Dunwich Dynamo

CiB

Anyone do this? I spotted it on The Gaurdian* web site the other day and had a fancy to do it, so did. SImple premise - pitch up at The Pub On The Park in Hackney [Norf Landan] and sometime between 8 & 9pm set off from there to ride to Dunwich on the Suffolk coast, about 120 miles away.

Huge fun, some good riders out on some nice kit, fabulous atmosphere and worth the lack of a night's sleep. Word is the first riders were arriving around 2am, I rolled in at 5:15 [includes stops at the two food halts]. It was good to fit in with the quicker boys riding in groups. It's easy to forget what a difference that makes to overall speed.

As my lift back didn't arrive about 11 this morning I had a mozy round the lanes afterwards and popped over to see what Southwold's all about, so ended up knocking out 152 miles over the duration.

Next year? Maybe, depends. Anyone else do it this year?

* It pays to know what the opposition are thinking, usually.

spasypaddy

was going to do it but a combination of the flu and having to work today had i not been ill put paid to the idea.

next year it will be a definite do for me assuming the dates work for me

Oddjob62

Just back... rode fixed... hurt

hells

I did it with a friend and for the first 55 miles rode with dulwich paragon at what was pretty much my race pace, it was awesome fun working as a pack swooping up and down the roads it felt like we were flying, I started to flag a few miles short of the food stop at the village hall. Although it was probably bad to ride the first 55 miles so fast in a 120 mile ride it was good as we were one of the very first groups to get to the food stop so no queing. Then I met my friend as we set off as a 2 then after a brief stop for me to eat abit of food at 75 miles joined a group until the 95 mile point where my legs were starting to feel it and I had immense butt pain. Ended up on the beach 0430. I had driven my car down to Darsham the day before as I had just come off nights which I was really glad of as I did not fancy riding to ipswich and battling for space on a train.

Enjoyable experience and very surreal riding in the pitch black at 0300. Mega thanks to the Dulwich boys and girls for allowing me to work with you in your train.

TheStone

My second time doing this. Great event, but I think it's my last. The distance and lack of sleep
make it super tough.

Headed off around 10 and arrived about 5-530 (moving very slow towards the end). Then
rode to Ipswich to get the train, which really hurt. 249km total.

friso

Hi

Did this yesterday / this morning for the first time however three of us rode down to London yesterday afternoon from Norwich, got there about 7pm to join up with the ride

Got to Dunwich at about 4am, brief stop for beakfast and rode back to Norwich, about 270 miles door to door and now completely ruined, never never again, this is my absoloute limit for body and mind

Geat ride through the night, also hooked up with the Dulwich paragon for a while and many thanks to them setting a sensible pace as needless to say i wasn't up for staying on the front for to long with an extra 105 miles already clocked up before the ride

Well done to all who completed the ride and what a experience, will be back but the train down will be more sensible next time

Cafewanda

Well done all of you. On my wishlist for next year.

OJ - pain gone now? (sorry, I shouldn't laugh, but you knew what you were doing didn't you?)

WesternWay

CiB wrote:

Next year? Maybe, depends. Anyone else do it this year?

I did, though not in the same vein as the others in the thread (though just as enjoyably)

We turned up at the park and had a couple of leisurely pints there, and set off at around 8:30

Barely an hour later my riding team were absolutely busting, so conveniences were needed. We erm, found a pub, quick pint and a comfort break and we were off.

Had another pub stop at 11:30 or so once we were underway, and then again on a big village green a little later (though at this one we just ate and carried on.

I thought the route was fantastic. Nothing in the way of hills, but plenty of swooping up and down, very good indeed.

Arrived in Dunwich at about 8:30 or so, had an absolutely fantastic swim, really, really good, then a snooze on the beach before being the last people served breakfast and on the coach back to Smithfield.

Many thanks to Elton who we met on the ride and who we rode with for those last 40 miles or so, and Oddjob, lovely to see you on the beach...

