This years Sportives?

Rich158

YES, why wouldn't you want to ride back


Only kidding, 240 miles in 24 hours :shock: :shock: :shock: It appeals to my masochistic side but NO, NEVER, and don't even try to talk me into it.

boy on bike

So far I'm signed up for the Epic Spring Challenge (14th March) and the Etape Caledonia (17th May). Still debating about the Bikeradar one on 30th May, but should be a good weekend. No real plans for further on in the season yet...

roger_merriman

so far just the tour of the black mountains, it will be my first but in my favour is that i know the area very well being born and growing up in the area. and know the hills, and where if need been one could exit. need to watch the speed on the last big decent nice cattle grid as well...

woodyonthebeach

Rich158 wrote:

YES, why wouldn't you want to ride back


Only kidding, 240 miles in 24 hours :shock: :shock: :shock: It appeals to my masochistic side but NO, NEVER, and don't even try to talk me into it.

I think the most I have done in a single ride is 140 miles. I reckon 240 is achievable with the right group of people and plenty of much along the way.

Rich158

OK, I've got the house for the DD. Ample showers and coffee, and wth a bit of bribery maybe a spot of breakfast

I might even be persuaded to ride back if there's a big enough group.

lost_in_thought

Oooooh good work Rich!

I'll probably ride to Rendlesham, or back to my place in Essex.

Feltup

Get you two! Oh I'll do the 120 miles through the night and then just amble back to London or Essex!

lost_in_thought

Lol... Actually, I'll do 120miles through the night, eat my body-weight in carbs, and pootle at 3mph back to rendlesham (about 10 miles) or woodbridge (about 12 miles) and get a lift to essex, or pootle back to Essex at a sedate pace with lots of stops on the way!

Feltup

Don't forget your bikini for the swim in the North Sea!

Rich158

I'm in two minds now some sense has kicked in :roll:

What I'm really going to want when I get to Dunwich is a good feed, and reality says it'll be easier to take the car up, laden with goodies to be left in the fridge ready for the morning, then get the train back to Stratford, and amble down to the start point on the river.

Why do I make life so difficult for myself...........

I now have a good excuse for not doing the 120 miles back to London I knew I'd find a way out of it

il_principe

DD is not really a Sportive. Supposed to be great fun but not a sportive, it's a far gentler affair, more socialable affair and you have all night to get to the beach. I reckon there and back is very very doable, as I understand it, no one really hammers the DD anyway.

lost_in_thought

jashburnham wrote:

DD is not really a Sportive. Supposed to be great fun but not a sportive, it's a far gentler affair, more socialable affair and you have all night to get to the beach. I reckon there and back is very very doable, as I understand it, no one really hammers the DD anyway.

Come along then! Call us when you get back to London, yeah?

il_principe

There's a fair few peeps who go there and back. The average time is 10 hours or so to get there so that gives you an idea of average speed.

Good FAQ here:

http://www.southwarkcyclists.org.uk/social/dunwichfaqs08.shtml

Rich158

Go on you know you want to.

Coffee, cakes, and possibly a monster breakfast if I get myself organised, will be waiting in Dunwich.

Just thought - I'm not riding any faster just so you lot have a breakfast waiting for you

il_principe

I'm up for it but will bottle if it rains! I'm not spending 10 hours getting soaked to the skin.

Feltup

Think we did it in a leisurely 10 hours so you should have no problem in getting there in time to make us breakfast, I mean a couple of minutes ago you were going to cycle back to London so the extra effort can hardly be a cause for concern

Jash: The Pearson is the steed of choice for this celebration of couriers.

Rich158

So you've noticed I've started trying to wiggle out of it then

tbh I'm up for trying to set a good time, after all if we can make the FWC a similar distance over the Essex hills will be no problem for such hardened riders.......

We could always make it a bit more interesting with the odd wager or two. 7 hours in return for breakfast anyone

lost_in_thought

Hardened? I'm hoping you're not including me in that!

Rich158

Of course you're included, your legendary status as a hardcore fixie rider turning more inches thean Sir Chris himself is in no doubt evidently. Or are the reports I read about you being a merciless scalper in the other threads exagerated

lost_in_thought

Haha, yeah but there's a big difference between being able to ride 7 miles in London faster than most of the others I see, and being able to ride 120 miles as fast as a bunch of serious rider blokes who've been training to do a mad sportive a few weeks previously!

woodyonthebeach

whats the best to convince a mate to ride with you on this ride. Im starting to come round to the idea. Looking at changing some planned holiday for it.

Rich158

lost_in_thought wrote:

Haha, yeah but there's a big difference between being able to ride 7 miles in London faster than most of the others I see, and being able to ride 120 miles as fast as a bunch of serious rider blokes who've been training to do a mad sportive a few weeks previously!

I dispute that, I've never been serious about anything in my life. I do love a good wind up though

Feltup

There's more back pedalling going on around here than when Alan Pierce set the 100km backwards cycling record.(I had to Wiki that fact)

lost_in_thought

Feltup wrote:

There's more back pedalling going on around here than when Alan Pierce set the 100km backwards cycling record.(I had to Wiki that fact)

100km backwards cycling? That's hilarious! I like it.

So who wants to do the DD backwards? I've got a fg you can borrow...

And I'll definitely be doing it, but I don't know if I'll be able to keep up with you boys!

il_principe

lost_in_thought wrote:

So who wants to do DDD backwards? I've got a f*g you can borrow...

Fixed that for you.

lost_in_thought

jashburnham wrote:

lost_in_thought wrote:

So who wants to do DDD backwards? I've got a f*g you can borrow...

Fixed that for you.

Jamey

I'd like to do the DD too but I'm worried I won't keep up with any of you lot.

I had been planning to build up to a 100-miler after the London-to-Brighton last year but then I had my accident and had to recover for ages. I'm still recovering now but if I start building up the mileage I think I could do the distance, just worried about speed as you lot are bound to drop me.

il_principe

Jamey wrote:

I'd like to do the DD too but I'm worried I won't keep up with any of you lot.

I had been planning to build up to a 100-miler after the London-to-Brighton last year but then I had my accident and had to recover for ages. I'm still recovering now but if I start building up the mileage I think I could do the distance, just worried about speed as you lot are bound to drop me.

No we won't, the whole point is to pootle I think. Come, join with us...

Rich158

lost_in_thought wrote:

Rich158 wrote:

The DD looks good, and starts just across the river from my office . I can go one better that LiT, my folks have a house in Dunwich itself looking out on the beech, I'll have to double check it's not booked that weekend.

This all sounds too easy, it's almost like it's calling me!!!!!!!!!

iirc the beech cafe is very good in Dunwich, a definate carrot on a stick if ever there was one.

Brilliant! Right, I am so in.

I'll get the Grace family to contribute a stopover of carb-rich food and coffee somewhere in the Castle Hedingham/Sudbury area for my bit!!

Go on give it a go, I don't think anyone's going to get dropped, at least not until they've been through the LiT feed stop. Then the race is on for me to get to Dunwich and get brekky on for the rest of you hungry buggers

Jamey

Ok, well that allays my fears somewhat.

Do you need to register for the DD or just turn up? It's free, isn't it?