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@pastry_bot
So, based on this, a couple of us plan to circumnavigate London, following the M25 as closely as possible.
space reserved for dropout's
lengthy and impenetrableproseThe route will be approximately 160 miles. It is challenging in places but rewarding too.
You will see plenty of surburban parts of London you will quickly forget, but you'll also get fantastic views of the capital, acres of rural countryside which don't seem to belong so close to the big smoke, abandoned (and often soiled) furniture of all descriptions, horses, donkeys, cows, sheep, buzzards (if we are lucky), and of course, multiple surreal crossings of the monstrosity that is the M25. dropout will have to do the rest...
The Route
BOOM
[ame]http://ridewithgps.com/routes/636556[/ame
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The Details
The** 05:30 from London Bridge** gets into Dartford at 06:08. We'll then roll down to the bike mounting area at the foot of the Dartford Bridge, and hopefully leave by 6:30.
A small group of us (probably dropout, Fox, and myself) will ride at 'audax' pace...14-17mph or thereabouts, probably slower in places, uphill etc. Whippets/roadies/garminbators who would like to go a bit faster are welcome to steal the route and do their own thing, but dangling off the front of the main group/half-wheeling/trying to raise the pace of the group will be frowned upon. Sorry. Pet hate. Conversely, if people are constantly being dropped they may be directed to the nearest station, since we'll aim to try and finish with the daylight.
The distance is demanding, so you should be confident that you can ride in excess of 100 miles in one hit. Having said that, there are plenty of bail out points along the route if you would like to ride, say, the first 80 miles.
Check your bike - do this in advance of the morning of the ride. Make sure it is roadworthy. Check tyres for glass, slits, sidewall rips, etc. Remove glass if necessary. If your tyre says 'Gatorskin' on the side, you should remove it immediately and replace it with something else. Make sure they are inflated properly. Check your brakes. Lube, tighten, clean, do what you need to do.
Also: Bring tools, spare tubes, appropriate clothes, plenty of food and water, lights, batteries, etc. Familiarise yourself with the route, swap numbers before departing, and charge your phone. Eat/drink little and often. We will be able to stop on route but we will aim to minimise the time spent doing this.
It will be fun and you know you want to do it.