Hi Geo/ George?, Congratulations for your achievements in reaching Barcelona, excellent well done you. Your video's including drone footage was very good indeed. I think you must have learned a lot from that trip and from it would do somethings differently. So on that note and because there were some missing info can you tell me by filling in the missing info the following please. What was the make of your bike ?, what gearing did you have on it ?, What paniers did you use ?, What was the make of your tent ?, What type of cooking stove and any other camping equipment did you use ?, . Also had you considered wild camping or not ?, Which would have enabled you to choose how much cycling to do on any given day and save you some money. One other thing to consider on your next adventure is to show people or involve them more on things like where you stop for refreshments and what you are eating and drinking, and a bit more detail about where your camping or hotels, and about the village's, town, etc. But yes enjoyed all you video's so Thank you for sharing and I will look out for your next adventure, take care.

@Geocycling1993

Жыл бұрын

Thank you for your comment and for watching the videos! I definitely learnt a few things from the trip and hope to change a few things in the future. I'll try to answer your questions as much as I can, if I miss anything then I'll be covering it in my future videos. So the bike I was on was a trek 520, in terms of gearing, I think it is is 3x9 gears, and has a good ratio for hills. I have vaude pannier bags. The tent is a Vango Nevis 2 man tent. I'll go over cooking equipment in the future as I'm planning on upgrading what I have. I have considered wild camping, but I had purchased the correct kit for it, so I stayed at campsites. Thank you for the advice for my future videos, I'll take it on board when I do my future trips :)

Great information even though I’m going to Holland not France to see my granddaughter who rides for a club near Rotterdam. She’s determined to get me out on some training rides with the girls 😵‍💫thanks very much for the video 🚴🏽‍♀️👍

@Geocycling1993

Жыл бұрын

Thank you :) Oh that sounds amazing. I have cycled through and around Rotterdam, it's really nice around there, so I hope you enjoy it! Haha, when it's phrased as a training ride, I can only hope they won't be too challenging haha! No problem, thank you for watching :)

Great video lots of advice and information on how to cycle tour thanks.

@Geocycling1993

Жыл бұрын

Thank you :)

Great video! Thank you for taking the time to do this

@Geocycling1993

3 ай бұрын

No problem :) thank you!

One bit of advice from a shopkeeper in Vichy if you don't know the French name for something use the English word with a French accent 80-90% of the time they will understand what you are trying to say even if the actual French word is different. Then practice the word several times with the person. English is basically a mix of French, German and Dutch with Latin thrown in on top of Celtic for the most part.

@Geocycling1993

2 ай бұрын

Oh ok! I'll try that when I'm back in France! You are right about a lot of words being similar to English words. Thank you for the advice 😊

Really enjoyed your series on cycling from the UK to Barcelona, loved the music too! Lots of very useful advice in this particular video. How did you approach bike security as a solo traveller when shopping in supermarkets or eating in restaurants? Similarly, when visiting campsites? Locking your bike seems like a no-brainer, but to what? And how did you secure your bags when leaving the bike unattended? Thanks!

@Geocycling1993

Жыл бұрын

Thank you for watching all of the videos so far :) that's a really good question! So in terms of locking your bike, I would recommend a U-lock with the label "sold secure gold". These locks are tested. Equally, there are many videos where they test locks for how good they are. When using the lock I would lock the frame of the bike to something solid with the lock. Avoid using a cable to attach the bike as they can easily be cut. When locking up the bike, I would check the area for any odd characters, such as people walking in circles and hanging about for no reason and lock the bike in view of a window from inside the store so I can occasionally check. If you have a bad gut feeling, you can either bring the bike in and lock it inside, which might be disliked by the workers, or go to another store. With the pannier bags, I usually carry a light backpack and carry the most valuable items into the shop. I hope this helps :)

@pranasanctuary3798

Жыл бұрын

Thanks for spending time to respond - very helpful. I’m hoping to complete a similar UK to Barcelona trip this summer, so your videos have been invaluable. Very impressed with the filming and the music too. Good luck with your next trip.

