Cycling UK Forum

I used this train when doing my JOGLE last August. I booked 3 months in advance and it cost me only £61 from Euston to Inverness. (I missed the bargain berth tickets). I did have to share my cabin, but it was no problem and saved me £100 which covered my first 12 nights camping of the trip.

Although the cabins are very small, I found the bed really comfortable and managed to sleep for a good 6 hours. Even the early morning shunting when the train splits did not wake me. I did not eat on the train, so can't comment on that, but the rest of the service I found very good and would definitely recommend.

On my recent JOGLE, I rode for 10 hours in pouring rain and my Brooks saddle was absolutely fine as your rear end covers the saddle (at least mine does!!) When parked up at the campsite overnight, I used a shower cap to protect the saddle and this worked well. It was no hassle at all when stopping and parking the bike during the day to take the shower cap out of the bar bag and slip it over the saddle as it is elasticated so no tying involved. The saddle is not as comfortable with a cover on because it is the 'shiny' feel to the leather that means no friction and therefore no saddle sores.

I booked my train tickets 12 weeks in advance. I paid £11 from Gillingham, Dorset to London, £61 for the sleeper from London to Inverness and then £12 from Inverness to Thurso. It was cheaper to book the 3 trains separately than just put in the journey as a whole. The sleeper can be cheaper if you keep your eye open from 9am on the Friday 12 weeks before you travel as that is when the bargain tickets are released and can be bought from £19, but there are not many of them, but I was very happy with the total train travel being £84. The trip was very easy with no problems whatsoever and I thoroughly enjoyed the sleeper. If you travel off season you may even be lucky enough to get a cabin to yourself, I had to share as I went in the summer holidays.

I live in Dorset and I did JOGLE. I also preferred having the long train journey up to Scotland at the beginning as it felt part of the adventure. It also meant I could book the train 3 months in advance to get the cheapest rates. I didn't book the train coming back from Penzance as it didn't make much difference to the cost and so I had total freedom as to when I finished. In the end I had a lift home from friends who were holidaying in Cornwall.

I did suffer from a lot of headwind when I did my JOGLE in August this year, but a lot of that was due to the fact that Hurricane Bertha decided to pay us a visit as I reached the Lake District and then left a strong 40mph headwind in her wake (gusting up to 70mph as I tried to climb Kirkstone Pass) However you are not always facing into the wind and many places have shelter as you cycle and it certainly didn't stop me reaching Lands End, but it did give me a couple of tough days that's for sure. I would still do the trip that way round though for the flexibility it offered and for not having the very long trip home.

Well done on completing your LEJOG. You picked the right month to do it with amazing weather in September. I did JOGLE in August and had a really mixed bag of weather including hurricane Bertha. I was solo and unsupported too and camped for 21 out of 23 days. I also avoided Runcorn by taking the ferry across the Mersey as its something I wanted to do. I enjoyed the crossing but wasn't overly keen on the Wirral and it seemed to take for ever to get to Chester. I avoided as many main roads as I possibly could, and covered many miles on cycle paths, canal paths and forestry tracks and loved most of them. The few miles I did on the main roads I hated even though they were the fastest part of the trip (probably because I couldn't wait to get off them)

I also took the ferries to Arran and Mull to avoid Glasgow and I would love to visit more of the islands another time. I met several women doing LEJOG or JOGLE, some alone and some with other women.

I have just finished a 3 week JOGLE where I camped most nights. I found that most campsites were £7 or £8. The most expensive was £13.50 on Mull at Craignure, closely followed by a site in Gwithian, Cornwall at £12 (it was Bank Holiday Weekend though)

My main problem with campsites I found was not the cost involved, but the number of sites that are marked on the most up to date road maps, that are actually no longer there, or do not take tents. I found that generally Scotland was better set up for camping, many of their sites having campers kitchens which I made full use of at times, especially when hurricane Bertha hit during my trip. Some also have just spin dryers or tumble dryers instead of having to pay full whack to wash/dry just 4 items of clothing. The further south you head, it seems that more and more sites are geared towards caravans and tents are put right away at the end of the site, usually furthest away from the toilets and showers which I can never understand as caravanners have their own facilities.

