So I’m thinking about my first bike tour……

[SafetyThird]

So I’m thinking of doing my first bike tour in September and have been reading through this amazing site to gain some insight and inspiration and, well, i have questions, so many questions and i figured I’d ask for a little advice.

Years ago I cycled a lot because i did triathlons and lived in flat places, which meant I rode mainly solo and was mostly untroubled by hills. Fast forward 20-odd years and I’m a moderately unfit 58 year old trying to get back on a bike after about 15 years of not riding. I’m looking at a future where I would like to be more responsible in my travel and bike touring fits that really well. Also, my wife isn’t very interested in travelling like this so it’s a reasonably affordable way of take a holiday on your own if you’re camping.

During lockgdown I accidentally bought a touring bike. No, seriously, I had no intention of actually buying it. I was idly browsing eBay late one evening with a glass or two of wine and saw a Thorn Raven Tour coming to the end of its auction at far too low a price. I figured there must be people waiting to bid on it and thought that if I put a bid in it would start people pushing the price up. I woke up next morning to find out that I’d bought a bike.

Picked it up the following week and it’s gorgeous. Since then, I’ve started looking at tour ideas, put a son dynohub wheel on the front, fitted dynamo lights and added a Thorn low rider rack to the front forks, a different set of bars and a riser so that it fits me nicely, given it a service and other than that it’s ready to go. I already had a pair of panniers and a bar bag so a couple of small front panniers have been bought so I can pack all my camping gear for solo travel.

Now, the problem with riding any bike around where I live in North Devon is that you need to be pretty fit to be able to even start riding our hills. After a few rides where I ended up doing more walking than riding I decided on two things: one was an e-bike conversion kit which allows me to gain a bit of assist on the big hills but lets me cycle as much as I’m able elsewhere and means I won’t get stranded miles from home when I run out of legs. I’d be taking that off for touring duties as it only takes a few minutes to swap the wheels and remove the battery and controller.

The other was to tidy up the road bike and invest in a smart trainer and a Zwift subscription because the weather over the past few months has been appalling. I’ve just finished the Back to Fitness program and will be continuing those workouts to build enough fitness to join a local club for road cycling and start using the touring bike as well for getting groceries etc.

The local road riding club need you to be able to do minimum 40 miles as 12-15mph on these hills, so I have some work to do to even join the club but I’m working on it.

I’m planning to do a couple of short tours locally such as the Devon coast to coast this spring to at least get a feel for what I’m working towards and dial my gear in. I’m been backpacking most of my life and am well equipped on the lightweight camping and cooking gear.

I started considering the Via Rhona as my first tour as it’s mostly downhill following the river to the med. Then I found that getting to Geneva with a bike is problematic. I don’t really want to fly but trains are a bit of a nightmare and I’d have to box the bike for the eurotunnel and tgv’s which if you’re already getting trains to London from Devon is a pain and expensive.

I can get the ferry from Plymouth to Roscoff easily as I can either jump on the local train or get dropped off there by my wife, so I started looking at getting a train from Roscoff to Geneva but even with local trains, none of the booking options seem to allow you to book a bike ahead of time or show you that there’s an option for fully assembled bikes, every time I tried a booking it would say that option wasn’t available. So it’s then just turn up and try your luck with TER’s and then at the other end I’d still have to get back to Roscoff by train.

Most people will probably be way ahead of me and are quietly saying to themselves ‘do the Loire bike route’ and yeah, that’s kinda what I’m now thinking. I originally discounted it as not being ‘very adventurous’ and because, while I don’t like climbing up them on a bike, I do like being amongst the mountains but, as it’s my first tour, maybe that’s a good thing. I could cycle straight out of the harbour at Roscoff and there are trains that would get me back. Mind you, I’ve seen that the special Cycle Rhône trains stop mid September and so maybe I should get the train east and start that end, travelling west to the sea.

So, that’s where I currently am, reading journals on here and starting to wonder what to do. I know that’s a pretty open question, I’ll get more detailed as I make more decisions but if anyone has any advice at this point on whether the Loire route is better east-west or west to east, I’d appreciate it, most of the journals I’ve read seem to go west to east.

Also, if I’m missing something obvious in trying to book train tickets I’m all ears.

Thanks, Jay.

 

[bluenotebob]

if anyone has any advice at this point on whether the Loire route is better east-west or west to east, I’d appreciate it, most of the journals I’ve read seem to go west to east.

I imagine that's to take advantage of the wind which is usually from the west (or south-west) and that would be even more likely in September.

If you decide to cycle from Roscoff to Nantes and need any info on cycling in Brittany - then let me know (I'm based in central Brittany).

Good luck with whatever you decide to do

 

[Jameshow]

Wow nice bike fine enjoy.