@Geocycling1993

Жыл бұрын

Oh that sounds amazing! Well I hope you enjoy it, as France is an amazing country to cycle through, as it is so diverse in culture and scenery :) There are a few easier routes than the one I took, just be careful of the massif central in France. I know there are a few flatter and more direct routes that would bring you through Lyon and Valence :) I haven't cycled through there, so please research it before taking my word for it though haha. If you have any more questions then feel free to ask!

Hi, thanks for the vid. Planning a trip from Dover through France and Belgium in early July. With campsites, have you found you can just turn up, or is it essential to book? Quite fancy just seeing where i end up rather than having a rigid plan. Thank you 😊

@Geocycling1993

2 ай бұрын

That sounds like a great trip! The only times I had issues with campsites being full are ones next to very touristy towns or cities! Most will accommodate you on a bike and find you a space! If it gives you some peace of mind, you can often call them and ask them beforehand 🙂 best of luck with your trip!

Keep it up

@Geocycling1993

Жыл бұрын

Thank you :)

Great video. Lots of useful bits in here. I’m hoping to do a France trip next year. Couple of questions. How did electricity work at the campsites? Did you have to leave expensive electronics somewhere charging? Or are there lockers with charging facilities perhaps? And also how did you find water along the route. Obviously you can carry a fair bit. Did you use water fountains and were there enough? or did you have to buy it? Thanks so much!

@Geocycling1993

Жыл бұрын

Thank you :) that sounds amazing, I hope it all goes well for you :) so on campsites, electricity is usually available. Often you need to connect to a campervan plug in, so you will need a 3 pin camping connector, nothing special, just get one with one regular outlet so it's nice a light to carry :) unfortunately, lockers are rarely provided to charge stuff, you could ask reception to charge some items, but I usually just charged stuff while I was cooking and relaxing at the campsite. Just pitch your tent near an outlet so you can keep an eye on your stuff. Water was relatively easy to aquire, I would normally carry enough bottles for about 4 litres for a day. Depending on what country you're in, campsites have water filling points. Alongside this, I would often buy some extra water when shopping for food :) it depends on how much you want to carry and how hot it is. I was going through about 6 litres a day when it was 40+, but on cooler days I found 4 litres to be enough!

@benatkins2106

Жыл бұрын

@@Geocycling1993 Thanks for the replies, really useful info! I'm looking forward to future videos.

Good video mate. Well structured and v. informative. I’m considering a cycle tour next year but I’m struggling to afford a new bike (second hand) that would have all the lugs for bag frames. I’ve got a single speed which I’m considering drilling holes in for bags etc. would you do a vid about selecting the best bike for touring on a budget? Oh and do you think touring can be done on a single speed. - maybe starting off in Netherlands? Well done thanks

@Geocycling1993

10 ай бұрын

Sorry for the late response, I didn't realise I had not responded to your comment! That is a really good video idea and I'll look into making one :) Personally I would advise against drilling any holes, as that will likely damage the frame or weaken it. I would either get a cheap seatpost rack which will carry the basics or a trailer, which would give you a good carry capacity! A single speed would be fine for northern Belgium and the Netherlands. The biggest challenge you will face are strong headwinds, which would be a challange with one gear, but I would always start with what I have got before investing money into specific bikes and gear :) I thought I would add, its always a good idea to start off with a shorter trip over a few days, which gives you a good idea of what its like and what you need!

@peterfullalove1504

10 ай бұрын

Many thanks for your advice. I really can’t wait to just get out there. Yep I’m not gonna drill the forks as my friend also said don’t do it. I like the idea of a trailer 👍

Newhaven to Dieppe is also a good option

@Geocycling1993

Жыл бұрын

This is true :) thank you for commenting!

I've heard that Hi viz is required after sunset

@Geocycling1993

Жыл бұрын

Oh thank you for mentioning that. I think you'll be ok with anything fluorescent with reflective strips. However, the law does mention it needs to be CE approved. Thankfully, during the warmer months, daylight usually lasts longer than you'll want to be on the bike :)

3:10 Torquay to Cherbourg