Search found 1808 matches

by MrsHJ
26 Mar 2024, 8:56am
Forum: Racing, Olympics, TdF, Competitive cycling
Topic: General racing chitchat
Replies: 55
Views: 33172

Re: General racing chitchat

VinceLedge wrote: 19 Mar 2024, 4:16pm Just got D+ - watched a couple of races on catch up - no adverts, seems just like it was on GCN +.
Are the highlights different?
Yes, I think so. There is one stream that seems to pick up some adverts but not the live streams. So it’s better to watch the long version and just to skim it to the last 30km or so often to just see the end bits if I remember right.

So it’s just me that’s developed an addiction to “fixer to fabulous”? At least I’m not watching naked and afraid which is also somewhere on discovery plus!
by MrsHJ
24 Mar 2024, 9:54pm
Forum: Touring & Expedition
Topic: Cycling the Adriatic Coast of italy
Replies: 3
Views: 251

Re: Cycling the Adriatic Coast of italy

nirakaro wrote: 24 Mar 2024, 9:39pm I rode across from France to Ferrara eighteen months ago, and don’t recall any issues with road quality (on 38mm tyres IIRC).
Don’t miss Ferrara – small but delightful world heritage city centre, not too touristy, more good restaurants than you could shake a stick at, and the most bicycle-y place I’ve ever seen.
Thank you Nirakaro (and Jonathan). I cycled through Ferrara in spring 2022 and had a great trip, beautiful city.
by MrsHJ
24 Mar 2024, 10:49am
Forum: Touring & Expedition
Topic: Cycling the Adriatic Coast of italy
Replies: 3
Views: 251

Cycling the Adriatic Coast of italy

So I’m stuck in bed with a sprained ankle after I fell down the stairs and whilst I contemplate doing a lot of billing before month end I thought I’d share my cycle plans for next year. This year is still on schedule with Saint Malo to Nimes booked and Zell am See to Budapest pencilled in.

I’m thinking of doing the Italian Adriatic coast next May. Venice to Brindisi over a fortnight.
https://www.cicloturismo.net/adriatic-b ... -di-leuca/
https://cycle.travel/map/journey/297455
https://www.biroto.eu/en/cycle-route/it ... rt00001869

I’ve already done part of the eastern Adriatic coast in Italy so I’ll start at Venice airport and go via Treviso as Conrad has previously recommended and Padua because I want to see it and I’ll revisit part of the Po delta although going North to South instead of west to east. I was worried it might be a slightly urban boring trip but the various guides I have (mostly Bradts series which cover Abruzzo and Marche and Emilia Romagna ) suggest that although there will be a fair few coastal resorts it’s anything but cookie cutter. It will be much more of an urban trip than a countryside one though I think. I realise there is some very beautiful Italian countryside but my previous Italian trip was one of the most memorable I’ve done not for the countryside along the Po (it’s was nice but not spectacular) but for the stunning cities and towns along the way.

Previous experience of cycling in Italy makes me sceptical of the road surfaces (very rough lumpy gravel being my least favourites) and width of the roads and just generally not being set up as favourably as say France. I am not expecting a signposted or especially bike friendly route. On the positives I love Italy, there’s plenty of affordable accommodation in May, gelato, I get to practice my Italian and it’s good for me to explore new places. Should be warm but not hot and fingers crossed I don’t get weather like last years giro d’italia.

So any advice or experience very welcome. Especially on road quality - do I just end up talking a gravel bike and putting some wide tyres on it or as this one is coastal will it be more wide boulevards?

I will likely go inland a few times - there’s a bus to urbino and a train to Ascoli Piceno. I’m really looking forward to seeing Puglia although I probably won’t have time to go onto the Gargano peninsula I hope to have a day trip to Lecce after I finish in Brindisi. BA fly into Venice several times a day (plus so does everyone else depending on my departure point) so I might get a Friday evening flight and a taxi to a hotel 10/20km away from the airport and BA fly back from Brindisi as do easyJet and I think Ryan air.

