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630Km Camino de Santiago

  • 01-03-2012 1:06pm
    #1
    Registered Users, Registered Users 2 Posts: 26


    Hi all,

    A couple of friends and myself have been considering cycling the camino de Santiago here in Spain. The route we are hoping to cycle is 630Km in total. We are hoping to complete this journey in 8 days and I wanted to get some advice as to completing this type of journey.

    None of us have any extensive experience doing anything like this! We are hoping to do the cycle at the end of June. As such we are beginning to prepare for the trip and this is where I am looking for some advice from experienced cyclists.

    What type of bike would you recommend? The journey is going to be all on well surfaced roads and will include hills of varying degrees.

    Any opinions, advice or experience would be greatly appreciated.

    Thanks

    Radiodrive


Comments

  • Registered Users, Registered Users 2 Posts: 4,946 ✭✭✭Bigus




  • Closed Accounts Posts: 4,013 ✭✭✭kincsem


    Plenty on youtube to give you an idea of the bicycle and kit needed.



  • Registered Users, Registered Users 2 Posts: 2,923 ✭✭✭vektarman


    I'm cycling from Leon to Santiago (330kms) in May, nowhere near as long as your journey although I'm staying on the pilgim path, are you bringing your own bikes or renting? Good luck with the trip, Buen Camino. Here's a useful thread on it.
    http://www.boards.ie/vbulletin/showthread.php?p=76328432


  • Registered Users, Registered Users 2 Posts: 10,176 ✭✭✭✭billyhead


    vektarman wrote: »
    I'm cycling from Leon to Santiago (330kms) in May, nowhere near as long as your journey although I'm staying on the pilgim path, are you bringing your own bikes or renting? Good luck with the trip, Buen Camino. Here's a useful thread on it.
    http://www.boards.ie/vbulletin/showthread.php?p=76328432

    I was thinking of cycling the same route. How many days have you planned to do it in. Will you prebook accomodation in advance and if so would it be hostels, guest houses and also are you going to rent a bike in Leon and if so how will you return it once you get to Santiago (will you arrange travel back to Leon)?


  • Closed Accounts Posts: 2,889 ✭✭✭feck sake lads


    going to be very hot i reckon. i done it with a group from bilbao fantastic trip. done it on my road bike but we did have a backup van which was used mainly for carrying luggage .,
    the price of food was unbelievable cheap great country to ride a bike .


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  • Registered Users, Registered Users 2 Posts: 10 tipperary45


    hi all,
    First of all there are many, many, caminos. I have road biked three of them, the coastal camino from Bilbao, camino Frances from just north of the Pyrenees and the Silver route from Seville.
    Ryanair fly to Seville and to Biarritz for camino Frances. Aer Lingus fly to Bilbao.
    Most bikers stay in Hostels, Pensions and a few camp. Cyclists sometimes have to wait till 7 at night to get beds in pilgrim Hostels, especially in high season.
    If not camping one should get away with less than 6kg of baggage.
    One sees all sorts of bikes,hybrids, mountain and racers.
    The airlines will carry your bike, but it must be prepared for flight.
    Aer lingus fly back from Santiago De Compostella.
    Bikes can also be hired, Tour and Ride are based in Santiago and will deliver to your chosen starting point in Spain. Bike Iberia also rent bikes.
    Michelin do a special Santiago Map, its good showing the camino trail and the nearby roads. for details use google
    Google " Confraternity of St James London" for further info.
    Spain has a great motorway network , As a result N roads nearby often have very light traffic. Spannish drivers are respectful of cyclists.
    I have had 6 bike trips to Spain , I think its the best
    Buen camino
    Justin


  • Closed Accounts Posts: 2,889 ✭✭✭feck sake lads


    hi all,
    First of all there are many, many, caminos. I have road biked three of them, the coastal camino from Bilbao, camino Frances from just north of the Pyrenees and the Silver route from Seville.
    Ryanair fly to Seville and to Biarritz for camino Frances. Aer Lingus fly to Bilbao.
    Most bikers stay in Hostels, Pensions and a few camp. Cyclists sometimes have to wait till 7 at night to get beds in pilgrim Hostels, especially in high season.
    If not camping one should get away with less than 6kg of baggage.
    One sees all sorts of bikes,hybrids, mountain and racers.
    The airlines will carry your bike, but it must be prepared for flight.
    Aer lingus fly back from Santiago De Compostella.
    Bikes can also be hired, Tour and Ride are based in Santiago and will deliver to your chosen starting point in Spain. Bike Iberia also rent bikes.
    Michelin do a special Santiago Map, its good showing the camino trail and the nearby roads. for details use google
    Google " Confraternity of St James London" for further info.
    Spain has a great motorway network , As a result N roads nearby often have very light traffic. Spannish drivers are respectful of cyclists.
    I have had 6 bike trips to Spain , I think its the best
    Buen camino
    Justin
    Justin have you by any chance a blog on any of your trips on the camino.


