Dunwich Dynamo 2017

I'll be in an skin suit and an aero helmet. I'll risk an 8.30pm start...

I haven't done this since 2011, the year of the forum coach (@econodog on Boris Bike, @opiumia crashing, @ChainBreaker scattering fluoro along the roads etc.) How crazy are the numbers these days?

Anecdotally I'd say it's busier now, but not loads.

If you want to ride at a quiet time leave before 8 and go quick or after 10 and go slow.

Leave early, stop at Moreton until the flouro hoardes have passed. Carry on.

Some people have sorted support vans for charity groups which spoil the atmosphere a little at 2am. They're typically a bit further back I reckon so if you leave late but get a push on you won't see them.

The numbers 6 years ago were enough to make me think I wouldn't want to do it again. But there's that many forum people I haven't seen for ages doing this one, might have to grit my teeth and turn up.

Volume of numbers obviously depends on the weather. Last years was perfect so it seemed like it was a lot busier. When it pissed it down a few years ago however...

Fuck the rain

Oh and those fluro sticks were someone else I accidentally gave some away to... I was picking them up as much as I could along the way @itsbruce

Yay!

Annoyingly, I can't do the official DD this year, but I'll do it some other time in late July.

It's a great ride regardless of whether you do it in the daytime or at night.

If you do it in daylight, make sure you leave very early so you have some good hours at the beach. The Flora Café closes very early, too (at 4? can't quite remember).

Mention of Dunwich here:

https://www.theguardian.com/environment/shortcuts/2017/jun/05/get-in-the-sea-should-we-allow-coastal-heritage-sites-to-fall-to-ruin

"The ride gets shorter every year."

Probably a question already asked a million times, but:

• no coach tickets left
  
• don't fancy cycling 50km to Ipswich to take the train
  
  

what now?

Ride back to London?
Don't go?

Keep an eye on this thread- quite a lot of people end up not being able to go and sell their coach tickets close to the day.

Interesting, thanks. Will keep an eye on here

There's a good chance that the ride back to Ipswich won't be so hard. It's fairly pleasant lanes and no hills. And you may well feel a lot better than you predict right now.

Ride there and back list...

1) Ramsaye
2) middleofnowhere
3) veganjoseph
4)

A few years ago (my last year in the UK) I took a couple of first-timer friends on the ride, and did the 30 miles on to Ipswich. I think the trains weren't taking bikes that year. Two things stand out:

• Swam at Dunwich for the first time. Amazingly good and I still feel like an idiot for not swimming the other three times. Get ya kit off and get in the sea - it doesn't look appealing from the beach but you won't regret it (probably).

• It started drizzling as we started up the beach road and it was raining by the time we hit the main road South. Then it became a full noise, heavy rain thunderstorm that didn't let up the entire way. We arrived at Ipswich wild eyed and soaked to the bone. I'm not a strong cyclist and that ~150 miles remains the longest ride I've ever done but despite the weather I regret nothing! and would do it again.

(If anyone's wondering, you can cycle in bib shorts after swimming in the sea. It's fine.)

I'm considering there and back, fixed - naturally, with a train ticket from Ipswich in case I need to bail.
Gear wise I commute on 48:16 but was going to drop to a 17t for this or would 18t be more sensible? Presumably people ride slightly more slowly in the dark?

naturally, with a train ticket from Ipswich in case I need to bail.

I think this is going to be my approach too.

Plan for there and back, but give myself an out early into the back if I am too tired or something.

As for gear inches, 75 gi was perfect for a daytime fixed Dunwich a couple of years ago. You don't want to drop too much from whatever you're used to as you still want a decent cruising speed. I think the 48:16 you're on will be pretty much perfect as it is, and if it's what your legs are used to then even better.

Any thoughts on recreating the What's App group that you did last year? It was a handy way of keeping in touch/passing info on/chatting shit etc?

Sure, I'll set up a form shortly (after this meeting I'm in).

You're never alone on the DD!
(Unless you take a wrong turn)

I did this one year (stupidly following jennyj's garmin which decided to improve the route). The latter 15 or so miles turned out to be UTTER BLISS. No flashing red lights, 'funny' bikes, litter, showboaters and people asking you the way. Instead it was misty dawn fields, birdsong, roe deer crashing into hedges and the beautiful quiet.

So my advice to all is make your own route when it all gets a bit annoying, if you're like me and get a bit tetchy when you're tired.

It's flat the whole way and if there's any wind it tends to be from behind, so ride your normal gear.

I wouldn't enjoy 80GI, 72 and an 18mph average is my favourite for the ride but I'm a bit feeble.

72 and an 18mph average is my favourite for the ride but I'm a bit feeble.

Just checked the GI I was running at the time... 47:17 = 72.6 GI. Yeah, that was perfect.