How to Prepare for a Big Day Ride in the Yorkshire Dales
Planning, pacing and practical tips for a better day on the bike
A long ride in the Yorkshire Dales has a habit of becoming harder than expected. What starts as a steady spin out of Settle can quickly turn into hours of climbing, rough roads, changing weather and a headwind that seems determined to follow you home.
That is part of the appeal.
Whether you are planning your first longer ride of the year or heading out for a full day linking together lanes, climbs and gravel tracks, a bit of preparation goes a long way. Not because you need to overcomplicate it, but because small things become much more noticeable five hours into a ride than they do after the first café stop.
Whether a beginner or a seasoned rider, these suggestions are always worth remembering.
Start with a realistic route
One of the most common mistakes on bigger rides is simply trying to do too much.
The Dales can be deceptive. A route that looks fairly manageable on a map can feel very different once you add in steep climbs, rough surfaces, strong winds and weather that changes halfway through the day.
It is worth thinking about how the ride will feel later on, not just during the first hour when your legs are fresh. Leaving a bit in reserve makes a huge difference, especially if you are riding unfamiliar roads or heading onto gravel tracks where progress can be slower than expected.
Don’t bite off more than you can chew… have you built up to that distance in previous rides, and have you planned an escape route just in case? There is no shame in shortening a route; most riders have had days where an ambitious plan quietly turns into “let’s head back this way instead”.
Check the weather properly
Not just the temperature. Wind direction matters just as much around here.
A calm morning in Settle can turn into a brutal headwind once you are out on exposed roads near Ribblehead or Malham Tarn. Rain can arrive quickly too, and long descents become much less enjoyable when you are soaked and cold.
It is always worth checking conditions properly before leaving, especially if you are heading onto higher roads or planning to be out for most of the day.
And if the forecast looks genuinely grim, there is nothing wrong with saving the big ride for another day.
Eat before you need to
A lot of riders wait too long before eating, especially early in the ride when everything still feels easy.
Long days on the bike are much more enjoyable when you eat regularly from the start rather than trying to rescue things later. Once energy levels properly dip, it can be surprisingly hard to recover.
Small amounts often work best. A flapjack, banana, sweets, half a sandwich, whatever works for you. The important bit is staying on top of it before you reach the point where every climb suddenly feels twice as steep.
Experienced riders get quite good at spotting the warning signs. Usually it starts with legs feeling strangely heavy or a noticeable drop in mood for no obvious reason.
Sort your bike before the ride
Mechanical problems are always more annoying when you are thirty miles from home in the middle of nowhere. Before a bigger ride, it is worth spending ten minutes checking the basics properly. Make sure the tyres are inflated correctly, the brakes feel sharp, the gears are shifting cleanly, and nothing feels loose or worn out. If there is any chance of finishing late, check your lights too.
Giving the bike a quick clean and fresh chain lube the night before is always worthwhile as well. The bike feels better, runs quieter, and it is much easier to spot anything that looks wrong.
And if the bike has been making a suspicious clicking noise for the last three weeks, now is probably the time to deal with it rather than hoping it magically disappears halfway up Fleet Moss.
Carry the basics
You don’t need to carry half the garage with you, but having a few essentials can save a very long walk home… there isn’t always a phone signal deep in the Dales for that rescue! At the very least, it is worth taking a spare tube, tyre levers, a pump or CO₂ inflator, and a multi-tool. A phone and some form of payment are obvious ones too, especially if plans change halfway through the ride.
For longer gravel rides, it is usually worth carrying a bit more. An extra tube, a lightweight waterproof jacket and a few extra snacks do not take up much space, but you will be glad of them if the weather turns or the ride takes longer than expected.
Pace the climbs properly
The climbs in the Yorkshire Dales have a habit of punishing enthusiasm.
Most riders go too hard too early, especially on the first major climb of the day. It feels good for ten minutes, then much less good three hours later when the legs have completely gone, and there is still another big hill waiting around the corner.
Steady pacing nearly always works better here. Riding just below your limit rather than constantly above it means you recover quicker and enjoy the ride far more. It also makes the final hour much less miserable.
If you are riding in a group, ride your own pace uphill. Everyone says this. Almost nobody does it.
Café stops are part of the ride
There is no shame in planning a ride around coffee and cake. Most of the best rides usually involve both at some point. A good café stop gives you a chance to refuel, warm up if the weather turns, and reset mentally before the second half of the ride. On longer days especially, breaking the route up into smaller chunks makes a big difference. It also gives everyone an excuse to sit around talking about bikes for half an hour before reluctantly heading back out again.
Dress for changing conditions
Even on decent spring and summer days, the weather in the Dales can change surprisingly quickly.
You might leave Settle in sunshine and end up riding through cold mist an hour later once you are up higher. A lightweight waterproof or windproof layer is nearly always worth carrying, even if it stays in your pocket all day.
Cold descents can catch people out too, particularly after long climbs when you are sweaty and exposed to the wind.
It is always easier to carry one extra layer than spend two hours wishing you had.
Don’t forget to enjoy it!
It sounds obvious, but it is easy to become so focused on average speed, distance or getting round the route that you forget to actually enjoy where you are riding.
Some of the best moments on longer rides are not the fast sections or the climbs. They are the quiet roads, the views across the hills, the descent into a village café or those rare stretches where everything just clicks and the bike feels good underneath you.
Stop occasionally. Take a photo. Look around a bit.
There are worse places to spend a day on a bike than the Yorkshire Dales.
Final thoughts
Big rides do not need loads of expensive gear or months of planning. Most of the time, they just need a bike that works properly, enough food, sensible pacing and a route that matches the legs you have on the day.
The rest of it tends to sort itself out once you are rolling.
And if you need help with route ideas, bike setup or getting your bike ready before a longer ride, pop into the shop and have a chat. We are always happy to help.
