Manchester to London

TomBombadil

I fancied cycling from the Town Hall Manchester to House of Parliament and coming back the next day. Has anybody done this? Or does anybody fancy doing such a ride with me? Staying in a hotel cleaning up and coming back the next day. I am thinking of doing it in late August or September.

Tom

Haggiscp

Nice idea, what about getting the train back?

It's not the destination but the journey thats important!

TomBombadil

Hi Haggis

Would be prepared to catch the train back - It's just the logistics of getting a bike back is probably worse than cycling!

Tom

Captain Fagor

Hope the VN is going well, TB. You doing the PolkaDot this weekend?

TomBombadil

Hi Captain Fagor,

The VN is going well - This weekend going off to Sweden again for the VR. It's very tight and may go horribly wrong - fly Friday morning and ride Friday Night/Saturday Morning start time 2:am LOL.

The weather predicts rain! Finally selected a carbon bike - HED frame with record compact - haven't weighed it yet. In fact have only done a test ride around the block.

The VN was packed away earlier tonight!

I did my best ride for times a rolling Sportive - just did the short ride but came in 7th of 100 see http://www.kilotogo.com/soyresults.htm

If it's raining and I'm not upto much I may just take it easy and enjoy the atmosphere - There should be a lot more riders on the road compared to last year and our early start etc - It may be interesting or just end up a disaster!

Anway here's to riding around lakes! Next year I'm thinking of riding around Lake Constance - see
http://www.radmarathon.ch/frames_e/index.html

Do you fancy an ultra cycling marathon?

Or what about making up a race across america team? Madness LOL

Keep well - TB

Captain Fagor

Hi again.

Good luck with the Vatternrundan and the weather. Give my regards to any familiar faces, and indeed lovely Motala itself.

I'll pass on any of your ultra-distance extravaganzas at the moment, but I'll be in touch!

Cadetcp

Tom, Hi i am also doing the Vattenrunden. we start at 11.42 probably slower than you though
if i can be finished by 2.00 pm i will be estatic.

got a carbon bike this year. a roubaix 06.
will have done it 4 times on 4 different bikes. hopefully

just finished packing. fly out tomorrow....good luck.


every year it takes a little longer

TomBombadil

Hi Cadet,

Last year did it in 11 hours with three punctures but was helped a lot by Captain Fagor as they road in a fast group and dragged me along which made the first 80km zing past until I was dropped. I will be riding my Van Nicholas assuming it travels well - with a little luck I might just catch you up (In my dreams). No seriously - Last year I had such a good time that just to get around again would be great. Last year it was the best ride I did in terms of fun and adventure.

Although the weather looks a little iffy which could make it quite different to last year. Ppppplease let it not rain too much....

Good luck and have a great ride!

Tom

TomBombadil

Hi Cadet,

I had a great time - very tiring with the winds - did you find that the case? I managed 11:21 and was back about 1:30 - 10 minutes slower than last year. No punctures but bonked a couple of times and found the rest stops very full and a bit difficult to get through when compared with an early start. And the roads were full at times meaning it was hard to get past - again not like last year when as an early starter the roads were mostly empty. I still saw some quite big peletons that formed and dispursed overa few km - fun and sometimes fast.

I was still impressed by all riding and amzed at all the oddball bikes I saw - hats off to all finishers and those that just tried!

Did you have a good time and get back by 2:00 as you wanted? How did it go?

I'm still not bored yet maybe next year I'll have ago on a tandem with my other half!

Regards - Tom

Cadetcp

Tom, i actually meant back by 3 pm.

we had a grooup of 8 riders. 1 swedish guy who set of at 8:22 9th time,and by far our experienced rider
5 girls and my bro who changed there time to 10:20 ish...
the last of them finished at around 10;30 pm my bro and his misses ( her first time ) they both had colds and sore throats. they announced at breakfast that she would not be doing it next year as she was 14 weeks pregnant. How mad ????? mind you she isn't a quitter ( she walked a half marathon and did a non contact kick boxing grade whilst carrying 2 yrs ago.

i myself smashed my record last year. i got involved with 3 swedish guys who set off in the group behind me. after 2 stops i said to one,what time do you plan to finish / he says i reckon between 11 and 12 i laughed as i had secretly planned for 3 pm. and when i told him he laughed as well. i got to breakfast and thought i am well up on my pb and every stop is a bonus, before i knew it i was at HJO and nearly 2 hrs ahead of my pb. i lasted with them till approx 60k from the end. went through some togher times for 20k then came out fighting again.

basically i did it in 12Hrs 51 mins 11:11 riding

i learnt how to succesfully ride a peleton sometimes doing upto 23 mph ( 21+ over the cobbles )
also i found no matter how quick they were they needed help on the hills. I was the hillman sometimes
coming from mid peleton to take the front. Even had to slow down a few time as i was drooping them on the hills.


was your's purely biking time or including stoppages.

i took nearly 4 hrs off my all together time.


every year it takes a little longer

TomBombadil

Hi Cadet,

It sounds like you had a good time - and made a big increase in your PB and sounds like you enjoyed the faster riding.

I sent a message with more detail of the ride but my bib number was 11226 (group 184) - I started at 2:08 and finshed at 13:29. So total ride time including stops etc was 11:21 - I estimate a total on the bike time of 10:15 to 10:25 as I found the stops a bit difficult to get through quickly as it was hard to find a place to put the bike etc. I took a couple of more stops than I had hoped as I bonked a bit. I had planned three stops but ended up doing four and stopping at the roadside to sort myself out a couple of times etc.

Everybody who does this ride deserves a deep respect so hats off to you!

I talked to some people coming back on the plane and they did it in 18 hours - but the furthest they had ridden before was London to Brighton - so again Respect is due. I really enjoy watching the riders coming back, there faces tell so many good stories.

Keep Well - If you are like me I'm sure you'll be back for more Swedish punishment (I mean fun) LOL

Tom