I wonder how many people did it? We were pretty much constantly surrounded by flashing bikelights.

So, next year :-)

marcusjb

friso wrote:

Got to Dunwich at about 4am, brief stop for beakfast and rode back to Norwich, about 270 miles door to door and now completely ruined, never never again, this is my absoloute limit for body and mind

Chapeau sir!

Third year for me - rode it on the tandem this year.

Had a slight setback getting to London Fields and arrived about 8:45 rather than the 7:30 I had hoped to meet friends at. Sportingly, they'd hung on for us - but as soon as we arrived, we were off! Felt like we missed something out, I love the hour or so at London Fields, chatting with your mates, looking at all the other bikes etc. - but that's life.

Perfect weather, good route (though the food stop could have done with a slightly bigger sign to show where to go - saw a lot of people sail past that one). After the horrendous queues last year at the food station, we opted to take our own pasta etc. and a flask of tea - that worked out really good for us. Rather than getting bogged down for ages at the food stop stood in a queue, we were just able to rest as long as wwe wanted before heading off again.

Being fairly new to tandemming, we were amazed by the intrigue the bike holds for everyone - got so many questions as we rode along (and at least three times we got the age old joke of 'You know she's not pedalling on the back' etc.).

We had a great time, saw and met some great bikes/people - loved the guy with the doghttp://www.flickr.com/photos/marcusjb/4826725831/

Have a bit of work to do on positioning of everything on the tandem - particularly at the back - girlfriend suffered some seat pain, but we think we know how to solve it with some different bars.

For the first year, I actually swam rather than paddled - well worth it - felt amazing!

Roll on next year - just not sure what bike to do it on next year as I have done each year so far on different bikes. Well done to everyone involved and participating!

WesternWay

marcusjb wrote:

friso wrote:

Got to Dunwich at about 4am, brief stop for beakfast and rode back to Norwich, about 270 miles door to door and now completely ruined, never never again, this is my absoloute limit for body and mind

Chapeau sir!

Third year for me - rode it on the tandem this year.

Which tandem were you? We stopped in the same pub as a tandem pair early on. Were you dressed up?

marcusjb

WesternWay wrote:

Which tandem were you? We stopped in the same pub as a tandem pair early on. Were you dressed up?

There were at least 6 tandem pairs we saw - a couple of them pulling trailers (I assume they were camping somewhere at the end).

We didn't stop at any of the pubs on the way this time - so it wasn't us!

We were on a blue Landescape with a skinny git up front and a lovely redhead on the back!

Oddjob62

Well i'm glad i did it, but it wasn't the most enjoyable for me.

- Almost got to London Fields when i realised i had forgotten my water. So sprinted back home to get it. I was actually feeling like i'd had enough cycling for one day when i finally got to the start.

- (For me) it was quite a challenge, being 40miles more than i've done in a day, and 70miles more than i've done without something like a lunch break at half way.

- When you're riding fixed you don't get much chance relax or to adjust your "bits" when you're trying to keep over 20mph, never really notice it in London as you can rarely go for more than 5 minutes without stopping at a light. There's also no chance to rest as you can't freewheel on the downhills. Towards the end, the clicking of the freewheels of my fellow riders was starting to sound like taunting while i was manically spinning my way down the hills.

- Missed the food stop, and was at least 10miles further on when we realised. At which time i was out of water, and for someone who rarely drinks less than 6litres even on a day when he's doing absolutely nothing this was bad... fortuantely we spotted a crowd at one of the later town halls which had an outside tap. Life saver!!

- Took way too much food. As i've been low carbing for the last month, a proper carb up the day before and a couple of packs of jelly babies for the ride would have been more than enough.

Conclusion: After a few days of getting over it, i'll probably be up for it again next year. Although i might take some more gears and a freewheel with me next time.

amnezia

I did it with a couple of friends, nice steady pace with plenty of stops. Really enjoyed it, there was a nice social atmosphere that you don't seem to get on some other, more organised, rides.

