SW Londoners - Interested in a group ride?

Wrath Rob

If you are, I'm leading the Kingston Wheelers New Comers ride on Sunday. This ride is designed to give you an easy introduction to club riding, i.e. riding responsibly in a group of cyclists. Its an easy pace (15-16mph) ride of 36 miles from Kingston to Box Hill and back including a nice stop for cake and tea. We'll wait at the top of the hills for anyone slower and we always help each other out if there's a mechanical problem.

If you're interested then come here for 9am on Sunday. Introduce yourself to anyone in a Kingston Wheeler's shirt and they'll tell you the score. Quite a few of them are actually on here as well. I'll be there on a white, red and black Fuji CCR1 in a blue Giro helmet. More details and a course map are at the Kingston Wheelers Cub Run page

Alternatively if you want to come for a longer ride, and I'm looking at you Not So Blue, then come along and join one of the longer rides. There's normally a 45 miler and a 50-60 mile route, plus occasionally a 70+ one.

Or if you don't fancy meeting a big group of friendly, likeable cyclists and then going on a ride with a smaller number of them, or you're concerned about your fitness or the like, then drop me a PM. I'll be taking a much smaller group out the following Saturday on the same route.

dhope

Might do, though its about 20miles to get there first so similarly I may wait til I live closer in a month or so

richVSrich

are hybrids welcome? :S

sketchley

Sounds good. That is near the recycles bike shop isn't it? I was looking for a run out tomorrow.

chadders81

I'm not bothered about riding in a big group/my fitness etc but can't make tomorrow and I will be getting smashed tonight.

So - what time are you going next Saturday? Is it going to be 9am again?

optimisticbiker

I'd like to come, but your idea of easy is my idea of near flat out... though I manage a 15-16 average on my commute, my longer weekend runs have been 14-15 over the 2 - 3hours, admittedly solo - I know they say that in a group you go faster, but I still fear slowing the group down too much...

and its an 19mile ride to get there...or take the car...whats car parking like there?

sketchley

OptimisticBiker and dhope

http://www.kingstonwheelers.com/clubrun.shtml

"I'm not local and want to drive to the ride, where can I park?

Parking is regulated in the area near the club run start, and please don't park in the Laitwaites car park. Try parking further away from Kingston, towards Esher and then ride back in towards the start."

----

I'll be cycling in from Worcester Park which is about a 5 mile run to the start. If you want you can drive here grab a coffee and then ride over together and back later of course. Drop me a PM if interested.

Alternatively there are good fast trains from London to Surbiton which is not far away at all from the start and in Zone 6 so you can use Oyster PAYG

Paul E

Same as dhope, it's a bit of a distance to get there even before doing the actual run

cjcp

Paul E wrote:

Same as dhope, it's a bit of a distance to get there even before doing the actual run

Check out London Phoenix or Dulwich Paragon. There are some guys on here in those clubs (BigMat, Headhuunter, Rich158?) and they're a good bunch.

Paul E

cjcp wrote:

Paul E wrote:

Same as dhope, it's a bit of a distance to get there even before doing the actual run

Check out London Phoenix or Dulwich Paragon. There are some guys on here in those clubs (BigMat, Headhuunter, Rich158?) and they're a good bunch.

Thanks for those, just looking at their websites now, I can't fire off a query as being at work the one form doesnt work on the my work pc, bah

I need to join something a bit more organised to give me more motivation, trouble is I am limited to sundays as I work most saturdays

keyser__soze

Wrath Rob, would've come along to this but we're dragging our sorry behinds 100 miles and 3300 metres up and down the Lancashire hills tomorrow in what promises to be a monsoon, that is if the hail and thunder/lightning hold off. When are you next doing an intro ride?

Wrath Rob

@Rich, yes hybrids are welcome and you'll be able to keep up. What may be an issue is keeping the same hand/wrist position for 3 hours. That's where the drop handle bars come into their own. Come along and find out!

@Sketchley, not sure but you've found the website and the map so you probably know better than I do!

@Chadders81, the ride on 13th isn't a Kingston Wheeler's ride, its a ride I've organised for a few mates who've not ridden in a group before. I'm happy to extend it to others on here who'd like to try a group ride but may feel uncomfortable going along to a club ride for the first time. We'll meet at 9am and aim to be back for 12:30ish

@Keyser__Soze, good luck with the ride. There's a meet every Sunday all year round and we always to a new comers ride. It just so happens that I'm leading this week's and so a friendly face on the ride.

