Cycling UK Forum

Thank you very much! Yes, I continued through Kings Ripton and Upwood. I then turned left around Ramsey St Marys to go through Great Fen. I took a detour to see the Holme Fen posts, and it was only then that I realised my pannier was missing. I retraced my steps to the A141 crossing, which is where I assume the pannier became detached. I suppose it may have happened before then. I had a rucksack across the top of the panniers, which obscured my view of them.

On Monday 29 July I was on my way from Cambridge to Peterborough as part of a week long tour of the Fens. Heading north out of Huntingdon on Sapley Road, in the process of crossing the A141, I stumbled and fell, got up quickly and continued. Some miles later I realised the left hand pannier was missing. I retraced my steps, but could not find it. I tried reporting it to Huntingdonshire Police, but they told me that they no longer accept lost property.
If anyone is in the area and comes across it, please let me know!

monxton wrote: ↑18 May 2021, 6:03pm If it helps, here's what I wrote nearly two years ago, and my experience hasn't changed much: Re: Best Ebikes for Touring?

I have never tried to travel by plane with this bike, but my tours always start with train and / or ferry journeys. Any issues with trains and ferries are not much different between e-bikes and standard bikes. There's not usually any lifting involved in getting onto a ferry, just cycle up and then push the bike up the ramp onto the vehicle deck. With trains, I would normally remove the luggage before boarding anyway, e-bike or not, to reduce the overall weight and to ease getting through narrow doors. I could also remove the battery at that point, but haven't needed to. If there are two or more of you that makes boarding the train a lot easier, with one going on board first and the other staying on the platform and boarding last after handing up the equipment. Local trains are usually a doddle, they tend to have wide doors opening at platform level, but express trains can have narrow doors and two or three steep steps to climb. Getting to the platform is potentially a problem, but the majority of stations now have installed lifts for wheelchair users, which are also great for cyclists. You can usually find out in advance if you need to cross the line to get to your platform, and if there are lifts to the bridge or tunnel or only stairs, by looking for the accessibility information.

Thanks for some really sensible comments. One or two caveats, but clearly you are speaking from experience. On the ferry from Belfast to Birkenhead/Liverpool, I had to load the bike onto a trailer and then sit in a waiting area till called for boarding. When I collected my bike at the other end, the pump and D-lock were missing.

horizon wrote: ↑18 May 2021, 6:48pm

monxton wrote: ↑18 May 2021, 6:03pm If it helps, here's what I wrote nearly two years ago, and my experience hasn't changed much: Re: Best Ebikes for Touring?

I have never tried to travel by plane with this bike, but my tours always start with train and / or ferry journeys. Any issues with trains and ferries are not much different between e-bikes and standard bikes. There's not usually any lifting involved in getting onto a ferry, just cycle up and then push the bike up the ramp onto the vehicle deck. With trains, I would normally remove the luggage before boarding anyway, e-bike or not, to reduce the overall weight and to ease getting through narrow doors. I could also remove the battery at that point, but haven't needed to. If there are two or more of you that makes boarding the train a lot easier, with one going on board first and the other staying on the platform and boarding last after handing up the equipment. Local trains are usually a doddle, they tend to have wide doors opening at platform level, but express trains can have narrow doors and two or three steep steps to climb. Getting to the platform is potentially a problem, but the majority of stations now have installed lifts for wheelchair users, which are also great for cyclists. You can usually find out in advance if you need to cross the line to get to your platform, and if there are lifts to the bridge or tunnel or only stairs, by looking for the accessibility information.

+ 1 for all you have written except for the bits in bold. Generally I can't see any problem for e-bikes on trains and in fact often see them. But:

1. If you have to hang your bike (IETs, X-Country etc) then this is awkward enough with a light road bike - so just something to be aware of.

2. Not all lifts are OK. They are often wheelchair length, so again some manhandling is called for. I mostly had issues in France last year (Poitiers perhaps?) but there has been the odd lift in the UK as well. Hotel lifts as well if you want to take your bike to your room.

