London 2 Brighton

richVSrich

Anyone else doing it on sunday?

I know it's going to be hectic, but I'm hoping for a nice atmosphere.

My only complaint is that I got 9.30am wanted to leave much earlier than that!

HamishD

Ignore the start time - leave at 0600 - 0630 or you'll be walking most of the way . . .

dhope

Did my first/only L2B a fortnight ago with a dozen others.
Expect you'll have a blast, if a few slow sections being held up.

Pufftmw

Yeah, got a 09:30 as well but going to leave around 7.15/7.30

The logistics of getting the bikes back has been a pain even though I work for a courier company! We even go past 1 guy's house but he can't get out his road until 4pm...

t4tomo

I did it a few years back on the tandem, it is a nice atmosphere, but first half of the journey is painfully slow due to congestion mainly caused by loons who get off and walk at the first sign of a hill. Climbed Ditchiling Beacon with a constant running commentary of "Excuse me , coming through on your right"

I'm planning on doing this in September, which should be less crowded, although I guess we'll sacrifice some of the views on route, hopefully sun will be starting to rise as we come over the Beacon.

http://www.moonriders.co.uk/index.php

MonkeyMonster

Just remember "on your right" and then do so. Have fun. The last super descent is just awesome grinning speed.

dhope

Yep, it's a nice 6 miles or so of downhill, pick a big gear and spin away

Oh, and there's an ice cream van at the top of the beacon, though I guess there'll be a long queue...

t4tomo

Yes once your over the top of the Beacon, which is a long old grind with a few false summits, its that long super descent into Brighton and then flat through Brighton, although mixing with the traffic again, but as you get near the end you get a few crowds cheering you on which is nice.

getting bikes back is a fugging nigtmare. If you are able to I'd recommend getting a car with bike rack parked up in / around brighton somewhere the day before, then you only have a short cycle to it afterwards

Gazzaputt

Ride back?

sandy hill

Exactly. Hotel it overnight and Downslink back to Guildford.

stuaff

t4tomo wrote:

I'm planning on doing this in September, which should be less crowded, although I guess we'll sacrifice some of the views on route, hopefully sun will be starting to rise as we come over the Beacon.

http://www.moonriders.co.uk/index.php

You could save yourself £70-odd and do thisone instead.

SmellTheGlove

Will be rolling down from N London heights Camden, Victoria and on to the common for 7am start - gentle pootle down, adds a few miles to the 50+. Silver Carrera road bike, black jersey rider with back pockets absolutey stuffed. Hook up for a chat if you like.
Metcheck says fine but breezy - have fun.

Canny Jock

Did it for the first time last year and swore not to do it again because of the general chaos. Probably going to do it though, but starting at 6am.

t4tomo

StuAff wrote:

t4tomo wrote:

I'm planning on doing this in September, which should be less crowded, although I guess we'll sacrifice some of the views on route, hopefully sun will be starting to rise as we come over the Beacon.

http://www.moonriders.co.uk/index.php

You could save yourself £70-odd and do thisone instead.

Yes aware of that but still on family summer hols when that one is on. The admin fee is high on the moonriders, but at least they have bike transport back, which is very useful with a tandem, given our rail operators crap attitude to tandems on trains.

I quite fancy doing a FNRttC on the Brompton one night, think that would be a hoot and makes for a rail friendly return home.

ketsbaia

t4tomo wrote:

getting bikes back is a fugging nigtmare. If you are able to I'd recommend getting a car with bike rack parked up in / around brighton somewhere the day before, then you only have a short cycle to it afterwards

Park a car in Brighton, you say? It'd be easier to cycle back backwards blindfold.

thelawnet

t4tomo wrote:

getting bikes back is a fugging nigtmare.

Surely the getting there will be the nightmare, on the way back the roads will be quiet.

It's midsummer and you've got loads of time to get back before it gets dark.

Or get the train, not necessarily from Brighton itself as bikes are not allowed on Southern Brighton-London services, but you won't have to ride far to get to a quieter station

starbuck

I finally got my rider number after phoning them twice (feel sorry for those who'll have to queue in to get theirs in the tent). Gutted my start time given is 9.30am, as I'll prob get there at around 8.15-8.30.

It'll be my first time doing the ride, and the main thing I'm worried about are the delays due to congestion. Hoping to be able to ride Ditchling beacon as I ride on the isle of wight frequently, so am used to riding up long hills.

