Has anyone done the end to end cycle?

[Winder]

I have booked myself 3 weeks off in May next year with the hope of doing LEJOG (Lands End - John o Groats) cycle.
I have been doing my research for the last week and read through around 100 articles on different websites. It's a lot to take in.

I don't want someone following along in a support vehicle and staying in swank hotels as that sort of "credit card adventure" isn't for me and I couldn't afford it anyway.
I would prefer hostels and camping for sleeping arrangements and I want the quietest (least traffic) route as possible. I know people have done it in a week by slogging out mile after mile on A roads sucking it lorry fumes but again, that's not for me. If it could all be done on cycle routes and canals I would go for that no matter how hilly it is.

If any of you have done it before I would be interested in
•your training
•your route
•your daily mileage
•where you stayed
•what bike you used
•anything you would change/do differently

Thanks

Mark

[Jackie_Black]

I joked about doing this next year with one of my mates, it would be a great achievement so i'll be watching this thread closely! I fancied doing it on one of those odd looking recumbent bikes, they look far comfier than standard bikes!!

[The Idle Biker]

I read that May is the worse month to do it in and that Guinness should be abstained from for at least 6 months prior to starting.

Good luck!!!

[maviczap]

I have booked myself 3 weeks off in May next year with the hope of doing LEJOG (Lands End - John o Groats) cycle.
I have been doing my research for the last week and read through around 100 articles on different websites. It's a lot to take in.

I don't want someone following along in a support vehicle and staying in swank hotels as that sort of "credit card adventure" isn't for me and I couldn't afford it anyway.
I would prefer hostels and camping for sleeping arrangements and I want the quietest (least traffic) route as possible. I know people have done it in a week by slogging out mile after mile on A roads sucking it lorry fumes but again, that's not for me. If it could all be done on cycle routes and canals I would go for that no matter how hilly it is.

If any of you have done it before I would be interested in
•your training
•your route
•your daily mileage
•where you stayed
•what bike you used
•anything you would change/do differently

Thanks

Mark

My old boss and friend did it when he was 64, a pre retirement ride.

Training: miles, miles & more miles. Try and fit in some Audax or Sportive events

Route: There's several routes to do it (shortest, fastest etc), but usually South to North is the easier way because of the prevailing winds. The CTC website has these routes. I don't think you can do it on towpaths, the systrans network might cover some of the route. There are some really quiet roads on the route.

He did it as part of an organised event with pre booked guest houses at each stop so you knew how many miles you were facing each day. They had a support van in case of breakdowns or injury.

If you're camping you'll need a touring bike or mountainbike with pannier racks, probably front & rear depending on how much gear you're carrying, but if you use the option above, then you're ride might be more fun if you don't have to lug all that gear up hill and down dale. Plus packing up and setting up each could be a PITA.

Especially if you're doing between 80 - 100 miles per day, maybe less on hilly parts?

The timescale you've set aside is perfect, I think my boss did it in about 10 days with travel at either end.

I've just done a weeks cycling in the French Alps averaging about 50 miles per day, on roads not dissimilar to some you're going to be doing, so don't underestimate the amount of fitness you'll need.

Doing it as part of a group can help you through the rough parts & having a support wagon gives you reassurance if you get into trouble

[suzukigt380paul]

i know someone who did this a few years back for charity,and i think he took a week

[Winder]

Well after looking at hundreds of websites, blogs and places I would like to visit etc I have a rough outline of the route that will take MANY hours to finalise.

For the bike I'm looking for a 2010-2012 Ridgeback Voyage touring bike. A few second hand ones I'm going to view soon and if they aren't up to scratch I think I'll get one on the cycle to work scheme.

Camping has been binned as I can't be bothered pitching every night and packing every morning as mav said above so I will be using hostels and treating myself to a B&B with a bath roughly half way through.

Training will start mid November when I'm back on shift work and not on this pain in the ass course.
Work 23 miles away so will cycle there and get the train home for the first few weeks then it will be cycling there and back plus a long 75 mile +++ cycle on a day off work.

[mpsricky]

My old man does a lotta cycling, he has the ridgeback panerama (i think its called) model up from voyager. his cycling pal has the voyager. Your defo on the right sorta bike for the task ne way!!!

also if your wanted to keep cost down a decent two man tent only has about 2-3 poles and can be up in about 5 mins!! the old man usually stays in a mix of B&b's and camp sites depending on the availability where ever he is.