It is such a shame that they didn't consider bikes when they put the lifts in - complete blind spot.

1. Yeah, it was sometimes tricky hanging up the Thorn. And then stowing the luggage. I tended to stay with the bike, rather than taking my seat. There are trains, I forget which company, where the bike space is a combined wheelchair/bike space amongst the seats. I once got on a train, with a bike reservation, and there was a passenger in a wheelchair, occupying the bike space. That was fun!
2. As you say, not all are OK!

Jdsk wrote: ↑16 May 2021, 12:00pm

John Gray wrote: ↑15 May 2021, 8:53pmI know electricity will help support my cycling, but I am also concerned about travel to the start and home from the finish of a tour, and the need to manhandle the bike on and off planes and/or trains and ferries.

How about using your own non-human powered vehicle or hiring one to get you to where you want to cycle?

Are you thinking of camping or hotels etc?

It's only anecdotal but all of the people that I've met who were touring with eBikes have said that charging isn't a big problem, as above.

Members of my family now have an Orbea Gain D20 and a Tern HSD and are very happy with them.

I hope that you can find a solution.

Jonathan

Thanks Jonathan. 'non-human powered vehicle' - you mean a car? I don't have one, don't drive. Another reason why I want to continue cycling into my old age. My camping days are behind me. It is usually a mix of hostels and b&b type places. The occasional hotel for a touch of extra comfort. A couple of people have been reassuring about charging, which is good. Hopefully I won't need electric assistance too much to begin with, but the clock is ticking, and I am sure I will come to rely on it more and more.

stodd wrote: ↑16 May 2021, 10:10am
You will not be able to take any significant ebike battery on a plane. The regulations seem laxer than I thought, and as confused as I expected. If you have a lightweight helper motor that you are not using for much of a ride a small battery might be enough.

https://www.tsa.gov/travel/security-scr ... watt-hours
Lithium batteries with more than 100 watt hours may be allowed in carry-on bags with airline approval. One spare battery, not exceeding 300 watt hours, or two spare batteries, not exceeding 160 watt hours each, are permitted in carry-on bags. For more information, see the FAA regulations on batteries.

OR ???
https://www.canyon.com/en-gb/blog-conte ... %20luggage.
Unfortunately, you won’t be able to take your battery with you on the flight. The lithium batteries on almost all electric bikes are prohibited. Until recently, 300 Wh Li batteries were allowed, but now the maximum is 100 Wh batteries packed inside your carryon luggage.

Thanks for this information. A complication I had not anticipated, so much better to know now than find out later.

pq wrote: ↑16 May 2021, 11:45am I know almost nothing about ebikes but I can tell you a little story which might be useful.

We had a very elderly Swiss couple staying with us (in France) a few years back. They were both in their 90s and had been touring all their lives. Eventually it got too much for them so they bought ebikes and just carried on. When they stayed with us they'd ridden to near Toulouse from Switzerland, and were heading to Italy with the finale being an Alpine crossing to get home.

They had very expensive electric touring bikes and were carrying a lot of gear. They said with the motor there was no point travelling light. They each had a spare battery and so could do 100 miles between charges, even in hilly terrain, but in truth they were able to charge in cafes, in restaurants, on camp sites, and in hotels. They said it had never been a problem. Of course they didn't have to cross the channel...

I very much hope I'll be doing that when I'm their age.

Me too! Nice story, thanks. I used to admire elderly tourers when I encountered them. Now I am one myself!

jags wrote: ↑15 May 2021, 10:24pm im kinda guessing your having problems getting up hill on a loaded bike im in the same boat no bother on the flat but hills kill me so i have on order an electric front wheel 250watt battery just enough to help my on the dreaded hills supposed to be good for 50km.

..... the nomad is a beast ...

jags

I have only just started riding again jags, so far it has been flat local routes. But yes, it will be hills that push the heart rate up.

