MelissaSue67
New Member
- Time of past OR future Camino
- I plan to start my walk on 23 September (2016). Will be travelling from Paris by train to SJPP. Planning to spend about 8 days in Paris.
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Just wondering if there are any group cycling tours starting from pamplona around 1 Oct 2016? I will be walking from SJDP on 23 September, but would like to cycle from Pamplona. I am relatively new at long distance cycling, have just hit 1300 kms in 3 months with my first bike, in training for this trip. I havent had to do much maintenance on my bike, so I am a bit anxious about maintaining or fixing a bike on my own. I have never done anything like this before, so any information, advice and guidance would be much appreciated.
Hello Saint Mike, thanks so much for your valuable information. I did put new tyres and tubes on my $50 bike I bought 3 months ago, and haven't had an issue with them since, and I'm now up to 1400 kms. ... I am nervous about riding on the trails, but then I'm nervous about riding on the road in a foreign country. Actually the more I read the higher my fear levels go. Did you have to do much repairing on your bike on your journey? I have so many questions to ask and so little time this morning. Thanks so much for you advice, I really appreciate it, and if you don't mind would it be possible to message you direct with any concerns I may have? Have a great day.
From the people I spoke to it is possible to hire a bike and start in Pamplona - but the climb up the your camino (imho). ......
.....The section from Pamplona to Burgos is the least "bike friendly" section of the ride - if you intend to follow the trail that the walkers use. ...
Hola St Mike II!Hola "Older Guy" - as I think I said I rode a "hybrid/mountain" bike. It has front fork suspension and what I will assume is a "hard tail" rear end. This bike is suitable for all of the Camino - provided you have the riding skills to match the trail conditions.
So to answer your questions - Pamplona/Alto del Perdon - its not really the climb itself; its more a combination of trail conditions, walkers and the elevation gained. Plus it was my first day - I had not been on the bike fully loaded for about 10 days. If memory serves the section from Cizur Menor to Zariquiegui was rough in patches; but the next section was the really tough/rough one. I think I walked about half this section. The comments about the Pamplona/Burgos being the least "bike friendly" was an opinion/observation based on : (1) the Alto del Perdon; (2) Puente La Reina/Maneru/Cirauqui - the first 2-3 km was ok but the next 2 was rough, narrow; similarly the Cirauqui - especially the 500 metres down to the puente romano - the 50 metres (up hill) was a pick up and carry section. (Most of the cycle guides in fact recommend the road over the camino for this section). I will admit that by Lorca I was so disallusioned that I stayed on the road to Estella. From Viana to Villafranca de Montes de Oca is some of the better cycling track, but the next section to San Juan & Atapuerca to Orbaneja is very much not bike friendly, especially the 750 metres either side of the Cruz de Matagrande - it was walking and lifting over some large rocks.
One of the other problems is that if you don't follow the Camino you need good local maps to find alternative roads - cyclists are not permitted on the Autoways/Motorways (usually marked in Spain as "A" routes); but some of the N-Routes have heavy traffic and thus not "bike friendly".
I am sure that other "more experienced" off-road cyclist will disagree with me - they are quite welcome to their opinions! As I said in an earlier post - have a look at the reports by "newfydog" as he and partner did follow the Camino more than I did. Cheers and I hope this helps.
I cycled around Alto del Perdon in 2014. The bike was a Mezzo 9 folding with 16 inch wheels. So right hand down a bit and quite a long detour brought me over the river so missing the climb and rocky decent. Lots of bike shops, also wonderful help from fellow cyclists. As above, the space given to you by passing cars and trucks is very good. Felt safer in France and Spain than in Britain. (Alto can be mud on the way up and wheel smashing on way down!)From the people I spoke to it is possible to hire a bike and start in Pamplona - but the climb up the Alto del Perdon is a bloody hard way to start your camino (imho). Bike maintenance is an issue - you need to know how to at least repair a puncture, or replace a new tube so that you can stay on the road. Spain is a very bike friendly country - the cars and truck drivers will give you a clear space when they overtake - so you will find a bike repair shop in virtually all major towns. If your Spanish is not very good - at least learn the names of the parts of your bike in Spanish so you can tell the mechanic which part needs repair. Again from what I read the good hire places give you at least one spare tube and a puncture repair kit and I think a pump.
The section from Pamplona to Burgos is the least "bike friendly" section of the ride - if you intend to follow the trail that the walkers use. In some places ( say Villafranca Montes de Oca to Orbaneja ) it would be better to find an alternative route (again from my experiences). Your training - 1300 km is going to stand you in good stead, however its your ability to manage the really rough/tough stages - in some cases really "off-road" that are the issue. Hope you find this helpful, good luck!
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