ride and doing the mileage day after day.

Make sure you do a few days' test ride with the Brooks. They need to be broken in. Going on a long tour with a brand new Brooks is not a good idea.

 

[Cathryn]

D'oh...never wise to tell someone they being too ambitious!! Red rag to a bull, if Oysterkite is anything like me.

Welcome to the forum Oysterkit.

Unfortunately, I do think Andy has a point. You can either blitz your way through France and Spain or you can actually take time and enjoy it. I'd have a big think about your route. If you know roughly which way you'd want to go, break it down into 50 mile 'days'. Every 5 or 6 days, build in a day off, so you can rest your legs. When we tour, we aim for 50 mile days even though we'd comfortably do 60. It's about not having the pressure of HAVING to notch up miles, so you can sit for half an hour under a tree at lunchtime and smell the lavender.

Ref your bikes, sounds okay. It's all about weight, so I'd really recommend loading your panniers and doing some day rides and even weekend rides to see how you and your bikes fare.

It sounds brilliant though. I'm dead jealous. Have a look at the website crazyguyonabike.com. Loads of cycling journals including many who have gone through France and Spain and it might inspire you with routes!!

BTW....Assos cream. The way forward when touring. Hehehe.

 

[oysterkite]

Yes, both probably right - looking at 50 mile days would still give us time to get to the Pyreneese with time to spare. I will be putting plenty of miles on the bike with a weighted trailer to get used to it and break in the saddle (havemt used a trailer before so expect some 'adjustment' time needed) -

All advice & opinion welcomed btw

 

[Cathryn]

I haven't tried a trailer either but I really fancy it.

It might add complications when you're on the way home...how are you getting home? Planes and trains often don't take trailers...which only leaves automobiles!