A friend is organising a bike ride (on road) from coast to coast, east to west ending near Newcastle.
What is the preferred method of leaving cars/ transportation for a one way ride like this?
I’m sure there will be friends who don’t want to ride, but would drive vans etc.
It’s not until next summer btw, so just looking to frame a rough plan.

Erm

He may need a map

And a compass

Train?

The last couple of years we have left the cars at home and used a van with a crew cab. LDV do a 9 seater with enough space in the back for all the bikes and luggage. It works out cheaper than criss crossing the country with separate cars and acts as a support vehicle.

Me and my son did it yesterday, had wives with us in one car and they supported us all the way. I suppose is there are more riders the a crew van would be best option.

neilson- thats the ticket, thanks.

I’m sure there a few companies that do logisitic support for the “offroad” C2C- I think Stanley Taxis are one – you do realise that the normal route is mainly on tarmac and is by and large very well signposted and low in traffic? More fun than the A69…

An unfit friend is happy to drive the van, and join in the revelry.

However, there is talk of doing it off road, which I am happy about.
Is this do-able?

Me and my lad used the Hadrian’s Way cycleway to do a coast to coast, which is very quiet roads or offroad (though no gnarr).

http://sometimesridesbikes.blogspot.co.uk/2012/11/hadrians-cycleway-coast-to-coast-to.html

Don’t leave cars at the start, get your mate in the van to support you. But preferably at the end of each day in case of those tempted to bail out. If you go east to west your more likely to finish in Whitehaven than Newcastle though 😉 the official c2c has plenty of off road options. I’ve done it twice over 3 days Whitehaven to Tynemouth and used panniers and support. Better without panniers though; especially the off road stuff.

You can get the map through sustrans and there are more than enough sites with gpx files on to give you an idea.

I live in Newcastle so I rode to the station got the train over to Whitehaven then road to Tynemouth before heading home.

I know people who have used the transport people and for a group it was cheaper than the train and you don’t have to play roulette hoping that other people aren’t also wanting to get on.

http://www.chain-events.co.uk/new_c2c.htm

This guy might be able to help (Based in the East) as might Saddle Skeddadle.

From memory it is about 120miles on the road. There are plenty of opportunities to stop at cafes if you are doing it in a day.

Do the double, then you end up back at the start. 🙂

Having a someone in a car ‘supporting’ you seems to defeat the object to me. A guy I did one with once suggested shuttling two cars all along the route. May as well ride a local 10 mile loop 20 times if your that needy.

Getting the train even if you have to stagger that or spend an extra first night is the best option.

Tinribzz, yeah that’s a great idea, thanks for the input.
He’s not exactly going to be handing flapjacks out the window.
Drop us at the start, meet us for lunch, see us at the end.
I’ll stick some emergency stuff in the van, just in case.
Considering we are five hours drive home I wouldn’t want a minor repair to spoil someone’s fun.
Plus, we have to get to the start, then get home from the end.
The nine seater crew van would save money as well.

another option we used to do way of the roses – might not apply above but worked for us with friends who all cycle and have kids
“girlies” left a car in Morecambe and gossiped to Brid’ while the men took the kids to the beach in Brid’ built sandcastle and wrestled seagulls then the “girlies” arrived took the kids and their bikes home while the men efficiently pedalled back to Morecambe to pick up the car the “girlies” had left so all grown ups got to do the route

(tip: plan works best if people turn off the lights before leaving the car)

edit there was some overnights in there we’re not heroic

Some (former) local advice…

Don’t leave cars in Whitehaven, not many places to park for a few days.
Van with mate sounds like a great idea so long as they are reliable enough to do it. Doesn’t sound like much fun really.

You could always get the train to Whitehaven (change at lancaster from the south or Carlisle from the north) then train home from Newcastle.

The bag transfer services seem reasonable as you wont need many nights.

or take the stress out of it
Self Guided/assisted Coast to Coast

Thanks all.
What is the ‘off road’ route like? Doable in a day, or a bit much?
The group fitness is mixed.

Me and mtbben did Whitehaven-Sunderland Saturday. Didn’t do all the off road bits as were concerned about time, as it transpired we could have done most as we completed in 10 hours 45mins. Did have a nice following wind mind. Was going to do Rookhope incline but it was closed so had the bonus of doing Crawleyside 😀
We did prepare well for this and are both fairly fit though.

PS a bell was a godsend on the long BW sections at the beginning and end of the ride!

I did a mixed route in a day. About 50pc off road. Most is easy some is hard. My route was 145 mile with 3000m of climbing. On a MTB it would drag on a cross bike bits were faster and bits beat the hell out of me.

Took me 9h55m with a coffee and cake stop half way.
I would suggest that it is too much for a group you would describe as mixed.

Jonba, you are right, there’s no way that would work.
Thanks.

a minibus from Newcastle to Whitehaven, with covered bike storage is about 20 quid a person, inc. tip, if there’s 15 of you.

I ride it this summer with a mate of mine. We drove to Carlisle and left the car in station car park, got the train to Whitehaven and set off. We did it over three days and it was a really relaxed way of doing it. When we got to Sunderland we got the train back to Carlise and picked the car up. You can manage with your rucksack or panniers (though the rucksack got uncomfortable after a while). The whole support crew thing just got a little out of hand and too organised so we did it on our own, it was easier and more fun than expected.