My personal views if I was buying a new bike for that purpose:
Stock tyres are too big and knobbly for touring - I would want smaller (40-45mm) Marathon Tours, needs mudguards. The picture is of a 1x, but the spec indicates 2x10 - I would want a triple with a 22 granny ring - I believe South America is very mountainous in places! Overall it looks as if could do the job, but it's a bit too "rufty-tufty" for my tastes.
Search found 214 matches
- 15 Aug 2023, 10:05am
- Forum: Touring & Expedition
- Topic: Spa Cycles Rove for Touring
- Replies: 31
- Views: 2809
- 11 Jul 2023, 9:03am
- Forum: Cycle Camping sub-forum
- Topic: Camping Chairs - Helinox Chair One and lookalikes
- Replies: 23
- Views: 5517
Re: Camping Chairs - Helinox Chair One and lookalikes
Look good value - if you don't mind, just how sturdy are the pockets the poles fit into on the fabric? This was the point of failure on one of ours, though only after three hundred or so nights.Like you we are getting older and appreciate a bit more comfort when camping. We have two of these
https://www.amazon.co.uk/MOXTOYU-Foldin ... B09ZY4ZZYG
They weigh 800g each and have been very reliable and comfortable. A no brainer at that price IMO
- 10 Jul 2023, 3:08pm
- Forum: Touring & Expedition
- Topic: Please Report Any Security Check Problems When Boarding Ferries ex UK
- Replies: 73
- Views: 8407
Re: Please Report Any Security Check Problems When Boarding Ferries ex UK
Only partly true. Opinels are classed the same as fixed blade knives - illegal to "carry" without good reason. If you are cycle camping, you need a knife to prepare food and eat it, so an Opinel or fixed blade sharp knife in you pannier with your cooking kit is completely legal. Just don't carry knives in your pockets or bar bags.Locking blades are technically illegal in the U.K
- 10 Jul 2023, 2:55pm
- Forum: Cycle Camping sub-forum
- Topic: Camping Chairs - Helinox Chair One and lookalikes
- Replies: 23
- Views: 5517
Camping Chairs - Helinox Chair One and lookalikes
As we are no longer as flexible and agile as we once were we discovered years ago that for extended touring (several months) using campsites chairs are a necessity for us. About seven years ago we bought, for about £30 each "Naturehike" chairs - Helinox lookalikes. They served us well for several multi-month tours and lots of other occasions, but now the fabric/stitching on one has given way (we are not lightweights!), so we are looking at replacements.
Naturehike ones now seem to be around £50, Helinox Chair One, a few grams lighter at £100, but there are all sorts of others available online, at all sorts of prices.
So - do we go Naturehike and hope they are still as good, fork out for Helinox, or another brand? Does anyone have recent experience of any of these and can make a recommendation?
Naturehike ones now seem to be around £50, Helinox Chair One, a few grams lighter at £100, but there are all sorts of others available online, at all sorts of prices.
So - do we go Naturehike and hope they are still as good, fork out for Helinox, or another brand? Does anyone have recent experience of any of these and can make a recommendation?
- 22 May 2023, 10:17am
- Forum: Cycle Camping sub-forum
- Topic: Cycling Roscoff to Bordeaux (Gironde) - Camping
- Replies: 4
- Views: 3473
Re: Cycling Roscoff to Bordeaux (Gironde) - Camping
This website lists all campsites in France - https://www.campingfrance.com/uk
And yes, that route is absolutely perfect for a first tour.
And yes, that route is absolutely perfect for a first tour.
- 22 May 2023, 10:14am
- Forum: Cycle Camping sub-forum
- Topic: Cycling Roscoff to Bordeaux (Gironde) - Camping
- Replies: 4
- Views: 3473
Re: Cycling Roscoff to Bordeaux (Gironde) - Camping
We rode that way on as part of a longer tour back in 2016. We also tended to do 60-80km per day. There are loads of campsites to choose from, we would ride until lunchtime, then decide which site to head for during the afternoon. Similarly, lots of food shops etc. as we bought food and cooked on the campsite - did usually stop at a boulangerie for croissants, pain au chocolate etc during the morning though.
Only proviso is when in July? After Bastille Day (14th) everyone in France goes on holiday, so campsites by the sea will be rammed.
Only proviso is when in July? After Bastille Day (14th) everyone in France goes on holiday, so campsites by the sea will be rammed.
- 8 May 2023, 2:57pm
- Forum: Touring & Expedition
- Topic: Eurovelo 6 from Nantes.
- Replies: 16
- Views: 1156
Re: Eurovelo 6 from Nantes.
We rode down from St Malo to Nantes, then eastwards as far as Bratislava, camping all the way. Lovely route, mainly plenty of food shops and campsites. Off road cycle routes or quiet roads. Ask away if you have any specific questions.
