Coast-to-coast, how fit?
Discussion
A'up,
Quick question, how fit would you need to be in order to ride the Coast-to-Coast route in 3 days?
The route in question would be Whitehaven - Keswick - Hartside - Consett - Newcastle.
I'm thinking of trying this in April/May next year and am no-where near match-fit. I haven't ridden my bike for about a month now, but previously was riding 20miles in about 2hours (and that was about my limit) 2 or 3 times a week... Given it's 6months away (albeit over the winter so evening riding is difficult for me), is it do-able? What sort of training would be best - endurance over distance or just up-hill struggles?
Cheers
Quick question, how fit would you need to be in order to ride the Coast-to-Coast route in 3 days?
The route in question would be Whitehaven - Keswick - Hartside - Consett - Newcastle.
I'm thinking of trying this in April/May next year and am no-where near match-fit. I haven't ridden my bike for about a month now, but previously was riding 20miles in about 2hours (and that was about my limit) 2 or 3 times a week... Given it's 6months away (albeit over the winter so evening riding is difficult for me), is it do-able? What sort of training would be best - endurance over distance or just up-hill struggles?
Cheers
i am planning to do c2c in may next year, we are looking at three days too. to be honest, you need a few training sessions of 50 miles back to back to make sure you can cope with a long off road ride one day and then repeating it the next but i wouldnt say you need to be uber fit at all. using thier info as a guide;
Main Roads - mainly short sections through urban areas - 4%
Minor Roads - quiet, country roads - 50%
Cyclepaths/Off Road - disused railway lines etc - 46%
you should be able to average 12-16 mph quite easily along those surfaces per day and still have breath to chat and so on. thus, 5-6 hours in the saddle for three days.
some spinning classes will help you bulid up some sustained power for the hills but other than that just smash the miles in, good luck!
Main Roads - mainly short sections through urban areas - 4%
Minor Roads - quiet, country roads - 50%
Cyclepaths/Off Road - disused railway lines etc - 46%
you should be able to average 12-16 mph quite easily along those surfaces per day and still have breath to chat and so on. thus, 5-6 hours in the saddle for three days.
some spinning classes will help you bulid up some sustained power for the hills but other than that just smash the miles in, good luck!
We did it offroad years ago, carrying all our camping kit, in 4 days (Monday lunchtime to Friday lunchtime) as fairly fit 17 year-olds. No specific training but lots of mountain biking every weekend and some evenings. It should be a LOT easier on road (no carrying sections for example).
Myself and eight guys did the C2C from Whitehaven to Sunderland over 3 days during the first week in June this year. We did the off-road route which, to be honest , comprises of large amounts of road riding.You do get to climb places like rookhope, the whinlatter pass and some other breathtaking areas.
Fitness wise, i wasn't a cyclist 6 months before the ride. I trained quite a bit, completing a 75 mile day ride (which i know isn't a huge achievement) a couple of weeks before. In all honesty, it was much easier than expected. That said, some guys hadn't trained at all and they didn't make it past day 2 (the shortest but most challenging day).
I'd say being able to ride 20 miles in an hour and a half without being finished would see you sail the C2C and enjoy every breathtaking minute of it.
Just remember though, it doesn't matter when you do it, dress warmly. Like i say we did it in June and we had snow when we got to the top of Hartside.Coming down the other side, we had to push hard to make headway with the wind being so strong!
All things considered though, it was an amazing ride.
Fitness wise, i wasn't a cyclist 6 months before the ride. I trained quite a bit, completing a 75 mile day ride (which i know isn't a huge achievement) a couple of weeks before. In all honesty, it was much easier than expected. That said, some guys hadn't trained at all and they didn't make it past day 2 (the shortest but most challenging day).
I'd say being able to ride 20 miles in an hour and a half without being finished would see you sail the C2C and enjoy every breathtaking minute of it.
Just remember though, it doesn't matter when you do it, dress warmly. Like i say we did it in June and we had snow when we got to the top of Hartside.Coming down the other side, we had to push hard to make headway with the wind being so strong!
