Cycling UK Forum

Hi all?
I am new to the world of bike touring,and i'm planning to ride the English/Welsh border.
Staying in Y/H's along the way,so two rear panniers is all i'll require,hopefully,
What would you suggest i pack?
Oh and for saddle's,would you recommend, brooks b17 or a trusted san marco rolls, which i have on my road bike?

Thanks,all helps

Are you a CTC member?

If so you should be able to access these route and information sheets:

http://www.ctc.org.uk/DesktopDefault.aspx?TabID=3377

They are a very useful resource. Regarding kit, I think two panniers will be adequate and you may wan tot consider a barbag as well for the small personal bits of kit you tend to keep with you all the time such as a camera etc.

Saddle wise, this is pretty personal too, I don't like Brooks saddles (and have tried using them for years finally giving up) and now love my 15 year old Terry model.

Do take a look at the sheets above, if you are not a member I would obviously recommend joining.

Cheerio and good luck.

Gary

Thanks Gary,
took a look at the link's and will be joining as soon as,i'm back in work in the new year,

I hope this is,the start of new things to come

hi nigzy
welcome to the forum we are all friendly here..(well most.lol) and there are a lot of well informed ppl that will be along to guide you.. as for saddle if you are ok with the one on your bike why change i would try a few w/end trips loaded up to see how you cope just remember the golden rule the panniers you pick dont have to be filled to the brim... lol ans +1 for a bar bag very handy when you go to eat or vist places and your bike is locked

larry

Hi and welcome. Welsh border country is great touring country.
Use the tried and tested saddle you are used to. I too have used Brooks for eons... and yes they could be eventually broken in, but then I used another saddle and found it comfy without breaking in.... I know have these on all my bikes.

Couple of smallish panniers will suffice for a YHA tour.

2 panniers is more than enough.
A small plastic container of detergent is lighter/smaller than lots of changes of clothes....washing machines and drying rooms at most hostels!
You need something to wear in the evening/pub, and something to ride in....if you choose carefully, there's no need to take 2 of everything.

thanks, for the advice,as it's my 1st trip,wouldn't like it to be a forgetable,by over packing,

as for the saddle,it was review's i read,but wasn't sure to making a change,think i'll stay with what i know,haha,

thanks again,looking forward to my 1st tour

I think that the one piece of advice I would give is not to overdo things, and clock up big milages.

There is a lot to see and experience, so it would be a shame to rush. Also it means that you never get to the sudden need to put in miles at the cost of everything else in order to reach a destination.

I used the "Offas Dyke" road Cycle Route (RN Hutchins) and simply varied as I felt the fancy, and veered off through Abargavenny and Chepstow to complete the border


DO NOT GO near Hay on Wye though unless you have a trailer to carry all the books that you buy

Also do Gospel pass if you can

Hay on wye was part of my route, so may head inland toward's builth well's,heading back toward's the border line,

thank you for your suggestion

Books in the panniers
so it's not just me ,then.

I once bought so much at an old bookshop that my rear tyre's internal structure started to break up on the final 50miles to home. It was hard to diagnose because as the loaded bike rolled the tyre wriggled but when unloaded it looked fine.

Your trip sounds fun. I had a lovely few days cycling part of the southern portion of the England/Wales border this summer. It was my first 'proper' tour. I'd love to do more of it at some point - definitely got the bug. The ride across the Severn Bridge at Chepstow was particularly memorable! I camped, and used YHA hostels. I thought the hostel at St Briavels was so lovely that I've already been back for a second stay. It was pretty fab to wake up in a castle!

st briavels,was a option,but now sound's like it's the one,
thanks for your input,i'm getting the train to cardiff central,as cycling upward's,north bound

St Biavels is a great place today, providing the last warden I had dealings with there has now moved on....... He would not let us stay with a 5 month old cos the spiral staircase was not suitable for a 5 month old who might fall???????????? At 5 months he was not going to be walking anywhere or attempting the stairs!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! When challenged about this I was then told that the evening meal area was not suitable for a 5 month old as he would be in the way of the serving up of food at the self-service area?????? He would have bene in a car seat at the table well away from the serving area!!!
By the time we had had this conversation I realised we were not welcome!!!

hopefully you will have a better experience, as I did the first time I ever stayed here.

haha,not laughing at the situation,laughing all the trouble the warden went too,to make you feel unwelcome,
pretty advanced,if they were walkin around at 5 month's and mooching around the self serve,deciding what to have,lol

gladly,goin child free,so if he is there,wouldn't be able to make me feel so unwelcome.

thanks for your input.

...and when you have got your stamp from St. Briavels you have the aim of getting the other YHA castles; Pendennis and Carbisdale (if it is still open) sadly Foulksrath in eire is I believe no longer a hostel, nor is the one near Jedburgh.