Hello!! This is my first post... Well, me and a friend are doing a Blackpool to London Charity Cycle April 2013. And I was wondering if you had any tips, advice, training knowledge pointer's and need's, as we are both fairly new to the world of cycling! We have done it for a good few months now and REALLY enjoy it. Any replies will be great :-) Also any of you great people have any route's we could do as we are currently planning a few ourselves... The quickest, but most scenic route's being high up on our list!! But again any replies on this would be amazing!! Or just any input would help massively. Thank you. James :-)
Blackpool to London Charity Cycle
- Thread starter Jamesmfay
- Start date
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Nigelnaturist
Guru
- Location
- Pontefract
Hi good luck, this is just one I did on ridewithgps though to be far you probably wont like it, under the tunnel pick up the a41 down to the a5 then right down to Westminster.
Booyaa
Veteran
- Location
- South Staffordshire
Good luck mate. As far as training goes, my advice would be to get the miles in!
SportMonkey
Guest
Get big miles in, and have a look at the gradients you'll be doing. I'd try and avoid hills for that distance. I take it you're doing it in a day?
martint235
Dog on a bike
- Location
- Welling
Do you want a route from Blackpool to London or is that arranged for you? If not, I'd try to get to Buxton then ride through the Peak District down to Burton. Then on down towards Nuneaton and on to the A5. It's not as bad as it may sound and will bring you straight into the middle of London. It's reasonable flat which you'll need after the Peak District.
Other advice is eat. A lot. Then eat some more. I cycled London to Nelson in June and didn't eat anywhere near enough and that's where you get into trouble.
Other advice is eat. A lot. Then eat some more. I cycled London to Nelson in June and didn't eat anywhere near enough and that's where you get into trouble.
Nigelnaturist
Guru
- Location
- Pontefract
dang I read Liverpool, must put my glasses back on, new route, pretty much as martint says but this avoids Buxton, easy enough to divert if you want, though it takes you through Bolton. Manchester Stockport, it might be an idea to go down via Wigan Warrington Knutsford.
http://ridewithgps.com/routes/1850592/edit
But which ever way you go after Ashbourne theres nothing higher than about 500ft, just a copule one as you leave Ashbourne and another at Dunstable.
http://ridewithgps.com/routes/1850592/edit
But which ever way you go after Ashbourne theres nothing higher than about 500ft, just a copule one as you leave Ashbourne and another at Dunstable.
SportMonkey
Guest
Fixed the link.
Also, I'd avoid Ashbourne and take Warrington - Stoke - Brum as it's much flatter and you have more places to stop, then the latter half is much the same.
Thanks so much for all your replies!! All great input :-) We're planning a route one night this week so will put the replies to good use. We are planning it ourselves and are looking to do the cycle over 3 days. More replies welcome as it's all helping as we're amateurs (for now)!! Ha. Thanks. James
martint235
Dog on a bike
- Location
- Welling
If you're taking 3 days, I'd definitely try to build in the Peak District. It is tough but also beautiful cycling country. If you did it as first day to get to Buxton, second day through the Peaks to Nuneaton and then Nuneaton to London is seriously a doddle.
SportMonkey
Guest
If you want extra company I'm sure a few people on here may be willing to turn up and offer a back wheel, I'm quite happy to take a ride out in to the Peaks.
martint235
Dog on a bike
- Location
- Welling
As SportMonkey says, I'm sure people will be happy to help. I can always pop up the A5 to help bring you into London.
Hello James, this is also my first post and I believe you were planning a cycle from Blackpool to London. I wanted to know how it went as I am also planning on doing the same journey in August but not going quite as far as London as I live just outside St Albans. Can you let me know how you got on and whether the route you took was a good one !!
Thanks
Nick.
Sadly if you click on the profile for James you'll see he's not been on this site since jan 2013 so unlikely to help. Others may though.
