2011-04-16 Sat 9pm - London Marathon Ride

looks like a fremont to me. Aluminium, from 2007, right? where did you get it? I bought mine in new york and had managed to convince myself it was the only one in London (secretly knowing I had to be wrong).

Didn't your lockring pop off once as you ploughed into a pub full of people?

lets put this in context. It was after the track day, and the threads no the Quando hub on my wheel just gave up with the slightest bit of tension after swapping the spocket. And I didn't plow in to it, I got my feet down and steered it into a curb to stop. I didn't hit or endager anyone.

edit- So this is your argument against brakeless riding? Do you similarly complain about riding with people using single speed with 1 brake? Or people riding freewheel without their brakes properly adjusted?

bullshit! as I remember - you couldn't stop, then the next moment you hopped off your bike, flew right inside the pub and ordered a pint, whilst your bike parked itself against the wall.

Pops to all of Team B!

Bernie & Bearfoot, you guys were great fun and really helpful, thank you! Neevio, you're positive spirit was much needed at times! I'm sorry I can't remember the name of the lady on the Boris Bike and her friend, you guys were super nice too! In the end how much did that trip cost you?!? Also a big hello to the Canadian's we met after and posed with outside Elizabeth's house, I hope the photo came out well!

Here's the map of the alternative route we took!
http://maps.google.co.uk/maps/ms?ie=UTF8&hl=en&msa=0&msid=216342446286409032874.0004a133581e7e3c2ea8d&z=12

My friends and I are definitely up for another ride soon. We can't make the Guinness ride but if there is one soon after then count us in!

SEE YOU SOON!

xxx

Just checked out the thread to see how you all got on and thought I'd hit the Brakless thread.

Never fails to puzzle me as to how stupid people can be to cycle brakeless track bikes on a road group ride.

Yeah you're dead right Kevin, but it's ok to ride around fucked out of your mind after a night on the ale as long as you have that one little brake eh? Quit continually evangelising and get on with the social side of riding with others regardless of how many brakes they may have and if necessary adjust your riding style to give the wayward skidders a bit more room. I do, and I'm one of the stupid ones.

Oh yeah, looked an awesome night ride, wish I could have been there.

90210 your route doesn't look *too *dissimilar :)
but we didn't cross over to the isle of dogs so soon. we didn't cross the river til tower bridge, after a beer stop in bermondsey, and then we went to canary wharf etc and more or less the same from there

glad you enjoyed

We can't make the Guinness ride but if there is one soon after then count us in!

got a wedding to go to? lah-dee-dah

Have just signed up to the forum...gotta make 3 posts before I'm a fully paid-up member apparently - so here goes with one! I'm the Boris Bike lady :) You may not see me on the B-bike again any time soon but I'm defo planning on making it to another ride - it was awesome fun! Great to meet you all, esp the rest of Team B, Bernie, Bearfoot etc - all great and lovely people and so much fun!

I've got no idea how much the Boris Bike cost me in the end but I'll be taking it to the top as soon as I find out ;) Or getting dimi3 to sort me out with a refund??!!

Maybe see you at the Guiness ride!

Thanks again to those that organised Saturday - loved it.

Happy Monday to my fellow Team B Members :))

Themefrom90210 ~ nice one adding the route.. just looking at it again is making me grin hugely at EVERY deviation we made. Awesome stuff :))
And re the positivity? Sure, its the only way to go... there's just no fun in being miserable, that's what I say!! ;o))

misslisz ~ welcome to your Forum Post #1 ;o) ...Am also curious to see how much Boris will be chargin for the loan of his slow-mo bike. Post about the Boris Bike charges a few times to become a bonefide forum-er ;o)

~ I'm also not around for the Guinness Ride, as I'll be in the land of Guinness, drinking some Guinness there instead ;o) But, provided the forum can cope with a repeat visit of a mountain bike on the rides then I'm on to ride again :)

Up to 30 minutes FREE
Up to an hour £1
Up to one and a half hours £4
Up to two hours £6
Up to two and a half hours £10
Up to three hours £15
Up to six hours £35
Up to 24 hours (maximum) £50

looks like it'd be £35 / £15 + £1.

spoke to some people and it looks like it won't be easy, as you used your credit/debit card to get the bike and not your membership key.

But, provided the forum can cope with a repeat visit of a mountain bike on the rides then I'm on to ride again :)

hah i think the forum outgrew its name a while back!

Glad to hear it ;o))

looks like it'd be £35 / £15 + £1.

OUCH! ...What an injustice: to be charged based on time taken, for a vehicle that takes so long to move any distance! :o/

they're not designed for long travel and prices were set that way, so that most people would use them under half hour and then dock them.

the whole "brakeless is stupid" thing is less important than having a rider that's skilled in riding in a group, i.e. constantly indicating when moving, calling out your position if coming up behind someone, pointing out potholes and obstacles etc. it's all about group etiquette. the brakeless riders last night were very skilled on their bikes and seemed to be doing a lot of the above.

As someone who was with gears / brakes I have to say I've never felt safer on a forum ride, the group etiquette was excellent throughout and some of you fixed riders have unbelieveable tekkers. Thanks for a great ride.

