2012-06-30 Sat/Sun - Dunwich Dynamo DD20

Actually, there was one moment when I felt lees than serene. 6am and someone said kudos for doing this singlespeed, ffs we were fixed you c*nt.

Ha ha ha.

'Ways to piss off a fixie skidder #01'

Not him, this guy was in middle of nowhere

... a great dogging spot as it was miles from any civilisation

lol!!!

My train into London was 2-hours late, so I arrived at London Fields at 9:30 to find just about everyone had gone. Jumped on the back of small group just leaving and got as far as the church yard before they started faffing over the route - decided to strike out on my own, and ended up lost in Leytonston. GF navigated me back on route by phone - so glad to see "Rollapaluza" bloke at Woodford Green to know I was back on route! All fairly straight-forward after that panicy start (apart from some roadie congratulating me for doing it on a a Brompton - "it's a Moulton, mate!").

I got DAS'ed at about the 90m mark...I was getting a bit knackered at that point

you were knackered before getting to Mare St. ?

#metric4life

(apart from some roadie congratulating me for doing it on a a Brompton - "it's a Moulton, mate!").

'Ways to piss off an origami cyclist #01'

The Brompton train was great they went passed as I was coming out of the tea and chickens stop and I Yo- Yoed them for a fair bit -kept catching them but they lost me on the descents.

What time did they go through and how fast were they going? The only Bromptons I saw were coming into Dunwich at 7.15 as I was riding out to Halesworth and they didn't seem that quick. I was passed by a 16" Moulton early on going like stink -- couldn't catch him. Beautiful bike, though (if you like that sorta thing).

I want to say a MASSIVE thank you to the two southwark cyclists who gave up their seats on the last coach when it was realised that there wasn't space for me and Ale. They didn't moan, just grabbed their tandem out of the back of the truck and headed off to the nearest train station.

That was Stuart from Bike Fix and Jane from Cycle Training UK. I don't think they have anything to do with Southwark Cyclists but they did put the tea lights out earlier in the night and are mates of Patrick.

They then broke a spoke on the tandem (not theirs - belongs to a girl with mobility issues who did the ride with stuart on the front and kinda needed it to get home from the drop off) somewhere near Snape that went into the chain and some other shit to do with the proper functioning of a tandem. They had to then ride in a high gear fairly head fucked in a race for a train. Jane kept demanding Stuart to stop as her blinks were getting longer and longer. Someone needs to invent a freewheeling bottom bracket for the stoker of a tandem.

Would be nice if the two girls who turned up unprepared and didn't plan on how they'd get home to do something nice for the two of them - actually, for the tea lights alone it would be nice of everyone to do something nice for them!

What time did they go through and how fast were they going? The only Bromptons I saw were coming into Dunwich at 7.15 as I was riding out to Halesworth and they didn't seem that quick. I was passed by a 16" Moulton early on going like stink -- couldn't catch him. Beautiful bike, though (if you like that sorta thing).

We caught a guy on a beautiful Moulton right at the end - he was indeed flying, and it was a lovely bike. If you like that sort of thing.

That was Stuart from Bike Fix and Jane from Cycle Training UK. I don't think they have anything to do with Southwark Cyclists but they did put the tea lights out earlier in the night and are mates of Patrick.

They then broke a spoke on the tandem (not theirs - belongs to a girl with mobility issues who did the ride on it and kinda needed it to get home with stuart) somewhere near Snape that went into the chain and some other shit to do with the proper functioning of a tandem. They had to then ride in a high gear fairly head fucked in a race for a train. Jane kept demanding Stuart to stop as her blinks were getting longer and longer. Someone needs to invent a** freewheeling bottom bracket for the stoker of a tandem**.

Would be nice if the two girls who turned up unprepared and didn't plan on how they'd get home to do something nice for the two of them - actually, for the tea lights alone it would be nice of everyone to do something nice for them!

Such a thing does exist I believe, I recall something similar from my tandem internet travels...
e: tandem nerdery, seeing as this is becoming my destiny.

Loved the Brompton train, I caught wiff of them lining up nicely outside a pub in formation as if it's ready for a Le Man-style start near the feed stop.

Would love to attempt that ride on a Brompton, abet without tribar naturally.

Loads of people didn't book tickets (train or coach), collect their paid for bus tickets at the start or even know to collect from the start - despite my spam.

Apparently the issue was the coach people telling us they had more seats than they did on the last coach so Colin thought he could squeeze a few more on.

According to my spies, loads of people rocked up in London Fields long after 9pm too.

Would be nice if the two girls who turned up unprepared and didn't plan on how they'd get home to do something nice for the two of them - actually, for the tea lights alone it would be nice of everyone to do something nice for them!

I assume you don't mean me? i had a ticket and was booked for that coach, it was just unfortunately that it was thought to more empty than it was and a few extra tickets were sold on the day.

I appreciate them giving up their seats even more if they weren't Southwark cyclists even more, and frankly wouldn't have accepted their seats if i had known they weren't some of the organisers. pass on my thanks. would like to buy them both a drink sometime.

dont think Fausto meant you Michael. you don't match any part of the desciption!

