Social ride. 28th Feb. London.

DonDaddyD

February looms, which means Karen will be waking up from her winter hibernation and will want to her wheels spun to remove the (figurative) cobwebs and smell of mothballs.

So, we haven't done these for a while. A slowcial or social ride. It puts miles in legs, with the possibility of a pub halfway through. We wait for the slowest rider, we ride at a managable pace.

Details:
Date: 28th February Meeting point: main entrance at Crystal Palace Park
Time: 10am
Route:45 mile ride
http://www.mapmyride.com/ride/united-ki ... /255665573

60 mile version
http://www.mapmyride.com/ride/united-ki ... 4481345359

80 mile version
http://www.mapmyride.com/ride/united-ki ... 6244316199

People showing interest:

LondonLivvy
Bassjunkieuk - 60
Clever Pun
Sewinman
Il Principe (provisionally)
JonGinge
Headhuunter
Skippy2309 - 60/45
PinkPedal (maybe + 1-3 others)
Rich158
Brun (provisionally)
StuAff (provisionally) - 60
MonkeyMonster (if ars* is in gear)
Oddjob62 - urrrr. depends how well the next month of cycling goes... ideally 80
itboffin (provisionally)
Stevo 666 - 45
markshaw77 (provisionally) - 60
Cori - 45 (assuming fit enough)
roger merriman - 45 (maybe)
londonbairn

Jamey

I'm up for another one in theory, pending dates, temperatures etc.

roger_merriman

Maybe. Weather could be a issue, febuary is high risk for ice/snow but sounds good I don't get many weekends off but we'll see.

Sewinman

In like Flynn.

lost_in_thought

Yeah I'd be up for that, I need to get the miles back up again.

I'm happy to 'lead', as long as it's nothing more than following my Garmin around!

stuaff

Yup, interested. If anyone fancies a run round the IOW or around south east Hants/West Sussex, happy to lead........

jonginge

Pub stop you say? Hmm, interesting

Clever Pun

JonGinge wrote:

Pub stop you say? Hmm, interesting

that's what I was thinking... I'd suggest you go single speed and change your gearing to 44-20

that should even you up a little

Headhuunter

I'd do a not-so-slowcial which was discussed last year. I don't mind waiting around for slower riders in warm summer sun, but not so keen on the idea in Feb, need to maintain a certain speed to stay warm! We could all meet at said pub halfway round.

bigmat

You need a route where the not-so-slowcial riders can do an extended ride and aim to meet in the pub at the same time. I'm with Headhuunter, its not the weather for riding slow although to be fair I haven't been on my road bike since November so I might not have any choicw!

Jamey

You don't have to have faster riders and slower riders on the same ride, you know

I'm just saying....

Rich158

I'd be up for a pootle in the countryside, I can bring the fixie out to play again and no comedy clipless moments this time

il_principe

MatHammond wrote:

You need a route where the not-so-slowcial riders can do an extended ride and aim to meet in the pub at the same time. I'm with Headhuunter, its not the weather for riding slow although to be fair I haven't been on my road bike since November so I might not have any choicw!

Ditto, although it's October for me. This could be just what I need.

Headhuunter

Jamey wrote:

You don't have to have faster riders and slower riders on the same ride, you know

I'm just saying....

Yeah, that's what I mean. We all meet at the same place and time, 2 rides set off at more or less the same time, the faster riders do a longer loop at a higher pace and slower riders a shorter ride, and we all agree to meet at the pub at lunchtime or whatever...

I would suggest the faster loop myself but I've got a really bad sense of direction and I assume the starting point will be RP and I really don't know that neck of the woods at all...

DonDaddyD

28th of Feb, because that's practically March and if the England isn't getting warmer by then (10-degrees-C) then Greg was wrong and climate change is real and its all our fault.

Editted because I see the value in two seperate rides.

If someone has routes to throw up with or withot pub, suggest a change of date or simply wants to express interest then please feel free.

Edit: It may sound boring but I'm up for some loops around Richmond Park as well. On a different day of course. That way everyone can go at it at their own pace and head off to the pub after.

Skippy2309

i would like to do this as well, get some miles on the clock, my first road bike arrives tomorrow and its a fixed, cant wait to get out on it. going to be a lot faster than my full suss which i was riding about

28th should be fine for me, don't really mind where the ride goes pace I dont mind a long easy cruise. Going to be commuting on the bike so should be used to riding fixed by then

tailwindhome

None of my business of course as I don't live in London, but if I may suggest that these things tend to be more successful once a regular/weekly day, time, departure point and route(s) are established. That way a ride becomes a regular fixture in your life. Also the ride will happen regardless of which people turn up each week.

