Thank you for your input. I rented from Whitstable Kent Cycle hire a few years ago. Decent cycle. I think about the same price as the giant roam I'm looking at. Fully rigid. No suspension.
I'm now 34yo.
Ah yes the farm track. That has some really big stones on it here and there. I walk sometimes (rarely) from Canterbury to Whitstable or Whitstable to Canterbury and back via the Crab and Winkle, and I often kick big rocks to the side on that farm path bit because I don't want cycles and cyclists getting damaged/hurt.
What is this trail you speak of from Chartham to Wye? How do I discover cycling paths/trails for adventure and beauty?
2'' tyres means nothing to me as I know nothing about cycles.
I rented a cycle bout 3-4 years ago. A Ridgeback Speed from Whitstable Kent Cycle Hire. Fully rigid. Maybe you can find the tires that would have been on that cycle, if you think maybe that tyre thickness makes a big enough difference to vibrations on stony paths.
I did whitstable crab and winkle to winding pond, which is on crab and winkle.
From there I took the other path NOT towards Canterbury and went along the wildart trail. My God. That hammered my neck, shoulders and I think my hips. Really hurt. Could feel every single stone. Was horrible. I was cycling at like 2mph. Not literally as I didn't have anything to measure my speed, but I swear I was cycling at walking pace. SO SLOW due to the pain.
Went to reculver from there. Was awesome. Really enjoyed it. Spent half the time on roads which was nice because it was smooth, but so so scary. I don't wanna get hit by a car, and it's a likely thing to happen, so I like to avoid roads as much as possible.
Especially the roads I went down, they were country roads, national speed limit, no road markings I think, where typically you have cars going full pelt.
After wildart trail ends, you come out on Canterbury road. I then went on busheyfields road past the Canterbury garden center. Had no plan, just winged it after asking for directions.
Went to St Martins church and went up school lane. Then went up Broomfield Rd, then Margate Rd, then left onto heart in hand road. That road had lots of fast traffic and a bridge over the A299. I was and am not fit at all. I was STRUGGLING to get up the bridge. The road leading to the bridge was steep.
From there I went down Reculver Lane to the Reculver Towers, where I then propped my rented cycle onto its kickstand and sat down int he grass near the towers and ate my sandwiches as I enjoyed the views and the people playing/walking/cycling.
This is what makes me be wary of buying a fully rigid bike. That Wildart bit was total agony and I never want to have to go through that again.
I would love to do the North Downs Way, but how much of it is like the Wildart trail with insane stones everywhere?
https://www.nationaltrail.co.uk/en_GB/t ... downs-way/
153 miles! <3
Also would be awesome maybe to meet up and cycle one time maybe. I don't have any friends and my parents are abusive. I love adventure and exploring and cycling will help me be away from them and outside enjoying the outdoors and getting fitter.
I might rent again from Whitstable Kent Cycle hire and do the wildart trail again and see if I get the same pain issues. But at £30 for like 6 hours, it's expensive.
If you live in Whitstable, I would be grateful if I could borrow your bike for the day if it is the right size for me (I am 174cm tall) for free. We could video call first and get to know each other. It would also be amazing if you have a front suspension cycle I could also try and compare front suspension with fully rigid.
If not I will just have to rent one, but there are no front suspension cycles for rent sadly. I searched and searched.
Thank you