I think i have flashing red lights permanently burned on to my retina.

EKE_38BPM

Dun Run done and now I hurt.

I got into Hackney later than planned, so I didn't actually get to London Fields and just joined a peloton at Lea Bridge Road. Rode pretty much solo until the first pub stop then joined with a couple (Dave and Laura I think) and did about 20 miles with them. At about this point I realised I forgot my flapjacks and every little hunger pang for the rest of the ride just reminded me about them sitting at home.

Riding through the night on roads you don't know is great fun. Bombing downhill at 30mph+ when all you can see is that little cone of light from your headlight is very exhilarating. The dark also obscures the hills so you only know what the terrain is doing by how your legs feel.

I met up and kept on losing WesternWay, but did the last ~40 miles with him and his posse. Much needed support as the end of the ride undulations are physically sapping but mentally draining. I'm sure we were about 50 metres below sea-level at some point as we just kept on climbing. It felt like 8m down, 10m up for about 30 miles. There is no excitment of seeing the sea miles away and knowing you are getting closer as you don't see the sea until you are within about 100m of it. Very annoying, but I've never been so happy to see a roadsign as much as the 'Dunwich 7 miles' sign.

I'm no great swimmer, but the swim at the end was brilliant (even though the nuclear power station a little down the coast puts a little doubt in your mind).

I will definitely do it again, but with a little more planning (getting to the start earlier, bringing flapjacks) and less stops.

Great fun overall. Anyone doing it fixed is a nutter. Chappeau to all of them. And a big chappeau to the kids from Hackney who did it. They didn't even look like they had hit puberty yet. Future pros there, methinks.

CiB

A lot of us enjoyed it then, OddJob aside.

The whole thing has a really good atmosphere - the park before the start had a cricket match going on. What a great way to pass an hour, loading up carbs in the form a of a tub of pasta & chicken plus a couple of pastries whilst watching some cricket. Lovely.

The first few miles out of town was a bit surreal; that [and the ride from round St John's Wood past Euston to Hackney] was my introduction to cycling in London. Strewth don't you have a lot of cars down there, and the buses - everywhere, some of them as big as houses and bendy in the middle. No - it was fun.

You have to feel for those poor souls waiting at side roads to join or cross a never ending line of cyclists once we got going. And the route was superb. I'm sure I read that the first was 40 miles downhill - it felt like it; add the following wind and the warm as toast evening air and it was a blast.

Highlights for this slightly overweight commutes + weekend rides only rider have to be hooking up with groups of quick boys and not having any trouble keeping up their pace; jumping across or easing off back to another group when it suited. And like others have said, the swoops up & down dark lanes were something else, a bit like my old days of road rallying in the Bonkers Escort. Joy unbounded. The pub in Dunlow I think, where a few of us stopped. Chapeau to the guy at the bar who got his joke in, when I mentioned about the first few miles being bandit country so stick in a group was the best advice; quick as a flash he announced to the whole pub 'this bloke [me] has done well then. He didn't even have a bike at the start, look what he's got now [cue sight of BMC carbon road rocket outside]' Having some natives point out that I was the only one who'd come out of the pub carrying a pint; everyone else was on coke or water. Can't take it too seriously surely? Or the two women sitting outside said pub who seemed a bit too keen to know what this was all about. Hello ladies. See you again next year. Nice to have a chat outside a pub with a couple of women... [takes me back, ee they were the days etc..]

And the unexpected food halt at ¾ distance in the middle of nowhere. What a bonus - coffee. Result.

Lessons learnt - don't take too much food [again] - it's just ballast. Don't forget the sudocream [gah, but it wasn't too hot or sweaty by the time I would have needed it]. Make sure both front lights work properly; one failed. Have a better way of getting home afterwards; a 5 hour wait for the family to arrive isn't a joyous thought at 5:15 when cold, damp & tired. Make a note somewhere - here will do - to remind yourself how much fun it was so that next year's doesn't come and go without me thinking of doing it.

