Cycling UK Forum

Why you going from Santander to Cherbourg - its all uphill.

In France, Gites d'etape are worth looking, just google. A bit like YHAs but cheaper.

Just to add to bohrsatom above, I would head north through Portugal as discussed via Guarda and Braganca and into Spain via Astorga and Leon and maybe the Picos de Europas. Whilst it will add kilometers to your route and will be more mountainous, the scenery is good. The area of Spain between roughly Cuidad Rodrigo and Burgos is a large meseta (high plain) which is pretty flat, treeless and a bit boring to ride through. Although having said that Salamanca is a lovely city

Hi, I live near Castelo Branco in central Portugal. The area between Lisboa and Oporto and say 25 miles inland from the coast can be fairly built-up and busy. Basically, the further inland you go the quieter it becomes. You'll find some good cycling in the Serras de Aires and Candeeiros, the Serra de Lousa, the area just north of Figueira do Foz, and the area around Bussaco and Lusa. In both Lisboa and Oporto are cycle paths which follow the rivers to the coast and, certainly in the case of Oporto heads north through Matasinhos. There's a really good cycle path between Santa Comba Dao and Viseu (50kms each way dead flat) which is very well maintained - although the entry at Santa Comba is hard to find.

Geres has some great cycling especially up towards Brufe and Terra do Bouro. Be aware that the weather around Geres can be very wet, and the weather in Portugal in May can be variable - some years we've had temperatures of 9 degrees and very wet and others have been 30 degrees. The roads are generally of very good quality and away from centres tend to be quiet. They do, however, in mountain regions tend to be hard work.

When I broke my collarbone last year, I thought no worries I've got a turbo. The problem was that I wasn't able to get onto it as they are a few inches higher than a normal bike. Hope you get better soon. Mine took about 4 months before it felt right again, although I was back on the bike after 6 weeks.

Now or after Christmas does seem a pretty good time to buy, especially a 2016 bike. Most bikes will be imported and the fact that the £ has tanked means that 2017 bikes and beyond will be more expensive. Pretty much any biggish brand bike with an ultegra groupset should be a fine bike: the two you highlight should be no exception. My best advice would be to go and have a look in the flesh and have a ride of them and choose the one you like the most. Another to add to your shortlist is a cannondale supersix.

Have you tried this plan?

The weekly progression is far too great and the actual amount of cycling is far too high. One five hr ride a week is more than sufficient for most people and even that's highly debatable. I know plenty of people who race at a high level and seldom do more than a weekly 3 hr ride, along with some shorter stuff. Most people probably don't cycle for much more than 8-10 hrs a week. You'd be far better off following one of the British Cycling plans as another poster has suggested, or one of those on the ride 100 website.

There should be no problem with using a turbo with mudguards. However, when it comes to tyres you may get mixed results depending on the turbo and more importantly the tyre. I've found that some tyres are pretty poor on the turbo and wear very quickly - I had one shred in about 20 mins, others are more robust and don't seem to be unduly effected by the turbo. I think the issue can be a build up of heat which can cause the tread to separate from the casing. The heat build up can also cause patches to lift: it is very frustrating to get a puncture on a turbo!

I now use a turbo tyre which I've had for 4 or 5 years without issue. Have you considered using an old or cheap new wheel with a specific turbo tyre as its a simple swap when you need it?

Its such a shame and very sad. Last time I went hostelling about 7 years ago I stayed in Leominster and was the youngest person there @ 43! The night after I stayed in Dimmingsdale. I was the only person there and the warden said that I was the first person who'd cycled there for months. Although having said that other hostels were really busy and Ilam was full.

Regrettably, the days of doing hostel to hostel cycle tours may well be numbered.

hamish wrote:Has the UK really got the worst roads for cycling in Europe? I love riding abroad but I'd say the UK has some superb touring roads. The lane network in Wales and the SW is brilliant and Scotland has some of the best riding I have ever done..... That's my opinion anyway. I could spend a month riding round The SW, up through Wales, ferry to Ireland, up to Ballycastle, catch the boat to Campbell Town, and explore the islands up to Oban, ferry to Barra, up the Western Isles and cross back to Ullapool or Uig, from where you can explore Assynt and beyond.....

Probably more thinking of England TBH. Just so busy and places to stay pretty expensive compared to most of Europe. The weather is poor and motorists seem to hate us...

You've got a month so why stay in the UK, which frankly has sh1t weather and about the worst roads for cycling in Europe? Why not get a flight somewhere like southern Italy, Spain or Portugal and cycle home?

Thanks for the suggestions - it'll be 50 a day as an average regardless really. We're all fairly fit and don't carry huge amounts of stuff - in fact a recent debate was whether to take two pairs of socks or just 3 individual socks and just how much can you cut off the toothbrush handle before it becomes unusable - not much as it happens. Heading towards Teruel had been my initial thought. In the past we've made use of the internet to book ahead somewhere a day or two but may look into doing something a bit further in advance.

My natural instinct is to head inland - but is it that the coast is built-up/busy?

Thx

My annual Easter tour next year is going to go to Valencia. We're flying in and out of Valencia and tour is for seven nights. We aim to average about 50 miles a day, staying in hotels/B&Bs. Any tips on places to go or conversely avoid?

Thanks

Chris

If I get an early flight I stay @ Gatwick Travelodge only £35 for a room then 15 mins ride in the morning. Dead easy and get a pretty good night's sleep. Can lock bikes round the back.

There is surely some difference between a Mediterranean diet and a Mediterranean lifestyle - the latter usually doesn't generally include, amongst other things, a three hour commute on hideous trains/gridlocked roads to some putrid office. It includes a long nap in the afternoon and time spent in a community where people know each other. Also Mediterranean food eaten in the Med tastes better because it is grown locally and not shipped halfway around Europe.