Hi Jon,

I am starting a JOGLE in 3 and a half weeks time. Like you I decided a year in advance and had not done a huge amount of riding at all. I did a lot of research regarding getting a bike for the task and a lot depends on how you want to do the ride. If you are using B & B's and are lightly loaded then you have a lot more options open to you. You can take an audax or hybrid bike that has the fittings for a rear rack. If however, you are camping along the route, then you will need something a bit stronger with preferably a steel frame and stronger wheels. This means looking at a touring bike. Cheaper ones are the Dawes Karakum or ridgeback voyage. Moving on up to the £1,000 mark and you are looking at the Dawes Galaxy, Ridgeback Panorama or the Surly Long Haul Trucker. The next step up are the more custom made bikes such as Roberts, Thorn or Dave Yates.

I purchased a Dawes Galaxy and it was a great bike. Felt more of a road bike with a steel frame. Had good speed when unloaded and was very pleased to begin with until I starting upping the mileage, then I started suffering with neck and shoulder pains, and found eventually that for me the top tube was too long as I have short arms.

I then paid a visit to SJS cycles in Bridgwater and looked at a Thorn Sherpa. I can thoroughly recommend the Thorn Sherpa if you are looking at carrying loads. SJS were excellent and spent 2 hours with me going through exactly what I wanted the bike for and measuring me, then going through all the options as to what I wanted on the bike. I also took one of their bikes for an hours test ride. When the bike was ready for me, they spent more time getting the fit just right and letting me take the bike out again so that we could be sure the bike was right. Also they have a 14 day period whereby if you find you don't get on with the bike you can return the bike for a refund. The Sherpa is not the fastest bike, but it is very stable loaded and unloaded and lots of fun. No worrying about having to go off road onto canal paths with this bike. I love mine. It is within your budget too.

Sorry I have now just read the rest of your post and see you want to be part of a group with support. In that case you don't actually need a touring bike, just a bike with lugs for a rear carrier. Thorn do an Audax bike that would fit the bill or if you prefer it to be slightly more touring orientated they also do the Club Tour, both great bikes.

I am in exactly the same position as yourself. I have just purchased Ortlieb front panniers as I could also probably just about fit everything into the rear panniers and a handlebar bag. I put my tent on the back rack, as it fits lengthwise beautifully between the rear panniers on the thorn expedition rear rack which is a bit longer than most of the tubus racks.

The main things I worry about is climbing steep hills with all the weight on the rear, making surprise 'wheelies' a possibility and also where to put the food shopping that you tend to buy about 5 miles before you reach the campsite. I found when I only used rear panniers, it was such a tight squeeze and any food ended up very squashed. I had a test ride on the bike today fully loaded and was shocked at how much slower the riding was to begin with until I got into some sort of rhythm. However, the bike was very stable with the weight spread out on the bike. You would have to be careful however, not to use the extra space to take more stuff.

P.S. I start my JOGLE 4 weeks on Thursday!

This is just the type of ride I want to complete this August. I am hoping to keep away from the main roads as I have up to 4 weeks to complete JOGLE. I will be on a Thorn Sherpa, so will be able to take any off road trails/canal paths (within reason) and will also be camping. I will be completing the trip solo and unsupported and this is the first long distance trip I have embarked on.

I am finding the whole planning of the trip quite overwhelming to be honest and had totally underestimated how long everything would take. I have been reading so many different trip reports on here and on the cycle end2end site. So many decisions to make, North or South Cornwall, Severn Bridge or Gloucester, and the big one, East to Edinburgh or up to Fort William and the dreaded A82. I like the idea going via Arran though. Then it's trying to match up the campsites in roughly the mileage stops that you want.

I will get there in the end I'm sure.

This is a great looking bike and well within your price range. Nice small frame size and comfortable bars.

http://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/161252979376? ... 1423.l2649

Hi, I also bought a Dawes Galaxy at the end of last summer. The bike shop I bought it from fitted an adjustable stem to bring the handlebars closer to me, The trouble is that the frame size is fine as far as height is concerned, but the top tube is pretty long especially when you are on the hoods. I was able to test ride it but only in the bike shop car park and these difficulties only really rear their heads when you have been riding for longer than an hour or so.

