London to Cumbria ~300mi - Any route planning tips?

Wow rhb, Tulips certainly appeals to the geek in me. What a decent looking system!

Sadly that sounds like a good night in. With some lagers.

I almost wrote "good evening", before I put "full evening" instead ;)

Using the tips you gents have given me, I'm starting to feel a lot less daunted by planning this route.

What have I learned? Break the route into day long stages, then split the days into threeish ministages...finally plot each ministage village to village using a tried and tested notation system. This is about as easy as falling off a bike.

Eat regularly, drink regularly, bring essential tools tubes warm summer top waterpoofs etc (to be fair, not new to me as I'm a regular rider)...painkillers should be useful.

150mi a day is too far if you're planning on riding the next day.

I've received some kind suggestions of places to stay, routes, an offer of a paceman from Manchester to Cumbria (Thanks Biffo, have a feeling we'll be needing somebody to drain the last few scraps of energy out of our knackered legs).

To cap it all, an offer of company from Ed. +1s all round, I'm just hoping that the final post on this thread in July will be a photo of me (and hopefully Ed and anybody else who wants to come with) triumphantly arriving at Rose Cottage, bikes aloft, grins on our faces ready to celebrate my birthday.

Haha, good luck lifting the bike when you get there :)

150 miles a day for 2-3 days is probably doable if you know you can do it and you've had practise. I'm pretty sure I couldn't right now :)

I'd also pack a basic first aid kit - basically whatever you feel confident using. At the least, some plasters, antiseptic cream and painkillers. I'm sure there are tales of people cycling with one limb hanging off but IMHO if something more major than a graze were to happen I'd probably be giving up on a long ride and getting some medical attention so I don't take much.

Oh, and don't overpack! Remember you're dragging all this weight with you.

One thing that always amazes me is the difference in energy you get just by drinking some water. If you feel like you're lagging, have a sip.

You may also want to take some chain lube with you if you don't think you'll have any at the halfway point. Last thing you need is your chain to start grinding because all the lube's washed itself out. Needless to say, give the bike a good once over a week or two beforehand so that you have time to deal with any post-maintenance niggles. If you're using cleats and they're a bit worn, then's a good time to put some new ones on - same for anything else that wears out. You really don't want to break down if you can help it.

I'd love to come along too at least as far as the Peak District if you're going through there (and I think you should, despite the odd hill*) but I really have no idea if I'd be free or not. This whole year is going to be quite up in the air I think.

• This can easily become a hundred hills if you aren't careful with your route!
  

I normally take two different painkillers...some ibuprofen and some ibuprofen and codeine. The latter is for really nasty pain and for use only to get me home if train etc is not an option as I do get quite drowsy on them.

Ok...I was thinking about riding with 25 or 28mm (if they will fit on my FP2) Conti Gatorskin ultras. I love Gatorskins...I normally get a good few thousand miles of commuting out of them without a puncture. Only problem is, when they start to wear a little (after months of commuting), the punctures come thick and fast.

I'm fairly sure these are a solid choice but can anybody recommend something that is noticeably better?

Those are what I used and I survived without a flat.

TBH, it's not the end of the world if you do get one and there's much less glass on the road once you get out of towns (anyone else hate recycling collection day?)

I punctured on a broken bottle this morning and it only took me 5 mins to fix (once I had walked to Evans to buy a new tyre). It was a gatorksin but ooold and sliced from a broken bottle. Puncture aint no thing unless its cold and raining.

I normally hate recycling collection day but this morning I set out on my pre work run to find a large pile of used MTB tyres and inner tubes on the pavement on Deptford High Street. Sometimes flytipping can be beneficial. By the time I got back from my run and set out on my ride to work, most of them were gone!

Maybe somebody has started a tyre and tube recycling day in SE8!

ride with 28c, no point in having rock hard tyres.

A good bike fit make all the difference, I recently have one to ensure that I'll be perfectly comfortable regardless of mileage (plus I have an odd body proportion).

If 28mm will fit in my forks (I think they will, its not a track frame) I will do.

My Pinarello fits like a glove. Or at least I think it does. I fitted a shorter stem last week and have only taken it out for 50mi since. I'll go out for a longer ride this weekend and make sure! It is very close to being perfectly set up for me though.

28c is likely to fit road bike as it's generally the maxnium size possible (depending on brake and tyres, some 28c tyres are really 30c).

I may be taking my 26" wheel tourer, that if my custom randonneur frame isn't finish by then.

If you fancy talking tales of cycling sometime then I'm usually at Easts on Wednesdays. Not sure about tomorrow though

Not sure I will be up for tomorrow rhowe (whats your name?) but Im up for easts next week.

Ed...do I remember correctly from a spotted thread that you work on GIR? I work in Kings X so pass twice a day...fancy a burito?

My name's Russell and Easts next week seems much more likely for me. If I show up there tonight, it will be because the company's website launch actually went OK!

I used to live near GIR, but now live back at the parent's in WImbledon, however every now and then I work in Islington teaching Cycle Training, so will give you a bell when I'm next in Central

Nice one both. My name is Dan...

I'll be at Souths on Tuesday for sure and will aim to hit Easts too.

Are you any good at pub quizzes and do you like pizza?

sorry for missing this! Am I too late?

I love pizza and I've been known to win a few quizzes...

Not at all. Easts drinks tomorrow evening. Has pizza (~£6 or £7?) and quiz (£2) if you're there before 9ish.

Oh, and beer. Much beer.

Rhowe...won't be at Easts tonight as I have to pack to go away tomorrow but will be there next week.

Hoping to spend a few hours route planning this weekend...hoping to nail a prelim route.

Leg 1

http://www.mapmyride.com/routes/view/36942428

I figured that I should get some miles down before hitting the hills. This shouldn't be a problem for day 1.

Day 2 will be interesting. If I swing under the peak district and head north up to Lancaster that gives me 120-140mi and relatively flat although I'm finding it almost impossible to find a route without hitting wide A roads.

If I can find a decent route to Lancaster (or similar) I'll have a simple 65mi or so pootle around the lakes to Whitrigg.

Maybe I'll have more luck heading the other way round the peak district and dropping in that way.

bloody hell, at that rate you'll be in cumbria by nightfall!

Well done on the lengthy ride so far.

my boss still hasn't got back to me regarding the time-off, will pursude him tomorrow.

No worries Ed...just let me know.

I'm prepared to do this solo but company would be nice.

today should be renamed 'national coincidence sunday'

the coincidence relevant to this thread is someone I know is planning to ride from central london via epping forest and then all the way back up to cumbria/keswick. but I think he is taking a more leisurely 5-7day ride instead....
http://www.homeofmillican.com/
(can't find exact link to ride outline!)

also point 'B' on the map is like a 15minute ride from my front door, weird or what O_o

How did the person you know get on in the end?

Will you be in south the week after?