cycle touring

feck sake lads

just wondering are there many cycle tourers on the forum.people who would load up there touring bike and head off for a weekend or week, camping all the way. people who are no way interested in breaking any land speed reckords just a few days away enjoying the cycling and the craic.
i would like to know there favourate routes for a couple days away :rolleyes:

leftism

As far as i know, Blorg has done a fair bit of cycle touring but then again he's out breaking land speed records most weeks too so he doesn't meet the criteria of your standard bike tourer... haha

I'm planning a couple of trips this summer too. Just bought a set of Ortlieb panniers and a pannier rack that fits on my racing bike. Looking forward to a couple of 3/4 day tours around the country if the weather is good enough (highly unlikely)!

feck sake lads

good stuff hope you enjoy your tour ,is your racing bike strong enough for loaded panniers.would you be doing full on touring as in cooking and camping or are you going the credit card route. not that there's anything wrong with credit card touring just that i coulden't afford it:mad:
thanks for the reply.

Heisenberg.

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sammalone

Being a cork man i'd have to suggest west cork for cycling - sheeps head or the beara peninsula would provide a few days of quality relaxed cycling

feck sake lads

Scien wrote: »

I'm hoping to this in August over 2 or 3 days, camping...

Must figure out a way home first though..

hope it's a good one myself im staying home this year if we get the weather there's no where better.;)

feck sake lads

sammalone wrote: »

Being a cork man i'd have to suggest west cork for cycling - sheeps head or the beara peninsula would provide a few days of quality relaxed cycling

yip i heard that part of the country is heaven but im in louth ,i was thinking of doing malin to misen but i don't fancy doing it on my own.im now looking at northern ireland..
couple days touring around one of the lough's might be good.

IM0

feck sake lads wrote: »

just wondering are there many cycle tourers on the forum.people who would load up there touring bike and head off for a weekend or week, camping all the way. people who are no way interested in breaking any land speed reckords just a few days away enjoying the cycling and the craic.

doing both actually makes touring WAAY more enjoyable/easy/can go for longer trips see more (cause you cycle the same distance with alot more energy to spare, feel better the next day (recovery). yes I do both!

Actually I started off touring but some people along the way suggested I try racing, and then thats what I did, since Ive toured after having been training for about 8 years all the above is the case since I picked up touring again :pac:

feck sake lads

i don't really think you can mix the two ,i know my average speed is way down when im on my touring bike .but i enjoy the easy going now taking it all in as the man said.
but it's great to know there are tourers on the forum ,now if i can just get them to post there favourate routes '.
this summer I'm thinking of heading across to cavan camp at lough ramor in virgina next day head athlone or mullingar no definite plans yet .but i certainly want to tour ireland this time round.

IM0

my point was that as a result of all the fitness, speed, endurance, strength built up from training over the year, you can then go touring towards the end of the racing season and use all that fitness. When your in top condition and go for a much lower intensity ride (like touring) you get all the benefits of the things I listed in my last post. Also you can tour in much harder (and rewarding) terrain, Alps/pyrenees anyone?

Peetrik

Just about to have bash at this myself. sqr rack ordered, light tent and sleeping bag bought, up to 85k a day.

Id be interested on hearing routes that have been done or advice also. I only found out that I should be eating during the ride if Im going out for longer than a couple of hours last week, made a big differance I can tell you

feck sake lads

Peetrik wrote: »

Just about to have bash at this myself. sqr rack ordered, light tent and sleeping bag bought, up to 85k a day.

Id be interested on hearing routes that have been done or advice also. I only found out that I should be eating during the ride if Im going out for longer than a couple of hours last week, made a big differance I can tell you

check out crazyguyonabike.com excellent site for basically anything you need to know about touring.
you should certainly should be eating during a ride little and often is the secret also drinks high energy drink in one bottle water in the other.
have you come up with a route you would like to do let us know.;)

Peetrik

Yeah I had spotted crazyguy and had also come across an article on weight by Igor Kovse. altho when you start wearing crocs to cut down on kgs you might have a problem hehe.

