Re: Cycling in north Wales for a not-quite-beginner



P

Paul Boyd

Guest
On 19/08/2006 16:31, Peter Scandrett said,

> One idea that has been suggested to me is to take my bike up the
> Ffestiniog railway to the 'top' and then cycle back down to Porthmadog -
> sounds like a nice idea


I can't really help with cycling around North Wales (although I'm
heading Coed-y-Brenin way in a couple of weeks!), but I do know the
Festiniog Railway and it's environs pretty well. I'm not sure the ride
down to Porth from Blaenau really has much appeal - it is mostly main
road. From your description of your current riding experiences, I don't
think you would particularly enjoy it. Heading out the other way from
Porthmadog could be good - I think there might be some cycling routes
around Snowdonia that are worth looking out for.

> Does anyone else have any suggestions/ideas or can point me to any
> resources please? I'm sort of enthusiastic and although I'm likely to
> take an OS map with me (if I go) I'm not experienced or necessarily
> confident enough to plan my own route using just that - unless I get
> horribly lost, of course!


I think you should just go for it. Pick your start point, and use the
map to decide where to go within your limits. Don't fret about what
might be, just go out and do it!

--
Paul Boyd
http://www.paul-boyd.co.uk/
 
Hi

Paul Boyd wrote on 19/08/2006 16:52:
> On 19/08/2006 16:31, Peter Scandrett said,>
> I can't really help with cycling around North Wales (although I'm
> heading Coed-y-Brenin way in a couple of weeks!), but I do know the
> Festiniog Railway and it's environs pretty well. I'm not sure the ride
> down to Porth from Blaenau really has much appeal - it is mostly main
> road. From your description of your current riding experiences, I don't
> think you would particularly enjoy it. Heading out the other way from
> Porthmadog could be good - I think there might be some cycling routes
> around Snowdonia that are worth looking out for.


Thanks for this (and to others who have replied, too). I'm planning to
catch a train over to Bangor tomorrow, cycle to Caernarfon (which
doesn't have a station!) and use that as a base for exploring a couple
of routes for a couple of days; one thing I'm hoping to do is to go on
the WHR as far as it goes (Rhyd Ddu) then come back to Caernarfon.

>> Does anyone else have any suggestions/ideas or can point me to any
>> resources please? I'm sort of enthusiastic and although I'm likely to
>> take an OS map with me (if I go) I'm not experienced or necessarily
>> confident enough to plan my own route using just that - unless I get
>> horribly lost, of course!

>
> I think you should just go for it. Pick your start point, and use the
> map to decide where to go within your limits. Don't fret about what
> might be, just go out and do it!


Thanks; that's what I'm afraid of really, I like to have things planned.
It's coming together though, which is good. I just hope the weather
holds out!

Incidentally, if I might whinge here for a bit...? The short version: I
went to Oxford Road to book my ticket and make a reservation for my bike
because I know that I can't order it on the phone/internet and receive
it for tomorrow. They tell me they can't reserve the space for the bike,
and give me a few numbers to ring to reserve it (inside the cover of the
timetable).

I get home, and I then get bounced around the 'cycling' line, the
'booking' line, national rail enquiries and then finally customer
services, all but the last of whom are fairly unhelpful and tell me that
I have to reserve it at the time of booking with the station. The last
number said the same thing but was more apologetic about it.

Of course, now, I have two opposing teams of people telling me two
contradictory things. Practical upshot - I can't reserve my bike. It's
just for peace of mind really but I'm desperately hoping it's not busy
when I try to get there/back so it's not an issue.

Rant over...

Thanks for your help, everyone! I hope I'm OK...

Regards

Peter

<><
 
Try the following websites to give you some ideas for cycling in North
Wales.

http://www.cyclingnorthwales.co.uk/

--
Regards,
Stu Devereux.
Fax no. 08701339568
(Outside UK fax 448701339568)
E-mail. [email protected]
"Peter Scandrett" <[email protected]> wrote in message
news:[email protected]...
> Hi
>
> Paul Boyd wrote on 19/08/2006 16:52:
> > On 19/08/2006 16:31, Peter Scandrett said,>
> > I can't really help with cycling around North Wales (although I'm
> > heading Coed-y-Brenin way in a couple of weeks!), but I do know the
> > Festiniog Railway and it's environs pretty well. I'm not sure the ride
> > down to Porth from Blaenau really has much appeal - it is mostly main
> > road. From your description of your current riding experiences, I don't
> > think you would particularly enjoy it. Heading out the other way from
> > Porthmadog could be good - I think there might be some cycling routes
> > around Snowdonia that are worth looking out for.

