Cycling UK Forum

thirdcrank wrote:Since this isn't going very far, I'd also be interested to know the motivation for all the interest in doing this ride, whichever direction you ride in. I appreciate the 'because it's there' line, but I assume there must be more that I have missed.

For me, it really is just because it's there. It's the logical trip for anyone in the UK interested in long-distance cycling.

Personally, the added interest is to see how fast I can do it (nothing record-braking, you understand!), so I'll be aiming for 6 days, but settle for 7.

Before40 wrote:A great day! - Well organised!
(who stole some of the signs??)

There was certainly some signage problem. I went off-route three times, adding 7-8 miles to the 100k route. Two may have been my fault (though I think one was probably a tourist coach parked in front of a sign - the second was me following someone out for a fast Sunday ride!). The third was definitely a missing or misleading sign - between Cowes and Wootton I ended up down a flooded farm track. I retraced my route and saw people making a right turn despite there being no sign. Speaking to them, they were local and knew the route.

Apart from that, a brilliant day. Perfect weather and the volunteers at the controls were friendly and helpful, so many thanks to all involved. It was a great route for getting a bit of training in for my LEJoG. I imagine the constantly rolling hills are similar to those of Cornwall, though on a smaller scale.

BTW, there was no problem getting the bike to/from Southampton and London on the train, despite not being able to make cycle reservations in advance. Plenty of cycle storage spaces and surprisingly no other cyclists on Sunday evening going back to London.

Well, an update. After finding out there were definitely no cycle reservations on the Sunday (the day after my proposed 7-day arrival) I thought I'd see if I could book a ticket + reservation for the Saturday (the day after my 6-day arrival).

I rang Scotrail ticket sales - they told me there weren't any cycle reservations on the mid-day train from Thurso. I was a bit pi$$ed off by now so I rang Scotrail customer services to lodge a general complaint about lack of cycle provision. She listened to my rant for 5 minutes quite sympathetically and said she'd pass my comments on. Just as I was about to hang up she said she'd just double check with the Saturday availability and, seconds later, lo and behold I had a cycle reservation from Thurso-Inverness.

I now have an incentive to complete the E2E in 6 days!

Thanks for the advice. I've just spoken to a Scotrail customer services person who has confirmed that 2 places are bookable but are already taken on that train.

I guess the only hopeful thing is that Thurso is the starting point, so I can get there early and have a chat with the conductor & staff. If they are adamant about the booking then I'll have time to take the wheels off and pack the bike up.

I've just tried to book a cycle reservation to go with the ticket I bought online. All parts of the journey are OK apart from the notorious Thurso - Inverness stage. The Scotrail employee said it showed 0 places available on my journey.

What I was wonder is, are there no places showing because it's not possible to book cycles on these trains, or are they really actually taken already. On small trains I've experienced this before, only to find that it's not actually possible to book the places in advance (which is why it shows no places available), but there wasn't a problem on the day.

If the places are taken and I can't legitimately take a bike on board, is there anything stopping me disassembling the bike, wrapping it up and taking it on as luggage?

Thanks Mick. I've put the alternative route into my GPS and if there is a SW wind and it's a sunny day then I'll venture over the moor.

Hi Henry, and thanks for the feedback. I think I'm more or less committed to the Okehampton route now as I've booked (& paid for) a room at the Tiverton Travelodge and I can't see an easy route to there via Dartmoor.

Also, as I've got some long days later in the week, I don't want to take too much out of the legs early on. I've never done more that 4 150+ days back-to-back before so it's already unknown territory for me. I'll hopefully start to relax and enjoy things a bit more later in the trip.

As I said to James, thanks for the inspirational site. Hope you can leave it up for a while for others to benefit from. Cheers.

I wish you hadn't mentioned ferocious headwinds, James! I'm already slightly phobic about this possibility having suffered such an event last year. I remember howling out loud in despair into the wind at one point - hope I didn't startle any locals!

