Generic Touring Thread

I have one on order... But I just want one to borrow for this week, as they probably won't arrive in time for my week of microadventures

alpkit are super quick to be fair.

No bragging right though.

We did the Copenhagen - Amsterdam route a couple of years back - PM me if you want some info.

We did an amazing 115km round the island of Rügen today, taking in a very long, very flat, very straight bit of excellent tarmac, a ferry, chalk cliffs of Caspar David Friedrich and Jonathan Meades fame, jellyfish, an old, partially abandoned Nazi holiday camp stretching 3km down the bay, great burgers, and then 25km home in the pitch black.

Sad to be leaving tomorrow.

Also, still not as good as laner or scone and their amazing sounding adventures.

Done and in Venice. Do airports usually have boxes around from previous bikers /ones you can buy? Didn't think about today being Sunday and may fail to find one in a LBS before my 10.30 flight.

Lock it up somewhere, it will be fine

@laner I guess you know there's a bike shop in Mestre, on the mainland - otherwise there's a big lidl on the way to the airport (near the campsite I stayed at, if you're staying there), you could try there for boxes if you're really stuck.

holy noise reduction batman

Pondering some sort of tour kinda thing, Caen to Bilbao. More bikepacking than touring as I'll be on my Vig. Is it feasible to bivvy my way down and stay in cheap hotels if it's really wet?

Been done before but you might need to rethink your final destination - ferry don't take bicycles AFAIK otherwise would have gone there instead of Santander.

I'd never do it fixed. Fuck that.

PM @TM He did a tour fixed.

Also ferry isn't cheap/very available.

I'm getting TGV/eurostar from right south of France to St. Pancres for less than a ferry £140. And that's with the bike booked on. Could have saved £40 if I could be arsed putting it in 120x90 bag.

That'd be well worth the money if you ask me!

@laner also rode down to Spain doing brklzz bikepacking. I think he skidded through a tyre heading down to Bilbao, but he did find an ingenious way of avoiding taking a bike on the ferry.

It wouldn't be brklss, 47x19/20 should be fine. Inspired by Scoble's, Laner's and TM + tp88s. Yeah, ferry from Santander does look quite steep, and this is definitely a budget thing. Would prefer a route with a destination rather than a circular tour though.

@tommmmmmm have some hypo-rep

Because you're bikepacking and have a HHST, you can always fly which is also a lots cheaper, just make sure the town near the airport have a bike shop to grab a cardboard box from.

Couchsurfing is a good place to ask around for LBS availability and/or crashing with people where you can pack your bike at ease without the costs of a 5-star hotel.

What I'd do is to use the internet to locate as many LBS as possible in town you return home from. Call them all up in advance, explain your predicament and I bet you they will jump to help you by stashing a box for you in time for you return date.

What do people use for route planning? I normally use ridewithgps but it won't let me route into the Czech Republic for some reason - any good alternatives?

I use bikehike, no idea outside of the UK though

Should've done that, bike shop nearby don't have box and the nearest Decalthon is a fish and golf shop!

Bikely?

Garmin Connect does a fine job.