London2Brighton - how to get home

amnezia

I managed to get out of bed for an early start (6.am) and after 10 miles it was pretty much clear roads.

Distance - 53.7miles
Time - 2hr 42
Avg - 19.6mph
Max - 49.2mph

Cycle back to Clapham was done at a much more leisurely pace with several pub stops

EKE_38BPM

Feeling rested after a good night's sleep and a little looser after a 5 mile recovery ride, so time for a fuller ride report.

I left Barnet and pootled to Clapham, getting there at about 7:15. Looked for a few people and made a few phonecalls to try to arrange meeting up. That didn't work so resigned myself to cycling 'alone' amongst the 30,000+ other riders.
About 2 miles after I left home I thought I could make my gears that little bit better and fiddled with the barrel adjusters and cocked my gears up. Real difficulty getting onto the big chainring and slipping gears at the back. I wouldn't be able to rectify this until Brighton.

DDD pretty much sums the ride out of London up for me. Lots of looking at the bikes and people on show.
Saw a LOVELY all black, very aero, carbon fixie. No brakes, bags, reflectors, lights or logos to spoil the lines of the bike. Just wheels, fork, frame, saddle, seat post, and drive train. Beautiful.

Anyway, back to the ride.

For the first half (at least) of the ride as soon as the slightest incline was involved it became the London to Brighton Bike Walk.
WILL WALKERS PLEASE WALK ON THE LEFT AND LEAVE THE REST OF THE ROAD FOR US CYCLISTS!!!!
Like DDD said, saw some dodgy decending and a few accidents probably caused by dangerous decending.

BTW, DDD, why do you think it necessary to say it was a black lady riding the Specialized Carbon? The bike is relevant, maybe even that it was ridden by a woman is relevant. I don't think her race needed to be mentioned.

Anyway, as the ride thinned out, it was possible to actually ride and climb the hills.
I got up Ditchling Beacon with no real problems, slower than I would have liked due to traffic, but clipped in all the way. The decent was slower than it should have been as I couldn't get on the big ring, so just got in an aero tuck and freewheeled down faster than quite a few of the people who were pedalling. Rolled into Brighton and as I crossed the finish line the chorus from Living on a Prayer (Bon Jovi) was stuck in my head. "Woah, we're halfway there..."

Just after the M25 I was walking up one of the slight inclines and got chatting to a couple of guys from Brixton and stayed with them most of the way into Brighton. We got separated, but luckily I found them on the beach and chilled with them for a few hours before setting out for London. We hooked up with a couple more Londoners who were also a little unsure of the route back and rode with them back to Croydon.

One of the guys from Brixton was riding a Guess framed MTB that he had assembled himself. I've never heard of Guess and couldn't get a good look of the bike during the ride, but the roadbike wheels and tyres told me he wasn't a chump on a BSO. When we got to Brighton and chilled on the beach I had a good look at it and noticed his forks were non-sus MTB forks and made of carbon (he later told me the forks were carbon, titanium and magnesium). Then I noticed the Stronglight carbon cranks, roadbike chainrings, carbon seatpost, skeleton brakes etc. We had a chat about his bike and I felt the weight of it. EASILY the lightest bike I've ever picked up. He says around 6kg, but as its a MTB, his position meant he was the slowest of our group of 5 which suited me as I didn't want to set off too fast and have not enough left to ride all the way home, I mean, if you have to take the train part of the way home, you didn't really ride it, did you!?

I paced us up the hills to give MTB boy a rabbit to chase, but never really pushing myself. Annoyingly frequent pissstops and mapchecks but all in all, a good ride back.
By SLondon there were only three of us left and the Brixtonites went about their separate ways at Streatham Hill leaving me to pootle back to Barnet alone. I decided I couldn't face Archway Hill so took the longer, but easier route, through Wood Green back to Barnet. I got home just before midnight which means I spent about 14 hours on the bike. Maybe a bit less, but a long time.

I had a fair sized pasta-based breakfast before I set out and on the journey I drank about 7 litres of fluids (5 water, 2 homemade energy drink), ate a bowl of pasta at Brighton, 4 bananas, small bag of sweets, a Boost bar, 5 flapjacks (homemade, thanks Mum), pack of shortcake biscuits and a pack of salt and vinegar McKoys. I feel as though I must be the only person who did L2B and put on weight! I also had a bolw of Frosties when I got in and a massive breakfast this morning.

What did everyone else munch? Food is fuel, after all.

DonDaddyD

EKE_38BPM wrote:

BTW, DDD, why do you think it necessary to say it was a black lady riding the Specialized Carbon? The bike is relevant, maybe even that it was ridden by a woman is relevant. I don't think her race needed to be mentioned.

