South London mud-club

ugo.santalucia
ugo.santalucia Posts: 28,243
edited July 2015 in Cyclocross
Together with Frances Jacques we were looking at organising a mud friendly ride on the 2nd or 9th of November for South London folks on this forum.
The idea is 60-40 tarmac-offroad, starting from Richmond Upon Thames, taking in the Paris-Roubaisque Thames path to Kingston and a few nice off-road secteurs between Esher and Oxshott and again between Oxshott and Ashtead. From there down towards Box hill, taking in a bit of gravel and mud there too.

Any bike is welcome as long as it can cope with the above and can do 20 mph on tarmac... so maybe not your best carbon bike and maybe not your downhill specific full suspension MTB... anything in between is fine

Any taker?
left the forum March 2023
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Comments

  • veronese68
    veronese68 Posts: 27,300
    Yes, I'd be interested. I'll alert some of the commuters with cross bikes.
    Kinesis Pro6
    Marin Nail Trail
    Cotic Solaris
  • ugo.santalucia
    ugo.santalucia Posts: 28,243
    Excellent!
    left the forum March 2023
  • smidsy
    smidsy Posts: 5,273
    If I got my bike as dirty as Ugo I would be cross. :-)
    Yellow is the new Black.
  • ugo.santalucia
    ugo.santalucia Posts: 28,243
    smidsy wrote:
    If I got my bike as dirty as Ugo I would be cross. :-)

    Suggest a move to Malaga.... 8)
    left the forum March 2023
  • smidsy
    smidsy Posts: 5,273
    ugo.santalucia wrote:
    smidsy wrote:
    If I got my bike as dirty as Ugo I would be cross. :-)

    Suggest a move to Malaga.... 8)

    Mudguards are cheaper :wink:
    Yellow is the new Black.
  • cyclingsheep
    cyclingsheep Posts: 640
    I'd be keen, probably prefer the 9th if that matters.
  • ugo.santalucia
    ugo.santalucia Posts: 28,243
    cyclingsheep wrote:
    I'd be keen, probably prefer the 9th if that matters.

    Great!

    We can even do both dates... one on the 2nd and one on the 9th... why not... only thing I am quite adamant on a swift start in the morning, to avoid traffic... there are a few short sections along the A 307 and A 244, which are horribly busy roads and the latter quite narrow in places

    8:30 could be acceptable, although 8 would be even better
    left the forum March 2023
  • ugo.santalucia
    ugo.santalucia Posts: 28,243
    A taster section for those who want to try it out...

    http://www.mapmyride.com/routes/view/311967509
    left the forum March 2023
  • ugo.santalucia
    ugo.santalucia Posts: 28,243
    Anyone else?

    So far we have: myself, fransJacques and Veronese68 for the 2nd of November and
    Myself, fransjacques, veronese and Cyclingsheep for the 9th
    left the forum March 2023
  • rubertoe
    rubertoe Posts: 3,994
    Its too far south for me.

    i'm out.
    "If you always do what you've always done, you'll always get what you've always got."

    PX Kaffenback 2 = Work Horse
    B-Twin Alur 700 = Sundays and Hills
  • ugo.santalucia
    ugo.santalucia Posts: 28,243
    rubertoe wrote:
    Its too far south for me.

    i'm out.

    If you have a car, parking in Richmond Park is free of charge... (I know, unbelievable!)
    left the forum March 2023
  • veronese68
    veronese68 Posts: 27,300
    ugo.santalucia wrote:
    rubertoe wrote:
    Its too far south for me.

    i'm out.

    If you have a car, parking in Richmond Park is free of charge... (I know, unbelievable!)
    He's just had a rant about trying to buy a car so I guess not. You should do it anyway while you can still take time to yourself before the little one arrives, and will you have stopped drinking by then? No hangover makes it easier to get up in the morning.
    Kinesis Pro6
    Marin Nail Trail
    Cotic Solaris
  • cyclingsheep
    cyclingsheep Posts: 640
    Veronese68 wrote:
    ugo.santalucia wrote:
    rubertoe wrote:
    Its too far south for me.

    i'm out.

    If you have a car, parking in Richmond Park is free of charge... (I know, unbelievable!)
    He's just had a rant about trying to buy a car so I guess not. You should do it anyway while you can still take time to yourself before the little one arrives, and will you have stopped drinking by then? No hangover makes it easier to get up in the morning.

    Haha, easier to get up as you're up already but energy fades pretty quickly not long after. Number 2 due Wednesday, hence the later date for me :)
  • veronese68
    veronese68 Posts: 27,300
    :-) Congratulations. Things can suddenly move a LOT quicker when the second decides to make an appearance. And yes, it certainly does tire you out. Our kids are now 11 and 15 so we don't have to get up with them at the weekends, but there is still a lot of running around after them. My time is rarely my own at the weekends.
    Kinesis Pro6
    Marin Nail Trail
    Cotic Solaris
  • FransJacques
    FransJacques Posts: 2,148
    Hey sheep, my first is due Nov 10th, best of luck with yours.

    I'm on For Nov 2/3 but need to have the phone on in case it pops its head out early.

    I'm pretty flexible on day, would be good to avoid an all out delgue if possible, but it's not a deal breaker. Even GnR wrote a song about a certain month and a certain type of weather so little can be done to avoid it.
    When a cyclist has a disagreement with a car; it's not who's right, it's who's left.
  • ugo.santalucia
    ugo.santalucia Posts: 28,243
    Right... so it's a deal for the 2nd...
    I'll try to keep the muddiest secteurs for the way back, as I found I run out of lubrication pretty fast and it's quite tedious to have a squeeky/grindy drivetrain for 20-30 miles
    left the forum March 2023
  • cjcp
    cjcp Posts: 13,345
    Sounds great. I'll see if I can get a pass.
    FCN 2-4.