That's pretty adventurous for a first your unless your a confirmed Francophile?

Perhaps do some mini tours around devon using the tracks like the granite way, camel or tarka, from my experience Dartmoor is lovely to and Exmoor too but the hills in the latter can be severe. @ColinJ is often down there too.

 

[ColinJ]

Perhaps do some mini tours around devon using the tracks like the granite way, camel or tarka, from my experience Dartmoor is lovely to and Exmoor too but the hills in the latter can be severe. @ColinJ is often down there too.

I was going to say make sure that the bike has low enough gears for those steep hills, but touring bikes normally already do!

The bike that I have down there is bit overgeared for me on really steep climbs. I can manage up to about 18-20% but have struggled on some 25% ramps.

 

[sheddy]

There must be a local club that offer 20 miles with a cafe stop ?
40 miles minimum seems rather exclusive.

 

[roubaixtuesday]

So I’m thinking of doing my first bike tour in September and have been reading through this amazing site to gain some insight and inspiration and, well, i have questions, so many questions and i figured I’d ask for a little advice.

Years ago I cycled a lot because i did triathlons and lived in flat places, which meant I rode mainly solo and was mostly untroubled by hills. Fast forward 20-odd years and I’m a moderately unfit 58 year old trying to get back on a bike after about 15 years of not riding. I’m looking at a future where I would like to be more responsible in my travel and bike touring fits that really well. Also, my wife isn’t very interested in travelling like this so it’s a reasonably affordable way of take a holiday on your own if you’re camping.

During lockgdown I accidentally bought a touring bike. No, seriously, I had no intention of actually buying it. I was idly browsing eBay late one evening with a glass or two of wine and saw a Thorn Raven Tour coming to the end of its auction at far too low a price. I figured there must be people waiting to bid on it and thought that if I put a bid in it would start people pushing the price up. I woke up next morning to find out that I’d bought a bike.

Picked it up the following week and it’s gorgeous. Since then, I’ve started looking at tour ideas, put a son dynohub wheel on the front, fitted dynamo lights and added a Thorn low rider rack to the front forks, a different set of bars and a riser so that it fits me nicely, given it a service and other than that it’s ready to go. I already had a pair of panniers and a bar bag so a couple of small front panniers have been bought so I can pack all my camping gear for solo travel.

Now, the problem with riding any bike around where I live in North Devon is that you need to be pretty fit to be able to even start riding our hills. After a few rides where I ended up doing more walking than riding I decided on two things: one was an e-bike conversion kit which allows me to gain a bit of assist on the big hills but lets me cycle as much as I’m able elsewhere and means I won’t get stranded miles from home when I run out of legs. I’d be taking that off for touring duties as it only takes a few minutes to swap the wheels and remove the battery and controller.

The other was to tidy up the road bike and invest in a smart trainer and a Zwift subscription because the weather over the past few months has been appalling. I’ve just finished the Back to Fitness program and will be continuing those workouts to build enough fitness to join a local club for road cycling and start using the touring bike as well for getting groceries etc.

The local road riding club need you to be able to do minimum 40 miles as 12-15mph on these hills, so I have some work to do to even join the club but I’m working on it.

I’m planning to do a couple of short tours locally such as the Devon coast to coast this spring to at least get a feel for what I’m working towards and dial my gear in. I’m been backpacking most of my life and am well equipped on the lightweight camping and cooking gear.

I started considering the Via Rhona as my first tour as it’s mostly downhill following the river to the med. Then I found that getting to Geneva with a bike is problematic. I don’t really want to fly but trains are a bit of a nightmare and I’d have to box the bike for the eurotunnel and tgv’s which if you’re already getting trains to London from Devon is a pain and expensive.

I can get the ferry from Plymouth to Roscoff easily as I can either jump on the local train or get dropped off there by my wife, so I started looking at getting a train from Roscoff to Geneva but even with local trains, none of the booking options seem to allow you to book a bike ahead of time or show you that there’s an option for fully assembled bikes, every time I tried a booking it would say that option wasn’t available. So it’s then just turn up and try your luck with TER’s and then at the other end I’d still have to get back to Roscoff by train.

Most people will probably be way ahead of me and are quietly saying to themselves ‘do the Loire bike route’ and yeah, that’s kinda what I’m now thinking. I originally discounted it as not being ‘very adventurous’ and because, while I don’t like climbing up them on a bike, I do like being amongst the mountains but, as it’s my first tour, maybe that’s a good thing. I could cycle straight out of the harbour at Roscoff and there are trains that would get me back. Mind you, I’ve seen that the special Cycle Rhône trains stop mid September and so maybe I should get the train east and start that end, travelling west to the sea.