Was planning short trip to see what kind of distances I can do with a bag, if my 700x23's will take the weight etc.
Was thinking Galway but blorgs discription of the N8 on his dublin-cork thread has sparked my interest.

Heisenberg.

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Peetrik

Well I decided to go for a saddle bag as opposed to pannier and rack because the bike I want to use is a racer and isnt designed for a rack (no eyelets etc).
I was a bit hesitant over attaching the sqr rack to a carbon seatpost after reading this...

"Carbon fiber, when it breaks, leaves an extremely irregularly shaped and extremely sharp surface, much like a glass bottle with the top broken off, but much more irregular. The damage it could do to a human's genitalia is too gruesome to discuss."

... after a little more research I found out that my allez has a 'carbon wrapped' seatpost and is in fact just alloy make to look like carbon. Still, a cheap alloy seatpost would have been easy enought to come by.

I went for the SQR tour after much research and review reading. Comes with the attachment rack included. Can be bought direct from Carradice or Wiggle have them with free delivery. None in stock but expecting delivery by 'end of april'. Mine is ordered but hasnt arrived yet.

http://www.wiggle.co.uk/p/cycle/7/Carradice_SQR_Tour_Bag_including_SQR_Bracket/5360042571/

Peetrik

... oh tent came from outdoor adv store on Liffey st dublin, 1.4 kg for about 40 euro
http://sports.ciao.co.uk/Gelert_Solo__6669736

The bag came from either millets or the other place at the bottom of mary st (I had been to pretty much every other shop in dublin at that stage looking at price vs weight),cost 30 euro and is only 600g
http://www.gelert.com/products/X-treme_Lite_600.aspx

feck sake lads

yes carradice make super bags,i just got one yesterday especally for day rides it's the super c rackbag great piece of kit i also have the carradice camper saddlebag great for weekend tours you can pack some amount of gear into the camper bag.

Heisenberg.

This post has been deleted.

Peetrik

Tent is 36cm packed and the tour bag is 37cm so as long as it isnt set up and repacked it should be ok hehe

Also its in a nice discrete green so if you were on a serious budget and decided to stealth camp to save a few euro you shouldnt be too noticable... not that I would ever reccomend such an action

Peterx

very pleased with myself, managed to use the search function to find a thread - it's the little things..
anyway - just back from a weeks cycling (some trains) across bits of Switzerland, Austria and Italy. Europe is soooo good and soooo easy to cycle through - brilliant cycle routes off the feckin big roads - campsites all over the place - it's all good and if you time it right you can take in a stage of a grand tour. Saw Friday's stage where Basso got into the maglia rosa as the brucie bonus.
dayday..

Tonyandthewhale

+1 On the Gelert tent mentioned above. I've got one and it's served me well for weeks on end all over Ireland and Western Europe, so light, so quick and easy to set up and so cheap, my home away from home.

Also, any prospective tourers out there, go to France, it has to be the best country in the world for cycle-tours. Scenery, cheap and abundant camping, good weather and most importantly of all, scrumptious food at every turn.

at1withmyself

Good topic, I'm hoping to do Malin to Mizen and am thinking about doing it solo with the camping gear, but won't be bringing the cooking gear so gonna try make the bike and luggage as light as possible. Thinking I should be able to do it in 5 days. To add to it I was going to cycle to Malin Head as well which will bring it to about 1000 km's pending on the route.

I have a lightweight tent and sleeping bag and going to buy one of these racks:

http://www.chainreactioncycles.com/Models.aspx?ModelID=14332

Thinking of adding a handle bar bag and some frame bags for the smaller bits and pieces although my list of parts to bring keeps getting bigger so need to dump it down a little!

I figure I could be gone for up to 10 days so hopefully I can get a good spell of weather, don't mind a few wet days on the bike but it would be nicer if it was dry.

If all goes well then I'd like to start doing some routes abroad

cdaly_

With that rack you'd want to make sure your panniers have a properly stiff back. Otherwise they'll tend to get pushed into the spokes.

