Cycling UK Forum

Well, my original question has certainly created a lot of answers! Many thanks for all the responses. It seems to me that there are two main types of answer:
a) touring (i.e. for more than one day) is a niche activity, and what there is is heavily weighted to older, especially retired people (like me ). Maybe this is true and could account for the apparent change of direction (and change of name?) for CTC. (Please don't comment on this suggestion here, there are other suitable threads!)
b) people who are touring are tending to use audax-type machines, or trekking type machines (essentially MTBs with no suspension?). That's' probably true as well, but it's odd that when I asked in 3 LBS's, no one suggested I could use one of their stock bikes, and how it could be used for touring. Only one said that they could order a touring bike for me. I guess, though, that this fact just reinforces the niche aspect.

So, thanks again and I have just one more question for now - and this is just for 'ipswichcycler' - please tell me what the yellow bowls and black box (attached to the stem and bars of your Thorn) are for?

This question has a fair amount of connection to several other threads in other sections here, partly those about the direction CTC seems to be going (e.g. http://forum.ctc.org.uk/viewtopic.php?f=45&t=92645 or http://forum.ctc.org.uk/viewtopic.php?f=15&t=94115, but has been prompted by my recent experiences and the thread about the future of the LBS (http://forum.ctc.org.uk/viewtopic.php?f=45&t=33250). I hope I'm not repeating anything directly.
I have been touring on and off for many years and recently decided to change my tired old Galaxy. First visit to my most local LBS surprised me a bit because in their showroom, amongst probably over 100 new bikes, there wasn't a single machine that could be classed as suitable for touring. The nearest was a single (rather cheap) hybrid. A few years ago the same shop definitely had 2 or 3 tourers (e.g. Galaxys) in stock.
Now, rather than buying new bike, I have decided to renovate my old machine. This is well under way now but I needed a few more replacement parts and today I went on a ride (on my 'road' bike) to have a look at two other LBS's. I went mainly for the ride; I wouldn't be too bothered if couldn't get my parts because I could always order them on line afterwards.
My first stop was at the newest shop in the area; it opened only 6 months ago. About 50 bikes on show; all road or MTB. There were a couple of titanium models that had mudguards but I would class them as Audax machines.
The second shop has been around longer and had 70-80 bikes on show; again nothing that could be considered a tourer. Neither of these shops had the parts I needed in stock; indeed neither of them even had any tyres wider than 25mm unless they were MTB tyres. So it's not just cycle tourists who aren't being catered for, it's the everyday commuting cyclist too.
The third shop (my nearest, and the longest-established) did have the parts I wanted and, by comparison with the others, have a good range of tyres. But still, as I mentioned above, they don't stock any complete touring bikes.
Now I assume that market forces dictate what these shops stock, so hence my question - any thoughts?

Just had may old Galaxy powder coated. They took off all the old paint (and rust), and gave it a very nice showroom-quality finish. £70 all in.

In the end I found this site http://www.rica.org.uk/carfilter which is great for comparing boot sizes. Seems that any 'compact' type (e.g. Golf, Focus, Megane) will be OK; tailgate width over 1 metre, so I'll book something that size.
In the process I did investigate leaving the bike box at the airport. No left luggage there, but you can leave bikes in central Palma: at 5.50 euros a day! Cheaper to hire a small car, put the bike in it and leave the car at the hire shop without driving it.

....with a unique mapping system. It takes a bit of getting used to but once you've got the hang of it, it's brilliant

I was cycling across the Netherlands last summer (from Germany in the East to Amsterdam) and found the signage good. But sometimes very confusing because the 'knoopunten' numbers only apply to each district, and numbers in adjacent districts aren't always signposted. So I often found myself looking for, say, number 83 and it wasn't mentioned on the signpost. I had to resort to a printed map to find that point 83 was just over a bridge, only 100m away, but in the next district.
Because the numbers are used again separately in each district, I think I ended up going past at least three different points numbered 83!

I have thought about getting one of these https://tigrlock.com/: light and strong, but not cheap! And they don't look very pretty on the frame. I wonder why no-one's come up with a conventional-type chain or cable lock made from titanium?

Without a box, almost any car would do (as Mick F has shown!). Maybe I could leave the box at left-luggage at the airport. Or forget the box and use one of the CTC bags, but with a carbon frame I'd be too worried.

Thanks, all, for suggestions. There's only one bike box since my companion will hire a bike over there; there'll only be 2 of us in the car.
If most small hatchbacks will cope, then I needn't worry too much but no hire company seems to define what car you'll actually get; it's just a car from a 'group' at a certain price that may include several makes.
As for cost, a taxi to/from the airport to Pollensa seems to be 70+ euros each way; car hire in March can be had for less than 70 euros for a week...for a small car anyway!

