UK 150 mile intercity... in one day???

[rock_ten]

Hey dudes... I posted this in the touring section and they advised that it might be more relevant here instead.
Using MultiMap and MapMyRide.com I've devised a route from York to Birmingham. If you're not sure where those cities are, then here's a map:

http://img2.putfile.com/main/11/32604490877.jpg

This is about the best I can come up with:

http://www.mapmyride.com/ride/united-kingdom/york/238493030

Its 145 miles long, and I've tried many alternative routes at certain places and it all comes up within one or two miles of the same distance. According to route planners for car journeys, the best road route (with motorways etc) is 138 miles so 7 miles more while avoiding major roads isn't too bad, I guess.

I'd appreciate it if anyone is interested to zoom in (to about 10 miles being visable on the screen) and just scroll down (you can drag the map around) and check the route and give any feedback.

>Start and finish points aren't door-to-door, but just in the local area, but that's fine.
>The first 45 miles are on the National Cycle Network. After that, it goes off in a sub-optimal direction so I decided to plot it myself from then on.
>The final 7 miles or so are along canals, but if that point comes at night (and it will) then I'll use one of the many other routes into Birmingham, all pretty similar in distance.

The original plan, before I knew how far it was, was to ride it all in one epic December day. I'd be extremely happy if I could still do that and tbh I think I'm going to try it and just do it, however long it takes. If I got a good early start then I could ride for 14 hours or so and arrive in time for bed.
This ride would take place amidst total rest, or more specifically - I won't have to be riding on the days before or after it. Its not part of a tour, its just A-to-B.

My situation is described in this thread:

http://www.bikeforums.net/showthread.php?t=363031

And I still need a new bike anyway. So this ride would be done on some kind of touring/city/hybrid-type bike, not a racer or anything.

I cycle every day but have never been over 35 miles in a day before. I am in good shape generally and take lots of exercise, but nothing specific to long-distance cycling. However, I would not be trying to ride the route quickly and would hope to keep it at a level of exertion not much more than walking, which is reasonable, I think.

I will time myself along a known distance today to find what kind of speed seems normal to me, and report that here.

I'd appreciate any advice, suggests, or dissuasion..

Thanks a lot dudes

--Joe

[Bacciagalupe]

If you've never done more than 35 miles in one day, and plan to do this ride soon, jumping to 150 miles is a bad plan. Remember, you're talking about 12-15 hours on the bike. You're very likely to suffer overuse injuries after doing the ride.

Many people train for weeks before doing a 100-mile single-day ride. You also need time and experience on the bike to make sure your bike fits you, you've got a saddle that is good for those distances, how much to eat & drink on the ride, how to pace yourself for that distance and so forth.

If you have 8-12 weeks to train and you're in good shape, you'd probably be fine.

If you absolutely insist on doing this, I'd make sure you are reasonably close to a train line, so that you can bail if necessary.

[rock_ten]

If you have 8-12 weeks to train and you're in good shape, you'd probably be fine.

I have less than 4 weeks and don't have the bike yet :/

[Machka]

I'll just post what I said before here again ....


My tips on riding a century (100 miles) might help you out a bit since 35 miles is the longest you've done: http://www.machka.net/century.htm

And you might want to browse through the UltraCycling site: http://www.ultracycling.com/

And while you're reading, have a look at the Audax UK site: http://www.audax.uk.net/index2.htm

And add this ...

If the longest you've done is 35 miles and you're planning to do 140 in 4 weeks on a bicycle you don't have yet, your ride will be very difficult. I can almost guarantee you will be in pain by the end. There are two main reasons for gradually building up to a distance on the bicycle you are planning to use for the distance:

1) Set up ... gradually increasing your riding distance allows you to work on set up issues so you can get the bicycle just the way you want it so you can ride without pain.

2) Nutrition ... gradually increasing your riding distance allows you to experiment with food and beverages to find a combination that will work for you on a long distance.

You will need to do both of those in a very short period of time. When do you get your bicycle?

[supcom]

This is a recipe for disaster. Be sure to have the phone number for someone who will come pick you up about 50 miles from the start.

BTW, if, by some unlikely chance (stranger things have happened) that you manage to complete this, you'll need some good lights that have a long run time. Much of your journey will be in darkness.