>
> Thanks for this (and to others who have replied, too). I'm planning to
> catch a train over to Bangor tomorrow, cycle to Caernarfon (which
> doesn't have a station!) and use that as a base for exploring a couple
> of routes for a couple of days; one thing I'm hoping to do is to go on
> the WHR as far as it goes (Rhyd Ddu) then come back to Caernarfon.
>
> >> Does anyone else have any suggestions/ideas or can point me to any
> >> resources please? I'm sort of enthusiastic and although I'm likely to
> >> take an OS map with me (if I go) I'm not experienced or necessarily
> >> confident enough to plan my own route using just that - unless I get
> >> horribly lost, of course!

> >
> > I think you should just go for it. Pick your start point, and use the
> > map to decide where to go within your limits. Don't fret about what
> > might be, just go out and do it!

>
> Thanks; that's what I'm afraid of really, I like to have things planned.
> It's coming together though, which is good. I just hope the weather
> holds out!
>
> Incidentally, if I might whinge here for a bit...? The short version: I
> went to Oxford Road to book my ticket and make a reservation for my bike
> because I know that I can't order it on the phone/internet and receive
> it for tomorrow. They tell me they can't reserve the space for the bike,
> and give me a few numbers to ring to reserve it (inside the cover of the
> timetable).
>
> I get home, and I then get bounced around the 'cycling' line, the
> 'booking' line, national rail enquiries and then finally customer
> services, all but the last of whom are fairly unhelpful and tell me that
> I have to reserve it at the time of booking with the station. The last
> number said the same thing but was more apologetic about it.
>
> Of course, now, I have two opposing teams of people telling me two
> contradictory things. Practical upshot - I can't reserve my bike. It's
> just for peace of mind really but I'm desperately hoping it's not busy
> when I try to get there/back so it's not an issue.
>
> Rant over...
>
> Thanks for your help, everyone! I hope I'm OK...
>
> Regards
>
> Peter
>
> <><
 
Hi

Stewart Devereux wrote on 22/08/2006 23:09:
> http://www.cyclingnorthwales.co.uk/


Thanks for this, and to others for their input. I decided to take the
advice of someone on here and just go for it, so I took a few days last
week.

My plan was to head out to Caernarfon; Wednesday did Bangor
(station)->Caernarfon, Thursday did a record (for me in one day) 31m
ride starting at Rhyd Ddu (hurrah for the WHR) and back to the town via
Foryd Bay and around NCN8; on Friday I went from Caernarfon to Llanfair
PG and took the train back. In summary, I think I enjoyed it -
particularly the Thursday - although I also enjoyed crossing the Menai
bridge and some of the other downhill sections! I must admit that a
couple of miles on the hills out of Bangor I was regretting even
starting it and wondering if I'd bitten off more than I could chew; once
I got over that bit though it got better and I had quite a nice time
(and was pleasantly surprised by my achievements).

If anyone's interested, you can read a bit more (and see the routes I
took) at http://www.scandrett.net/bike/ (links at the bottom).

Now I know a little more about the area and I'm a bit more confident I
might venture back sometime to the area and see how I go... perhaps
pootling along the coast near Llandudno or out on the Llyn peninsula.

Thanks for the encouragement!

Peter

<><

PS Is it normally such a nightmare to reserve bike places on trains? I
was given a stressful run around by different phone numbers/the station
when I bought my ticket and gave up in the end; fortunately it wasn't
too busy but it didn't help my peace of mind before I'd even started!
 
On 28/08/2006 10:10, Peter Scandrett said,

> Thanks for this, and to others for their input. I decided to take the
> advice of someone on here and just go for it, so I took a few days last
> week.


Excellent!

> ride starting at Rhyd Ddu (hurrah for the WHR)


They are a model of what the "proper" train companies should be doing.
(Special bike wagons for those not in the know, and no need to faff
about in circles trying to book it on.)

> PS Is it normally such a nightmare to reserve bike places on trains?


Yes, unless it's the WHR :) Trains now are not designed for bikes, and
even if there is a bike space, it is usually full of these wardrobes
that pass for luggage these days. In the good 'ol days you could just
sling the bike in the guards van without pre-booking, but they don't
have guards vans any more :-(

--
Paul Boyd
http://www.paul-boyd.co.uk/
 
On 28/08/2006 10:10, Peter Scandrett said,

> PS Is it normally such a nightmare to reserve bike places on trains?


