Commuting Chat rides 2016

menthel
menthel Posts: 2,484
edited April 2016 in Commuting chat
Following on from the Audax thread, there was some interest in some more leisurely, non SCR riding. Probably likely to head out of West London and into them there hills, or even better train out to the hills and miss the suburban cycling! Stops will be mandatory, cake will be consumed and beer may feature...

When and where do people fancy?
RIP commute...
Sometimes seen bimbling around on a purple Fratello Disc or black and red Aprire Vincenza.
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Comments

  • hopkinb
    hopkinb Posts: 7,129
    I prefer a Sunday morning, as I take the little one swimming on a Saturday morning. A week or two notice to clear with the EPO and I should be able to come along.

    As to where - I'm happy to follow the herd, on the rare occasions I do a non-commute ride, I'm very boring and go round and round Richmond Park, which can be great at 6 a.m. in the summer, but less so once the hordes arrive. Last time I tried to head to the Surrey hills, I got lost.
  • menthel
    menthel Posts: 2,484
    I am always happy to plan routes. I have a fairly painless one to Box Hill and also out over Ranmore and Leith Hill. The way back needs tweaking but I have an idea.

    As for day, I can do either with some pre-planning and negotiation with the EPO- we have cricket for the boy on Saturday Mornings!

    And its good to get out of the RiP rut!
    RIP commute...
    Sometimes seen bimbling around on a purple Fratello Disc or black and red Aprire Vincenza.
  • smokey_bacon
    smokey_bacon Posts: 1,639
    I'm easy, no real world commitments at the moment. No preference on route at all though I will throw out a ride to Brighton for lunch then train back.
  • veronese68
    veronese68 Posts: 27,249
    Not too early. My children being teenagers have become nocturnal, besides the pub stop timing needs to be a factor. :-)
  • Anonymous
    Anonymous Posts: 79,667
    Menthel - if you are bored of RiP, there is always the 30 mile loop to Cherstsey which the Pearson CC do on Tuesday evenings - you can steal that route and ride it yourself - a good burn for a couple of hours or less.

    I'm always up for a ride, earlier is better for me so can get back, but I prefer a fairly brisk pace unless its very hot and sunny and there's an outside beer garden. drlodge showed me a good place a while ago but i'll be damned if I can ever find my way back there!
  • menthel
    menthel Posts: 2,484
    I have a few routes that I use for 50km+, I only really use the park if I am lazy or have no time.

    As for speed, I have none at the moment, and didn't really in the past! I would usually manage 24km/h moving on these types of riding...
    RIP commute...
    Sometimes seen bimbling around on a purple Fratello Disc or black and red Aprire Vincenza.
  • veronese68
    veronese68 Posts: 27,249
    I very much doubt I have ever managed to keep Corioriorioriordan's idea of a brisk pace for more than a second or two.
  • hopkinb
    hopkinb Posts: 7,129
    Veronese68 wrote:
    I very much doubt I have ever managed to keep Corioriorioriordan's idea of a brisk pace for more than a second or two.

    Me neither. I'm "old" and creaky and a bit too heavy. I can hold my own on the various drag strips on CS7. None of the quick efforts are longer than a minute though. Always strikes me how hard it is to maintain my commuting cruise pace when there aren't traffic lights every so often at which to catch my breath. What I want to do is get some longer & slower rides in to try and build some endurance.
  • menthel
    menthel Posts: 2,484
    Old, slow, creaky, long rides- sounds about right!

    What kind of distance do people want to start with?
    RIP commute...
    Sometimes seen bimbling around on a purple Fratello Disc or black and red Aprire Vincenza.
  • hopkinb
    hopkinb Posts: 7,129
    50-60k to begin with? Like you said - a leg loosener or two, then start getting longer. Strava tells me I've never been further than 48k in one go.
  • menthel
    menthel Posts: 2,484
    hopkinb wrote:
    50-60k to begin with? Like you said - a leg loosener or two, then start getting longer. Strava tells me I've never been further than 48k in one go.

    We can fix that! Box hill is about a 55km round trip on my usual route and putting Ranmore in takes it up to 65km or so. However, I am very receptive to getting the train to Dorking and putting together a route from there.
    RIP commute...
    Sometimes seen bimbling around on a purple Fratello Disc or black and red Aprire Vincenza.
  • smokey_bacon
    smokey_bacon Posts: 1,639
    50-60k's is a good start. Roughly the length of a leg of an audax.
  • menthel
    menthel Posts: 2,484
    Yep, and its the kind of distance that if you can do means that 100km should not be an issue.
    RIP commute...
    Sometimes seen bimbling around on a purple Fratello Disc or black and red Aprire Vincenza.
  • hopkinb
    hopkinb Posts: 7,129
    menthel wrote:
    Yep, and its the kind of distance that if you can do means that 100km should not be an issue.

    I saw somewhere on here that you should be able to do your weekly distance in one go as long as you take it easy. My weekly distance is 160-180km, but that's 10 rides of 16-18km, and even if I do tend to undertake most of those rides as if my @rse is on fire, I'm sceptical that I could jump straight to a single ride of 100km.

