OP
OP
John Flower
Member
- Location
- Wiltshire
Thanks that look perfect. Thanks for looking. how much do you think you can get a second hand tourer for?
Wiltshire to Santander spain.
- Thread starter John Flower
- Start date
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oldfatfool
Guru
1) Don't know your bike but I would guess the chainstay will be too short to use large panniers (spec sheet for all but the xs says 405mm by comparison my Panorama as 450 mm and being a big footed git I can still get heelslap if I don't pack carefully)
2) Just returned from my first tour, 3 weeks solo through the south of France, I would say you are never alone, every time you stop any passing cyclist will enquire as to your well being. If you do join forces then on climbs and descents you will split up in anycase (I met 1 couple who where spending a year touring,they met at the top of climbs, at a coffee shop at the base and then again at the campsite!) BUT it can be nice to have company on an evening for a drink and a meal if you don't speak the language and end up in the back of beyond.
3) Mileage will depend a lot on your timescale and wether there is anything to do where you plan to stop/ find along the way, and wether you are alone,terrain etc etc. I planned on 80km a day but ended up doing 40km some days,140km others. By setting off in good time I was basically at the end of my planned day by lunch time,which gives plenty of options.
4) Plenty of campsites and wild camping is easy, I even pitched up on a village green one night without problems. I had a planned route but that was because I had a planned climb most days. I would say it is best to have a good map at least and a daily plan to avoid main roads. I have considered doing a similar trip next year and thought I would just generally head south
5) I used cleats with SPD shoes remember to keep checking they are tightened each night,particularly if you do much walking off the bike.
I didn't bother with the weight of a stove and fuel. I figured if I could buy food to cook then I could buy food to eat. This turned out good for me, Boulangerie for brekky, cafe for lunch, then a meal out at night or a baguette a cheese tomatoes fruit and a bottle. The couple I met on the year long exped. had sent their stove home after six weeks ,they said all they had used it for was a brew on a morning.
2) Just returned from my first tour, 3 weeks solo through the south of France, I would say you are never alone, every time you stop any passing cyclist will enquire as to your well being. If you do join forces then on climbs and descents you will split up in anycase (I met 1 couple who where spending a year touring,they met at the top of climbs, at a coffee shop at the base and then again at the campsite!) BUT it can be nice to have company on an evening for a drink and a meal if you don't speak the language and end up in the back of beyond.
3) Mileage will depend a lot on your timescale and wether there is anything to do where you plan to stop/ find along the way, and wether you are alone,terrain etc etc. I planned on 80km a day but ended up doing 40km some days,140km others. By setting off in good time I was basically at the end of my planned day by lunch time,which gives plenty of options.
4) Plenty of campsites and wild camping is easy, I even pitched up on a village green one night without problems. I had a planned route but that was because I had a planned climb most days. I would say it is best to have a good map at least and a daily plan to avoid main roads. I have considered doing a similar trip next year and thought I would just generally head south
5) I used cleats with SPD shoes remember to keep checking they are tightened each night,particularly if you do much walking off the bike.
I didn't bother with the weight of a stove and fuel. I figured if I could buy food to cook then I could buy food to eat. This turned out good for me, Boulangerie for brekky, cafe for lunch, then a meal out at night or a baguette a cheese tomatoes fruit and a bottle. The couple I met on the year long exped. had sent their stove home after six weeks ,they said all they had used it for was a brew on a morning.
doog
....
- Location
- The beautiful south
The old stove debate
I wonder what they do for a brew now then? If you like a brew you take a stove surely, my stove weighs 86 grammes,worth its weight in gold. In addition if the OP is on a budget he will save a fortune by cooking his own food.
oldfatfool
Guru
The old stove debate
I wonder what they do for a brew now then? If you like a brew you take a stove surely, my stove weighs 86 grammes,worth its weight in gold. In addition if the OP is on a budget he will save a fortune by cooking his own food.
Buy a coffee with their croissant :P
I did debate the stove, it was in and out of my pack several times,I like a coffee on a morning but glad I left it at home, fresh ground coffee with a warm pastry much better than instant in a field.
