American Visiting/ Exploring - :D

[wulf328]

Hi all,

I'm a dual national US-UK permanently residing in the US. I'll be visiting the UK for two and a half months starting May 22nd and plan on getting a bike to get around. I have introduced myself here asking about buying a bike in the UK:

https://www.bikechatforums.com/viewtopic.php?t=270574


and this is a map of locations I'd like to go to/ am going to. If you get a pop up about changing the entry just exit it to see the spots:

https://www.zeemaps.com/edit/xFNk9cY_x4O-DtHr6uWn8A#


I'm concerned about crime while in the UK and do not want my little traveling bike stolen. I was thinking about getting a couple of feet of grade 80 lifting chain and a couple of Master disk locks. These are links to prices in the US.

Chain: https://www.awdirect.com/grade-80-alloy-chain-w-5300-lb-wll-5-16-in-5050323/bulk-chain/

Lock: https://www.homedepot.com/p/t/202260768?productId=202260768&storeId=10051&langId=-1&catalogId=10053&ci_sku=202260768&cm_mmc=shopping%2d%5f%2dgoogleads%2d%5f%2dpla%2d%5f%2d202260768&ci_gpa=pla#.UYBWIZUTthA

What do you think? Any general advice? Thanks!

[Scotsman37]

First off welcome to the forum and everyone here will have an input on the area they know of, and like you I've stayed in USA for sometime and I know it can be quite daunting riding a bike in new surroundings!

One big thing you can't turn right at a red light like you can in the states, but at least once in France you can drive on the same side of the road as you do in USA just everything is in French even at MacDonalds burger outlets! lol So a GPS device will be invaluable in finding gas stations or banks/autotellers for quick foreign money and remember in France a % tip is customary with the bill or is it compulsary someone on here will clear that up for you?

You have to watch out or avoid wet manhole covers at all cost unless they have some sort of tarmac on them because your back wheel will slide like on ice. If you don't have wet gear then buy some or bring some over with you because in the UK any weather is possible!!! The roads over here mostly curve in the city not like in the states where everything is grid like. There is no over head street names as in the states because over here they are on the side of a fence or on the side of a building instead, and so GPS device will be your greatest friend or a paper map if you want?

Avoid what we call Neds in cheap track suits within the town centres or cities because there is a lot of them asking for money or nick your stuff from your person or from your bike. Some of them are even pushy trying to get money from you saying they need the money for the bus or something just so that they can buy drugs or drink!

Also, if you say you have a Garmin GPS device you can quite easily transfer onto a 8Gb SD card the latest Western European map that is unlocked!

https://thepiratebay.sx/torrent/8208851/

[wulf328]

Thank you! I will watch out for the Neds. Are those different than Chavs? I don't mean to offend anyone here...

[Scotsman37]

[wulf328]

Another part of my journey I'm conserned about is luggage. I plan on bringing just a backpack and a laptop bag. I plan on bringing cycle gear, a relativley small tent (a two man military tent), enough clothes for a little over a week and the laptop/ camera. I was just looking at the gear and started to feel overwhelmed. I know I can carry it on the bike on my person but am concerned about the electronics/ laptop bag. Also, I will be walking. I was in the US Marines and am taking that mentality to this trip but I'm afraid it might do me in. I've put myself in some dangerous situations with that mentality. But as long as I don't quit or die I'll make it through right?

[Scotsman37]

Just as long you can keep them in a waterproof bag then they should be ok, and depending on the size of your laptop the smaller/compact it is the easier it will be to carry it. Also, to remember that you electronic devices need to be able to work on 220v while the states are on 110v, and I hope you've got a European wide mains plug adaptor for UK & France which you can buy at Best Buy because I've seen it on sale there not that long ago. No doubt your laptop's power adaptor is multi-voltage 110-220v, but if not then get one that is compatible for it to use abroad.

Give yourself 1 or more hour at UK airport because it can take you that long to get through immigration/customs and collect your belongings!

In regards to walking you can get for free an ordnance survey map for an android phone for the UK

https://www.appszoom.com/android_applications/ordnance+survey

[wulf328]

Thanks so much. I was going to bring both my US and UK passport and enter the UK on the UK passport and then enter the US on the US passport. Do you know if when I leave each country which is the best passport to use? Also, I have a full faced helmet and a half helmet. I prefer the half helmet and it would be easier to transport but what do you guys think about the two? I usually just throw on a pair of shades (sunglasses), or clear eye protection for the night. I read in Britain the eye wear needs to be approved.

[Scotsman37]

The passport you will be showing is the one you booked the flight with to match the flight ticket details. Once you're in the country then just tell them you've got dual nationality and the British passport is good for easier entry which includes free healthcare if you get into trouble being that you're still a British citizen even if you are living abroad in USA. You could book your flight with your US passport to & from because if you enter the UK on your US passport then leave on your British passport then they will only have record of you entering the UK but never leaving and possibly classed as an over stayer which maybe get a further talking to if you ever return to the UK at later date?

I use www.flightscanner.com to find the cheapest available dates for travelling then look at www.Cheapoair.com to find that cheaper dates for travelling. The other option is to get an airline matched credit card to gain valuable airline miles special deductions. I use an American Airlines Credit Card which gives me easy award bonuses for gaining extra airmiles in the beginning if you spend a certain amount in the beginning to get 30,000 airmiles as a reward, 1st or 2nd luggage checked luggage is free and you get priority boarding. Also, for using up 20,000 air miles you can fly from west coast USA all the way to the UK and all I had to pay was $85 for taxes - cheap and no other airline I found gave me such a good offer!

The half helmet as preferred by scooter/moped riders in the UK are good for commuting in town, but not sure what it would be like at motorway speeds if it was raining heavy one day or if it happened to be a very cold day depending on what time of the year you are coming to the UK, but more chance of getting rain than anything else during the summer period. You could possibly buy a cheap helmet over in the UK instead to save you having to carry it then once finished with it you could flog it to someone with the bike as a bonus to sell it?