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Big-stan	15 Mar 11:57
Joined: 15 Mar 2012 Posts: 2 Bike:	HI ALL I am not a cyclist at all and haven't been in the saddle for at least 10 years. However i was stupid enough to put my name forward to participate and organise(BIG mistake) the whole event. We are intending on doing a cyle ride from the UK through France down through Spain to Gibraltar but have no idea whatsoever what we have let ourselves in for, any advive small or large would be greatly appreciated. We are lucky enough to have a support team with us (A Mini-Bus and a Transit Van) But eveything else has been left upto ourselves. Maps and cycles aren't a problem and we have decent camping gear but as none of the 15 idiots (volunteers) have never cycled further than 50 mile on any given day we are a bit taken-back at just how far we have to go and what we would be required to know. Many thanks in anticipation Big-Stan

Big-stan

15 Mar 11:57

Joined: 15 Mar 2012

Posts: 2

Bike:

HI ALL

I am not a cyclist at all and haven't been in the saddle for at least 10 years.
However i was stupid enough to put my name forward to participate and organise(BIG mistake) the whole event.

We are intending on doing a cyle ride from the UK through France down through Spain to Gibraltar but have no idea whatsoever what we have let ourselves in for, any advive small or large would be greatly appreciated.

We are lucky enough to have a support team with us (A Mini-Bus and a Transit Van) But eveything else has been left upto ourselves.

Maps and cycles aren't a problem and we have decent camping gear but as none of the 15 idiots (volunteers) have never cycled further than 50 mile on any given day we are a bit taken-back at just how far we have to go and what we would be required to know.

Many thanks in anticipation

Big-Stan

rustyspoke	17 Mar 08:04
Joined: 28 Aug 2011 Posts: 244 Bike: My Profile	Well first of all best of luck. But if you have not cycled for a long time and you have not done more than fifty miles your in for a very hard time,to do a ride like this is getting on the bike day after day that is hard,trust me when you do long distance rides day and nice but day when is pouring down then its not so nice. I am just telling you like it is. You need to be riding over a 100 miles a week at this time of year to even think about a ride like this. I have done big rides and stay in hotels and your going to camp that in its self is an other battle.

rustyspoke

17 Mar 08:04

Joined: 28 Aug 2011

Posts: 244

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Well first of all best of luck.
But if you have not cycled for a long time and you have not done more than fifty miles your in for a very hard time,to do a ride like this is getting on the bike day after day that is hard,trust me when you do long distance rides day and nice but day when is pouring down then its not so nice.
I am just telling you like it is.
You need to be riding over a 100 miles a week at this time of year to even think about a ride like this.
I have done big rides and stay in hotels and your going to camp that in its self is an other battle.

jonsea	17 Mar 15:16
Joined: 23 Feb 2012 Posts: 40 Bike: My Profile	hello Totally agree with rustyspoke , this is one hell of a challenge for a first time long distance ride . Everything seems possible when sat at home in a comfy chair , but out on the road, in all weathers , day after day after day the reality will soon kick in . Imagine if you will , after a days cycling in the rain getting into your tent with no real means of drying your gear out before morning . As a test you could always do a short ride in the rain, with the baggage you will be taking on your trip, then when you get home , set up your tent and sleep in it ( not forgetting to prepare your evening meal , and imagine how it would be for maybe a few days on the trot ! I have only done a 900 klm ride with 18 kgs ( no camping gear )of baggage, and only got wet on 2 days , but not the slightest bit pleasant to put wet clothing on in the morning . I wish you all the luck in the world and if you do manage it AND it is for charity, let me know and i will willingly donate Â£50 to the charity ! very best wishes
My Latest Route: Apr 2012 lowestoft normanston park

jonsea

17 Mar 15:16

Joined: 23 Feb 2012

Posts: 40

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hello

Totally agree with rustyspoke , this is one hell of a challenge for a first time long distance ride .

Everything seems possible when sat at home in a comfy chair , but out on the road, in all weathers , day after day after day the reality will soon kick in . Imagine if you will , after a days cycling in the rain getting into your tent with no real means of drying your gear out before morning . As a test you could always do a short ride in the rain, with the baggage you will be taking on your trip, then when you get home , set up your tent and sleep in it ( not forgetting to prepare your evening meal , and imagine how it would be for maybe a few days on the trot !

I have only done a 900 klm ride with 18 kgs ( no camping gear )of baggage, and only got wet on 2 days , but not the slightest bit pleasant to put wet clothing on in the morning .
I wish you all the luck in the world and if you do manage it AND it is for charity, let me know and i will willingly donate Â£50 to the charity ! very best wishes