[ken cummings]

If you live near the finishing town go by Bridgetown Cycles and talk to the Taylors. One of them wrote a book on long distance cycling and another holds the Womens' Record for Lands End to John O'Groats. If you are going to ignore the advice given here consider a personal sag to stay with you.

[Machka]

There's another thing to consider too ... the time of year.

December in England isn't December in Canada (although this year might be different ... we're having an unseasonably warm and dry (no snow) winter so far). Nevertheless, I know you can get snow in the midlands, and I know you can get some rather chilly temps.

Also, as supcom mentioned, most of your ride will be in the dark, and when it is dark it can get cooler, and frost can form on the roads.

Are you familiar with this site ... it'll tell you exactly how much of your ride will be in the dark:
http://www.timeanddate.com/
4 weeks from now is the shortest day of the year. In Birmingham, the sun will rise at 8:16 am and set at 3:55 am. If you start your 14 hour ride at 5 am, you'll ride approx. the first 3 hours in the dark, then you've got approx. 8 hours in relative light, and the last 3 hours will be back in the dark again. Get reflective gear, get good lights front and back, and get tires with traction. Have you ridden in the dark?

It's not December yet, but I see that you're experiencing overnight lows close to the freezing point (0C), and highs of about 10-12C. And it looks like there's a lot of rain in the immediate forecast. I'm guessing that late December will not be any warmer than that.

Have you ridden in the rain? Have you ridden in cold? Have you ridden in snowy or frosty conditions?

Cold takes a lot out of you. Most riders ride slower when the temps get down around the freezing point, so it is entirely possible your ride could take you longer than planned.

Also, you have to take clothing into consideration. One of the WORST conditions for hypothermia is about 5C (40F) and raining ... I've been there ... it sneaks up on you because it's not really all that cold, just a little bit uncomfortable with all the rain, and next thing you know you're shivering uncontrollably, speaking and thinking incoherently, and debating about throwing up somewhere. Do you have the clothing you need to ride that distance in those sorts of conditions and not become hypothermic? Do you have a Plan B if you do start experiencing symptoms of hypothermia?

Just a few things to take into consideration.

[rock_ten]

When do you get your bicycle?

Whenever I decide one one :/

Trek T30 (http://www.biketrax.co.uk/products.php?plid=m1b0s18p832) or Raleigh Pioneer Metro LX (http://www.discountbicycles.co.uk/biz/product.php?xProd=4187&xSec=4), are the two main choices.
Yea they're both cheap, probably both ****, and bad bikes for a ride like this...
The Raleigh has verrrry thin-looking tyres.. "28c", does that mean anything? My current bike (an old Raleigh Pioneer) has much wider ones, not sure what though. Thin tyres on icy ground = ****, I know that much.

Oh and there's this one (http://www.discountbicycles.co.uk/biz/product.php?xProd=88&xSec=406). If I remember correctly it felt awfully heavy when I picked it up at the shop.
All the bikes are here in shops so I can sit on them and stuff. No chance of a test-ride really, though.

There's also the Ridgeback Speed and Meteor.

Supcom - I won't have anyone available to pick me up, but my route is close to major cities which are nodes on the train route between York and Birmingham, so if I have to I could go to them. I will try to alter the route plan to come closer to those cities, in case I have to use them.

ken cummings - I live in York at the moment

Machka - I've ridden in all **** conditions, but only a few miles at most. My few long rides have been in nice weather. Ice or snow is a big concern. What I would try to do is select the best-looking day out of a window of 3 or 4 and do it then, to try to avoid the worst conditions. I realise that this is the very worst time of year to attempt a stunt like this :(

I have a question about clothing - people suggest tight lycra and stuff - is "loose" clothing a big problem when cycling? Apart from drag and flapping around, does it rub on your skin a lot?


A big concern at the moment is the bike. If I get one, that's how I'm going to be riding it, tbh. I could make minor adjustments like the saddle and handle-bar heights, but that's about it.

Thanks for now, dudes. I appreciate the replies. You'll hear a lot more about this yet! I'll look at bikes again today.

