Getting back from Brighton tomorrow.... any clever ideas?

imafatman
imafatman Posts: 351
edited June 2018 in Road general
So the annual London to Brighton ride is on tomorrow.

I did the return by cycle last year and was planning to do the same this year. However having hurt my back some weeks ago I think I am going to struggle to get home. I did a test run on Sunday and by about 120km my back was pretty much done. Another 15km and I recon it would have been somewhat buggered. My total there and back distance is 220km so it's significantly more than I think I will be capable of.

So now I'm stuck as I don't have a travel ticket to come back on the coach and it's too late to buy.

Anyone got any smart ideas on how to get back? I already checked all the train companies in the area, including Gatwick express, are not taking bikes are all. Presumably cos they get inundated with people trying to get home on the train.

Anyone got any ideas? Like riding somewhere which will take a bike back in the direction towards London? Even if it's not all the way, getting closer is better than nothing.

Comments

  • bondurant
    bondurant Posts: 858
    Perhaps cycle over to Littlehampton? There is an hourly service according to NRE, which is slow but avoids Brighton.

    EDIT

    But it does go to Hove...that might be close enough for the bike ban.
  • veronese68
    veronese68 Posts: 27,823
    Find the nearest station along the coast that will take bikes. Sorry but I have no idea where that would be.
    Kinesis Pro6
    Marin Nail Trail
    Cotic Solaris
  • cougie
    cougie Posts: 22,512
    Ride a Brompton to get round the ban ? Sorry it's a bit last minute isn't it ?
  • darkhairedlord
    darkhairedlord Posts: 7,180
    Sleep under the pier. Relive the quadraphenia experience.... Mod or rocker?
  • mamil314
    mamil314 Posts: 1,103
    Would Uber be too expensive
  • imafatman
    imafatman Posts: 351
    darkhairedlord wrote:
    Sleep under the pier. Relive the quadraphenia experience.... Mod or rocker?

    I think the train companies already thought of that as they've banned bikes on Monday too.
  • imafatman
    imafatman Posts: 351
    mamil314 wrote:
    Would Uber be too expensive

    Probably about £150. Quite a lot for a weekend charity ride haha. And that's if I can convince someone to do it.... I did try one time to get an Uber with a bike and he told me no.
  • imafatman
    imafatman Posts: 351
    Feck it... I think I'm just gonna tag along for a bit and then turn around when I'm about 2/3rs the way down. Not because I'm scared of Ditchling, I promise :P

    Not gonna risk doing my back in for a charity fun run.
  • cougie
    cougie Posts: 22,512
    How did it go ?
  • imafatman
    imafatman Posts: 351
    cougie wrote:
    How did it go ?

    Well I was enjoying the ride so much I decided to just keep going. I had a handful of ibuprofen in my back pocket just in case I had to limp home somehow.

    Turns out there is provision for numpties like me, a waiting list for a coach spot. I had to wait 2 hours but that was done in the comfort of a soft chair at the pub and a couple of pints and a bowl of chips later I was on the coach home.

    I wouldn't rely on it, fortunately I was down there in under 4 hours and there were only a couple of people ahead of me on the waiting list, by the time I was getting on the coach the list had grown quite a bit and there was a massive queue of people waiting to get on the bus.

Categories