....and if I was running the country, and was serious about sustainable
transport and the environment instead of just making lots of noise about
it and using it as an excuse to charge more tax for no return, I would
make it a condition of any TOC franchise that they must accept any bikes
on trains that turn up, without needing to pre-book. It would be up to
each TOC to ensure they had the space to conform to this basic legal
requirement.

Speech over :)

--
Paul Boyd
http://www.paul-boyd.co.uk/
 
Paul Boyd wrote:Yes, unless it's the WHR :) Trains now are not designed for
bikes, and

> even if there is a bike space, it is usually full of these wardrobes
> that pass for luggage these days. In the good 'ol days you could just
> sling the bike in the guards van without pre-booking, but they don't
> have guards vans any more :-(


Just a reminder, but SWT have banned all non-folding bikes from their trains
tomorrow as a result of the drivers' strike.
They are only running about 1 in 10 of their trains and need every one of
those "wardrobes" to cram in more commuters.

Service as normal it seems.

John B
 
On 28/08/2006 15:20, John B said,

> They are only running about 1 in 10 of their trains and need every one of
> those "wardrobes" to cram in more commuters.


When I used the word "wardrobe", I was referring to the oversized
suitcases that people feel compelled to lug around with them, not the
train itself :)

--
Paul Boyd
http://www.paul-boyd.co.uk/
 
Peter Scandrett <[email protected]> of www.scandrett.net wrote:
>If anyone's interested, you can read a bit more (and see the routes I
>took) at http://www.scandrett.net/bike/ (links at the bottom).
>
>Now I know a little more about the area and I'm a bit more confident I
>might venture back sometime to the area and see how I go... perhaps
>pootling along the coast near Llandudno or out on the Llyn peninsula.

Having read the full report, here's a piece of advice. Get a rack and
panniers before going away on your bike again. It is far far easier to
cycle with extra weight on the bike instead of on your back in a rucksack.

If you do go back towards Llandudno, then one possible trip is take a train
west along the coast, and start cycling back east. I did it in the other
direction which turned out to be against the wind so much harder.
--
Steph Peters
Chorlton Wanderers Cycling Group
Monthly slow and easy rides from South Manchester
http://www.sandbenders.demon.co.uk/cycling/chwan.htm
 
Hi

Paul Boyd wrote on 28/08/2006 14:15:
>> ride starting at Rhyd Ddu (hurrah for the WHR)

>
> They are a model of what the "proper" train companies should be doing.
> (Special bike wagons for those not in the know, and no need to faff
> about in circles trying to book it on.)


Oh, absolutely. £2.50 but a spacious wagon for it, very good service
from the guard and no problems at all!

>> PS Is it normally such a nightmare to reserve bike places on trains?

>
> Yes, unless it's the WHR :) Trains now are not designed for bikes, and
> even if there is a bike space, it is usually full of these wardrobes
> that pass for luggage these days. In the good 'ol days you could just
> sling the bike in the guards van without pre-booking, but they don't
> have guards vans any more :-(


Actually, my experience was fine with the trains, it was the booking
procedure that I found hassley and stressful. I should emphasise that
although I go on trains from time to time, I've never taken my bike;
additionally, when on foot I take the tram/metro into town/the station,
but I can't do that with my bike as (usefully) they ban bikes on the
trams, even in off-peak times. Consequently I was going from my localish
station.

On the Tuesday, when I decided to do my trip leaving on the Wednesday, I
realised that I wouldn't be able to buy a ticket on the train from
Trafford Park on the train /and/ reserve my bike for the journey;
additionally, it was too late to book online/over the phone as I
wouldn't be able to receive my ticket in the post in time and there's
nowhere to pick up a ticket at the unmanned, unmachined, otherwise
minimalist Trafford Park station. Consequently I drove to Oxford Road
station to buy my ticket in person and reserve the bike. I bought the
ticket but the lady on the ticket desk told me that she wasn't able to
book my bike for me, and instead she gave me the Arriva Wales timetable
and told me to go home and ring the "Bicycles" number on the inside cover.

I went home, rang that number and was politely told that they were just
for information, and that I should ring the Arriva bookings number. This
I did, and the person there told me they couldn't book it for me but I
should do it at the station. At this point I hit a deadlock (and admit
to getting a bit wound up) because the booking line couldn't book my
bike, and clearly Oxford Road couldn't book my bike, and since they were
telling me to contact each other I was stuffed. I gave up on that number.