    Still, we'll see. I'll come back to you with some possible dates in Feb after I've told the other half I'm plotting bike rides with strangers off the internet..
  • menthel
    menthel Posts: 2,484
    hopkinb wrote:
    menthel wrote:
    Yep, and its the kind of distance that if you can do means that 100km should not be an issue.

    I saw somewhere on here that you should be able to do your weekly distance in one go as long as you take it easy. My weekly distance is 160-180km, but that's 10 rides of 16-18km, and even if I do tend to undertake most of those rides as if my @rse is on fire, I'm sceptical that I could jump straight to a single ride of 100km.

    Still, we'll see. I'll come back to you with some possible dates in Feb after I've told the other half I'm plotting bike rides with strangers off the internet..

    It's probably true but some reassurance is nice. I went from my commute (13km) to 50km, 70km, 100km and then 200km when I first started.
    RIP commute...
    Sometimes seen bimbling around on a purple Fratello Disc or black and red Aprire Vincenza.
  • hopkinb
    hopkinb Posts: 7,129
    How's 21 February for people?
  • menthel
    menthel Posts: 2,484
    I have stuff to do that day. I will put some dates up of my own today if I remember!
    RIP commute...
    Sometimes seen bimbling around on a purple Fratello Disc or black and red Aprire Vincenza.
  • veronese68
    veronese68 Posts: 27,249
    21st is bad for me. EPO's birthday weekend so I should probably be nice to her.
  • itboffin
    itboffin Posts: 20,052
    If you take a look at the old thread I just stirred up from 2008, I'm still riding with most of those folks now, in fact were off to Flanders in march and the marmotte in June.
    Rule #5 // Harden The Feck Up.
    Rule #9 // If you are out riding in bad weather, it means you are a badass. Period.
    Rule #12 // The correct number of bikes to own is n+1.
    Rule #42 // A bike race shall never be preceded with a swim and/or followed by a run.
  • vimfuego
    vimfuego Posts: 1,783
    Sounds like a plan - I know the area well. Sunday mornings tend to mean playing taxi driver for the kids various sporting commitments, but if I can get to whatever date you settle on I'll be there.
    CS7
    Surrey Hills
    What's a Zwift?
  • veronese68
    veronese68 Posts: 27,249
    itboffin wrote:
    If you take a look at the old thread I just stirred up from 2008, I'm still riding with most of those folks now, in fact were off to Flanders in march and the marmotte in June.
    Has DDD finished Ride London yet?
  • hopkinb
    hopkinb Posts: 7,129
    Any weekend from the 21st onwards really. Away for Easter, and busy for next two weekends.
  • dhope
    dhope Posts: 6,699
    edited February 2016
    Veronese68 wrote:
    itboffin wrote:
    If you take a look at the old thread I just stirred up from 2008, I'm still riding with most of those folks now, in fact were off to Flanders in march and the marmotte in June.
    Has DDD finished Ride London yet?
    Ahh, poor DDD. Balham Hill, Strava, Ride London. His arch nemeses. And that mouse.
    Though I envy his move to Kent slightly.

    Can't do the 21st as I'm on hols that week, but will keep an eye out for any other dates that come around.
    Rose Xeon CW Disc
    CAAD12 Disc
    Condor Tempo
  • I'm up for this provided it starts in the countryside. 21st won't work for me though as I'll be landing in Singapore at about the time the ride starts. As much as I kid myself about my abilities, there's only so far self-dilusion will take you...
    ROAD < Scott Foil HMX Di2, Volagi Liscio Di2, Jamis Renegade Elite Di2, Cube Reaction Race > ROUGH
  • itboffin
    itboffin Posts: 20,052
    Veronese68 wrote:
    itboffin wrote:
    If you take a look at the old thread I just stirred up from 2008, I'm still riding with most of those folks now, in fact were off to Flanders in march and the marmotte in June.
    Has DDD finished Ride London yet?

    :lol:
    Rule #5 // Harden The Feck Up.
    Rule #9 // If you are out riding in bad weather, it means you are a badass. Period.
    Rule #12 // The correct number of bikes to own is n+1.
    Rule #42 // A bike race shall never be preceded with a swim and/or followed by a run.
  • menthel
    menthel Posts: 2,484
    Right, I can do the 28th Feb, 6th, 20th and 27th March. Happy to start a ride from Dorking, its easy to get to on a couple of different lines and gets us into the meat of the matter- hills and countryside!
    RIP commute...
    Sometimes seen bimbling around on a purple Fratello Disc or black and red Aprire Vincenza.
  • hopkinb
    hopkinb Posts: 7,129
    28, 6 and 20 all work for me. I'm indifferent between a Raynes Park or Dorking start.
  • vimfuego
    vimfuego Posts: 1,783
    6th & 20th seem to work for me at the moment. I'm in Epsom so a Dorking start is easy enough.
    CS7
    Surrey Hills
    What's a Zwift?
  • errorist
    errorist Posts: 169
    Anyone mind if I join in on this? Be good to make contact with some other folks from Raynes Park.
  • menthel
    menthel Posts: 2,484
    6th or 20th work for me. Happy to plan from Dorking and those of us from Raynes Park etc can always meet at the Station or even cycle up to Dorking together.
    RIP commute...
    Sometimes seen bimbling around on a purple Fratello Disc or black and red Aprire Vincenza.