I'm planning on going to Majorca for 2 weeks cycling in March and it seems that hiring car may be cheaper than organising taxis from the airport to the other side of the island (Pollensa). Also useful to have a car for rainy days, maybe! But I'm not sure which sort of car to hire which will accept a bike box by folding down rear seats and loading the box in via the tailgate (if there is a tailgate!). Clearly a big estate car would be OK (but expensive), and a Fiat 500 no good, but what about small family hatchbacks? The rental sites don't help (no details about rear doors or folding seats), and only offer cars in certain groups rather than guaranteeing particular models. Anyone with any experience of this?

MrsHJ wrote:What's the purpose of draining the lake?- aha, just read your link, mechanical repairs.

Apparently it's done every 40 years. I was cycling in Brittany during a very hot August in 1975 and saw this big lake on the map. Ideal for a swim, so I thought, so off I went 20 miles to get to it. You can imagine my feelings when I saw it empty

I don't have a Garmin (did try a Touring but it kept crashing so returned it). But I have been using a smartphone extensively with GPX files and voice guidance using Locus Maps http://www.locusmap.eu/ . Generally this method works well but it does show up a problem with trying to follow GPX routes downloaded from various mapping sites, which (unlike car GPS units like TomTom) don't know about major/minor roads junctions, roundabouts, etc. So, when approaching roundabout, I'll get "bear left in 50 meters then after 30 meters bear right" rather than "straight on at roundabout". It's OK when you get used to it. But what is a real problem is when the 'main' road you are currently following bears to the right , for example, and the smaller lane you want next is straight on. There's no instruction to give, because it is straight on and the list of GPX points doesn't flag it. So you easily miss the turn. Maybe the reason the Touring recalculates routes is to avoid this sort of problem; does it 'know' about this type of junction?

I'd just like to say that I thought this whole thread made wonderful reading - Dave tries a tour, thinks he's failed (but hasn't), and thanks to all the positive and helpful replies he's trying again. Isn't the internet great at things like this! Just one comment from me, Dave - ditch the Lucozade somehow. Those bottles alone weigh almost as much as everything I took on a 20-day tour I just returned from (admittedly not camping though).

Ron wrote:If you want to go to Bonn anyway, would it not be possible to extend your holiday for a few days and cycle along the Rhine Radweg from the Hook to Bonn? It would be easy from there to catch a day train from Bonn to Koblenz for the start of your Mosel tour.

I may possibly do that, but was worried that perhaps that stretch is a bit too flat / boring / industrial? More research needed!
But I do want to ride the Bonn / Koblenz part (Rhine Gorge) - unless others have done it and find it too busy / over-touristy?

And Johnson, thanks for the info about Bristol/Zurich, that could be a good way to return if I get down that far. I didn't know there was such a service.

Fasgadh wrote:In 2010 I crossed Belguim to De Panne by train and then onwards via camping in Dunkirque to the ferry. Very easy and inexpensive journey.
Trains were of the hook the front wheel variety. There are some interesting rail trail routes in the Ardennes / Eifel to link the Leige area with the Mosel. Spotted from a car, not tried them. Lovely scenery.

That info strengthens my plan for that route!

F70100 wrote:If you're still in the market for flying, KLM do Bristol to Cologne (just down the road from Bonn) connecting through Amsterdam. I doubt it would be the cheapest option but it may be the quickest.

Thanks for the suggestion; it's about £300 return which isn't too bad. But a change at Amsterdam means possibly twice the chance of a mishap with the bike!
Quickest isn't the most important factor; luckily I retired this year so have a few days to play with

tim_f wrote:Re

But I may try train to Dover, old-fashioned cross-channel to Calais, then take pot luck with local trains. Avoids the hassle of packing bikes for flying.

If you are taking train to London then best to take train to Harwich and boat to Hook of Holand and then train on to Amsterdam and then Germany.

see http://www.seat61.com/index.html for advise.

Thanks, that was my original thought but it means a more expensive overnight ferry which also means paying for a cabin (or an overnight stay in Harwich), and then a longish train journey.
Current thought is train to Dover, ferry to Dunkirk, cycle to De Panne (10 miles, just inside Belgium), train to Welkenraedt (other end of Belgium) then a 60m ride (much of it through a national park) to Bonn which is where I was wanting to start from, for the Rhine cycle path. The Belgium train service website tells me it will cost 21 euro plus 5 or so for the bike, and take 4 hours. Although in writing this down I realise there'll still need to be an overnight somewhere, before getting to Bonn.

A bit off-topic, but I now need to decide to take a tent etc. or go lighter and stay in youth hostels (will be going late Aug / early Sep).