  • Registered Users, Registered Users 2 Posts: 2,923 ✭✭✭vektarman


    billyhead wrote: »
    I was thinking of cycling the same route. How many days have you planned to do it in. Will you prebook accomodation in advance and if so would it be hostels, guest houses and also are you going to rent a bike in Leon and if so how will you return it once you get to Santiago (will you arrange travel back to Leon)?

    I've only a week off work so I'm doing it over five days, I'm flying to Madrid for a bigger choice of flights and getting the train to Leon, I'm hiring a bike in Leon from http://www.tournride.com/, they'll deliver to your accommodation and they have an office in Santiago to drop the bike off, I'd like to bring my own MTB but it's just too much grief with packing, unpacking, bikebag from Leon to Santiago, transport, cost, etc.
    I've prebooked my acommodation, Hotels at the start and finish, Leon and Santiago to spoil myself and basic but comfortable hostals and pensiones for the four nights in between, my route is, day 1: Leon>Astorga, day 2: Astorga>Vega de Valcarce, day 3: Vega de Valcarce>alas de Rei, day 4:Palas de Rei>Sarria, day 5: Sarria>Santiago de Compostela.
    Aer Lingus have a direct flight from Santiago de Compostela to Dublin so I'll using that. Best of luck if you decide to do it, I'm really looking forward to it...


  • Registered Users, Registered Users 2 Posts: 26 radiodrive


    vektarman wrote: »
    I'm cycling from Leon to Santiago (330kms) in May, nowhere near as long as your journey although I'm staying on the pilgim path, are you bringing your own bikes or renting? Good luck with the trip, Buen Camino. Here's a useful thread on it.
    http://www.boards.ie/vbulletin/showthread.php?p=76328432


    yeah we are going from Extremadura as we have been working here all year. As we are living here we are going to bring our own bikes. Cheers for the extra info. Best of luck on yours. Keep us posted.


  • Registered Users, Registered Users 2 Posts: 26 radiodrive


    going to be very hot i reckon. i done it with a group from bilbao fantastic trip. done it on my road bike but we did have a backup van which was used mainly for carrying luggage .,
    the price of food was unbelievable cheap great country to ride a bike .

    yeah the heat is definitely an issue but as we all live and work here we are fairly used to it, so I hope that will help a little! Im hoping being able to count on good weather will help us a bit too. We were thinking of breaking up the day and not cycling when the day is at its hottest. Did you do this, or did you cycle through it? As for luggage we are going to bring the bare essentials.


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  • Closed Accounts Posts: 2,889 ✭✭✭feck sake lads


    radiodrive wrote: »
    yeah the heat is definitely an issue but as we all live and work here we are fairly used to it, so I hope that will help a little! Im hoping being able to count on good weather will help us a bit too. We were thinking of breaking up the day and not cycling when the day is at its hottest. Did you do this, or did you cycle through it? As for luggage we are going to bring the bare essentials.
    we were on the road from 9am to around 4 in the afternoon so plenty of really hot stuff :D:D you really should take spare tubes / puncture repair gear and 2 water bottles each .arm and leg warmers good top .
    mind you we done this in september so june is going to be a hell of a lot warmer .
    anyway enjoy.


  • Registered Users, Registered Users 2 Posts: 10,176 ✭✭✭✭billyhead


    vektarman wrote: »
    I've only a week off work so I'm doing it over five days, I'm flying to Madrid for a bigger choice of flights and getting the train to Leon, I'm hiring a bike in Leon from http://www.tournride.com/, they'll deliver to your accommodation and they have an office in Santiago to drop the bike off, I'd like to bring my own MTB but it's just too much grief with packing, unpacking, bikebag from Leon to Santiago, transport, cost, etc.
    I've prebooked my acommodation, Hotels at the start and finish, Leon and Santiago to spoil myself and basic but comfortable hostals and pensiones for the four nights in between, my route is, day 1: Leon>Astorga, day 2: Astorga>Vega de Valcarce, day 3: Vega de Valcarce>alas de Rei, day 4:Palas de Rei>Sarria, day 5: Sarria>Santiago de Compostela.
    Aer Lingus have a direct flight from Santiago de Compostela to Dublin so I'll using that. Best of luck if you decide to do it, I'm really looking forward to it...

