London by night

This evening is glorious. Deserted streets, no wind to speak of, the right temperature to keep you cool when you're spinning away.

I just shot past my home because it was so nice, ended up in Richmond. No matter.

I think I love night riding more than anything. Such a blast when the only sound to speak of is the soft hum from tyre against tarmac and gentle whirring from the drivetrain.

Seeing how the Dunwich Dynamo came about is obvious. If tonight had a healthy dose of moonlight I would've ended up in Surrey.

We should seriously do some night rides some time. Laps of the centre of London with a café or two thrown in for espresso shots and cakes.

Count me in! Where I hail from they used to do friday midnight rides (AKA dateless wonders night)

I'm well up for that.
Are you SW London based then velocity boy? Fixed rider in Barnes here…

count me in too!

beatznbobbz:Are you SW London based then velocity boy? Fixed rider in Barnes here…

Which makes it sound really plush right? But you know that set of tower blocks near Kew Bridge? Well, there we are :)

Ha, yeah I actually do know where you mean.
I'm just tucked in off the Upper Richmond Road, surrounded by old people and pram-pushers with 4x4's :-P

Woolwich tunnel late at night is a mixture of fun because you can blast along with the light flickering by your head when it is empty in purfectly still air and scary because it is a 1000 odd foot tunnel under the river where the only people you meet late at night using the tunnel are dodgy. Luckaly if it is late and I am down there I am pissed up so don't get as nervous.

TheBrick:Woolwich tunnel late at night is a mixture of fun because you can blast along with the light flickering by your head when it is empty in purfectly still air and scary because it is a 1000 odd foot tunnel under the river where the only people you meet late at night using the tunnel are dodgy. Luckaly if it is late and I am down there I am pissed up so don't get as nervous.

I'm deffo up for a midnight ride

That looks fantastic.

So who has plans for Saturday night?

That looks more like Greenwhich tunnel, the narowing is where the tunnel had to be renforced due to bomb damage in WW2. I would be up for an east London circuit but I am working away this weekend.
I think it could make quite a good route to hit both tunnels. I vary my commute between using one of the tunnels or using London Bridge. A good route could be to head out of London along A13 or Shoreditch highstreet hit up the underground road under Canary Warf Greenwhich Tunnel, Stop for a pint by the Kutty Sark, keep heading east out to Woolwhich, under Woolwhich Tunnel, Back along by the Tate and lyel factory (on factory road as it happens!) backout towards the A13 and back to central or drop back down under Greenwhich tunnel again and come back into London over Tower or London Bridge. That would make it a figure of eight. Probably about 22 mile round trip. Longish so we may need some more drinking pit stops.:)

Damn! i never realised there was a seperate Woolwich tunnel! - i always thought it and the one in greenwich were the same thing.

double deffo up for a ride that takes in the two tunnels

yeah, that sounds like hella plan!

Add a couple of traffic tunnels for spin-like-crazy-with-the-cars fun

Yeah like the one along the south bank heading east to west is the best. The cars zoom through that bit.

Oh man I miss that shit. Somebody rock the Euston road tunnel for me, that shit was the best.

OK, This is one for tomorrow night...

We have:
beatznbobbz
damnham
velocity boy

We'll ride around, stop for drinks (if anywhere is still open... perhaps we should bring some scotch along?), do the tunnels and generally have a blast.

Anyone else want in?

i'm in, where and when?

Heh, I'm going to be drunk before I meet you guys... off to Kings Cross now to a pub called McGlynns.

http://www.beerintheevening.com/pubs/s/30/3054/McGlynns/mcglynnswc1.co.uk

Want to all meet-up there before closing time? If not... say so in this thread and I'll give damnham a call on his mobile around 10pm if no-one has shown up at McGlynns by that point. damnham has my mobile no' too so he can sort out getting us all together ;)

You guys are crazy and you are going to get killed.

I'm in!

This is probably true, I'll be at the pub before 6pm... 5hrs of drinking and then a long bike ride.

Needless to say, I'm riding single-speed tonight. I've bucked one too many times the last few days and have no chance of a recovery when pissed as a newt. Instead I'll opt for endo's :)

howdy peeps,
I'm here with damnham, we're gonna aim to get to McGlynns for about 10.
Glow and Alex, whisper me your mobile no's and I'll give u a bell when we know exactly what we're doing (myself and damnham)
we're gonna be in town anyways, so maybe we can go up to King's Cross and meet velocity boy as a small group?

That was a blast... the route roughly went (from when we were all together until when the last group of us split):
http://www.gmap-pedometer.com/?r=820797

Obviously add some to the beginning and end for us getting to the start and getting home.

I should've taken a camera... the sights were great, clear moonlit night, and great company. The Greenwich tunnel was a blast, but I'm not sure it tops my taking you all down Limehouse Link.

Definately need to do that again.

Just worked out I did 34 miles in total. No wonder my shoulders and legs are aching a little.

That shit looks a little like the 1st and 2nd 1% rides. Solid

The pub we found in Greenwich was ace. Really quiet and still with seats available at 10:30pm on a Saturday night.

We nearly got attacked by a homeless guy near Albert Bridge too. Crazy shit, we were just pissing ourselves laughing as he went ape-shit for our having pulled off the road to rest for a moment... inadvertently parking in what must be his front room.

Still haven't found where the Woolwich Tunnel is.

Alex got a few photos, as I think damnham did... hopefully they'll post them. We got virtually none of the places we rolled through, we need to be on that next-time, the sights were awesome.

yep, that was a wicked ride, great sites and lots o' fun - and a good workout (my legs feel a little like rubber today). HIghlights were definetly the Limehouse link and the rowdy homeless "I've got a crowbar in my bag" guy.

Need to plan more of these, there's nothing like riding in the dark with just the sound of your tires on the tarmac.

Alex - great to meet you, Glow - where were you?