I then rang national rail enquiries, because I thought someone there
might be able to help. I got a very sympathetic chap who couldn't help
directly (ie couldn't book a bike without my buying a ticket) but who
gave me the Arriva Wales customer service number (which was down in my
timetable as 'Lost Property'. So I rang them. This gentleman was also
useless, although a lot more apologetic and polite, and told me that I'd
been misinformed at Oxford Road station and they should have booked my
bike for me in the first place (which is what I thought and which was
one reason for going there in the first instance).

At the end of all this, I was a bit flustered - well, at least, I was
irritated - and just after peace of mind, really. I wanted to know that
I'd be able to get my bike to and from Wales without too much hassle,
and I'd heard nightmare stories about the trains. In the end I could do
nothing more than just turn up and hope.

To round the story off on a more positive note... each time I got on a
train, particularly the Arriva ones, the guards (or whatever they're
called nowadays) were very helpful and I was reassured by their
professionalism. Even when the trains were busy (fortunately they
weren't packed) I felt my bike was safe and out of the way and I can
only commend the actual train staff. It wasn't terribly helpful at
Oxford Road for the train to have a platform alteration when I was
coming home so I had to lug my bike over the bridge twice, but hey,
these things happen.

Was my experience of trying to reserve my bike atypical? It certainly
didn't inspire confidence in the train system (although I regained my
confidence again when actually on the trains, as I said). Argh...!

Peter

<><
 
Hi

Firstly, many apologies for not replying to the thread sooner. I've been
busy and lazy and tardy and generally useless!

Steph Peters wrote on 28/08/2006 23:22:
> Having read the full report, here's a piece of advice. Get a rack and
> panniers before going away on your bike again. It is far far easier to
> cycle with extra weight on the bike instead of on your back in a rucksack.


I've been told that I can't really fit anything on my bike since it
doesn't have the right holes. I did in fact (before going to Wales) buy
a pannier and bag from a cycle shop in Bury that fitted to my seatpost -
well, the holder did, anyway, but the bag didn't because the saddle got
in the way. At that point (I'd not decided to 'go anywhere' at that
point) the jump to the next one up that was longer and stuck out further
(and consequently would have fitted beneath the saddle) was another 40
quid or so and I decided I couldn't justify it.

I would desperately like some form of pannier but I just don't know how
it might clip on. The bike is a 10-12 year old Raleigh Jackal, and any
place that it might clamp to appears to have bits on it already (mostly
brake parts). Has anyone any ideas please? The only thing I can think of
is to drill into the tubing to put a bolt on but I'm not too keen o
nthat idea.

> If you do go back towards Llandudno, then one possible trip is take a train
> west along the coast, and start cycling back east. I did it in the other
> direction which turned out to be against the wind so much harder.


Ooh, that's a good idea. Thank you.

Peter

<><

--
www.scandrett.net/bike
 
In article <[email protected]>
Peter Scandrett <[email protected]> wrote:
<snip>
> I would desperately like some form of pannier but I just don't know how
> it might clip on. The bike is a 10-12 year old Raleigh Jackal, and any
> place that it might clamp to appears to have bits on it already (mostly
> brake parts). Has anyone any ideas please? The only thing I can think of
> is to drill into the tubing to put a bolt on but I'm not too keen o
> nthat idea.
>

It's definitely a bad idea. I can't find any pictures of your bike on
the interweb - can you post some somewhere?
 
Rob Morley wrote on 03/10/2006 01:25:
>> <drilling holes in bike>

> It's definitely a bad idea. I can't find any pictures of your bike on
> the interweb - can you post some somewhere?


I'll try to get some pics there later. Thanks.

Peter

<><
 
Peter Scandrett wrote:
> Rob Morley wrote on 03/10/2006 01:25:
> >> <drilling holes in bike>

>> It's definitely a bad idea. I can't find any pictures of your bike on
>> the interweb - can you post some somewhere?

>
> I'll try to get some pics there later. Thanks.
>
> Peter
>
> <><


How was your trip to North Wales, Peter?

IIRC, there are some fittings which will clamp around your stays to
provide rack mounting points, though I don't remember where I saw them.

I'd imagine these would be fairly straightforward to fabricate too.

Wheelist
 
Wheelist <[email protected]> wrote:
>
> IIRC, there are some fittings which will clamp around your stays to
> provide rack mounting points, though I don't remember where I saw
> them.
> I'd imagine these would be fairly straightforward to fabricate too.
>


P clips. Get them from Wiggle

http://tinyurl.co.uk/9a4s

leads to

http://www.wiggle.co.uk/Default.asp...ategoryName=Racks&ProdID=5360007220&UberCat=0

Tom
--
Return address is dead. Real address is at
http://www.happy-penguin.info/address.jpg
 
Hi

Rob Morley wrote on 03/10/2006 01:25:
> It's definitely a bad idea. I can't find any pictures of your bike on
> the interweb - can you post some somewhere?


