Next year I want to enter a bikepacking race through Albania and Balkan states, it's a no fly event which is fine by me, but it starts 1500 miles away. Trains could be OK, but TGV's are "no bikes" and driving there (and back) is a big chunk of driving (especially on my own).
How would you peeps get there? What options do I have?

As an aside, sharing a drive could work, but what if they talk too much or really annoy me (or vice versa)? I guess I could leave them at some service station in Essex....

Please help with some inspiration. For now, assume limitless budget (that might change when project review #1 happens with the much better half)

Just ride there ... imagine how fit you'll be when you arrive

Bearbonesnorm wrote: ↑Wed Apr 10, 2024 8:34 pm Just ride there

Beat me to it .

But?: "disassembled bike goes as hand luggage on all [French] TGV trains so long as bag is less than 130x90cm". Doesn't mention the width though!

And?: "bicycle can be taken on board [German] ICE trains if it is packed in a cover less than 120x90cm". Again no width, and German trains would seem to be 10cm shorter .

Maybe no good for a LWB Jones then .

Race a [hand luggage] Brompton?

Fast trains to Italy then ferry from Ancona or Brindisi?

slarge wrote: ↑Wed Apr 10, 2024 8:15 pm As an aside, sharing a drive could work, but what if they talk too much or really annoy me (or vice versa)? I guess I could leave them at some service station in Essex....

Buy a good pair of noise cancelling headphones. I shudder to think about spending 1,500 miles in a car with someone I barely know... Seriously though, you could set some boundaries and expectations, but then you know what people are like.

Just fly and when you get there tell them you drove there in a supercharged Range Rover, when they kick off about the fuel consumption tell them you flew as it's a lower carbon footprint

Javi would ride there

RIP wrote: ↑Wed Apr 10, 2024 8:54 pm But?: "disassembled bike goes as hand luggage on all [French] TGV trains so long as bag is less than 130x90cm". Doesn't mention the width though!

And?: "bicycle can be taken on board [German] ICE trains if it is packed in a cover less than 120x90cm". Again no width, and German trains would seem to be 10cm shorter .

4 of my bikes are well beyond 1200 mm wheelbase. Never had anyone actually measure the bag, neither in TGV, nor in ICE (or other "only packed bikes" trains). Karl visited for rides in the Alps with his fatbike fully built, just popped a big plastic bag over it. I remember one conductor wasn't pleased. But once you remove the wheels, pop something over/around it it's all smooth sailing and if I recall correctly, the packed bike travels as luggage and (almost always) is free.

Some good ones there, thanks. Maybe TGV and ICE trains are an option. Riding there could be, but I'd probably get very bored by the time I got there - France is massive and flat.
And thanks Sean - and that is an option - of course you know that a SC range rover is 248g/km CO2....a lot less than a plane, however I do still have a problem with driving a massive truck. Prefer smallish cars...

The ferry from Italy is another good one - it would make yhe journey far more interesting.

@slarge, I did know that, which highlights just how bad planes are.

If I had to do a 3000 mile round trip and could afford the fuel I'd take the SC RR, it would be the best place to be plus I do 3000 miles a year riding my bike to work instead of driving so that counts as offsetting?

Seat 61 is a good source of train info around Europe, their recommendation is to travel to Bari (Italy) and take the ferry:
https://www.seat61.com/Albania.htm

They also collate requirements for bikes https://www.seat61.com/bike-by-train.htm#Italy

A ferry is more polluting than an aircraft isn’t it? Recently read an article by Cunard saying that

You have to question why organisers ban aircraft for their races but not ferries/ships to get to the races

Looks like Eurostar is the best bet
https://www.eurostar.com/uk-en/travel-i ... gage/bikes

Edit - maybe cruise liners are worse than ferries (hence Cunard saying that). It’s a mine field

voodoo_simon wrote: ↑Thu Apr 11, 2024 7:08 am A ferry is more polluting than an aircraft isn’t it? Recently read an article by Cunard saying that

You have to question why organisers ban aircraft for their races but not ferries/ships to get to the races

