World Cycle Challenge

[oldfatfool]

You can pay to do a supported anything these days, climb Everest, trek to the North pole, so why not cycle the world, if you have the cash you still get the experiance and bragging rites just not the trepidation.

 

[hubbike]

You can pay to do a supported anything these days, climb Everest, trek to the North pole, so why not cycle the world, if you have the cash you still get the experiance and bragging rites just not the trepidation.

Not a good comparison. climbing Everest is a similar amount of money...but a whole other level of logistics and expertise required.

Cycle touring (even RTW) is really quite an easy/cheap thing to do.

As a business it makes sense. Savvy entrepreneurs collect some cash off some people with more money than sense...but it's a shame for the cycling community as it gives people the impression that cycle touring is something to be afraid of or is difficult and expensive.

 

[yello]

it gives people the impression that cycle touring is something to be afraid of or is difficult and expensive.

That's certainly one way of looking at it.

I see it as giving people an option of doing something that they might want to do but are put off by the hassle of organising it all etc. As I said, it's an option I'd take if I could afford it. Leaves you to concentrate on and enjoy the cycling. Which is, after all, what many are after.

On a smaller scale, if I could afford to cycle tour and stay in hotels with decent beds and showers, and eat decent meals then I would, believe me! Especially as I get older. The novelties of camping and boiling up pasta/rice night after night soon wears thin!

Edit: I wonder if Crispin wants any unpaid volunteers to go along?

 

[oldfatfool]

Not a good comparison. climbing Everest is a similar amount of money...but a whole other level of logistics and expertise required.

Cycle touring (even RTW) is really quite an easy/cheap thing to do.

As a business it makes sense. Savvy entrepreneurs collect some cash off some people with more money than sense...but it's a shame for the cycling community as it gives people the impression that cycle touring is something to be afraid of or is difficult and expensive.

Wasn't comparing the activities per se, just pointing out that anything however extreme or not can now be achieved at a price in relevant comfort and safety.

I would imagine that organising a rtw cycle by a company and providing support and accomodation along the way is a logistical nightmare and very expensive, however cheaply it can be done by an individual.

 

[MissTillyFlop]

It's only £34,000

Unless it was a house, the answer to that can only be - 'OW MUCH?!

 

[hubbike]

... if I could afford to cycle tour and stay in hotels with decent beds and showers, and eat decent meals then I would, believe me!

You almost certainly can, and should. You don't have to go too far to get to countries where accommodation and food are fairly cheap. (turkey, bulgaria, tunisia, croatia, greece to name but a few...) If you go further afield costs plummet. (india, peru/bolivia, china, south east asia)

I would imagine that organising a rtw cycle by a company and providing support and accomodation along the way is a logistical nightmare and very expensive, however cheaply it can be done by an individual.

I disagree. Costs might even be lower, because of economies of scale (it is especially easy to negotiate group discounts on flights), and "logistical nightmares" are never that bad (if a problem is solved for 1 person you just repeat 29 times more). At least not so bad that having a business with a million pound turn over in 9 months couldn't put them to rest.

 

[oldfatfool]

I disagree. Costs might even be lower, because of economies of scale (it is especially easy to negotiate group discounts on flights), and "logistical nightmares" are never that bad (if a problem is solved for 1 person you just repeat 29 times more). At least not so bad that having a business with a million pound turn over in 9 months couldn't put them to rest.

Obviously you have never tried to organise and lead a group of disparate strangers on any kind of foreign tour. And how is it going to be cheaper to provide mechanical support etc for a group than going alone with no support