UKC

I while back I agreed to cycle from London to Paris in a group.

It's now in 2 weeks (oops)

I'm going to get a long ride in this weekend (5 hours maybe) to iron out the kinks.

Is there anything I need to know?

Longest I've ever ridden is probably 3 hours.

We're taking our time. We're allowing for 8mph average with our timings, but assume we will go a bit quicker. We're doing it over 5 days on cycle paths with varying road surfaces.

Ferry out, hotels and Eurostar back are all booked. I've bought a second hand B'Twin Triban and giving it away in Paris.

Apart form the obvious, maintaining the bike, comfy seat, spare tubes, basic tools etc, is there anything not so obvious I need to be aware of?

One of the lads was talking about getting padded short for example. Will I regret not getting some? I own no cycling clothing as I just wear normal clothes on my rides.

Places to eat are sparser in France but I presume your organiser has that in hand. The French roads and Vertes are a lot smoother. Over 5 days you’ll have plenty of time to enjoy. Have fun.

Is it a road bike or hybrid, I have a decathlon road bike and find it really comfy. It's probably going to hurt sitting for that long if you aren't used to it though!

It's a road bike. 

A hybrid would be better given that some of the tracks are broken, but tarmac will still end up being the vast majority of the surface type as best as we can tell.

I would get some decent cycle clothing, shorts and tops will make a big difference, again decathlon mount be your friend. What are you thinking you'll carry with you while cycling and how will you carry it? Is someone driving or shuttling stuff to wear in the evening etc?

I'd want cycling shorts for that, Decathlon sell some fairly cheap models. They may look a bit silly  when your not on your bike but they are more comfortable than the alternatives.

I would recommend getting cycle clothing, I find them more comfortable on long rides, they also dry quickly if you wash them in the evening, the jersey back pockets are very handy. Get good shorts. Get some spare inner tubes?

I would recommend getting cycle clothing, I find them more comfortable on long rides, they also dry quickly if you wash them in the evening, the jersey back pockets are very handy. Get good shorts. Get some spare inner tubes? Bottle cages and bottles? Emergency small back up lights just in case.

Endurance tyres as multiple punctures are a nightmare on a long run. It rained on the London 100 one year and those without had 5 or 6 punctures.

Decent cycling shorts and of course commando. 

Which ferry are you taking?

Chamois cream. I've no idea if this is still a thing but it helped sooth the pain when I cycled London/Paris about 10 years ago.

 I predict that on the second morning, the rest of you will fight him for them whether he’s washed them or not.

If you don’t want go go full Lycra you might prefer a more causal short with a padded liner…

https://www.millets.co.uk/16465829/fox-men-s-flexair-lite-shorts-16465829/3...

and I’d take some energy bars or gels.. it amazes me how quickly I run out of energy when I cycle…

This is good advice, eat even when you are not hungry to avoid the bonk. On longer rides I eat something every 30min, think about appeal and digestability on the bike. Personally I always have a couple of bananas as part of feeding plan as they sit well 

Yes it's still a thing. Use lots, your ass will thank you for it. 

Get some Jelly Babies

Sun screen, and beware sun burn through a thin t-shirt ... And two water bottles.

Are you riding along the Avenue Verte ? If so, lots of info online about what to expect. 

Have a super time !

You can probably still buy them.but years ago I got a very thin long sleeved cycling jersey that was also protective against the sun.

We did the other way over three days. Fortunately it only rained for two of them.
If the hedges have been trimmed prepare for many punctures. I had bontrager hard case tyres, or gatorskins which did me well. Eat well, graze constantly, don't plan your route on Google maps, we had some interesting off road adventures, and terrifying on road ones. 

The avenue Verte from dieppe to forge les eaux is lovely, we raced along that at 14/16 mph depending on whether we were exposed to the wind or not.

The south downs are lumpy, not helped by six kilos of cheese in my pannier.

Stop at bakeries and patisseries, try all the wacky local pastries, get some of the heart shaped cheese - neufchatel I think, 

We stopped in beauvais, nice big church/ cathedral there.
If I did it again I'd take longer and actually enjoy the tourism side rather than the racing across the country side of the challenge 

Good luck. I think you'll be fine over five days,  I think I'd done three 40 mile rides in preparation fir the three 60/70 mile rides we actually had to do 

Gte

I did Bristol-Paris in 4 days, so your journey should be easier.