Looks like Eurostar is the best bet
https://www.eurostar.com/uk-en/travel-i ... gage/bikes

You may want to do the calculations yourself and not trust a certain Cunard.
There are many factors involved to roughly speaking flying eg Manchester - Sarajevo will be about 0.7 - 0.8 tons CO2 return. Getting to and from airport not included.
Ferry across the Adria will probably be about 50 kg. Add the train to get to and from the ferry and you're at 0.09 - 0.1 t CO2. 0.2 t CO2 return.
Take your supercharger Ranger Rover and travel alone and your at 1.2 t CO2 return.

A problem with some cruises are the uel they run on (containing comparably high amounts of sulfur). Measured in CO2 alone their not horribly bad. Ferries in the Adria may be somewhat modernised and won't be running on heavy fuel oil but ship diesel. Just guessing.

slarge wrote: ↑Wed Apr 10, 2024 10:42 pm Prefer smallish cars...

The ferry from Italy is another good one - it would make yhe journey far more interesting.

Caterham 7
Nothing smaller or greener (if you buy a green one ).
Makes every drive an adventure, particularly via mountain passes.
The essence of TLS motoring: put the hood up and you can bivi in it, too .

https://youtu.be/JAwNfgvF_Ww?feature=shared

https://www.autotrader.co.uk/car-search ... ce=digidip

There is a Nightjet* service from Brussels to Prague (starts this year) and from there good connections to the South, certainly the big cities. - I believe bikes are fine. I know the race you are on about but I have not looked at where it starts. You can take your built up bike to Brussels on Eurostar (but not Paris currently) to pick up the night train. 40+ years ago I got sleeper trains to both Belgrade and Sarajevo, all fun.

* Now beginning to doubt if part of 'Nightjet' but an overnight service does run, I am considering taking it to Dresden next year.

Probably not relevant to the OP, but I just stumbled across this relates article about a new sleeper service. Doesn't mention bikes though.
https://www.bbc.com/travel/article/2024 ... eat-cities

This is great, thanks for the inspiration folks.
The race is The Accursed Race - a Mike Hall legacy. Never met the bloke, but saw him once in Llanbrynmair school...
Kind of feel an affinity with the mindset

slarge wrote: ↑Wed Apr 10, 2024 10:42 pm ...I'd probably get very bored by the time I got there - France is massive and flat...

You could always ride around it. Sprint across the flats then get into some pointy stuff. You'll be strong when you arrive. Bonus adventure.

Greetz

S : )

Steve, currently in Budapest having arrived by train. In Vienna I saw some Nightjet trains with a cycle sign by one of the doors. I asked our conductor who said our train, I think she called it Euronights, does not take bikes but she confirmed Nightjet did.

voodoo_simon wrote: ↑Thu Apr 11, 2024 7:08 am A ferry is more polluting than an aircraft isn’t it? Recently read an article by Cunard saying that

You have to question why organisers ban aircraft for their races but not ferries/ships to get to the races

Looks like Eurostar is the best bet
https://www.eurostar.com/uk-en/travel-i ... gage/bikes

Edit - maybe cruise liners are worse than ferries (hence Cunard saying that). It’s a mine field

Do Cunard have a fleet of minesweepers?

The whole thing about trains taking/not taking bikes is a bit of a red herring.

Yes it's nice if the train allows your bike to be wheeled on in one piece, but if you can quickly whip the wheels off and put it in a (thin) bag then it just becomes a normal piece of luggage.

When I did Paris-Brest-Paris they had helpers at the Brest end for people who had bailed out putting peoples bikes into large bin bags so they could get the TGV back to Paris.

I think I'd be trying to car share. Yes, you may get someone that's over talkative/likes listening to Rihanna on repeat/wants the heating at 35 degrees, but on the train you might end up sitting next to a snorer or one of those people who just talk on the phone for hours for fun! (You could also end up with a new best friend!)

If there are several people from this side of Europe you even be able to arrange a small coach and driver starting from a convenient point in France.