2009-08-09 Sun - Ride to St Margarets

perfect summation Diapo and Mack. I really enjoyed my first London ride and hope to do another before I leave. mashing on the 49x17 gear was quite enjoyable and I didn't feel bad walking a few of the hills as everyone else was too (including some of the roadies!) great fun everyone - hope to see you out again.
alan

£14.50 - and no naked waitress...

holy crap....that is ££££££

Nice write up MA3K and Diapo. It sounds like everyone had a great day.

I am truly gutted I missed this ride. I know how awesome they are in terms of camaradeire and the bonds you make with other riders as you plough on towards the coast.

77GI? You're a nutter MA3K.

I don't think this is one of them rides that can be judged by looking at a map, it was seriously undulating, I mean literally relentless.

I've ridden down to Canterbury and Ramsgate a few times, and yes, that is fairly epic terrain. I remember riding up hills where I nearly came to a standstill on a geared bike on a granny ring.

Brilliant stuff.

Did you guys not know what the South Downs are like? Fun aren't they?

I did a London to Brighton once and returned to London by heading East along the coast and then North West over the South Downs... it was a bitch. Those relentless hills just sap all energy right out of you.

makes me laugh how people from the north say "it's flat down there" i know the area around Wye, Brabourne, lyminge well and that constant up down riding is hard work.

(David, it's the north downs)

A nice day out with so many scenery, but also a very difficult one, too bloody hilly...in the second part I don't remember almost any flat road!!

Well in the end I really enjoy the company, some of the new faces were very nice...I reckon I will get back to you soon, very nice like some of the old ones who keep the moral high on the group.

I'm very happy to finish it and now it's just time for a good recover.

I didn't know, the South East past London is pretty new to me. Oh and just a heads up, we think tugs were dragging France closer to us, so I'd keep an eye on that.

Did you make it to the beach at St Margarets? Is it still the case that the only mobile networks you can get a signal on are the French ones across the Channel?

Fantastic ride... ChapFkingAux - to all those who made it. That was tough work but we had a strong group of riders

It's the only ride I have been on where everybody walked at least one hill, it’s been said how the hills were real challenging but you had to work just as hard on the descents, 50 mile of hidden corners, sharp climbs, gravelly descents, narrow tracks, tractors, lamas and the Jamaican’s… it was a constant battle… constant fun battle!!

It needs to be taken into account that we stopped for a long pub lunch and made a point to wait for the last man on the big climbs and many un-named junctions, brief stops but they all add up.

Everyone was so shot they couldn’t face the last descent (and climb back up) to the beach at St Margarets, it was a combination of additional hills & having to race them back to get the train. So we settle in the pub at the top. We had fish & chips, we had seagulls… we had sun burn and John had his budgie smugglers!

I didn't know, the South East past London is pretty new to me. Oh and just a heads up, we think tugs were dragging France closer to us, so I'd keep an eye on that.

I might be wrong, but werent' you in Cambersands ride last year?

That one was also a bit of work as it is in the same coastline.

I might be wrong, but werent' you in Cambersands ride last year?

That one was also a bit of work as it is in the same coastline.

Yeah I was, but it seemed easier. I only remember a couple of mild inclines and definitely didn't have to get off and walk.

riding in a group should take 4-4.1/2 hours and then a loong afternoon on a sunny beach/pub.
so what happened to change the plan? did you all decide to ride back?

You would struggle to get around in under 5 hours, if you had a good geared group who all knew the route you'd be in with a chance, but the road surface through the hills towards the end left you scrubbing your speed at the bottom of the descents (Gravel/pot holes/ blind corners etc) so you gained no momentum for the hills. (Geared riders on the granny ring came to a stop)

There were 3 or 4 stretches where we could get a rhythm together but not enough to claw back time. 5 hours would be a good challenge.. might be worth a revisit next year

... definitely didn't have to get off and walk.

Very true.

perfect summation Diapo and Mack. I really enjoyed my first London ride and hope to do another before I leave. mashing on the 49x17 gear was quite enjoyable and I didn't feel bad walking a few of the hills as everyone else was too (including some of the roadies!) great fun everyone - hope to see you out again.
alan

77GI and in the top lot up those hills every time, impressive stuff man. check out the rides sections for suggest routes to brighton, someone on here will lend you a 18/19t cog for the trip

what gear were you on CG?
I have to say that I have gone to many rides organised by john and the are RAD. no one gets left behind and they are always amazing routes whether in London or the countryside.
At some points I was wishing that I had taken the geared bike. Cambersands was easier IMO, even though I suffered more [due to unfitness]
The end was one chalkpit lane after the other.
Thanks

You would struggle to get around in under 5 hours, if you had a good geared group who all knew the route you'd be in with a chance, but the road surface through the hills towards the end left you scrubbing your speed at the bottom of the descents (Gravel/pot holes/ blind corners etc) so you gained no momentum for the hills. (Geared riders on the granny ring came to a stop)

There were 3 or 4 stretches where we could get a rhythm together but not enough to claw back time. 5 hours would be a good challenge.. might be worth a revisit next year

i'm going to do the route sometime soon as it's not too far from my folks. if you don't stop and work together then it's certainly doable. me and another rider got to rye in 3hr20 so i was allowing another 1hr 40 for the terrain and the extra 12 miles.
a slightly bigger group (4-5) would make it a bit easier

i take it the cycle route over the medway was without any problems? it looks like it saves a bit of time and distance.

Well done, everyone! very very impressed as i could imagine it wasn't an easy ride.

chapeau.

what gear were you on CG?

72 (53x20), too spinny really but we did it so c'est la vie!

I was on 47/18 and was thinking that if I had a 19 i would have been much better

Did you guys not know what the South Downs are like? Fun aren't they?

I did a London to Brighton once and returned to London by heading East along the coast and then North West over the South Downs... it was a bitch. Those relentless hills just sap all energy right out of you.

We had a bit of that on the half-Meridian ride (only 50 miles) earlier this year.

I might be wrong, but werent' you in Cambersands ride last year?

That one was also a bit of work as it is in the same coastline.

I wasn't on the forum when the Camber Sands ride happened, but I went on a night ride to Hastings in 2004 or 2005 which must have taken in pretty similar hills. Basically, our ride leader just drew a straight line across the map ...

I was on 47/18 and was thinking that if I had a 19 i would have been much better

i rocked a 46X16. a 17 would have helped!

nice ride report ma3k, diapo and greasy. sounded like a perfect day of riding. well done to all that took it on.

shame you didn't make it Jonny. you would have loved it.

Before i forget. Nicks Garmin report of what we did. the average is damn low but it doesn't take into consideration the stops. ah well. He isn't a forumember but sends his appologies for not joining us at the pub (he got the train back from Dover)

[ame]http://connect.garmin.com/activity/10861725[/ame]

thats a fair bit of climbing