Gairy, I don't think I'd get time to ride as far west as Chamonix, as much as I'd like to. Riding the Swiss Alps via the Furkastrasse to Brig then towards Lake Maggiore and SW from there. You could go that way via Aosta?
Scott, sure, if the route+time works out that'd be good.

Riding there?

I did not read that bit!

I retract my request for a lift as it seems unfair for you to have to carry me and my kit on your bike to the start (though would be great strength training, no?).

I did wonder : )

Why am I even thinking about this??? I jokingly asked my mum whether she would have the kids so I could go and do this . . . And she said she'd have a think.

She said it would be a marvelous trip over some of the roads she's ridden on the Stella Alpine motorbike rallies. . . . She still can't understand why I'd want to pedal though :)

What time does this kick off on the 6th?
Having a vague look at flights... It appears that I can fly Gatwick to Turin and then Nice back to Gatwick... Just need to get the wife to agree to me going awol for a week...

Would be torn between my cx bike with 40c nanos or my xc 29er with cx speed tyres. What do you you reckon jameso?

Would be torn between my cx bike with 40c nanos or my xc 29er with cx speed tyres. What do you you reckon jameso?

When I asked, he told me it wouldn't matter as sooner or later I'd be cursing no matter what I took

All these overseas multi-day adventures look ace

I'm really jealous of everyone going. One day I'll be able to do one of these, just have different priorities right now

What time does this kick off on the 6th?

No idea : ) early, unless there's a general desire to make it nearer lunch-time to suit flights. Or since we're in Italy .. There won't be any serious start line or timing so it's all open. TBC later but maybe good to plan for 9am.

re cursing, I expect so, either MTB tyres into the wind up the Col Agnel, or the CX bike on a few descents, all good fun. Between a CX bike on 40Cs and a light 29er on fast 50Cs, you can't really make a bad choice. Depends what you prioritise, road handling or dirt-track descending, how heavy or light you pack, etc - egg-sucking I know.

How do people go about transporting their bikes on the flights?
I was going to go with a cardboard bike box out,bin it, then try and scrounge another from a bike shop in Nice.

How do people go about transporting their bikes on the flights?

Much debate on the Tuscany Trail thread.

Still trying to convince my OH to add some holidays on to the Nice end of the trip.So I may end up having more time there to sort out the return bit.
Maybe if I beg ,she would bring an empty box with her

For anyone finding flights out a faff - London Victoria coach station to Turin is currently £70 with Eurolines coaches, bikes in bags or boxes booked in advance are no problem. Sept timetable and prices going up (edit, 'up' online rather than in price) on March 1st. National Express go to Victoria from most areas.

I thinking that I might drive from oop norf down to one of the London airports, looks like gatwick,

Car parking is about 60 to 80 quids. I expect I could share, but we'd have to be on similar ride plans even if we didnt ride together.

I'll have to have a proper look at the flights

T'is a bit early yet to be booking flights.

Potential to fly into Nice and then either get the train to Turin or perhaps ride over (about 200k direct and mainly on quiet roads). Depends if there's locals in Nice thinking about riding and we can cache stuff at theirs?

Or there's flight get into Milan and it's a 2 hour train/140k ride over.

Depends if there's locals in Nice thinking about riding and we can cache stuff at theirs?

There are, some loose offers of that sort of thing at each end. Will get a quick mail-out together with a link to here and/or I can put people in touch via email.

Anyone here considered riding back from Nice to Calais? It's a few days by the looks but could be a good adventure. Input from anyone who's done all/some of that route before would be good.

Greetz

S.

Scattamah wrote:Anyone here considered riding back from Nice to Calais? It's a few days by the looks but could be a good adventure. Input from anyone who's done all/some of that route before would be good.

Greetz

S.

Another 1200km.......

Scattamah wrote:Anyone here considered riding back from Nice to Calais? It's a few days by the looks...

It's the missus birthday on the 15th so definitely a flight post-event for me.

Yeah Chew...and a good excuse to ride my bike and not be at werk. :)

Greetz

S.

I did Nice to Cherbourg on road a few years back. Great route but we took 5 days

5 days...ta for the headsup there Dave. I figured it would mostly be road on the way back and roughly a week as long as I'm not clubbing myself to death every day. :)

And now...back to the cols...

Greetz

S.

This looks really good and timing is ideal for me. Got a summer of no work distractions coming up and this would be a great way to end the summer

jameso wrote:For anyone finding flights out a faff - London Victoria coach station to Turin is currently £70 with Eurolines coaches, bikes in bags or boxes booked in advance are no problem.

I was checking this out today as it's considerably cheaper than the flight, and the only information I can find on the Eurolines website is here: https://www.eurolines.co.uk/documents/c ... rriage.pdf

"You are allowed to take onto a service one or two medium sized suitcases or rucksacks (of no more than (h)70 x (w)30 x (d)45 cm in size and 30kg in total weight but no more than 20kg per single item)"
"If a service accepts folding bicycles (full size bicycles are not permitted) then that folding bicycle will form part of the luggage allowance stated above, so that if you bring a folding bicycle then you will only be entitled to bring 1 suitcase or rucksack, rather than the 2 stated above: i.e. you may have 2 cases, or 1 case and a folding bicycle."
"If a service accepts folding bicycles, then these must be specially packed in a tough padded bag or hard case designed for the purpose, so as to ensure protection of the folding bicycle and to prevent other luggage from being damaged by the folding bicycle; a flimsy cover or dust cover is unacceptable."

Doesn't read like they're happy with a bike in a cardboard box. Seen as the minimum box I'll be able to fit even an S&S un-coupled 29er in is the size of a wheel I fall foul of the maximum dimensions!

Have you got a bike on this service before James?

Good point - the info I had was from national express who will take a dismantled/wrapped non-folding bike, but Eurolines are the main part of the service, looks to be different. Will check.

I've taken a bike in a ctc bag with National Express to Aviemore from Victoria (and back).
It's very much up to the driver. Going up, the driver liked to stamp his authority and make me wait until he saw what luggage he was taking up.
Coming back, I had a lovely driver and she couldn't do enough to be helpful.
I think they'd probably be less fussy with a proper bike bag.

What's the journey time on a coach?