West Yorkshire Cycle Route - a bridge too far?

iclestu

On my commute I pass a few of these signs with "West Yorkshire Cycle Route" written under the logo:



I did a little research on the web, sent off for the map/leaflet* and it turns out that this:

http://www.bikehike.co.uk/mapview.php?id=15929

is the route in question.

I have some holidays from work comming up and was considering having a go at this. Would be doing it over 2 - 3 days staying in B&B's for 1 night or 2, but it still seems like a LONG way.

My commute is 25.5 miles round trip, which I do 4 times a week (a recent week's absence through illness not withstanding) but I have only been cycling for a couple of months.

Is this too ambitious or should i just adopt the JFDI principle that got me cycling to work in the 1st place?

*excellent quality laminated map for a freebie btw! - based on OS landranger but with 'panels' following the route

Mike Healey

It is a long way (151 miles IIRC), but if you're commuting about 100 miles/week it should be doable in 3 days (only twice your daily commute per day).

Just make sure you've got low enough gears - some of the hills are pretty ferocious.

The eastern part of the route (Leeds, Wakefield areas) is reasonably flat(ish), so you might want to consider doing that last.

A few years ago 3 local vets with an average age of about 68 did it in one day as part of Leeds BikeWeek - took them about 18 hours, starting at 3 am!

iclestu

Mike Healey wrote:

...some of the hills are pretty ferocious...

Indeed - the elevation stats look terrifying to me!

Oh ... and having regulary witnessed the incomprehensible ease with which men who look like Yoda climb gradients in the most ridiculously high gears without even thinking about it certainally stops one falling into the "If a group of 60+ year olds can do it....." trap.

Thanks for your input Mike. Sounds like you know a bit about the route. Is it something you have done yourself in the past?

Mike Healey

iclestu wrote:

Mike Healey wrote:

...some of the hills are pretty ferocious...

Indeed - the elevation stats look terrifying to me!

Oh ... and having regulary witnessed the incomprehensible ease with which men who look like Yoda climb gradients in the most ridiculously high gears without even thinking about it certainally stops one falling into the "If a group of 60+ year olds can do it....." trap.

Thanks for your input Mike. Sounds like you know a bit about the route. Is it something you have done yourself in the past?

Modesty forbids me pointing out the handsome, white-bearded old guy in East Bradford CC strip on the front cover.

And no, I haven't done myself in in the past, which I would have done in my state of fitness if I tried it

downwardslide

iclestu wrote:

On my commute I pass a few of these signs with "West Yorkshire Cycle Route" written under the logo:

Whereabouts does the commute take you stu? I work not far from Boston Spa (Walton).

kamiokande

I've passed a few of those signs before, but I never realised it made up such a long route.

If you're doing 25miles 4 days per week it should be fairly easy to step up to 50 for three days on the trot or maybe even ~75 for two.

Could you tell me where you got the freebie map from?

iclestu

downwardslide wrote:

Whereabouts does the commute take you stu? I work not far from Boston Spa (Walton).

Not Boston Spa, I am afraid. It was just the only photo of the WYCR sign i could find on t'internet! I live just outside Barnsley and commute to just outside Wakefield.

iclestu

kamiokande wrote:

I've passed a few of those signs before, but I never realised it made up such a long route.

If you're doing 25miles 4 days per week it should be fairly easy to step up to 50 for three days on the trot or maybe even ~75 for two.

Could you tell me where you got the freebie map from?

I just emailed the address at the bottom of this page:

http://www.calderdale.gov.uk/leisure/sports/cycling/routes/westyorks-route.html

and they posted it out to me (took a week or 2 to arrive, mind you, but cannot complain for a freebie). I believe that they are available on request from leeds city council, libraries and tourist info places too. Dont think they will be displayed tho (they look too expensive to be a 'help youself' and seem more of a 'on request' type thing, but i may be wrong!)