Cycling UK Forum

Waterproof shoes, merino rich socks. Stay out of the rain as best as you can. If you need to take more than two large panniers you’re carrying surplus junk. Watch “The Hill” with Sean Connery before you pack. https://youtu.be/hfueKaL6pyU Pay no heed to the four pannier, bar bag, rack bag, trailer etc etc novices on this forum and elsewhere in the world.

Thank you all very much for your advice. I'll take on board what's been suggested.
The language won't be a problem. I think it'll be fine. I'll know when I'm ready. As a rule, if I can do 17-20 miles per evening after work, and my legs are not stiff the next day, then I'll be ok.
I'll be using a 4 pannier set up, tried it with two before but it made the bike back heavy and, more dangerously, front light.
The ride is from Lands End to Skaw in the Shetlands via S.Wales, Ireland, Inner and outer Hebrides and Scotland mainland.

PHolds1959 wrote:Thank you all very much for your advice. I'll take on board what's been suggested.
The language won't be a problem. I think it'll be fine. I'll know when I'm ready. As a rule, if I can do 17-20 miles per evening after work, and my legs are not stiff the next day, then I'll be ok.
I'll be using a 4 pannier set up, tried it with two before but it made the bike back heavy and, more dangerously, front light.
The ride is from Lands End to Skaw in the Shetlands via S.Wales, Ireland, Inner and outer Hebrides and Scotland mainland.

Well, that's clearer!

That's one hell of a tour! Best of luck!

First thing that pops into my head is to get yourself registered on WarmShowers - it's like Couchsurfing, but for touring cyclists. A hot shower and a real roof over your head might be a life saver at times.

Second thing is routing. https://cycle.travel/map is my goto for route planning. It picks the quieter roads. Worked a dream for me last year going from NL to Ireland and back again.

nsew wrote:Waterproof shoes, merino rich socks. Stay out of the rain as best as you can. If you need to take more than two large panniers you’re carrying surplus junk. Watch “The Hill” with Sean Connery before you pack. https://youtu.be/hfueKaL6pyU Pay no heed to the four pannier, bar bag, rack bag, trailer etc etc novices on this forum and elsewhere in the world.

Separate your gear into TOTALLY WET and TOTALLY DRY. Seek out the rain. Enjoy it! You will get wet but it won't matter.

Last year I was cycle camping during the torrential downpours that killed off the London 100. I cycled the whole of the Sunday (four panniers but no problem there) in winds and sideways rain that made me feel I was sailing a boat. While the London 100 entrants went back to their homes/hotels, I camped that night - completely warm, dry and snug.

Pay no heed to the two pannier novices on this forum and elsewhere in the world!*


*PS nsew, just having fun I agree with you actually about the weight but four panniers is really OK and so is the rain.

The only other thing I would add is that time of year (if it can be changed) is highly important.
May, June and September are usually the best weather in the Scottish Highlands and Islands. July and August are generally wetter.

That’s a proper ride you’re going on there. Get some hills into your training and you’ll be fine. I did a few 5-10 mile rides in a relatively flat area before leaving in March. I don’t like filthying my bike up b4 leaving. But then I didn’t hit the climbs until Besançon in eastern France (unless you include Hampshire).

PHolds1959 wrote:Thank you all very much for your advice. I'll take on board what's been suggested.
The language won't be a problem. I think it'll be fine. I'll know when I'm ready. As a rule, if I can do 17-20 miles per evening after work, and my legs are not stiff the next day, then I'll be ok.
I'll be using a 4 pannier set up, tried it with two before but it made the bike back heavy and, more dangerously, front light.
The ride is from Lands End to Skaw in the Shetlands via S.Wales, Ireland, Inner and outer Hebrides and Scotland mainland.

PHolds1959 wrote:I'll be using a 4 pannier set up, tried it with two before but it made the bike back heavy and, more dangerously, front light.