    "What happens when the hammer goes down, kids?"
    "It stays down, Daddy."
    "Exactly."
  • ugo.santalucia
    ugo.santalucia Posts: 28,243
    cjcp wrote:
    Sounds great. I'll see if I can get a pass.

    That'll be great... I have tried the course this morning... a real mud fest... a section around Box Hill is borderline mountain bike... it is actually MTB stuff, but I have managed it getting off only once... :oops:
    left the forum March 2023
  • asprilla
    asprilla Posts: 8,440
    Ok, sounds like I would need mud tyres (not my small blocks) and if I can get a pass I'll be single speed so I need to gear down from 48/18.
    Mud - Genesis Vapour CCX
    Race - Fuji Norcom Straight
    Sun - Cervelo R3
    Winter / Commute - Dolan ADX
  • ugo.santalucia
    ugo.santalucia Posts: 28,243
    Asprilla wrote:
    Ok, sounds like I would need mud tyres (not my small blocks) and if I can get a pass I'll be single speed so I need to gear down from 48/18.

    Most of it can be done with any large tyre... there are only a few sections which are a bit tricky... SS is fine, you'll have to push on a couple of short sections (100 meters or even less), but chances are I'll have to push too on one of them.
    left the forum March 2023
  • ugo.santalucia
    ugo.santalucia Posts: 28,243
    Mapped here

    http://www.mapmyride.com/routes/view/315317771

    Start at Richmond Gate, Richmond park: 40 miles, 13 of which off road. 7 Secteurs, the hardest being the 2 miles on the old roman road around Box Hill, which is steep (up and down) and quite technical. The other 6 are pretty flat with hard surface and a bit of mud. The last section along the river Thames has some cobbles-like feel and it's quite muddy too
    It took me 3 hours this morning... but I spent 10 minutes picking chestnuts... :D
    left the forum March 2023
  • veronese68
    veronese68 Posts: 27,300
    Looks good. What time are we meting? I'll ride in the opposite direction from Kingston Gate so if I'm a little late I'll meet you coming the other way. Are you going down the road and in at Petersham Gate or down the path in the park?
    Might put the more knobbly tyres on if it's wet this week, assuming the mudguards will clear them. I think I'll keep the guards on if I can to avoid splattering everything and put up with clearance issues.
    Kinesis Pro6
    Marin Nail Trail
    Cotic Solaris
  • asprilla
    asprilla Posts: 8,440
    Sold the CX last night and am waiting on the brakes for the SSCX (have arrived at delivery office but the Mrs is out all day tomorrow when they will no doubt attempt to deliver 30s after she has left the house).

    If I can get them on and fettled (I'm a hydraulic brake virgin) then I'm in.

    It appears that today I really (really) love parentheses.
    Mud - Genesis Vapour CCX
    Race - Fuji Norcom Straight
    Sun - Cervelo R3
    Winter / Commute - Dolan ADX
  • ugo.santalucia
    ugo.santalucia Posts: 28,243
    Veronese68 wrote:
    Looks good. What time are we meting? I'll ride in the opposite direction from Kingston Gate so if I'm a little late I'll meet you coming the other way. Are you going down the road and in at Petersham Gate or down the path in the park?
    Might put the more knobbly tyres on if it's wet this week, assuming the mudguards will clear them. I think I'll keep the guards on if I can to avoid splattering everything and put up with clearance issues.

    Shall we say 8:30 at Richmond Gate? the idea would be to blast down the Star and garter hill outside the Park and enter the park from the pedestrian gate just past the Petersham Road... from there along the wide gravel path all the way to the Kingston Gate... does it make sense?
    left the forum March 2023
  • veronese68
    veronese68 Posts: 27,300
    Perfect, should be there by 8.30, if I'm running late I'll just ride the opposite direction.
    Kinesis Pro6
    Marin Nail Trail
    Cotic Solaris
  • ugo.santalucia
    ugo.santalucia Posts: 28,243
    Veronese68 wrote:
    Perfect, should be there by 8.30, if I'm running late I'll just ride the opposite direction.

    OK, it's the gravel path that goes along the outer perimeter of the Park, you can't miss it
    left the forum March 2023
  • FransJacques
    FransJacques Posts: 2,148
    Gents and Ladies,

    Are we on for Saturday or Sunday? What was the final consensus? Both look quite similar: http://www.xcweather.co.uk/forecast/croydon

    I'm more for Sunday if that suits...
    When a cyclist has a disagreement with a car; it's not who's right, it's who's left.
  • ugo.santalucia
    ugo.santalucia Posts: 28,243
    We were for saturday... that was the original post.... saturday 2nd
    left the forum March 2023
  • ugo.santalucia
    ugo.santalucia Posts: 28,243
    So, this is happening. This Saturday 8:30 Richmond gate. To put it in Hollywood style: "the will be mud"!
    left the forum March 2023
  • asprilla
    asprilla Posts: 8,440
    ugo.santalucia wrote:
    So, this is happening. This Saturday 8:30 Richmond gate. To put it in Hollywood style: "the will be mud"!

    I've got to bleed my brakes tonight, learning a new skill.

    If it goes OK and my baby girls lets us sleep then I'll be there.
    Mud - Genesis Vapour CCX
    Race - Fuji Norcom Straight
    Sun - Cervelo R3
    Winter / Commute - Dolan ADX

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