2009-07-04 Sat - Dunwich Dynamo 2009

This excludes Roberto who was suited up for a track session and went on his own.

I think thats Robertos usual costume. The year before he rode all night draped in glowsticks instead of lights, as well as riding a brakeless pursuit bike, complete with helmet. Standing at the feed station in the freezing rain, I asked him about his costume. "Oh, I brought a cape, but it was making too much noise so I took it off", he said.

That's right. Edit your life away. You're part of the Apple/ctrl + z generation. Don't blame me when you undo your soul, which you already have.

You have to quote the bastard and immortalise his sins for all eternity. Otherwise, he'll just pull a fast one on you. ;)

I love the DD. This will be my sixth one. I always ride out there with a good mate of mine who lives in the area but I have been meaning to go there and back for some time now. BMMF, don't know how fast you're planning to do the return, but seeing as I have no designs on 12s I suppose I should start asking around for who else might be up for that?

Oh yeah, and I was talking to my friend Alex last night, who mentioned that last year he rode with a couple who, like him, were fixed. He couldn't remember your names, though. He has red hair, is quite short, was riding a Condor fixed taped up with black tape on 48/16. He describes you as very strong riders, woman blond and on a green bike, man with a bike on which he could do barspins (?) and nearly came off on that stupid gravel section. Does anyone on here recognise themselves and Alex in this admittedly ramshackle description?

You can always get the train back from one of the smaller stations that go through Ipswich to London..

Such as my village one (not too far from Dunwich) :P

tried that last year and the train wouldn't take any cyclist as there were about 40 or so waiting for a train that had three carriages. wasn't anticipating cycling to ipswich and that made me very unhappy. that won't stop me from doing it again this year, though.

tried that last year and the train wouldn't take any cyclist as there were about 40 or so waiting for a train that had three carriages. wasn't anticipating cycling to ipswich and that made me very unhappy. that won't stop me from doing it again this year, though.

I can imagine that being the case as I know the organisers mention at least one smaller station and if you don't time it to the correct train, i.e. one that goes direct to Liverpool St. then there's usually a max of 4-5 bike spaces per train..

I'd be more than happy to escort people that don't know the local area to my village station (and if that doesn't work out then onto Ipswich)

tried that last year and the train wouldn't take any cyclist as there were about 40 or so waiting for a train that had three carriages. wasn't anticipating cycling to ipswich and that made me very unhappy. that won't stop me from doing it again this year, though.

Don't try the train from near Dunwich, it's pointless. In 2003, I did it for the first time. Beautiful weather, the best ever (before or since). Caught the 8:50-odd train from Darsham to Ipswich with three others. Four bike spaces, perfect. Changed at Ipswich. That year, the first riders got to Dunwich at 5:40 or so.

The next year the ride was massive, might have been because word of mouth went round about the good weather in 2003, at least double the number. Everybody had done their research, too, so apparently all the trains were overrun. I don't know this firsthand, as I took the coach. The ride started to arrive in Dunwich earlier and earlier, e.g. one bloke was there at 3:30am in 2006 with the massive tailwind. (The rain was in 2007, BTW.)

Since then, the only things that make sense are either to book on the coach laid on by Southwark Cyclists, organise your own motorised transport back, ride all the way back, or ride to Ipswich or another major town and take the train from there.

I love the DD. This will be my sixth one. I always ride out there with a good mate of mine who lives in the area but I have been meaning to go there and back for some time now. BMMF, don't know how fast you're planning to do the return, but seeing as I have no designs on 12s I suppose I should start asking around for who else might be up for that?

Seeing as it's a night ride, I'd aim to take it easy and do the whole 240 miles in about 14 hours riding time - 17/18mph average. Maybe.

He describes you as very strong riders, woman blond and on a green bike, man with a bike on which he could do barspins (?) and nearly came off on that stupid gravel section. Does anyone on here recognise themselves and Alex in this admittedly ramshackle description?

Thats Chris and Amy.

I think I'm going to be doing this geared this year, after speaking to Object and Scott not scot this evening. So will be up for riding some of the way back, if people fancy giving it a go?

Thats Chris and Amy.

Cheers, Jim.

Seeing as it's a night ride, I'd aim to take it easy and do the whole 240 miles in about 14 hours riding time - 17/18mph average. Maybe.

I should be able to manage that kind of average on the way out (we did about 20mph average in 2006, such a blast with that tailwind), but the furthest I've ridden in a day has been about 180 miles, and definitely slower. This means one thing: TRAINING.

