Trouble on the NC500

Cycle-touring, Expeditions, Adventures, Major cycle routes NOT LeJoG (see other special board)
juscruising
Posts: 3
Joined: 7 Dec 2018, 4:49pm

NC500 Scotland

Post by juscruising »

I am planning to do this ride 2nd week of May 2021 over 5-6 days. Camping each night. Has anybody done this ride??. What is the best bike to use. I have a Specialsized Diverge E5 Sport Gravel bike with 2 sets of wheels one set road smooth 25mm and a set with 40mm knobbly continentals, which wheels should I use. Also any and all advice welcome. Ps how hard are the climbs??
Tangled Metal
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Joined: 13 Feb 2015, 8:32pm

Re: NC500 Scotland

Post by Tangled Metal »

I've heard there has been issues with campervan and motorhomes on that route. Try to avoid the places the pitch up in of possible. It sounds like they're dumping grounds for motorhome waste. Read that somewhere but never done it. I quite like the idea of taking our campervan around it one day.
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Paulatic
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Location: 24 Hours from Lands End

Re: NC500 Scotland

Post by Paulatic »

Mark Beaumont did it on what looked like 25mm. He didn’t stop mind you so I’d go with what you are going to be comfortable on. I’d use whichever set of wheels are up to carrying a camping load.
I usually say we’ve not got hills in Scotland just drags. However if you watch MB video he is going quite slow at the top of some. :|
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cycleruk
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Location: Lancashire

Re: NC500 Scotland

Post by cycleruk »

Utube:-
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=8J2gAY-WZhU
There are others as well.

If you Google NC500 Scotland it keeps mentioning "road trips" :roll:
You'll never know if you don't try it.
Lookrider
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Joined: 1 Aug 2019, 6:10pm

Re: NC500 Scotland

Post by Lookrider »

19 if us did this last year mostly on rd bikes but few on tourer bikes ..nobody was carrying any gear
.I was on a s works 50mm aero rims 25mm tyres
We followed NC500 upto melvich on north coast then headed south down the central belt though kinbrace Syre Altnaharra crask invergordon
This was to avoid the traffic on the east coast and to take in almost deserted rds on the way
The whole route is on tarmac and considering the frost up north the rds were in very very good condition so do not worry about tyre or wheel choice
Tbe well known big climb of the bealag is a long long drag without the burden of being laden with gear
The coastal path after applcross to shieldag torridon is both epic scenery and a lot of short steep climbs and very exposed to the weather
The rd from torridon to kinlochewe is a great scenic ride it's worth stopping in lay bys there just to look through binoculars at the scenery
I am reasonably fit ( c2c in 10 hrs) and as a holiday we done this over 11 days ..9 riding taking 2 days off in ulapool and melvich and also to gave a good days riding but also time to sightseeing explore and socialise
You will be very pushed doing it in that time taking into account setting up camp etc and having some precious time yourself and sight seeing as theres a lot of if history out there relating to the clearances and the scenery in itself
We stayed bnb hotel lochcarron ..YH gailoch YH ulapool ( campsites there) YH durness (camping)
Melvich halladale camp pods ( fab camp site )
Altnaharra bnb invergordon bnb Inverness YH
Its a truly magnificent ride epic scenery
There was a lot of camper vans on route and yes I read all the bummpth about the bad press camper Van's bring ...
You go for it ....but my advise is it's a holiday .not a TT if you do it to fast you will miss out on a lot of interesting stop overs ( Theres many interesting distilleries around the invergordon area ) tberes a lot of people to chat too
Zulu Eleven
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Re: NC500 Scotland

Post by Zulu Eleven »

North coast 500 (road) or the highland 550 (MTB)
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Paulatic
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Re: NC500 Scotland

Post by Paulatic »

Lookrider wrote:19 if us did this last year

Last year or 2019?
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Lookrider
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Joined: 1 Aug 2019, 6:10pm

Re: NC500 Scotland

Post by Lookrider »

Paulatic wrote:
Lookrider wrote:19 if us did this last year

Last year or 2019?



