Lands End to Dover!

"JB" <[email hidden]> wrote in message
news:[email hidden]...

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OK so its a bit wierd but last night my siter-in-law's husband and I

decided

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(over a pint at his local) to go for a "long bike ride" next summer. We
can't begin to contemplate E2E and thought that this (given that he lives

in

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Sussex) would be a useful alternative - and should it be a disater, not

too

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far for his wife to come and bail us out!
So... has anyone done this or, has anyone along our "possible route" got
some "nice quiet away from most traffic" routes. Me? I live in
Leicestershire and I have no idea about routes etc yet. This is my first
sortie into planning. Not sure how I can plan for the hills either as

Leics.

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is really flat.
He reckons we should have more or less compatible bikes. Currently he has

a

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road bike and I have a fabby 4 year old Scott Expert Racing MTB with

slicks

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on. I can see that I need to get something like a tourer/road hybrid so
that wheel size and gearing are more compatible. Age wise he's in his mid
30's and I am 50...so not much we can do about that.
Thanks in anticipation

Sounds like a good trip, much better than the other way round. I can
probably only help on the bits through Sussex/Kent but your companion
probably has those in mind already.

JB said:

OK so its a bit wierd but last night my siter-in-law's husband and I decided
(over a pint at his local) to go for a "long bike ride" next summer. W
So... has anyone done this or, has anyone along our "possible route" got
some "nice quiet away from most traffic" routes.

Don't know this route myself - but your question is topical,
as this Sustrans ride started yesterday.

http://www.sustrans.org.uk/webcode/content.asp?ID=2250&

M

ScumOfTheRoad said:

JB said:

OK so its a bit wierd but last night my siter-in-law's husband and I decided
(over a pint at his local) to go for a "long bike ride" next summer. W
So... has anyone done this or, has anyone along our "possible route" got
some "nice quiet away from most traffic" routes.

ps. My reply was not meant to be sarcastic.
Looks like the Sustrans Route 2 is the one for you - Dover to Bodmin Moor.
Might be worth buying the route maps from Sustrans.

Please let us know how you get on next year, genuinely.

In 1994 while at Uni a mate and I cycled from Lands End to Tunbridge Wells
back to the Isle of Wight. I think it was about 700 miles. We thought it'd
be less hilly than trying the E2E. Until we started that is, and realised
that Cornwall and Devon etc. were +really+ hilly. It was a lovely tour
though, and nice to see a new part of the country. I can't really remember
the route, so am not much help there, other than offering you encouragement
and best wishes.

Jim

--------------------
wasting my time since 2000 - http://jimpix.co.uk

In message <[email hidden]>, Jim
<[email hidden]> writes

Quoted message said:

In 1994 while at Uni a mate and I cycled from Lands End to Tunbridge Wells
back to the Isle of Wight. I think it was about 700 miles. We thought it'd
be less hilly than trying the E2E. Until we started that is, and realised
that Cornwall and Devon etc. were +really+ hilly.

And they are bloody tough hills, you are crossing endless river valleys,
and while the hills aren't normally long they are often steep.

Re the bike issue, your current bike can probably cope fine, why does
your mate think the bikes need to be more 'compatible' - wheel size
isn't an issue - lotsa of touring bikes use 26 inch wheels now. -
gearing is probably ok too, certainly for all those west country hills
:-) Unless your man is going to be a real speed machine, when top may
be a bit lacking.

The main issue is can you fit suitable rack(s) for luggage and
i'd also want to have mudguards as well for a tour, also for me, I'd
need to look at handlebars/postion as I find straight bars uncomfortable
on road after say 30 miles.

Of course if you want an excuse to buy another bike, a tourer will be
just the job :-)

Much also depends on the sort of touring you have in mind - fully loaded
camping, credit card touring, or somewhere in between.

--
Chris French, Leeds

Quoted message said:

We thought it'd
be less hilly than trying the E2E. Until we started that is, and realised
that Cornwall and Devon etc. were +really+ hilly.

Bit of an understatement. I found Devon to be a killer. Not through the
steepness of thenhills but their length.

It was a lovely tour

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though, and nice to see a new part of the country.

Seeing bits of the country for the first time makes the trip literally a
voyage of discovery. I loved every minute of my 1/2 LEJOG.

Just beware of the Sustrans maps. They sometimes take you out of the way of
'logical routes'.

Good luck with your planning.