Non-Cyclist Cycling the UK Coastline

Cycle-touring, Expeditions, Adventures, Major cycle routes NOT LeJoG (see other special board)
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Paulatic
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Re: Non-Cyclist Cycling the UK Coastline

Post by Paulatic »

A reliable bike you’re comfortable on and don’t neglect effort into finding the best camping set up for you. I think there will be times you can be days away from a bike shop so make sure you can bodge simple repairs.
Anna Hughes, Eat Sleep Cycle is a good read.
Have you decided which way round and starting from where?
I’ve often thought of this and would avoid going north on the east coast in A M early J. All that cold and haar and NE winds.
I’d avoid going south on the west coast J A S and I’d definitely not want to be in Scotland after early October.
After all that though the best place to start will be closest to home I reckon and take everything the weather throws at you.
Hope you have a wonderful time.
Whatever I am, wherever I am, this is me. This is my life

https://stcleve.wordpress.com/category/lejog/
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Audax67
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Re: Non-Cyclist Cycling the UK Coastline

Post by Audax67 »

I've just been watching a video by the owner of this wunderwerk:

Image
FB pic, excuses if you can't see it.

I don't know any more about it except that it's electric and self-charging. I think the owner usually does ~100km/day. Looks about right for a tour round the edge.
Have we got time for another cuppa?
thirdcrank
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Re: Non-Cyclist Cycling the UK Coastline

Post by thirdcrank »

I'm back on my hobbyhorse of most of this being in the mind. I assume that some people are not affected by this at all but some are.

I've no doubt at all that cycling regularly for even short distances would build up all the fitness needed and more besides, but I think it's possible to be overwhelmed by the prospect of what's ahead. I don't think sophisticated training plans have much place here, except to the extent that they get you used to sitting on a bike. Apart from getting the miles in, as already recommended, I'd suggest a few ideas. Try to ride every day, even if it's only round the block and keep a diary, with particular emphasis on the reasons that stopped you riding on any given day. If rain/ wind / poor weather appear regularly, reflect on that. A bit nearer the day of the planned start, try to fit in a short tour. That will give you an idea of whether you really enjoy it and how you recover each day from a day's riding. Perhaps separately to that, try to do as long a single day ride as you can manage, without getting into a distressed state. Once you have been riding regularly, you may be pleasantly surprised just what distance you are capable of and that should give you a boost. In the longer term, it will give you confidence that shorter distances will be doable.
Mike Sales
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Re: Non-Cyclist Cycling the UK Coastline

Post by Mike Sales »

thirdcrank wrote: 5 May 2021, 11:19am I'm back on my hobbyhorse of most of this being in the mind. I assume that some people are not affected by this at all but some are.

I've no doubt at all that cycling regularly for even short distances would build up all the fitness needed and more besides, but I think it's possible to be overwhelmed by the prospect of what's ahead. I don't think sophisticated training plans have much place here, except to the extent that they get you used to sitting on a bike. Apart from getting the miles in, as already recommended, I'd suggest a few ideas. Try to ride every day, even if it's only round the block and keep a diary, with particular emphasis on the reasons that stopped you riding on any given day. If rain/ wind / poor weather appear regularly, reflect on that. A bit nearer the day of the planned start, try to fit in a short tour. That will give you an idea of whether you really enjoy it and how you recover each day from a day's riding. Perhaps separately to that, try to do as long a single day ride as you can manage, without getting into a distressed state. Once you have been riding regularly, you may be pleasantly surprised just what distance you are capable of and that should give you a boost. In the longer term, it will give you confidence that shorter distances will be doable.
The most important thing is the determination to do it.
There will be times when you are tired and wet with far to go.
It's likely enough something in your kit will let you down, at the worst time.
If your mind is resolute you will overcome the bad times. These vicissitudes will make the final achievement feel greater and more memorable.
I remember Richard Ballantine writing that his best tour was on a ricketty three speed which kept breaking down..."shed parts like water" if my memory serves.
Of course your preparation should try to avoide all these pitfalls, but a reading of other peoples journeys (on all sorts of transport) wil show that what is needed is the spirit.
Sometimes I think that it is the hard times which make it "fun".
It's the same the whole world over
It's the poor what gets the blame
It's the rich what gets the pleasure
Isn't it a blooming shame?
Mike Sales
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Re: Non-Cyclist Cycling the UK Coastline

