Hell of the North (London)

Howard: "is the Roubaix over?"

Scoot: "Yeah ended five minutes ago. Xxxxxxx won"

Pause

Howard: Fuuuuuuuuuuuuuu

Other than that little hickup this was amazeballs

I'M SOOOOOO SORRY!!! I'd only just learned his name properly and was excited about being able to say it to people who asked who won. I didn't realise it was bad etiquette to tell people unless asked, I'm new to this watching sports lark!

was a superb day - 2 punctues for me on the 2nd to last bit of "pave" (rutted mud).

That was amazing. Best ride I've done this year so far. I even started to like Rapha.

+1

Great Route - such a different slant on a familiar area - just wish I could have stayed with you Dimi you monster!

I now want to return to Welwyn Garden City...

I was out on the motorbike today following some riders up Digswell Road, couldn't help but feel I was part of the production crew.

Was quite fun riding with a pack of scooterists through WGC at one point - useful draughting.

top day, sun, bumpy bits, Ginsters and a coke at the halfway stop,10oz steak and beers at the finish.......burp...:)

Gorgeous photo.

perfect mirror of the landscape in northern france this weekend

I'M SOOOOOO SORRY!!! I'd only just learned his name properly and was excited about being able to say it to people who asked who won.

No worries. It was kinda funny. And I'm sorry I didn't take it with more grace at the time. A friend - who is obviously wiser than me - later said, who cares about knowing who won, it's how they won that's interesting :)

Some photos

Spotted at the finish. Belongs to anyone on here? Lovely!

saw it too. looked like wooden rims.

They were indeed wooden.

gif from go-pro, at dimi3 velocity

1 Attachment

Absolutely brilliant - one of the best rides I've ever done.

Thanks to everyone who organised and helped with it. Fucking grand.

Spotted at the finish. Belongs to anyone on here? Lovely!

I didn't notice at the time - but it would appear to be totally spotless (whereas my frankenbike is still fucking filthy, and was even filthier at the time)...

Think I know who owns that, the folding helmet was the cue.

To those of you on here were involved in organizing this ride for Rapha - massive thanks from me; great great fun even with 2 punctures, and an early case of bonk probably due to food poisoning earlier in the week! 28's Just cleared on my Experience and everything except stage 6 was ridable. The velodrome was a magic touch.

Thanks!

CAD 1
Ghisallo 650C tubular wooden rims
Swissstop carbon specific brake pads
Campagnolo Record OR hubs
Sapim Super spokes 36 triple cross
FMB handmade Grifo medium tubs 32mm
Jantex Tub tape (not yet installed oops.....)
Campagnolo Olympus RD, FD, Chainset and Cantilevers
Campagnolo Record 1st Gen (Alu body) Shifter/Brake Lever
Nokon Campagnolo Specific cables brakes and shifting
OnOne midge
San Marco black leather tape
Cinelli Alter stem (great for Cantilever routeing)
Brooks B17 black

Only finished the bike the night before and wrapped the handlebars in the morning.
The wheels are amazing to ride and sturdy yet comfortable at the same time.
Whether this is thanks to the wood, the super spokes or to the (great) tyres, hard to tell.

For everyone involved in organising or staffing the ride:
Thanks for making this a great experience for us instead of hopping on your own bikes....

http://pages.rapha.cc/events/hell-of-the-north-vi

10am Start this year!
HTFU !

You've got to give all the MAMILs time to stop glowing before they start.

hell yeah!!

Can someone register my place? I am unlikely to get internet access on 20th of march as I'll be travelling .. I'll give you my FREE beer; no chips ;)

Have they changed the date this year? pretty sure last year I rode this and the London Classic.