King Alfred Way

Could do this? https://www.komoot.com/collection/1319068/-the-dreaming-spires-300km-an-offroad-loop-around-oxfordshire

Not done it, but planning to later in the year. No idea what the conditions in Oxfordshire are like at the moment, but probably better than SDW.

Nice and easy one train job too.

MTB recommended "sustained sections of rough trails and not a lot of smooth gravel." so I dunno how much fun this would be on the gravel bikes but looks like something we should do at some point. Cheers

Sounds like most gravel in the UK to be fair, but yeah may not be much fun if you aren't running chunky rubber.

It’s Oxfordshire ffs, not the Alps.

So? I'm not riding my gravel bike in the Alps either. I don't fancy shaking my fillings out for 300km around Oxfordshire. Just the same as I could do a road ride using nothing but A-roads but choose not to because there are nicer, quieter lanes available.

You need to reduce your tyre pressure if your fillings are getting shaken loose.

There's a fine line between squish and bottoming out the tyres on rims for me. Come back and chat when you've done something longer than 45min and 3 :P

I did it a couple of years ago, party pace with a light load on a rigid 26er with 2.1" tyres. If I were to do it again it would be on a hardtail, would be far more comfortable and the looser stuff would be a bit more fun.

I have max 47mm on the front of the gravel bike but I do now have one of those shock stems installed (yet to test it). I'm sure I can ride the route, but riding it and enjoying it without fucking my hands or brain up before Slovenia are two different things.

The missus is liking the idea of the West Kernow thing a bit more now. I'm just concerned with the faff of getting down there and back on a long weekend.

The train is pretty harmless if you can book it imo. Go to Paddington after work one day, chill in the lux waiting room with free refreshments, bikes go on hooks in the guards van, sleep on the train, get up next day bright and early at Penzance and you're ready to go. Then the reverse on the way back, ride the bike from Paddington back. I didn't need to take a day off from work for travel on either end which was nice.

KAW I think if you have bigger tyres you may as well take them. More comfortable and more fun. I was happy I had 2.3s.

I guess coz it's a late departure there's no peak hour drama. I've caught a train to Bristol on Friday, outside of peak obvs and it was a total shitshow. This is sounding quite tempting though.

Bigger is always better :)

But I don't have access to my 29er right now and I don't fancy doing KAW or Kernow on my singlespeed. Plus it's meant to be a shakedown ride before 7 Serpents.

https://ridewithgps.com/routes/35719379

This is a good route.

I'm also piecing together a London Orbital offroad route, but it's not ready yet

Ta. Copied for laterz.

You have to pay extra for a birth but if you do it in advance it can be for ~£120. On the GWR site there is an option where you add extras and the cabin option comes up then. You get served breakfast when you arrive in Cornwall which is fun

just do this one. it's so great. 3 wonderful days, start and finish are easy train rides from London.

https://ridewithgps.com/routes/33393196

I must've nicked that off you in the past. It was already in my list.

I'll add it to the (other) list.

great! have fun, wherever you ride.

hippy hates fun!

Yeah, what's this "fun" nonsense. I'm only interested if a cyclone blows in, it's 20C below the forecast temp, I lose 2L of blood and I finish the ride tapping a single remaining wheel across the line with a stick.

How long does KAW take? Three days comfortable? Is two riding long hours possible or too much?
I've got a couple of days and would like to squeeze it in September while the weather holds.
I would ride out from Ealing and start at Reading.

Three days comfortable?

Yep. I'd jump on the train to save a couple hours

Spot long weekend, try to jam week-long tour into it. Tour becomes angry smashfest.

Isn't that how everyone plans rides...?

True, would be better than getting up stupid early which was my first thought.
I'd definitely get the train back.