How light can you go? « CityCyclingEdinburgh Forum

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How light can you go?

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Started 7 years ago by HankChief
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HankChief
Member

So, I fancy having a go at the North Coast 500 this summer spread over 4 days.previous thread

There are going to be some pretty long distances to cover each day, so I'm hoping to use the fast bike (carbon, no mudguards or panniers) and keep things ultra light. The alternative of the sensible commuter bike does exist but wouldn't be as much fun and distances would need to be curtailed.

Question is just how light can go with off the bike stuff?

There won't be much time off the bike except to eat & sleep, but we would like to make an appearance in the pub to get food.

Do you think B&bs would mind us sending on supply parcels of energy gels etc?

Appreciate we have some Audax specialist on here, so appreciate your thoughts - and no, we're not going to sleep in a bus shelter ;-)

Posted 7 years ago #
paddyirish
Member

Can't see B&B's minding you sending on parcels as long as someone is there to receive them and they dont head back to a depot in Inverness...

When travelling many moons ago, I used this- you'd have to get to the post office during opening hours.

Posted 7 years ago #
I were right about that saddle
Member

Well, clearly you can go with the clothes on your back, a toothbrush and a credit card. But you'll need to accept that you're taking a series of risks;

1) The north coast of Scotland can be baltic even in summer with the wind and rain, especially once the sun goes down. I'd carry one of these if I were you.

2) Mechanical issues. At times you'll be a long way from the nearest bike shop.

3) Distances - if something goes wrong you can be a long way from your planned bed or fodder stop.

On the plus side people are very friendly up there and quite used to letting people sleep in their sheds, have a lift in their vans, use their arc welding kit and so on.

Should be exciting.

Posted 7 years ago #
sallyhinch
Member

I did once meet a cyclist who was doing the west coast end to end (up through the islands) and who was basically carrying his credit card and a couple of bananas on his bike. He had three bags which were being forwarded from hotel to hotel so he always had some nice clothes to change into and go out for a meal in. I expect he wasn't trying to do the sort of daily distances you'd need to put in for the 500 though

Posted 7 years ago #
kaputnik
Moderator

Jelly babies, Fig rolls, Soreen should all be procurable along the way.

A kilo of Soreen will provide 2,800 kcals, 600g carbs, 220g sugars and 5g salt* and costs about a fiver.

You'd need to consume 33 energy gels to get the same amount of calories, 27 for carbs, 314 (!) for sugars or 250 for salt. Discounting sugars and salts, say you need 30 energy gels a day for 1kg of soreen (they recommend 3 gels / hour, which equates to 10hrs a day which I imagine is what you'll be doing). There are 60ml in a gel, so you'll need to consume 1.8l of gel which has a box weight of 2.2kg and if it's mainly water possibly a total weight around 2kg once you account for the foil packaging and discarding the cardboard box. It will cost you £40 (RRP) or £22 with amazon discount.

Anyway, I don't recommend eating just a kg of Soreen a day, but the overall point was it may be lighter and significantly cheaper (and easier to access) to keep loaded up on "regular" foods and keep a few gels just for emergency bonking scenarios.

*Your daily recommendation for salt is 6g, so you won't be poisoning yourself on the Soreen diet considering how much you'll lose through sweating.

If there's a group of you of course you can share out the repair tools amongst yourselves, i.e. you won't be needing 5 pumps just 1 + 1 for emergencies. Same with tubes, you can take enough spares for the day and a small repair kit to mend any punctures in your B&B in the evening.

A "bikepack" thing or a Carradice is probably required as you'll be wanting to keep waterproofs and extra layers on you at all times - as noted above even the summer can be freezing, driving rain, sunny days can be cold but equally scorching so you'll want the sunblock handy.

Posted 7 years ago #
I were right about that saddle
Member

@kaputnik

I read that whole post thinking that Soreen might be something like Crisco and now I feel sick.

Also, sharing out the repair tools just leads to the inevitable 'I carried the wheel truing stand yesterday' row.

