2011-04-03 Sun - Cambridge ride. Fixed-wheel bicycle required

^^ 45! (feeling twitchy again)

I've just calculated--there were 36 left at the end, we lost two at Reigate, three at Gatwick, and four went ahead off Ditchling Beacon to catch an earlier train. That means that there were 45 of us on the ride at the start. Forty made it to Brighton.

What makes you feel twitchy about a large ride, hoefla? Large rides are ace.

I don't know exactly, it's the idea of it only as I haven't done any large group rides.
I just don't really like big mobs of people. With non-cycling activities, crowds make me nervous. Crowded places that are busy and ignore you aren't so bad, it's when you're with a crowd that I feel a bit wierd. Plus cycling for me has always been muchly a solo pleasure, or with just a few.

Large rides are ace.

Guess I am going to find out!

Eat yer words:

    http://www.ianbrown3d.com/files/bike/BrightonFaces.jpg

;)

http://www.lfgss.com/thread22268.html

Best forum ride ever.
Turned up drunk with panniers full of beer.
Met some ace people.
Got more drunk.
Super thick fog on deserted roads when we got split up, edelux ftw.
Sweating out the beer on the hills.
Freezing sweaty tshirt on the descents.
Dawn in brighton.

Bright times indeed.
No 4 in that photo peeking out.

1.Skully
2.Skive

1. jayloo (maybe guapo, university paper depending)
   
2. betty
   
3. jcgarcia
   
4. Damo. Maybe.
   
5. jaygee
   
6. middleofnowhere
   
7. bikegang
   
8. atticus
   
9. Fox
   
10. Stix
    
11. sherbertflyingsaucer
    
12. crimsonape (possibly + 2)
    
13. Blackfoot
    
14. Upstart
    
15. Shinigami
    
16. murtz
    
17. mattty
    
18. ian (conker)
    
19. fussballclub
    
20. smiff
    
21. *FRANK
    
22. KT Bee
    
23. Oliver Schick
    
24. stripe
    
25. mortari (maybe)
    
26. laner
    
27. Sumo
    
28. T4
    
29. TheorySwine
    
30. Kirth
    
31. Birthday boy braker
    
32. Stonehedge (Bringing the ruckus, whether I have the ruckus in my possession or not)
    
33. fluff
    
34. Fieldcoil
    
35. Bobby Dids
    
36. Samuelson
    
37. villa-ru
    
38. ms.chris
    
39. Photo Jim
    
    

First ride - take it easy yo. I'm actually having to book this weekend off from the g-f for this ride, easy sacrifice really.

Best forum ride ever.
Turned up drunk with panniers full of beer.
Met some ace people.
Got more drunk.
Super thick fog on deserted roads when we got split up, edelux ftw.
Sweating out the beer on the hills.
Freezing sweaty tshirt on the descents.
Dawn in brighton.

Bright times indeed.
No 4 in that photo peeking out.

My first forum ride! Was awesome... I'm number 14.

It will be my first too...really looking forward to it.

Have a strange suspicion that nobody should admit its their first though. Wouldn't put it past this place to have a strange initiation rite...

Oh well, too late.

So long as no one touches me too inappropriately on the mouth then we're all good. I will of course turn up completely unprepared and will probably start crying after about 25 miles.

Don't you hate it when you get to the end of a multipack of McCoy's to only realise you've got the shit flavours left?

That Brighton ride was a corker. Was my first night ride, felt properly adventurous, and a great crowd to ride with. Those we lost at Reigate were due to a mechanical and the Gatwick retirees had flown in from LA that morning, it was their first taste of the UK.

(I remember the first time I was nostalgic, it was brilliant)

I will of course turn up completely unprepared and will probably start crying after about 25 miles.

may i suggest the following:

Check over your bike
Make sure it is roadworthy
-Check your tyres for wear and glass/flints/sharp objects
-Pump up the tyres(correctly inflated tyres puncture less)
-Check your lights and batteries (if a night ride)
-Check for loose bolts
-Oil the chain
If you are not mechanically competent, get a friend to help you.
Make sure you do this a couple of days before, not the day of, it'll save you a stressful couple of hours if there is something you need to sort.