As others say, get two pairs of padded shorts.  Wear one and wash the other pair.  Alternate each day.  That will reduce the chance of saddle sores.

You might be doing 4 hrs a day.  You can afford to stop every hour for a rest and some cake.  France is the tops in that respect!

Take a few spare inner tubes and glue/patches (just in case)

Carry a spare deraileur hanger and the tools to change it. 

Have a brilliant time!

As others have stated, get some shorts and wear them for a ride before you go to break them in a bit and check they work for you. Wash your shorts in the shower with you in the evenings (re-wearing even partially dirty shorts is going to irritate things). Chamois cream is a good and cheap way to increase comfort. 

Check out tyre pressures and don't be tempted to but bash in 100 psi in the though that this is "what roadies do". 

Gloves would be a good idea.

Service the bike. Don't be the annoying person who turns up for a ride and then has endless mechanicals.

If you are after comfort, lycra shorts as said. And in case it's not clear, nothing under them. At all. Apart from cream.

Tyre pressure guide

https://axs.sram.com/guides/tire/pressure

If you want more comfort, check the maximum size tyres that your frame can take

See what's fitted and if budget allows then see if you can increase tyre size, then run then at lower pressure. Just as fast and more comfort especially on the less good surface.

32mm will be a lot better than 28. If it's a rim brake bike you might not get over 28 but they in turn beat 25 or 23!

Get your seat height right, not too high, and raise the bars if you can. 

Enjoy!

I went on a 1000 mile bike ride when I was 20, totally underprepared. We had no real map, for example, just a leaflet, so we relied on asking people which direction to go in once we got to a village (not recommended, but this was 30 years ago).

What we learnt: take padded shorts; drink lots of water and eat salted chips in hot weather; take panniers (we tied rucksacks to our bikes with ropes); get your bike serviced; have a bike light in case you end up in the dark; travel light.

We made it without any major incidents. You don't need loads of kit but the shorts and panniers will make it more comfortable.

As no-one has mentioned it yet, in France there are unsurprisingly lots of rules about what equipment you need. You can actually get fined for not having this stuff, the most annoying being a high-viz top when not in a built-up area. As you might imagine, lots of people completely ignore this and have no problems...

https://www.securite-routiere.gouv.fr/reglementation-liee-aux-modes-de-depl...

Eek. Have some plans for alternative routes if your bike/you don't handle the track brokenness. I once did some of the South Downs Way on a suspensionless hybrid, and ended up retreating to the tarmac after a couple of bone-shaking hours.

Replace punctured inner tubes and repair the holes in the evening rather than faff around repairing during the day. Get Kevlar reinforced tyres.

Another vote for padded shorts.

I find that preloading with a really good breakfast and then eating energy food during the day works well for me. YMMV.

Learn how to fix a puncture on your bike, some tyres are harder to get off than others.

Diggery makes a good point.  I rode on 23mm tyres for several years.  Frequent punctures.  I switched to 25 and 28mm tyres - virtually no punctures.  Touring stuff on a bike makes punctures a real pain.

Lots of people have emphasised the importance of padded shorts - it will be hell without. I have cycling shorts that take a padded liner but I find they tend to move down over the hours. Bibs might look silly but they are they are popular for a reason - they stay in place. You can get bib shorts or bib full length.

Eat before you are hungry - drink before you are thirsty. The pace is gentle so should be enjoyable, but once you've run out of food/water it takes a while to recover. Best avoided. 

Good tough tyres will minimise punctures - probably not worth the hassle of going tubeless. Having your tyres at the right pressure makes a big difference. Have a gauge between you and a pump. Makes life easier - you can drop pressure for long off road sections (more comfortable and fewer punctures).

Really good sun screen and reapply. Good sunglasses.

Yep, this is what I do on multiday rides. If you feel self conscious in lycra, wear just some standard baggy shorts over them, preferably with zipped thigh pockets. I do this all the time, predominantly for riding to work. You can keep your phone in the thigh pocket for quick reference to maps/tunes/podcasts, particularly if you've not get a head unit for maps. 

RIDE ON THE RIGHT IN FRANCE.

I would definitely go with proper cycling shorts and Assos* chamois cream (no underwear) and a proper top - the hem won't flap around and the rear pockets are useful for snacks. 2 of each.

One school of thought says wearing a mesh vest helps moisture transfer and keeps you cooler.

I'd take a windproof gilet and summer arm warmers/sun sleeves. Definitely sun cream, lip balm and sunglasses.