What!!!! :shock:

Are you for real? Like seriously, for real!!?

Are we not allowed to state a persons ethnicity now, Jesus, what's next gender. "I'm dating a person, you can't know that they are male or female because describing them as such could, might, most probably will be insulting". :roll: Why are people scared of stating ethnicity?

Seriously getting tired of "political correctness" taken to the point that you cannot effectively describe a person.

I'll make this short, stating someone's race to describe the person isn't rude or derogatory. Examples:

"As I was riding along I saw a white person on a cannondale hybrid with a skeleton jersey, it was monkeymonster. Naturally I was looking out for a white person in a skeleton top because the person I was looking for is from a white ethnicity."

"I'm sure anyone looking for me would look out for a black guy riding a kuota. As I am a ample sized, godly thighed black man who rides a Kuota"

"I saw a black lady nearly crash her bike"

None of these are insulting, negative or even remotely racist. I'm not saying she nearly crashed her bike because (i) she is female and (ii) she is black. I'm stating that she is black because she is. If someone described my ethnicity as anything other than Black Caribbean and this was deliberate to cause offence, then yes I would be insulted. Equally calling me a black male does not offend me unless my ethnicity is used for negative purposes.

Question
When reporting a crime do you not state ethnicity because you believe it wrong?

Headhuunter

DonDaddyD wrote:

EKE_38BPM wrote:

BTW, DDD, why do you think it necessary to say it was a black lady riding the Specialized Carbon? The bike is relevant, maybe even that it was ridden by a woman is relevant. I don't think her race needed to be mentioned.

What!!!! :shock:

Are you for real? Like seriously, for real!!?

Are we not allowed to state a persons ethnicity now, Jesus, what's next gender. "I'm dating a person, you can't know that they are male or female because describing them as such could, might, most probably will be insulting". :roll: Why are people scared of stating ethnicity?

Seriously getting tired of "political correctness" taken to the point that you cannot effectively describe a person.

I'll make this short, stating someone's race to describe the person isn't rude or derogatory. Examples:

"As I was riding along I saw a white person on a cannondale hybrid with a skeleton jersey, it was monkeymonster. Naturally I was looking out for a white person in a skeleton top because the person I was looking for is from a white ethnicity."

"I'm sure anyone looking for me would look out for a black guy riding a kuota. As I am a ample sized, godly thighed black man who rides a Kuota"

"I saw a black lady nearly crash her bike"

None of these are insulting, negative or even remotely racist. I'm not saying she nearly crashed her bike because (i) she is female and (ii) she is black. I'm stating that she is black because she is. If someone described my ethnicity as anything other than Black Caribbean and this was deliberate to cause offence, then yes I would be insulted. Equally calling me a black male does not offend me unless my ethnicity is used for negative purposes.

Question
When reporting a crime do you not state ethnicity because you believe it wrong?

I find it amusing that you, perhaps the only black person on this forum, gets hauled up for possible racism! However I can see his point - not really necessary to state the colour of someone's skin in a story like that.... But then it's hardly the worst case of racial stereotyping I've ever seen. Actually come to think of it, there are very few black women who cycle and even fewer on Specialized road bikes.... Wonder why....

spasypaddy

Eke, where in barnet are you? have i asked you this before?

personally however tired i am i prefer to come up archway than through wood green purely because hampden way (if you know it) is my most hated road in the whole of the world. I dont know why i hate it. I just do. I'd rather climb mt ventoux than ride that road.


oh and Godly Thighed

Bassjunkieuk

DonDaddyD wrote:

"I'm sure anyone looking for me would look out for a black guy riding a kuota. As I am a ample sized, godly thighed black man who rides a Kuota"

I'd just look for the Kuota rider behind me ;-) To be fair I've only ever seen a couple of other Kuota's whilst commuting and I do think one of those was ridden by a black guy which was why I did a doubletake to make sure it wasn't DDD :-)

BlackandBlue

EKE_38BPM wrote:

What did everyone else munch? Food is fuel, after all.

I set off at 6.45. Slightly later than I had planned but hey ho. Anyway, regretted that extra lie in after a short while. It was possibly the most congested exit from London I have ever experienced on that ride.

Generally a very good atmosphere and some "interesting" sights.

I echo the comments about the inexperienced descending at inappropriate speeds. Sad to see a few accidents and, of course, even sadder to learn that someone passed away after the ride.