[EssexDave]

My advice is, right now forget everything except miles in the saddle.

A guy at work did it, and he said by the end of his 'base mileage training' he was doing 4 hours one day, 2 hours the next and repeating. Obviously this is a huge commitment and you could probably get the benefit by doing 2 big cycles a week, with 2 medium cycles, maybe a couple of shorter ones, and make sure you take one in three or four weeks off to recover. (This does not mean do other physical activities!)

I'd suggest building up to this level depending on your current cycling fitness. An idea of where you are might be helpful?

[mpsricky]

old man also mentioned get a really good saddle. he swears by Brooks saddle's such as

http://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/BROOKS-B17-S-LADIES-SADDLE-BLACK-NEW-SUIT-DUTCH-CITY-ROAD-TOURING-BIKE-/110963520196?pt=UK_sportsleisure_cycling_bikeparts _SR&hash=item19d5f0f2c4&_uhb=1

they do look uncomfortable but they so aren't they are really really comfortable.

might be worth a look.

[Dipper]

Got Brooks B17's on both my bikes, all day comfortable, beware though they take a few hundred miles to bed in.

[Winder]

EssexDave- my cycling fitness is average, VERY average. I am a mountain bike rider and runner so this sort long distance steady cadence cycling is all new to me. I can cycle hard on black routes for 3-4 hours at a time and usually do 2 or 3 runs a week (2x10km, 1xhill sprints) but I know this counts for nothing when training for distance cycling.

I couldn't find a touring bike in my budget just now so got a 1993 cannondale M500 rigid mountain bike from eBay for £70 to train on.

I want to get a solid base fitness down and build up slowly. Hopefully 6 1/2 months is enough time to do this.

I will be putting new brake pads and gear change cables on the bike tomorrow and possibly some new tyres with added puncture protection? when I have done more research.

Training will officially start on the 20th when I'm back on shifts but will be doing small rides from Monday.

[Winder]

Well if anyone's interested the training stage has begun.
The old cannondale has got some new bits on and is taking me to and from work.
The first day of 23 miles there and 23 miles back in the ice cold and pitch black was horrible. The route is 90% off road on a ridged mtb so my arms were vibrated to bits.
I will be changing the route to make it less "extreme" off road and more canal path type riding to prevent any sort of injury from severe vibrations as the pins and needles was starting to get on my nerves. I'm also thinking of putting a very small (60mm) travel fork on the bike to help with this but I'm concerned about adding too much weight.
Changing the tyres from 1.3 inch slicks to 1.5 inch armoured tyres with a tread has slowed the bike down quite a bit but I haven't had a puncture yet, unlike the old ones.
Planning has taken a back seat at the minute as I just want to get time in the saddle as suggested by Essex Dave.
Planning will continue in the new year and will most likely change to from LEJOG to JOGLE. But nothing is 100% as of yet.
Anyone free from 7th-26th of May next year for a bike ride???

[Dipper]

Now's the time to put in some serious steady miles, it doesn't matter what you're riding just try to get the distances in without stopping say twice weekly 60 or 80 milers should see your stamina increase, take plenty to drink and keep the carbs up. Would love to join you but I couldn't do it next year too much planned already.

[Ceri JC]

My brother in law did it earlier this year. Although he did it with support vehicles, staying in hotels, etc.

He cycles (only 15 miles there and back combined) to work each day and has done for 4-5 years. Prior to training for this, he had never done longer. In addition to the daily cycling, just under a year before doing it, he joined a cycle club of "serious" cyclists and rode in their Peloton on weekend rides varying between about 50-100 miles. He built this up to the stage he could do 120-140 miles in a day at the weekend without being absolutely dead the next day.

He found the actual event a lot easier than he thought it would be and realised that training with competitive cyclists had resulted in him having a comfortable, sustainable cruising speed of slightly higher than most people on the ride.

[Winder]

Thanks Ceri. I did have a look at my local cycle club and as you say it's full of "serious" cyclists. I'm really not one of the Lycra wearing, carbon fibre bike brigade I'm afraid and if I rocked up on a battered old mountain bike i would get some strange looks and i doubt I would be keeping up with anyone anyways.
I do fancy having a blast on one of these mega light bikes with super skinny rubber on but I enjoy canal paths and forests etc rather than sharing the road with cars.
Good to know that only 15 miles and back gave him a good base fitness for some serious mileage!