Cycling mitts will stop sweaty hands slipping around.

Small lights are very handy if you end up in a tunnel

I'd also go with proper, stiff, cycling shoes, rather than trainers (less fatigue on your feet), but probably a bit late for that, if you're not used to clipless pedals. Maybe next time.

* other brands available. The Muc-Off one is really good, but absolutely stinks - I won't buy it again!

All good points. At 8 mph that's 7.5 h in the saddle over 5 days. Easy enough on day 1, but the affects will accumulate. I have reversible pedals on my commute gravel bike - they take a mountain bike cleat on one side and are flat on the other. Decathlon do cheap mountain bike shoes with a stiff sole. The cleats are set very light so you can unclip very easily (in either direction) - the stiff sole and the fixed foot position makes things very easy without the risk of 'the topple of shame'. 

If there is a helicopter flying low overhead and people hitting cowbells on the side of the road, you might be off course...

I'm enjoying this goldmine of knowledge.

I think so far I have:

• Bring padded shorts and chamois cream. Bibs look daft but stay put.
• Eat and drink before you need to. Load up on a big breakfast. The plan is to get out early each day and if we make decent progress hopefully we'll be done for the day ready for a late lunch.
• Endurance tyres. Going to try and nab some part used marathon plus I think.
• Storage. I have a panier rack, and have one panier. Will get a second cheap one.
• Sun cream and sunglasses
• Service the bike. Extra point for a derailleur hanger

Thanks for all the input.

I wouldn't bother with "endurance" tyres, they're heavy and uncomfortable, you're only going a few miles so really they're overkill.

Hi Montyjohn,

I've been reading the thread with great interest. There's one item that hasn't come up, and without which I no longer cycle in sunny weather: a peaked cap.

Why ? (1) Cos my thinning hair would leave my scalp exposed to the sun for hours a day through the air vents in my helmet - I've never had a sunburned scalp, but am sure that it wouldn't be comfortable ! And (2), I find the glare from the sun reflecting off my face onto the INSIDE of my sunglasses really distracting, annoying, and ruins my usual carefree cycling mood. A thin, peaked cap would help with both these nuisances.

Two small inconveniences, but maybe worth a thought ?

j

Ps. My cap is actually a Decathlon trekking cap with a removable 'skirt' at the side and back. When out for a long ride (+1hr) or in bright sun, I attach the skirt as it removes the need for sunscreen on ears and neck. I don't like the 'ickiness' of sunscreen and avoid it when I can.

PPs. One more thing came to mind: what about some Ribena (or other concentrated juice) to add to your water bottle ? I find that warm, plain water isn't very pleasant; warm Ribena flavour drink is nicer.

It's horses for courses but technology has moved on, most are only slightly heavier and slower than standard tyres, plus you save on not losing time with punctures. It does of course depend on many variables if they are worth it overall, often the weather.

don't get marathon plus tyres!! they're far too hard in my opinion. They're totally puncture-proof but like riding on solid wood. I used them on a town commute - excellent - didn't need to fix a puncture in 5 years of city riding including over post-weekend broken glass and all sorts of crap. but for long days and long distance - nope, too hard, too much drag. 

get something more in-between balancing puncture resistance with rolling resistance. 

I switched to Continental Contact Urban, they're way more comfy. Even then, given open choice I'd go further towards speed. 

They're not actually, although I got a replacement for one pointing out that in Schwalbe's own video they did claim that. They are heavy and stiff, although I did tens of thousands of kms on various pairs with no issues. The obvious modern alternative is tubeless though, I've been using Goodyear Connectors for some years now happily, but tubeless is a whole other kettle of fish/can of worms. 

Sounds like great fun!

- As others have said, get two pairs of padded shorts. I would get bibs as they work the best and I don't care about how I look. I bet decathlon do something good at a reasonable price. Wear with no underwear and for best results with some chamois cream. 

- I would not bother with any particulaly puncture proof tyres. On my commuting brompton and heavy Dutch bike with the child seat I have marathon plus and marathon tyres. They are slower and less pleasant to ride, but I can't miss a train, or get stuck with the kiddo and have to change a rear tyre on a hub gear and roller brake bike. On my road bike and gravel I have good, fast tyres with latex tubes and no particular puncture protection (Conti GP 5000 on the road and Terravail Washburn light and supple on the gravel.) I've probably had 1 puncture in the last 10,000 km including lots of gravel and flanders cobbles. Whatever setup you use though, use a modern online tyre pressure calculator (like the one from silca) to get the right pressure. The science has advanced lots in the last 10-15 years, and fortunately it turns out more comfortable is also faster. 