I arrived in Brighton after 3 hrs 9 mins on the road. I consumed a large bidon of energy drink on the way down. I drank a bottle of water and ate an energy bar at the finish. I then turned round and cycled home (Clapham - and yes, I know, I should have no excuse for setting off earlier than I did). I drank another large bidon of energy drink on the way home. I also ate a banana and had a couple of bites of another energy bar. I got home in 3 hrs 9 mins. All the way up the A23 (occasionally on the dual carriageway and occasionally on the cycle path).

I then had a fish and chips lunch in the pub and 2 pints of lager. I then slept for an hour on the sofa. All in all, not a bad way to spend father's day.

EKE_38BPM

DDD, I just don't understand why it you felt it necessary to say it was a black woman. I'm not accusing you of racism. This isn't political correctness gone mad, just a query about this bit of superflous information.

I know for a fact that DDD isn't the only black person on this forum, I know of at least one other and I strongly suspect (maybe thats the wrong word, sounds like an accusation?) there are a few others. Doesn't change how I think of them in the slightest.

I do describe people as black/white/red/brown/purple or yellow if it is necessary to what I'm saying about them, but the fact that the woman on the spec carbon is black doesn't help the annecdote at all.

Once again, I'm not accusing DDD of racism and will not accept any accusations of political correctness.

Bassjunkieuk

Just had a look at the route I took for C2C in '09, looks like we went over Devils Dyke which is the next lump to the west of Ditchling :-)

It was a daunting prospect when I did it in '08 as at that point it was the single longest ride I'd done in a day. I have to think back to then to have a basic understanding of how all the L2B riders feel when they line up in Clapham and even then it's not really a fair comparison as I was coming from a background of a year or 2 of commuting and the associated fitness, along with a road bike!

DonDaddyD

EKE_38BPM wrote:

DDD, I just don't understand why it you felt it necessary to say it was a black woman. I'm not accusing you of racism. This isn't political correctness gone mad, just a query about this bit of superflous information.

I know for a fact that DDD isn't the only black person on this forum, I know of at least one other and I strongly suspect (maybe thats the wrong word, sounds like an accusation?) there are a few others. Doesn't change how I think of them in the slightest.

I do describe people as black/white/red/brown/purple or yellow if it is necessary to what I'm saying about them, but the fact that the woman on the spec carbon is black doesn't help the annecdote at all.

Once again, I'm not accusing DDD of racism and will not accept any accusations of political correctness.

Fair do's, I just think that we shouldnt be afraid of describing someone by their ethnicity if done without any malice.

If anything, in someways, deliberately ignoring race can be equally insulting.

But the London2Brighton, good ride. Lovely route with both hills and a rolling road to let rip. If you're a competitive soul then I don't go, if you got a bunch of new to cycling people who want an idea of distance riding this is great. Also the sheer number of people make it easier drafting and clean air.

I went away contemplating whether I should do Time Trials....

BlackandBlue

...and for all those wondering what Zoe's reply was...

http://www.mirror.co.uk/news/latest/2010/06/20/man-uses-banners-to-declare-love-115875-22347510/

MonkeyMonster

EKE_38BPM wrote:

I know for a fact that DDD isn't the only black person on this forum

Cafewanda is an oompa loompa but in the Gene Wilder orange with green hair sort of way... Always singing those darn catch songs.

Back on topic though.............. ehhh where were we again?

*runs hooting*

EKE_38BPM

Spasypaddy, I live in East Barnet, near Cat Hill. I don't think you've asked me before.

There seem to be a few people from Barnet on here. Maybe we should arrange a ride? I've been thinking about going to Richmond Park for a lap or two.

Any of the Barnet Massive want to join me? I think I shall start a new topic...

bigmat

Oops PC can of worms on the ethnicity debate - I think describing a cyclist as "black" in the context of that cyclist "nearly crashing" could be taken the wrong way - I've heard tell of certain prejudices against black racing cyclists, along the lines that they are reckless, poor bike handling skills, generally in some relevant way "different" (clearly this is boll**ks). Given that DDD is the author, however, I don't think we need to worry. Can something be racist if said by one person but not another? I guess so - all depends on the intent, but then whether it is racist or not is arguably in the eye of the beholder - that's why we have to be careful about these things, PC brigade gone mad perhaps but I'd rather that than going around offending people left right and centre.

tatman69

It was my first London 2 Brighton and I thoroughly enjoyed it! Apart from the first 15 miles that were congested and had to walk up the hills. After that great fun even on the MTB and certainly scaled some of you roadies along the way...esp up Dick Beacon which was great fun. (Obv easier on MTB).

Fun day if your prepared to hang around a little ...but just enjoyed the atmosphere on my first proper road ride.

Rode for a while with some roadies who were great company!!

All slightly marred by the injuries and the poor guy who didnt get to cycle back.

