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

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!!

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]

Originally Posted by 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

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

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.

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.

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?

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...5f0f2c4&_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.