London to Edinburgh, then John O Groats to Lands End!

sainttomm

Hi Everyone

I'm planning my first big cycle tour for this summer, and was looking for some general advice. The plan is to cycle up to Edinburgh from my home in London (relatively easily over about 9 days). After spending August in Edinburgh for the festival, the plan is for me and my friend to get the train up to JOG and cycle down to Lands End over the course of a month.

Anyway, here are my questions:

1. I've not got much time, but a bit of advice on bike choice would be really useful. I'll need one that can take me and my luggage (on the back, in panniers) on the >1500 mile trip with reasonable ease, speed and comfort. I've not had much experience with Road Bikes, having always had a mountain bike, but am pretty sure that would be unsuitable for this journey. Any thoughts? I've got a max budget of about £1000 for bike, panniers, equipment, gear, etc. Would be fine with a second hand bike if I can find one, but haven't had much luck on ebay or gumtree as yet. I'm 6'0, so am looking at around a 56cm frame i think. Been thinking about a Tricross Sport ("cyclocross" rather than "touring" bike??)... any thoughts on that?

2. Any advice anyone has on route planning... including where to go/not to go. I spoke to a friend who recommended using the route planner on Viamichelin.com (set to "bike") as the best way to plan decent routes on mainly B-roads.

3. Any more general advice on what to bring/not to bring? Any possible problems/pitfalls I may not have foreseen?


Thank you in advance for any tips you might be able to give!

Thanks,

Tom

1footedninja

Ive cycled from mine to colchester and back following the sustrans route and can vouch for it as a fairly quiet safe route, mine is in Grimsby and from there Ive also cycled upwards in the direction of Whitby and can vouch for that being an ok route once you get over the bridge and up abit then move over towards the coast at Scarbrough then follow the coast route up, I was going to carry on cycling up from there toward middlesbrough then up up up into geordie land and over towards Berwick in tweed and Lindesfarne, then shoot across and up slightly and into scottyland then on to edinburgh. Shouldnt be too bad on you. I had it planned at 30/40 miles a day with a fully laden bike (which is not too bad) and would have took me about 2 weeks so good luck on you doing it in 9 days.

oh and try and take as least as possible foodwise till you get into scotland and shops get a little more sparse but thats more up in the highlands. basically less is better Ive found over time as Ive jettisoned good kit because I simply got cheesed off carrying it! you end up knowing what kit you regualrly use and what to keep.

My regular kit is: bikebins on the back, waterproof gear, clothes just a few lightweight bits and some warmer stuff, some bike tools, nothing too big, a pot to eat from with lid, boil water in, small flask to put hot water in, a small cup that goes on top of flask, a gas bottle campgas one with small top thinjgy some hexamine tabs for back up, a few lighters stuffed all over the place, tiny can opener, army sleeping bag, small inflatable airbed thingy full of down - quite expensive, sun lotion, and mixed bits n bobs I shove in a handlebar bag, mozzy net etc, some babywipes, bogroll, a little collasible bowl thing so I can wash things etc if not got access to sink etc, a foam mat as well ( I get cold in my back easily from an old injury so have to be careful) 2 soft pannier bags which I can strap stuff to with raincovers. Everything else you can get as you go along foodwise even anything you just feel better having, never really use a torch but have one just in case,blah blah bored of talking now, just take what you think is a good idea to take, fek! take your kitchen sink if you can strap it on your bike with a few bungees

have fun

oh! forgot! homemade flapjack and bananas and fig rolls are your friends