Southampton to Bristol...

[livpoksoc]

I posted a thread a few months back about looking into a ride for my company & my company have come back saying maybe to look at a 1-2 day ride. We have two sites, one in Bristol & one in Southampton and I was looking at Google Maps cycling routes which threw up these two routes:

http://maps.google.co.uk/maps?hl=en...WU&biw=1920&bih=979&um=1&ie=UTF-8&sa=N&tab=wl

http://maps.google.co.uk/maps?hl=en...WU&biw=1920&bih=979&um=1&ie=UTF-8&sa=N&tab=wl

Can anyone offer any guidance on plotting & planning a cycling route such as this event I may have to plan & also how to run things like logistics (plotting, marking, support vehicles etc. etc. etc.). Any guidance would be greatly appreciated.
Cheers

 

[Banjo]

It depends on how many cyclists will be taking part and their level of experience/self sufficiency out on the road.A small group of 10 or so can just ride as a group larger numbers will require more organizing.

Your map links dont show a route ,just a marker in bristol.

 

[Spartak]

If you go via Bradford on Avon, you can then ride all the way to Bristol on mostly dedicated cycle paths.
B - on - A to Bath via the canal path & once across Bath you can travel to Bristol on the old Railway path.

 

[livpoksoc]

Apologies, try this link:

http://maps.google.co.uk/maps?saddr...rLkjg&dirflg=b&mra=ltm&t=m&z=9&lci=bike&via=1

 

[livpoksoc]

If you go via Bradford on Avon, you can then ride all the way to Bristol on mostly dedicated cycle paths.
B - on - A to Bath via the canal path & once across Bath you can travel to Bristol on the old Railway path.

Is this suitable for road bikes? I assume most participants will be on road tyres etc.

 

[livpoksoc]

It depends on how many cyclists will be taking part and their level of experience/self sufficiency out on the road.A small group of 10 or so can just ride as a group larger numbers will require more organizing.

Your map links dont show a route ,just a marker in bristol.

I would assume it'll likely be 20 participants max, I am comfy that we can set up 3 stations en route to fill up bottles/lunch break. Just wondering how easy/viable it is to get a mobile repair van in case of any chain breaks etc. will have to say that punctures need to be done on the side of the road.

20 cyclists can be achieved, but with varying levels of fitness they are unlikely to ride in a pack so I guess it could be done with the 3 marked stations, one mobile repairs van working on a call out & one van at the back to follow the last cyclist home.

 

[Spartak]

Is this suitable for road bikes? I assume most participants will be on road tyres etc.

The Bath - Bristol cyclepath is ok for road bikes.

B-on-A to Bath canal path could be ridden with care - I've done it without any problems but it is rough in places

 

[livpoksoc]

The Bath - Bristol cyclepath is ok for road bikes.

B-on-A to Bath canal path could be ridden with care - I've done it without any problems but it is rough in places

lol ok, might have to use a day or two to reccy the route...claim it on work time of course :P

 

[coffeejo]

If I was organising a ride like that for my cycle group, we wouldn't have any feed stations or support vehicles. Your route says 85 miles: can easily be done in one day or two, depending on fitness. Everyone rides together and if it gets spread out, regroup at the top of hills and junctions.

 

[livpoksoc]

Thanks to those who replied, I've had discussions with work who are happy to go ahead.

The ride will be from Bristol to Southampton and to negate the issue of varying fitness levels, we're allowing cyclists to enter as teams of 4 to do 20~ mile legs to hopefully get more uptake
With regards to the route, can anyone recommend any routes/roads/paths to use or avoid between these two destinations.
I'd like to go via bath and also stonehenge if it's feasible.

As always, any guidance members can give is greatly appreciated.