    Thanks for the info. I have decided to walk from Leon to Santiago. I have booked a flight to arrive in Leon from Dublin on Sept 2th and then return from Santiago to Dublin on the 13th. Should be more then enough time to complete the route


  • Registered Users, Registered Users 2 Posts: 26 radiodrive


    we were on the road from 9am to around 4 in the afternoon so plenty of really hot stuff :D:D you really should take spare tubes / puncture repair gear and 2 water bottles each .arm and leg warmers good top .
    mind you we done this in september so june is going to be a hell of a lot warmer .
    anyway enjoy.

    One more quick question if you dont mind. How many Km's were you doing a day? cheers


  • Closed Accounts Posts: 2,889 ✭✭✭feck sake lads


    we done 100 k every day but remember you have all day to do it make sure you take plenty of stops and a good lunch no beer until the days cycling is over;) this you may think sounds daft but dont leave your bikes in the sun when you stop for lunch, not good for your tyres honest the rims get super hot and theres a chance your tyres will blow. also put ice cubes in your water bidons when ever you fill them, warm water aint nice.:P
    curious are you guys experience cyclists .


  • Registered Users, Registered Users 2 Posts: 970 ✭✭✭dr ro


    hi all,
    First of all there are many, many, caminos. I have road biked three of them, the coastal camino from Bilbao, camino Frances from just north of the Pyrenees and the Silver route from Seville.
    Ryanair fly to Seville and to Biarritz for camino Frances. Aer Lingus fly to Bilbao.
    Most bikers stay in Hostels, Pensions and a few camp. Cyclists sometimes have to wait till 7 at night to get beds in pilgrim Hostels, especially in high season.
    If not camping one should get away with less than 6kg of baggage.
    One sees all sorts of bikes,hybrids, mountain and racers.
    The airlines will carry your bike, but it must be prepared for flight.
    Aer lingus fly back from Santiago De Compostella.
    Bikes can also be hired, Tour and Ride are based in Santiago and will deliver to your chosen starting point in Spain. Bike Iberia also rent bikes.
    Michelin do a special Santiago Map, its good showing the camino trail and the nearby roads. for details use google
    Google " Confraternity of St James London" for further info.
    Spain has a great motorway network , As a result N roads nearby often have very light traffic. Spannish drivers are respectful of cyclists.
    I have had 6 bike trips to Spain , I think its the best
    Buen camino
    Justin

    HI, planning cycling the northern route from santander to sdec in may. Have7 days to cover the 550k. Not overly experienced cyclists. How would you rate this route for difficulty. Any advice? Thanks


  • Registered Users, Registered Users 2 Posts: 10 tipperary45


    Hi dr ro,
    Its fair to say this is a hilly route, lots of ups and downs but do able . I was 64 when i did this route and i cycle for fitness.
    Tips
    I got bus into Santander with bike as it flew. Assembled bike Went around corner to FEFE station and wheeled bike onto train for Boo Or even to Requejada to avoid busy roads.
    2. N roads wont have heavy traffic if there is a motorway in the same direction, if not pick out minor roads. A decent road map is needed
    3 A simple compass can be handy for example going N in Gijon enables one to pick up a bike path along the seaside eventually picking up a road towards Aviles.
    4 The motorway crossing the estuary at Ribadeo has a footbridge hanging off it. Exciting if you can find it and it saves a detour.
    5. I came across a few roads that had vehicle detours due to flooding damage ,but were fine for bikes.
    6. I traveled solo and used pilgrim hostels. (pilgrim passport needed . Available Irish Society of St James. Sheetbag or Light sleeping bag also needed,never had to wait for a bed)
    7 heavy rain can fall so i carried a lightweight walking jacket, came in useful.
    8 An enjoyable route , but the route is mostly out of sight of the coast
    If you have any further questions just ask
    Justin


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