- 1 May 2023, 11:23am
- Forum: Touring & Expedition
- Topic: 'Wild' Camping Netherlands & Germany
- Replies: 28
- Views: 2874
Re: 'Wild' Camping Netherlands & Germany
One thing to bear in mind in Germany, is that many Germans like not just to obey the rules, but to enforce them on others - discrete wild camping where it's not allowed it is distinctly possible you could be moved on by a law enforcing dog walker!
- 24 Apr 2023, 8:36am
- Forum: Touring & Expedition
- Topic: Camping municiple in France
- Replies: 27
- Views: 3136
Re: Camping municiple in France
Bretonbikes - From the website looks like your site is going really well. We stayed there Saturday 23rd April 2016, on our first ever three month tour, when I believe you had only recently taken it over. I remember you opened up specially for us and made us most welcome. On that trip another site two days further on at Guenrouet also opened specially for us. One of the reasons we love cycling in France, just how welcoming and helpful people are to cyclists!
- 29 Mar 2023, 12:19pm
- Forum: Touring & Expedition
- Topic: Cycle Touring or Travelling by Bike? Travel Insurance.
- Replies: 13
- Views: 982
Re: Cycle Touring or Travelling by Bike? Travel Insurance.
We used to have a get a policy that covered sailing up to 10 miles offshore - it was one category up from cycling then. For hut to hut walking in the Alps and Dolomites, it was higher still, and once glacier travel, rock climbing and alpine mountaineering was included we were only one step below full on Himalayan expedition insurance.
As a couple who have done these sports, and with pre-existing medical conditions, as well as long trips, insurance has been a real issue for us over the years. The best policies for outdoor activities seem poor for medical conditions and vice-versa. I have got used to spending hours on the phone to get the cover we need, fairly minimal - we don't need cancellation, possessions or anything like that, just medical, accident, repatriation.
- 29 Mar 2023, 10:47am
- Forum: Touring & Expedition
- Topic: Cycle Touring or Travelling by Bike? Travel Insurance.
- Replies: 13
- Views: 982
Re: Cycle Touring or Travelling by Bike? Travel Insurance.
The issue with travel insurance for cycling I think is that "cycle travelling" for an insurance company is very difficult to distinguish from cycling as a sport. For example, when does riding an off-road unsurfaced trail become mountain biking? Mountain biking ranges from pretty safe to extremely risky. How do they distinguish bimbling up Mont Ventoux on your tourer from racing up and down it against a bunch a roadie mates (and the descent can be pretty risky!) Having done lots of what are nowadays considered extreme sports I am just thankful that cycletouring is still considered one of the less risky sports - on a 90 day policy it impacts the premium far less than our pre-existing medical conditions. Also - we had exactly the same issues with sail cruising - it's a form of transport, but also a sport, in the same way that backpacking is - so there is no specific discrimination against cycling, it is just seen as a sport.
- 13 Mar 2023, 9:31am
- Forum: Cycle Camping sub-forum
- Topic: Cycle touring campsites in the Netherlands
- Replies: 4
- Views: 3494
Re: Cycle touring campsites in the Netherlands
When we have cycled through the Netherlands it has been at the end of 3 month tours, on the way home, so the timing has meant it has been during the school summer holidays - busy time! We never book campsites, and round about lunchtime look to see where the most convenient site for the night is and we have very rarely not been able to camp at our first choice site. Once it was a bit scabby looking, so we cycled to the next one, once the pitches were all full, so the owners got us to pitch on their front lawn, and even brought out cold beers, and patio chairs for us!
- 28 Feb 2023, 10:21am
- Forum: Touring & Expedition
- Topic: Camping municiple in France
- Replies: 27
- Views: 3136
Re: Camping municiple in France
As above - the book has the same info as the website, but in a more easily browsed format. I used to make a note of possible/likely campsites along the route from the book, then could check them via the website while on the road.
The 2023 book seems to be available on Amazon at present - search for "Guide officiel camping caravaning 2023"
The 2023 book seems to be available on Amazon at present - search for "Guide officiel camping caravaning 2023"
- 27 Feb 2023, 9:49am
- Forum: Touring & Expedition
- Topic: Camping municiple in France
- Replies: 27
- Views: 3136
Re: Camping municiple in France
Oh, and if you search first on one star sites, then two star you will pick up most of the Municipals, without the distraction of the posh holiday sites.
- 27 Feb 2023, 9:46am
- Forum: Touring & Expedition
- Topic: Camping municiple in France
- Replies: 27
- Views: 3136
Re: Camping municiple in France
This website lists all the campsites in France, and from the listings you can see which ones are Municipal.
https://www.campingfrance.com/uk
I would say though that a lot of the old, cheap, municipals have either closed down, or passed into private ownership/management. They are not such a good resource as they used to be.
https://www.campingfrance.com/uk
I would say though that a lot of the old, cheap, municipals have either closed down, or passed into private ownership/management. They are not such a good resource as they used to be.