plan a cycle trip

[Mick Brett]

My Mother has requested I travel the El camino with My Fathers ashes . I would like to cycle from Santander along the Costal route ? or maybe the Coastal route from Bilbao. I am 56 years old and of good health. Please could anyone advise on the following. Although I am well travelled I will take advice from those who have completed a similar venture

I would fly from Manchester.

Where could I hire a bike for the duration ? how much and how long should I allow for the trip?

Should I bring my own bike - road bike?.

 

[SYates]

Hi and welcome to the forum @Mick Brett I am sure that other bicigrinos will chime in, but I am curious to know why you have decided on cycling instead of walking. Also, 'my mother has requested' kind of raises concerns in me, no matter how you do your pilgrimage, you yourself need to be behind that idea also ...

Buen Camino, SY

 

[jony jony]

Hello Mike...... In my opinion a road bike would be not be the right way to go . I have not ridden the coastal route but, i have ridden the French route and the via del Plata and on both i stuck faithfully to the Camino so not a great deal of riding on roads . There are cyclists that sort of follow the Camino on nearby roads but for me the camino is the camino and this is the way i want to go .

There were stretches on the Via del Plata ,and it may well be the same on the camino you are planning , that were incredibly hard on a loaded Mountain bike ( rocks ...stony tracks....very muddy tracks.....non of which would suit a road bike .

My advice ...leave your road bike in the shed at home and hire a Mountain bike .
This is where i hired my bike from ....no complaints ....https://www.cyclingthecamino.com/ and they will ship it out to your starting point . Another company is based at the Triana Hostel in Seville and they will also ship a bike out to your starting point and pick it up in Santiago .

One last point .......make sure you bring a bike bell with you in your luggage , just in case there is not one on the hire bike . It is just a courtesy to warn walkers when you are approaching .

Regards....John