Oddjob62

CiB wrote:

A lot of us enjoyed it then, OddJob aside.

The ride itself was great, i will be doing it again, and definitely recommend it to anyone.

The sleep on the beach was very nice, but as CiB says, heading straight home without having to wait would have been very welcome.

Just probably pushed myself a bit too hard, and a niggle that i developed last week in my upper back that became quite agonizing by half way put a downer on it (for me).

Suffolkwheels

Well done to you all - sounds like a mental, but awesome ride. I only live about 15 miles from Dunwich so I'll definately be joining you next year!

marcusjb

Suffolkwheels wrote:

Well done to you all - sounds like a mental, but awesome ride. I only live about 15 miles from Dunwich so I'll definitely be joining you next year!

Can we all crash at yours afterwards next year then???

Cafewanda

Sounds like a plan. Campsite in the back garden?

Alphabet

Well, this seems about as good a time as any to join. I did the dynamo with WesternWay and EKE_38BPM for the last bit (and a few bits in the middle. Thoroughly enjoyed it. Much less knackering than i thought it would be although to be fair the conditions were practically perfect. Definitely be up for it again next year although I'm determined to find this cafe in Framlingham that people have mentioned about 95 miles in. That would've been the absolute business.

Hello by the way.

CiB

Not sure of the location, but the unexpected food halt at around 90 miles was someone's front garden; the family there were flogging rolls & drinks to raise money for a wll known charity - I honestly forget which one, might have been Marie Curie Cancer Research, but a couple of quid for a coffee & top up of the water bottles seemed a good deal.

Alphabet

CiB wrote:

Not sure of the location, but the unexpected food halt at around 90 miles was someone's front garden; the family there were flogging rolls & drinks to raise money for a wll known charity - I honestly forget which one, might have been Marie Curie Cancer Research, but a couple of quid for a coffee & top up of the water bottles seemed a good deal.

According to the facebook page they raised £375 for the East Anglian Air Ambulance. Best cup of tea I've ever had. Even though it was a rubbish cup of tea.

Gazzaputt

http://www.bikeradar.com/forums/viewtopic.php?t=12718160

Big Wib

Gazzaputt wrote:

http://www.bikeradar.com/forums/viewtopic.php?t=12718160

no call at all for that, not impressed.

I also meant to say bollox I forgot about the ride & I had a free weekend maybe next year - even though its not exactly handy for me

Oddjob62

Gazzaputt wrote:

http://www.bikeradar.com/forums/viewtopic.php?t=12718160

Scum!

RC21

I was on that train and saw what happened - I've updated the post

Anyway; I did a total of 140 miles as I cycled to the start and also cycled to the train station afterwards. . . It was 60 miles more than I had ever cycled before which was tough when I did it so was worried about doing this and probably took too much stuff with me.

The first 60 miles, I felt was quite easy but then I had a 40 minute break which was a bad idea because when I got back on the bike my legs where starting to seize up and the next 40 miles where quite tough and the last 20 horrible! By the time I got to the beach:

My left arm had gone numb from holding my body up My right knee felt like it was going to explode My neck had seized up and I found it hard to turn my neck My lower back was spasaming (<- not sure if that’s a real word ) I had an awful headache My bum felt like it was going to burst in to flames

All in all I felt pretty awful when I got there at 05:30 . . . but after I got home, had a shower and a nap; I felt great and realised that apart from the a bit of suffering it was a great personal achievement and I actually had a great time!

Sign me up for next year

Ryan

Oddjob62

RC21 wrote:

Oddjob62 wrote:

Gazzaputt wrote:

http://www.bikeradar.com/forums/viewtopic.php?t=12718160

Scum!

Updated

Statement still stands. Cheers for clearing up the details though

tobh

I had a great time. My first DD.

My edited report can be found here on my stupid blog if anyone's interested -

http://tinyurl.com/3xfjzqy