EKE_38BPM

Back on topic:
I've been plotting my route home on bikely and noticed that Dorking is outside the M25, therefore, not in London. Is that where the lightweights stopped?

People who didn't get within the M25 didn't ride back to London, they rode towards London then put their bike (complete with handlebar streamers, Dora the Explorer bell and stabilisers) on a train and went home, wishing they had stamina like me.

No excuses other than catastrophic bike failure or an injury where bone is visible are valid for not completing the ride ALL THE WAY back to London. At the M25 I still had another 30 miles to do.

My total milage for the day was 138 according to bikely and my memory of the route back.

Kieran_Burns

EKE_38BPM wrote:

Back on topic:
I've been plotting my route home on bikely and noticed that Dorking is outside the M25, therefore, not in London. Is that where the lightweights stopped?

People who didn't get within the M25 didn't ride back to London, they rode towards London then put their bike (complete with handlebar streamers, Dora the Explorer bell and stabilisers) on a train and went home, wishing they had stamina like me.

No excuses other than catastrophic bike failure or an injury where bone is visible are valid for not completing the ride ALL THE WAY back to London. At the M25 I still had another 30 miles to do.

My total milage for the day was 138 according to bikely and my memory of the route back.

EKE_38BPM

My route.

rjsterry

I think even 'inside the M25' is pushing it as a definition of back in London. North East Surrey more like. Dorking is barely halfway home for some.

gordon861

Well just a quick congrats to all the riders that did the London to Brighton for the first time this year, it's an experience.

I know it's passed now but what we used to do was book a B&B in Brighton/Hove and stay the night and either ride back the next day or catch a train when the chaos has moved on. Also when the weather is nice and you've cycled all those miles brightons nightlife and drinking establishments are very welcoming.

Cafewanda

MonkeyMonster wrote:

EKE_38BPM wrote:

I know for a fact that DDD isn't the only black person on this forum

Cafewanda is an oompa loompa but in the Gene Wilder orange with green hair sort of way... Always singing those darn catch songs.

Back on topic though.............. ehhh where were we again?

*runs hooting*

You know I'm going to kneecap you when we next meet don't you?

coopster_the_1st

Overall enjoyed the day but would not do this L2B ride again.

I started at around 6:20am and rode the 10(should have been 8 but got lost :oops: ) miles to the start meant I was on my bike at 5:20am. Took around 4hrs to complete it.

As others have said, bike handling skills and walking up hills is hardly doing the ride. It was also slow until after the first hill. The biggest shame must go to all those riders with road bikes, cleats and associated pedals who were walking up Ditchling Beacon. ATGNI! You were down there fairly quickly as I was there around 10am so you have some fitness and you have spent £150+ on pedals and shoes and you are walking up the reason to do this ride. Grow some and MTFU :roll:

The good bits about the ride.

- Being let of the leash from the slow rider in our group after 32 miles(Top of Turners Hill) and being able to ride at pace for the rest of the ride. I recall only 1 rider in those 22 miles going past me up a hill but I cannot be sure if I retook him going down the other side. . We and the guy I was riding with spent most of our time in the car lane due to the speed differential between us and the riders in the bike lane.

- Everyone ringing their bells when stopped at the red lights in London.

- Getting stopped at the lights while my small group got through and experiencing my first SCR sprint. Knowing there were a lot of riders around me it was great to leave all of them behind Can see why SCR is addictive!

- Riding up Ditchling Beacon without stopping. Although the thought crossed my mind a couple of time but then thought of the shame of saying I did not complete it!

- Riding off the other side of DB and finding I recorded 50.5mph on the way down

- Sprinting into the finish. Could have been a fun race to the line but no competition as was passing/catching everyone at 27mph

For anyone thinking of doing it and if you are in anyway a reasonable and competent cyclist, start no later than the 6:30 start. Expect it to be slow in London and until after the first hill(12ish mile). Use the car lanes after this for safe passing. If you are quick enough it will thin out and you can use the cycle side of the road. Pay attention to the accident black spot signs, they normally mean a steep downhill and at 3 of the places there was an accident. If it thins out, you can really go for it at these points

MonkeyMonster

Cafewanda wrote:

MonkeyMonster wrote:

EKE_38BPM wrote:

I know for a fact that DDD isn't the only black person on this forum

Cafewanda is an oompa loompa but in the Gene Wilder orange with green hair sort of way... Always singing those darn catch songs.

Back on topic though.............. ehhh where were we again?

