Monthly social ride - Second Sunday of each month - 1pm @ The Greyhound in High St Ken

So this is the idea;

On the second Sunday of the month, every month, we'd have a social ride.

It would be nothing too fast or too furious. Just meet up a pre-designated central London location, ride a loop of the centre of town, and then head over to the Bike Polo for bagels and to watch the mayhem down there.

The purpose of this is to provide a nice and regular social ride for new riders to be welcomed or introduced to riding with just one gear, to act as a forum for swapping trades and stuff, and just a general get-together.

And the first ride will be on Sunday September 9th, and then every second Sunday of the month after that at a regular meeting place and following a regular route.

In winter, when Polo isn't on we'd change the destination to be another pub, but in the summer it would be the polo courts.

[EDIT]

START LOCATION:

The Greyhound pub on Kensington Sq, off High St Kensington (side road opposite Zara, Top Shop, down the side of the Barkers building).
Pub Info @ Beerintheevening
Google Map

END LOCATION:

Bike Polo @ the court on the edge of Brick Lane and Shacklewell Street.
Google Map

ROUTE:

Proposed route is:

[li]Kensington High St[/li]
[li]Hyde Park[/li]
[li]Hyde Park Corner[/li]
[li]Constitution Hill[/li]
[li]The Mall[/li]
[li]Trafalgar Square[/li]
[li]The Strand[/li]
[li]A weave through the city via St Pauls

START TIME:

1pm depart time from the Greyhound in Kensington.

Good idea., but don't think that just because it gets cold we stop the polo, I for one will still want to play, I shall just have to drink brandy to stay warm.
The only trouble I see is a tend t obe late for polo let alone anything any earlier.

yeah i like the idea so count me in. and if this polo thing is over brick lane somewhere then that suits too as i like to check out the market on a sunday morning.

how about meeting central. up Highgate Hill West then race down to brick lane via holloway, highbury, dalston. at least Highgate Hill West will mean the bagel is earnt. though not bothered if it's just a cruise around the city as that can be pretty cool on a sunday

nice one,
jonny

jonnywilkinson hup Highgate Hill West

A big part of the ride is to welcome people new to fixed riding. That's quite a welcome! Bear in mind that this might be their first time fixed, they might be nervous and with a really terrible gear. The ride should be easy and social... we should be able to talk and have a laugh whilst riding around before finally settling at the polo fields to chat some more.

Sunday ride

Count me in. great for those of us newish on the circuit to meet the crew runners and chat everything fixed.
I bet most of you are uglier than your pictures.

Baptism of fire, I like it!

Yeah i like the idea of including the city... its ace on the weekends. Also cycled the embankment from Battersea to London bridge last night in the pissing Fugging rain cos i can contain my excitement with regards to the weekend !

yeah, fair point david, happy to just cruise around the city - if you start early enough you can get that kind of '28 Days Later' feel

Sounds good, (apart from another start date I can't make!) especially the keeping-it-simple for newbies like me who arent so confident on the hills or in groups. Sunday morning in the city will be a very nice change from my norm. back n forth commute.

aye, sounds good.. much less scarier than say.. a 40 mile ride around the bridges! aaaah! :)

good plan - I reckon it'll encourage a lot of nervous noobs to get involved, especially the city on a sunday morning.

There's that route by southbank to london bridge aint to bad.

up for it. now where did i put my bike?

David K [quote]jonnywilkinson hup Highgate Hill West

A big part of the ride is to welcome people new to fixed riding. That's quite a welcome! Bear in mind that this might be their first time fixed, they might be nervous and with a really terrible gear. The ride should be easy and social... we should be able to talk and have a laugh whilst riding around before finally settling at the polo fields to chat some more.[/quote]

What about us singlespeed yellow-bellies? Are we welcome?

Newbie ride? I think we should aim for Edinburgh and be back before bedtime.
I'm usually clubrunning out west so you won't have to put up with my pointless sarcasm for these rides! Partytime!
Have fun kiddies!

EDIT: As a result of DDM's free coffee offer I have changed my mind and will be heading east on Sundays forevermore! ;)

[cite] BRM666:[/cite
What about us singlespeed yellow-bellies? Are we welcome?

This is a single speed forum as well, so why not?

Beware, though, you might be converted.

BRM666 [quote]David K [quote]jonnywilkinson hup Highgate Hill West

A big part of the ride is to welcome people new to fixed riding. That's quite a welcome! Bear in mind that this might be their first time fixed, they might be nervous and with a really terrible gear. The ride should be easy and social... we should be able to talk and have a laugh whilst riding around before finally settling at the polo fields to chat some more.[/quote]

What about us singlespeed yellow-bellies? Are we welcome?[/quote]

Actually I'd say any cyclist would be welcome regardless of what they turn up on. Hmm, possibly not 'bents though ;)

But yeah, especially welcome would be single-speed and fixed-gear riders. Which is the point really.

Great idea. I'm working on that Sunday in Spianata & Co in Spitalfields. I'd prefer to be on the bike but if you're around between 1100 and 1700 I'll chuck some free coffees your way.

Dunwich Destroyed Me Great idea. I'm working on that Sunday in Spianata & Co in Spitalfields. I'd prefer to be on the bike but if you're around between 1100 and 1700 I'll chuck some free coffees your way.

Here comes Hippy....

Well, let's dream up a route.

How about meeting somewhere around Hyde Park, The Mall, etc... somewhere really easy for everyone to get to.
We'd need a pub with exterior seating enough for a group of say 20 riders.

We could head past Buckingham Palace, The Mall, Trafalgar, Strand, Law Courts, head into the city and do a circuit there before heading over to Brick Lane.

Something like that.

Basically, a gentle ride, very social, quite scenic, not intimidating for new riders, and easy to find and roads that aren't hectic (Embankment can be at the weekend, whereas the Strand is less so).

Anyone want to suggest a circuit around the City? Try and start with us having gone up the Strand and perhaps to St Pauls before going into the City proper and looping once before coming out near the top of Brick Lane.

Well, a pub that was mentioned on another thread (and is central and near my flat) is the Lord John Russell on the top of Marchmont St. It has a covered terrace bit down the side which would be quite spacious for about 15-20 bikes or so.

And they sell dark Budvar which is pretty delicious. :-)

That's absolutely nowhere near the West End ;)

What? It's WC1 innit?

Something like this? runs around the city a bit?
http://www.gmap-pedometer.com/?r=1233506

stompy [quote][cite] BRM666:[/cite
What about us singlespeed yellow-bellies? Are we welcome?

This is a single speed forum as well, so why not?

Beware, though, you might be converted.[/quote]

Coolio. Would be good to get some '1st hand' experience from riders of different levels.

And if we get to snort some free coffee - I'm in.