Cycling the Tour de France

[chris__P]

Hi. I am new here, and I'm sorry to be asking the typical newbie question for advice on what bike to buy, but I've had a search and my question hasn't been answered before.

My question is this - what bike would you buy if you were going to cycle the Tour de France route? The whole lot, from start to finish. 3,500 km in 23 days?

It is a situation I find myself in currently. I am going to be attempting to complete the Tour this June, one month before the pros. I know very little about bikes. I am just a determined chap who had a really, really stupid idea.

Anyway, obviously it needs to be light, but I think the most important thing is reliability. I don't care how long each stage takes, but it has to last 2000 miles in 3 weeks without breaking down. So I guess I'd like to know what are the most reliable road bikes out there

Thanks

Chris

 

[jimboalee]

Wow.

There are very few who would announce this publicly.

This adventure might cost you the best part of £10,000

Bike - yeh, light. They are possible to build sub 14lb.

Support crew - You WILL need some people to help you along, mainly to boost inspiration. They will follow in a van with your spare bike. Try to recruit a physio, and someone who can prep your food. And someone who can fix your bike quickly.

Lodgings - get the best. Good food, good sleep and QUIET.

Spares. nearly everything.
One of those mountain descents can get through a set of brake blocks. - Rims get HOT !


Get in training. Those mountain passes are not like anything in the UK.

 

[fossyant]

Do you ride a bike much now....cos that is a big ask..... 100 miles a day...for 20/21 days....

 

[just4fun]

100 miles per day for 3 weeks for a novice cyclist i would think impossible. what is your current level of fitness?

 

[Ivan Ardon]

100 miles a day, over mountains, cols, passes. Don't forget that you'll be sharing the roads with other traffic, whereas the tour has the roads closed for it.

You've set yourself a stiff challenge that'll take more than just determination on your part.

Unless you're already a top end cyclist (and your admission that you know nothing of bikes suggests you're not) I'd suggest that you're dreaming.

 

[chris__P]

thanks guys

Jimboalee - yeah i was a bit nervous about announcing it on here. not sure the reaction i might get! i'm doing it with a couple of others coming over from Australia. We have a support crew sorted out, altho it is a little makeshift. I guess we are following the advice in your signature!

fossyant - i've done about 1600 miles so far this year. longest ride of 140 miles and i felt ok. the mountains are what scare me. i also broke my arm last week which has messed up my training plans somewhat - was meant to be training in the peak district last week. anyway, i'm not fast, but i keep going

 

[chris__P]

thanks just4fun and ivan. they were the responses i was worried about getting!

you are correct that i am dreaming - i just have a nasty impulse of acting on my dreams

 

[skwerl]

shitting hell! good luck

 

[Lazy-Commuter]

All power to you, good luck!! It's not something I would even contemplate doing but hey! live up to Jimbo's sig like you say.

 

[Ivan Ardon]

There's nothing wrong with having dreams and big plans, but doing the route of the tour would either demoralise you or kill you . The tour course is designed to be hard for, and sort the men from the boys amongst pro cyclists.

You'll need plenty of hill climbing practice, the Lake district and Snowdonia would be good practice areas. The thought of climbing Hardknott/Wrynose and Llanberis passes makes me wince, so a big up to you for wanting to do this.

How about something just as memorable, but more achievable? Especially that you've just bust your arm.

How about Lands End to John O'Groats, or the four corners - doable, affordable and certainly a challenge.

 

[fossyant]

1600 miles so far this year - from January 09....that's good going considering the weather.

As you've bust your arm, see if you can borrow a turbo trainer to keep the miles up.

If you've got support, I guess you won't need to carry too much clobber on the bike.

 

[postman]

I raise my hat to you.Sir.What a dream.

 

[just4fun]

i wasnt having a knock, i was just asking about your fitness levels as i see that as an immense challenge (and certainly an amazing thing to do.) From your post i wrongly thought you had only just started cycling. thats why i thought it impossible.
Good luck though.

 

[Soltydog]

Have a read of 'Riding High' by Paul Howard (he's a Leeds Utd fan, but dont let that put you off ) It will give you an insight to what it invloves

 

[jayce]

That is a mean task but i hope you get it all sorted and let us know how you have done,them hills a steep and long its no walk in the park by all means ,i love riding but thats not for me ,make sure you take plenty of cream for your rear end its gona be like a baboons arse,red and bulbus ha ha good luck