cycle touring

feck sake lads

Canis Lupus wrote: »

I'm off to Africa May 2nd :P Unless Morocco flips out or Ivory Coast pulls W Africa into a war in which case I'll just head East via Europe.

WOW. sounds an epic journey is this a sole tour your doing.
hell of a lot of planning i would imagine.
how much wouls a tour like that cost just curious.;)

feck sake lads

Canis Lupus wrote: »

I'm off to Africa May 2nd :P Unless Morocco flips out or Ivory Coast pulls W Africa into a war in which case I'll just head East via Europe.

WOW. sounds an epic journey is this a sole tour your doing.
hell of a lot of planning i would imagine.
how much would a tour like that cost just curious.;)

Peetrik

Canis Lupus wrote: »

I'm off to Africa May 2nd :P

Sounds great Canis!

Have big plans myself for the summer but I wont jinx myself by actually uttering them outloud yet.

What are peoples thoughts on bike locks and touring, I know it ultimately boils down to how much your willing to risk it... but if your planning to be mainly in the countryside is it really necessary to lug around a big ulock/heavy chain, perhaps a decent bike alarm would be a better idea? What have people done?

I've gone with the light long locks myself. Also at times I've put zip ties on the frame/wheels as an extra couple of seconds. Only toured Ireland/Wales so most places would have somewhere to put the bike.

Planning on doing Dublin - Rosslare - Cherbourg - Tours - Rennes - Roscoff - Rosslare - Dublin this year. Never toured in France before so I'm looking forward to it a lot!

Speaking of touring, anyone know where Blorg is these days?

Canis Lupus

feck sake lads wrote: »

WOW. sounds an epic journey is this a sole tour your doing.
hell of a lot of planning i would imagine.
how much would a tour like that cost just curious.;)

I've a mate coming with me for France, Spain and Morocco, after that it's solo.

Erm... remarkably little planning has gone into it I've read a bajillion blogs and asked people already doing it for advice when I was compiling my gear list. Apart from that time is my own (been made redundant) so I basically just point the bike in whatever direction takes my fancy.

I've got a tidy sum available to me for this so costs don't matter to me. Recent couple that have done France, Spain and Morocco (so far) were spending 20-30e a day (that's pp).

feck sake lads

peetrik take a lock cable one is best with a good combination padlock.better safe than sorry.
last year we toured France Brittany had to abandon it after 6 days,we had monsoon rain none stop for three days on the trot no fun .but have to say its a beautiful country to tour great roads fantastic campsites which there are plentiful cost average 7euro.

glens2sea

Peetrik wrote: »

What are peoples thoughts on bike locks and touring, I know it ultimately boils down to how much your willing to risk it... but if your planning to be mainly in the countryside is it really necessary to lug around a big ulock/heavy chain, perhaps a decent bike alarm would be a better idea? What have people done?

I have used this one for several years now, long enough to thread through both wheels and frame and around a post at the same time and you can also get a 3 metre cable for it, its not too heavy or bulky and I always carry it touring or not.

http://www.chainreactioncycles.com/Models.aspx?ModelID=19440

feck sake lads

that's a great looking cable lock, one of the lads in the fell club had his top of the range thorn stolen at a campsite in scotland last year .he had it locked but to nothing solid like a tree or post.lucky he had it covered on insurance cost £6000.so be careful with your bike take no chances.

feck sake lads

Canis Lupus wrote: »

I've a mate coming with me for France, Spain and Morocco, after that it's solo.

Erm... remarkably little planning has gone into it I've read a bajillion blogs and asked people already doing it for advice when I was compiling my gear list. Apart from that time is my own (been made redundant) so I basically just point the bike in whatever direction takes my fancy.

I've got a tidy sum available to me for this so costs don't matter to me. Recent couple that have done France, Spain and Morocco (so far) were spending 20-30e a day (that's pp).

are you camping all the way ,whats you set up bike/ gear tent.

will you be using maps or sat nav for the journey.
anyway have a great time and be careful.;)

thebouldwhacker

feck sake lads wrote: »

, one of the lads in the fell club had his top of the range thorn stolen at a campsite in scotland last year .he had it locked but to nothing solid like a tree or post.

I always take the bike apart, as in put the saddle in the tent with me, take the wheels off and lock them to the frame, at least that way it;ll attract only the most determined thief. Mind you a 6K bike will attract attention esp if you know its gonna be parked up in a camp site, a bike like that would go in the tent with me for sure!

