Bike choice!

[TPMB12]

Tomorrow we're off for  holiday on Isle of Arran. Plan was cycle tour but now it's a bit cool at nights so probably van camping and day rides

Touring was simple, recumbent for load carrying. Van camping we might not want to stick to roads. I thought I'd put 4th bike carrier bracket on the new towbar carrier and take upright and bent with my partner's and child's bike. Idea being upright for offroad. Now I've not got time to put the extra bracket on and had orders to only take one bike.

Would you recommend  to take bent or upright?

It's for family trips with possible overnight camps at sites around the island and over on kintyre. Bent isn't offroad capable but upright is tourable. Two adults,  9yo and dog in trailer or running alongside on an offroad ride if safe.

I think take a chance on recumbent even though I'm pants on hills and haven't got my bent legs back. It'll be hard on hills but I need to use it more. If offroad perhaps rent a bike if needed and possible. Any routes on Arran needing offroad capability? Can't remember the island and don't know much about it.

[ElyDave]

You can certainly get around Arran on the roads, I crossed from ferryboat to ferry port on tour a few years back, on a recumbent. There's really one big hill in my experience, it was tough but doable with light credit-card touring load.

I'm trying to remember geography, I seem to remember it being fairly flat between the distillery and the ferry port arriving from Ardrossan. Mull of Kintyre has challenging slopes to get onto the top, 14% ish, bottom gear territory for me 30 x 32 I think on that occaision

[TPMB12]

It doesn't strike me as mountain biking territory somehow so touring recumbent seems an OK choice.
Plus it's kind of just a coastal road with a cross island road and a few inwards loops of roads. I'm guessing a lot of undulations but not as bad as Devon and Cornwall coastal roads.

[ElyDave]

It doesn't strike me as mountain biking territory somehow so touring recumbent seems an OK choice.
Plus it's kind of just a coastal road with a cross island road and a few inwards loops of roads. I'm guessing a lot of undulations but not as bad as Devon and Cornwall coastal roads.

yes, not too hilly at all on the coastal roads, it's the cross-island road that's a bugger.  Mull was much worse in my experience, with much narrower roads and more undulating.

[TPMB12]

Memories of riding Tobermory to main ferry to oban with at best a 50t to 25t gear due to stuck front derailleur with rear panniers, large bar bag,  large drybag,  tent and single wheel trailer fully loaded. Then my partner broke her chain and without tools to fit.  That happened at the halfway point outside b the cafe with bike shop next door. That b was closed  with the owners on holiday too! We but a taxi for my partner,  her bike and our 3yo son.  I was left with less than a half hour sprint to make the ferry!  All with only big chainring and 11 to 25 cassette! Those undulations were certainly felt!

I've never toured without a couple of links for each bike and a chain tool since.