2009-11-1 8:15am East Croydon station London to Brighton Veteran Car Run

yeah, that's the most convenient place to meet for me too

So who was in and who was out?

I'm out, for what it's worth. It'll be raining, and I have a 16th birthday party to go to...

Well, I'm still in. As I mentioned some days ago, the weather forecasters can't seem to decide what the weather is going to be like over the week-end. Last year it was similar--the forecasts were truly dreadful until the morning, and then it turned out to be a glorious day. Right now, Metcheck doesn't look too bad--slight rain forecast from noon, but relatively sunny and dry in the morning. That is bound to change again, though. Metcheck say:

All eyes are on the weekend weather as there is the potential for some really quite nasty weather to sweep in off the Atlantic on Sunday as a deepening low moves across the country.

Confidence is still rather low over the exact track this system will take, which in turn will affect where the heaviest rain and strongest winds occur. As things stand at the moment, the low looks set to deepen quickly as it approaches Britain and Ireland, with a possible north-eastwards track across southern Ireland and then across northern England. This would bring the heaviest rainfall across central parts of Britain, with the strongest winds to the south and east of the low. We are monitoring developments closely, and it is likely that an Advanced Weather Warning will be issued later today once expected developments become clearer.

I keeep going on about this because this is the one ride of the year on which the weather is really important to me. It's a very visual ride--you want to see the sun gleaming on the cars and you want the spectators come out to cheer the cars on, as they create a great atmosphere. So, let's hope that the forecasts settle at some point and that Sunday will be sunny.

I'm in, in tweed too, if the weather is good. if its raining, but not heavy, I might still ride down geared with lycra etc. but not sure atm.

I was going to do it with my flatmates, but we are waiting on the weather…

The BBC's/Met Office’s multi million pound random weather generator says heavy rain, I have more faith in MetCheck and their predictions are slightly more favourable, but I’m hanging on till tomorrow evening to make a final decision.

I'd recommend hanging on until Sunday morning. That's when I'll make mine. :)

Sunday Day:
Winds gusting past 72 kph and cooler with periods of rain

Sunday Night:
-2°C

hmmm....

National Rail Enquiries is now showing NO trains between Brighton and Haywards Heath so it'll be an additional 13 miles to get the train to London.

I'm looking at 4 hours to get home now, so might bow out like the coward that I am. Thankfully the 'incident' has sent my earlier bravado into oblivion so I don't need to flagellate myself with my chainwhip if I do shoot through.

Bollocks.

Hm, yeah, it's not looking that great.

My main problem is not wanting to sully the memory of last year's ride, which was beyond perfect.

Rain won't be that heavy by current forecasts, but the forecast for a 30mph southerly (= head-) wind has been constant for a few days. Hm, maybe hiding in a group won't be such a bad idea tomorrow, after all. :)

Pictures of the ride in German magazine Der Spiegel:

http://www.spiegel.de/fotostrecke/fotostrecke-47989.html

That steam-driven thing in the first picture is really quite something. We encountered that in Croydon last year. There was a moment of blind panic when a driver of a modern car stopped at a traffic light just ahead of it, but these things can't brake, or at least not very fast. Cue lots of shouting and screaming and the driver jumping the light to get out of the way.

I'm still up for this as long as its not pissing it down when I get up tomorrow........is anyone else going from Forest Hill?

Oh and anyone got any idea if 76 GI would be too high for tomorrow?

I've rode to Brighton on 76GI, most of it isn't that difficult, there's one or two hills which are a challange but overall you should be fine, plus coming down the hills is a lot easier.

Apologies, I'm out.

I'm hoping to be at South Beers Tour on the 6th so feel free to castigate me there..

Hope those that go have a great time, even now I've got a feeling I'll regret not turning up.

I'm tucking my tail between my legs and bowing out. The weather looks to be decent-ish in the afternoon, but all the forecasts of London and Brighton for the AM combined with the engineering works on the trains home are going to make me wuss out.

OK, unfortunately this doesn't look like a goer this year. Maybe next year. The forecast is for quite a heavy downpour at some point, as well as fairly heavy headwind.

Not really an issue for me on a ride normally, but as stated above, this has a different kind of potential.

That, and I stayed much too long at Muddy Hell and did my knee in a bit walking around in the darkness beyond the track.

Have fun, all those who go!

Useful wind link here. Just hover over the arrows in the area of interest for 5 day forecast. Would have loved to have joined this ride too but off racing yachts for this and the next 3 Sundays and expecting to get very wet and knackered today.

Ride would be a breeze doing the reverse route ;)

I've completely wimped out of this, going to burn down to Richmond park and do a few laps instead before the rain comes

Right, didn't go, but looking out of the window I'm not regretting that at all. It should clear up a bit later, but by this time I should normally have been halfway to Brighton. I'll definitely plot to do this again next year. I still can't believe how lucky last year was--still one of the best rides I can remember.

Ooooo no missus...

Apologies I overslept

four of us went met up with lewisham cyclists at east croydon,left about 8.30.horrendous weather,torrential rain and high winds.got train home from brighton,it took the extra long way home through littlehampton then horsham and took about 2 hours.now i need a long bath and to HTFU for work tomorrow