[rock_ten]

Hey dudes. I've just been playing with MapMyRide again and have an alternative route which is 140 miles, so omfg 5 miles shorter than before, but it goes much closer to cities. Its a "safe" option.

I go right past a city that's on my train line at 45m, 70m, 100m, then at 135m I'm close enough to get a local bus the rest of the way.

The route is probably not as nice as the other one, but its still not on huge roads much.

Hmm, I need to consider the elevation tbh. There's some real ups and downs.

[dpr]

Im sorry perhaps I have missed something, but why are you doing that distance and why must it be in 4 weeks? It appears you've designed the route yourself, so can I rule out organised rides e.g. charity events?

[mercurykev]

Rock Ten

If I was you I'd post your query on ACF, a British cycling forum that attracts a lot of long distance cyclists. http://www.anothercyclingforum.com/index.php They might be able to suggest a good route. However, a ride of possibly 15 hours, in midwinter, on a cheap hybrid bike is a bit of a tough prospect. Have you thought about the clothing you'll be wearing?

[Machka]

Machka - I've ridden in all **** conditions, but only a few miles at most. My few long rides have been in nice weather. Ice or snow is a big concern. What I would try to do is select the best-looking day out of a window of 3 or 4 and do it then, to try to avoid the worst conditions. I realise that this is the very worst time of year to attempt a stunt like this :(

I have a question about clothing - people suggest tight lycra and stuff - is "loose" clothing a big problem when cycling? Apart from drag and flapping around, does it rub on your skin a lot?


A big concern at the moment is the bike. If I get one, that's how I'm going to be riding it, tbh. I could make minor adjustments like the saddle and handle-bar heights, but that's about it.

Thanks for now, dudes. I appreciate the replies. You'll hear a lot more about this yet! I'll look at bikes again today.

A few miles at most in bad conditions is VASTLY different from riding 140 miles in bad conditions. You can make mistakes with your gear (clothing, etc.) if you're only going a few miles ... you can't make mistakes if you're doing long distances. The thing is, I can give you suggestions, but you have to experiment and know for yourself what works and what doesn't. In other words, you have to get out there and ride in various conditions with various clothing combinations.

Nevermind ice and snow ... think about frost. You might pick a nice sunny, relatively warm day, but because your ride will start before sunrise and end well after sunrise, you could be riding on frost for the first few hours, and start riding on frost again toward the end.

Your question about the clothing concerns me. It suggests you're going into this without a good idea of what you're getting yourself into. Yes, flapping clothing will chafe and become annoying. But if it is quite cold you do want some strategic looseness in the clothing. Do you hike or play other sports outside in various weather conditions? Have you been over to the winter forum to have a look around at some of the questions and answers there?

And how about mechanics ... can you change a tire? Do minor repairs? Do you have the tools for both?

I also hope you've gone out for a 40-50 mile ride this weekend to help you prepare.

[Rowan]

This is another Flic saga in the making.

Pull up your seats, get out the crisps and crack a beer. This could be as equally if not more entertaining.

[DanielS]

Why not set yourself this as a goal to do next year sometime? And in december try and ride a shorter distance - e.g. 75 miles (half). Then a couple of months later go for a century. Then do your 150 later on. You have a much greater chance of succeeding and the intermediate distances will improve your confidence. And you can work out issues with bike fit, clothing, nutrition, hydration etc.

[rock_ten]

Im sorry perhaps I have missed something, but why are you doing that distance and why must it be in 4 weeks? It appears you've designed the route yourself, so can I rule out organised rides e.g. charity events?

I'm going to Birmingham for Christmas. So it has to be kind of 17-20th December that I go.
You're right that it is entirely of my own conception, and its not for charity or anything. Maybe I should get sponsors for it though? People only like that if I was riding on some kind of unusual bike.

mercurykev - thanks for the link

Machka - I've spent time in the mountains and stuff, skiing and walking.. and other "outdoors" kind of stuff, so I won't be completely shocked by poor weather, but I completely agree with your suggestion that I wouldn't really know what is right for the conditions until I try it. As I have no experience whatsoever of long-distance cycling, or any kind of competitive/organised cycling, my only knowledge of suitable clothing is what I see people wearing. A lycra set covered in sponsors' logos probably won't be appropriate or neccessary, but then nor will Jeans and big coat.
I'd get reflective stuff to wear, too, like a waistcoat and armbands.