2019 end of august...putting up camp you will also have the midges to contend with and they can be very personal
Mist if is had no issues with them ..but others get s lot of bother from them
I used that Avon so soft..seemed to do the trick
juscruising
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Joined: 7 Dec 2018, 4:49pm

Re: NC500 Scotland

Post by juscruising »

Hi, thanks for the many replies, I forgot to say that I am going with a company that organisers this trips, I have paid extra so that they will supply the tent, erect and dismantle it also airbed and stove. They also carry your kit bag from campsite to campsite. I was mainly concerned on which of my wheels to use. I am new to the road wheel but they are much faster than my 40c knobby ones.
LollyKat
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Joined: 28 May 2011, 11:25pm
Location: Scotland

Re: NC500 Scotland

Post by LollyKat »

The roads surfaces there are good but like most Scottish roads the chips are a bit larger to allow better water run-off and to reduce frost damage, so you may notice more friction than you are used to. I've been fine on smooth 28mm but never tried anything smaller - you won't need 40mm knobblies.
Enigmadick
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Joined: 5 Mar 2016, 11:28am

Re: NC500 Scotland

Post by Enigmadick »

Yes, you'll be fine on narrower tyres: something like 32c or 28c would be ideal but whatever you have will do.

Your preference not to carry your gear suggests to me that you're not entirely road fit. If that's the case, I'd be more concerned about gearing, because there's some steep hills to climb especially along north facing coasts where retreating glaciers have gouged out some steep valleys like along the road along the north of the Applecross Peninsula.

You should be OK with your gravel bike if it's got something like 42:42 as your lowest. But if you're not confident with that either get it changed to something lower, use the time to get fitter and think about losing a few pounds. Even shedding half a stone makes climbing so much easier for me - and I am only a few pounds over 11 stone when at my heaviest.

But have a good one.
ENIGMA DICK aka Richard Barrett
ratherbeintobago
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Joined: 5 Dec 2010, 6:31pm

Re: NC500 Scotland

Post by ratherbeintobago »

Rumours are that there are a lot of people in flash cars driving like idiots on the NC500 route?
Enigmadick
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Joined: 5 Mar 2016, 11:28am

Trouble on the NC500

Post by Enigmadick »

As it was marketed to both cyclists and drivers, this route was always bound to be a problem. So take care if you're on it or considering it.

[https://www.pressandjournal.co.uk/fp/ne ... ist-trail/]
ENIGMA DICK aka Richard Barrett
GideonReade
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Joined: 4 Jul 2010, 10:46pm

Re: Trouble on the NC500

Post by GideonReade »

I've done most of it twice, albeit on motorcycle. Summers 2019 and 2020, but not school holidays, so somewhat less crowded.

There were indeed quite a lot of mostly hire motorhomes, mostly in the size class where I rather think they're a bit too big. The hire drivers were usually amiable but a bit gormless.

There's a lot of single track roads on the NC500. On a motorcycle the issue is usually "will it pull into a passing place so I can pass", and usually yes. Doesn't really matter if it's a car or motorhome, they all are too wide to pass on single lane. But, the dynamic is lots of them, and only a few motorcycles wanting to pass. So pulling over is rare per driver. All happy.

The problem I'd expect on my bicycle is a constant, though not dense, stream of 4 wheelers wanting to get past. So poor Billy Bicycle only gets to hop from passing place to passing place, stopping every time. Incredibly frustrating!

I don't think I would want to do it during English or Scottish school holidays.

But I've not actually done it by bicycle.
simonhill
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Location: Essex

Re: Trouble on the NC500

Post by simonhill »

Apart from the Police stopping people as reported above, I read on my Google newsfeed that some of the locals were getting restless. Apparently missiles were/are being thrown at motorists.

No mention of anything untoward for bicycles.
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