pyreenees

Cycle-touring, Expeditions, Adventures, Major cycle routes NOT LeJoG (see other special board)
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bygone era
Posts: 24
Joined: 19 Jan 2011, 11:04pm

pyreenees

Post by bygone era »

HI, i have cycled over the pyreenees before in 1990 on a 3 month tour camping i would like to do it again maybe next year.
I have a mid 1990,s dawes horizon 501/531 gearing is 22/32/42 and 7 speed 14-28 giving a high of 81 inches and a low of 21.2 inches i would like to camp again and if possible do a double crossing.
Cycled up /down peyesourde aspin tourmalet plus a few others!!!.
Has anyone else done a double crossing?.
regards mick.
asterix
Posts: 144
Joined: 29 Nov 2008, 2:58pm

Re: pyreenees

Post by asterix »

Well, I went East West in 2007 and then came back the other way in 2010. Not including the rest break it took me 14 days and I got a medal twice. I was camping on the first journey and hotels on the 2nd. Enjoyed both but preferred the camping version.

Your low gear sounds fine, but I'd prefer a high in the 90s at least as I like whizzing down hills. My tourer was an expedition type with 26 x 1.75 tyres, excellent for confident loaded descending round hairpins. The hotel version was done on a Roberts Audax that also did the job very well although I must admit I would have liked a slightly lower gear near the top of the Col du Tourmalet (head wind and snowing).
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