All things considered though, it was an amazing ride.
Edited by jonesey on Thursday 29th October 13:14
Agree with what's been posted above. I and a few mates did the C2C in 3 days from Whitehaven to Tynemouth. We were all on MTBs and I'd say we were 60:40 on road : pathways. I wasn't super fit at all and although it was hard work it was great fun and I'd do it again at the drop of a hat.
A little video-to-music thing I made of the trip here: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=hI8eRmLZj8Q
A little video-to-music thing I made of the trip here: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=hI8eRmLZj8Q
Edited by Roop on Thursday 29th October 13:21
If the offroad sections are like the ones i did, it really depends on the weather and your luck. We passed a group who had a roadie in their midst and he was on his 4th inner tube after 40 miles.
Bearing in mind the offroad (as mentioned above) accounts to 40% of a approx 160 mile route, you'd have to walk mightily quickly/cycle at quadruple pace to make it in one day.
Bearing in mind the offroad (as mentioned above) accounts to 40% of a approx 160 mile route, you'd have to walk mightily quickly/cycle at quadruple pace to make it in one day.
We did it in June in 5 days - a "drinkers C2C". We did no training at all. Set off from Whitehaven without having ridden for a year or so. It was fine. As one of the OP's says, for a 3 day ride you'll need to be able to comfortably ride 50 mile days back to back, so I'd do a bit of training. You can always walk up the hills...
Good B&B's:
Whitehaven: http://www.glenfield-whitehaven.co.uk/ - excellent, with great food
Alston: http://www.alstonhouse.co.uk/ - more great food and wine
Food, beer and nice views were of most interest. Exercise is a bit dull, IMO.
Good B&B's:
Whitehaven: http://www.glenfield-whitehaven.co.uk/ - excellent, with great food
Alston: http://www.alstonhouse.co.uk/ - more great food and wine
Food, beer and nice views were of most interest. Exercise is a bit dull, IMO.
For B&B's on the C2C route I can highly recommend Parkhead Station. Basic accommodation but warm comfortable and the hosts were great.
http://www.parkheadstation.co.uk/
http://www.parkheadstation.co.uk/
Roop said:
For B&B's on the C2C route I can highly recommend Parkhead Station. Basic accommodation but warm comfortable and the hosts were great.
http://www.parkheadstation.co.uk/
It looked OK when we rode through. We spent the night in Stanhope, which I can't honestly recommend. All the pubs a bit "Slaughtered Lamb"ish, and takeaway the only food option. And it's right at the bottom of a frigging huge hill.http://www.parkheadstation.co.uk/
eta I'd say Parkhead and the 2 I've mentioned are your 3 stops, really. Plus a night in Tynemouth / Whitley Bay to gawp at the semi-naked orange Geordie slappers...
Edited by N Dentressangle on Thursday 29th October 17:08
other half did a c2c last month, they did Withernsea to Birkdale, 4 of them carrying all their kit with them. I wouldn't say that my other half is really fit, but he slowly started building his distances up in the couple of months before hand, the longest 'training' ride he did was the week before, and it was Burnley, to Blackburn, to Chorley, then on to Southport and then back to Burnley, I think it was about 80 miles in total.
they did the c2c in 3 days, started on the Friday and finished on the Sunday, admittedly they didn't have all the cmaping stuff on the Sunday, just them and the bikes. First day was Withernsea to Drax Power Station, sceond day to them to near Skipton, and then the final day into Southport.
They did say that going on the canal tow paths was the worst idea of the trip, and they felt a lot more comfortable and safer dicing with death on the main roads. Apparently it was uncomfortable and slow going.
they did the c2c in 3 days, started on the Friday and finished on the Sunday, admittedly they didn't have all the cmaping stuff on the Sunday, just them and the bikes. First day was Withernsea to Drax Power Station, sceond day to them to near Skipton, and then the final day into Southport.
They did say that going on the canal tow paths was the worst idea of the trip, and they felt a lot more comfortable and safer dicing with death on the main roads. Apparently it was uncomfortable and slow going.
