Charity rides
MickF
Posts: 2
This year I've done London to Brighton for The British Heart Foundation. This ride is the biggest sponsor ride around. The roads get packed and so do the hospitals, web news pages show 60 people attended casualty this year. i stopped for over 30 minutes twice while they cleared accidents from the road.
I've also just done the London to Oxford ClicSargent ride. Although the rain poured the ride itself was great, clear roads all the way and instead of ditchling beacon its all up hill from Marlow to Watlington. I'm due to try Oxford to Cambridge also for BHF in september, has anyone any experiance of that ride ? :? MickF
I've also just done the London to Oxford ClicSargent ride. Although the rain poured the ride itself was great, clear roads all the way and instead of ditchling beacon its all up hill from Marlow to Watlington. I'm due to try Oxford to Cambridge also for BHF in september, has anyone any experiance of that ride ? :? MickF
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...I've given up riding big charity rides as there is quite a lot of dangerous riding...had some good times on the London to Cambridge over the years and the Norwich 100, but no more......all the way...'til the wheels fall off and burn...0
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I did the London to Oxford ride. The weather was kind of... horrible! Yep, the rain didn't help, but when the wind hit wet clothing, you really began to feel the cold! VERY glad i brought my gilet with me. Some guys were wearing just shorts and jersey. I don't know how they did it!*
It did seem to get hillier but I was mostly unaware of it as the wind and rain were keeping me occupied!
Witnessed lots of people with punctures.
Despite the weather it was a good testing ride. You were able to ride for many many miles without having to stop due to an obstacle (unlike London to Brighton).
I was one of the last to start and going by my number about 1250 people took part.
Trains: So I went to the station and saw some fellow cyclists arguing with the guys at the barrier. They would not let them on to the platform because they didn't know how much space for cycles would be available on the next train(??!??)
I thought 'f*** this' and went to a cash machine. A staff member did inform me that a train going to Reading was arriving soon. That was good of him, but by then i decided to make my way back to the park and catch the coach. And had a nice sleep all the way to London!
Average speed in the end was 15mph. Not happy with that, but given the conditions, it's a nice number!
And yes... I'd do it again. Though I don't think I'd do the London to Brighton again. We'll see once the application comes around!:)
Looking forward to London to Southend! 8)
*The one thing I should have brought with me was my 'rainlegs' gear. I think that would have helped in keeping the cold off my legs. Plus they're small enough to fit in a back pocket.0 -
BHF Oxford to Cambridge is a good ride. 90 miles of flat, fairly traffic free roads and the distance tends to put off the charity ride muppets that do L2B.
If you want a really tough ride then the "Chaucer Challenge" (Greenwich to Canterbury) in aid of the Childrens Trust is a proper tough ride..only about 75 miles but its a real challenge."I have a lovely photo of a Camargue horse but will not post it now" (Frenchfighter - July 2013)0 -
Like Overmars, I too am looking forward to the London to Southend ride. It doesn't get too croweded, quickly gets out of London and is great fun. There are two options for getteing back to London - C2C to Fenchurch St and the other one to Liverpoool St. And you get a day out at the seaside. Mind you I live here
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Oh and anyone else doing it this year? Role call at http://www.bikeradar.com/forum/viewtopic.php?t=12577467&highlight=southend0