For a long tour it might be worth considering a set of clip-on aero bars. Gives you something to rest on for when the arms get tired any you can tie your handlebar bag on there...

Chazziemann

Hi, i am on the verge of heading off any day now. Leaving wexford heading along the coast to cork around to dingle. Just waiting on good news from the weather man and i am gone. Not sure about doing it on my own but will give it a try........

Chazziemann

Weather looks good for the next few days..... so tomorrow i am off...

feck sake lads

Chazziemann wrote: »

Hi, i am on the verge of heading off any day now. Leaving wexford heading along the coast to cork around to dingle. Just waiting on good news from the weather man and i am gone. Not sure about doing it on my own but will give it a try........

check out metcheck for great weather reports,
hope you have a great tour if only as you say get the weather , there's no were better to ride a bike.than ireland.:rolleyes:

Peetrik

Yeah +1, enjoy the trip

Heisenberg.

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Peetrik

Ment +1 enjoy the tour, not heading out myself yet.

Still waiting to get my bag, after spending 1 month waiting on wiggle to send my order finally bit the bullet and ordered from carradice instead, planning dublin-galway-dublin as a test run as soon as it arrives.

Cant wait

Tonyandthewhale

Sicen, if you're 6'3'' you will probably appreciate a bigger tent than the gelert if you're anyway claustraphobic, I'm 5'7'' and although I have a bit of room left over, I wouldn't want to be any taller once I'm inside the thing.
Other than that it's a lovely tent.

Chazziemann

Just back from my 5 day coastal tour from Wexford town to Kinsale. Great trip and great weather. It seemed like i was in Spain at times, the weather was that good. Planning on my next one already, Kinsale to Kilarny via the coast.

setanta159

I'd love to do a bit of touring myself but the thought of attaching racks to a road bike doesn't really appeal. What about a rucksack similar to this with a change of clothes, essentials and not weighing a huge amount? Would your back be wrecked or is it doable to go on a brief tour 4-5 days, staying in hostels or B&Bs and limiting the cycling to 100k per day. Has anyone on here done something similar?

feck sake lads

Chazziemann wrote: »

Just back from my 5 day coastal tour from Wexford town to Kinsale. Great trip and great weather. It seemed like i was in Spain at times, the weather was that good. Planning on my next one already, Kinsale to Kilarny via the coast.

were you camping all the way or did you go the credit card route.
how many miles in total did you do oh yeah did you take a camera like to see some pic's.;)

feck sake lads

setanta159 wrote: »

I'd love to do a bit of touring myself but the thought of attaching racks to a road bike doesn't really appeal. What about a rucksack similar to this with a change of clothes, essentials and not weighing a huge amount? Would your back be wrecked or is it doable to go on a brief tour 4-5 days, staying in hostels or B&Bs and limiting the cycling to 100k per day. Has anyone on here done something similar?

bad idea honest,take a look at the carradice range of saddle bags great bags 100% waterproof just in case

Chazziemann

Oh ya camped out every night. First day i traveled from Wexford to Tramore, which was about 60km. Camped in a camp site, cooked some sausages made some tea. I even shared the site with two Ladies from Holland!!. The next morning i took the Copper Coast all the way too Ardmore. Stopping off at Dungarvan for lunch and supplies. Distance was about 60km. Also came across a fellow traveler from Sweden, touring Ireland over 4 weeks. Camp Site was on beach this night. Passed through Youghal and took the coast road towards Cobh. Got lost, ended up putting another 20km on my day, 80km approx. Had to stay at a camp site in Carrigtohill, nice. Next morning, cycled over the great island and took the ferry . Headed for kinsale passing through Carrigaline, 50km approx. Stayed at a camp site out side kinsale, Garreth s strand. Cycled to cork (30km) the next day and got bus back to wexford!!. In total it took 200km+ in the hottest days of the year!!! ha

As for pics, it will have to wait till tomorrow.

feck sake lads

sounds like you had a great tour ,you sure did get the best of the weather ,
thanks for the report always nice to hear how people got on touring .;)
look forward to the pic's

thebouldwhacker

+1 always good to hear about such rides. Getting the gf into biking with the promise of romantic tours (no one mention the words gradient, head wind or saddle sores) so its always good to hear how people are getting on. I'd love a sub forum with planning, gear and trip blog but dont think enough posters are into touring. Looking forward to seeing the pic's

Pizarro

Chazziemann wrote: »

Camp Site was on beach this night.