The way I see it is, I'd like to get the miles in early, the easier the better, even if it means a less picturesque/memorable route. My "treat" will be going through the highlands on the last day if things turn out as I hope. By that stage I should be in a frame of mind to appreciate the landscape and not just worrying about getting good milages. But, as you say, so much depends on the elements.

I am still using 95% of your route though, James, for which I am very grateful. Yours was definitely the website that was my main inspiration, so many thanks.

Hah, I hear you, James. I'll wait for Mick to reply before I make up my mind! He seemed to think Dartmoor was a bit like hard work (and he does live there).

Actually, I've decided to make it a 6-day trip now! I've been doing a lot of training and seem to be getting good results on audaxes, especially with hills. That being the case, I'd be kicking myself if I did it in 7 days with a lot to spare in the tank at the end of each day. As you say, it's a once in a lifetime chance and with all the training I reckon I'll never be better prepared for a real challenge. I could always bale out after day 3 and revert to the 7-day plan if I crack up or if there is a persistent northerly (as there was last year at the end of May).

So, the new stops and approx. mileages are:

Tiverton 145
Leominster 125
Lancaster 145
Dalkeith 165
Aviemore 160
JoG 135

Day 6 is still up for grabs. The above mileage is for the coast route, although I still like the idea of a jaunt across the highlands, much for the reasons you say, James, just to make it a memorable day.

They really do have the best customer support I've ever experienced from any company. A freephone number puts you straight in touch with someone who actually know what they're talking about and will be happy to spend as long as it takes to get you sorted.

I've never needed to, but I've heard they are also brilliant about replacing gear that has broken, and sometimes not technically the company's fault and certainly more than they are legally required to do.

A good reason to buy Garmin IMO.

Thanks Mick. Just checked my gpx route and everything you say is clear. I've gone for the slower, slightly longer route. At that stage of the day I probably wouldn't get the most fun out of a 40mph descent on a dual carriageway.

White Lightning just doesn't work for me. After hearing it recommended I gave it a good try, with a completely clean chain and components. No matter how often I applied the stuff (carefully wiping the plates dry after each application), 30-40 miles later I'd always get a really annoying squeak. This was all in dry conditions BTW. AND, I don't care what anyone says, it picks up grit. After 400 miles the chain was full of the stuff, kind of defeating the only point of using a "dry" lube.

I moved back to Finish Line Cross Country a couple of weeks ago. 1 application and not a squeak since, and it will work in the wet, so no panic if you get caught in a shower (as actually happens quite often in the UK!).

If you clean your whole drivetrain down every 300-400 miles as I do, I'd use anything that works for you and keeps the bleeping mice at bay. Any component wear in that time will be negligible.

Thanks keepontriking, that's very good to know. To be honest, the guy at King's Cross probably didn't know what he was talking about. He looked online and said that there were only 2 bikes per train and the system said they were all booked, but perhaps this was because they can't be booked in advance.

Based on what you said, I think I'll just take a chance and turn up. The good thing is both ends are termini, so if I'm early then I can get choice of space. The idea of bagging the bike up was really depressing me, as it would have meant public transport to the station and again to the ferry.

Word of warning. I've just tried to make a cycle reservation for the London-Southampton train on Saturday - none available for any trains that day. I didn't even bother trying for the ones back on Sunday evening.

I think I'll have to bag the bike up and take it as luggage. Has anyone ever had to do this?

Mick F wrote:Hi Toontra,

That's shifting a bit! LE to Tiverton is a good day's ride. 150 miles ish.

What's your route?

Can't be with you, sorry. I'll be off on my Grand Tour by then.

The route is more or less as you suggested Mick What do you reckon:

A30-Penzance, A394-Falmouth, A39-Truro, A390-Tavistock, A386-Okehampton, A307/A377/Unknown - Tiverton.

As for mileage, I'm loading the long days towards the front when I'll be fresh so I'll have some easier days for later on if I'm suffering (or if the weather gets bad). This is how I've done long trips in the past and it seems to work well - kind of an incentive!