London Edinburgh London 2025

[Damien]

Is anyone from the forum planning to go? I am super excited about this event - it's the second most famous European event. I already have a spot on the start list - there was a limited offer for participants of Paris-Brest-Paris 2023, so I took a chance and signed up. Next year, the route will be different. Interestingly, we won't start in London or reach Edinburgh, but the event name remains the same.
I'm not sure if I'll take my Cruzbike or my Specialized Roubaix – time will tell. And also, it depends on my bike-packing skills with the bike bag.

Website

 

[IyhelM]

For such a long ride I think with a few more miles under your belt on the S40 it will be a no brainer.
It is on my bucket list, the time limit is a bit kinder than PBP but I’m not sure I’m made for these distances. Definitely not in 2025 anyway.
Good luck with your training!

 

[Damien]

Thanks! It will be a great adventure. This won't be my longest ride. In 2021, I managed to finish the Bicycle Marathon Around Poland: 3,200 km (~2,000 miles) with a time limit of 240 hours (10 days) and ~ 25 000 of elevation gain (~ 85 000 feet). But such long distances are definitely too hard on the body. By the end, it was very difficult, and I was close to total exhaustion. It wasn’t a brevet; it was a tough, self-supported race — a real fight for survival from the beginning. I barely made it to the finish line before the time limit. LEL, like Paris-Brest-Paris, is a brevet with a much easier time limit. At my current level, I don’t need to worry about the time limit and can just enjoy the scenery and the company of people from around the world.

 

[IyhelM]

Remind me about it next July, I’m often in the UK for work, maybe I could manage to join you for a day.

 

[Andreas]

I’m in, got lucky with the early entry ballot. But I’m still not sure which bike I’ll ride.

 

[Damien]

I’m in, got lucky with the early entry ballot. But I’m still not sure which bike I’ll ride.

I have the same dilemma. Tor Hovland, who has already ridden LEL, advised me not to take the Cruzbike. But on the other hand, I have the S40, which handles climbs quite well. One day I'll test if everything fits into my bike suitcase. Unfortunately, the Cruzbike is larger, and more parts need to be disassembled to fit. On the other hand, it's not carbon, so there's less risk of damage during air transport. There's always the alternative of land transport, but I feel it's a waste of time.

 

[siebengang]

When a Norwegian, living in a seriously punchy region, with loads of experience in brevets (including Mille Miglia and LEL), and at the same time a strong Cruzbike believer, is sceptical about taking the Cruzbike for LEL, well, you’d probably better listen to him…

All I have heard first hand about LEL myself didn’t sound like too much fun on a recumbent. And you are also still quite strong on the upright, so to me that seems to be a no-brainer ;-)

 

[Andreas]

Yes, Tor also told me he wouldn’t take a recumbent.
Due to health reasons, a diamond frame bike is not an option for me on long distances.
So the other choice would also be a recumbent, but one where I can't fall over.
In places where even DF riders are pushing their bikes, I can still pedal up with a 26/36 gearing.

LEL website:

"... Compared to 2022, the route is flatter and gentler, but with enough serious climbs to offer you the very best of northern England and Scotland..."

In March, we can expect to get the track. I’ll examine it in detail and adjust my training. The Alps are right next door for me

 

[Beano]

When a Norwegian, living in a seriously punchy region, with loads of experience in brevets (including Mille Miglia and LEL), and at the same time a strong Cruzbike believer, is sceptical about taking the Cruzbike for LEL, well, you’d probably better listen to him…

All I have heard first hand about LEL myself didn’t sound like too much fun on a recumbent. And you are also still quite strong on the upright, so to me that seems to be a no-brainer ;-)

It depends on how you want to ride LEL. Historically LEL route has always been advisory, it's the way audax is in the UK, even audax under BRM the route is advisory and not mandatory(unlike in other countries).

However as it was back in 2022 and next year I believe the route is mandatory with secret controls, this changes the dynamic because in the UK audax routes tend to be on country lanes away from traffic. Whilst at face value this is good because you are by and large away from motorized traffic. At the same time said country lanes are usually single track with high hedges so visibility is poor, very undulating so getting into a decent rhythm where you are just turning a gear eating up the miles is difficult, road surface tends to be not that great in the amount of gravel on the road, pot holes etc just makes for a miserable experience as it was back in 2022 for many people.

So it's all a question of if you want the ride homologated, if do then stick to to the route, if not then do your own route and still use the controls to your own benefit to refill bidons, food and rest.

As a member of AUK I've already got a place, will wait and see in the new year what the route will be.

Funnily enough GCN just released a vid of Hank doing a ride on a V20C, the lanes in question give a good taste imo of what the type roads the ride will be like - all imo of course.

 

[Damien]

Funnily enough GCN just released a vid of Hank doing a ride on a V20C, the lanes in question give a good taste imo of what the type roads the ride will be like - all imo of course.

I hope not. This isn't road - but some kind of debris... Disaster and nightmare for any type of road bike.

 

[chicorider]

I like that CB is getting some wider recognition on GCN, but there is a lot that is unfortunate about this video: the weather, the narrow roads with variable surface quality, the fact that Hank is still learning how to ride the bike and looks afraid much of the time. It's a lot to ask of a relative newcomer. He is quite fair in much of what he says, especially when he points out that a rider for whom the V is second nature would make this look easier, but the overall picture makes me cringe a little, and probably does not inspire much confidence in someone considering trying the V, or any CB. What I'd like to see now is an expert V rider who knows how to see the road, avoid gravel and potholes, steer a straight line up a hill, use gearing changes to maintain traction, look relaxed in the face, join GCN for a repeat of the same route, even in the same weather, to show what such a ride could look like. Again, kudos for the exposure, but I hope there can be a Part 2.