Canis Lupus

feck sake lads wrote: »

are you camping all the way ,whats you set up bike/ gear tent.

will you be using maps or sat nav for the journey.
anyway have a great time and be careful.;)

Camping as much as possible to keep costs down but we'll see how I get on.

Main components:

Thorn Raven (possibly Sherpa as I can spec it better) with Ortlieb panniers.

MSR Hubba hubba tent, Whisperlite stove, water filter.

Netbook, kindle, ipod touch, camera.

Cycle gubbins etc.

No GPS at this time, I'm assured it's not vital but can always pick one up on the way if I chicken out.

feck sake lads

Canis Lupus wrote: »

Camping as much as possible to keep costs down but we'll see how I get on.

Main components:

Thorn Raven (possibly Sherpa as I can spec it better) with Ortlieb panniers.

MSR Hubba hubba tent, Whisperlite stove, water filter.

Netbook, kindle, ipod touch, camera.

Cycle gubbins etc.

No GPS at this time, I'm assured it's not vital but can always pick one up on the way if I chicken out.

i have the sherpa myself excellent touring bike ,i bought the frame from sjs built it up myself with shimano xt groupset m770 got sjs to build me a great set of wheels,brooks champion special fantastic saddle from day one.

feck sake lads

thebouldwhacker wrote: »

I always take the bike apart, as in put the saddle in the tent with me, take the wheels off and lock them to the frame, at least that way it;ll attract only the most determined thief. Mind you a 6K bike will attract attention esp if you know its gonna be parked up in a camp site, a bike like that would go in the tent with me for sure!

i bough a tent from one of the lads on this forum haven't tried it yet just pitched it to see what's it's like ,Hugh is the only word no bother getting the bike inside for safe keeping .i can't put the bike in my akto to much of a squeeze:)
yeah good idea to take wheels and saddle off.

thebouldwhacker

So, I have booked 5 days off over easter for me and my bike, 5 days to cycle anywhere I want but I just cant decide on a route!

I'm looking at doing maybe 150km a day, maybe more, maybe less. I'm hoping it'll be more about the journey than the destination but this has me stumped!

Any suggestions? I'd like to stay in Ireland due to budget but would consider Wales anywhere else is just wasting too much time to get there.

Main considerations have been, around Munster, hit Dingle for the cycle there, but why pay to do what I'm doing for free and I've pretty much done Munster. Thing is its a nice natural circular route

Wales, been there last year and maybe going with the GF again in the summer and I know I'd end up doing a pub crawl of the ale houses and come back with only 100km done and a hangover. Also cost of the ferry would cover a B+B in Ire.

Mizen to Malen, if I'm doing it I want to do the coast all the way and thats over 1000km (I'm no blorg ffs) so may keep this for after the TdM when I'll be saddle fit.

I do prefer cycling by the coast so probably an impromptu Tour of me self and Munster... any suggestions?

thebouldwhacker

So, I have booked 5 days off over easter for me and my bike, 5 days to cycle anywhere I want but I just cant decide on a route!

I'm looking at doing maybe 150km a day, maybe more, maybe less. I'm hoping it'll be more about the journey than the destination but I still need a route of some shape or form and this has me stumped! I'm like a child in a sweet shop after getting a tenner to spend... I'm happy to jump in the car and drive to a starting point on Thurs evening if needed but otherwise starting from Waterford.

Considerations are I'd like to stay in Ireland due to budget but would consider Wales anywhere else is just wasting too much time to get there.

Main considerations have been, around Munster, hit Dingle for the cycle there, but why pay to do what I'm doing for free and I've pretty much done Munster. Thing is its a nice natural circular route

Wales, been there last year and maybe going with the GF again in the summer and I know I'd end up doing a pub crawl of the ale houses and come back with only 100km done and a hangover. Also cost of the ferry would cover a B+B in Ire.

Mizen to Malen, if I'm doing it I want to do the coast all the way and thats well over 1000km (I'm no blorg ffs) so may keep this for after the TdM when I'll be saddle fit.

