Cycling Tour of Britain

Cycling is one of the purest forms of exercise. There is no better thrill than the rush of wind past you as you accelerate downhill, with nothing but you and the road to think about.  Britain is one of the best places in the world to cycle, with miles and miles of good quality roads to enjoy; there is no need to worry about finding yourself on an uncomfortable dirt track or potholed street.

A cycling tour of Britain can be as easy or as difficult as you like and although there are a number of reasons why you might be undertaking a challenge like this, for charity for example, or maybe just a weekend break, you will want to think carefully about the aspects that will make up your trip and make sure that everything is planned out to make things as smooth as possible.  There are two main aspects which will need to be planned: the route, and your equipment.

Whether you are planning to ride the length and breadth of the UK or want to take in a tour of a city such as London, the following aspects will apply to the planning and execution of your cycling tour and should be taken into consideration before you undertake a cycling trip.

The Route
The route that you choose will entirely depend on the type of experience you wish to have, and the time that you have available.  A quick internet search will give a plethora of cycle routes and different options.  For the more technophobic, there are many books and guides that outline the best cycle routes in the UK and highlight some of the prettiest and most picturesque countryside to help you determine where you wish to visit.  In order to not be overwhelmed with information, make a rough plan of your trip.

If you are an experienced cyclist then you may know how many miles you can expect to cycle in a day.  If you are not experienced then it may be a good idea to do some test runs, some cycling day trips, to get a rough idea of what is a comfortable daily distance.  It is important to get this right as you will need to plan your accommodation around this.

Once you have determined how far you can comfortably travel in one day, it is time to decide on a route.  This can be done using the internet or a book as mentioned earlier, or you could devise you own route.  Using the street view feature on Google Maps is a valuable tool for checking out the roads that you will be cycling on, especially if you are creating your own route.  Having a plan will mean that you can research hotels, hostels or B&B’s in order to make sure you have accommodation every night.  It is much better to have a daily plan and a goal or destination in mind; this will focus you and help you to keep up a good pace on the road.

Equipment
The most obvious piece of equipment to get right is the bike.  There are many, many different bikes to choose from and a quick trip to your local bike shop or Halfords will open up a whole world of possibilities.  Don’t be shy in talking to the sales people in the shops; they are usually very friendly and happy to help.  For a cycling tour of Britain the best type of bike will probably be a touring or hybrid bike.  A road bike, whist being faster than these options, will be uncomfortable and impractical when handling rougher terrain and the luggage you will need to carry.  A mountain bike will be slow on the road and will use up precious energy in the large tyres and suspension.

Whatever type of bike you go for, you should look at the following factors: the tyres on your bike should be thin enough to be used on the road, but fat enough to handle rougher terrain.  The frame should be light but robust, and definitely aluminium or carbon fibre (if you can afford it) rather than steel and you should be able to add panniers and mud guards and you can ask the shop if the frame will allow for these to be fitted. The brakes should be good quality and effective in the wet as well as the dry.  The handle bars can be dropped or flat, that is personal preference and lastly the gears should cover a range wide enough to tackle uphills and downhills effectively.

As well as the bike, you need to ensure that you are safe of the road.  A helmet, good quality lights and some kind of reflective gear is absolutely essential.  As for clothing, you can spend a fortune on cycling gear but the basic requirements are a good pair of cycling shorts or trousers, robust but light trainers or cycling shoes, a breathable top and a waterproof jacket.  If you are cycling in winter obviously you will have to dress accordingly.  The next essential equipment is for bike maintenance.  You will need a pump and a puncture repair kit and maybe a spare inner tube.  A can of GT85 is great for keeping your chain lubed and cleaning the mud your frame off at the end of the day.  Small portable allen keys, screwdrivers and spanners means that you will equipped to adjust, tighten and loosen any parts that need your attention on your trip.

If you follow the advice you should be all set to enjoy your cycling trip. Just make sure that stay well nourished and hydrated, don’t push yourself too hard, and always stay safe, following the Highway Code, and you will be sure to have a great time.

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