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Post by goldfish on Apr 14, 2013 16:23:27 GMT
Just got back from a day out on my bicycle, first bike ride this year , wondering through country lanes ,lovely warm and sunny , had my pack lunch in a field Spring finally arrived. hope for many more days to come Any biker out there, the muscle power kind !!
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Post by millie on Apr 14, 2013 19:17:40 GMT
I cycle to work every day and absolutely love it - especially when the sun is shining
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Post by Firefox on Apr 14, 2013 19:47:11 GMT
I keep meaning to get a folding mountain bike for the van! I used to cycle a lot back when I lived in London. Glad you had a nice day, Riki
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Post by goldfish on Apr 14, 2013 20:02:43 GMT
both my son and daughter own a fold up bike and cycle to work daily, I am a fair weather biker only just love the feeling of wind in the face sun on my back In lots of way, there are more freedom in a bike then a campervan Cannot go very far though.
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Post by goldfish on Apr 14, 2013 20:04:16 GMT
Millie, do you cycle far daily, you must be in good shape cycling daily
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Post by Firefox on Apr 14, 2013 20:29:04 GMT
A great thing to do is what RubberTramp has done, cycle round the coast of UK, but take the van with him. Then he has the benefits of the van and a new cycle ride each day. It's something I'd like to do... at least bits of it, I don't know if I'd make it the whole way like him!
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Post by Rubbertramp on Apr 14, 2013 20:52:50 GMT
Aye, the very best way to get around if you ask me. 5900 miles around the coast of Britain in the last seven summers.....just Southampton to Cornwall to do! Bum gets a bit sore sometimes though. On the up side it's a great way to discover new wild camping spots!
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Post by goldfish on Apr 14, 2013 20:53:06 GMT
A great thing to do is what RubberTramp has done, cycle round the coast of UK, but take the van with him. Then he has the benefits of the van and a new cycle ride each day. It's something I'd like to do... at least bits of it, I don't know if I'd make it the whole way like him! I love to do that, give me a shout if you are planing to do that, love to join in.
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Post by goldfish on Apr 14, 2013 20:58:44 GMT
Aye, the very best way to get around if you ask me. 5900 miles around the coast of Britain in the last seven summers.....just Southampton to Cornwall to do! Bum gets a bit sore sometimes though. On the up side it's a great way to discover new wild camping spots! Rubber tramp Do you have a co driven who wait for you at the end point. I have consider using my camper for biking but put off by having to cycle back to van daily on same route.
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Post by Rubbertramp on Apr 14, 2013 21:11:49 GMT
Aye, the very best way to get around if you ask me. 5900 miles around the coast of Britain in the last seven summers.....just Southampton to Cornwall to do! Bum gets a bit sore sometimes though. On the up side it's a great way to discover new wild camping spots! Rubber tramp Do you have a co driven who wait for you at the end point. I have consider using my camper for biking but put off by having to cycle back to van daily on same route. I did for a couple of years but she gave up as the pay was rubbish! That's what I manage most days only cycle back to the van via a different (mostly faster) route. Otherwise I'll get a bus or a train back if they are available and am knackered. You can take your bike with you on the train for free....buses generally won't let you so I leave my bike in a safe place then drive the van on to collect it before settling down for the night at a location that I'd spotted earlier. Catching buses or trains put time constraints on your day though.
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Post by goldfish on Apr 14, 2013 21:24:23 GMT
that must involved a lot of planning and time wasting do you cover a fair mileage daily, I would be nice to have someone driving van to end point. A luxury I have not got!!
