Cycling UK Forum

Well, I'm in a quandary.
I'vedecided to buy one last frame with the money I've saved over lockdown, but I'm undecided. I love my Condor Heritage, but I bought a size too big and rim brakes. Also, I've found myself on more and rougher tracks when in Italy and Spain. So I will definitely try wider tyres -35 or 37 -but what frame? the Condor is great fun to ride on tarmac but hard work on the tracks. Would the tyres make enough of a difference if I bought the right size (possibly custom)? Or, should I try something different such as the Spa Elan Ti, which might smooth out some of the bumps and make those bits more enjoyable and less tiring? But would it be up to 2 months' touring with 20kg of camping gear plus my own 77kg? Need to decide soon as there's a long lead-out time for the Condor if I go that route.
So, any opinion which would help me decide would be very welcome. Also suggestions for cheapish tyres to see if I like the change (Maybe Conti Race Kings?)I can go more expensive once I know it works.
Thanks, folks.

+1 for Aberdaron
Slept in the chuch porch at Borley, Essex, many years ago hoping to experience the supernatural. Nothing doing.(Why did I do it? I was a committed atheist even back then).
Lud's Church in Staffordshire- not a real church, but a ravine said to be the site of the Green Chapel in Sir Gawain and the Green Knight.
St.-Swithun-upon-Kingsgate in Winchester - tiny and atmospheric.
Sandham Memorial Chapel, Hampshire. Incredibly moving murals by Stanley Spencer about life in WWI. I think they make you pay to go in, now.
Will now go out of my way to visit some of these chuches mentioned, especially the ones near me!
I also wish to visit Rudstone for the monolith, near the finish (or start) of the Way of the Roses.
Nice to see that so many of us atheists are interested in the spiritual (in its broadest sense) side of life.

Lots of interesting discussion here!

For me, part of the enjoyment of touring is the variety of places you pass through and the people you meet, so I won't be going on big rides until socializing is both legal and acceptable to most people - anything else would be callous behaviour. Another factor which will hold me back is the capacity of the NHS. You can't guarantee not to fall off your bike or get hit by a careless driver, and the NHS is plenty burdened enough without extra, avoidable, work for the amulance service or in A&E. Often rural areas, where I like to tour, have less capacity than urban ones. I am going out for short rides, but to further increase the risk of accident is not acceptable in my book. So all in all, I'm hoping for easier times in July or August. Think I might try Wales again - always a go-to destination for the beauty of the countryside and the warmth of the welcome. LLC, maybe. Never ridden it in its entirety. I'm giving up on my plans for France and Spain until next year, sadly.

Stay safe, everyone, and happy cycling.

Morzedec wrote:Second favourite spot in western-ish France, after our house is - our garden!

Happy days.

Looks amazing. More of an estate than a garden, whereas mine is more of a flowerbed with a shed. Fortunately I don't feel the need to swing cats about

Gearoidmuar wrote:Ile de Ré off la Rochelle. We'd planned to start a tour from La Rochelle, but one lads bike was delayed by a day and we cycling around this. It was lovely. The bridge is, as I remember 2.2 miles long!

Ooh I do like a nice bridge... Ile de Re does look lovely. I'll bear it in mind once I've worked out all my different stages and see how long I've go over. Want to allow for a much slower pace through Spain because I usually find it rougher going. Every time I go to Spain, cycling or otherwise, I find a new set of mountains to explore.

jacobean wrote:Not a bad route overall.

Avoid the town of Mimizan Plage. Awful town!

Contis-Plage just a few kms down the road with spectacular beach is much nicer.

Road from Cap Breton down to Hendaye is not very pleasant - way too much traffic and in some parts begins to feel like one giant suburb of Biaritz. Heavy traffic from French border into Spain makes the trip to the lovely town of San Sebastian a challenging cycle.

Once in Basque country proper - great cycling with verdant rolling hills.