So, that’s where I currently am, reading journals on here and starting to wonder what to do. I know that’s a pretty open question, I’ll get more detailed as I make more decisions but if anyone has any advice at this point on whether the Loire route is better east-west or west to east, I’d appreciate it, most of the journals I’ve read seem to go west to east.

Also, if I’m missing something obvious in trying to book train tickets I’m all ears.

Thanks, Jay.

I've done small parts of the Loire and Via Rhona.

I'd say the Loire is better, much more interesting. Via Rhona bits I did were nice but rather dull mixed in with a very poorly developed bit near Lyon. But this is based on very short parts of either route.

Don't worry about being judged on how adventurous you are, most people would regard cycle camping at all as incredibly adventurous.

Just ride and enjoy.

My only advice would be to plan to do less than you think you could. You can always extend, but cutting things short is harder.

 

[MikeG]

I lived just outside Barnstaple, and later on Exmoor, as a youth, so I know what you're facing. My suggestion is to forget the electric assist, and for the time being, forget cycle touring......although you can maybe have it as a medium term target. Just do lots and lots of little rides. A 10mile ride in those parts can be quite a challenge to someone just getting back into cycling. So do three 6 to 10 mile rides a week. Then try for a 15 mile ride at the weekend, and just keep on adding a mile or two per ride until you can comfortably ride for a couple of hours. Record your mileage, and start setting yourself little targets, but don't bite off more than you can chew because there is no quicker way of making you quit again.

You'll be fine.......a but little and often is your mantra.

 

[Andy in Germany]

I really like the story of buying a bike by mistake...

even with local trains, none of the booking options seem to allow you to book a bike ahead of time or show you that there’s an option for fully assembled bikes, every time I tried a booking it would say that option wasn’t available. So it’s then just turn up and try your luck with TER’s and then at the other end I’d still have to get back to Roscoff by train.

If French trains are like Germany, then local trains will take bikes. There's no way to book a space but they are much better set up for cycle carriage than British trains. There may be restrictions at peak hours in the week, and weekends are likely to be a bit more full with tourists.

No-one ever takes their bike apart.

For information, the man at seat 61 may be able to help: https://www.seat61.com/

 

[Emanresu]

You could try Plymouth - Santander and ride west (less hills). The coast and the weather there is gorgeous. You can continue all along the coast to the Portuguese border (or further south). It's a bit like Devon as there are plenty of surfer camping grounds along the coast, though I don't think Devon has wolves and bears yet.

The local train company (FEVE) can get you back from most places along the route. It's like an overground metro with slow trains that allows you to enjoy the scenery on your journey back.

You'll find it cheaper than France and Switzerland.

 

[Dogtrousers]

Or just Plymouth-Roscoff ferry and then ride. Brittany is very beautiful but can be a bit lumpy. Or ride to Portsmouth, get a ferry to (say) Caen, Cherbourg or St Malo and ride to Roscoff for the ferry back to Plymouth. No trains needed.

 

[presta]

My only advice would be to plan to do less than you think you could. You can always extend, but cutting things short is harder.

I always steered clear of formal routes because it's difficult to be sure of getting accommodation where you need it without booking it all in advance. With no accommodation booked, you need to be flexible enough to go where the beds are.

 

[Moodyman]

I always steered clear of formal routes because it's difficult to be sure of getting accommodation where you need it without booking it all in advance. With no accommodation booked, you need to be flexible enough to go where the beds are.

Or carry your own hotel and bed.

A few of us did a week’s tour in France/Belgium last year. Two of us were camping.

One of the guys stayed in a budget Ibis and paid 110 euro for the night. He wanted to take bike to his room but they refused. They made him park it in the basement car park and charged him 4 euro for the privilege.

He said he got into his room about 11 and about 1am, the mid-section of his bed frame broke. He went to reception, but nobody was there. He ended up sleeping on the floor with his mattress.

He told reception in the morning and the receptionist shrugged her shoulders in that ‘so what?’ Gallic flair.

Meanwhile, the campers paid 10 euro each and had communal pool for the evening.

Smug? Now, that wouldn’t be cricket.

 

[steveindenmark]

Before going off on a big trip. Try a couple of weekends away, locally. You do not need to go very far. Its just to try your kit out. Its suprising that some people find a weekend away is enough to sate their appetite. You may not need to be zipping away to France. Mini adventures are great.

 

[HelenD123]

Before going off on a big trip. Try a couple of weekends away, locally. You do not need to go very far. Its just to try your kit out. Its suprising that some people find a weekend away is enough to sate their appetite. You may not need to be zipping away to France. Mini adventures are great.

And check you like riding with a loaded bike. It feels very different.

 

[Cathryn]

All this is cracking advice! Nothing to add but lots of cheering over here!