Cycling UK Forum

http://www.rctc.ru/tour.html

Rather like the idea of this next year.

Can I get there by train. I feel some research coming on.

Brian

I always use GPS when driving. It's quite good fun winding up the "voice" if your "local knowledge" route is a different one to that which the computer chooses. So far I have never been sent anywhere undrivable.

However although the TomTom software which I use has an option for bicycle route (and indeed walking route)( unlike Google apparently per this week's newsletter) I wouldn't dream of using it on the bike. I much prefer a map in the plastic on the top of the handlebar bag: I used the Michelin series when I was in France in August and had no trouble route finding. I suppose I should confess that I've always had a love of maps of all descriptions from a very early age. They are a thing of beauty.

I am concerned that a bike is not an ideal location for a sensitive piece of computer equipment and if you are camping keeping the battery charged would be a major issue I think.

Brian

Winchester to Pembroke: 216 miles, I can do that on £20 of diesel; or, if I cost in the entire expense of the car: £54. (Yes really, I've recorded every penny including buying the old thing and we're down to 25p per mile!)

To be honest this was really my point.

What I didn't say originally was that this is a residential music weekend so going by car is altogether more convenient, (could probably fit the melodeon on the bike somewhere). But I really was feeling rather guilty about the carbon footprint of a single passenger in a car (admittedly low emission) and would have been prepared to put up with the additional hassle of getting there by train if the cost had been comparable.

I will certainly look again once the advance bookings are released and see what the situation is then.

Thanks for all the helpful posts.

Brian

Interesting article in The Independent on Saturday.

http://www.independent.co.uk/environment/green-living/cyclotherapy-lorry-driving-tests-need-to-be-updated-969457.html

Brian

Many thanks for taking the trouble to check this.

I have made a note and will check again in January next year.

Brian

Have only just found this thread via another post and can recall this was a problem maqy years ago when I used to cycle to school as a lad of 6 or 7 with my mum. Now deceased but a very kind and gentle lady.

In fact she almost killed our family when she grabbed the wheel of the car my Dad was driving to avoid a pheasant who had walked in front of us anyway I digress we often encountered dogs which would chase us but we usually managed to out run them. There was however a particularly vicious alsatian guarding a scrap metal yard and on this occasion he was on us before we realised and no chance to outrun so my mother grabbed her pump and whacked it smartly across the nose. It slunk back into the yard and never chased us again.

This was of course in 1958 and she would no doubt be charged with cruelty to animals these days.

Brian

Thanks for the responses. I would be travelling from Winchester and sadly I have to go on Friday and come back Sunday.

Yes I did simplify rather. I tried to check February 2009 and as has been mentioned only three months ahead is possible so I used November 2008 which can't be very much different from February 2009 can it.

In fact I was looking at the anytime single first class price which is £169. The standard anytime is "only" £110.

I may look at splitting the tickets but sadly it's so much easier just to get in the car isn't it which was really my point. I shan't get any chance to use the bike over the weekend so I was really doing it as a low carbon option.

Brian

I do not know if this is the right section for this but is it any wonder car usage is so high.

I need to get to Pembroke for the weekend next February and I thought why not take the bike on the train.

I look at the trainline site and would you believe that the fare is over £250 for an advance return. It is unlikely to be cheaper as two singles but I gave up when I found the outbound single fare was over £150.

In Athens during the summer I paid just 80 cents for a trip of about 10 stops on the metro. I didn't have my bike of course.

Brian

Saw an interesting sign on the back left hand side of a largish van in London yesterday.

It read something along the lines of Cyclist do not filter this site of this vehicle.

Has anyone else seen anything like this before and is it perhaps an attempt to avoid liability in the event of problem/death?

Brian

By a coincidence this is exactly the route as far as Caen that I thought I would take next August as my weekend trip to recover from this year's disastrous August Brittany trip.

Looks like I shall definitely have to do it. I went to Normandy in 2007 and as has been mentioned already I am sure you will have an enjoyable time. I based myself in a campsite in St Luc about 6 miles from the ferry port and did circular tours each day.

I found a small Canadian cemetery inland from the coast particularly moving as looking at the many graves I noticed that most of the young men who died were about the same age as my youngest son. That really brings it home to you.

I had hoped to see the remains of the Mulberry Harbour but was little unwell on the day I chose and couldn't manage the distance but if I start from Cherbourg this time I should come right past it.

Brian

I have camped in France a couple of times and generally use the D lock overnight.

I also take a Halfords cheap bike cover which not only keeps the elements off but prevents the bike being visible at all unless you lift up the cover.

It packs quite small and is pretty light.

I also take a cable lock which I can use if I think it might be necessary.

Really though camping is not much different to leaving the bike during the dy so generally I would take the same precautions.

Brian

I thought it was just me.

If I was getting new pedal I think I would go for the two sided type.

The Shimano SPDs I have can be used on the "wrong" clipless side but its not much fun, arguably worse than "normal" pedals.

Also sod's law appears again. When you are trying to attach the cleats its always wrong side up (or so I've found) whereas when you want the "wrong" side the right side appears by magic and grabs the cleats effortlessly!!

What do others think?

Brian

I have to say I have somewhat mixed views on cleats.

I suspect they are brilliant if you cycle long distances but I find them a bit of a nuisance in towns and the like because you are always having to declip.

I usually declip the left hand pedal because its nearer the kerb but you have to be careful you don't lean over to the right to much otherwise in my case a rather panically declipping takes place.

I also fell off twice on the way back from France recently, I think due to my own carelessness, as a result of being very tired and having a heavy rucksack which seriously altered my centre of gravity.

I fall quite well so no harm was done and thanks to the gendarme who picked up the bike in St Malo.

You also have to be a bit careful because sod's law seems to come intto operation when you first start using them. They are a bit tricky to attach initially unless you do not wish to attach them for some reason whereupon they will sneakily engage bringing you to earth the next time you stop and casually attempt to put your foot down.

However in spite of all this generally a thumbs up from me.

Brian

and would have to be laid on its side

Is that a problem?

Never tried it but I would expect it to be pretty tricky getting it in and out of the tent on its side. There just isn't that much room.

I maay be quite wrong.

Brian

I took the Vango Spirit 200 to Brittany last month and I would not seriously consider taking anything bigger unless I had a trailer.

The tent plus sleeping bag and airmat gives a pretty top heavy load on the rack and led to a couple of mishaps.

Certainly the bike would not go in it I don't think even with the inner removed and would have to be laid on its side. I took a plastic cover from Halfords which I found quite adequate.

I do like the Equinox range however and would take that in preference to the Spirit if I was camping with a car( as indeed I shall be next month by Hadrians Wall)

Neither are cheap however.

Brian