London Phoenix Easter Classic - 9 April 2012

well done you guys.

Were you on the beige de rosa with red wheels?

I'd like to think of it as "ivory" rather than beige - but it does have red wheels !!!!!!!

what were you riding? - and well done - sounds like you had a much better day than me!!

I was in the spattered white rain jacket on black carbon giant moaning about the lack of mudguards. I saw you when you were just behind Look guy in mtb shorts I think.
Hooray unexpected forum spot!

Seems like the majority of the early finishers were LFGSS!

Didn't want to hang about in that weather...

I remember - plain black carbon giant - you were going some when you came through! - The only "look" guy I remember was riding with a chap on a fabulous steel merkx with Shamals,- don't know if you spotted him on your way through?

I was overtaken near the end by a guy on a black look, guess it was him.

Was I the only one with full (well, Crud 2) guards?

There was some nice machinery on show - as well as some of the classic stuff there was a lot of the usual posh carbon, including some Colnago's and a guy with Di2 on something.

Haven't people heard of winter bikes :-)

Sorry to hear some cnut moved the signs around. A large chunk of time was spent making sure they were solid and fastened well, alas, it seems there are some challenged people out there.

What were you riding Canny Jock - I saw an old school Vitus (Black 979?) with a pair of Cruds

No, a de-stickered blue Ribble winter bike, not the comfiest thing in the world for a ride like that.

I remember - plain black carbon giant - you were going some when you came through! - The only "look" guy I remember was riding with a chap on a fabulous steel merkx with Shamals,- don't know if you spotted him on your way through?

Yup shiny shiny. Gave that group a tow for a bit, then they sent one off with me as a sacrifice so I'd leave them alone. Yo yo'd with him for a bit, picked up a dude on a BMC who had punctured but was going strong, who then punctured again. Sacrifice then caught me again, he broke with 20 miles to go and I rode in alone. Not a fun ride to be doing solo, wasn't in a nice place when I finished.

I was overtaken near the end by a guy on a black look, guess it was him.

Was I the only one with full (well, Crud 2) guards?

I had crud road racer on the back. Surprised at how few made the effort.

There was some nice machinery on show - as well as some of the classic stuff there was a lot of the usual posh carbon, including some Colnago's and a guy with Di2 on something.

Haven't people heard of winter bikes :-)

Did you seethe dude on the tricross with a rack and mavic cosmic carbones? Strong look :)

I was going to ride my winter bike, which is a Mercian Vincitore with mudguards, but:
a, It is nearly as pretty as the colnago (and more aged)
b, it is for sale in the classifieds at the mo. so didn't really feel inclined to get it filthy, after lavishing tlc on it to get it ready to sell.

Having said that I take the point about mudguards - my eyes are still bloodshot from all the crap they got in them today.

There were some beautiful bikes around today: modern and vintage...

Bit of a preponderance of deep section wheels - not something I'd fancy in that wind!

Sorry to hear some cnut moved the signs around. A large chunk of time was spent making sure they were solid and fastened well, alas, it seems there are some challenged people out there.

Pretty much inevitable I'd have thought. Overall it was a very well organised event, and, as has been mentioned, the cakes at the halfway stop were truly bitchin'.

Benj - were you on the yellow master olympic? - rather nice I thought.

Pro's don't have winter bikes (but they do get new ones a bit more frequently than the rest of us) - reminds me, I'd better put mine in the shed - it's currently being cleaned outside in the rain.

Nice!

Did anyone do it sans gears?

@ Canny Jock. Thanks for seeing me right after Matching Green. You're a gent. My overall average was a little slower than yours. Explained by you dropping me for good about 15 miles out. Sorry I didn't chat much with you afterwards, I was utterly shagged out.

@ Rik Van Looy. I knew you'd be on here. I really like that De Rosa. I hardly think we dropped you. You just lucked out. And I'm pretty sure you passed me when the lads got tired of dragging me along and I forever aloned it the last 28 miles.

@ Dsan. Organisation and signage was ace I thought. One missing sign in matching Green seemed to be the death of many of us. But you can't account for a dick move by some drunk on the way home from the pub.

Hello to 6pt. Shame we didn't chat.

And yes - those oaty figgy cakey things were the nuts! I had two and in London's famous Notting Hill you'd probably have to pay the whole entrance fee for a couple of those bad boys!

I enjoyed it but frankly hated the last 20 or so miles. Alone in the pain cave. And my god my eyes! Next time I do anything sociable like that in the rain I will certainly have some cruds on. Apologies to all behind me (although if we're honest, we all enjoyed that Roubaix style mud pack look at the end).

Bit of a preponderance of deep section wheels - not something I'd fancy in that wind!

Yeah, one of the first guys out was using Zipp 404's. I was getting blown around enough with Neutrons.

Yup, that's me. I forced myself to do some cleaning and tinkering after the ride, so she's back lookin' sweet as...

Bad luck with the punctures - we were just behind you when you had one fairly early on. I remember doing a sportive in the rain in Kent and getting 4 flats once - I could've wept!

Nice De-Rosa you've got, your friend was on an aluminium Colnago wasn't he?

Benj - were you on the yellow master olympic? - rather nice I thought.

Pro's don't have winter bikes (but they do get new ones a bit more frequently than the rest of us) - reminds me, I'd better put mine in the shed - it's currently being cleaned outside in the rain.

Aha, quite a few forumengers out then. 6pt, I definitely remember you coming past at a good lick. And Benj & co., some nice bikes out.

I punctured twice, and the legs faded annoyingly early (I haven't ridden more than about 40 miles in one go in the last six months), plus a spot of back pain for good measure, grumble grumble.

Filthy day but enjoyed it in the end.

Sitting at home with a glass of whisky, watching Paris-Roubaix, the pain seems like a distant memory (until I climb the stairs).

Just been emailed them, but can't upload them using a tablet. Can anyone put them up?

4th! That'll do, I guess.