Posted 7 years ago #
kaputnik
Moderator

@IWRATS I'm sure you could go far on the Atora diet.

Posted 7 years ago #
DaveC
Member

Ditch B&Bs as they take too long getting you in and out, and are quite inflexible on times especially in the more remote parts where the tourists have to adjust to the Inn Keeper's schedule. I'd recommend taking a light bivi with a head midge net and some warm clothing to sleep in/wear if its gets cool. A light mat/bubblewrap, to sleep on, its cheap and easy to get at post offices, and can be ditched if not needed as its disposable (responsibly of course). I rode round that coast in 2014 and missed a couple of night accommodation when we ran into mechanical problems. We ended up riding through the night. Borrow a dynamo and lights as torches just consume heavy batteries.

Take as little as you can get away with, as its less to unpack and re pack/loose and plan to stop when your tired not at a specific spot. Plan to kip away off the road where ever is convenient. Some use hammocks from DD Hammocks and a tarp.

Pack once, repack a day later and halve the stuff, then repack a day later still and halve the stuff again. Don't take any spare clothes, just Anusol cream, a simple first aid kit, spares/repairs and a few essentials. But the lighter you are, the faster you'll go. If you are cycling OR eating OR sleeping, you won't need much kit so there is no point carrying it.

Dave C

Posted 7 years ago #
gembo
Member

these new post bags from apidura or blackburn are all the rage

also handlebar bag and frame bag cuts down on drag allegedly and is more new kit that can justifiably be purchased

Posted 7 years ago #
kaputnik
Moderator

But the lighter you are, the faster you'll go.

I've ridden it on a fully laden touring bike tipping the scales at over 40kg and what Dave C says is true!

My touring average daily speed was about 10mph, I imagine a fit cyclist on a light bike would be averaging around 15-16mph a day? So a 60%-ish gain in speed by not weighing yourself down.

Posted 7 years ago #
I were right about that saddle
Member

Don't take any spare clothes, just Anusol cream, a simple first aid kit...

I put my stake in the ground at this point. I save weight when touring by decanting my fine wine into a plastic bottle and drinking it from an alloy mug.

If you're in a hurry get a motorbike. They're much quicker.

Posted 7 years ago #
Stickman
Member

I save weight when touring by decanting my fine wine into a plastic bottle and drinking it from an alloy mug.

It's this sort of behaviour that gives all cyclists a bad name.

Posted 7 years ago #
crowriver
Member

Soreen:

Each to their own, I suppose! I used to quite enjoy a slice back in the 1970s when I were a lad...

Posted 7 years ago #
I were right about that saddle
Member

It's this sort of behaviour that gives all cyclists a bad name.

Chacun porte sa croix. Drugs other than alcohol are of course even lighter but I wouldn't touch them with a carbon fibre pole for just that reason.

Posted 7 years ago #
kaputnik
Moderator

It's an indisputable fact that a 70cl bottle of wine weighs less when decanted into your person than it does when in its glass (or even plastic) container.

Posted 7 years ago #
wingpig
Member

"A kilo of Soreen will provide 2,800 kcals, 600g carbs, 220g sugars and 5g salt* and costs about a fiver."

A kilo of oatcakes contain 4,310 kcal from 586g carbs, 173g fat and 102g protein. They contain four times the fibre of Soreen (for easier output) and none of the disgustingness (for easier input). I didn't know about oatcakes when I lugged tins of rainforest-depleting corned beef around with me on long energy-depleting walking trips or I'd have taken oatcakes instead. Raw jelly cubes are good for a wee mouth-energy-boosting nibble. Chocolate is good for energy content but has a distinct lack of fibre, making it unsuitable for consuming in large quantities.

Posted 7 years ago #
kaputnik
Moderator

I do love an oatcake and have tried them as portable fuel on long-distance cycles, and unless you are stopping to eat them found myself almost choking on multiple occasions from inhaling oat dust. They are also not easy to eat with a dry mouth. I think they'd need to develop a squishy, oat-less oatcake for it to be good for eating on the wheel.

