The Wolds Way Tour

BridlingtonBiker

Hi all. I finished building my touring bike in 2015 but it's taken me a couple of years to get a rack, panniers, tent etc oh and had a baby in between. I'm planning to do my first tour sometime in the next couple of months and I've chosen the Wolds Way cycle route basically because it's a circular route and it passes my front door. I could do with some advice.

It's 146 miles which I'm thinking of doing in two days. Firstly is two 72 mile days back to back a bit optimistic since I've never ridden a loaded tourer before? Secondly if I cycle the router clockwise then the first day is relatively flat and the second hilly. Counter clockwise is obviously the opposite. Am I better hitting the hills on day one with fresh legs, or day two when I'm carrying less food on the bike.

Here's the bike by the way. It's got an alfine 11 hub gear with a 42 front and 23 rear gear. 700 x 32c tyres;

webboo

I think you will struggle on a few of the climbs with 42 x 23. I did this in a day a few years ago starting and finishing in Market Weighton going anti clockwise. I rode it with 34 x 28 and had to stop for a pause on Leavening Brow and the climb past Robert Fullers gallery out of Thixendale. Also Trundlegate, one out of Hunmaby, and Fordon would be hard on that gear unladen.
However going clockwise the climb out of Kirkham Abbey, Settrigton bank, Kirby Grindalythe and out of Foxholes will see you walking.

BridlingtonBiker

I don't think you're taking the hub gear into account. In first gear one pedal rotation gives about 0.96 wheel rotation

webboo

I've no idea how it works but will it be a low enough gear for 16/17% climbs with camping gear.

BridlingtonBiker

So the hub gear essentially makes it look like I've got a 42 chainset and a 44 rear sprocket. I've been up a lot of those climbs in the past with higher gearing but not fully loaded. I can see I'm going to add ten to twelve kg in luggage but I maybe need to trial pack it and see

ugo.santalucia

Webboo wrote:

I've no idea how it works but will it be a low enough gear for 16/17% climbs with camping gear.

Yes, in road terms he has a compact front with a 34 rear sprocket or something similar... it's almost the same as having a triple chainset

webboo

You should be fine. I did it in August 2013 in 9 hours 29 mins riding time 10 hours 20 mins total and that include getting lost a couple of times and doing a detour to avoid the off road bit near Newbald due to being on my best bike. I used to live in Newbald and have ridden and walked that bit quite a lot and it's not really suited to a carbon road bike.
I got cramp towards the end in my quads which is why I needed to have a pause on the climbs mentioned above. I did it on Thursday and for the most apart from the towns I hardly saw a soul. The hardest bit as I remember was riding to the RSPB site at Bempton as it was block headwind.
It will be great.