Mechanics - I've repaired my share of punctures over my time cycling, so could handle that (or actually just changing the tube in this case). I'm not completely ignorant of "how bikes work" but I'm no expert. I have volunteered a couple of times to help out at a place that does up on bikes, to get experience from just stripping them down and stuff, but they don't seem to want me :/
I have some tools, but I'd certainly go prepared with regards to that.

A ride this weekend? Not on my current bike, haha. I rode 12 miles today just around town and stuff, its funny how quickly the distance adds up. I had to stop twice to tuck a broken and bent spoke back into the plane of the wheel to stop it hitting the frame. Until I get a new bike, long rides are going to be a problem.
Well, I guess I *could*. It still goes ok, just no brakes or anything. I'll see about it. I went to another bike shop today but they had nothing. There's two more I'll visit tomorrow, and hopefully I'll choose something pretty soon.

Rowan's sig - Dream. Dare. Do.

^ exactly

DanielS - That's a sensible thing to do, or do it over 2 days, but its SUCH a step down from the awesome of doing it all in one day. I fear that I'm just going to try this whatever happens. I will have to reserve final judgement until I've tried some long rides and seen how easy/hard they are.


Thanks dudes!

--Joe

[Machka]

I'm going to Birmingham for Christmas. So it has to be kind of 17-20th December that I go.
You're right that it is entirely of my own conception, and its not for charity or anything. Maybe I should get sponsors for it though? People only like that if I was riding on some kind of unusual bike.

Yeah, a 140 mile ride isn't that unusual, especially in the UK ... not enough for sponsorship.



Machka - I've spent time in the mountains and stuff, skiing and walking.. and other "outdoors" kind of stuff, so I won't be completely shocked by poor weather, but I completely agree with your suggestion that I wouldn't really know what is right for the conditions until I try it. As I have no experience whatsoever of long-distance cycling, or any kind of competitive/organised cycling, my only knowledge of suitable clothing is what I see people wearing. A lycra set covered in sponsors' logos probably won't be appropriate or neccessary, but then nor will Jeans and big coat.
I'd get reflective stuff to wear, too, like a waistcoat and armbands.


Get padded bicycle shorts, and tights ... then go with wool and polypro for your feet, hands, head, and torso. Don't forget your rain gear.



A ride this weekend? Not on my current bike, haha. I rode 12 miles today just around town and stuff, its funny how quickly the distance adds up. I had to stop twice to tuck a broken and bent spoke back into the plane of the wheel to stop it hitting the frame. Until I get a new bike, long rides are going to be a problem.
Well, I guess I *could*. It still goes ok, just no brakes or anything. I'll see about it. I went to another bike shop today but they had nothing. There's two more I'll visit tomorrow, and hopefully I'll choose something pretty soon.

The sooner you get riding ... the better you'll feel on your long ride.



DanielS - That's a sensible thing to do, or do it over 2 days, but its SUCH a step down from the awesome of doing it all in one day. I fear that I'm just going to try this whatever happens. I will have to reserve final judgement until I've tried some long rides and seen how easy/hard they are.


Don't get too set on doing the ride in one day. Sure, you might be able to do it, but with the amount of cycling experience you currently have and the conditions you could be cycling in, there's a good chance you'll finish the ride in bad condition. And then you may never want to do another long ride again. I've seen it happen. It would be better to do two (or more) somewhat shorter "long" rides and cover the distance feeling relatively good ... and then do the whole distance later when you've trained for it.



Thanks dudes!


FYI - One of these "dudes" is female.

[Rowan]

Even down the incredibly banal use of "dudes"... yes, another one just like our Flic. So incredibly alike... even she pointed to exactly the same thing about my sig.

Quick, pass me another beer! I'm enjoying this...

[rock_ten]

Thanks Miss Machka, ma'am.

Rowan - what is ths Flic story?

[Rowan]

I'm not going to do your dirty work for you. Use the search function.

In fact, I reckon you'd find, if you did the genealogy thing, that you and Flic probably have family connections somewhere back in England... before they started to export convict to the Antipodes. Your stories are so uncannily and misguidedly alike.