"the two girls who turned up unprepared and didn't plan on how they'd get home"

I think you are right Rosie.

cut my life into pieces

this is my last resort?

I think you are right Rosie.

Ah, I deleted it as decided I was speculating wildly but in that case - I think Jane is saoirse on here; she's a Lewisham Cyclist.

We caught a guy on a beautiful Moulton right at the end - he was indeed flying, and it was a lovely bike. If you like that sort of thing.

I got to Dunwich at 4am and he'd been there awhile! Moultons are quicker than Bromptons, but several times the price (or Brompton riders are slower than Moulton riders, but several times the weight?).

Loved the Brompton train, I caught wiff of them lining up nicely outside a pub in formation as if it's ready for a Le Man-style start near the feed stop.

Would love to attempt that ride on a Brompton, abet without tribar naturally.

Would love to have joined them! All I can say is, if you do it on a B then take a cushion because my everything tingles (and not doing a lot else) since Dunwich!!! My first ton on a Brommie and I did all four station runs as well, so up around 135 miles.
Another thing: you can do worse than finding a tandem to draft, because they keep the climbing speed down a bit. You can't really stand in the pedals on a B, as you can't on a tandem, so a tandem's uphill pace is less demoralising than trying to keep up with roadies (or ss'n'fixies). I followed what looked to be a husband-and-wife team for a good part of the way and they got to Dunwich around 4.30 I think. They had a scrap of plastic as the spray catcher on the rear guard and must've left Hackney around 8.05pm -- are they known around these parts? If so -- THANK YOU!!!

what an amazing night and a huge thank you to all that helped organise it and those i chatted to on the route. it was my first DD and I am massively looking forward to next year with the knowledge i garnered this year.

I will definitely fit a brake, my legs were killing at the time from the down hill sections but i'm all good today. I will definitely try and fit my spare clothes / food onto my bike rather than having a back pack. other than that the weather/ company/ route and organisation were fantastic and i will remember it forever.

which bike were you on?

^^he got in around 3:40 I think, we yo-yo'd with him for a bit. Agree with the tandem pacing - we found it hard work keeping with the roadies for the lumpy bits at the end (my shouting "Power! Power power power power!' at tb only does so much to reverse the situation) and it was frustrating mingling with, and then overtaking, them on the flats only to slide to the back on the ups.

Before Ludwig fell back due to air rapidly escaping his tyre he was enthusing about the tandem draft, saying it was quite unlike anything else he'd sat behind; it left a void more car than bike sized. Which is just as well, the way Ludwig rides (it was lovely having you along for the time we did!)

If you came in around 4, did you sweep up the two lovely lads without lights, one in pave kit and one in bikefood kit with a rucksack? they kept us entertained for the better part of 60 miles before dropping off at the end due to, I think, a freehub giving up the ghost.

I got to Dunwich at 4am and he'd been there awhile! Moultons are quicker than Bromptons, but several times the price (or Brompton riders are slower than Moulton riders, but several times the weight?).

Definitely quicker given it's a proper bike that happen to have small wheels, the Moulton is perfectly at home on this particular ride due to the lack of hill, I know I would've enjoyed mine on the last Dun Run had I not took the fixed wheel bike.

Put it in a very hilly area and it'll struggle with it's tiny wheels.

just read up the thread about the stolen whiskey. shocked. don't know what stop you're talking about, i didn't realise there were any stops in people's houses. but anyway we should buy them a nice bottle and something else, a set of tumblers or something. count me in for a fiver if someone manages to arrange this.

Bless you ^

The lady posted her story on the FB page if you want to read the conversation there.

She seems pleased to know that so many of us are horrified by the theft and says she doesn't want us to replace her booze.

which bike were you on?

red moser with zipp front wheel. apologies if i spoke to you in the last 1/3, my chat was well off game by then.

well i suppose that's her perogative. i'll check out the FB page when i'm less sleepy. huge thanks for your efforts with the coaches and ride in general. hope you get to ride it next year and on a similarly mild night with a wind at your back, it really was a joy.
you and Saint Benjam were absolute stars on the sunday too with the coach/van aftermath

Many many thanks to alex and all her team from southwark ;

we got lost towards the end [ missed a turning through inattention, probably having chilled out too much in the wonderful yurt]
and inadvertently saw the sights of saxmundham
[ not that interesting at 7 am]
but with help from fellow lost cyclists
we found the A12 and the road to dunwich to get to the beach and the best full english;
flew my kite [ literally]
and saw my recumbent safely loaded on the artic.

i know its heresy on this list but for those of you complaining about sore matters below the waist; my trusty old kingcycle recumbent ensured that i could walk with ease today; [and did my usual 15 mile commute]

i cannot recommend a recumbent too highly; no aching wrists/shoulders etc either;

as ever a wonderful night;
congrats to my daughter on her first dd [regular road bike; geared] who kept her old man company on the road

roll on next year