*runs hooting*

You know I'm going to kneecap you when we next meet don't you?

when you finally gather up the courage to come to the morpeth you mean...

coopster_the_1st

EKE_38BPM wrote:

Back on topic:
I've been plotting my route home on bikely and noticed that Dorking is outside the M25, therefore, not in London. Is that where the lightweights stopped?

People who didn't get within the M25 didn't ride back to London, they rode towards London then put their bike (complete with handlebar streamers, Dora the Explorer bell and stabilisers) on a train and went home, wishing they had stamina like me.

No excuses other than catastrophic bike failure or an injury where bone is visible are valid for not completing the ride ALL THE WAY back to London. At the M25 I still had another 30 miles to do.

My total milage for the day was 138 according to bikely and my memory of the route back.

Says the man who ducked out of riding the last hill of his route home

My total mileage was 118 miles, and 50 more than I have ever done before. My main aim was to complete a century which I did with ease. Main reasons for us ducking out were lack of supplies, getting lost a couple of times and not knowing exactly how far we had left.

I have learnt from it and next time I will plan a route with a stop around half way to refuel.

How did you find the route?

I was surprised at how rolling it was and the constant supply of short sharp rises in the road.

Bassjunkieuk

MonkeyMonster wrote:

Cafewanda wrote:

MonkeyMonster wrote:

EKE_38BPM wrote:

I know for a fact that DDD isn't the only black person on this forum

Cafewanda is an oompa loompa but in the Gene Wilder orange with green hair sort of way... Always singing those darn catch songs.

Back on topic though.............. ehhh where were we again?

*runs hooting*

You know I'm going to kneecap you when we next meet don't you?

when you finally gather up the courage to come to the morpeth you mean...

I was gonna say when she finds a stool to stand on ;-)

MonkeyMonster

Bassjunkieuk wrote:

MonkeyMonster wrote:

Cafewanda wrote:

MonkeyMonster wrote:

EKE_38BPM wrote:

I know for a fact that DDD isn't the only black person on this forum

Cafewanda is an oompa loompa but in the Gene Wilder orange with green hair sort of way... Always singing those darn catch songs.

Back on topic though.............. ehhh where were we again?

*runs hooting*

You know I'm going to kneecap you when we next meet don't you?

when you finally gather up the courage to come to the morpeth you mean...

I was gonna say when she finds a stool to stand on ;-)

this from you

coopster_the_1st

Was good to meet some of the forum for the ride home.

I'll start with DDD - Good to meet the man behind the character.

Monkeymonster - I can see how you scalp so many on that bike and with your determination. I would love to see him meet CJCP or RJTerry on the Embankment as I do not think there would be much in it!

CannyJock - The first person who I have cycled with who stays in the same gear, same cadence and same speed as everyone around him is dropping down the gear as the road rises. He either has some sort of anti-gravity thing going on or his bike has hidden motors!!!

Was a good route home after we left the A281. And that was a tough hill just to climb out of Brighton! It was also missing a stop somewhere to refuel. Maybe should have planned a pub stop!

Good to meet you all and maybe catch up at a sportive or two in the future.

Bassjunkieuk

MonkeyMonster wrote:

Bassjunkieuk wrote:

MonkeyMonster wrote:

Cafewanda wrote:

MonkeyMonster wrote:

EKE_38BPM wrote:

I know for a fact that DDD isn't the only black person on this forum

Cafewanda is an oompa loompa but in the Gene Wilder orange with green hair sort of way... Always singing those darn catch songs.

Back on topic though.............. ehhh where were we again?

*runs hooting*

You know I'm going to kneecap you when we next meet don't you?

when you finally gather up the courage to come to the morpeth you mean...

I was gonna say when she finds a stool to stand on ;-)

this from you

I can take the high ground on this one........just

EKE_38BPM

Fair play, I dodged the final hill on the way home, no ducking that rebuke, but I did take a longer route with a long steady climb rather than a shorter route with a sharper one. I also went that route so that I wouldn't be near any stations to take the train home. Removal of temptation and all that.
It was also my first century and was about 40 miles longer than any of my previous rides.

I'm planning to do the Dunwich Dynamo (~120 miles through the night) next month and for that you have to be self-sufficient (no shops open, no marshals, no ambulances etc), so in training for that I was also carrying about 5kg of fluids, at least 1kg of food, a first aid kit, tools, spare tubes, extra clothing and shoes.
In short, I wasn't travelling light.

Anyone want to join me on that? It may also involve a ~20 mile ride at the end to get a train back to London.

Oddjob62

EKE_38BPM wrote:

Anyone want to join me on that? It may also involve a ~20 mile ride at the end to get a train back to London.

As discussed the other day I'll be there with a couple of mates, but got a place booked on the bus back. Might be worth a new thread.