Cycling UK Forum

We are thinking October to December.

Is Three months long enough to tour New Zealand ? What would be your best visit areas?

Aim to stay high eg Hardknot, Wrynose for example. No one will bother as long as you are out of sight, late in early out and of course leave no trace.

Just go and enjoy the experience, risk yes there is . However that risk is there no matter where you are . Take precautions yes of course , you presumably do that in the UK. Enjoy your journey !

Another option look at how Mike Hall carried his kit to go round the world. I know he was covering 200 + mls a day, but the same principle applies. Carry as little as you are comfortable with, lighter equals less strain on you and your bike. As for the bike anything that's rideable will get you as far as you want. Too much time spent worrying about bike to ride isn't very productive.
Another possibllity use a Nelson Longflap and frame bag and or bar bag. Cut your kit accordingly .

In a similar vein, I cycled through France, Spain and Italy using HelpX and Warmshowers/Couchsurf for five years. Boosting my income with grape/olive picking, though I had a works pension to fall back on. The journey cost about 4k in total.
I am seriously considering doing it all again from 2014!!

An option would be join HelpX , locate hosts along your chosen route, ride to them stay/ work for them, join Warmshowers and utilise them. This allows a longer journey and spreads your costs. As has been said it rather depends on your safety/ comfort zone. £2k could take you a long way. Look for casual work eg grape picking, olive picking general labouring etc.
this boosts your income.

I agree with Foxyrider, I tour regularly on 25's, Continental Gatorskins. Though my version of fully loaded may not be his, I weigh 73kg, rear saddle bag weighs 10kg and front weighs 4kg, bike is steel (1970's Holdsworth on 700 rims).

Not after anything further, as I'm folowing up some of the advice given.

Thanks for your advice, my B17 is past it's use date really. Plus the numbness I' m experiencing is getting worrying. An Imperial is beyond my means at the moment and not sure I could modify my B17 is not feasable, well worn.

Help / Advice please, I have a B17 saddle on my bike, however after prostrate inflamation I have been advised to reduce the pressure in that area. Looked at Brooks with cut out but the price is way beyond my means. So any guidance on a saddle I can use that would reduce the pressure and be suitable for long days in the saddle. ????

After all of your gratefully read comments, I changed the bars and stem, bars are shallower in reach and depth, stem is shorter. So she is more over the levers and can get fingers around the levers, I've also increased the spacer giving her even more grip. Next is Koolstop Salmon pads, so hopefully she will feel safer and be able to stop as she would. So thanks to you all.

Try polishing using either a Dremmel or similar , or wrap file in smooth emery and use that. Keep the area around the crack as smooth as possible.

Answering Horizon, back now and so far we have hosted three people. It's been fantastic meeting fellow cyclists.
Warmshowers could be described as bumming if the help you receive isn't reciprocated, however the cyclists I've met as a host and as a guest make it all well worthwhile. Think it's about trusting/helping your fellow man.

Bars are anatomical !