Chris Reilly completes the Velodyssee and tacks on northern Spain

Chris picked up his lovely Pro Lugless in May and wasted little time. Opting for steel forks, Chris chose a black enamel finish on the frame with bianchi forks, all finished with a satin lacquer. We thought it looked lovely and so did the French and Spanish locals.

"The trip has been brilliant, the bike coping with everything the Velodysee and Basque hills have had to throw at it (including 42 degrees temp). I wish I could say the same for myself! I have had plenty of admiring looks and comments (for the bike, that is)."

"The trip started from Brighton on 31st May after travelling down from Sheffield by train. I got the ferry from Newhaven to Dieppe with my brother, and we rode down to Paris on the Avenue Verte, where my brother returned home and I caught a train to Nantes. From Nantes I joined the Velodysee and rode down to Hendaye. From Hendaye, I caught a train to San Sebastian, then another to Bilbao and rode to Santander, via a couple of small ferries. I met my family in Santander and had a few days with them, before riding to Lannes and Ribedesella, where my family followed by train. After a nice fortnight together, it was just me and the bike again (minus camping gear, which I'd posted back to the UK), as I headed along the Northern Spanish coast, staying in Lastres, Gijon, Cudillero, Luarca and Ribadeo before heading inland and following the Camino to Santiago.

After Santiago I headed towards my furthest destination of Cape Finisterre, before cycling back to catch a ferry home from Santander. The trip has been fantastic and the bike has met every challenge. Northern Spain is certainly a challenge compared to the Velodysee, but it's one I've enjoyed."