BHF London to Brighton Cycle Rides

Spitchips - BANNED

Does anyone know what part of London does the BHF London to Brighton bike rides normally start? I am looking to start planning travel and accomodation arrangements as will be travelling down from West Yorkshire and the trains dont allow bikes on day.

Naz

The start is at Clapham Common in South West London

redvee

I think Clapham common.

Russell Smith

Clapham Common Next to Clapham Common South Tube on the Northern Line, goes out through Nightingale Lane/Burntwood Lane / Garratt Lane / Tooting Broadway/Figgs Marsh/Mitcham Common.

felgen

http://www.bikely.com/maps/bike-path/BHF-London-to-Brighton-2004
what about this?

fuzzynavel

felgen wrote:

http://www.bikely.com/maps/bike-path/BHF-London-to-Brighton-2004
what about this?

Thanks for the link as I am doing it in 2009.....I used to live in Mitcham...never knew the bike ride went any where near there.
I think the route may have changed for this year to slow people down coming into Brighton after a death either last year or the year before.

felgen

fuzzynavel wrote:

felgen wrote:

http://www.bikely.com/maps/bike-path/BHF-London-to-Brighton-2004
what about this?

Thanks for the link as I am doing it in 2009.....

no problem. To be honest, if you look a little further you will find a load of decent routes for the ride, and probably a lot more up to date ones too. I am unsure about doing it as all I have heard is unless you get a seeded start, you will just get pissed off trying to overtake a wall of riders who semm to be in no particular hurry to get there.

bobtbuilder

unless you get a seeded start, you will just get pissed off trying to overtake a wall of riders who semm to be in no particular hurry to get there.

It all gets jammed up on the first big hill, which is just as you are leaving London (can't remember the name). Almost impossible to ride that hill as people are walking right accross the road.

It gets much better after that. Ditchinling Beacon can be pot luck. Somtimes the organisers make it left lane walking, right lane riding, and other years they don't bother.

Did this ride 16 years in a row as I live on the route, but haven't done it since 2001.

jimycooper

hi,
im planning on doing it with a friend in 2009. i know i need to get going early but not sure if like someone said you get seeded when you sign up or if you just set off when you get there. can anyone help me with this?

Bmjboy

jimycooper wrote:

hi,
im planning on doing it with a friend in 2009. i know i need to get going early but not sure if like someone said you get seeded when you sign up or if you just set off when you get there. can anyone help me with this?

You dont get seeded as such, you just need to pick your start time from 6:30 onwards in 30min slots (if I remember rightly)

My best advice is to start as early as possible to try and avoid the crowds - we made the mistake of choosing 8am - and took us 2hrs to get out of London as it was a standstill.

If you miss your start time just get in the queue for the next time, its very relaxed and a fun day. I would do it again, but its a bit of a logistical nightmare as they dont allow bikes on trains that day so you need someone to pick you up etc...

jimycooper

cheers bmjboy,
theres a special coach that runs from brighton up to london every hour from 4am so probly get the 5am one.

VerwoodAsh

earliest start time is 6:00.

You need an early start time otherwise you will walk for the first hour due to the sheer number of other people.

Don't expect it to be relaxing and FUN in that throng either as a lot of people around you won't have been on a bike since the previous year's event and the handling skills show it.

Now you are given a time slot on your entry and they can be fussy about you starting in the right slot. The times are given on a priority basis to previous entrants so you may ask for a 6am start but be given a 7:30am by the time they allocate yours.

Or if you are doing it for the ride only - then a lot of other people just join in just down the road.

Also if you are fit - then you can get down there in 2 and a bit hours and then ride back again to make it worthwhile.

I haven't done the event myself for 6 years now but some friends still do it every year

fuzzynavel

VerwoodAsh wrote:

Also if you are fit - then you can get down there in 2 and a bit hours and then ride back again to make it worthwhile.

Good idea....I could get to brighton then ride back to halfway for a pub stop and meet my mates...will save them getting too pissed that I leave them for dust!