Cycling the camino??? help please if you can

[charlied]

Hello one and all. Hopefully in 2010 I will complete the camino after many years of putting it off and all the other excuses. I have done some reading up on it and I have some questions:
1 I was hoping to cycle the route, does anyone know if it is possible to hire a bicycle in St Jean and return iut in Santiago or do you have to take your own with you.
2 What is the best route home from santiago to ireland
3 Have any of you cycled the route in Early May and what sort of weather can one normally expect.
Thanks in advance

[frescotours]

I cycled the Camino de Santiago a few years ago - you are going to love it. An amazing journey!

In terms of your questions:
- Be prepared for a bit of everything in terms of weather. Since you'll be covering over 700KMs of high plains, mountains, and rolling hills, you'll probably get a bit of everything. Here are average weather temps for cities in Spain: Spain Weather - Forecasts, Radar Maps, Video, and News Click the city and then average monthly temps - also gives rainfall.
- To fly back to Ireland, see: Search - Destinations - Aena.es - Spanish airports and airspace With the small low cost airlines, this list changes often, so check back in the future.
- As for bikes, try contacting: Tournride Alquiler de bicicletas Camino de Santiago hire bicycle

good luck and buen camino!

[cycle2santiago]

It all depends on how you want to do it. Unsupported, then I would recommend a good mountain bike frame with racks and bomb proof tyres. It is easy to get 26" wheel spares in France and Spain. You could do it on a light tourer if you wanted to. I would recommend a road route rather than on the camino.
1. It p1sses off the walkers and
2. It destroys your bike.
There are plenty of interfaces, plus you are often running parrallel to the route.
It's hard. Foe instance, when you cross the Pyranees, there are a few major climbs before you drop to Pamplona. You'll get to hate the road sign with 2 arrows up and one down. The descent from Ferro Cruz has made me think I'm about to die twice now. Ease on the brakes and you pick up speed so fast...hang on to the brakes and they cook...
Do it do it do it, it'll change you, it did me and that was a good thing.

[Villagejonesy]

Ha ha! Especially when I went up to the Cruz de Ferro and O Cebreiro, I kept wondering: "how do the bicyclists do it?" I bicycle a lot, even mountain biking for several miles uphill, at home; but O Cebreiro, in particular, was sort of a chore for me, and I was only walking the Camino, not biking it.

Then there was the one guy who was using a unicycle--I swear. I couldn't go five feet on a unicycle, and here's this guy going the Camino on it.

So, I haven't so much advice to give, but just wanted to say, hats off and much respect to the hard work of the bicyclists! Buen Camino--VJ