Hard Day in January '18

The second bump gets you up out of the valley. It's part of National Cycle Route 5. It's a quite like the Christmas Common climb. Bit shorter. And muddy as fuck for a mile at the bottom and the top, it's more like farmyard than road :-)
Mind you, when you get up into Stoke Row there's good coffee in the village shop if you need a breather.

Are we all having mudguards?

Some forgot them last year #metoo

well, I believe most club rules are that people riding without have to stay at the back...
so I might take mine off so I can draft everyone else

Only in the interests of the group though 👌🏼

We gonna be stopping mid ride for a coffee?

Coffee+

Thanks

I am really wanting to get involved with this.

Can I a) come on gears and b) possibly bail if I can't manage the whole route?

Hey @mashton, yes please come along on gears if that's the most feasible option for you . I know you're plenty experienced so no worries there, so if you're happy to find your own way back when you've had enough that's ok.

Please do communicate with the rest of the group with what you're up to so no one starts looking for you unnecessarily. This also goes for anyone who is intending to show up for only part of the ride or doesn't manage the entire route.

Of course Dan!

Thanks.

I'm still umming and aahhing. Been a roadie most of my life so fit enough just unsure about fixed, What gear would you reccomend. Also if i came id probably leave you all around windsor as its closer to uni for me.

66-74 gi, any lower and you'll be v spinny on the flats, any higher and you'll struggle up the hills.

good memories :)

So I did a short fixed ride through the Chilterns today to work out what gearing to use. My route overlapped with a bit of the HDIJ route. The climb out of Marlow (gravel pit lane?) was fine on my 74" and I felt like I was on top of the gear. However the turville-Christmas Common climb was quite unpleasant due to a combination of gradient, leaves potholes etc. but still managed to get over it.

I might go down to 70" (48x18) but it probably won't make the steep climbs much easier and will make the flats more spinny.

I suppose it would be a good time to think about/start arranging the feeder ride if anyone else is game?

Last year a few of us met at Roehampton Gate for a 7:00am roll out from there. If I remember correctly we were all hungover. I definitely remember the sun rising quite beautifully against the frost going through the park. This left a decent amount of time for the freshest Greggs bake and for potential mishaps.

I’ll be riding out from Brixton at about 6:15.

I might be game if it bumps the total to 125 miles :p

currently running a 51-16 but will switch to a 48 cos its the only other ring i got, will i need a 17 for the rear or should i just yolo it. walking up climbs may be good cross training.

Well, if you wanna come to mine for breakfast, that'll get you pretty much bang on 125 I reckon.

Interesting. This might be against AUK rules if not everybody you riding with has registered.

And there's me wondering if 42/17 will be too much.

Ah! Are you thinking about FAQ18 in http://www.aukweb.net/diy/routes/ ?

Probably 9.9.3

http://www.aukweb.net/_resources/files/official/AUK_Regulations_201217.pdf

The second part obviously

What if it's me that's pacing the other cyclists though!

That, sir, is a very good point.