Oops! Finished that bowl of crisps. Better get another packet from the kitchen, thanks Honey.

[mattm]

they say you can do about double the distance of your longest previous route - on that note, you (rock_ten) should be able to knock out a ~75 miler in a day, for training, before your big ride.

once you've done 75 miles in one day, next up is 150! just bring enough water/food to keep you going, that's a long time in the saddle. i did 206 miles (in one day) this past summer, but before that there were lots of training centuries and a 120-mile day. and i made it! (seattle to portland fyi)

i'm not saying it'll be easy, but if you do a 75-miler in training, you should be good to go on the big day.

oh yeah, and google "chamois buttr" and buy some. you'll need it.

[Machka]

they say you can do about double the distance of your longest previous route - on that note, you (rock_ten) should be able to knock out a ~75 miler in a day, for training, before your big ride.



Actually ... what "they" say is if you can comfortably do 2/3 of a distance, you can do the whole distance. So if you feel comfortable with 100 miles, you can do 150 miles.

Now, by the time you get up to feeling comfortable with centuries (100 miles) you can start knocking off much longer distances, but in the OP's case, he would do well to start building up his distances ASAP if he's going to have a chance of feeling remotely comfortable on 150 miles ... otherwise I predict a great deal of pain and discomfort.

He'd also do well to start reading some of the links I posted in my 4th post, if he hasn't already.

[rock_ten]

I've read everything that's been posted, Machka - and am continuing to read around. This "project" has my full attention at the moment!

Since I last posted on here I have changed the route and saved 10 miles on the first stretch, haha. What was I thinking, using the National Cycle Network before dawn? It would be a slow and muddy disaster. Instead, I'll shoot down an A-road which should be quiet at 4am.
I can get the route down to about 125-130 miles at the moment, which is nice.

Yesterday I wrote this:

I spent all day today riding around different bike shops. I covered about 17 miles just doing that, hah. I barely made it home... my back wheel now has six broken spokes :/

I rode 3 different bikes:

Ridgeback Meteor/Comet (apparently the same but one comes equipped):
http://www.ridgeback.co.uk/index.php?bikeID=21&seriesID=39&show_bike=TRUE

There's also the Ridgeback "speed" which is the next one down. The shop staff advised against it, suggesting that the better components in the more expensive Meteor would benefit me...

Then the Raleigh Pioneer, http://www.raleigh.co.uk/bikedetails.aspx?ID=5261

And a Claud Butler Classic: http://www.falconcycles.co.uk/CORP/cb/classicM.html

They all felt nice, compared to my current bike, and all had a very different riding position. The handlebars are adjustable up and down and also in tilt, which is good. Out of those three, the Ridgeback felt/seemed the best quality, the other two just giving a feel of slight cheapness, you know what I mean. Its hard to say, though.

The shop staff have been good generally, and none have said, of a competitor's choice of brands, that they're rubbish and I shouldn't get it. They all acknowledge that there's fairly equivalent options around and its just a toss up between them really. My favourite was the dude with the Raleigh, he liked me York--->Birmingham plan, and said we'd get the bike back into the shop a couple of days before I go and tune it up and stuff. And he said he'd throw in some freebies if I decided to get it

The Ridgeback shop offers a Year's free servicing too, though.


I'm waiting for one shop to get my size of ridgeback in and then I'll test-ride it.

Some are saying I should get a 19" frame and some are saying more like 23"!!! I'll have to just see what sizes my chosen bike comes in.

--Joe

[supcom]

they say you can do about double the distance of your longest previous route - on that note, you (rock_ten) should be able to knock out a ~75 miler in a day, for training, before your big ride.

once you've done 75 miles in one day, next up is 150! just bring enough water/food to keep you going, that's a long time in the saddle. i did 206 miles (in one day) this past summer, but before that there were lots of training centuries and a 120-mile day. and i made it! (seattle to portland fyi)

i'm not saying it'll be easy, but if you do a 75-miler in training, you should be good to go on the big day.

oh yeah, and google "chamois buttr" and buy some. you'll need it.

For the OP, 75 miles would be more than double his longest single day distance. Time is running out to train up to a 75 mile preparation goal.