My Latest Route: Apr 2012 lowestoft normanston park

skiad1	17 Mar 15:58
Joined: 09 Dec 2011 Posts: 84 Bike: My Profile	Sound advice indeed! What's your timeframe for the ride? Work from that to determine your daily mileage, which will give you more of an idea for your training plan. Any idea on a route plan? With support, at least you'll be able to go light & unloaded. When you get in enough time/miles to prepare(the only way to prepare for a ride like this) my personal recommendation would be assos chamois creme. To put your ride in perspective, I rode from dinan, in northern france, to lourdes in 6 days carrying approx 20kgs. I ride anywhere, depending on season, from 100-500 miles/week(lucky enough to have 2 months off in summer), and covered 10000mls over the year. I'm not superfit, just spend lots of time in the saddle, which is what you need to do. Incidentally, I'd recommend the Atlantic coast route for the French leg and, though I have ridden in Northern Spain, I couldn't comment on the best route to Gibraltar. One more word of advice, it can get very hot in July/August in Central/Southern Spain and this will bring it's own problems! Is it doable? Of course. Have you got a bit of an 'ask' on your hands? Of course you have. Will you have the adventure of a lifetime and enjoy it(IF you prepare properly)? I sincerely hope so.... very best of luck!

skiad1

17 Mar 15:58

Joined: 09 Dec 2011

Posts: 84

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Sound advice indeed! What's your timeframe for the ride? Work from that to determine your daily mileage, which will give you more of an idea for your training plan. Any idea on a route plan? With support, at least you'll be able to go light & unloaded. When you get in enough time/miles to prepare(the only way to prepare for a ride like this) my personal recommendation would be assos chamois creme. To put your ride in perspective, I rode from dinan, in northern france, to lourdes in 6 days carrying approx 20kgs. I ride anywhere, depending on season, from 100-500 miles/week(lucky enough to have 2 months off in summer), and covered 10000mls over the year. I'm not superfit, just spend lots of time in the saddle, which is what you need to do. Incidentally, I'd recommend the Atlantic coast route for the French leg and, though I have ridden in Northern Spain, I couldn't comment on the best route to Gibraltar. One more word of advice, it can get very hot in July/August in Central/Southern Spain and this will bring it's own problems! Is it doable? Of course. Have you got a bit of an 'ask' on your hands? Of course you have. Will you have the adventure of a lifetime and enjoy it(IF you prepare properly)? I sincerely hope so....

very best of luck!

Bonny6051	20 Mar 07:08
Joined: 31 Jan 2011 Posts: 34 Bike: My Profile	Hello, This may sound silly but the son of the founder of Slimmingworld did the opposite ride earlier this year, from Gib to GB then on to Sweden or somewhere. It might be an idea to contact Slimmingworld http://www.slimmingworld.com and see if they can put you in touch with him. I know there was a blog of some sort and he was riding a lot of miles every day in training. I wish you all the luck with your venture and when you get to Gib give those damn apes a kick for me.....LOL. :) Chris.

Bonny6051

20 Mar 07:08

Joined: 31 Jan 2011

Posts: 34

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Hello,
This may sound silly but the son of the founder of Slimmingworld did the opposite ride earlier this year, from Gib to GB then on to Sweden or somewhere. It might be an idea to contact Slimmingworld http://www.slimmingworld.com and see if they can put you in touch with him. I know there was a blog of some sort and he was riding a lot of miles every day in training. I wish you all the luck with your venture and when you get to Gib give those damn apes a kick for me.....LOL. :)

Chris.

Big-stan	26 Mar 05:28
Joined: 15 Mar 2012 Posts: 2 Bike:	Many thanks for replying and i will print them all out and pass on your advice and wisdom to the rest of the idiots, i'll be sure to keep you updated on our training and no doubt ask for more advice as the event gets closer, many thanks again Big Stan

Winklesan	24 Sep 06:44
Joined: 23 Jun 2012 Posts: 9 Bike:	Two colleagues and I have just completed Bilbao to gib 869 miles in 7.5 days. I would recommend practicing hill and mountain climbing techniques. Stocking up on good healthy food and investing in rock pegs for the tents. Good luck

BusterG	24 Sep 07:36
Joined: 25 Feb 2010 Posts: 372 Bike: My Profile	Tell us more Winklesan! Well done btw, I am very jealous. i enjoyed the blog below from someone who did it a few years ago. I am going to be driving Bilboa to malaga next year so keen to recce the route if you can supply it. Cheers http://www.pedrodiaz.com/cycling/spain2008.php
My Latest Route: Oct 2013 Liss

Winklesan	25 Sep 08:04
Joined: 23 Jun 2012 Posts: 9 Bike:	We landed in Bilbao airport at 13.30 English time and met the van carting the bikes. Day one was 66 miles to a campsite north of Burgos. Then our route was via De Haro Valladolid Salamanca Placencia Seville then San roque and finally Gubraltar We had a rough route plan but we had to adapt on the way due to road availability and having to meet up with a supply truck part of the way down. Our original plan was 656 miles which became 846 and eventually 869.

Winklesan

25 Sep 08:04

Joined: 23 Jun 2012

Posts: 9

Bike:

We landed in Bilbao airport at 13.30 English time and met the van carting the bikes. Day one was 66 miles to a campsite north of Burgos. Then our route was via De Haro Valladolid Salamanca Placencia Seville then San roque and finally Gubraltar We had a rough route plan but we had to adapt on the way due to road availability and having to meet up with a supply truck part of the way down. Our original plan was 656 miles which became 846 and eventually 869.

Winklesan	29 Sep 11:22
Joined: 23 Jun 2012 Posts: 9 Bike:	A rough route http://www.mapmyride.com/routes/view/141235597

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