I know they keep saying that they won't let you start early, but how realistic is that? Is there anything stopping you from starting off?

Quick question for those who've done it before - how much kit do you need to take with you?

I'm thinking about taking a 2 litres of water in my camelbak, along with a few slices of soreen, a couple of cereal bars/banana, along with maybe a waterproof cycling jacket, which packs down to nearly nothing, in case the weather turns. Only other thing would be a couple of tools in a saddlebag. Plus a lock attached to the bike in case I need to stop of somewhere to answer the call of nature.

HamishD

You've got more than enough kit there; wouldn't bother with a lock myself, no-one's going to pinch your bike at one of the refreshment stops.

thelawnet

2 litres is a lot IMO, if they have refreshment stops as well.

richVSrich

cheers guys! im doing it with a mate who will be getting there for 9.30, so i think im just gonna stick with it

i was going to ask a similar thing about drinks and locks - sorted then

starbuck - have a good ride too!

HamishD

After all this Brighton talk, and me swearing I'd never do it again, I'm on for 6am tomorrow - new shoes, check; new helmet, check.

120 miles here we come . . .

anyone know the best route back?

dugliss

starbuck wrote:

I know they keep saying that they won't let you start early, but how realistic is that? Is there anything stopping you from starting off?

.

They won`t let you through the start early but if you just skip the start on the common you can jump in after it and start as early as you want

Oddjob62

Best of luck to everyone taking part. Got a 4am start to get to CC before the gates open. Gonna be a LONG morning.

I'll be the skinhead with a goatee on Arch 1.

richVSrich

hope everyone had a good ride!
i made it up ditchling beacon so pretty proud of myself there..esp considering the crowds..

thats the furthest single ride ive done, had a few stops, but did it in pretty decent time i think

plus i think i have enough scalps in the bank for the whole year

saw a couple of ambulances attending to people including one after ditchling which looked quite bad...hope everyone is ok and it wasnt as bad as it looked!

Oddjob62

My favourite sight of the day was a big group of lads on Raleigh Choppers. Never seen so many choppers in once place

t4tomo

There was a oldish chap doing it in on an original chopper the year I did it. We met him on the train into Euston before the off, then cycling through London to the start (I'd left the tandem in the offcie overnight so had to swing in to get that), then overtook hi on the ride at come point and then saw him cycling back as we drove home. 120 odd miles on a chopper was a good effort.

Pufftmw

richVSrich wrote:

saw a couple of ambulances attending to people including one after ditchling which looked quite bad...hope everyone is ok and it wasnt as bad as it looked!

That might have been one of ours - his front wheel buckled going down DB, he hit the dirt and another one of the guys went over him. Nothing serious fortunately. Front wheel of the bike is almost 90 degrees :shock:

I unfortunately missed the ride due to a bereavement

notsoblue

Pufftmw wrote:

richVSrich wrote:

saw a couple of ambulances attending to people including one after ditchling which looked quite bad...hope everyone is ok and it wasnt as bad as it looked!

That might have been one of ours - his front wheel buckled going down DB, he hit the dirt and another one of the guys went over him. Nothing serious fortunately. Front wheel of the bike is almost 90 degrees :shock:

Ouch, was that on the crazy long downhill from Ditchling Beacon?

asprilla

So, who'll be logging their L2B miles for the Silly Commuter Racers in the TFL Cycle Challenge?

https://cyclechallenge.tfl.gov.uk/team/213

richVSrich

Pufftmw wrote:

richVSrich wrote:

saw a couple of ambulances attending to people including one after ditchling which looked quite bad...hope everyone is ok and it wasnt as bad as it looked!

That might have been one of ours - his front wheel buckled going down DB, he hit the dirt and another one of the guys went over him. Nothing serious fortunately. Front wheel of the bike is almost 90 degrees :shock:

I unfortunately missed the ride due to a bereavement

were you guys wearing red kit? glad it wasnt too bad though...

sorry for your bereavement

Pufftmw

Apparently the front wheel went into a rut when they were starting off from a junction, causing the wheel to buckle. Andrew went down, damaged hip, knee & inevitable road rash & got run over by Mark who went over the top of him, off and injured his wrist. We had a van down there to recover the bikes fortunately.

Not wearing red, rather pink & purple pacman design tops.