Switzerland cycle route 5 & Eurovelo route 5

Cycle-touring, Expeditions, Adventures, Major cycle routes NOT LeJoG (see other special board)
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Aikon
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Joined: 4 Jan 2011, 11:00pm

Switzerland cycle route 5 & Eurovelo route 5

Post by Aikon »

I'm cycling back to the UK from Friedrichshafen in late August and am looking at riding across Switzerland on their National route 5 to Basel then heading north alongside the Rhine on Eurovelo route 5 via Luxembourg, has anyone ridden any of this & got any advice or tips? I'll be on the road bike I did JOGLE on last year so the odd bit of light trail is ok but I'm keen not to get properly off-road!
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foxyrider
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Location: Sheffield, South Yorkshire

Re: Switzerland cycle route 5 & Eurovelo route 5

Post by foxyrider »

Its certainly all road bikeable - some nice places en route - i did it in 3 fairly easy days.

You have two options for car ferry across the lake, Konstanz and the actual Friedrichshafen ferry but you can also take a bike on most of the passenger ferries.

Are you camping or B&B?
Convention? what's that then?
Airnimal Chameleon touring, Orbit Pro hack, Orbit Photon audax, Focus Mares AX tour, Peugeot Carbon sportive, Owen Blower vintage race - all running Tulio's finest!
Aikon
Posts: 183
Joined: 4 Jan 2011, 11:00pm

Re: Switzerland cycle route 5 & Eurovelo route 5

Post by Aikon »

Ah good to hear, I'll be using b&b's along the way, I shall probably book ahead but am quite tempted to just ride each day & see where I end up. Day 2 from Zurich to Strasbourg looks tough on paper at 143 miles along the Rhine but the elevation is largely downhill so probably achievable. Then I'd have roughly a century every day back to the channel & figure out how I get home from there.
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foxyrider
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Joined: 29 Aug 2011, 10:25am
Location: Sheffield, South Yorkshire

Re: Switzerland cycle route 5 & Eurovelo route 5

Post by foxyrider »

I think i'd miss going to Zurich if i could and just follow the Rhein - the ride across to Zurich from Bodensee is fairly lumpy and especially if you want a high mileage up to Strasbourg i'd avoid the directish Zurich - Basel bit - there's even a minor but still significant pass on that bit! :roll:

You going to the bike show?
Convention? what's that then?
Airnimal Chameleon touring, Orbit Pro hack, Orbit Photon audax, Focus Mares AX tour, Peugeot Carbon sportive, Owen Blower vintage race - all running Tulio's finest!
Aikon
Posts: 183
Joined: 4 Jan 2011, 11:00pm

Re: Switzerland cycle route 5 & Eurovelo route 5

Post by Aikon »

Cheers for the tip, I've got a friend at Nurensberg I'll be visiting but that's as close to Zurich as I'll go, I'll check the elevations carefully!

I am off to the show, I'll be working there from Monday to Friday then cycling back to the UK instead of helping pack the stand away!
Aikon
Posts: 183
Joined: 4 Jan 2011, 11:00pm

Re: Switzerland cycle route 5 & Eurovelo route 5

Post by Aikon »

That's me all packed ready for the flight to Zurich tomorrow, bike is waiting for me in Friedrichshafen on the work truck. All the touring kit is packed into a seatbag & barbag ready for setting off for home Friday afternoon, route is Friedrichshafen>Zurich>Mulhouse>Nancy>Reims>Montreuil-sur-Brêche>Dieppe, ferry to Newhaven, ride to Brighton, train to Bedford then an hour ride home!

Routes are roughly planned in the Garmin but I've dissected an old paper road map to take along as I rarely follow the pre-planned route to the letter.
Aikon
Posts: 183
Joined: 4 Jan 2011, 11:00pm

Re: Switzerland cycle route 5 & Eurovelo route 5

Post by Aikon »

That's me on the ferry to Switzerland, just 42 miles to do before dinner at my friends in Nurensdorf.
Aikon
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Joined: 4 Jan 2011, 11:00pm

Re: Switzerland cycle route 5 & Eurovelo route 5

Post by Aikon »

Well I made it, my first solo tour, 560 miles across Germany, Switzerland and France, longest day was 130 miles sandwiched between a 118 & a 97, just 70 to Dieppe today made for a pleasant lunch and afternoon, just waiting to board the ferry back to Blighty.
Bike performed faultlessly, no pu****res, no mechanicals & everything went to plan. Well apart from Garmins usual trick of sending me down unpaved roads despite that option being set to avoid! I always carry a paper map to be sure.
Aikon
Posts: 183
Joined: 4 Jan 2011, 11:00pm

Re: Switzerland cycle route 5 & Eurovelo route 5

Post by Aikon »

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Aikon
Posts: 183
Joined: 4 Jan 2011, 11:00pm

Re: Switzerland cycle route 5 & Eurovelo route 5

Post by Aikon »

My blog ramblings on this tour for anyone that fancies a read: http://rodewarrior.wordpress.com/2014/1 ... september/
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