I can operate the brakes from the hoods, but will always go down to the drops if I am going down a steep hill as it just feels more stable there and you have got more power on the brake levers, otherwise I like to ride on the tops. I am seriously considering changing to butterfly bars or straight bars with bar ends on this bike as the last resort before I sell the bike. Unfortunately, this involves changing the brakes and brake levers as well as the bars and becomes an expensive option. When measuring the reach compared to my son's mountain bike, it is very similar to the tops of the bars, but then you have to add another 3/4cm to get your hands to the hoods and that is a lot. I don't like holding on the top of the bars by the stem as the bars are very narrow and I don't feel I have good control of the bike, like I do when I move further forward towards the drops as here you hold the outside of the bars more. I think putting straight bars or butterfly bars means you can easily reach the straight part of the bars (and for added comfort put on ergon GP1 grips) and you have wider bars to hold making the handling more stable. With butterfly bars you will also have the option of raising the height of the bars or stretching them forwards for riding into a headwind. I much prefer to have the brake levers on the flat part of the bars, but this could be just what I am used to.

The existing height of the bars on a Dawes Galaxy is already fairly high, so it's not the height of the bars that is the problem, it is purely the reach to the hoods which is the most comfortable position under normal circumstances. Not sure even if the women's version of the Galaxy is much different apart from it being a very small frame, which would mean putting the saddle up high and having to lean down further to the bars. I have also considered the Karakum as the reach on this bike is meant to be shorter, though I have not found a LBS that stocks them yet to try out.

Hi, I bought a Dawes Galaxy when I decided to have a go at LEJOG or JOGLE this summer. I am very pleased with the way the bike rides, but I find the drop handlebars are taking a bit of getting used to. I'm not sure whether it is the actual bars or whether the reach is slightly long for me. I have had an adjustable stem put on, but I do find that my shoulders ache after about 30 miles or so.

I am from Gillingham and have ridden the Shaftesbury to Gillingham road several times and hate it. I find it is just too narrow and cars cannot really pass when a car is coming in the opposite direction, but they still try! The hill up to Shaftesbury is a killer, whether up the main road or via Motcombe. I have a lot of practising to put in place on the hills I think before I tackle my LEJOG in August.

That is a great shame that they are closing down. I ordered a Brooks Flyer from them over the Christmas Period. Very fast delivery despite it being in the holidays and a great price which was actually cheaper than a used one went for on Ebay!! Free postage too.

So sorry to hear of your crash and hope that by now you are all healed. Sounds very painful though. Glad the lovely new bike didn't suffer too much damage either, though that can be fixed a lot easier than we can.

I have been giving my new Dawes Galaxy a good testing over the last 4 days by taking my first ever cycling tour. It was only around the Wiltshire Cycleway, but ended up covering 140 miles in 4 days fully loaded with camping gear. Bike took it all in it's stride, but the weight made a huge difference on the hills. I had a few minor scares involving awful road surfaces myself. Why is it that the worst pot holes etc always seem to appear when you have vehicles overtaking you. Good advice on here about staying out further in the road. I guess hugging the kerbside is something us beginners tend to do, and then you end up hitting all the drain covers etc and it really throws you about not to mention the damage it must do to the wheels. I have to say that at times I was more scared on my pushbike than I have ever been on my motorbike.

However, at the end of the short tour I thoroughly enjoyed myself for most of the time and I have learned a lot of things if I am ever to complete something like LEJOG. 1 major thing is the fitness. It's ok covering 30 to 40 miles on one day, but to keep producing that amount and more, day after day needs a fair bit of practise. I found my legs tired much quicker as the days went on and my last day saw the only walking up hills. (They were pretty steep ones mind!)

I have also just purchased a 2012 model of the Dawes Galaxy from bike shop in Taunton. Advertised on line for £839, so I went down and had a look and a go on it in their car park. Was very impressed with the bike, but they do have a long top tube and I found it was a bit of a stretch to sit with my hands on the hoods. The shop have now fitted an adjustable stem to bring the bars in a little closer to me and a Blackburn MTF1 front rack included in this price, so was very pleased. Had my first go on it today and it feels great and I hope the back, shoulders and knees hold out. (am 53 and up till now have only done cycling as a leisurely activity) I have never had a touring bike before, but I would like to begin cycle touring. I am already a motorcyclist and have done a few tours on that, so have most of the lightweight gear already. It is however, a slightly different ball game when you literally have to push that weight up the hills.

Hoping to do a 3 day tour in the next couple of weeks just around the Wiltshire Cycleways as a tester.