The BHF London to Brighton

I was wondering if anyone is doing the BHF London to Brighton ride this year?

Yep I plan to, I understand it gets very busy so going to try set off early as possible.

Yeah - my brother in law talked me into it.

Although, from talking to people who have done it in the past it sounds like it might be a massive paain in the arse.

I'm thinking I might just bin it off and cycle to Brighton another weekend!

never again

^ that!
My wife did this last year. They're really sniffy about when you turn up, ie. the people that have done it many times before get preferantial treatment and can get early start times. My wife however, only managed to get an 8.30 start, so she and her friends set off from Clapham Common and 1 and a half hours later they had managed to progress about 2 miles. There were so many people that you had to walk. There were several more of these bottlenecks, most well known ones are the finish where sometimes if you can't ride slow enough you have to walk, and also Ditchling - she couldn't even attempt to ride up, there were just too many people.

However, I would whole heartedly recommend going to Brighton & meeting someone else who's suffered this ride. I put my bike in the back of the car, got there about 10am, parked for free in the multi-story near the marina, and went for a terrific ride along the coast road to Worthing where I enjoyed a lovely pastie and a pint before riding back.

In short - it's a charity ride which raises fantastic amounts for brilliant causes, but it's just grown far too big! An alternative charity ride I've done is the 'Norwood Capital to Coast' which gets 2-3000 people and is better managed!
http://www.capitaltocoast.org.uk/

^^ agree.

Last year was a nightmare, took ages to get out of London, and really dangerous in some places especially the downhills. I saw about 4-5 people getting scraped off the roads into ambulances. I would only do it again if leaving in the first groups.

Having said that, lunch in Brighton and the ride back were good.

Will be doing capital to coast, on a tandem if we're allowed.

I'm meant to be doing it but I'm starting to get put off but all the stories, I am thinking I would rather just do it on my own as it sounds like a right pain in the arse! I have heard the organisers are incredibly militant too telling people to slow down etc. Not stoked!

Doing it with work colleagues. Already planning my excuses for walking up Ditchling as I'm the only regular cyclist here* and this lot will be expecting a heroic effort from me.

*how long do you have to be off the bike to no longer call yourself regular?

Are you doing it fixed?

I might do it this year, but only if I can motivate myself to set off at half six, otherwise it is just too busy.

Yeah, we are aiming for the 6:30 start time. Do you have to go at their allocated start times or would it be possible to just start and join the route and do your own thing?

Lots of people take option 2, I've always done it officially but this year may just turn up and ride.

Oh sick, yeah I was getting pretty worried about having a late start time and just getting lumbered with the nodders and just not enjoying myself. Just turning up and joining early on would mean we could get ahead, best option i think!

Are you doing it fixed?

Yep, and possibly brakless depending on what I can be arsed doing with my bikes. Think I've got a 7.30 start and its the missus' birthday the day before so I'll be happy of a nice relaxed (virtually stopped) pace due to drunkenness.

Yep, and possibly brakless depending on what I can be arsed doing with my bikes. Think I've got a 7.30 start and its the missus' birthday the day before so I'll be happy of a nice relaxed (virtually stopped) pace due to drunkenness.

Fair enough, dare I saw it on here without getting slaughter but I'm running it brakeless. I want to mash it out so I'm going to try and do it early as.

Ive heard they crack down on brakeless bikes at the start. Might be work draping an old crosstop across ya bars and then chucking it after the start...

Ive heard they crack down on brakeless bikes at the start. Might be work draping an old crosstop across ya bars and then chucking it after the start...

Cheers for that, I'll be aware! I think I'm going to start just down the road as I don't think my team got an early start time :(, if it does come down to that though I'm sure i can borrow a lever off someone for the day.

put down a early start time of 6.30 am cause last year was too bloody busy. gonna do it on a single speed & wanna ride back to London again, anyone else up for that?

The week preceding the The London to Brighton Veteran Car Run I thought it would be fun to treat our sea-gazing neighbours to vintage rides of another sort. Think of it as as a long Tweed Run or a short L'Eroica: vintage bikes, wollen jerseys and handlebar-mounted bottle cages encouraged.

Route:
Leaving London's famous Regent St. @ 10.00 along the standard path on a one stop strategy at The Crown, Turner's Hill. Food and drink at the Cricketers before train home or a ride back for those training.

Riders:

1. BenJam
   

I'll be riding there and back btw

Lovely idea. Unfortunately my tweedmobile is a singlespeed and the geared bike has gone now. Otherwise I'd be all over this.

come on a single, it's possible at about 70GI.

It's true! I just did it on 69GI and it was lovely. Couple little burns in there to keep you sharp but that's it...

my 2008 Felt TK2 okay ben? it did do the Tweed Run 2010 so has 'heritage'.

Nice idea, but I'm already busy that day....