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Participants
Who is the tour aimed at ?
The tour is aimed at individuals who want to challenge
themselves. It's definitely a challenge to cycle the
whole distance from London to Belfast under all kind of
weather conditions. The tour is also meant for the
people who like to travel by bicycle through the United
Kingdom. It is not a problem if you take a seat some
days in the supporting vehicles. If you like the
challenge or if you prefer more the journey through the
mountains, you are both welcome in "Abbey Road".
Am I capable of doing this ?
If you are in good health, love a challenge and enjoy
cycling, you are capable of completing "Abbey Road". We average 105
km per day and you can ride at your own pace. The daily
distance and average elevation gain of 1.250 meters is not a problem for
most riders, but the (windy) weather condition can make
from an "easy day on paper", a tough day on the bike.
You will be served lunch at the mid-point
of each day's ride, and our crew are always available to
assist you if you are having difficulties of any kind.
On any day when you don't feel up to biking, you can
also catch a ride on one of our support vans.
Before you start
What about insurance ?
You are responsible for obtaining health and travel
insurance, including emergency rescue. Further
information will be given in the brochure. Individuals
without proper insurance will not be allowed to
participate.
On the Tour
Where do cyclists stay and sleep ?
During "Abbey Road" we stay all nights in a comfortable
hotel. The day before the start in London and after the
finish in Belfast you also stay in a hotel. We organize
in total 25 nights.
What will I eat ?
The hotels provide every day an extensive breakfast.
During cycling stages we offer halfway a tasty lunch and
we make sure that you can recover at the end of the
stage with some refreshments. Next to that we provide
fruit, energy drinks and energy bars.
At time of publication, we don't know exactly at how
many places we have dinner together at the hotel after
the stage. We try to maximize this number of communal
dinners. We expect that we have roughly two-third of the
times dinner together. The other evenings on cycling
days, and the four rest days you have the opportunity to
explore and sample the local cuisine on your own.
Who will carry my equipment ?
Support vehicles will carry your personal items. While riding, you only have to
carry some basic tools, a spare tube, water, and a
snack.
Climate
What kind of weather should I expect ?
The weather conditions can be diverse in Ireland during
springtime, although May is considered one of the drier
months of the year. Of course we hope for nice sunny
days with pleasant temperatures, but keep in mind that
rain is never far away. You can expect a temperature
between 15 and 20 degrees Celsius, but don't forget to
bring cycling gear for wet conditions.
Road conditions
What is the terrain like ?
We have tried to find an enjoyable
combination between the best scenic roads along the
coast, and some challenging climbs over quiet winding
roads a bit more inland. The whole tour can be
characterised as rolling with roughly 1.250 meters of
climbing per day.
Bike
What kind of bike should I use ?
The bike is without doubt the most important part of
your equipment. The tour can be completed on any kind of
bicycle as long as it is entirely human powered. The
route is paved all the way. Road bikes are the most
efficient way to cover the distance, but hybrids,
mountain bikes and trekking bikes might be more
comfortable. It's very personal which bicycle you
prefer. Take some small gears, some wider tires (25-30
mm), strong legs and
common sense, and you can do the job.
Non-cyclist
I don't want to cycle, but can I still come
?
Yes, there is a limited number of places for people who
like to join "Abbey Road", but don't like to cycle.
You can take part in the organization around the
cyclists and join the other staff with their daily
activities like providing lunch, shopping, etcetera.
What to bring
What do I need to bring along ?
Detailed information will be sent in the brochure.
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