Post by Mike Sales »

Here is another doing your trip.

https://www.gblifeboatcycle.com/
Cycling the entire coastline of mainland Great Britain, some 7000km, or the equivalent of cycling from Land’s End to John O’Groats five times, back to back.

Calling in at every lifeboat station along the way (168 of them!) to help raise money and awareness for each and every fantastic volunteer crew based around the coastline.

Visiting every lifeboat station makes this a unique and formidable circumnavigation by bike: closely hugging the coastline adds distance, and dropping down to sea-level to reach the stations, several times a day, adds serious elevation - over 65,000m in total (almost 8 Everests).
It's the same the whole world over
It's the poor what gets the blame
It's the rich what gets the pleasure
Isn't it a blooming shame?
Psamathe
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Re: Non-Cyclist Cycling the UK Coastline

Post by Psamathe »

As others have pointed out, reliable gear (bike and camping) will likely save a lot of frustration. And getting expensive is not always a safeguard (it can be but is not always). Before my last EU tour (2019) I purchased a new MSR Hubba Hubba but the model with high tech composite poles and after two weeks one was adopting a nasty bend and after a month it broke and me mid-tour outside UK and MSR attitude "send us the faulty items and we'll replace them"! Fortunately the retailer (Ultralight Outdoor) were beyond excellent and agreed a full refund against replacing it with a Hilleberg (me paying the difference) and same day they shipped the Hilleberg to me at a campsite in Germany next day delivery (which all went smoothly).

But point is the MSR tent was certainly way above "budget" price and whilst anything can fail, MSR were completely unhelpful and I was saved through an excellent retailer. Both what you buy and who you buy it from (cheapest does not always end up costing you less).

Ian
gbnz
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Re: Non-Cyclist Cycling the UK Coastline

Post by gbnz »

HarryD wrote: 5 May 2021, 10:24am FWW my advice would be to keep it as simple as possible.......

As Thirdcrank say you'll be experienced after a week or two so get on with it
gbnz
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Re: Non-Cyclist Cycling the UK Coastline

Post by gbnz »

Mike Sales wrote: 5 May 2021, 11:39am
It's likely enough something in your kit will let you down, at the worst time.
+ 1. Only ever done one long distance tour (15 months, a couple of it backpacking). I found a 100% reliable tent, a 100% reliable groundsheet, a sleeping bag good down to artic temperatures and sufficient cash for that emergency day/week were critical
Mike Sales
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Re: Non-Cyclist Cycling the UK Coastline

Post by Mike Sales »

gbnz wrote: 5 May 2021, 1:08pm
Mike Sales wrote: 5 May 2021, 11:39am
It's likely enough something in your kit will let you down, at the worst time.
+ 1. Only ever done one long distance tour (15 months, a couple of it backpacking). I found a 100% reliable tent, a 100% reliable groundsheet, a sleeping bag good down to artic temperatures and sufficient cash for that emergency day/week were critical
No bike problems?
It's the same the whole world over
It's the poor what gets the blame
It's the rich what gets the pleasure
Isn't it a blooming shame?
gbnz
Posts: 2554
Joined: 13 Sep 2008, 10:38am

Re: Non-Cyclist Cycling the UK Coastline

Post by gbnz »

Mike Sales wrote: 5 May 2021, 1:16pm
No bike problems?
No bike problems. I was cycling on a non touring, Taiwan manufactured generic road bike, fitted with generic rims and tyre, alloy frame and carbon fibre forks, so it was problem free. Have to say the paint finish was still in good order post tour
Last edited by gbnz on 5 May 2021, 6:03pm, edited 2 times in total.
gbnz
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Joined: 13 Sep 2008, 10:38am

