Cycling UK Forum

I get 200 hours on stamina mode , useful if stuck in a bothy .
The phone can be a reserve if the GPS takes a fit or if I loose it. How good is the phone in the forests?

That's just my opinion, are smartphones as accurate as a dedicated GPS unit .

Even worse with selfies attached.

With the youth hostel system today it's an expensive way to get away from the cities. And they are few and far between.
.camping is just as bad. Can't wait for a good weekend forecast and go ,its book well in advance.Bikepacking wins today ,a tiny tent tarp or bivi bag and your good to go .Find a spot put of sight and that's the nights stop sorted.

Have you looked at the Garmin handheld units , topomaps of Europe. Have a GPSMAP 66 with built in battery, if that's an issue carry a power bank . Lighter than carrying a pile of AA batteries If the built-in mapping is no good you could load OS mapping.
Robust units and long battery life.
North West Scotland is pretty dire for some mobile signals, a phone is a no no for navigation.

We bump into very few British tourists/bikepackers ,last ones were Morocco and 2 in Eire last year.
lots of Europeans bikepacking/touring . Fixed center or organized is popular, mainly for those on race /sportive bikes . Lots like seeing a different country without carrying gear ,it's big business now catering for that style of holiday.
Probably true that the bikepackers are the new tourists, met quite a few going up through Spain last year.

Is this the only UK based forum that is active for touring, been on 2 others and they usually post for info . Is it all about organised tours today, pay the money and tour in a group insulated from the locals.

Another reason for touring in southern Europe , hotel has no cycle parking. Guess where bikes are tonight, in a hotel room that's vacant. Big outside carpark and a restaurant under the hotel.

70 last year.
Big trip from Alicante to home via Bilbao,Roslare round the so called Wild Atlantic Way to Ballycastle for the fast passenger boat to Campbelltown and then home. Morocco Feb March to do some more missing out the main road to Zagora
Lots of old french military roads/tracks and to finish going away a trip to do the Ruta del Plata to Gijon on the off road/pilgrim route. Missed out not doing the Roman road over the mountains north of Leon due to the weather.
Train back over to Valladolid as it was still raining.
Back down to Málaga via tracks ,GRs ,old roads and a Roman road over a sierra west of Madrid . First 2 were full camping gear as the route in Morocco was taking in the less popular tourist routes and Ireland only camped a few times due to lots of sites now static or motorhome only.
Bikes are now 29er with small panniers or a mix of bikepacking /touring luggage.
Old story use it or loose it ,we don't want to know what's round every corner, planning is this looks good and the nights accommodation. No need to plan days in advance.
This years tour is Portugal coast from Faro. That changed as a big windsurfing championship was up the coast ,changed plans and went north inland. Will be going into Spain then back down south to Faro along the boarder.
Another little incentive to tour is collecting veloviewer tiles , my max square is hemmed in with the Clyde estuary and the arrochar Alps . Its the number of tiles now.

Forgot to say, Spain and Portugal have Hotels with bike stations in the garage. Bike rack and tools on long chains, think they might have an eco tourism program as each year we are see more places with them.

We are in Portugal on tour, dirt tracks and GRs and the bikes are filthy due to the water from last few weeks. The have had so much that one big dam is at capacity and running off the excess . France Spain Portugal most hotels don't bother or care if your bike is dirty. Not like the UK where turning up at a hotel with a bike is a nuisance to them. Look for the Garage in the reviews, lots have storage rooms and if not you can keep it in the room. Airbnb can be a problem, lots of of times they are up flights of stairs. Today our bike are in a conference room, nice 4 star hotel as it's the only one in town.

Talk of another ferry, bike bus user in the past but fewer runs and a move south for departure rules it out. Is this another proposed Rosyth ferry that might run?
https://ferrygogo.com/project-brave-new ... h-dunkirk/

Anyone else have Mavic bb ones. They are almost indestructible,only issue is you need the bb preped to suit. You can pump grease thro the axle into the bearings.Have 2 in the tandem and its done mega kms. Bought another 2 and they are still in the spares box.

Using 2.25 mezcals on the touring bike, roll well and we like to deviate onto tracks .Back tyre is lasting well has done 3k + loaded up on some pretty rough tracks at times . Switched from marathon extreme now we are on bikes with 29er wheels . Would love to see the extreme tyres return in the future.

Toontra. Accommodation is variable did you stay in Igherm,only place to stay was a hostal/hotel £8 for the 2 of us lets say you only get what you pay for. As its up at 1700m its warmer than the tent. Only plus is it has a few places to eat and its at a crossroads.