Planning a cross-country cycle

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DTM

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Hi guys and gals,

Figured someone on here would've done a c-c-c, just wondered if you can share some experiences / tips etc as me and my brother are starting to plan one.

Long story short, he's off to the army soon and we want a trip to remember.

Budget is around £250 each, hopefully won't be that much though.

We are booking just a week off work, and think that Wales north to south might be good. It shouldn't take too long at all, in fact probably not more than three days by my reckoning, but this is where you guys come in...

How far can you realistically cycle per day?
How much cash do you need?
Are youth hostels available all the time?
Are there any good planning sites with maps etc (I've looked on google maps but they just put you on A/B roads, would B roads be ok)?

I can't think of much else atm, but all opinions / hints / experiences etc are really appreciated.

Cheers :)
 
If you're taking a camera, put it in a well-padded rucksack, not in the panniers.. there was a recent thread from someone who wrecked his Nikon with excessive vibrations from a long cycle ride :eek:

A.
 
Lol, I'd of course be taking my camera, bit worried about the flimsy nifty even though it'll be wrapped up well.

I was thinking it's either this trip or a 70-200mm L, but since that's twice as much as this trip would cost it's not coming my way just yet! :p
 
How far you can ride per day, is completely upto your own personal fitness level ON THE BIKE. Wanted to make that point stick out running fitness or rowing fitness doesnt come into the equation. I cover at least 40km a day,(after 5km rowing) combined with running striaght after, as i am training for some tri's next year. If you only ride once a month for a 5km then maybe 20km per day (your qustions is kinda like how longs a piece of string) If your first time doing anything like this and you dont currently ride every day, then id be planning a rest day come day 3, and make it somewhere with access to get home by other transport. As day 3-4 is where your legs are going to be either good, or falling off due delayed muscle soreness syndrome that takes upto 3 days to appear after training. There are proper coastal paths walks/rides on alot of sections of the coast with hostels on route. No idea if there open at the drop of a hat, better google that or check the local council websites alot have that info on them for the own areas.

Another tip is to pack all your cloths within 2 black bags tie the first up then put the knotted end to the base of the second, then roll or fold the second bag over, best way i have found to keep everything dry if it rains.
 
Thanks fella,

I can ride 30 mile p/day easily, this is just something to test us, trying for 50 miles per day with a few weeks training should be fine imo.

I think we're going to try the Lon Las Cymru - top to bottom, or Holyhead to Cardiff.

Nice tip on the bags btw, that's what I do with my camera! :D
 
You can slaughter yourself during high summer, riding late into the evening, yet still enjoy it ("runner's high"). If your trip is sometime between now and next March, you'll have shorter, colder, wetter days and would probably want to stick to daylight hours and head for somewhere warm by mid-afternoon.
 
Are we talking on road or off? Will make a big difference to the distance you can cover.

Plenty of youth hostels will be open in October. They are normally about £15 per person a night. I would have thought £250 each would enable quite a luxurious trip
 
Sounds good :D

Well, looking at it we'd do the Lon Las Cymru, route 8 of the Sustrans. Some on road some off road but nothing a non-sus couldn't cope with.

We're thinking mid-November. It'll be a bit chillier and wetter but we ain't bothered about that tbh.

Anyone done a long ride before?
 
DTM said:
Thanks fella,

I can ride 30 mile p/day easily, this is just something to test us, trying for 50 miles per day with a few weeks training should be fine imo.

I think we're going to try the Lon Las Cymru - top to bottom, or Holyhead to Cardiff.

Nice tip on the bags btw, that's what I do with my camera! :D
Click to expand...

Nice base, yes that should be do able quite easily by increasing your every other day ride by 10% per week.

A good way to achieve this can be to use a heart monitor if you have one and train no higher then 80% of your max heart for a couple of training sessions per week.

100km per rides are pretty easy to get to provided your not worried by the time it takes to cover it (i was doing upto 150km until deciding to go tri route have to get my running legs back after not running properly for 3years) Just need to point out though i only do roads these days, heavily mudded trails will be much harder to ride physically.
 
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