Even then, going from 75 miles to 150 is not like increasing from 35 miles to 75. The longer distance requires nutritional and psychological training in addition to physical adaptation.

[The Smokester]

rock ten,
I say "go for it". You sound young enough and cocky enough to survive anything you can start.

When I was in my early twenties a friend and I hopped on bikes (mine was a Rayleigh Record 10 speed) and headed north from the U of Toronto up to my parent's cottage on Georgian Bay. About 120 miles. Nothing resembling thought was used prior to leaving so you are way ahead of where we were. Carried nothing. I was experienced in the outdoors (as are you) but had been studying (almost no riding) and was totally out of shape. Rode through the night until a thunder storm hit us in Barrie and we sought refuge under a pine tree. It was a choice between the possibility of getting fried by lightning or hypothermia. Dawn broke on a lovely day and we finished the ride.

I hurt 'bad' for over half the ride but as my first long distance ride it is one of my most memorable.

If you've been mountaineering or skiing in foul weather then you probably can use most of the same clothing. Good mountain gear is layered, breathable and doesn't flap in the breeze too much. Your mountaineering experience will also guide you in what food to carry for when there are no stores or restaurants open...and your mountain experience should give you the mental toughness to keep going. I guess you are pressed for time but try and get a bit of aerobic exercise between now and the time you leave even if its not on the bike. Like running up the stairs or between appointments.

Get some good lights and experiment with them since you probably will need to ride some in the dark. Think about a minimal repair kit. How will you carry your minimal gear and extra layers? If it's cool enough just use a napsack...I know that's sacrilege but it will work fine. Just don't load it down.

Blitz this alpine style. You have the bail-out options of taking the train every thirty-five miles or you can stay at a road house for a night and then continue on the next day.

Sorry to not be a naysayer but this looks very doable to me.

[rock_ten]

The Smokester - thanks. I've been thinking about what clothes I'd take, and I probably have everything I'd want in that area. I'll dress up in it all for a ride one day and see how it feels.

I have all kinds of bike tools but no complete set or anything, so I'd probably get some new tools. I think I'd mostly need the right allen key for saddle/handlebar adjustments, tyre levers, puncture repair stuff, and a spanner. I'd take two spare inner tubes.

I've attached pictures of my panniers. They were my dad's back when he used to do cycle touring and stuff. I was planning to use those. I will be carrying about 7,000 calories of food, which is going to be around 2.5kg of food, plus up to 2kg of water at a time, my repair kit/spares, and also a few things I'll want during my stay in Birmingham (about 10 days). I have the opportunity to send some stuff ahead, so I'll have some clothes already there and won't have to take loads.

I'm hoping the bike shop will contact me tomorrow so that I can go and ride it then buy it.

--Joe

[john bono]

Given the time of year, and the short time frame, I don't think you're ready, either physically, or equipment-wise. As Machka has said, cold/wet can be a killer for you. In August, I was caught out unprepared in a 58 degree rainstorm on my 70 mile return leg, and the last 10 miles I was wet, freezing, hypothermic, and miserable--and this was for me, an easy 70 miler compared to what I usually ride, on a bike that is great for ld rides.

In your case, the conditions will be worse. First, you'll be riding in 40 degree weather, not 50 degree weather. Second, you'll be doing a distance which is four times longer than your longest ride ever. Third, you will be riding at least five hours in the dark. Fourth, the bikes you are looking at are not really LD bikes. They're commuters and hybrids, and not really set up to be ridden for hours at a time--Flat bars are not exactly a first choice for LD riders. You want multiple hand positions and an aerodynamic stance, not numb hands and a bricklike aerodynamics. Fifth, you have three weeks to break in any new bike you purchase. 70 miles from home is not the time to learn that the factory fubar'd the spoke tension, and that your cables have stretched to the point that you no longer have a granny gear on that giant hill.

If there is anyone to listen to here, listen to Machka, she's done more ld riding than anybody. If you are dead set on doing this ride, buy a touring bike or a relaxed road bike with drop bars(trek 520, spec sequoia, trek pilot, raleigh cadent). New if you can swing it, used if you can't. Get polypro and/or wool for insulation, synthetic/wool for a base layer(NO COTTON!!), wool/polypro socks and gloves, and rain gear. Also get a helmet cover and/or a hat. Hats are a low weight way to add insulation. Take two tubes and a patch kit. Take a tool kit with a chain tool, spoke wrench, and all the wrenches for every nut and bolt on the bike.