Yeah, the Nomad is a 'beast' alright. I used to refer to as a 'stealth bomber'! Great to ride though. I had not realised that it might be possible to convert it. I would end up with an even heavier bike then, though. That might not matter when I am riding electrically, but there is a fair amount of manhandling the bike on a tour. I am advised to avoid lifting heavy weights.

OK, I know this topic is by no means new, so forgive me.

My touring bike for a number of years has been a Thorn Nomad. Heavy duty, but met my needs, and we have had some fabulous adventures together. Like others, I have been struck down by heart disease. To cut a long medical story short, my cardiologist was persuaded to approve my returning to touring by my arguments that I would buy an ebike, and monitor my heartrate closely. I have the technology for the monitoring, and now need to choose my ebike. A typical tour for me would have lasted two weeks or so, somewhere in Europe, and covered around 1000 miles, over a variety of terrain. I have to accept that those days might be over. I know electricity will help support my cycling, but I am also concerned about travel to the start and home from the finish of a tour, and the need to manhandle the bike on and off planes and/or trains and ferries.

I really don't know how to proceed. I know little about ebikes, and browsing this forum has thrown at me a lot of names I did not know and factors I had not thought of. Can anyone recommend an 'Idiots Guide' or similar, which will help me find my way?

The only bikes I have looked at so far are Ribble, partly because they are local heroes here in Lancashire. They boast the lightest of ebikes, which seems like a plus, and have ebikes that don't look like ebikes, which also appeals. However, they achieve that by concealing the battery within the frame, which could present a difficulty in accessing power for charging if I am staying in hostels.

Thanks - August! That is worth knowing!

The power of positive thinking! I am going mid-June and don't really know what to expect. There are websites giving weather forecasts for June, but I can't see such a long range forecast being that accurate. Nice photo by the way, very atmospheric!

Richard Fairhurst wrote:There's two different ways you can go. We went (last summer) via Andermatt: the train from Zurich to Andermatt required a "bike ticket" and had hanging bike storage, though not huge amounts of it from what I remember. Yes, panniers should come off. We were on folders so didn't have to buy the bike ticket, though the guard required a little convincing that the Airnimal was really a folder (he was fine with the Bike Friday).

From Andermatt to Oberalppass the narrow-gauge glacier train was more free-form. Best of all, there are staff at Andermatt who will carry your bike across the tracks from train to train to save you the effort!

Hope you have better weather than we did...

Thanks Richard, very helpful. Sorry to hear the weather was bad for you - what time of the year did you go?

I am joining the long list of folk planning to ride this route! I have decided to fly to Zurich - two hours from Manchester, compared to a day and a bit via trains/ferry/trains. Does anyone have experience of the train links from Zurich to Oberalppass? What sort of bike accommodation, is it necessary to remove panniers, etc. For the flight I will be packing panniers/barbag/helmet/etc. into one big bag as hold baggage. I guess I could keep them like that for the train journeys.

Farawayvisions wrote:Hi John
I'm from Donegal and my partner and I are going to cycle the Donegal coast at Easter. There is a new route (road) called The Wild Atlantic Way.
It'll probably be wet and windy but the craic will be mighty.
Have fun.

Wow! That's some route! One way to get from Cork to Belfast!

Thanks again Norman! I was tempted by the Gougane Barra - Beara Cycle Route as it seemed to be a designated signposted route from Cork and through to Glengarriff. But it does mean heading into Cork first, at least to join the route at the start. No, I certainly don't fancy a three lane dual carriageway! I can see the vehicle exit from the airport on Google Maps, but if I select the cycling option it switches to a path which goes through a gate at the back of the airport, from where a right turn goes north into west Cork for the start point at the Mardyke. Or I could take the vehicle exit right towards Ballinhassig and then take a right to join the same road. I guess I won't fathom the mystery of that path till I get to the airport!

I am not desperate to follow any particular route - it is all new to me! So thanks again for your suggestions. It is great to hear from someone who knows the area and its roads. As long as I get to Glengarriff, I don't have to make my mind up on a route for quite a while yet, so I will give it some thought. But - tough day? In what way?