- Eat and drink frequently, but don't stuff yourself so you feel uncomfortable. A few cereal bars, stops at bakeries etc will do you just fine - you don't need to worry about some fancy 'fueling strategy'. Beguided by your gut (ho ho) as to what you will want to eat, and what you can digest. I find the little packets of haribo pretty good - sensibly priced, taste fine, decent amounts of sugar. The only high tech thing I would really recommend is some kind of sport salts thing. Either as dissolvable tablets or little sachets to have one per day - you'll probably be sweating a lot, and it's hard to get those salts back just by normal eating. 

- Biggest tip though is just to go slow - slower than you think you need to, and stick to it. It's hard to describe, but for me, the right pace for long rides (100 - 150 miles) is slow enough that you really feel slightly unnaturally slow - almost as if you're starting to dawdle. Try to stick to that level of effort for as long as you can, and keep going at that steady effort level without too many stops. Chat to your mates, enjoy the scenery, but don't work too hard. If you end up feeling you've got loads left in the tank when you're 80% of the way through the day then you can up the effort a bit, but going in the other direction once you've over extended is so much harder. Whenever I try to be actively slow (or rather, low effort), whether long distance running or long distance cycling, I'm always surprised at how high my average speed when I've finished my route. Go slower to go faster. 

And finally, have a great time! If you get good weather then I'm sure it will be a fantastic adventure. 

Marathon Plus are hugely overkill - heavy and slow.

Something like Bontrager R3 Hard Case Lite would be much better. 

When we did it, we cycled around the roundabout (Place Charles deGaulle, I think it is now) to the Arc de Triomphe and were told in no uncertain terms by a lady gendarme with a big gun (not a euphemism) that bikes weren't allowed there and that we should have used the subway.

2 good points - forgot to mention the cap one, but my hair is not that thin (yet!).

On the drinks, I did think about mentioning hydration tabs, but OP said they were taking their time, so perhaps not such an issue, especially if you have a bag of crisps for "fuel" when you stop.

If you want to go down that route,and it's not a bad one at all in the heat, I use the High5 ones - they do a neutral flavour that is a nice change from some of the more icky "flavours".

The hiviz EN ISO 20471 requirement is only for the hours of darkness. Given the distance and number of days, unlikely OP will be riding at night.

Given the distance and number days you certainly don’t need padded shorts, chamois creams or tablets in your water etc.  Keep it simple, use what you already have, thus walking shorts and tops, sun cream to stop you getting burnt.  Stop at bars, cafes and shops along the way, carry some emergency snacks each day, a supply of euros and your bank cards. A phone with a sim with free roaming in EU.

Sure he doesn't 'need' cycling shorts, but he may well find the ride a more enjoyable experience with them.  (rarely used chamois cream & never 'tablets in my water' even on week plus tours covering maybe 100-150 km per day)

Agree about stopping at café/bar stops - one of the joys of cycle touring, most of my cycling now is planned around which of the local cafés &/or cake shops will be open on a given day. 

A quick Google suggests that doing it over 5 days is something like 60 miles a day. Given his predicted average speed that's 6 or 7+ hours in the saddle.

I really, really wouldn't want to do that in walking shorts.

Cycling lycra is also really easy to do a shower wash on and is not unbearable to put back on wet.

Those shorts will probably be fine if and only if you wear cycling shorts under them, as opposed to your normal cotton undies! Like I said above, I do almost all my cycling with baggies over lycra, I do have some made for biking over shorts, but I also just use nylon hiking shorts, be they Decathlon basics or some fancy Norrona ones. 

Just another comment in general in what works for most not necessarily working for all, I've found on multi day rides that good quality non-bib cycling shorts are more comfy for me than good quality bibs. I got quite saddle sore on a trip a few summers ago when on day 2 I was wearing bibs. Swapped back to washed out non bibs for day three, and the saddle sores were almost healed despite another 150 kms done. 

I've worn my best bibs for 190 km day rides with no sores, so it seems to be only something that happens beyond day 1 of a bikepack trip. 

I've gone for swims in my lycra on hot days and despite a soggy nappy feeling for a bit, it dries quickly and feels semi washed as a result!