Think the CC's gonna take a nasty hit in a day or two then... Better take it to the man himself! Anyone got a pic of the bike in action?! Time to start gathering evidence ;)

Right about the slow-mo though...think it's the least aero-dynamic vehicle possibly ever designed. Good for the legs though!

PS Nice work on the map - pleased to see that with all detours and misdirections taken into account, we weren't that far off marathon distance after all!

(post #3 done - i'm in!)

(post #3 done - i'm in!)

Welcome to the club ;o)

Yeah you're dead right Kevin, but it's ok to ride around fucked out of your mind after a night on the ale as long as you have that one little brake eh?

I didnt say that was OK either. Where exactly are you getting that from?
I have two brakes on my bike, and also on the polo bike.

When I rode on a velodrome, where riding brakeless is necessary to prevent emergency stops, I rode without a brake.
When I ride in a congested city centre with motorists, other cyclists, pedestrians, and various other moving objects, I try to ensure my own safety and the safety of others. With brakes.
A track bike without brakes is designed for a specific, contained environment.

Anyway I didnt want to get drawn into it. Yet here I am.
I think riding a brakeless track bike around the streets of London is a thick as fucking shit thing to do. Childish, moronic, a false "freedom" to defend. I was pointing out that it still struck me as ridiculous that some people did it, especially on this nighttime group ride.
I dont give a fuck if people think they're riding more careful, it's akin to hearing a motorist saying he drives safer when he doesnt use his brakes, he just accelerates less.

I tried to get into the social aspect of the last city group ride I was on (a circle line ride) when twice some fishtailing skidder fools nearly clipped my front wheel sending me teeth first into the concrete. That tends to draw the focus away from having a chat.

End of my contributions on it.

I didnt say that was OK either. Where exactly are you getting that from?
I have two brakes on my bike, and also on the polo bike.

When I rode on a velodrome, where riding brakeless is necessary to prevent emergency stops, I rode without a brake.
When I ride in a congested city centre with motorists, other cyclists, pedestrians, and various other moving objects, I try to ensure my own safety and the safety of others. With brakes.
A track bike without brakes is designed for a specific, contained environment.

Anyway I didnt want to get drawn into it. Yet here I am.
I think riding a brakeless track bike around the streets of London is a thick as fucking shit thing to do. Childish, moronic, a false "freedom" to defend. I was pointing out that it still struck me as ridiculous that some people did it, especially on this nighttime group ride.
I dont give a fuck if people think they're riding more careful, it's akin to hearing a motorist saying he drives safer when he doesnt use his brakes, he just accelerates less.

I tried to get into the social aspect of the last city group ride I was on (a circle line ride) when twice some fishtailing skidder fools nearly clipped my front wheel sending me teeth first into the concrete. That tends to draw the focus away from having a chat.

End of my contributions on it.

there is such thing as appropriate ratio... choose the one you can spin, push and stop... you do not necessarily skid in order to stop. although i have to agree that there are plenty of riders pushing too high gear and struggling to stop...

I ride brakkkkkless in london. started when i broke my old brake caliper so took it off until I got a new one.
That was 7 months ago and i still have the same marathon plus tyre on the back and spinny gear and havnt had any crashes where as I had a few when I still had brakes.
I see nothing wrong with riding brakeless on forum rides as long as you dont crash or make a wank out of yourself.

Two things that have happened to me in the last few months:

1) Foot retention failure
2) Chain snap

On both occasions my front brake saved me and/or the pedestrian who I was slowing for from injury of some sort.

If you have a front brake, you don't have to use it unless there is an emergency and I'm not aware of anybody on this forum who is good enough to give a shit about a few extra ounces of weight from a brake. Unless of course brakeless riders just like to pretend to be charlie big potatoes because its rock'ard to ride without brakes innit.

I'm sure there is a thread for this sort of shite.

I'm sure there is a thread for this sort of shite.

It's called Bike Radar, you boring planks...

It's called Bike Radar, you boring planks...

i didnt say that was ok either. Where exactly are you getting that from?
I have two brakes on my bike, and also on the polo bike.

When i rode on a velodrome, where riding brakeless is necessary to prevent emergency stops, i rode without a brake.
When i ride in a congested city centre with motorists, other cyclists, pedestrians, and various other moving objects, i try to ensure my own safety and the safety of others. With brakes.
A track bike without brakes is designed for a specific, contained environment.

Anyway i didnt want to get drawn into it. Yet here i am.
I think riding a brakeless track bike around the streets of london is a thick as fucking shit thing to do. Childish, moronic, a false "freedom" to defend. I was pointing out that it still struck me as ridiculous that some people did it, especially on this nighttime group ride.
I dont give a fuck if people think they're riding more careful, it's akin to hearing a motorist saying he drives safer when he doesnt use his brakes, he just accelerates less.

I tried to get into the social aspect of the last city group ride i was on (a circle line ride) when twice some fishtailing skidder fools nearly clipped my front wheel sending me teeth first into the concrete. That tends to draw the focus away from having a chat.

End of my contributions on it.

aaaaaaaaaaaaamen brother and sisters!