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SaturnReturn
Scuffed
Joined: Oct 17, 2004
Posts: 314
Location: Auckland
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 Posted: Fri 19/Sep/08 9:36am Post subject: France/italy For Cycling Holiday |
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So I figure that Im almost 25 and need to see the world, and after all this Taupo stuff I should have a pretty decent level of cycling fitness to undertake a cycling tour while on an OE.
Has anyone done a French or Italian tour? Are they a really grueling experience? Best to bring your own bike? and companies which are good value?
I can't think of anything more appealing than cycling through all that scenery and chowing down on nice wine and food after a long day!
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Elden
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Joined: Mar 01, 2008
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Location: Coffee Shop
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hickie
Riding the wife mad...
Joined: Nov 09, 2005
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Location: Down the Hutt
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| Posted: Fri 19/Sep/08 10:30am Post subject: |
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Didn't do a organised tour, but did cycle round lots Italy, highly rate it, but avoid the hottest part of summer or only cycle from early morning - 11am 3/4pm - early evening. They look at you like your crazy if your out there during the middle of the day.
Not too hilly if you stick to the coasts/valley where most of the population live, but then if hills/mountains are you thing or you get the route wrong you'll easily find them 
Also think about Germany to Holland, it's very bike friendly...
The French like cycling, but drive like idiots.... (edit: we'll so do the Italians, but they behave around bikes!)
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SaturnReturn
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| Posted: Fri 19/Sep/08 10:37am Post subject: |
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What is the hottest part of summer?
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Muzza
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Joined: Jun 07, 2003
Posts: 210
Location: Wellington
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| Posted: Fri 19/Sep/08 10:53am Post subject: |
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Belgium is another cycle crazy nation that looks well set up for cycling with km's of sign posted cycle ways and routes to follow.
If I were going, I'd plan so coincide with grand tour or classic like Flanders and also ride a Cyclosportive events. i.e a taupo type event in Europe .
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Fango
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| Posted: Fri 19/Sep/08 11:26am Post subject: |
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Surely the monster hills (aka mountains) are the reason to go there!
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SaturnReturn
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Posts: 314
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| Posted: Fri 19/Sep/08 11:33am Post subject: |
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Yeah I was thinking the french alps/pyrenese which is what I was originally wondering about. How hard are the french alps? DO they make Taupo and K1 look like a sunday stroll?
Wouldn't want to do them if it was going to be hell
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OnnoG
Worn
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Joined: Nov 28, 2007
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| Posted: Fri 19/Sep/08 2:53pm Post subject: |
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Does anyone no about cycle touring in Antarctica 
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Spyder
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Joined: Nov 15, 2006
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| Posted: Fri 19/Sep/08 3:57pm Post subject: |
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Didn't Marcus Lush do some when he was down there?
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hickie
Riding the wife mad...
Joined: Nov 09, 2005
Posts: 2,043
Location: Down the Hutt
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| Posted: Fri 19/Sep/08 4:01pm Post subject: |
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Wine, pizza & pasta & gelato, babes, beaches, art & architecture, history vs slogging up mountains in the heat. tihs, that's a tough choice..... ( I even heard rumours that the shopping is good  )
Late July, August and even part of September are the hottest period.
I was there for 6 weeks from Late July and don't remember to many days below 25 and had heaps getting in to the mid 30's
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Muzza
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| Posted: Fri 19/Sep/08 4:28pm Post subject: |
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Yes the Mountains are first on the to to list.
I talked to a guy recently who as done two tours, one following the TdF and this year followed the Giro. He thought the TdF was the better tour to follow. France is setup for cycling. i.e. having places on trains to store your bike, Italy did not and he though was hard to travel with bike without a car. He hire a bike in Italy and thought that was the way to go.
The tours rode 60 - 100km a day to a place to watch the race and also ride some of the route. On mountain days they climbed one of the climbs and watch race from there. He said with a compact on, he could ride all but the odd steep pitch of some climbs. He said the climbs were fun as the crowd would cheer you on, push you, offer you drinks.
Draw back these trips were expensive.
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Fergie
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| Posted: Fri 19/Sep/08 4:36pm Post subject: |
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A lot of HQ customers and riders I coach have done the Kiwi Style Bike Tours and thought they were primo. Very well run and great value.
Last edited by Fergie on Fri 19/Sep/08 9:10pm; edited 1 time in total |
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Fango
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| Posted: Fri 19/Sep/08 4:58pm Post subject: |
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| hickie wrote: | | Wine, pizza & pasta & gelato, babes, beaches, art & architecture, history vs slogging up mountains in the heat. tihs, that's a tough choice..... ( I even heard rumours that the shopping is good ) |
Hmmmm - get up early - ie really early and ride a mountain, then spend the rest of the day in a state of fatigued, self-satisfied, endorphin-soaked euphoria, eating gelato, pizza, and all the rest and do it again, and again....
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Roma
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Posts: 489
Location: Mount Maunganui
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| Posted: Fri 19/Sep/08 6:32pm Post subject: |
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| SaturnReturn wrote: | Yeah I was thinking the french alps/pyrenese which is what I was originally wondering about. How hard are the french alps? DO they make Taupo and K1 look like a sunday stroll?
Wouldn't want to do them if it was going to be hell |
Here's a comparison profile of Taupo compared to a one day race in France, which includes Alpe d'Huez 
Someone posted this graph on Vorb ages ago, I'm not sure of the original source.
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SaturnReturn
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Posts: 314
Location: Auckland
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| Posted: Fri 19/Sep/08 6:39pm Post subject: |
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FARK!Now those are hill climbs aye!!!
yeah I have already stumbled across Kiwi Style Tours and they look good. I think those huge climbs would definately be a challenge but the decents would be magic and the scenery would make it all worth it!
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