For flavour in my water bottle, I just buy the cheapest vitamin C tablets - they are something like a pound per tube.  They should be perfectly adequate for this type of jaunt.

One more tip.  DO NOT accidentally cycle into one of the tunnels under the Seine.  Bloody scary when you have no lights, no hi-vis jacket and the cars are doing 50 mph while you're trying to cross multiple lanes.  My scariest cycle moment ever....

Enjoy every patisserie, they're the best bit of France!

A few years ago, I did the London to Cambridge bike ride, which is just shy of 60 miles, as part of an office team. Bit convoluted, but the main company was a sponsor of a US women's pro team, so we got issued some half decent team bibs and tops, which was nice.

It was a hot, summer day.

Anyway, not long after we started, we passed, among others, a girl on a mountain bike wearing denim shorts and I remember thinking "that's going to hurt later!"

I did, by chance, see her at the finish, while we were hanging around waiting for our stragglers, so she did it in a respectable time, but she must have been sore for days!

Do you think that might partly be due to how hard your peddling? I've often joke the only time I get any soreness cycling is when I'm riding with Mrs J. My logic being that if I'm not putting much force on the peddles it will be going through my backside. So for the OP 6 hours at 10mph will be less kind on their backside than 2 extra hours in assorted cafes and 4 hours at 15mph 

On panniers, don't skimp too much. I went through a phase of cheap fabric panniers and they'd fall apart very quickly. Get something proper with a stiff plastic back and the thick waterproof-looking material - doesn't have to be posh brand new Ortlieb as Decathlon or FB marketplace will do you.

Practice changing an inner tube beforehand - not because I'm trying to teach you how to suck eggs but some tyres can be quite stiff and a pain to get on or off - I've snapped quite a few tyre levers in my time as some can be quite frail (or maybe I'm just useless) so best to get a feel for it in advance.

Have an idea of bike shops along your route. You never know what might break especially if your bike's second hand. Tools-wise, if you want to be super prepared you could consider having a spare chain-link & a chain tool to deal with a broken chain - I always carry them because they're small, but I've only had to use them once in many thousands of miles and it wasn't for me but for a stranded fellow cyclist. But you'll feel smug if you do need it because it beats calling a taxi.

On gloves - sure blisters aren't fun but is it worth the tan lines?

Bring a first aid kit. Alcohol wipes in particular to get the grit out of road rash. A water bottle with a sports cap lets you blast the worst of it off better than a screw top. 

Wet-wipes probably useful because someone will probably drop their chain and putting it back on is greasy unless you're very good at keeping your bike pristine.

Bon voyage and enjoy the ride!

No, I'm pretty certain its that the bibs pull the lycra tighter at the bits of my bum where I get the sores. Temperature also makes a difference as sweatiness doesn't help. I've only really had saddle sore in the last decade (my 40s) so I'm pretty certain it's something that has come from age for me too.

From Decathlon you can (or at least could) get non bib shorts with the same pad as the top of their range bib shorts. By Decathlon standards they're not cheap but have been well worth it for me.

Castelli do this, too - I've got some shorts for touring that have the same pad as their bibs.

Take passport

And EHIC or (checks wallet) "UK Global Health Insurance Card".

I'm not doubting your particular case, but I certainly think there is something in what Rob is saying. Maybe less for being sore due to friction (something I fortunately don't have a problem with), but for that other kind of bruised / tenderness feeling from being bashed repeatedly on your backside, I think the amount of force you are putting through the pedals makes a sizeable difference. I used to think it was bum that needed to "get used to it" at the start of the season, but I have come to believe it's actually my legs. 

Instead of wet wipes to clean your hands after some chain faff, take a few pairs of those really thin latex gloves.  Use them once and throw away.  I take them on my touring trips - better than trying to use soap and water.

Hi Monty,

Perhaps you could give the group some feedback after your trip, as to which tips worked and which didn't ?

I admit to self interest: I'm thinking of a similar trip in August and some real world experience would be great.

A handful of cable ties for ad hoc repairs for bikes, rucsacs, people.....

Is that the same as Bum Butter? Never used it. Saw it in a shop in Port of Ness and took me a while what it was for!

https://www.bumbutter.co.uk/?gad_source=1&gad_campaignid=22310210568&am...

Will do

Nowhere near that far, closer to 40 miles a day, so less than 3 hours riding a day.

Still well worth using cycling shorts.