The rear bit of my bike (because I didn't think to take any overall pics
of my bike, sorry!) can be found here:

http://www.scandrett.net/bike/pics/backofbike1.jpg
http://www.scandrett.net/bike/pics/backofbike2.jpg

As you'll see, there aren't too many places I could attach things to -
those that exist appear to have brakes attached to them. My seat isn't
particularly high off the top of the red frame so can't put much there
either (not pictured is my rear mudguard, one of those 'sticky-out' ones
from the seatpost that is largely ineffective).

Any ideas?

Thanks

Peter

<><
 
Wheelist wrote on 03/10/2006 10:33:
> Peter Scandrett wrote:
>> Rob Morley wrote on 03/10/2006 01:25:
>> >> <drilling holes in bike>
>>> It's definitely a bad idea. I can't find any pictures of your bike
>>> on the interweb - can you post some somewhere?

>> I'll try to get some pics there later. Thanks.


> How was your trip to North Wales, Peter?


Pretty good, thanks. Basically - Wed, from Bangor to Caernarfon; Thu,
around Caernarfon (via the WHR), 31m; Fri, Caernarfon to LlanfairPG.
More info on my website (www.scandrett.net/bike) to save me repeating
it. Thanks for asking though.

> IIRC, there are some fittings which will clamp around your stays to
> provide rack mounting points, though I don't remember where I saw them.
>
> I'd imagine these would be fairly straightforward to fabricate too.


Yeah, thanks. I suppose I'd need to know what a standard rack/pannier
holder is expecting to clip on to before making one though.

Peter

<><
 
"Peter Scandrett" <[email protected]> wrote in message
news:[email protected]...
> Hi
>
> Rob Morley wrote on 03/10/2006 01:25:
>> It's definitely a bad idea. I can't find any pictures of your bike on
>> the interweb - can you post some somewhere?

>
> The rear bit of my bike (because I didn't think to take any overall pics
> of my bike, sorry!) can be found here:
>
> http://www.scandrett.net/bike/pics/backofbike1.jpg
> http://www.scandrett.net/bike/pics/backofbike2.jpg
>
> As you'll see, there aren't too many places I could attach things to -
> those that exist appear to have brakes attached to them. My seat isn't
> particularly high off the top of the red frame so can't put much there
> either (not pictured is my rear mudguard, one of those 'sticky-out' ones
> from the seatpost that is largely ineffective).
>
> Any ideas?


You can definitely fit normal road-style mudguards to that bike. There are
eyes at the dropouts for the stays, the arch at the top mounts to the same
bolt as the reflector you've got (the mudguard goes under the brake cable).
The bottom isn't entirely normal, but cable tying it to the kickstand will
probably work perfectly well.

cheers,
clive
 
In article <[email protected]>
Clive George <[email protected]> wrote:
<snip>
> You can definitely fit normal road-style mudguards to that bike. There are
> eyes at the dropouts for the stays, the arch at the top mounts to the same
> bolt as the reflector you've got (the mudguard goes under the brake cable).
> The bottom isn't entirely normal, but cable tying it to the kickstand will
> probably work perfectly well.
>

The chainstay bridge on these frames is a plate under the stays, which
has an eyelet at the front for bolting on a mudguard. There's usually
also a slot in the plate so you can use a clip-on mudguard fitting.
 
In article <[email protected]>
Peter Scandrett <[email protected]> wrote:
> Hi
>
> Rob Morley wrote on 03/10/2006 01:25:
> > It's definitely a bad idea. I can't find any pictures of your bike on
> > the interweb - can you post some somewhere?

>
> The rear bit of my bike (because I didn't think to take any overall pics
> of my bike, sorry!) can be found here:
>
> http://www.scandrett.net/bike/pics/backofbike1.jpg
> http://www.scandrett.net/bike/pics/backofbike2.jpg
>
> As you'll see, there aren't too many places I could attach things to -
> those that exist appear to have brakes attached to them. My seat isn't
> particularly high off the top of the red frame so can't put much there
> either (not pictured is my rear mudguard, one of those 'sticky-out' ones
> from the seatpost that is largely ineffective).
>
> Any ideas?
>

There's no reason you can't fit a regular rack and mudguards to this
bike - the eyelets on the rear dropout plate provide the bottom
mounting, at the top you can either use a three-point rack attached to
the plate where the reflector is currently mounted, or use P-clips
around the seat stays and a four-point rack.