OP
OP
John Flower
Member
- Location
- Wiltshire
My budget is in the middle but I would like to spend as little as possible. I'm not sure wether I could afford 3 meals out in cafe/resturants (not done research at present on french/spanish prices) I would be happy with instant coffee in the morning. but again I have this weight issue. I think I can pack very light so may not be a problem.
also another question. what are french roads like to cycle on? are the safer then british road? and which month would you reccomend june/july/august/september?
again I appreicate everyone's help
Thanks again
John
also another question. what are french roads like to cycle on? are the safer then british road? and which month would you reccomend june/july/august/september?
again I appreicate everyone's help
Thanks again
John
oldfatfool
Guru
To give you an idea on budget, I was eating a light breakfast, decent lunch, evening meal, morning/afternoon coffee,a couple of beers and a nights camping for under £35 a day, I enjoy good food so a good meal could be had for a lower budget than this ( ie don't bother with the foie gras and the cheese course
)The roads are brilliant, the French (in the areas I was in) have a fantastic ability to fill any potholes in level with the surrounding road surface, and they do fill them in. The worst surfaces tend to be in larger towns. French drivers have great respect for cyclists, I believe it is also a legal requirement to give cyclists 1.5m when passing, any which way in 3 weeks I only experienced 3 bad passes, and those where by Spanish coach/hgv near the border. Be aware that French drivers do tend to pap their horns at you a lot when they are about to overtake, a bit disconcerting at first. I went in July and experienced temps from 6 deg to 41 deg.The roads got busier towards the end of July but nothing in comparison to GB. unless I strayed onto a N road, but then again the drivers where OK. French school holidays start early July to end of August, I think the French tend to take their annual vacances in August when the roads around the coastal areas will be busier.
OP
OP
John Flower
Member
- Location
- Wiltshire
okay that budget is not so bad. I have almost a year of saving so better start now! as Long as I can afford to buy a good beer in the evening then this is the most important suppliment to buy!
That's good to know the roads are in good condition. I have heard the road in france are good but wasnt sure to what degree (in comparision to most british road anything is good) I see the holidays are roughly the same as ours. So end of june begining of july would be the best time but HOT
That's good to know the roads are in good condition. I have heard the road in france are good but wasnt sure to what degree (in comparision to most british road anything is good) I see the holidays are roughly the same as ours. So end of june begining of july would be the best time but HOT
doog
....
- Location
- The beautiful south
You can camp for basically nothing, the municipals range between 4 and 10 Euros and if you go slightly out of season (June) there is just no one there to pay . Camping and food for me from supermarkets (I cook my own) is about £10 -£15 a day at the very most. Cafes and restaurants in France arent cheap so I tend to avoid unless there is somewhere to eat on the campsite.
I would recommend June. Campsites empty, weather okay, not to many tourists on the road.Locals still drive like nutters but give you a wide birth on the whole.
As for roads, you need to do some research, I was initially surprised at how busy the roads were, even some of the minor roads, just stick to the D's if you want to make progress.
I would recommend June. Campsites empty, weather okay, not to many tourists on the road.Locals still drive like nutters but give you a wide birth on the whole.
As for roads, you need to do some research, I was initially surprised at how busy the roads were, even some of the minor roads, just stick to the D's if you want to make progress.
OP
OP
John Flower
Member
- Location
- Wiltshire
campsite sound nice and cheap wich is good.
I think June seems to be the best month to leave (fingers crossed that work let me go)
I am going to by a decent Map next week and study the Roads more closely. My grandad stay in southern france alot so I could ask his advice.
Thanks again
I think June seems to be the best month to leave (fingers crossed that work let me go)
I am going to by a decent Map next week and study the Roads more closely. My grandad stay in southern france alot so I could ask his advice.
Thanks again
OP
OP
John Flower
Member
- Location
- Wiltshire
I plan to be on the road for a maxium on 2.5-3weeks. I have to take holiday from work so shorter the better. but I dont want to rush
Hi John. I am off on a Roscoff to Santander tour next year (prob last 2 wks of May or 1st two in June). Have you considered the prevailing winds as you are going North to South like me? See my post on here "Roscoff to Santander - correct direction for winds?" Chris
OP
OP
John Flower
Member
- Location
- Wiltshire
I hadn't thought about this. What would you recomend? starting in spain? How stong are the winds?
