in the late afternoon sun. All the pains and strains vanished, and we both continued riding with a surprisingly fresh pair of legs, only to suffer pain once again 5 miles later when the excitement wore off and a puncture set in. The final approach towards, and ride through, Sunderland seemed to take an age. But we finally arrived at the location we’d been dreaming of for the previous six weeks, in spite of almost being beheaded by youths casting fishing lines across the route just a few metres from the finish.
The end of the day
Having started pedalling at approximately 8.30am in the morning, we eventually stopped at around 8.45pm in the evening. Our time was just over the 12hr mark. I was a little disappointed to come so close, but without the misfortune of a puncture late in the ride and better knowledge of the route, I am confident we would have been able to break the 12hr barrier. Maybe next time. Overall, I would recommend a road bike if you want to ride the C2C as a challenge and complete the ride in good time. My next project is to ride the off-road coast-to-coast route on a mountain bike. Much rougher terrain will stretch the difficulty and probably make it a two-day trip, but it should still be fun!
Specialist C2C companies
Bag carriers
There is no need to carry lots of gear on your bike, as there are several specialist companies that will collect a cyclists’ bag each morning and deliver it to their next hotel, B&B or camp site by the time they arrive in the late afternoon. In addition, these companies can provide parking and return transport for yourself and bike at the end of the C2C in order to retrieve a car, or provide transport for anyone unable to ride a section due to illness or exhaustion. Prices are reasonable. For instance, the Sherpa Van Project charges £39 per bag (two minimum), or £79 (2013 prices) for baggage and return transport on a five- or seven-day C2C. (See Appendix C for some recommended companies.)
Organised C2C trips
A number of companies offer a complete C2C package, with itineraries of varying length, which includes accommodation and bag and bike transfers. The basic package includes pre-booked accommodation, with options of packed lunches, luggage transport, return transport and extra nights’ accommodation. They provide clear directions and large-scale maps, and can organise off-road parking for the duration of the trip, helping to make the C2C experience as stress-free and enjoyable as possible. C2C Hassle Free offers a different style of package based on staying three or four nights at Mains Farm Camp Site, almost halfway along the route where the Pennines get steep, with daily minibus transport to and from each section. (See Appendix C for recommended companies.)
Where to stay
For those cycling the route independently, it is advisable to book accommodation in advance for each night. There is a very good choice of B&Bs, hotels and camp sites, as well as pubs, cafés and restaurants all the way along the route.
Although some flexibility is lost by pre-booking, be aware that accommodation may be booked solid, and there is nothing more depressing than being turned away time after time. (It sounds like a great idea to stop riding when you’re tired, when it starts raining or when you simply like the look of a place, but it is not wise to rely on places being available.) Remember that the Lake District is a major tourist area. There are a lot of places to stay and a lot of people who want to stay in them. Further afield, there is less demand and consequently less accommodation available, making things just as difficult if you turn up at the door. Apart from that, it really helps to have a schedule and a target to keep you focussed on the day’s ride.
The internet has made it much easier to find accommodation (see Appendix C).
Camping
Pitching your tent in a camp site provides the cheapest accommodation on the C2C, but camping does have its disadvantages. Carrying a tent, sleeping bag and cooking gear adds a lot of weight and bulk to your bike. Putting up a tent is a hassle after a hard day on the saddle, particularly when the ground is sodden and it’s pouring with rain.
There is a limited choice of camp sites along the C2C route, which will dictate where and when you stop. It is vital to book ahead in the summer season. Wild camping is not permitted or possible.
Choosing your bike
The C2C route is almost evenly split between minor roads and traffic-free paths, tracks and cycleways. All the roads have well-maintained tarmac surfaces, suitable for full-on road-racing bikes. Surfaces on traffic-free sections may be tarmac, cinder, stones or even mud in wet weather. Some of the going is quite bumpy and rough, becoming extremely rough on some of the alternative off-road sections. The result is that the choice of bike involves a compromise.
Lightweight road racer These have lightweight frame, drop handlebars and skinny 23 or 25mm tyres. They are very fast on well-surfaced tarmac roads, but uncomfortable and bumpy on all but the smoothest traffic-free paths, with potential for punctures or the nightmare of a buckled front wheel. Many road racers have double chain rings, which require more physical effort to ride uphill than the triple chain rings fitted to most mountain, touring and hybrid bikes. The bikes are no good for carrying an overnight bag, and would have to be carried on rough tracks. If there is rain, expect to get very wet and messy without mudguards.
Mountain bike A lot of people appear to choose mountain bikes for the C2C, but maybe that’s simply because they only own a mountain bike. Nevertheless, these are a reasonably good choice, and perfect for riding on rougher surfaces – particularly super-rough tracks like the Old Coach Road out of Keswick, which will provide lots of fun on a full-suspension mountain bike. They are much slower than the road racer on smooth tarmac, due to greater weight and rolling resistance, with wide, knobbly tyres and smaller 26in wheels. For cyclists who choose to keep off the roughest tracks, it may be worth buying a set of smooth road tyres for a faster ride. A mountain bike should be easy to pedal uphill, with lots of gears, and easy to control downhill, thanks to a sit-back position with straight handlebars. It’s advisable to fit a mudguard over the front and rear wheels. Fitting a pannier rack to a mountain bike can be tricky, reducing the amount of gear you can carry. A single-wheel mountain-bike trailer would solve that problem, but pulling one wouldn’t be much fun on the C2C.
Touring bike This is a classic style of bike for long-distance touring. It looks similar to a road-racing bike with drop handlebars, which help to vary your riding position, but is heavier and more durable, with slightly wider wheels and tougher tyres, full-length mudguards, pannier racks for luggage and a great gear range for easy pedalling uphill. These bikes are a good compromise choice for all surfaced roads and many traffic-free paths on the C2C, although it may be a bumpy ride without suspension. Tyres are much narrower than a mountain bike, so they will have to be pushed on rougher tracks, which could be tiresome with a heavily laden bike.
Audax bike These are a specialist cross-over between a touring bike and lightweight road racer, fitted with mudguards and lights, and slightly more heavy duty than a racer, with wider gear ratios. Audax bikes are used for long-distance cycling events over 100, 200, 400 or even 1200km. They are a good choice for those who want to complete a fast C2C and spend as much time as possible on roads.
City bike A sit-up bike designed for pedalling around town and watching where you go is not a great choice for the C2C, owing to the extremely undynamic riding position for tackling hills, but it is still capable of getting from coast to coast.
Hybrid This cross-over between a touring, city and mountain bike, with lots of different permutations, is probably the best compromise solution for the C2C.
Recommended features
Riding position that gives the option of sitting up to enjoy the view or dynamic riding up and down hills.
Medium width 700x35mm tyres, such as Schwalbe Marathon Plus, to combine easy rolling with excellent grip, durability and puncture resistance, plus reasonable handling on rougher tracks. Wider diameter tyres give a softer, more forgiving ride on paths and tracks.
Lightest possible frame and components, making it reasonably easy to push the bike and ride up hills.
Front suspension is useful to