N2R - FGSS to Brighton - 11th Nov - 9AM Hyde Park Corner

Sano (Samsonite) Which I have!

Thank the lord for front loading stems and a spare set of drop bars!

me too, well a spare stem and bars for a switch anyway. you'll be fine then.

You rule flickwg, that is funny as.

I like just black-on-white with bolt detail btw.

Ditchling is very STEEP in places. 46x18 or 48x20 would probably do it. but that would mean you were spinning out the rest of the time.

MA3k, Saddlescombe is comparable in places but the Beacon is longer and a lot twistier. you can alway swing a right and take old london road route if you can't face the beacon.

Don't eat Fish and Chips on Brighton beach. It's lame. Either go to the Kemptown fish and chips or head to the Pub with No name for the best damn roast I've had in my life. I really can't emphasise that enough, you have to try their lamb shank!

I'm in London sat so I'll either ride down with you lot or hopefully see you in Brighton.

BringMeMyFix [quote]TheBrick(Tommy) We should grab a pub lunch by the sea when we arrive. Roast Beef / pork/ lamb / chicken / air, depending on your taste, religious and moral standing.

That'll be 'air' for me then, seeing as I'm a veggie.[/quote]

Seconded. I'm vegan and an ex-brighton local so I'll be happy to take a splinter group of moral people somewhere else, provided I can make it that is.

Also I'm planning on keeping my 44:16 ratio and I run brakeless. Is this just insane?

I have never done that hill so I'm not for chickening out.
If worst comes to worst I will grind, cry, grind, scream, walk.

Object17 Also I'm planning on keeping my 44:16 ratio and I run brakeless. Is this just insane?

Might be going down the hill into Brighton. It's pretty fast.

My brakeless has a better ratio too, hmm which bike to take?

a) 46 x 16 brakeless with 28Cs and short riser bars
b) 48 x 16 with brake and skinny tyres and drops

Elvis [quote]Object17 Also I'm planning on keeping my 44:16 ratio and I run brakeless. Is this just insane?

Might be going down the hill into Brighton. It's pretty fast.[/quote]

I've got no room on my bars for a brake lever and a rim with no brake surface. Maybe I'll just have to walk down the hill :]

those skinny tyres and drops have got to be worth a couple of teeth

did the L2B this year on my road bike and from memory ditchling was nowhere near as steep as the hills on our hillclimb ride. i managed to climb it on 42x23 i think.

id say 48x16 will carry you through as i remember there were loads of long descents and just that one major climb. walk ditchling. long fast downhill after that. go well ahead and setup nets at the bottom for those going breakless

missing out...wish i was doin this.

fatboyralph go well ahead and setup nets at the bottom for those going breakless

haha. excellent idea.

jonny those skinny tyres and drops have got to be worth a couple of teeth

So you are saying to leave the Steamroller at home? :p

MA3K|³| [quote]jonny those skinny tyres and drops have got to be worth a couple of teeth

So you are saying to leave the Steamroller at home? :p[/quote]

i knew i was setting you up for something like that. i like the fact she is still smiling.

Yeah I would have cried like a wee bairn.

Ok it looks like a fun, so if the weather will be fine im in.

1. MA3K
   
2. TheBrick(Tommy)
   1.8 Lucky7
   2 0bject17
   6 d0cA
   7 (and friend)
   8 stompy 47x17
   9 BMMF (my lucky number!) - unless it's pissing down. 46x18 :)
   10 brett (have replaced rear hub with loaded pepper grinder for smoother ride)
   11 matthew
   12 Dave
   13 Jonny??
   14 Roberto (riding fixed this time!)
   15 Arsen_Design :)
   

We're in luck weather wise... The Beeb's forcast shows sunny intervals and 11C, which to my mind is about perfect.

On the food front I remember Bankers on the brighton-hove border always did pretty good fish and chips, and the Barley Mow in Kemp Town was reliably good for substantial roasts of all persuasions... any of you current Brighton folk know if they're still good?

billys is two secs from my house, and I'd reccomend the hop polls for sunday lunches.

Might be able to meet a few people for some beers depending how my stag do goes night before...

jonny [quote]MA3K|³| Steep like the first three quarters of Swains lane(which is OK) or STEEP like the last quarter?

it's been a couple of years since i last went up so my memory plays tricks. too many miles, too many hills. i would say parts of ditchling are up there with the top of Swains lane. maybe BMMF can elucidate further[/quote]

What Brett said about 2 x Highgate Hill West is a good analogy (except twistier with better views!), but there's also a lot of information here:

http://website.lineone.net/~jim.henderson/cycling/hc/ditchling.html

3:45.2

Oh good, nothing to worry about then, will be up in 5:00(10:00/15:00???) :p

it's not that bad, done it twice on my old single speed running 48x18...(was fucked at the top though) don't know about coming down the other side some guy i was with clocked 48mph.....fun fixed....hmmmm!!!!

You're all f'in mad!!

Up hill, down hill, burning thighs then spinning like crazy.

I almost soiled myself going down the hill from Ditchling to Brighton and that was on a geared bike.

ok two things, first off will i die, with 42:16, will i go spin crazy, on the flat

secondly getting back, are we riding later or train or what, its just i've got some people i want to see

thanks

42:16 is fine - 69". I'll be on 67.5" which gives me 18mph at 90rpm, 20mph at 100rpm, etc. I doubt people are planning to cruise along much faster than that.

I think we're getting the train, what with daylight considerations.

Talking of logistics though, should I be bringing along a lock dyafink?

i don't ride nowhere without a lock - or two. but yes, i'm definitely getting the train back (and hoping stompy sorted out his list of bailing stations along the way, too!). i'm 46x16 adn hoping that will do me fine. the pub i'm thinking of in brighton does great sunday lunch with vege options: it's the one on the corner of upper st james st and atlingworth st, and i'll be buggered if i can remember the name! great food, free wireless (not that i'm taking my lappy!) and comfy sofas, plus a garden where we should be able to take our bikes in. billy's is great too.

I like the sound of a venue where we can take our bikes off the street (and with veggie options), cos I'm not in the habit of carrying locks outside the metropolis.

I suppose I could bring my 5ft cable lock, partly as it will wrap round a few frames, and partly as a handicap on the climbs ;)