Increasingly I'm using 2 front panniers & extra at the back (bikepacking type seatpack) as needed for extra capacity.

I even ended up using ortlieb rear rollers on the front for one trip earlier this year, at the end of March (Friday to Sunday with 2 nights camping in the same spot), when I couldn't quite get a couple of light but bulky items, that I didn't want to go without, to fit in the front rollers that I originally intended to take.

It’s a nice pack, front panniers and seat/saddlebag. A credit card touring pack.

I’ll take rain in a heartbeat right now - loads of the stuff for hours on end. The Italians appreciate a good wind-up.

horizon wrote:

nsew wrote:Waterproof shoes, merino rich socks. Stay out of the rain as best as you can. If you need to take more than two large panniers you’re carrying surplus junk. Watch “The Hill” with Sean Connery before you pack. https://youtu.be/hfueKaL6pyU Pay no heed to the four pannier, bar bag, rack bag, trailer etc etc novices on this forum and elsewhere in the world.

Separate your gear into TOTALLY WET and TOTALLY DRY. Seek out the rain. Enjoy it! You will get wet but it won't matter.

Last year I was cycle camping during the torrential downpours that killed off the London 100. I cycled the whole of the Sunday (four panniers but no problem there) in winds and sideways rain that made me feel I was sailing a boat. While the London 100 entrants went back to their homes/hotels, I camped that night - completely warm, dry and snug.

Pay no heed to the two pannier novices on this forum and elsewhere in the world!*


*PS nsew, just having fun I agree with you actually about the weight but four panniers is really OK and so is the rain.

hufty wrote:

wearwell wrote:...Don't have front panniers if it's at all hilly - swinging the weight as you go up a hill can be tiring, but no prob coming down or level....

I tour with a four pannier set up and I've no idea what swinging the weight means or what this effect is. If you need/want front panniers, use front panniers. If anything they keep the front end down on sharper gradients.
......

It gets noticeable if you are tired near the end of a day and going uphill; the slower you go the harder the work of steering. But if you are young and fit you may not notice!

I've ridden through the Alps, Pyrenees and over Mont Ventoux with front panniers.

Actually so have I! And LEJOG. Last hilly trip was over the Vercours and that's where I finally twigged about the front panniers. A compromise would be to keep them light e.g. with tent and sleeping bag.
Over the years I've carried less and less but rarely missed anything

I think it must be down to riding style.

I've never noticed anything tiring, or even awkward, about front low riders.
In fact, I often go out of my way to put more weight on the front, not less. This may be a matter of what gets packed where in the case of 4 panniers, or it may, if lightly laden, mean touring with 2 front panniers and a saddlebag rather than 2 bigger rear panniers, despite the weight of the extra rack.

I find that having the extra weight in front rather than at the back makes the bike handle much better, particularly when it's not really intended for luggage carrying. I really notice the frame flex if I put heavy rear panniers on the audax bike.

The only thing I do notice about front loading is that the bike feels really twitchy for the first couple of miles when I take the luggage off.

andrew_s wrote:I think it must be down to riding style.

I've never noticed anything tiring, or even awkward, about front low riders.
In fact, I often go out of my way to put more weight on the front, not less. This may be a matter of what gets packed where in the case of 4 panniers, or it may, if lightly laden, mean touring with 2 front panniers and a saddlebag rather than 2 bigger rear panniers, despite the weight of the extra rack.

I find that having the extra weight in front rather than at the back makes the bike handle much better, particularly when it's not really intended for luggage carrying. I really notice the frame flex if I put heavy rear panniers on the audax bike.

The only thing I do notice about front loading is that the bike feels really twitchy for the first couple of miles when I take the luggage off.

I've been riding with four panniers, a tent and a bar bag for two weeks. Will be back home tonight. If I go out on my sub 8 Kg bike tomorrow it will feel like it's got a mind of its own for about a mile and then feel like I've never ridden anything else.