Have to say it would be nice to have a regular social ride without the politics that seem to dog local cycling clubs.


You may want to check out the two clubs that have been established through Bike Radar - Bristol Radars (?) and one whose name i can't recall in Scotland. Might be worth a similar venture in London

itboffin

I think you'll find there have been several social rides Dec & Jan

You weren't there man.... in fact where were you? :P

stuaff

Clever Pun wrote:

JonGinge wrote:

Pub stop you say? Hmm, interesting

that's what I was thinking... I'd suggest you go single speed and change your gearing to 44-20

that should even you up a little

Give him a suitably heavy loan bike, that'll do the trick....!

stuaff

IOW Round-the-Island route here: http://www.bikely.com/maps/bike-path/Is ... -Rondonnee (typo is the author's). 67 miles, nothing too nasty for the non-climbers (if I can get round on 34x25, pretty much anyone can). More suggestions to follow...

stuaff

Another one I found on Bikely- loop from Petersfield. I know a lot of this one from my own riding, again nothing too taxing for the weaker climbers (a good workout, mind!).
http://www.bikely.com/maps/bike-path/Boxing-Day-2008

DonDaddyD

itboffin wrote:

I think you'll find there have been several social rides Dec & Jan

You weren't there man.... in fact where were you? :P

these social rides were never advertised on the forums I would have joined otherwise.

stuaff

And one I just put together: http://www.bikely.com/maps/bike-path/379734

jonginge

DonDaddyD wrote:

itboffin wrote:

I think you'll find there have been several social rides Dec & Jan

You weren't there man.... in fact where were you? :P

these social rides were never advertised on the forums I would have joined otherwise.

Pay attention DDD.
The 'Yokels Unite' and 'Weekend Social Rides' threads had all the details

lost_in_thought

Depending on how gently people want to go, we could do a windsor run with lunch in the middle, you can string it out quite well from Richmond...

I've done one before, I'll have the route somewhere, it is pretty tame.

Bassjunkieuk

I'd be interested, need to build up the miles and as I'm trying to get out for regular Sunday rides having some company would be great!

londonlivvy

There are some great rides out into the kent hills and some lovely pubs with nice ales too - various extension loops possible to account for faster / more enthusiastic folk available.

So...
45 mile ride
http://www.mapmyride.com/ride/united-ki ... /255665573

60 mile version
http://www.mapmyride.com/ride/united-ki ... 4481345359

80 mile version
http://www.mapmyride.com/ride/united-ki ... 6244316199

Proposed lunch spot would be Crookham Hill. Fab pub. I forget the name of it but there's only one. Different groups could set out on different distances, with the aim of meeting at the pub at x time.

il_principe

JonGinge wrote:

DonDaddyD wrote:

itboffin wrote:

I think you'll find there have been several social rides Dec & Jan

You weren't there man.... in fact where were you? :P

these social rides were never advertised on the forums I would have joined otherwise.

Pay attention DDD.
The 'Yokels Unite' and 'Weekend Social Rides' threads had all the details

No points for observation there DDD!

Headhuunter

StuAff wrote:

And one I just put together: http://www.bikely.com/maps/bike-path/379734

I think we're going to need routes that start and end in London!

Headhuunter

londonlivvy wrote:

There are some great rides out into the kent hills and some lovely pubs with nice ales too - various extension loops possible to account for faster / more enthusiastic folk available.

So...
45 mile ride
http://www.mapmyride.com/ride/united-ki ... /255665573

60 mile version
http://www.mapmyride.com/ride/united-ki ... 4481345359

80 mile version
http://www.mapmyride.com/ride/united-ki ... 6244316199

Proposed lunch spot would be Crookham Hill. Fab pub. I forget the name of it but there's only one. Different groups could set out on different distances, with the aim of meeting at the pub at x time.

I know those roads a little better from my forays with Dulwich Paragon, although I still have a crap sense of direction so wouldn't be sure about leading a ride!

Headhuunter

Il Principe wrote:

JonGinge wrote:

DonDaddyD wrote:

itboffin wrote:

I think you'll find there have been several social rides Dec & Jan

You weren't there man.... in fact where were you? :P

these social rides were never advertised on the forums I would have joined otherwise.

Pay attention DDD.
The 'Yokels Unite' and 'Weekend Social Rides' threads had all the details

No points for observation there DDD!

I'm with DDD on this one. I don't think I opened the Yokels Unite thread as I didn't know it was about a ride somewhere. As for the weekend social rides, there was only 1 wasn't there? About 6 months ago. I think someone posted up a load of photos after the event. Were there others?