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

stompy As I said, I'm considering.
I'm going to try and get better at climbing - and I'll sort out 'bail to station' routes.
But Turner Hill and Ditchling - Ouch!

You get better at climbing hills by climbing hills.

I will see you there.

brett I know the way, too.

This guy is cool! :)

I am not considering bailing - Sunday is the day for this ride though because I have commitments on Saturdays.

Stompy - the amount of riding you did the other day was both longer and hillier than the Brighton run.

Okay, then, I'm back in.

There's a nice pub at the top of Turners Hill I suppose.

Cool. What time/place are we departing from?

i am just waiting for my plans for the 10th to be finalised before i jump into this one.

haven't been up ditchling for a while so will be nice to go back and say hello

potentially i might be in. dependent on many things- i might use this as an opportunity to revisit london (by leaving by bike!).
so put me down as a half.

Just hoping like all fuck the weather plays nice.

I think I might ride the Steamer for this, not sure.

MA3K|³| Just hoping like all fuck the weather plays nice.

I think I might ride the Steamer for this, not sure.

The only time I've done this has been in the pissing rain on gears so it can't be worse. But it's going to be really cold. A day like today would be really nice, cool and still and sunny.

The Sumo has SPDs so I can walk up without going down like a sack of..
Rain-free would be lov-a-ly.

i'll tag along, but this will be the longest distance i've ridden fixed by a pretty ridiculous margin. Hurrah!

Start training!

What is: training

You won't need to train if you ride your bike regularly. 80KMs is not that taxing at an easy pace. Eat well before the ride, bring plenty of water and a few high-powered snacks.

Although if hippy wants to turn it into a race then, start training!

Seriously it will be and easy pace with stops when required.

I want to come along for this. Ditchling will be a nice easy wind-down hill for the end of the season ;)

Last time I did this (with 2 gearies, Caterham-Brighton-Caterham) I was on 46x18 / 67.5", and the gearing was fine apart from the fact they wanted to do 25mph+ on the flat sections, so I bonked a bit on the way back after all that spinning. Dropped 'em like proverbial sacks of potatoes on Ditchling though :D

Will see how my schedule mutates over the next week or so...

http://www.bikely.com/maps/bike-path/82189

This is the route I know well, which also passes through Caterham.
Downsides: A bit too much A23 at the beginning. Pedestrianised area of Croydon town centre.
Upsides: We won't get lost. Once we're out of Purley it's nice and quiet/scenic all the way.

I am up for any route suggestions and yours looks good, -edit- nay fantastic brett.

Usually I ride down the death A23 all the way to Pease Pottage services then jump a fence and ride some totally pissed, longer, but really pleasant route via Lower Beeding - Cowfold - Shermanbury - Henfield, but then I am a bit simple.

brett http://www.bikely.com/maps/bike-path/82189

This is the route I know well, which also passes through Caterham.
Downsides: A bit too much A23 at the beginning. Pedestrianised area of Croydon town centre.
Upsides: We won't get lost. Once we're out of Purley it's nice and quiet/scenic all the way.

http://www.trustBrettheknowsEastSussexlikethebackofhishand.com

That is settled then, thank you brett.

BringMeMyFix I want to come along for this. Ditchling will be a nice easy wind-down hill for the end of the season ;)

Hurrah! Maybe you can give me some tips on climbing technique? My current method (dismount and walk) isnt' working too well.

Brett - The route looks good to me. Last time I rode this we took all these funny cindertrack paths to avoid the main roads. With the rain all the grit got kicked into my chain and brakes and gears - ugh.

With an early start the traffic should be light.

Are we planning pub lunch along the way?

asm What is: training

It's where you look into the location of all the train stations near to a ride in order that you may bail when you find you haven't done enough err 'training' ;-)

MA3K|³| Although if hippy wants to turn it into a race then, start training!

Nope, I try to ride with the group as much as possible.
Sometimes I just have to go a little faster. Probably less likely on this ride coz I'll hopefully be riding the Soma.
Sometimes I zoom off the front coz I need a p1ss.
You can chase me if you want but watch out for the over-spray ;)

brett http://www.bikely.com/maps/bike-path/82189

This is the route I know well, which also passes through Caterham.
Downsides: A bit too much A23 at the beginning. Pedestrianised area of Croydon town centre.
Upsides: We won't get lost. Once we're out of Purley it's nice and quiet/scenic all the way.

Not bovvered.. but is there an alternative to the A23 and Croydon sections you wanna try?
Getting a bit lost could be fun.. might find some nice B roads. (This coming from the guy that rides down motorways..)

bump

cough bump cough

Who's coming then?
Leaving at ?am Sunday?