The Richmond Park 3-Lap Challenge

I know, there are signs up. the gates are locked from monday. Might start going very early mornings before dawn. Bracing!

lights off? did you cycle without any lights?
i'd love to go during the night but don't fancy being knocked over by a deer

bike lights are for being seen, not seeing. (unless you invest in serious headlights for over a hundred quid) You see alot more without them. They just light up a circle of road infront of you and make everything else black. As your eyes get accustomed to the dark you can see everything, all the bumps in the road, all the deer. Its a shame about all the london light pollution really. I had a red flashing one on the back.

i was thinking about taking my petzl head torch, not sure if it'd be enough though

Plus bear in mind that for every action there is an equal and opposite reaction- so your front light would make you slower.

You should probably mention it if your time was "assisted" by a rear light.

Plus bear in mind that for every action there is an equal and opposite reaction- so your front light would make you slower.

You should probably mention it if your time was "assisted" by a rear light.

I'm not sure if I understand this.

If you shoot a beam of photons backwards, you're going to be propelled forward, aren't you? Not by a lot, probably just one or two MPH, but it all adds up. Use ten lights, for example, and you won't have to pedal at all.

NASA plan something similar here to set a PB to the stars.

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Light_sail

Having gears is worth at least three minutes 20 seconds per lap

:)

post it up then, tom

Please, *[highlight]QUOTE THIS LIST[/highlight]* and update it with your times. Then delete the [quote ] bits at the beginning of the end.

Anti-Clockwise___________

• 6pt - 53:30 (G)
  
• 6pt - 54:35 (F - 84")
  
• Bainbridge - 58.58 (G)
  
• T-V - 59.30 (G)
  
• FixedCheese - 59:42 (F - 74")
  
• Olly398 - 1:01:00 (G)
  
• smiff - 1:01:27 (G)
  
• william1984 - 1:04:08 (G)
  
• Dan - 1:06:12 (G)
  
• smiff - 1:06:15 (F)
  
• toby.d - 1:06:52
  
• vunugu - 1:09:11 (F - 75.6")
  
• Sparky - 1:10:23 (G)
  
• Sam - 1:14:44 (F)
  
  
  

Clockwise________________

• HÏnáta - 00:59:21 (G)
  
• muleboy - 1:00:57
  
• jimmyjazz - 1:03:00
  
  
  
  

<- Trispok of Regret award for inappropriate wheel choice
<- the FixedCheese Babybel of Speed award for fastest fixed rider

I spent more time wrestling with the front wheel than I did having fun :( this mostly down to misjudging the amount of wind out there - similarly I think I was a little overgeared, the climbs were doable but unpleasant (expected, but by lap 3 that short sharp one was really unpleasant) - grinding in to a head/crosswind was what broke me.

Darth Vader NO! - YouTube

I was tempted to leave you the cheese, but dammit I earnt it.

6pt is a big bully :p

I would just like to mention that I didn't start the list, nor did I start the thread. Also, sod doing it clockwise. I can now bow out :)

I would just like to mention that I didn't start the list, nor did I start the thread. Also, sod doing it clockwise. I can now bow out :)

Sparky - 1:10:23

6pt - 53:30
Sparky - 1:10:23

It takes two to start a list.

breaks non-posting vow

If you shoot a beam of photons backwards, you're going to be propelled forward, aren't you? Not by a lot, probably just one or two MPH, but it all adds up. Use ten lights, for example, and you won't have to pedal at all.

NASA plan something similar here to set a PB to the stars.

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Light_sail

I'll pop down and do a sub 50 minute lap tonight then

I would just like to mention that I didn't start the list, nor did I start the thread. Also, sod doing it clockwise. I can now bow out :)

To misquote Hamlet, I think the lady doth protest a little too much

I'll pop down and do a sub 50 minute lap tonight then

That's cheating - everyone knows red bikes are faster.

Saw two fixie skidder types, one with bullhorns and a swirly tat on his right calf, the other on a black IRO who looked like he might be on here. Anyone?

The guy on the IRO was my mate Jared. He's too cool to be on the forum. Big kiwi guy, can be fast as hell and is fearless in traffic.

He spotted you too... apparently you stood out a bit with all the white gear, massive logos and wom wom wheels!

That's cheating - everyone knows red bikes are faster.

Yes I'm counting on this! When they get round to finishing the refurb of the shower at work, I'm going to take a long lunch and cycle up to the Park (I work in Richmond). I reckon I can do it in under 1:30, so I should slot onto the bottom of the list and maybe encourage people who have been put off by the speed freaks into entering their times too. Mind you after cycling up the hill to the Park (geared) I might just call it a day...

The guy on the IRO was my mate Jared. He's too cool to be on the forum. Big kiwi guy, can be fast as hell and is fearless in traffic.

He spotted you too... apparently you stood out a bit with all the white gear, massive logos and wom wom wheels!

Who'd have thought, two big kiwi guys riding fixie skidders the same way round Richmond Park at the same time. Shame only one of them is cool, fast as hell and fearless in traffic.

#hangsheadinshameandvowstobecoolerfasterandfearlesssomeday

LFGSS got a possible shout out in the Richmond & Twickenham Times newspaper today.

Park should not be a speedway

Sir - I would like to remind the cycling community that the 20mph speed limit in Richmond Park applies to all and at all times.
Motorists may drive above the speed limit and may be-have done so badly, but that does not give us the right to as well. Police are enforcing speed traps in various places where cyclists could be speeding. I think that at least part of the downhill run described as the ninth best in the UK, is one of them.
A majority of cyclists do behave properly and the established clubs which use the park, have agreed codes of conduct with the police, for example, by limiting group numbers and speeds.
However, [B]there are informal cycling groups in the park who are taking the Richmond Park three-lap challenge, posting times and comments on forums. Google them for yourself, but their times and some of the comments show they have little or no regard for other users of the park and consider themselves elitist.[/B]
I can't imagine what else would motivate a cyclist on a downhill section to overtake several cars on a narrow blind bend changing from bright sunshine to shade.
I've seen this myself and, reading other comments, it isn't rare but is a recipe for disaster.
It's exactly that sort of behaviour that has focused negative attention on the cyclist in the park, spoiling it for all of us. If these individuals limited themselves to times when the park is closed to cars or were to use the Surrey Hills, (a real challenge and part of the Olympic Route), then there might be fewer conflicts in the park and we'd all enjoy it more.

ha.

elitistist.

Possible shout out? Definite.

I think what a lot of people fail to realise is that cars should have an enforced limit in Richmond park, and the roads should probably be tolled to reduce car numbers in there.
Cyclists on the other hand being limited to 20 takes the whole point of using the park for serious training away. How are you going to be able to better yourself if you can't push yourself to the limit, and where else would they have us go to do [relatively safe] circuit training other than Richmond or Regents Park?

Cars should be allowed to get from the gates to the car parks and back. they should be banned from the circuit.

Possible shout out? Definite.

I think he's actually referring to bike radar, unless someone in this thread has admitted to overtaking on a "downhill section to overtake several cars on a narrow blind bend changing from bright sunshine to shade".

Which I hope not. If you google Richmond park 3 lap challenge lfgss is actually third.