2009-06-21 Sun - BHF London to Brighton

charity bike ride fpr british heart foundation, anyone else doing this? if anyone would care to sponsor me ill post a link.

Yep, I am doing this with girlfriend and sister who are not big bike people. Am gonna do it fixed for a laugh but am anticipating a slow pace and plenty of pub stops.

Hoping to make it up the big hill at the end without stopping. Will be happy with that.

Might get on this one. That means I'll be doing Lon - Bri SLOW >>> Lon - Bri FORUM PACE >>> Dunwich Dynamo. Ramp it up all slowly like.

Good luck guys, have done it twice, but wouldnt do it again just too many people.
on fixed the downhills are scary - I'll be impressed if you make it up ditchling, if you're early enough you might get a good run at it, however anything after an 8am start and it will be to crowded with people walking up. I did it geared one year and fixed last year - and enjoyed it much more geared.

If anyone trusts me I'd love to do this geared (I don't have a bike with gears)

Crispin come on the cambridge ride on sat! I'm using that as Dunwich training too

I am. I'm doing them all between now and Dun in preparation. I want to enjoy it and not be a painful sweaty wreck 60 miles in. Well, no more than usual.

Might get on this one. That means I'll be doing Lon - Bri SLOW >>> Lon - Bri FORUM PACE i.e. SUPER SLOW >>> Dunwich Dynamo. Ramp it up and down all slowly like.

fixed

Heh! We can be quite fast when there's no major incidents.

With such a range of uphill/downhill stretches, has anyone got advice on what gearing has worked for them in the past? I'm planning to use geared for this event at the moment as I can't envisage using a gear that'll get me up ditchling as well as down the other side safely.

Good luck guys, have done it twice, but wouldnt do it again just too many people.
on fixed the downhills are scary - I'll be impressed if you make it up ditchling, if you're early enough you might get a good run at it, however anything after an 8am start and it will be to crowded with people walking up. I did it geared one year and fixed last year - and enjoyed it much more geared.

Now I am thinking about it, riding fixed with 2 people riding slowly on gears is going to be no fun as I will never get up to a decent efficient cadence without leaving them behind...

Maybe I will go for gears actually... Then I will make it up the hill (crowds allowing) and be able to bomb down the other side.

Decisions, decisions...

if i had fixed id go on that, as i dont im going on my allez

when I flew down Ditchling geared, I loved it - hit 40mph and set off a speed camera
when I did it fixed, I struggled down, front brake on for most of it shitting myself and not getting over 25mph. I know what I'd rather do.
I did it 42/15 (about 74 GI?) last year and my thighs fucking burnt for 2 days afterwards, I would go for something in the mid to late 60's GI wise, but it will be spinny as fuck on the downhills.

i got last chase place on the ride yesterday, i'm going fixed on 48-16 because i don't have any other options. how does the ditchling compare to getting up hampstead heath to the flash?

anway things done for charity are supposed to be hard, they'll be st johns ambulance and that…

i got last chase place on the ride yesterday, i'm going fixed on 48-16 because i don't have any other options. how does the ditchling compare to getting up hampstead heath to the flash?

Quickly figured these out off the net. Swain's Lane is the steepest route up to Highgate, probably knock a couple of percent off the gradients for the others...
[code]

                  Swain's Lane     Ditchling

Length 0.6m 0.9m
Total climb 223ft 523ft
Avg gradient 7% 11%
Max gradient(ish) 15% 23%[/code]I'm doing the overnight one at the end of the month on 48:18 (about 70"). Can manage the run up to Highgate without killing meself now, but grinding up the steeper bits of Ditchling will be something else. Can't decide if I'm looking forward to that bit or not.

I am doing this geared though...going for the 6am start to avoid the traffic despite being given 8:15. Am coming from Greenwich so might cut across rather than starting at Clapham.

Anyone in for the ride back?

we're booked in for 7.30am start not sure what outfit to where, maybe going for silver sequined pants

[code]

                  Swain's Lane     Ditchling

Length 0.6m 0.9m
Total climb 223ft 523ft
Avg gradient 7% 11%
Max gradient(ish) 15% 23%[/code]

Hey - you mean Swain's Lane is easier than Ditchling? I'll stop avoiding it then!

Anyone else doing this?

I've got the 9.00am start and cannot really do it any earlier due to commiting to do it with some friends.

I'll be taking the car down on Saturday, leaving it there, then driving back on Sunday post ride if anyone is as lazy as me.

I'm doing it, fixed hopefully. need a challenge for a charity event!

Haven't done many big rides fixed recently though...

I did it last year and cycled back.. the way back was more enjoyable (as a riding experience) as you got to open up here and there and there's no serious hill either. Gun it back to peas pottage on the main road then meander back through the towns and villages. very nice

Anyone else doing this?

I've got the 9.00am start and cannot really do it any earlier due to commiting to do it with some friends.

I'll be taking the car down on Saturday, leaving it there, then driving back on Sunday post ride if anyone is as lazy as me.

i am gonna drive down on saturday with the bike in the boot, ride back then the car we be there to take me and my team home on the sunday.

will deffo be on the roubaix on the saturday, and probably on the sunday too...

OK. Having been let down by my domestiques I am riding this with a colleague. Although registered and paid, we are avoiding the crush at the start and leaving at about 5:45 with an aim to hit the beach before 9:00 and then eat and head back.

Does anyone have a decent, preferably hill-free, route back which avoids the crush of the nodders riding down?

I always head west to shoreham and then wind northwards on the lanes to Horsham...always get lost though! its nice and quiet after manic cycle massed downward leg, no real hills until Dorking/Leatherhead area. Good idea to avoid the official start, i might do the same as I have no sponsorship problems this year. Have a good ride.

I think people have done this alternative route down to Brighton via Devils Dyke. Only nasty bump I can see is in Reigate

[ame]http://www.bikely.com/maps/bike-path/London-to-Brighton-via-Devil-s-Dyke[/ame