Photos from the Italian tourist site. I’ve just realised I might see a bit of the men’s Giro d’Italia.
by MrsHJ
24 Mar 2024, 9:19am
Forum: Touring & Expedition
Topic: Best tyres for touring
Replies: 27
Views: 1009

Re: Best tyres for touring

I have continental contact plus. No punctures so far over a few years and many miles of touring (all though most of my mileage is touring so it’s going to be a few thousand miles) on varied surfaces from the USA to Italy including a lot of unsealed surfaces. My longest time ever puncture free (only puncture was on my other bike which has different tyres!).
So they have been astonishingly good and confidence inspiring. Am going to replace like for like this year. Are you tempted to go tubeless? I’m not atm- I’m not looking for the speed gains and as my current tyres have all the no puncture characteristics I want I’m happy with my current approach.
by MrsHJ
22 Mar 2024, 10:50pm
Forum: Touring & Expedition
Topic: New handlebar choice
Replies: 15
Views: 743

Re: New handlebar choice

I’m not going to be much help as I haven’t tried the ones you are interested in. I switched from butterfly bars to the thorn comfort bars and I liked them so much I kitted my other bike out with them too. I use ergo 5 bar ends.

https://www.sjscycles.co.uk/handlebars/ ... be0bf6ef8e
by MrsHJ
22 Mar 2024, 8:44pm
Forum: Touring & Expedition
Topic: Brompton case / luggage storage at Schiphol
Replies: 5
Views: 261

Re: Brompton case / luggage storage at Schiphol

S1h wrote: 22 Mar 2024, 7:46pm Anyone have any experience of where I could leave a Brompton hard case at Schiphol for 2 weeks and what it might cost ?
I read there is luggage storage but not sure if they would take this or how much it would cost.
Thanks in advance.
When we did a tour starting within an easy taxi ride of school we left our travel bags at the night1 hotel for 10 days. Just a thought, doesn’t answer your specific question.
by MrsHJ
22 Mar 2024, 6:40am
Forum: Touring & Expedition
Topic: European trains - sleeper service
Replies: 162
Views: 22165

Re: European trains - sleeper service

Best Laid plans and the stoic and sick brits coping. It sounds a bit of a faff tbh. Did you enjoy it overall?
by MrsHJ
21 Mar 2024, 8:23am
Forum: Touring & Expedition
Topic: forums
Replies: 16
Views: 987

Re: forums

There are some Facebook forums. Tends to be a higher proportion of people who haven’t toured before and some of the pages are area specific.
by MrsHJ
20 Mar 2024, 11:31am
Forum: Touring & Expedition
Topic: Eurostar and SNCF - packing bikes
Replies: 24
Views: 1474

Re: Eurostar and SNCF - packing bikes

Bice wrote: 20 Mar 2024, 11:16am I have used an old cardboard bike box from Halfords (135x70x22cms) for flying to Barcelona, but how would this arrangement fair with Eurostar and SNCF? Most references here are to bags.

I want to get from London to Bordeaux / Bergerac this summer. (Flying would be cheaper and easier, of course.)

With straps fashioned out of cargo straps I can carry this, but it is not fun at all after 2-300 metres.
The Paris Bordeaux part is easy. You can go with the bike intact. Cycle across Paris to montparnasse where the TGV atlantique line starts. The Bordeaux TGV takes the bike intact IF you book you and it on in advance. There are only a couple of bike spots per train but it is roughly hourly. Bookings are already open for the summer. It’s only around 2 hours to Bordeaux.

