When I asked Komoot to plot a gravel root, it looked like I would be riding quite a few roads.
Those 'roads' turned out to be quiet gravel roads through orange groves and rice fields where a gravel bike was far superior to a road bike.
So this is a good route and I'll put the Komoot collection below - bear in mind I was going slower because I was shooting video and also looking for un-planned content.
Because the video has to move at pace, a lot of the logistics aren't included, so that's what this article is for.
First the bike. Having made a few videos for Phil and Jules of Cyclefit, I was 'paid' with a custom Landrace Boxer and this was its first multi-day outing. I've had loads of bike fits over the years, but always done it back-to-front. I'd bought the bike, then tried to get it to fit me. Much more sensible was for Cyclefit to work out exactly the measurements I needed, then design a bike that would fit me.
Boy does it ever! The Landrace Boxer makes every other bike I own feel uncomfortable by comparison, it's just SO right. When I did this ride in March, I had hardly been on a bike in ten months and was genuinely concerned whether I could compete the trip, hence the shorter days. The Boxer rode like a dream and my shoulder injury didn't bother me at all.
Initially it had been configured with a 1x road groupset, but I asked them to switch to Eagle for the bigger (46T) rear cassette. This proved sufficient for the fully loaded climbs on this trip and others at home in Scotland.
To carry it safely on the plane, I borrowed an Evoc bike bag from my friends at Cyclefit. I've always been worried these were more fragile than a ridge bike box. However, it was lighter, coped better with a thru-axle gravel bike, and because that bike is titanium, the bike bag was sufficient. Would I use it with a carbon bike... I'm not sure. But I loved the internal 'stand' into which the front and rear wheels fastened because this was extremely helpful when assembling and disassembling the bike in a hotel room.
One tip - make sure your old pump still functions! Mine has been on the down-tube of my bike for many ride, unused, and when it came to inflating my tyres after the flight, the plunger was so still it refused to go down the barrel. Fortunately another cyclist had an electric pump.
Don't make the mistake of thinking a bike bag is necessarily smaller than a bike box. This fit in a London black cab, but I needed an Uber XL to reach Gatwick Airport. Even then it only just fit. My return was at a quieter time of day, so I could use the Gatwick Express and then South Western trains.
I flew to Alicante and booked the Areca Hotel, which wasn't the nearest according to Booking.com but their measure is by direct line. To reach other hotels you have to go around the airport perimeter so Areca is the best. I emailed in advance and they were happy to hold my bike bag for up to two weeks free of charge - it seems they do this frequently. Getting there would require walking alongside a bust airport road for 3 miles with the bag, so I still needed a taxi, which was about €20 and most of the vehicles are hatchbacks or estates and coped OK.
 |
| Alicante station on a Sunday |
I deliberately flew on a Saturday so my ride to the train station in Alicante would be relatively easy and quiet, as would the train to Valencia. I booked myself and my bike on the Renfe website and the eTicket for us both was delivered in the App on my iPhone. I took a printed copy too, just in case and this was handy because I could more easily show it to a staff member and check I was heading for the correct train. Which departed over an hour late, because they were waiting for a connecting service.
 |
| Lockable hanging spaces on train but hooks too small for my rims |
I stayed in hotels, mostly found via Booking.com, but I always emailed to check they had bike storage before making the booking. Only once was I allowed to put my bike in my room. Frequently it was cheaper on their own websites but cancellation / amendment policy wasn't as good.
There are a lot of Northern European cyclist on the Costa Blanca. Some live out there, some migrate for the winter months, and most seem to be on road bikes. Personally, I avoid the end of February until mid-March because the weather is frequently wet, and the off-road tracks turn to clay, as you'll see in the video.