King Alfreds Way.

[ton]

anyone done this route ?
myself and the wife are going to spend 5 days pottering round it in a couple of weeks time.
just wondering if she will be ok riding a touring bike, with a chunkier set of tyres ?

anyone.

[whitestone]

Tony, Cath and I did it last year over three days (afternoon, two days then a morning so three bivvies). Did a trip report here: viewtopic.php?f=10&t=20001,

Generally: go clockwise; you want it to be dry, looks like some bits would be a nightmare in the wet; I'd go with as high volume tyres as you can fit, there were lots doing it on "gravel" bikes. There are some short sections that would be rough on a gravel/tourer bike, we were on rigid MTBs.

Plenty of pubs and eateries just off route - sometimes quite literally! The route goes through a lot of villages that don't have much in the way of services especially in the western part.

[woodsmith]

Did it over about 4 days last year, and the Ridgeway section again later in the summer. Completeley agree with all of Whitestones comments.
Ridgeway is supposedley deadly greasy in the wet. I talked to a few people on gravel bikes who moaned about the sandy sections which I couldn't even recal ( the benefits of 3" tyres). The people I met who were doing it over three days wished they'd allowed for an extra day.
Generally an excellent route and highly recommended.

[Charliecres]

Agree with all the above. Bits of it wouldn’t be much fun on any bike after a period of wet weather. Certainly doable on a tourer or gravel bike but it’s not what I’d choose.
I did it over three days on a rigid 29+ and that seemed about right. Very enjoyable route, bar the bit through and just south of Reading, which was OK, just not amazing.

[Specialist Hoprocker]

I live very close to the route in Farnham. Be sure you time your trip through Pierrepont Farm south of me to coincide with Joe's opening hours at Craft Brews. It's a real gem.

[Margo plicatus]

Agree with all above, especially the wet bit. Did KAW 2y ago in early October in a named storm! Lethal chalk on Ridgeway and SDW, slippery roots and stones in Surrey, epic mud and bomb holes on the Plain, was on a 29er with Conti race kings, friend on a gravel bike with 40c panaracer gravel kings. Mtb was much better in the wet, would still have put chunkier tyres on…

[The Cumbrian]

I've only cycled the section along the ridgeway and was always glad to have 2.4" tyres.
I'm new to riding on chalk, but I quickly learned that although the surface dries very quickly, if you break through the thin crust onto the damp chalk beneath the wheels can easily be whipped from under you. This can happen on a very moderate camber, even with fatter tyres.

[whitestone]

I noticed on Strava that sean_iow and Mike of this parish have been doing the KAW over the last few days. No doubt a trip report will be forthcoming.

[flyingpig]

I did it in one go a couple of weekends ago, bigger grippier tyres would be much nicer.

I did it on rigid adventure bike 29x2" and that was ok

[Cheeky Monkey]

What's an

adventure bike

?

Rigid MTB?

I get so confused with all this lingo

[Boab]

What's an

adventure bike

?

Rigid MTB?

I get so confused with all this lingo

Gravel bike, we all know that you can only have adventures on a gravel bike these days...

[woodsmith]

What's an

adventure bike

?

Rigid MTB?

I get so confused with all this lingo

Gravel bike, we all know that you can only have adventures on a gravel bike these days...

To quote the bloke I met on the KAW on a gravel bike when asked what he thought of the route, " I enjoyed the bits on the road"

[sean_iow]

As Bob has mentioned Mike and myself rode it this week. Started just outside Avebury as it's about half way between us. Started Sunday lunchtime and finished Wednesday lunchtime so a relaxed social pace. I rode my Spearfish, mainly as it has gears so makes it more social when riding with other people. We did take all the 'off road' alternative routes to minimise the on-road riding.

I think it was the right choice, with the suspension locked out it's more rigid than my rigid bike! Forks unlocked for comfort and shock open to the descents, it was a blast and if I rode it again I take the same bike. It's only marginally heavier than a cheap gravel bike and with lightweight kit I'd say it weighted less than the loaded gravel bikes we past.



On the last descent down to Avebury on a rough gravel track with the suspension open I was sat down in comfort and even rode one handed to look at my gps watch as I wondered ow fast I was going, 28 mph, try doing that on a gravel bike

[flyingpig]

What's an

adventure bike

?

Rigid MTB?

I get so confused with all this lingo

Pretty much yes, I built it on rigid MTB frame with drop bars, didn't know what the hell to call it myself

20220821_180711.jpg (119.9 KiB) Viewed 1857 times

[Asposium]

anyone done this route ?
myself and the wife are going to spend 5 days pottering round it in a couple of weeks time.
just wondering if she will be ok riding a touring bike, with a chunkier set of tyres ?

anyone.

when i rode the KAW a couple of years ago (in dry weather) i camped near a brother and sister who were riding.
she was on a touring bike and not particularly enjoying the experience.

i did the KAW on an epic hardtail.

so, do you want the wife to do more off-road bikepacking in the future?

I like this quote from the silk road FAQ
"At the end of the race, many gravel bike riders wished they had brought a mountain bike, but not a single rider on a mountain bike wished that they had brought a gravel bike."