AndyKK wrote: ↑Fri May 13, 2022 9:04 pm I was not talking about off-road routes, just normal conditions of roads in general, good condition don't last long here when tarmac is involved

roadman wrote: ↑Fri May 13, 2022 9:02 pm Hey lexus, I'll take you up on that riding offer later in the year.

Andy's route looks fun to me as I like the ferry crossings and small villages. Agree it's not proper off-road but I still like any road, apart from...well a few (long stories to be told over cold beer).

The plan for July is a mixed ride with some cruising and some difficult stuff thrown in. Some of my friends won't be satisfied without some proper off-road challenges. The Cardamom crossing is still on the cards. Still researching it. The smuggler's trail probably isn't a wet weather run, physical fitness is gonna have to improve in the next 2 months for that.

Thanks to this forum I have a shortlist of 3 companies now. Dancing Roads are on it.

Reliability and a company that can bring replacement bikes if things go wrong are what I am looking for.

Loads of roads to be ridden, been looking over maps all week and probably won't stop once arrived.

Bitte_Kein_Lexus wrote: ↑Sat May 14, 2022 11:06 am

AndyKK wrote: ↑Fri May 13, 2022 9:04 pm I was not talking about off-road routes, just normal conditions of roads in general, good condition don't last long here when tarmac is involved

True! I mean they lay new roads every few few months, but many turn to crap after 1-3 rainy seasons, making you wonder why they didn't keep the original trail in the first place! I've seen some where clay was dumped, turning the whole road into a slick mess, or conversely a total bog hole. Meanwhile, the more ancient road was sand with a laterite base which water didn't affect nearly as much. Same goes for national roads obviously. Still, road conditions have improved greatly over the years (good for locals obviously).

roadman wrote: ↑Fri May 13, 2022 9:02 pm Hey lexus, I'll take you up on that riding offer later in the year.

Andy's route looks fun to me as I like the ferry crossings and small villages. Agree it's not proper off-road but I still like any road, apart from...well a few (long stories to be told over cold beer).

The plan for July is a mixed ride with some cruising and some difficult stuff thrown in. Some of my friends won't be satisfied without some proper off-road challenges. The Cardamom crossing is still on the cards. Still researching it. The smuggler's trail probably isn't a wet weather run, physical fitness is gonna have to improve in the next 2 months for that.

Thanks to this forum I have a shortlist of 3 companies now. Dancing Roads are on it.

Reliability and a company that can bring replacement bikes if things go wrong are what I am looking for.

Loads of roads to be ridden, been looking over maps all week and probably won't stop once arrived.

I personally love cruising down village roads, especially with older, more rural settings. A lot of places that used to have wooden houses with clay tiles have been replaced with zinc sheets on all four sides giving some villages a bit of a soulless vibe to them, so it's great to go by some places that still look nice. Some areas look bleak in the dry season, but assuming you're coming over in the next few months it'll be nice. I still love the kids waving and asking for wheelies, stopping for drinks and so on. You'll also find that people in the countryside are still as friendly as ever. I'm sure that's part of your memory, it is for most people. To be fair, you'll need to do tons of laterite/main roads anyways when doing a loop anyways. There are WAY fewer trails now than 5 or 10 years ago, so to get anywhere you'll have to do all kinds of roads like the ones Andy mentions either way, along with laterite, smooth tarmac an so forth. You'll get your fill of everything imaginable! The days of being able to do 200-300km of straight trails and off-road stuff without ever touching main roads are (sadly to some) long gone! Always need to connect bits of trails together now. I sent you a PM with a few pics.

roadman wrote: ↑Sun May 15, 2022 5:36 pm I think all those roads would be sealed wouldn't they Andy?
How long do you think that route would take?