Did you have any trouble from locals or the Guards camping on the beach or were you in a quiet location?

ballyharpat

cdaly_ wrote: »

With that rack you'd want to make sure your panniers have a properly stiff back. Otherwise they'll tend to get pushed into the spokes.

For a long tour it might be worth considering a set of clip-on aero bars. Gives you something to rest on for when the arms get tired any you can tie your handlebar bag on there...

I would not advise getting aero bars for a one off trip, I thought like that and found out-the hard way, that it's not a good idea. I was doing 360k in 24hrs and wanted another hand position to ease the boredom. Since I was not used to the position of being slightly more forward, it caused some kenee pain about 95 miles in and I had to pop a few Ibuprofen to kill the pain, didn't really enjoy the next 140 miles.

rottenhat

ballyharpat wrote: »

I was doing 360k in 24hrs

What for? A fleche/arrow?

feck sake lads

thebouldwhacker wrote: »

+1 always good to hear about such rides. Getting the gf into biking with the promise of romantic tours (no one mention the words gradient, head wind or saddle sores) so its always good to hear how people are getting on. I'd love a sub forum with planning, gear and trip blog but dont think enough posters are into touring. Looking forward to seeing the pic's

emm good idea i reckon there's a lot more tourers than you think at least enough to keep a sub forum busy;)

ballyharpat

rottenhat wrote: »

What for? A fleche/arrow?

Yeah, it was a Fleche over here in the Northeeast, we did it early in the season, it nearly ruined my racing that year, I would like to do another one, but would leave it until racing season is over this time.

landel

Have pondered the touring thing myself for some time. Decided to bite the bullet this summer. Have tent, racks, panniers etc now. Still getting some bits n bobs together but will head out for a trip in July to try it all out.

Chazziemann

Pizarro wrote: »

Did you have any trouble from locals or the Guards camping on the beach or were you in a quiet location?

Had no problems with any body that night. I was camped on a walking route and had some passer byes, one man stopped for a chat and moved on. Just up 100 meters or so were three camper vans. They had no problems either.
The way i look at it, if you don't cause hassle and leave no trace i cant see why not.

Chazziemann

Tour De South Coast

Chazziemann

landel wrote: »

Have pondered the touring thing myself for some time. Decided to bite the bullet this summer. Have tent, racks, panniers etc now. Still getting some bits n bobs together but will head out for a trip in July to try it all out.

Just go for it, don't plan too much, when the weather is good go..... that's my motto

feck sake lads

thank's for that chazziemann great pic's you got a great weather for your tour ,no were better than ireland when the weather is good;)
anymore tour's planned for the the summer.

Chazziemann

Thanks, Yes will be continuing my coastal tour... next stage will be around the west coast of Cork and Kerry, 4 or 5 days. Not sure when, will see what the weather is like when my wheels feel itchy!!

I also have a hiking trip in mind.... again not sure for dates.

Have you any plans to head soon??

keenan110

Looks like a great little trip! I will be touring around Ireland twice over the next few months, can't wait, hope the weather will be as good as you got!:p

Chazziemann

Twice, on what a motor bike!! haha

Ya hope the weather stays good for our summer

How many km will you do per day??

feck sake lads

it's been a while since I've seen kerry never seen the west coast of cork to be honest I'm ashamed to say i don't know my own country very well especially by bike.
this july myself and a friend a heading to england for 6 days camping at the watlington vintage cycle rally, i was invited by the fellclub im the only irish member which is a total mystery to me as it's a great club strict enough on the rules but all for the good of the cycle tourist/ backpacker/ canoeist.and it only cost a fiver a year .ok plug over.;)
i will do a bit of touring this year in ireland all i need is the money as like everyone else i'm out of work so funds a low at the moment.