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@smurfbike
I rode part of the L to B route yesterday as part of a training ride. I got mixed up with the 8:30/9 o'clockers just before Turners Hill - it was crazy, everyone was walking, the roads were just too blocked, too busy (worse than a Friday afternoon on the M25, ha ha!)
In the past I've started the L2B at varying start times from 6:30 to 11:00, never seen it so busy ... nightmare. Saw the (bloody) results of 3 downhill crashes by nodders (who probably bought their bike from Halfords a month ago, only the 2nd time they've cocked a leg over the saddle?!) decided I valued my life too much and quickly escaped to quieter roads to the right of Turners Hill, then back to the 'sanity' of London.
It was 49x17 yesterday but with the amount of people on the road, I was lucky to get above 5 mph ... would have been quicker with walking shoes and a skateboard!
The highest gear I've done the whole L2B (and Ditchling) was 47x15 (84 GI) but I cheated, stopping at the foot of Ditchling to rest for 10 mins, smoked a rollie, ate an ice cream, then stomped the pedals all the way up the Beacon, pee'ing off all the geared geezers walking up :) Also had the secret weapon of some super long 177.5mm Campag 'climbing' cranks then!