I do prefer cycling by the coast so probably an impromptu Tour of me self and Munster... any other suggestions of interesting routes?

blorg

150km a day, every day for five days, is a lot if you are loaded touring. Especially early in the season.

feck sake lads

i was thinking the same thing to many miles.
i done a tour of lower lough erne last summer enjoyed it no end.
mind you the campsite fees where a bit much £15 for a very small pitch in castle archdale.

oflahero

I set off myself on a similar few days back in February when I was between jobs. I'd aimed for a max 150km fully loaded a day too, but soon got sucked back to reality on the first day to Athlone. Ruined, so I was. Winds in the face all day like you see outside today. Made it to Lahinch on day 2 but was shattered and it had ceased to be fun. I'd planned on continuing southwest across the Shannon to Listowel and thence into west Cork, but forecast storm force winds would've been right in my teeth all the way, so I turned around instead. It's supposed to be part fun, at least. Aim for max 100km/day would be my advice, you'll still be rightly knackered with panniers on the back.

thebouldwhacker

This is the life!!!

In my sitting room surrounded by touring bike and all the gear getting all packed up for this




The route still needs tweaking so any local knowledge would be great, esp the Waterford to Limerick section, kinda screwed by the mountains so mostly cycling on main roads. I threw in a few chicken runs in case things dont go my way. Legs will be sore but I'm really looking forward to the open road and an empty mind. If anyone fancies tagging along for a few km at some stage let me know...

feck sake lads

enjoy tbw looks fantastic, if you get this weather you will have a ball;)

feck sake lads

i had a kinda plan to tour from here drogheda to virgina camp overnight in virgina then head to athlone next day camp overnight head back next day different route,
but the campsiet in virgina doesn't open until end of june ,give me a break:mad:
guess i'll have to plan again.
but i'm heading to scotland in september for the grampian rally a weeks camping and cycle rally i heard from my friends in the fell club it's a good craic for the week.

thebouldwhacker

Thanks Feck, dont let one closed campsite deter you! I have had to change my route so may times, two big changes as late as today, that's half the joy, gotta change route, no problem... I was to head to Dingle on day two but with the Etape on they prob wouldnt' let me do the pass to no point heading down, gonna hit Mallow instead. Looking forward to West Cork, haven't cycled there in over a year so going through the tunnels and wheeling into Glengariff will be special.
I hope you get to make the most of the weather this weekend!!!

Canis Lupus

Now I've not done it yet myself but surely there's no shortage of places to wild camp once you get out of the towns? I'm leaving London and heading to Kerry in a week and have no intention of paying for a campsite once I'm past the first night.

blorg

+1, wild camping is generally far more scenic too. You get used to being dirty surprisingly quickly. Alternatively wash in rivers, lakes, sea, cafes, petrol stations. Mosques are ideal (they always have areas for ablutions) but may be thin on the ground :-)

feck sake lads

sound's like you lads are hardened tourers :Di'm still learning the ropes.
but to be honest i don't think I'd fancy wild camping like the idea of secure campsite with warm showers and maybe a bar as well .;)
anyway one of the lads in our group this morning said he would like to do a few days away in june so still like to head athlone direction never been to athlone:D:D..
so lads would this be a good time to bump up the idea of getting a section of the fellclub going here in ireland.
i did try before had plenty of interest but no commitments.

blorg

I was wary of it too until I started doing it, first one night in France I couldn't find a hotel or campsite and was a bit worried but then subsequently wild camped in Turkish Kurdistan in an abandoned army post, the Syrian desert, Iran, UAE and all over northern Oman, from the centre of Muscat to middle of nowhere up in the mountains. Now I far prefer it to be honest to a campsite. Never had an issue. Except one night in Oman, camped in what turned out to be a track that they drive 4x4s along and driver comes along at 1am headlights shining into the tent... but he just backed up and went around the other side of the tree.

feck sake lads

God blorg my tour's seem micky mouse now after reading your post:(.
do you have a website that i could look at what you get up thanks.

blorg

I have a blog but only up to Istanbul: http://www.crazyguyonabike.com/ivan

I will write up the rest at some stage, I hope.

feck sake lads

blorg wrote: »

I have a blog but only up to Istanbul: http://www.crazyguyonabike.com/ivan

I will write up the rest at some stage, I hope.

just had a quick look fantastic stuff thanks,
i was seriously thinking of buying one of those bike last year you seem to travel fairly light but i suppose you have it down to a fine art by now.

lennymc

feck sake lads wrote: »

anyway one of the lads in our group this morning said he would like to do a few days away in june so still like to head athlone direction never been to athlone:D:D..

but i dont want to go to athlone!! only messsing. anywhere will be good.

so, as a tourer newbie, I'm going to have to pick some brains and get as many tips as possible.