Intrigued to know what made you dislike Mimizan Plage so much. I'll make sure I don't plan a rest day there, but will pass through with interest. I'm headed inland towards the hills from Moura(?) so should miss out the messy bits around Biaritz. Might change to go through S Sebastian if I can't resist the call of a sculpture museum, but will have to balance that against the traffic etc. But I must admit I quite enjoyed cycling through Naples a couple of years ago...

ConRAD wrote:

aflook wrote:... looks like there are some lanes through forests just below Gujan Mestras. Would that be it?

yes, indeed, there's something like that either between Bordeaux and Lacanau Ocean on the atlantic coast, either along the coast from Bretagne to the border with Spain, it's the "Vélodyssée", une véloroute qui traverse la Bretagne et longe l'Atlantique jusqu'à la Côte basque.

Thanks, ConRAD I'm planning on using some of that route down the coast, and maybe from Bordeaux to Lacanau.

Morzedec wrote:Hello, although the Marais abounds with campsites (try the one at Maille) two that you ought definitely to avoid are those at Damvix and Arcais! These are the tourist camping 'hotspots', and even if you can find a place to pitch your tent between the 000s of campervans that will be there, these sites are busy, expensive, and because of the crowds not always the cleanest.

Happy days,

Thanks for the warning! Will choose an alternative. Mauze sur le Mignon looks good in terms of route.

djb wrote:re Arcachonne, seems to me that it was in that area, Les Landes, that there is a neat bike path that goes through cultivated pine forests, below Bordeaux somewhere, near the coast.
I just remember how neat it was, although this was a looong time ago and is probably different now.

Looks like there are some lanes through forests just below Gujan Mestras. Would that be it?

I stayed in Mauze sur le Mignon. A very pleasant municipal site near the canal on the road towards Saint Hilaire. The Marais is very different and I found it quite mesmerising, little tiny roads with algae covered waterways for punts. There are also the larger waterways in the more touristy parts of the Marais.

Sounds good, thank you. I can also pass by Damvix and Arcais and check them out. I think I might want to try one of the boat trips.

So if I want to visit the Marais Poitevin, would I do best to stop at Damvix, Coulon or Le Mazeau? Or somewhere else? Anyone know these places?

My favourite place in Western France?

My house, of course!

Lucky you!

Very visited, but I liked Arcachon near Bordeaux, which is nearyour route. Former convalescence resort, briefly home to Alexandre Dumas.

Well worth camping at Camping Municipal de la Citadelle in Blaye, on the Garonne estuary not far north of Bordeaux. You pitch inside the walls of the citadel itself, a short walk from the nice little port of Blaye.

A little off your route, the old walled city of Angouleme is home to the Comic Strip museum which may be of artistic interest. http://www.angouleme-tourisme.co.uk/

All the above now incorporated into the route.

Bordeaux, San Sebastian, Carcassonne

I don't know Bordeax so I might plan a rest day there. Carcassonne is a bit far out (although I did love it). Wasn't planning on S Sebastián but then I noticed the Eduardo Chillida museum has reopened...... Great photos, ConRAD
Thank you all so much for your suggestions - and yes, it should be a cracking summer!

Absolutely, Cyril Haearn, which is why I'm interested in the funny nooks and crannies not often visited. Dolgellau is a favourite place of mine, too!

Thanks djb. Yes I enjoyed the Pyrenees last year and I'm looking forward to seeing a different part this time. Not planning on lingering there as in Santander I'm meeting a friend for 2 weeks' touring in the Picos de Europa, so plenty of mountains then! I, too enjoyed EV6, though I did find myself yearning for the hills.
It's not that I'm not planning for rest days, I just haven't decided where yet. I might take some time in Nantes as I didn't stop there last time.
I found cycling past the D-Day beaches very moving, but don't wish to re-visit yet.
As for visas just don't get me started......

Like the sketch. I never have the discipline to draw/paint when I'm on holiday.

A bit off your route but I just love Guerande, a lovely medieval walled town. Last time I was there there was a wonderful medieval fair in progress. A great place to paint pictures.

Al

Thanks. that's exactly the sort of thing I wanted to know. Guerande isn't that far off my route and there are plenty ofcampsites nearby so I'll put it high on my list of possible variations. Don't know any of the campsites do you?