I find moist foods as mentioned above that do not produce crumbs or dust and can be squished in a back pocket to be excellent cycling fuel.

Posted 7 years ago #
wingpig
Member

Oatcakes don't produce crumbs if you stuff them in whole.

Posted 7 years ago #
Rosie
Member

Fruit cake. Moister than oat cakes. I buy up Christmas cakes cheap on Boxing Day and take hunks of them on long cycles.

Posted 7 years ago #
Snowy
Member

Flapjacks!

Posted 7 years ago #
gembo
Member

I favour a proper Normandy galette. They have salt around the circumference so are not as sweet as other biscuits. Hard to find outside of Normandy, though tesco use to do them.

Here is what I am taking on my 100 miler around Dumfries. Five cereal bars, five banana bars, both decathlon brand, ten gels, two packets of Mrs Tilly fudge.

Won't eat all that. But we have a warm up and I think warm down cycle tomorrow and Sunday. Coffee and lunch stops also booked.

Posted 7 years ago #
crowriver
Member

Yeah oatcakes are good. LiDL do nice 'deluxe' ones made with olive oil which I recommend. Can be prone to cracking in the saddle bag, so worth wrapping in something soft or just popping a cellophane batch of them in rear pocket if wearing a cycling jersey. Best savoured when temporarily stationary to avoid choking however.

I also find midget gems an agreeable snack: worth storing a bag in a back pocket for those low energy points in the ride. They've helped me round the final legs of a few audax rides.

Some folk swear by stuff like strawberry/chocolate milk drinks procured from convenience stores en route, as a slow release form of hydration, with useful nutrients, protein and glucose in there too. Have tried them on occasion and they work pretty well. Not everyone's taste of course.

Posted 7 years ago #
I were right about that saddle
Member

I can't read this thread any more. Haemorrhoid cream and bubblewrap have done for me.

Posted 7 years ago #
Ed1
Member

I did 200 miles from Monday night to Wednesday , I cycled to Longtown I had 2 days off work. Although not 500 miles and I was by no means racing.
I did just took one pair of the trousers was wearing, tent, sleeping bag, tooth brush, socks and T shirt bike tools, bottle of wine and 4 beers a waste of weight only drank half a can and took rest back home, if had a week of and was doing 500 miles would have taken waterproofs also some food. I stopped at supermarkets and a bakers to buy sandwiches but between Pebbles and Moffatt there was no shops or anything the historic Crook inn was shut.

I ended up staying in a caravan at Moat Vale camp site near Longtown, but only paid to pitch a tent £6 the owner said liked and respected cyclists and because arrived at 10pm said I could stay in caravan for the same price, as had no food he was going to offer to make some food but I said would go to town. He called the chip shop in town to stay open which it did but because door closed I though closed and cycled further to Gretna. He also made breakfast because I had no food. A great place to stay if cycling in that area. It has a large bike shed which I did not use as so remote, only £6 and in nice location.

Posted 7 years ago #
dougal
Member

@IWRATS Do you not find that you need to let the wine settle after travelling?

Posted 7 years ago #
HankChief
Member

Thanks CCE. I always knew I'd get a mix of helpful & whimsical advice ;-)

I'm too much of an optimist to have thought about tools.

I agree that there will be an element of risk taking but that is part of the fun.

Posted 7 years ago #
I were right about that saddle
Member

@dougal

No - if I've decanted it with care the lees are left behind in the glass bottle. I'm not an utter heathen.

Posted 7 years ago #
kaputnik
Moderator

Thought. I know you said "no mudguards", but if you're riding in a group you may want to reconsider; imho you'll go faster and farther with the marginal weight increase of some lightweight plastic guards like Road Racers or Raceblades than you will without on a damp road throwing spray in everyone's faces. You'll also be far more comfortable yourself.

Posted 7 years ago #
HankChief
Member

Well that was a fun weekend...