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Post by Rubbertramp on Apr 14, 2013 21:41:59 GMT
that must involved a lot of planning and time wasting do you cover a fair mileage daily, I would be nice to have someone driving van to end point. A luxury I have not got!! Not really Rikki.....just a lot of saving! You pick yourself a starting point and a destination then go out every day and have a relaxing time knowing that you've got 14 or more hours of daylight. Just be aware of what you think you're capable of in a day then cycle out half that distance....pop in to a nice pub for a beer, eat your lunch on the clifftops, shout some obscenities at all the motorhome owners ;)then tootle off back to the van in time for tea. The secret is enjoying the journey rather than arriving at the destination, I've found. I don't venture too far.....about 30 miles in total daily on average, it varies a lot. The most I've managed in one day is 60 miles...a very big sore bum day!
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Post by kangooroo on Apr 14, 2013 21:49:34 GMT
I'd like to do Lands End - John o'Groats but I'm very unfit and my legs have other ideas. Instead, I have a tentative plan to cycle along some canal networks but can imagine this becoming tedious when I have to return to the van via the same route. I'm also restricted to a 20" wheeled folding bike to fit into a car/van. Time will tell...
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Post by Rubbertramp on Apr 14, 2013 21:54:38 GMT
I'd like to do Lands End - John o'Groats but I'm very unfit and my legs have other ideas. Instead, I have a tentative plan to cycle along some canal networks but can imagine this becoming tedious when I have to return to the van via the same route. I'm also restricted to a 20" wheeled folding bike to fit into a car/van. Time will tell... Ah, time will tell you that you have less time as every day passes! Watch out for the low bridges on them canals kid!
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Post by Lee & Linda on Apr 14, 2013 22:17:41 GMT
Cycling on canal banks is not as level or relaxing as you might think, not all tow paths are in good order. If you are thinking of doing a ride from Lands End - John o'Groats it might be a good idea to look at the cycle routes (Sustrans ) these are all over the country and are either on tracks or quiet roads, which are more pleasant to cycle on. Just as a small aside I once cycled from Oxford to Stratford on Avon, the last few miles was on the Grand Uhion Canal which was all up hill much to my suprise, we managed to get on at he bottom of a rise of locks.
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Post by kangooroo on Apr 14, 2013 22:18:38 GMT
I've felt the low bridges already on the Mon-Brec. Ouch!
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Post by kangooroo on Apr 14, 2013 22:27:24 GMT
Cycling on canal banks is not as level or relaxing as you might think, not all tow paths are in good order. If you are thinking of doing a ride from Lands End - John o'Groats it might be a good idea to look at the cycle routes (Sustrans ) these are all over the country and are either on tracks or quiet roads, which are more pleasant to cycle on. Just as a small aside I once cycled from Oxford to Stratford on Avon, the last few miles was on the Grand Uhion Canal which was all up hill much to my suprise, we managed to get on at he bottom of a rise of locks. This is very true. I've pedalled along some sections of the Mon-Brec and there are some less-flat sections. It's a Sustrans route so mostly passable but there have been some sections which my folding bike couldn't cope with and the reason for every other bike being a heavy-duty and more appropriate mountain bike! LEJOG is a mere dream. I wouldn't have the time (trips this year are restricted to 2-3 nights)or the stamina and I'm far too unfit. I even walk up the slopes on the canal banks, and have rolled backwards down a few!
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Post by Firefox on Apr 15, 2013 10:41:43 GMT
I have given Kangooroo's bike a road test. It's very good. 7 gears I think on one easy change lever
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Post by kangooroo on Apr 15, 2013 11:33:34 GMT
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Post by Firefox on Apr 15, 2013 11:36:21 GMT
You could probably fit mud tires if they do them in 20"... that I don't know.
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Post by kangooroo on Apr 15, 2013 13:07:58 GMT
More rugged 20" tyres are available but mud would still get stuck in the mudguards (speaks the voice of experience here!) so they'd need to be removed. But, because the bike has to be transported on my passenger seat, it's easier to carry it over mud patches to keep both the bike and the van clean(ish)!
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Post by Firefox on Apr 15, 2013 13:33:41 GMT
One advantage of 20" wheels is you could probably easily cover them in polythene bags or similar hessian etc to keep the van clean. Especially with the mud guards removed.
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