The same but cheaper, £10 per 150ml tube as opposed to £20 for 100ml. Still ridiculously over priced at that.   

Padded shorts (under baggy shorts if you wish) make sitting in the saddle much more comfortable. I use them if my work commute will be more than about 45 minutes.

Some fingerless gloves will help keep your hands more comfortable - absorbing sweat, and stopping rubbing. Decathlon do some cheap ones.

A peaked hat for keeping the sun out of your eyes.

Thin medical gloves, as suggested by someone else, for keeping your hands clean whilst dealing with mechanicals.

I’d recommend getting padded shorts — they make a big difference over multiple days. Also, it's worth checking your saddle setup now, as small issues tend to worsen over time. Bring snacks, drink regularly, and don’t wait until you feel tired to eat.

Disagree for such short distances over so few days as a one off.  Totally do not need padded for a once off short tour like being described. The things being suggested is making it sound like a major expedition rather than a few nice days cycling to Paris.

As one who has learnt the hard way, padded shorts are a must. They don't have to be fancy or pricey but without them you will feel like your undercarriage is on fire.

If you have a bum of steel that's great, but why risk it for a few tens of pounds if it could totally ruin the trip?

Not a must.   How do you think London to Paris and far longer tours was done, long before the recent trend for padded Lycra shorts.

Yeah on probably on unicycles made of stone chased by bears ect....

Less flippantly there's no need to get all 3 Yorkshire men on this. You have the choice here of guaranteeing you will be comfortable and have a nice time VS feeling like a tough guy and gambling you may be miserable and feel like you have been violated by an elephant who has been dipping his genitals in acid.

I have done the latter and had the elephant treatment. It's terrible advice.

I don't know when lycra cycling shorts were first used but I know I bought my first pair in the early 1980s & they were not something new (admitedly synthetic chamois rather than the foam used today). Before lycra cyclists used similar looking shorts in wool.  Hardly a 'recent trend'.

A good leather saddle eliminates the need for paddled shorts. I’ve done 10s k miles over 70 years without them. modern saddles are much stiffer and narrower, so pads are needed for comfort/

Good point really…why do we put the pads in our shorts and not on the saddle??

I just use Savlon, way cheaper.

With the greatest of respect for your experience, I would disagree - both from personal experience of riding long distances (with and, unfortunately, without padded shorts), and from the example of professional cyclists who ride tens of thousands of miles every year.

I would go even further to say that bib shorts, rather than waist shorts, are mandatory for longer rides. Not only do they keep the padding in the right place, but the lack of an elasticated waist reduces discomfort (especially for those of us who lack a washboard stomach!)

I do agree that a good saddle is an excellent and worthy investment though. Saddles are a very personal choice - what works for one person, their body shape, and their preferred riding position, will not work for others. Saddle width is critical - I have quite wide sit bones so need a wider saddle. Stiffness is a personal thing (I prefer my saddle quite stiff).

To the OP: there has been some excellent advice in this thread. I wish you the very best of luck, and I hope you enjoy!

A big function of cycling shorts is not the shock absorption of the pad but the way they keep everything in it's place and move the friction surface to between the shorts and saddle rather than between your crack and the underwear you're wearing. 

Considering this, if the OP really didn't want cycling shorts they could go for cycling specific/adapted boxers like Vulpine make.

I'm back form my trip. As promised a bit of feedback on what worked and what didn't.

First some trip details. We roughly took the Avenue Verte route. Over four days (not 5 as previously thought).

Five of us on the trip. We all made it to Paris (although one of us finished the last leg in an Ambulance, more on that later).

• Day 1 - St Pauls to East Grinstead - 69km
• Day 2 - East Grinstead to Dieppe (via NewHaven) - 51km
• Day 3 - Dieppe to Gisors- 127km (long day)
• Day 4 - Grissorsto Paris - 75km

The four days were very very hot. Provided we kept moving, and and didn't push too hard the temperature was manageable.

Weather

Unscheduled stops were a pain. As we were all different abilities, stopping at the top of a hill exposed to sun and heat waiting for others to catch up wasn't a good idea. Best to keep moving slowly to stay cool to let other catch up.

I burn easily, so used factor 50. Reapplied around lunch. Soon then realised I wasn't burning at all, so just did it once in the morning, and despite the sweat and being out in it all day, didn't burn at all. It's amazing how well sunscreen works.

