Anyone ever cycled London to Bristol

CiB

Kieran_Burns wrote:

CiB wrote:

Did part of it a couple of years ago on Royal Wedding Day, from Hungerford staying on the old A4 through through Marlborough, Calne and on as far as Cheltenham, as part of a longer ride - 102 mls that one. Really enjoyed it, not many hills to bother with and not much traffic, altho being RWD might have been a big factor there.

I thought all bikes were RWD?

Nope. I built a FWD bike once when I was about 12, with the front brake lever relocated to the cross-bar in a ludicrously stupid position and operating the rear wheel only. It worked, sort of. Leant it to a mate, he got pulled by the law riding to school [Gordon the village bobby on the lookout for that sort of thing] and was ordered to get off & walk. You can't buy experiences like that.

apreading

There are some 2WD bikes - I never realised...! http://www.gizmag.com/tretta-awd-bicycles/25203/

Or, better looking but still mad: http://machinedesign.com/recreation/all ... drive-bike

Kieran_Burns

You know when you tell a daft joke and it just blows up in your face?

itboffin

You've defo picked the perfect day for it, its 27C atm and barely a breeze here. I popped out early this morning for a quick 42 mile loop over much of that middle route and too my surprise they only gone and completely resurfaced most of the back lanes, only a few of them with gravel the rest pan flat tarmac

You lucky lucky barstward

enjoy and dont forget the Swan @ Wilton

itboffin

Well how did you get on?

anonymousblackfg

A bit manic this morning so a full ride report later. In short the route needed about 5 tweaks, out to bracknell I could have found some more leisurely roads, Wiltshire was bleak in parts and Bradford on Avon to Melksham was a bit main roadie. The two tunels were excellent but uselessly sign posted.

I had one quite amusing chat with a bloke in a car laying out a sportive course who couldn't figure what a man in Kignston kit was doing west of Newbury and still heading away from London.

(also my left side got the sun! no I need some big eastern jolly to even things up)

EDIT: have stuck it in ride reports....

itboffin

Did you change your route?
I thought you'd planned Shalbourne to Pewsey not Hungerford to Marlborough, i'd have told you that route is cack, well slightly more cack than the original route

elbowloh

itboffin wrote:

Did you change your route?
I thought you'd planned Shalbourne to Pewsey not Hungerford to Marlborough, i'd have told you that route is cack, well slightly more cack than the original route

Out Chase the Sun Route on Saturday included Shalbourne to Pewsey. Thought it was ok?

goonz

A mate of mine did Southend to Bristol. Insane.

anonymousblackfg

Nope, route as planned. The bit I thought was a bit cack was Devizes to Bath, I was ok'ish with the Hungerford to Marlborough bit. A mate suggested I should ride to mid wales in two weekends time but seems a proper made idea.

mudcovered

anonymousblackfg wrote:

Nope, route as planned. The bit I thought was a bit cack was Devizes to Bath, I was ok'ish with the Hungerford to Marlborough bit. A mate suggested I should ride to mid wales in two weekends time but seems a proper made idea.

What route did to take from Devizes to Bath? NCN4 (aka the canal towpath)? I know you diverted into the 2 tunnels and came up against the most rubbish signposting in the world. Sorry I forgot to warn you about that. Paradoxically from your description of going through a school that's actually the right route :roll: .

Mike

anonymousblackfg

No canal path, random B roads via Bradford on Avon, have a look on the map on page one for the exact route.

I need write to Sustrans about signage, if you're alread on the path coming fromthe SW you're fine, it's just trying to get on to it that's a gaggle of gash.

elbowloh

goonz wrote:

A mate of mine did Southend to Bristol. Insane.

Was that on Saturday?

We did Richmond Park to Burnham on Sea. 147 miles, then another 13 miles back to the YHA in Cheddar.

The descent of Cheddar Gorge is great. Best descent I've done in the UK.

elbowloh

anonymousblackfg wrote:

No canal path, random B roads via Bradford on Avon, have a look on the map on page one for the exact route.

I need write to Sustrans about signage, if you're alread on the path coming fromthe SW you're fine, it's just trying to get on to it that's a gaggle of gash.

We did the cycle path from Cheddar to Bath (via Bristol) on Sunday. Hated it. for almost all the way from Cheddar to Bristol it's gravelly and horrible for road bikes. Then from Bristol to Bath, its just bloody boring, but at least tarmacked. Got covered in insect bites too along the way.

mudcovered

anonymousblackfg wrote:

No canal path, random B roads via Bradford on Avon, have a look on the map on page one for the exact route.

I need write to Sustrans about signage, if you're alread on the path coming fromthe SW you're fine, it's just trying to get on to it that's a gaggle of gash.

Ah. If you had ignored the signage and stuck to your planned route across the A36 it would have been pretty straightforward. At a guess you came of the road from Bradford On Avon just before a set of traffic lights and then it all went pear shaped. The NCN signs at that point are confusing as there are 2 entirely different routes into bath at that point. Route 4 (canal towpath) which has been around for ever and the new 2 tunnels route. I'm not sure if the signage there has been updated to reflect that and even if it has it I'm pretty certain it doesn't indicate that one of the routes is via the 2 tunnels which would help non-locals a lot.

I can see why the Sustrans signage try to avoid the bottom of brassknocker hill. Its narrow and also quite steep which makes it a bit hairy on a bike even for the experience rider sometimes. For novices it would be downright scary.

Mike