Re: Non-Cyclist Cycling the UK Coastline

Post by gbnz »

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Last edited by gbnz on 5 May 2021, 6:02pm, edited 1 time in total.
Thehairs1970
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Re: Non-Cyclist Cycling the UK Coastline

Post by Thehairs1970 »

I’d be looking to spend £1k + for a tour bike if you want to buy. Have a good look around and try if you can. Although I bought a Trek, I really recommend Bristol Bicycles Touring bikes. We bought one for my wife and the build up and personalisation was great while keeping well below budget. A Dynamo bike with hydraulic brakes and full racks and guards came in at under £1000. And yes it is a proper tourer. Examples have ridden to Thailand.
pq
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Re: Non-Cyclist Cycling the UK Coastline

Post by pq »

You can embark on a big tour without training. A friend of mine set off from the UK having never cycled before and was morbidly obese. 18 months later he arrived in Australia having lost half his bodyweight. The early part of the ride was somewhat challenging though...

Which brings me to my second point. We're all different of course and you must do what suits you but I would want to go somewhere on a 6 month tour. I would find riding around the UK immensely frustrating - and also I'm not keen on box ticking tours, to me it's more important to have a nice ride than it is to be able to say you've done whatever it might be that you've done. However that's just a personal perspective from someone who's done a lot of touring.

Since you know little about bikes I suggest you go to a retailer who knows about long distance touring (which are few and far between). Thorn bikes (at St John St Cycles), Spa and maybe Edinburgh bike co-op are 3 that spring to mind, but I've never bought a bike from any of them...
One link to your website is enough. G
Mistik-ka
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Location: Saskatoon, Saskatchewan, Canada

Re: Non-Cyclist Cycling the UK Coastline

Post by Mistik-ka »

What a lot of sensible advice this community posts … and not too much that's contradictory. :D

Starting in our forties with no real experience or knowledge Mrs. M-k and I have done a lot of long-distance trekking in the U.K. and in our late sixties a couple of South-to-North-and-back tours around England on a tandem bike. Pre-trip training has been a bit hit-and-miss for us (four months of bitter Canadian winter doesn't offer much opportunity to prepare for launching into the glories of English spring) but as a general rule we've found the third day on tour to be really tiring; after that we're in shape. On one occasion we were able to train through the summer months for an autumn tour and found we were fine from the outset … until we hit the hills (no hills around here for training). The third day of hills we were exhausted … and after that we were in shape. For us the best way to train for a long distance tour is to go on a long distance tour.

I don't think anyone here has mentioned padded shorts (perhaps because they're a 'given' for British cyclists?) Our attitude to bicycles is that they are generally the best way to get from Point A to Point B so just get on and ride. Lycra and specialized footwear and pedals all seem like a bit of a faff, and I'd feel distinctly like un poseur walking into a cafe or pub in full cycling kit, even if I had ridden 50 or 60 miles that day. But I find that a pair of padded cycling shorts (or undershorts, for those of us who prefer to wear 'civilian' clothing) is almost a necessity if I'm pedalling more than 40 miles a day on a continuous basis. Chamois cream contributes to comfort.

I expect you'll have a fine time!
thirdcrank
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Re: Non-Cyclist Cycling the UK Coastline

Post by thirdcrank »

pq touches on what I've been getting on about. Set off going to a faraway place and you are to some extent committed. It's not the same if you are always within striking distance of home. We had an experienced rider (PW?) who was on the second leg of LEJoGLE - a double End-to_End.. He got to somewhere like Carlisle on the second time round and was suddenly overcome with a wish to ride home (somewhere in Derbyshire IIRC) so he did just that, arriving home in the early hours, demonstrating that he would have been physically ok to continue but the little voices got the better of him.
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