Four of us did this in July this year over 3 days. We're all in our forties and probably a little fitter than average but not major cyclists. We trained for about 4 months in advance, but did no more than 35 miles on any training ride - but more usually 20-25 miles due to time constraints, and I only managed one training weekend where I rode on consecutive days. So I don't really agree with the back-to-back comments above.
For me, keeping going for 40-50 miles for three days running isn't really the issue - it's the major sustained climbs, mostly on day 1 & 2 that hurt (whinlatter, hartside, garrigill, etc etc). Day 3 is a doddle in comparison - once you're up crawleyside coming out of stanhope (depending where you stay this might be your first few miles of day 3 - so make sure you've digested your breakfast!). I regret not spending more of my training time on hard climbs - even if it meant getting to the top of a hill, freewheeling down it and doing it over again! - and less time worrying about maximising mileage.
The other thing that makes a huge difference is luggage weight - I packed VERY lightly - one nylon bag about the size of a largish washbag, bungee-strapped to a lightweight rack. A couple of the other guys who each started with double panniers ended up binning stuff en route.
I can strongly recommend accomodation as follows:
Penrith : http://www.fellfoot.com/ (excellent breakfast, & very helpful with a few minor bike repairs/maint)
Rookhope/Stanhope : Hole House Bunk House, Hole House, Eastgate, Weardale, Co. Durham DL13 2HX - second one from the bottom here : http://www.c2c-guide.co.uk/rookhope.html. Great meals at the pub few 100 yards down the lane.
For me, keeping going for 40-50 miles for three days running isn't really the issue - it's the major sustained climbs, mostly on day 1 & 2 that hurt (whinlatter, hartside, garrigill, etc etc). Day 3 is a doddle in comparison - once you're up crawleyside coming out of stanhope (depending where you stay this might be your first few miles of day 3 - so make sure you've digested your breakfast!). I regret not spending more of my training time on hard climbs - even if it meant getting to the top of a hill, freewheeling down it and doing it over again! - and less time worrying about maximising mileage.
The other thing that makes a huge difference is luggage weight - I packed VERY lightly - one nylon bag about the size of a largish washbag, bungee-strapped to a lightweight rack. A couple of the other guys who each started with double panniers ended up binning stuff en route.
I can strongly recommend accomodation as follows:
Penrith : http://www.fellfoot.com/ (excellent breakfast, & very helpful with a few minor bike repairs/maint)
Rookhope/Stanhope : Hole House Bunk House, Hole House, Eastgate, Weardale, Co. Durham DL13 2HX - second one from the bottom here : http://www.c2c-guide.co.uk/rookhope.html. Great meals at the pub few 100 yards down the lane.
Edited by beedj on Monday 2nd November 18:08
Coo, thanks guys! You've made my mind up. Training here I come!
Looks like I'll be doing it on my own so we'll see how I get on!
Albeit, I'm a Geordie who avoids Titley Bay like the plague.
Looks like I'll be doing it on my own so we'll see how I get on!
N Dentressangle said:
eta I'd say Parkhead and the 2 I've mentioned are your 3 stops, really. Plus a night in Tynemouth / Whitley Bay to gawp at the semi-naked orange Geordie slappers...
I live in Newcastle Albeit, I'm a Geordie who avoids Titley Bay like the plague.American iv said:
Titley Bay
We were also properly lazy and used this:
http://www.sherpavan.com/baggage/bagsrc.asp
They were ace, and well worth the small amount of cash not to have to worry about panniers and all that crap.
The best C2C site if you fancy a go is probably:
http://c2c-guide.co.uk/
HRG. said:
Is there an 'optimum' route for this? I'm probably fit enough for a wheeze such as this at the moment 
Depends what you mean by optimum. For us, optimum meant as much offroad as possible, hence taking the bridleways straight through the central Lakes. For many optimum may mean the quickest route with a mix of road and offroad.Gassing Station | Pedal Powered | Top of Page | What's New | My Stuff