I’d look at a packable bag for Eurostar if youre doing that- it can be really tricky to meet the measurements requirements I understand. I have this one. Not sure if it will do the job. It does have a handle. https://www.amazon.co.uk/gp/product/B00 ... th=1&psc=1

Measurements are here- non rigid (so not a box) and 135x85x30. I haven’t done Eurostar with my bike yet- I tend to use the ferry. https://help.eurostar.com/faq/uk-en/que ... 0departure.
by MrsHJ
19 Mar 2024, 9:17pm
Forum: Touring & Expedition
Topic: Articles/videos with touring inspiration
Replies: 12
Views: 1136

Re: Articles/videos with touring inspiration

Oh- good one @slowster. I cannot recommend the Black Hills SD area highly enough. I didn’t cycle there (we did a family trip with an RV). Lots to see and do, stunning part of the world. Lots of national parks and national monuments, Mount rushmore, crazy horse and it’s not that far (in American distances) from Devils Tower.
by MrsHJ
19 Mar 2024, 8:05am
Forum: Touring & Expedition
Topic: Articles/videos with touring inspiration
Replies: 12
Views: 1136

Re: Articles/videos with touring inspiration

https://www.theguardian.com/travel/2024 ... SApp_Other

Looks like fun- in the guardian today. Suffolk 248miles wolf route.
by MrsHJ
18 Mar 2024, 7:42am
Forum: Touring & Expedition
Topic: Avenue Verte (French section)
Replies: 11
Views: 523

Re: Avenue Verte (French section)

You could join it to the Velo scenic and head to Saint malo to make it a longer ride. The Saint malo ferry goes to Portsmouth.

Or avoid Paris (which isn’t cheap accommodation wise) and join the veloscenic to the Velo Francette at domfront and use the Caen Portsmouth ferry one way and the Saint malo Portsmouth ferry the other. https://cycle.travel/map/journey/544813
by MrsHJ
17 Mar 2024, 11:25am
Forum: Touring & Expedition
Topic: Holland - Short Tour
Replies: 37
Views: 1168

Re: Holland - Short Tour

Hotel picnic can save money or pizza is widely available (I alternate so if I’m doing a 3 week trip I’ll eat out a couple of times a week, have takeaway pizza once or twice a week and room picnic the other nights- I often get a *room with actual cooking facilities) and good value for hungry cyclists. plus france is pretty reasonable for food compared to the uk breakfast can be had from the local boulangerie as can lunch. Watch out for restricted opening hours though.

Eg an aparthotel but sometimes one room apartments are available.
by MrsHJ
17 Mar 2024, 10:58am
Forum: Touring & Expedition
Topic: Holland - Short Tour
Replies: 37
Views: 1168

Re: Holland - Short Tour

If money is tight (and it is for most people these days) I’d think about timing too. May is a pretty cheap month in many places but it’s good light and (often) decent weather - just avoid travelling at the same time as those doing May half term (accommodation overseas is generally unaffected by our half term unless it’s somewhere popular with the British or you are booking via a British company). My budget for a fortnight is £1200-1500 solo including ferries and trains if I’m using hotels- annoyingly it’s generally little difference between 2 and 1 for the hotel cost. It’s possibly to go for cheaper hotels but I tend to take care I’m not cutting all the holiday fun out and look for things like Wi-Fi, my own loo, often some outdoor space and somewhere to put the bike.

I found that the places with plenty of accommodation can be best value - so along the Loire for instance is pretty reasonable outside peak season as there’s a well established tourist industry. Quieter places often have a fixed price they apply whatever the time of year. I would agree that France may be cheaper than the Netherlands. The shorter ferry crossings are cheaper than the overnight ones but you have to sleep somewhere and the cabins are a reasonable price usually- similar to hotel rooms.

I’ve just been contemplating going to the Italian Adriatic coast next May and that looks good value- the worst bit will be either the train to and from home and the airport or the car parking at the airport.
by MrsHJ
17 Mar 2024, 8:09am
Forum: Touring & Expedition
Topic: Portsmouth - Le Havre
Replies: 4
Views: 273

Re: Portsmouth - Le Havre

You can call them and ask- mixed response I suspect. My best guess is that they’ve got a lot of bookings as that’s the beginning of the Easter week. You could consider bagging your bike and going on as a foot passenger.

What are your cycle plans?