Devon Coast to Coast by Road Bike?
CakeLovinBeast
Posts: 312
Hi all,
Later on this year, I was looking to take on a significant challenge of riding ~600 miles in 7 days, but due to work & family commitments, it's looking like that is going to fall on it's ar*e. I'm fine with the fitness aspect of things - I'm just not going to have enough leave to take. So, instead of all that, I'm looking for a slightly more abbreviated challenge. The idea I have is two century sportives, plus two coast to coasts (the Devon C2C and Whitehaven-Sunderland), but each of the coast to coasts will be done in a day (each coast to coast in a day, not both in a day!)
Everything I've read on the Devon C2C seems to suggest that the route takes in a significant section of cycletrack/possible off-road. In the interest of getting things done as quickly (and as puncture-free) as possible, I'd rather stay off the gravel and on the roads. Has anyone got any experience of the route, or has ridden an alternative, entirely on-road route that they could share with me?
Cheers!
Later on this year, I was looking to take on a significant challenge of riding ~600 miles in 7 days, but due to work & family commitments, it's looking like that is going to fall on it's ar*e. I'm fine with the fitness aspect of things - I'm just not going to have enough leave to take. So, instead of all that, I'm looking for a slightly more abbreviated challenge. The idea I have is two century sportives, plus two coast to coasts (the Devon C2C and Whitehaven-Sunderland), but each of the coast to coasts will be done in a day (each coast to coast in a day, not both in a day!)
Everything I've read on the Devon C2C seems to suggest that the route takes in a significant section of cycletrack/possible off-road. In the interest of getting things done as quickly (and as puncture-free) as possible, I'd rather stay off the gravel and on the roads. Has anyone got any experience of the route, or has ridden an alternative, entirely on-road route that they could share with me?
Cheers!
Twitter: @FunkyMrMagic
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Comments
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I ride two of the off road sections fairly regularly on a hybrid with two kids on a tandem tag-along...
Plymouth - Clearbrook follows the Plym Valley railway line and is a gentle (almost imperceptible) climb over approx 10km up onto dartmoor. Tarmac surface with short sections of fine hard packed gravel. Shortly after the tunnel (it's a couple of hundred metres and poorly lit so you'll need lights) you can continue on a rough track up a steepish climb to clearbrook (too rough for a road bike) or switch to the road for a steepish climb to Clearbrook.
Granite Railway (Okehampton - Lydford) flat and easy going for most of this section although I seem to remember as you leave the off-road cycleway to get onto the road it's steep and a bit gravelly for a short distance until you hit tarmac.
You cross several viaducts which give great views of the valley's
All off road sections I have done are easily ridable on a road bike your main problem will be maintaining a reasonable speed while trying to dodge walkers and numpties with two kids on tandem tag-alongs0