@Everyone else. If you can't make today, or Kingston is a little far, the ride on 13th will be going from Southfields (between Wandsworth and Wimbledon). As its not a Wheeler's meet I'll be keeping it pretty small so PM me if you want to come. Not much point trying to get people comfortable in a group if the group is 15-20 people!

richVSrich

Rob, cheers! if i can take up your invitation , it would probably be next saturday..i cant make tomorrow..

with the hand positions, im ok ish for longer rides, i have bar ends but dont use them much...and i just rode to clapham junction - boxhill and back this morning (not a particularly amazing timing mainly coz i got lost near boxhill! haha) but amazing view up top!

WisePranker

Why is it that these things always seem to come up when I'm working

Hopefully if you're running some group rides like this in future I'll be able to make it.

optimisticbiker

Sadly tomorrow is looking difficult as Mrs OB has other plans... and Sat 13 is out as we have a family gathering as my eldest is off to Oz on Monday 15th for 3y on secondment. But would be interested in another day in the future...

Wrath Rob

For those of you coming tomorrow, I've just put a purple test saddle on my bike, so its pretty distinctive at the moment!

sketchley

I'm easy to spot!

cjcp

Sketchley wrote:

I'm easy to spot!

Indeed. Look for the large saddle bag with the nice red bike attached to it. :P

Paul E

cjcp wrote:

Sketchley wrote:

I'm easy to spot!

Indeed. Look for the large saddle bag with the nice red bike attached to it. :P

my monitor now sports a nice spray covering of coke now

_Brun_

I'm quite tempted to come along for this, but it would depend on whether I can drag my lazy arse out of bed in time to ride the 17 miles from Up North. Guess I'd have to be out the door before 7:45 to avoid having to bust my balls on the way down there.

Haven't been anywhere near Box Hill before and need to do that sooner or later. Also realised that if I'm feeling extra brave I could take a detour up the infamous Balham Hill on the way home.

Reckon the chances of an appearance are about 60:40 against, but stranger things have happened.

itboffin

_Brun_ wrote:

I'm quite tempted to come along for this, but it would depend on whether I can drag my lazy ars* out of bed in time to ride the 17 miles from Up North. Guess I'd have to be out the door before 7:45 to avoid having to bust my balls on the way down there.

Haven't been anywhere near Box Hill before and need to do that sooner or later. Also realised that if I'm feeling extra brave I could take a detour up the infamous Balham Hill on the way home.

Reckon the chances of an appearance are about 60:40 against, but stranger things have happened.

but who would feed the meerkats ???

_Brun_

Last time I had that responsibility they starved. Fortunately no one's yet noticed I replaced them with new ones.

Flyingbogey

Barring an early morning meltdown from the pup i'm in.

starbug

Good time for my first post...!!!

I was planning to come along for a KW ride this Sunday anyway as I have been doing a bit of training on my own in order try out a club ride. Perfect timing for me so I'll definitely be there. Is this still on for 9am? The KW forum seems to suggest an earlier ride at 8am?

Looking forward to it as I've never done any club cycling before.

Wrath Rob

There's a ride at 7:30-8 but that's only for the really dedicated. Meet at 9am at Laithwaites car park. I'm normally there on the dot, look out for the guy with the purple Fizik test saddle. Come and say Hi before hand and I'll talk you through the "gang signs" and anything else that you might need to know

mattsaw

Like others, I can't make tomorrow. I may well be up for next weekend though if you keep us posted. What distance and route are you taking?

joelsim

Paul E wrote:

cjcp wrote:

Sketchley wrote:

I'm easy to spot!

Indeed. Look for the large saddle bag with the nice red bike attached to it. :P

my monitor now sports a nice spray covering of coke now

Probably best to stay off the charlie if you have an early start.

Shame I've only just seen this thread as I quite fancy it but already have plans for tomorrow. Do you all do this often? Which way do you go?

cjcp

How did people get on? Asprilla and clarkey cat there, too?

fidbod

?There were KWers all over the north downs this morning. How many groups got out? and how did the SCR crew get on?

jzed

Was a good run - cheers Rob. Sketchley and FlyingBogey did the ride.

Disappointed with my time up Box Hill - definitely drank too much yesterday. Skipped the stop at Box Hill and had a storming ride back with a couple of other chaps. Averaged around 23mph back to the Horton Roundabouts and was hitting 35mph through the roundabouts. Love tailwinds.

asprilla

cjcp wrote:

How did people get on? Asprilla and clarkey cat there, too?

Not this week. Was forced to go to Brighton and drink champagne for lunch. Gutted.