Audax rides

Entered Brazier's Run 100 on Sunday 21st Feb. I've done this 4 times (I think) and cycled the 75k to the start the last 3 times. Not sure about cycling home too, will probably bail to Elsenham station but we'll see.

Also entered the Ditchling Devil 200 on the 5th June. Will probably be helping out and handing out cards at the start too, setting off 15/20 minutes late and then catching up the people who are slower than me.

Is the DD a nice ride? I've been thinking of doing that as a perm for ages but I'm more familiar with Boat Trip so usually do that.

Ditchling Devil is great. Though that's more in relation to the actual event and the cake, organisation, etc. But it's also a really nice route. There's a slightly tedious bit of main road somewhere on the way back, but other than that is almost all nice quiet roads once you're out of London. Quite a few hills as well - the loop that takes you over the South Downs in and out of Brighton is a little punishing... I'm not sure how much I'd enjoy that without being able to look forwards to the catering at the control that comes after that.
DD was my first ever audax - I joined audax uk the next day I think.

Cheers. Guess I'll have to give it a go at some stage and find out for myself. I've ridden to Brighton and back a few times so I know roughly what to expect though I tended to ride back on busier roads because me+navigation=fail.

It's definitely one of the better London>Brighton>London routes. Particularly the route down, which seems to get out of London quite quickly compared to some. The bit coming into London on the way back always seems a bit of a drag, but I think that's just the way with the last hour of most rides.

I love the DD route. About 2300m climbing is about perfect for fat unfit me.

To make a LBL route at least 200k you've got to add one some miles somewhere. I did a DIY 200 down to Brighton and back with Paul (DD organiser) near the end of the 2009 season as we both needed one more ride to bring up 50 points, I think he was also using the ride to scope out ideas for the DD.

Luckily he used his ideas and not my idea of making the route down longer by going via Royal Tunbridge Wells (https://www.strava.com/activities/162786543) and back over the North Downs via Pebblehill Road (I had wanted to go up via Box Hill but that was vetoed). The A217 back towards London is a quite speedy road though.

On the DD (https://www.strava.com/activities/320907609) the hills are done with 30k to go, it's a reasonably steady descent all the way from the top of Coombe Lane back to Londonton via Esher and Kingston.

It starts and finishes a few miles from my house so I try and do it every year.

I've ridden DD as perm. Feels very lonely after riding it a calendar event. I used to live in Brighton for many years and find it a shame that the route doesn't go to the beach so I like to add an extra detour.

Unless it's 30+ degrees and the beach is sandy I have near zero interest in detouring to a 'beach'.

Once again I am mainly thinking about doing it as a Perm for a training ride with a difference rather than for 'fun'. I struggle to find motivation these days to go out and ride up and down R roads like I used to for TT training so audaxes give me a bit of a mix with different terrain, less traffic and the need to navigate and sometimes collect receipts.
Better than 6hrs out the A4, 6hrs back, rinse repeat every weekend. :S

I'll ride the EWE 200 with you if you want. I'm trying for the RRTY this year.

Better than 6hrs out the A4, 6hrs back on western rail. :S

sorry, I thought you'd become a train spotter these days..

:D :D

Yeah, just a quick 460k pootle beforehand to warm up before all that hardcore trainspotting action.

Yeah, could do. I didn't have any plans to do it yet but it company might make it more interesting. Have you done a Jan 200 yet or is that going to be Willy Warmer?

What and when is EWE?

http://www.lfgss.com/comments/12723455/

Look like it will sunny but cold and probably icy on the WW

Will be the WW. For @Señor_Bear and myself. Also attempting RRtY.

Like Aliona and Robin at the Olympics.

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Looking forward to Saturday.

Been fretting about mudguards or lack of after deciding I don't want to ride my Mercian, which makes anything long distance a chore tbh.

After of hours of fettling last night, trying to bodge mudguards onto my Colnago C40, fuck knows why I though that would ever work. I am off to buy some clip on raceblades after work, I don't want to be 'that guy' chucking road shit in everyone's faces!

chucking

Mudflap on a raceblade? Send me the manual please.

Something to look forward to in summer.

Two events (200km and 110km) starting in Richmond-upon-Thames on August 6th.

Simple X-rated events down to Chichester and back for the 200 and the 110km uses the first and last 50km from that event (with 10km linking them together) for a nice trip around the Surrey Hills.

Information and links to enter here

After a couple of hours of commuting and freezing my fingers and toes I'm wondering if I can deal with a whole day of it.

I'll see if I have a can of htfu in the cupboard.

No start at Brew Cafe then?

#trollolol

Looks good though, will add it to my list of rides to consider entering closer to the time. X-rated but all those controls look like great places to stop anyway (always a bonus).

Rep for sucking up to Marcus.

Hi folks !
How do you do when you're cycling alone to stay in a good 'motivation' mood?
Music? Radio?