North Coast 500 done in 4 days.

Thanks to the advice on here and some last minute panicking with the weather looking stormy, I set off with 4kg of luggage (half of which was food) in a frame bag and saddle bag together with clip on mudguards.

Day 1 (Friday) saw us leave Inverness in a headwind but soon making good time until my mate hit the deck crossing the Garve Level crossing. Fortunately only road rash and my limited first aid kit came in handy.

Pushed on through the headwind and rain to Lochcarron for lunch. Bealach Na Ba straight afterwards is quite a challenge - my mate's lack of a low gear (and the crash) made him struggle up it but after plodding it out we made it. What a climb though - the unrelenting steepness of the middle section is quite something. Great views at the top over to Skye makes up for it.

Really enjoyed the road up the coastline, up to the point you turn inland and have repeated short sharp climbs and technical descents and we realise we will be cutting it fine to get to the hotel in time for dinner. It's hard to push on with 100miles & Bealach Na Ba in your legs and wasn't helped by my 2nd pinch flat of the day.

We made it though and gorged out on dinner and a medicinal Guinness and to bed.

With an even longer day ahead we asked for an early breakfast so we wouldn't be chasing for dinner. Still too much faffing though.

Ullapool for lunch in the sunshine and we were feeling good. It got even hillier and wetter after that and it wasn't helped by my mate misremembering how many hills were ahead if us.

The Lochinver/Drumbeg loop was incredible in terms of scenery and hills. I'd been warned they were bad and every time I struggled up what I thought was the worst one I would crest the top and then see an even worse one ahead. I was very glad of my 32t.

Kylescu bridge is iconic. A beautiful bridge and a fantastic location. That and the sun cheered me through the last slog to Scourie for dinner. During which it absolutely chucked it down and gave the bags a good testing of their waterproofness.

Another morning of faffing, mainly because it was raining saw us leave later than planned but in the dry. Durness for coffee and shortly after we were slogging into a headwind round Loch Eriboll when we pointed out to a big merc that they had a flat tyre. They asked us to help them change it, which being good samaritans we did, or rather we tried and failed. They did give us £20 and ask if we were students - LOL!

Tongue for lunch with a tailwind pushing us along. It amazed me how spread out the villages are up there - very difficult to work out how big each settlement was - probably less than they look and they didn't look big.

Disaster struck when my mate's gear cable snapped, possibly a delayed consequence of the crash. Fortunately he had brought a spare but couldn't get it to work so we had to bodge him with a middle gear.

We'd done most of the hills by then so it was bearable. On one hills we were descendig we saw a group of mopeds struggling up it so we gave them some encouragement - in return one of them pulled a wheelie - good effort.

It was quite a shock to drop onto Reay and return to an agricultural setting with crops and houses huddled together. It was more of a shock to get to Thurso just as the Ferry was unloading. Lovely flat straight roads took us on to John O'Groats in time for dinner in bright sunshine.

After dinner we headed out to the lighthouse to see the sunset, only to find 'the sign' was just down the hill from the hotel.

Last day and another headwind. Fortunately my mate managed to fix his gears using a butchers knife he found in the garage we locked our bikes in...

Can't say I'm a fan of the A9 but without any choice we had to grin & bear it. Berriedale is a good test of weary legs...

Golspie for lunch and then the heavens opened and we cycled in a deluge from Tain to Beauly before some final sunshine as we entered Inverness.

530miles in 82hours, with 34.5hrs moving time. Really pleased to have done it - didn't know it was going to be possible, mentally or physically.

We definitely need to cut out the faffing both off the bike and on it as we weren't finishing until 8pm each night, but there were just too many views to photograph.

The kit worked well. Not much I didn't use - leg and arm warmers didn't get used but glad I had them with me.

Maybe next time I'll do it over longer time or bite the bullet & go audaxing...

Posted 7 years ago #
Greenroofer
Member

Chapeau!

Posted 7 years ago #

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