Best type of bike for C2C route?

diamondbacker
diamondbacker Posts: 224
edited March 2010 in Routes
I'm planning on doing the C2C route from Sunderland to Whitehaven and return soon and am unsure which bike I should take.

I have a Carrera road bike and a Diamondback mountain bike. Which of these is best suited to the route (never having been the full distance before only small sections of it), or would a hybrid be a better bet?

Comments

  • James Latham
    James Latham Posts: 170
    I did the coast to coast on a road bike with skinny tyres last year. Definitely use a mountain bike with semi slicks

    most people will be on mountain bikes, there was only us and a couple of others from 100+ riders when I did it.

    good luck
  • G Cubed
    G Cubed Posts: 18
    Did it a couple of years ago on my Cube full suss , all the rest of our group were on mountain bikes bar one who had a hybrid ( he bypassed the off-road sections ) Would also advise taking a MTB as you really want to do the Old Coach Road , and last ( or first ) section up the old incline and down into Sunderland at end . We did it over 3 days with pub stops on the way. Really good fun , can recommend overnight stops if you like . Basically anything will do it , Malcolm in our group took his 22 pound bike , and I dont mean that was what it weighed , thats really what it cost . :) . it was probably the most reliable out of all the bikes.( apart from my Cube :lol: )
  • G Cubed
    G Cubed Posts: 18
    Got some pics on my mates Flickr page , he did support / bagage transfer . Search for C2C and look for gwagenrallye's photos ( sorry don't know how to link to flickr from this forum .
  • diamondbacker
    diamondbacker Posts: 224
    If you can reccommend a good B&B in Keswick for cyclists it would be a good help. Cheers!
  • nunoncastors
    nunoncastors Posts: 4
    Did the C2C last summer on a Specialized Hard Rock with some panniers slung on the back and I'd say, if you're planning on doing the Old Coach Road, a MTB is most definitely the way to go.

    That said, I'm considering doing it again on a road bike without all the kit I didn't need and, with the exception of the ride down from the top of Winlatter, I think that'd suffice. Then again, MTB gearing doesn't half help on some of the hills. The climb coming out of Stanhope (or was it Rookhope) was an absolute bugger.

    I even wrote a crappy blog about it.
  • G Cubed
    G Cubed Posts: 18
    Diamondbacker - sorry don't know of any good B&Bs in Keswick , our first stop was in Penrith, I can recommend The Caledonia Guest House ( See Tripadvisor ) , very welcoming hosts , stuck our clothes in the dryer and stuffed our wet shoes with newspaper when we arrived soaking wet . Good for pubs and food , try the posh Indian nearby , it was busy but they gave us a menu and took our phone number then called us when a table was ready as we nipped down the road to a wee pub . Yes the climb out of Rookhope is a good one , its up the old incline and seeing as we stayed in the pub at the foot of it ,it was a challenge after a full breakfast and attempting to empty the Guiness barrel the night before. We were celebrating the fact that this was the night before the final days cycling and had checked the graph for the final run down into Sunderland and found it was almost competely downhill after the climb out of Rookhope , Full suss bike good for flying over the old railway line at the top of the incline :lol:

Categories