You are reading a single comment by @hillybiker and its replies.
Click here to read the full conversation.
London Fixed Gear and Single-Speed is a community of predominantly fixed gear and single-speed cyclists in and around London, UK.
This site is supported almost exclusively by donations. Please consider donating a small amount regularly.
@hillybiker
Some updates:
The link to the British School of Cycling shown above for the more sedate ride should now point to this year's event.
Bob has a recumbent I think and I've never been involved in a ride/train/bike interface with one but I've led and been on loads of rides with Lewisham Cyclists and our experience has always been that First Capital Connect and Southern (the two companies running from Brighton to London) are fine with bikes at weekends - maybe they are more strict around about the time of the Brighton charity ride. We've had 15 on no trouble. I'd expect folk to return from this ride in groups anyway - some of us sit on the beach (done it several times even in November) noshing fish and chips and a hard core even ride back to south London.
One point - Lewisham Cyclists/Southwark cyclists have learned to leave that whippet Oliver (and maybe his fixed gear pals) :) to themselves on this - it's all a great day for everyone - but if you are joining the main ride at East Croydon (other points available - see above) ask for Paul or Bill - another group has tagged on to this but is planning to leave 15 mins earlier - but they may well be slower.
As I said, we do leave some of the, er, faster souls to themselves, but some important safety advice follows. As well to be aware of.
[SIZE=2]The first year we did this ride, due to understandably limited opportunities to survey the route, we ended up on a bit of A road just north of Brighton which is a virtual multi-lane motorway. Yes it was fun in a mad mad way, but it isn’t advised. And so, like all years after the first one, the leader will not go that way.
The road in question is just after the descent from Clayton Hill, the last hill before Brighton. We come down the A273 but turn right into Pyecombe just before this becomes the madness that is the marked-green A23. If you end up on this, you enter a multi-lane highway and then encounter a tricky fast feed into a roundabout with cars trying to go left towards Lewes or straight on to Brighton.
To avoid it we will be turning right to go via Pyecombe onto a national cycle route.
You can see the road in question here:
http://g.co/maps/zybry
After following the cycle route for a short distance, we will rejoin the main road for the triumphal zip down to Brighton and the pier.
If you do take the fast road, be warned.
Apart from this, the rest of the ride follows the exact route taken by the cars. That's what makes it so special.
[/SIZE][FONT=Times New Roman][/FONT]
[FONT=Times New Roman]Another safety word from someone who has done the ride a few times:
[/FONT]
[FONT=Times New Roman]It's not advisable to stop in front of any of the vintage cars at junctions or traffic lights. Some of these old cars take a very long time to stop, if stop at all. Brakes seemed to have been an afterthought on some of these contraptions. So be aware and keep to the side of the road if there are cars coming up behind you.
[/FONT]
[FONT=Times New Roman]Have fun chaps
[/FONT]