Mechanical

No issues whatsoever. Even though I had a cheap throw away £100 bike. We all either had marathon tyres, or used slime and we didn't get a single flat. Some of the terrain was horrendous. Particularly in Southern England. Rough tracks, lots of brambles etc and not a single issue.

It was mentioned that Marathon tyres are overkill, may be true, but those with marathon tyres would coast down hills at the same speed as those with ordinary tyres. So I would recommend them.

Weight

The biggest impact on how easy we found it was weight. Those that had heavy loads struggled. Thankfully I pack very light and this would be my number one recommendation. Anything you need you can buy along the way. You just need very basic tools and a spare tube or two.

Whilst I packed light in general, I brought too many tools. But if I didn't bring them I'm sure I would have needed them. Personal decision here. What we didn't do is agree who would bring what, so we doubled up on a lot of tools. 

Food / Water

I would set off with 1.7L of water, and it would get me half the day. Plenty of places to buy more  water along the way. My first bottle had a salt tablet in it, and didn't feel any long lasting hydration effects so maybe it helped.

I eat a lot, and found a decent breakfast, lunch and dinner, all in restaurants/cafes was enough. Didn't rely much on snacking. I packed loads of gels and protein bars. Didn't use them.

Bum

We all had padded shorts. Mistake I made was washing them after the first day so set on on day two with damp shorts. This gave me a bit of a prickly sensation after day 2. I then used cham cream for day 3 or 4 but I don't think it really did anything. For me, time in the saddle before the ride is important. I have a few bikes, and spent time on all of them and took what seemed to be the most comfortable seat. Bum wise it was fine. Better than expected.

The route

Leaving London was a bit manic, but ok. South of London lots of gravel tracks. We somehow entered a restricted army area when we got lost. Avoiding big roads, meant rough tracks. One bit we were basically crossing fields averaging about 5mph.

From Dieppe the route was super easy for 50km. Smooth pleasant tarmac bike tracks. The it turns into quiet bit fast roads which can be a bit hairy.

Into Paris whilst there are bike tracks, they are manic and the road junctions are a bit baffling. I think I found Paris the hardest bit, possibly due to the unfamiliarity of junction layout etc.

The accident

ok, one for the lads brought a folding bike. Don't ask why. We all said it was a bad idea. Brompton G big expensive thing. It had a lot of weight on the front and was quite twitchy. About 30km from the Eiffel tower he decided to ride with no hands on a flat quiet stretch of road. He basically jack-knifed it and slammed to the ground. Broken elbow and displaced shoulder. Scuffed up his helmet a lot so could have been a lot worse. He needs an operation, but should be fine. Bottom line, bring a proper bike. Road, hybrid or maintain bikes all did well.

Congrats on making it.

My wife broke her elbow skiing in Feb - she has plates in it and we have an appointment tomorrow with the surgeon about having them out later this year.

Best advice I can give your friend is to get on to physio and get that elbow moving as soon as he can, or he'll lose movement in it.

Well done!

I remember cycling through the outskirts of Paris and looking up to see an airliner, high in the sky.  That's when it struck home - a place I'd previously flown to could also be reached by bike.  It was a life changing revelation.

Nice! Just yesterday evening I was wondering how you had got on/ whether it had happened yet. Thanks for the trip report, and I hope your friend has a speedy recovery. As someone who owns one, if you take one on a trip like that, you deserve for your mates to rib you for doing it - but a broken elbow is too much! Ironically, I find mine becomes less twitchy the more weight (luggage) I can get on the front carrying point. 

Congratulations! And thanks for the trip report, interesting reading, 

Hope your mate makes a full and speedy recovery. Nothing inherently wrong with a Brompton. I once rode one over an alpine pass (long story why) - wrong tool for that job but worth it for the admiring looks from Italians on pro-level carbon, and the cries of “Brrrompton!”

Interesting. I hadn't ridden it without ballast so just assumed the heavy weight was contributing.

For what it is, it's a great bit of kit. It just doesn't take prisoners if you're not careful with it.

We found afternoon drinks resulted in lots of pointing and laughing after we explained that yes that bike is going all the way to Paris. That was good value added to the trip.

sudocrem is probably a cheaper alternative to chamois cream and just as effective.

Thanks for the update, and glad you had a great time!

Re. the accident:

Bottom line for me is not to be cocky and try to show off with your hands off the bar - especially on a Brompton! (Unfortunately I have been there, done that, and received a similar punishment to your poor mate!)