2nd City Divide

[Chew]

All being well, and things moving in the right direction, i'm planning on riding this route in late August.

Just trying to decide if its better to take a gravel or mountain bike?

I know what the second section is like, but does anyone have any experience of the section north of Alston?

[thenorthwind]

Going north from Alston, it looks like
quiet lanes - tarmac
South Tyne Trail - gravel bike path
Haltwhistle > Once Brewed - tarmac
Wark/Kielder forest - fire roads (variable quality but mostly pretty good, definitely "non-technical")
Kielder lake path - well-surface gravel bike path
Bloody Bush - been a while since I've been that way, mostly fire road, seem to remember it's fairly well surfaced over the top, maybe check this bit
...based on which, I think a gravel bike would be more appropriate for that section.
After this you're into the Borders/D&G and there's a couple of people on here more familiar than me so I'll let them take over.

[fatbikephil]

Does look a bit of a mixed bag - lots of road riding but a few tricky sections (Crossfell being one of them - very hard going on a gravel bike that bit) North of Kielder looks to be mainly forest or windfarm tracks (and road) but again with a few tricky bits (Captains road over to St. Mary's Loch for example)..... Gravel bike probably OK but with burly tyres and a nice low granny gear

[Mike]

Same here chew, i had it planned for start if april. Train to Edinburgh was booked. Hopefully can have another go in aug if i can find cheap train tickets again!

[Bearbonesnorm]

I might be up for a trip if there's one planned.

[mikehowarth]

Further north through the borders definitely more suited to a gravel bike with many more road sections, but the southern section is rough - you'll know this being a Fax lad ;-)

I rode the southern part in reverse last year on my gravel bike shod in 35mm tyres at the time, definitely way under gunned.

Luke and Christian suggest that 35mm is the minimum tyre size, but I'd say realistically 40mm tyre or bigger ran tubeless will save you having to pick your way down the descents.

Of course a 29er running 2.1 would be perfect, but that would spoil all the fun of riding an inappropriate bike

Its on my list as well to go back and ride the full route this summer given most of my plans don't look like they'll happen.

[FLV]

This is also one I fancy. I'm sure thered be a bit of each looking at the route. MTB or Gravel bike, 50% of the time you'll be on the wrong bike
I generally lean towards a rigid mtb on fast but wide tyres when that happens.

[ScotRoutes]

Fit TT bars too.

[mikehowarth]

And a surly 8 pack rack

[Mythste]

I've been looking at this for a similar time. Living north of Rochdale I know the route round me is "chunky" at best and catastrophic for a CX bike at worse!

Never the less, I think i's sooner pick a slow route through the first half (It would be south to north for me) and then cruise on the gravel.

I think the pain of going slower on technical sections is less of a worry than the pain of going slow on gravel slogs!

Either way, good luck!

[boxelder]

North of Alston, I'd happily take gravel bike and 40mm tyres. Cross Fell very much MTB, as I believe is a lot of the southern bit. I'm planning on gravel bike with 650b/1.9" tyres or a rigid MTB.

[Chew]

I'm planning on gravel bike with 650b/1.9" tyres or a rigid MTB.

This is my dilemma
If the sourthern bit is the roughest then probably the gravel bike which is 650b and 50mm tyres

[cycleofaddiction]

I've found that it would be about £30 cheaper for me to hire a car one way from Stoke and drop it off in Glasgow than getting a train.

[Chew]

I've found that it would be about £30 cheaper for me to hire a car one way from Stoke and drop it off in Glasgow than getting a train.

Thats the conclusion we're getting to.
Hiring a one way van is a lot less hassle, and roughly the same price as going on the train.

[Escape Goat]

Has anyone got any links to this on YouTube? I can only find two videos...

[Chicken Legs]

I finished in Glasgow and caught a train back to Milton Keynes for £45.

Must book the bike on and spaces are limited.

Thought this might be useful info.

[Bearlegged]

Has anyone got any links to this on YouTube? I can only find two videos...

Have you seen this one?
https://bikepacking.com/plog/second-city-divide-film/

[Escape Goat]

I have indeed :)

[Chew]

I rode this last week, with some others who it was their first multi-day bikepacking trip.

We hired a one way van up to Glasgow to save on the hassle of the train, and between the 3 of us it wasnt overly expensive for the extra convenience.

The weather didnt particularity help but my thoughts of the route where:
Theres a lot of road. Probably >90%. Mainly quite pleasant back roads, but still a lot.
I'd certainly ride it North to South, if just for the Cross Fell section.
A cross bike is fine on 99% of the route there are some very rough bits on the southern section.
The Komoot route has several errors, so use the official one.
Theres a 200k section where supplies are limited if the timings are wrong, so be prepared.

Overall it was ok
Probably a good 'beginner' route, but it kinda felt like it didnt know what its purpose was.

[Bearbonesnorm]

but it kinda felt like it didnt know what its purpose was.

How do you mean fella? Would a different start / end point be better ... although I do appreciate the 2nd city tie in, Manchester isn't actually Englands second city is it.

[In Reverse]

Manchester isn't actually Englands second city is it.

I suspect they just called it that to wind up the sensitive, chip-on-the-shoulder types who come from cultural vacuums like Dundee and Birmingham.

Thanks for the review Chew, probably saved me a trip up there tbh.

[UnderTheRadars]

It’s ok, we* don’t mind Manchester trying to make themselves feel better by claiming to be Englands second city, we’ll* let them off due to all the rain they suffer causing it to be miserable up there





*I’m not a Brummie, Black Country, it’s close enough

[ScotRoutes]

https://en.m.wikipedia.org/wiki/Second_ ... ed_Kingdom

[Bearbonesnorm]

Furthermore, a number of opinion polls have been conducted since 2000 and complicate the issue further, with public response showing a consistent view amongst the British population that Manchester is the second city.

Yes but many of the same people watch Ant and Dec and Cum Dancing on a weekend, so I think their opion can largely be ignored.

[Chew]

How do you mean fella?

A bit difficult to say really.
Unsure who its aimed at, and felt its been a bit overhyped.

Probably a case that its a way to link up two Cities, rather than it being a good collection of trails.
Just seemed it was a case of zig-zagging around on the road to pick up the odd bit of gravel road.

Its ok, and good for beginners (which is who i road with), but I wouldnt recommend it as a "must do" route.