I think I'm going to be doing this geared this year, after speaking to Object and Scott not scot this evening. So will be up for riding some of the way back, if people fancy giving it a go?

I'll be geared as usual, and would love to ride back. Now just for that thorny business of getting fit enough ...

Scott and I are intending on doing it this year, both geared though as Scott's done it fixed and brakeless once, dorsn't see the point in doing it again that way and I'm going to have the option of gears by then so novelty factor and newest bike will dictate.

Yeah, definately up for this years...but as object said...after doing it brakeless fixed in the constant f*cking rain from a couple of years back i wanna do it geared this time and actually enjoy it more. My back is a bit too screwed to not be able to stretch out overy few miles without stopping to do it.
Might even do it with one of those 'gay' messenger bags on that i make...;)

Can I change my order, scott?

Are those 'gay' bags? Oh no.. I wanted a 'bi' bag. Can I change my order, scott?

Indecisiveness. How hipp-ay is that?

I would like to do this but I have never ridden that type of distance before. Im going to have to do it fixed as I only have one bike. What sort of training should I do?

hobo you may want to read the whole thread before asking a question like that...

What is your longest ride at the moment?

Do one long ride a week + your other riding
Ride 50k on a Sat/Sunday.
On the next weekend ride 60k
The next weekend ride 70k
Then ride 50k
Then ride 70k
Then 80k
Then 90k
Then 60k
Then 80k
etc

Basically you want to see how far you can ride comfortably and then start doing that once a week, adding a little bit of distance each week as you get closer to the DD.
Each 4 weeks have a shorter ride. You will need to take food and proper clothing (cycling shorts baby! lycra up!), lights if you are doing night rides.
It doesn't have to be so structure though.. just keep trying to extend your long rides.
You will tweak your bike setup the further you go, since people don't notice subtle bike fit issues if they're only riding short distances.. once you start riding 80-100-150k you start to notice things hurting.. :)

10% dictates you don't increase you total mileage in a week by more than 10% and you don't increase your Long ride distance by more than 10%

Sorry.

So does anyone wanna start doing some weekend rides with me?

I would like to do this but I have never ridden that type of distance before. Im going to have to do it fixed as I only have one bike. What sort of training should I do?

Hobo, the distance is hardly the biggest problem--most moderately fit people can do this, albeit perhaps not that fast. Think also about night riding if you haven't done it before. The Southwark Cyclists FAQ gives some pointers.

Yeah, definately up for this years...but as object said...after doing it brakeless fixed in the constant f*cking rain from a couple of years back i wanna do it geared this time and actually enjoy it more. My back is a bit too screwed to not be able to stretch out overy few miles without stopping to do it.
Might even do it with one of those 'gay' messenger bags on that i make...;)

I think I'm going to be doing this geared this year, after speaking to Object and Scott not scot this evening. So will be up for riding some of the way back, if people fancy giving it a go?
Oh god what have I done! Can we all wear matching head to toe lycra and have numbers tattooed into our necks?

I fucking love the Dunwich Dynamo. I'm in. May have to do the Ipswich return leg as well this year, just because, like...

I'm in. I'd like to do it fixed but might have to do it geared if I can't find enough HTFU on the night.

Definitely on for the swimming although I hope I don't have to see the chafed arse of the kilted weirdo from 07 again.

Bring. It. On. I'm so up for this again!

To those who are considering going - More forumengers will make it easier. The distance is mental not physical (assuming a certain level of fitness). Riding with others is what gets you to the end. Too many to name got me through to the first stop and riding with Sam, Brett, Jacqui and Moose are what got me through the second half.

Corny - you will be profoundly missed this year for your raw humour and infectious enthusiasm.

I'd never heard of this before this thread.
But it sounds awsome (bonus for being free too).
I just may have to get some practice in and give it a go.

I wouldn't sweat too much about training.
Anybody can do that distance.

I'd say:

Eat well in the days preceding the ride.
Service your bike prior to the ride.

Take decent portable food and plenty of fluids. Eat and drink regularly, before you get hungry/hit wall etc.
Wear padded bike shorts (under your normal cycling attire or whatever)
Take some decent layers.

Get/borrow decent lights and or ride with someone who has them, take spare batteries.
Bring a selection of tools, split the load with your friends if needs be.
Bring spare chainring bolts and a length of chain, if not for you, someone else might get caught short.
Bring a few spare spokes.

Most importantly: Do not worry about being fast, pace yourself. You will get there in the end and you certainly will not be the slowest in.

Fat 15 year old girls on Halfords dual-suspension mountain bikes did it last year so don't over-engineer your anxiety, you'll be fine.