Cycling UK Forum

Just to update anyone interested.

At long last I have fitted the Blackburn rack and at the weekend went shopping with the Ortlieb front panniers attached.

Worked very well. Panniers fitted with no problems and centre of gravity not too high. Also steering manageable.

The flat rack in front does seem to cry out for a post sack!! but otherwise can recommend this set up.

Brian

Does falling off at the ferry terminal in St Malo in front of 5 gendarmes qualify??

Brian

I have two vangos, a 4 man Equinox and the 2 man Sprite.

They are both very good tents although the four man is way to big to take on the bike and is used for car camping.

I have camped with the Sprite and it's a very good tent but 2 persons and 6 panniers would be pretty cosy!! In addition I don't know if the other tents can take the bike as well but the Sprite certainly won't. I take a Halfords bike cover.

Brian

it is possible to go between platforms buy using the road

You are quite right of course but it was 10 o'clock at night and I had been travelling since 7 o'clock in the morning so I didn't feel like taking a longer route home with more hills so opted for the struggle with the stairs!!

As a further aside apparently disabled passengers are sent by taxi from one platform to the other.

Brian

No problem from either PH or P & S providing the lift at the latter is in operation.

From PH it's straight off the platform and on to the road but as has been previously mentioned there are stairs at P & S which might be tricky if the lift is not in operation.

Did PH outward and P & S inward last August. The lift was working so I had no problem until I reached Winchester which has no lift so I had a bit of a struggle wheeling the fully loaded bike down said steps.

Brian

Unfortunately I have been too busy to fit the rack yet although it sits looking accusingly at me but it is definitely is not a low rider.

This would mean that most front panniers should fit but of necessity it sits higher up the forks which may not be everyone's cup of tea.

http://www.sjscycles.co.uk/product-Blac ... -15294.htm

As I have said it fits the bill for my purposes.

Brian

I'm doing it as well!! but in August.

Not copying however as already booked my ferries after Christmas.

I did the Caen area two years ago but based at the campsite in St Luc Sur Mer which I can recommend. This has the drawback of restricting where you can get to as you also have to get back!

I wnated to see Arromanche but had a dodgy tum on the only day I could do it and didn't manage the distance.

Hopefully doing my first end to end will give me a chance to see a larger area hence the Cherbourg start.

Brian

The sort of thing I was looking for but a bit on the large side for my needs.

Probably more useful to someone touring off the beaten track as looks easy to repair. Not sure about the Blackburn in this respect but hopefully won't have to put this to the test.

Brian

Thanks for the information.

I have applied to join the other 4 members!!!

Brian

I find clipping easier than unclipping personally.

I think you do need to be fully focused as I find I am more likely to have a problem when I'm tired and not thinking too fast and also if I am wearing a rucksack in which case the extra top weight seems to bring you to earth more quickly.

Mine first was pretty spectacular being at the port of St Malo when having shown my ticket and passport to the Ferry company I was immediately faced by passport control whereupon, cursing, I stopped to get my passport out again without unclipping! The look on the gendarme's face as he came to pick me up was priceless.

The downside is it ripped the seat off the very comfortable Claude Butler saddle. Not only did it make getting home rather uncomfortable but also brought me to earth again in Portsmouth. Again not fully concentrating.

I never could find a replacement saddle so now have a Selle but I'm not sure how comfortable it's going to be.

Brian

http://forum.ctc.org.uk/viewtopic.php?t=19419&start=0&postdays=0&postorder=asc&highlight=exustar

See this previous thread.

I toured with the original exustars last August after buying them online.

Fortunately a perfect fit and use them almost all the time now although sometime use Shimano sandals which I do find crunch a bit when you walk in them.

Brian

Thanks again for the good advice.

I have now gone for the Blackburn rack and Ortlieb panniers which seem to fit OK.

I take the point about not overloading the front but feel that packing light stuff in the front panniers with just the small tent on top should be OK and will give more space at the back with less height.

The prove of the pudding... however as they say.

Might try a weekend in the UK in the spring before heading for the ferry,

Once again many thanks,

Brian

Thanks for that I think that's what I'm looking for.

I'll need to investigate the side racks.

Brian

I was hoping my small tent could be carried on the top with the panniers on the side.

Looking now it seems that that won't happen with the Custom as the racks would be too low down or am I wrong.

The idea is to reduce the height on the back rack which caused problems last year.

Brian

Many thanks for the comments.

The tent is only 2.4 kg so should be OK providing there is sufficient clearance.

The CB Regent has threaded bosses on both sides so I will probably go with the Customs.

Brian

PS I always post on the open forum because there may be others with the same question who didn't like to ask perhaps for fear of looking foolish. I'm too old to worry about that as I usually appear foolish most of the time!!