Coast to coast on an MTB, but which one?

[Andrew_Culture]

My brother in law has just run the 200 mile coast to coast path. He asked me if I fancy joining him next year if we do it on MTBs, which of course I do!

I currently have a BSO MTB but have been looking for an excuse to upgrade for a while. A lot of the path is quite tough going and there are sections on the moors when we might have to carry the bikes a fair bit.

I would also want lockout forks for the smoother sections of path.

If I look at a £1000 budget would that be realistic?

Any recommendations?

Have any cyclechat users done this route on a MTB? Is this a bad idea? If so can anyone recommend a route on which we could use road bikes?

 

[Deleted member 23692]

The 'coast to coast' is a walking route, following predominantly public footpaths (mixed with some tolerated trespass, thanks to Wainwright). You'd be hard pressed (and naughty) to cycle it.

You're not confusing it with the 'C2C' which is a cycleroute with on and off road options?

 

[Andrew_Culture]

Fair point! I shall look into the c2c routes, has anyone done any of these?

Still need a bike

 

[GrumpyGregry]

Will you be carting your own baggage or be supported in some way?

£1000 will buy you a lovely extremely capable hardtail XC mountain bike or a competent full-boinger. I'm a fan of Boardman, Spesh (though they are poor vfm these days), and Kona

I did Whitehaven - Tynemouth off road back in the very late 90's. On a rigid forked steel framed rockhopper. In the pouring rain. With luggage transported by taxis.

 

[Andrew_Culture]

Hopefully we'd be using the service that carts your baggage from one B&B to the next for you.

I like the look of the Boardmans, and most of that range seems to be good value for money.

 

[theloafer]

Fair point! I shall look into the c2c routes, has anyone done any of these?

Still need a bike

done it twice..last time june 2012 but not on mtb tourer good info here
http://c2c.freeforums.org/

 

[carolonabike]

I did it last year, it was great fun, we used https://www.sherpavan.com/ to move our luggage
They were excellent and it worked out at about £15 per head, an absolute bargain for the pleasure of having clean clothes to change into every evening.

 

[theloafer]

andrew .. found the post from june ... road route info..

well we all got back on wed night a little bit weary.. total mileage was 220.40 no probs with bikes not even one p***ture and best of all 10 mins of light rain at nenthead..​

sunday ride from carlisle down to whitehaven .we had to take the short route as when we arrived at newcastle st the train to carlise already had 9 bikes on so we had a 45 min wait for the next which ended up getting 8 bikes on (very helpfull staff) turned no one away ​

sunday.. http://connect.garmin.com/activity/188717232​

monday. http://connect.garmin.com/activity/188717207​

tuesday. http://connect.garmin.com/activity/188717152​

w/day.... http://connect.garmin.com/activity/188717099​

 

[Andrew_Culture]

andrew .. found the post from june ... road route info..

well we all got back on wed night a little bit weary.. total mileage was 220.40 no probs with bikes not even one p***ture and best of all 10 mins of light rain at nenthead..​

sunday ride from carlisle down to whitehaven .we had to take the short route as when we arrived at newcastle st the train to carlise already had 9 bikes on so we had a 45 min wait for the next which ended up getting 8 bikes on (very helpfull staff) turned no one away ​

sunday.. http://connect.garmin.com/activity/188717232​

monday. http://connect.garmin.com/activity/188717207​

tuesday. http://connect.garmin.com/activity/188717152​

w/day.... http://connect.garmin.com/activity/188717099​

Brilliant, thanks for this!