2009-04-26 Sun - 6am London Marathon Ride

Who's the chap on the far left of the group shot with the bianchi pista? Are you called Harvey?

I think it might be Gus that you're thinking of.

Did anybody else notice that there is loads of space either side of us in the group photo and I distinctly remember the Squadie walking backwards a few paces and telling us to squeeze in!

I think it might be Gus that you're thinking of.

Did anybody else notice that there is loads of space either side of us in the group photo and I distinctly remember the Squadie walking backwards a few paces and telling us to squeeze in!

The Bianchi Pista chap is me Mannie, ....[FONT=Trebuchet MS]Mystery man "should be my new forum name"[/FONT]

I think it might be Gus that you're thinking of.

Did anybody else notice that there is loads of space either side of us in the group photo and I distinctly remember the Squadie walking backwards a few paces and telling us to squeeze in!

First camera he used probably had a narrower field of view or whatever. I noticed quite a few people (very quietly) giving him shit about his ability to understand technology. Pretty disappointing considering how helpful he was. I suppose he was just another thick squaddie eh?

Other than that, fantastic ride. Props to Corny for keeping it all on track as best as he could!

What concerns me most is he's happily given a massive fuck off gun but can't opperate a camera?! I'm scared for my life!

same technology, point and shoot. Perhaps he needed 6 weeks basic training to operate the camera

same technology, point and shoot. Perhaps he needed 6 weeks basic training to operate the camera

Be nice.

First 13 miles was great. Thanks for your concern Leni, and yes thanks I managed it home Gerald. I was using an inappropriate BB (still never sorted this grrr) and it decided to shift when I hopped down a curb, thus inner ring started fouling my chain stay (it was where we came upon a crashed Prius and a slightly drunk looking driver being detained by armed police! mad looking crash that). From there to Tower Bridge, everyone bombing along and me going slow, managed to catch up at Tower Bridge when you talked to a copper there, only for everyone to hop back on and bomb away whilst I was trying to work out what was going wrong.... Scrape scrape scrape for two miles home, my lovely Mercian paintjob being scraped off. :( Doh.

Hope the guy was trailing there caught up, he mentioned having 'too bad asthma' for the pace. It really was quite pacey!

Hope the guy was trailing there caught up, he mentioned having 'too bad asthma' for the pace. It really was quite pacey!

I thought we had a single group? i tried (along with some others) to bring up the rear at key turns, thought we had everyone covered? The pace was great (bit quick but not killer) that said my gearing sucked for anything uphill... think a 17t hub next time :S

same technology, point and shoot. Perhaps he needed 6 weeks basic training to operate the camera

Hopefully a joke, otherwise probably the most poorly informed post I've read in some time.

Wow that was an eventful day.

Woke up at 4.45 arrived at brighton station at 5.30 only to be told there are replacement buses and they wont take bikes, shit bugger wank, manage to persuade the bus driver to take my bike and I make it to the ride. Wow guys that was an awsome atmosphere and just incredible navigation stills (joke). Only we could get lost on a marked out and marshelled course. Followed by cold beans but i did not care because the company was good.

Unfortunatly the journey back to brighton was not so good. I visited the folks in epsom then headed back to brighton, however when I arrived at Heywards Health I was told I could not get on the replacement bus service and would have to either do a 3 and a half hour detour changing on 3 different trains, or leave my bike at the station and get it another day. So I took the third option and rode back to brighton which was amazing but very very hard work with no brakes and 72 gearing and also after not much sleep and doing the marathon ride this morning. Yawn

Thanks to everyone

Nick

whats these buses you speak off?? Harden up and ride it man ;)

Yes I was a doubter but I saw the light and turned up anyway. Very glad I did, it was a gas, great ride, great pace and great company.

Must put my hands up to my part in the "follow the blue lines" navigation fail but watching it on telly later on I noticed the runners mostly use the wrong side of the road so by riding on the left towards the canary wharf we were always going to be sent the wrong way round the island.

Was amazed by how most of the police and stewards were all smiles waves and good-mornings, with a couple of notable exceptions, particularly the city of london police.

I've got a couple of pics of the group stopped up during a route discussion, I'll post them as soon as I can get the camera, it's lead, a computer and my head all in the same place at the same time.

I thought we had a single group? i tried (along with some others) to bring up the rear at key turns, thought we had everyone covered? The pace was great (bit quick but not killer) that said my gearing sucked for anything uphill... think a 17t hub next time :S

Errr I didn't see anyone particularly giving a shit that we were straggling. Well, the guy has asthma. So actually it was a bit killer for some. As we all moved away at Tower Bridge he was just catching up. He was riding a dayglo yellow frame, conversion I think. He must have been quite way behind me when we came to that crashed car. I was with some guys near the back at that point, had been riding with coppiThat up to there through that modern housing development that reminded me of Milton Keynes.

@ harry major,

I said I'd lead you to a greasy spoon, you'll notice I made no mention of the quality of the food, though to be honest, if the cold beans were affronting you that much, you could have got them to zap it in microwave.
I know of a couple of nicer greasy spoons in clapham, just wasn't sure they'd be open..

Good end to a good morning, managed to drag myself out to the effra later for beer and giggles with teenslain, pistanator, and tootoughtodie...
sat in the sun and topped up the english breakfast with a nice portion of jerk chicken and rice and peas....

Hope the guy was trailing there caught up, he mentioned having 'too bad asthma' for the pace. It really was quite pacey!

Ha! That was me, just moaning cos I was behind, I then caught up and got a major second wind so it was all good! Well done everyone!

Hopefully a joke, otherwise probably the most poorly informed post I've read in some time.

No, I think he was being serious about the basic training.

Can the fella who took photos of me on The Mall post them up or send me a link please?

fresh - that was me - I will sort it tonight.

Simon

One of things that was mentioned one the ride was some magical figure 8 velo track and there were quite a few 'naysayers' and 'photoshop callers'. I reckon it looks pretty real to me. It also looks pretty awesome! Imagine the extra speed you'd get on the way down under the bridge!

***It was designed by John Consalati and built by the Toronto Messenger
Community as far as I know. Talk to Johnny Jetfuel and Peter Lord,
they can fill you in on the details.

From 1996-99 this mythic track hosted 100 rider maximum competitions
in Vancouver and Toronto. ***

It eventually stopped due to lack of sponsorship. I never rode it
but heard the incredible stories from my brother and others
who had competed in one of the many Alley Cat Scrambles

Find it here if you want to know more

Here's my pics...

http://www.flickr.com/photos/fortyfoursixteen/

Enjoy

Here's my pics...

http://www.flickr.com/photos/fortyfoursixteen/

Enjoy

top photos man and a nice record of the day
thanks for taking a few with me in, possibly the only ones i have of me riding fixed
nice to ride with you again man, see u at trix soon
David

fresh

have pm'd you the links to the mall pics.

Simon

Here's my pics...

http://www.flickr.com/photos/fortyfoursixteen/

Enjoy

Yep, great pics!

Does anyone know who the guy was that took the group shot outside the bagel shop.
id love to get a copy.

Does anyone know who the guy was that took the group shot outside the bagel shop.
id love to get a copy.

+1

Also keepsake great photos, nice to see some from the way there as well.

Here's my pics...

http://www.flickr.com/photos/fortyfoursixteen/

Enjoy

that's agood batch of photo's there fella.. awesome