Etc - Lands End to John O'Groats

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Lands End to John O'Groats

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Forum Name: Etc
Forum Description: Any other riding-related topics
URL: https://forum.bhpc.org.uk/forum_posts.asp?TID=4692
Printed Date: 27 March 2026 at 4:57am
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Topic: Lands End to John O'Groats

Posted By: Trick Cyclist
Subject: Lands End to John O'Groats
Date Posted: 22 July 2012 at 2:04pm

About 2 years ago I suggested to a friend that we could cycle LeJog..... and now he's decided that it's a good idea. So I am looking for advice about doing this trip on a recumbent. I doubt either of my current bikes is appropriate [a heavy 10 year old Challenge Twister & a slightly younger Bike Friday SatRday] and we are planning to go on a supported ride so we will not have to carry heavy luggage. So I need advice on:

Bike [I have always thought a Ratcatcher would be ideal]

Bike preparation

Training - when do I start aiming for September 2013? - What do I do?

And any experiences anyone else has that they believe will be useful.

As I have never raced or cycled further than London to Brighton on a single day [20 years ago] I am biting off quite a lot, but I'm sound in wind and limb [although 55], so with an unfair recumbent advantage I ought to be able to manage my decade younger companion [who has done 4 marathons so far....].

All thoughts gratefully received.

Geoff

Replies:

Posted By: Yanto
Date Posted: 22 July 2012 at 5:55pm

Geoff, i've done a round trip, Salisbury-LE-JOG-Salisbury in 17 days this solo and unsupported but stopping in hostels and friends/relatives and also a LE-JOG supported with a friend in 5 days.

Both were done on racing bikes. the former with a very light carrier and minimalist rear paniers "jury rigged" onto the frame.

Fitness required depends upon how many miles you plan to do a day and how many days you will be doing it over i.e. 50 miles a day and three weeks don't need to be very fit all and fitness will come as you ride, 5 days and up to 160 miles a day then you need to be fit and should be getting the miles in now!

if you are doing it on a recumbent, make sure you have low gearing and it can be ridden slowly up a 25% gradient without lifting the front wheel.

I don't think you are biting off too much, depending as i've mentioned timescales for completing it!

Posted By: Trick Cyclist
Date Posted: 22 July 2012 at 9:17pm

Thanks Ian that's very useful. I use my bike to commute to work which is about 25 minutes each way and I deliberately push along to get my pulse up & a little sweat. I believe the LeJog plan is about 80miles a day - my wife who is a physio thought I could push my fitness along for about 3 months before the trip which means only training in good light & hopefully warm weather. What do you think?

Geoff

Posted By: Yanto
Date Posted: 23 July 2012 at 8:20am

If you are already doing 50 miles a day, then upping to 80 will be an easy increase with a 3 month ramping up period.

Depending upon your chosen route, the hardest sections are in Cornwall/Devon, there are also some interesting climbs closer JOG, Berridale (spelling?) is a good one!

Posted By: Trick Cyclist
Date Posted: 23 July 2012 at 10:20pm

Sorry Ian we have our wires crossed. I do about 8 -9 miles a day - so I am bike fit but not in any sense trained/ hardened for long distances - part of what i am asking is how fast that process occurs in someone who does not have Eddie Izzard levels of commitment to discomfort.

Geoff

Posted By: Yanto
Date Posted: 24 July 2012 at 6:50am

sorry i got my miles and minutes mixed up!

Start training now, and keep it up over winter, then in the spring start to ramp the miles up, i would suggest a month before you go you should be doing the daily distance you aspire to 3 - 4 times per week. That way you shuld have no problems, you could do less miles but then you might suffer a bit after thr first two/three days, but you will ride into fitness!

Posted By: Adrian Setter
Date Posted: 30 July 2012 at 1:13pm

The tips supplied so far seem sound. Some additional thoughts, which may or may not be news, depending on your experience of multi-day rides:

Since you'll be riding day after day, set your daily workload somewhat lower than you can normally manage to do in a day. Riding 80 miles a couple of times a week with time to recover in between is not the same as doing it every day for nearly a fortnight. I can ride 100 miles in a day, no problem; if I want an enjoyable touring holiday, though, I wouldn't want to average more than about 60; for a challenge ride like this (Claire and I are hatching a plan for LEJOG next year) I'm targeting about 80. If you can manage any trips of 3 or 4 days, that will be good preparation both in terms of practising for the longer trip and determining what you can do day after day.
Don't be too discouraged if your legs feel dreadful first thing in the morning, especially on day 2/3/4. Get going and they'll feel much better after an hour's riding
When planning, don't just consider mileage, but the effort: the first 100 miles or so from LE (Cornwall and Devon) are the kind of terrain where you feel like you're riding uphill all day. Especially if you're likely to be riding in to fitness on the ride, avoid making the early days too hard which - if you're going S to N - means that they'll need to be fairly short in mileage terms

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Challenge Hurricane - MicWic Delta (Front half) - Burrows Ratracer