[palmersperry]

although this year might be different ... we're having an unseasonably warm and dry (no snow) winter so far[/I]).

Just as an aside, we actually had snow (okay all of about 5mm if that) last week here in York! :)

[palmersperry]

>The first 45 miles are on the National Cycle Network. After that, it goes off in a sub-optimal direction so I decided to plot it myself from then on.

I couldn't the website with your route on to work (crashed Safari every time), however if by NCN you're thinking of taking parts of the Trans-Pennine Trail then I should warn you that south of Selby it starts wandering around all over the place - it isn't all like the old railway line down to Riccall, you may be better off working a route of your own.

My experiences of cycling northwards upto York would suggest :-

If you're not on a major road, getting out of Nottingham is almost impossible due to lack of signposts.
At around 2300-0100 the A19, A1041 & A614 are really nice to cycle on - no cars! This timing might not be too wonderful for you though!
There's a piece of the NCN south of Worksop that dumps you in a pine forest without signs (I had to navigate by the sun to get out!).

[supcom]

The Smokester - thanks. I've been thinking about what clothes I'd take, and I probably have everything I'd want in that area. I'll dress up in it all for a ride one day and see how it feels.

I have all kinds of bike tools but no complete set or anything, so I'd probably get some new tools. I think I'd mostly need the right allen key for saddle/handlebar adjustments, tyre levers, puncture repair stuff, and a spanner. I'd take two spare inner tubes.

I've attached pictures of my panniers. They were my dad's back when he used to do cycle touring and stuff. I was planning to use those. I will be carrying about 7,000 calories of food, which is going to be around 2.5kg of food, plus up to 2kg of water at a time, my repair kit/spares, and also a few things I'll want during my stay in Birmingham (about 10 days). I have the opportunity to send some stuff ahead, so I'll have some clothes already there and won't have to take loads.

I'm hoping the bike shop will contact me tomorrow so that I can go and ride it then buy it.

--Joe

Unless you have some unusual dietary restrictions, you can surely purchase food along the way and avoid carrying so much weight and volume at one time.

You'll need racks for those panniers.

[rock_ten]

Unless you have some unusual dietary restrictions, you can surely purchase food along the way and avoid carrying so much weight and volume at one time.

You'll need racks for those panniers.

Yes I suppose, although it means I'll not really be able to get what I wanted. I'll probably go half-and-half... take food and aim to stop for it at certain planned locations too.

Yea, I will either get a bike with a rack or put them on myself afterwards.

[GothintheDisco]

Hi,

Realistically I would second the advice given by Machka etc. But to give you some encouragement I completed Oxford to Cambridge (100 miles) this year on a junk ebay racer with very little preparation, my previous max was a technically challenging 40 mile off road ride (which is probably equivalent exertion wise). I was reasonably fit at the time, but no superman- ride was in coldish Autumn weather.

Cheers,

Dan

[rock_ten]

ride report: http://www.bikeforums.net/showthread.php?t=372573

[greenjersey]

It is a big jump from a max of 35 miles to 150. Your problems are likely to be caused by the time spent sitting on the bike ie your bum, neck, shoulders and maybe back. If you can opt out of the ride if it gets too uncomfortable I'd say go for it but if you will have to carry on regardless I'd say forget it until you have a few longer rides upto 100 miles under your belt.

[The Smokester]

It is a big jump from a max of 35 miles to 150. Your problems are likely to be caused by the time spent sitting on the bike ie your bum, neck, shoulders and maybe back. If you can opt out of the ride if it gets too uncomfortable I'd say go for it but if you will have to carry on regardless I'd say forget it until you have a few longer rides upto 100 miles under your belt.

Everyone,
Click the link in Post #32.

He's been there and done it.

[arie]

And now the results please, tell us about your unique Christmas-prep.

[rock_ten]

And now the results please, tell us about your unique Christmas-prep.

what do you mean?