Pre 1950s rides of LFGSS: old bikes, vintage rats, classic lightweights

But still, Garsons Hill :)

If someone can link the route, I'll happily set up something in the ride thread.

Good idea, 7ven, to have a ride thread.

However I feel we should hold back, at least for the moment, about the exact route.

We haven't really got much idea yet about the strength of our riders (although I do know I'm not really up to doing the whole 90 mile Berinsfield and back route). I think the essential point about a ride like this is to have suitable stopping points, and I can make several suggestions about this, but until we know what our riders think they can do, I don't want to commit to one particular route. In addition, the weather on the day might affect our decision.

I can say that I have had problems in the past when riders have turned up with garmins set up for an unsuitable route (eg: a dangerous descent which they were unaware of), and then they have been reluctant to deviate (a version of 'the computer says no!').

Let's keep our options open at the moment, but something as a ride thread would be useful to bring in some more support.

Well, I'm pretty sure I can do 90 miles given the time. But whether my bikes can make that is another thing altogether...

And you know, if Garsons Hill is that steep surely we can just stop and wait for someone if we keep an eye out if they have a mechanical with their bike/themselves....?

Yes, I certainly hope we will wait for anyone who is struggling (it might be me!); this ride will not be a training run.

Jeff80, you raise an interesting question - do people want to do the full HDiJ route?

When I said I wasn't capable, I suppose I meant at this moment . Given the incentive to get some miles in, perhaps I could be up for it and perhaps that would be a good thing. After all, we'll have
plenty of daylight.

There are plenty of different ways of getting to that stop at Berinsfield and I would cerainly favour using the easier routes. There is no need to climb hills steep enough to be marked with arrows.

Originally I was just thinking of doing about fifty miles with one cafe stop (possibly Turville Heath or Great Missenden) but if there is enthusiasm for being more ambitious I wouldn't want to stand in the way.

I'm sure that if your bike will last for the first five miles there's no reason it won't manage fifty or a hundred - I feel it's more the durability of the riders we need to worry about.

I'll good for a long or short ride. Really looking forward to this as most of my riding is done in Kent.

The Paragon fixed gear is generally pretty sturdy for miles, I used it to commute last summer. The sturmey 3-speed on my RRA is prone to upset though, all-be-it usually in the form of skipping. It can generally be easily fixed though, I've done some on-the spot fixing to it on several occasions and it carries on fine, just only really working on 2 gears...

As for distance, can anyone remember how far we rode when we rode from hackney out to Cambridge a few years ago?

Could be a good excuse to get this Parkes finished - especially as I was yearning to do this year's HDiJ on it. Don't know if I'll be up for the full HDiJ distance though. Could always do a split distance? The pub we went to at the end of HDiJ did really good beers if I can put in a vote for that as the finish point!

As for distance, can anyone remember how far we rode when we rode from hackney out to Cambridge a few years ago?

That was about 100km

well, that took longer than we expected so maybe we should stick to 60-or 70 miles as people will have to travel to the start place. That said, I seem remember we did have to wait a fair bit on that ride. Depends what people are up for of course...

The difficulty of doing the full distance does depend quite a bit on the conditions on the day.

Apart from rain (and we don't really want to expose our ancient kit to a lot of water and grit) there's wind direction. If I'm doubtful of my ability to get to a certain point and then return without undue suffering, I don't like a tail wind on the outward leg; I like an easier return trip - it's so much better for morale!

That's one reason why I'm not keen on riders having gadgets pre set to a specific route.
It's worth adding that the best (hard) rides I've been on were led by Martyn Roach (google if you don't recognise the name), and he made a practice of refusing to say where he was going. He said he was working on a "need to know basis" - for example - "we're turning left in 100 yards". The pupose of this was, I think, to stop riders suddenly remembering 'important social engagements' when they realised they would have to deal with a tough climb.

I've been on were led by Martyn Roach (google if you don't recognise the name), and he made a practice of refusing to say where he was going. He said he was working on a "need to know basis" - for example - "we're turning left in 100 yards".

Sounds like a great idea. Would be well up for this. My life is far too planned. 60miles secret clubman route.

This sounds ideal yes. I don't have a ride computer so I never really know where the hell I'm going anyway other than a rough printed out map at best!

So have we settled on the 26th May?
Like @7ven I live on the other side of London and so just getting to the starting point will be a trek, should be fun though im looking forward to it.

Me:

Let's aim for the first weekend of June then?
I just realised that on that bank holiday I really can't do anything at all as gf's in town for a loong exam

I know 26th would be ideal, but I can't that day :(

there can't be many of these about: Saxon Twin tube tandem. £75 start, in Caterham.

I've just realised I can't do 26th May either-my parents are visiting so can't really disappear all day!
Any other suggestions anyone?

I'd be ok with the following weekend, June 1st?

That works for me

I think that would be ok for me yes

June 1st suits me - as I said above May 26th is the Hounslow 100, so that's definitely out in my case.

Any of the above is fine with me. Only weekend in June I don’t want to do is 15th/16th because it clashes with Le Mans.

A Fairly Easy Day in June

So, it looks as though we are agreed on Sunday 2nd June, and the plan is to meet in Staines and do at least some part of the HDiJ route (just possibly the whole thing, if we're all really pinging on the day). We will have at least one cafe stop, which will be decided on the day according to conditions (the riders as well as the weather).

I will use a bike with gears, but there shouldn't be anything that couldn't be done on fixed.

How about a list of those intending to ride:

1. Clubman.
   

A Bike that is Qualified for this Thread

I don't promise to ride this, but I might. It could be said to be pre-1950 in concept although it is a relatively recent creation. The rear derailleur is a Cyclo Standard, and the bike was built around this.

The frame make is unknown, but I think it's probably pre-war. It's clearly not the highest quality, but it's completely satisfactory for the job. The general intention was to create something typical of CTC runs of the '30's, 40's and '50's - and quite a bit later since people who owned bikes like this were not followers of fashion and expected their machines to last for their lifetime (at least!)

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