 

[DavidCH]

From my understanding, quite a lot of roads have many pot holes and with a very cold expected winter , there will be even more holes in 2025. So be careful.

 

[Tor Hovland]

Yeah, I've done PBP and 1001 Miglia on my Vendetta, and I've done LEL on an upright. And I said to myself that I would not want to do this event on the Vendetta. An S40, maybe, with sufficiently low gearing.

One thing is the climbs, which are as steep and punchy as anything over here in Norway (just shorter). The other thing is the road surface. With lots and lots of sunken water grids, making for some serious pothole experiences if you are unlucky enough to ride over them.

The event itself is fantastic, though. It has the best volunteers of any event I've been to.

And the roads aren't nearly as bad as in that GCN video

 

[Damien]

Time will tell how riding the Cruzbike on distances of 500+ km will work out for me. It seems that before LEL, I'll ride a 1000 km brevet, and that’s where I'll make the final assessment. Something unexpected might come up on such a long distance, so I need to be 100% sure that switching to the new bike doesn’t reduce my chances of finishing. However, I don’t have issues with such long distances – and the time limit isn’t brutal for me. Before spring, I’ll do an upgrade – it will be a 2x12 drivetrain with a 46/30T crankset and an 11-34 or even 11-36 cassette. I think that should be enough for the Scottish Highlands.

Another challenge is the fact that this bike needs to be transported by plane. The bike itself weighs 13 kg, and my bike case weighs 9 kg, so I’m already at the weight limit. A few extra kilograms will cost significantly more. I saw a video on YouTube where someone packed a V20C into a bike case – it was a lot more effort.

 

[Tor Hovland]

In general, riding a recumbent increases my chances of finishing a long event. PBP was definitely faster on a Cruzbike, even though it is quite hilly. More importantly, it was much more comfortable.

Take the lowest gearing you can, you will not regret it. You just need to practice riding steadily at such low speed (when dizzy with sleep deprivation ).

At PBP I took my Vendetta in a cardboard bike box. That was fine. Larry and I did the same at the Length of Sweden this summer. At 1001 Miglia I had a big B&W case. Too cheap and flimsy, and it broke on the first flight. I'm also used to a 23 kg limit per luggage item, so I just take the box with most of the bike, and then an additional suitcase with everything else. But I know a lot of people stuff everything into the bike box and just pay for the extra weight. In any case, you need to plan for a little extra time building your bike upon arrival.

 

[Robertas]

Time will tell how riding the Cruzbike on distances of 500+ km will work out for me. It seems that before LEL, I'll ride a 1000 km brevet, and that’s where I'll make the final assessment. Something unexpected might come up on such a long distance, so I need to be 100% sure that switching to the new bike doesn’t reduce my chances of finishing. However, I don’t have issues with such long distances – and the time limit isn’t brutal for me. Before spring, I’ll do an upgrade – it will be a 2x12 drivetrain with a 46/30T crankset and an 11-34 or even 11-36 cassette. I think that should be enough for the Scottish Highlands.

Another challenge is the fact that this bike needs to be transported by plane. The bike itself weighs 13 kg, and my bike case weighs 9 kg, so I’m already at the weight limit. A few extra kilograms will cost significantly more. I saw a video on YouTube where someone packed a V20C into a bike case – it was a lot more effort.

What crank length you planning on your setup?

 

[Damien]

@Robertas I plan to buy the SPIRIT Modular Crankset 145 mm 46/30T if the Black Friday discount is attractive. Tomorrow, I’ll find out!

 

[Beano]

Time will tell how riding the Cruzbike on distances of 500+ km will work out for me. It seems that before LEL, I'll ride a 1000 km brevet, and that’s where I'll make the final assessment. Something unexpected might come up on such a long distance, so I need to be 100% sure that switching to the new bike doesn’t reduce my chances of finishing. However, I don’t have issues with such long distances – and the time limit isn’t brutal for me. Before spring, I’ll do an upgrade – it will be a 2x12 drivetrain with a 46/30T crankset and an 11-34 or even 11-36 cassette. I think that should be enough for the Scottish Highlands.

Another challenge is the fact that this bike needs to be transported by plane. The bike itself weighs 13 kg, and my bike case weighs 9 kg, so I’m already at the weight limit. A few extra kilograms will cost significantly more. I saw a video on YouTube where someone packed a V20C into a bike case – it was a lot more effort.

It's not the Scottish Highlands you need to be worried about. It's the Lincolnshire Wolds on approach to the Louth control and the Howardian Hills bit between Malton and Richmond. That's if the route is mandatory which it was back in 2022, before this the route was advisory, will have to wait and see come January when more details are released.

Regarding luggage max is 32kg, over this weight it's freight and not luggage. So you will have to pay excess baggage fees maybe. Just make sure it does not exceed 32kg as the airline may refuse to take it.

 

[Damien]

Just make sure it does not exceed 32kg as the airline may refuse to take it.

Yeah... I’m from Poland, so I have a wide range of transportation options. This will be my second trip with a bike—the first one was earlier this year (2024) to Sweden for the Midnight Sun Randonnee brevet. For that trip, I took my DF bike. Inside the Evoc Bike Bag Pro, I packed not only the bike but also cycling clothing, a helmet, parts, and tools. My Specialized Roubaix weighs only 9 kg, so there was plenty of extra space.

That’s the downside of the Cruzbike—only one frame size. I wish it had a smaller, lighter frame.

Thanks for advice @Beano

 

[linh Nguyen]

I plan to bring my S40 assuming I will pass the SR series in the spring