Prepare for self-sufficiency
-Bring a spare tube and tube changing tools
-Bring food and water, high energy snacks and fruit
-Bring spare batteries
-Bring extra layers, for if it gets colder
-Bring a rainjacket for if it gets wetter
-Bring a Fully Charged Mobile
-Bring a mapbook

Help out, sound off about hazards and if people have been dropped of the back
Usually if we are riding the first person over a nasty bump or hidden grate, sudden drop, glass, whatever will let those immediately following them now about it by shouting or pointing.

So if you hear about it from the front, pass it back.

Conversely if you see people being dropped off the back, at the lights or because they are slow or having some mechanical difficulties, pass it forward so the people leading the ride know and can take steps to either wait up, slow down or go back and help them out.

Get other peoples mobile numbers
You can collect these in either the numbers thread or at the beginning of the ride, worth having in case you get lost off the back(or front).

Take a few minutes to check out the route
Either from the route posted up or grab a map/cribsheet/directions so if you plan to leave early, arrive late or if you get separated you can get back on to the ride

Be sensible
As with all forum rides we will endeavour to help out any stricken rider with their punctures and mechanical problems but on a large ride this might be difficult.
Do not bring arcane or speciality equipment that needs non standard tools or esoteric knowledge in order to sort out failures and malfunctions.
Of course if you can change a 650 tub in complete darkness in under ten minutes and have all the tools and glues, be my guest.

no one will get dropped or left but if this is your first ride expect to ride 60+ miles, that will involve some preparation and eating.

this ride will be social, steady and relaxed.

oh and there will be beer.

The above ^^^ post is v helpful btw!

I'd like to make this my 1st forum ride. Will be riding geared, but it's just the one and I'm pretty slow so certainly won't be charging ahead.

1.Skully
2.Skive

1. jayloo (maybe guapo, university paper depending)
   
2. betty
   
3. jcgarcia
   
4. Damo. Maybe.
   
5. jaygee
   
6. middleofnowhere
   
7. bikegang
   
8. atticus
   
9. Fox
   
10. Stix
    
11. sherbertflyingsaucer
    
12. crimsonape (possibly + 2)
    
13. Blackfoot
    
14. Upstart
    
15. Shinigami
    
16. murtz
    
17. mattty
    
18. ian (conker)
    
19. fussballclub
    
20. smiff
    
21. *FRANK
    
22. KT Bee
    
23. Oliver Schick
    
24. stripe
    
25. mortari (maybe)
    
26. laner
    
27. Sumo
    
28. T4
    
29. TheorySwine
    
30. Kirth
    
31. Birthday boy braker
    
32. Stonehedge (Bringing the ruckus, whether I have the ruckus in my possession or not)
    
33. fluff
    
34. Fieldcoil
    
35. Bobby Dids
    
36. Samuelson
    
37. villa-ru
    
38. ms.chris
    
39. Photo Jim
    
40. pootsmanuva
    

Cheers Skive, I've ridden a couple of 100k rides and stripping bikes is sort of a hobby so should be a-okay. I'm probably not the fastest in the world but will make up for it in enthusiasm and disregard of pain.

I take it lids are optional (I'll be sporting one anyway) and we'll hold back on the RLJ?

This will however be my proper first ride with a group this large, previous 100k'ers have only been 3 people.

@oliver's photo... Ha!^ (sausage party, natch)

Well I meant 30 ish.

Skive, well timed checklist. Nice.

Can I also say showboating and half wheeling is also strongly discouraged.

In stretches where there is traffic tailing us, I would recommend people warn each other of vehicles with a call of 'car back'! This would be a good time to quickly single out or ride on tight pairs if road width allows. It's not advisable to attempt to direct traffic to overtake or not.

I feel I need a saddlebag in my life.
Anyone got an old carradice(nelson, cadet etc) knocking around they don't need any more?

@Hoefla
I'm sure we could arrange a meeting point if you're happy to be there early. There's a station called Elsenham(sp?) near Ugley that may well be near the route. This is guess, based on my limited knowledge of the area from an Audax around there last week.

At edmundro:
Nope but I've got a Scottnotscott one, a copy of someone else's one I gather. Hardly used. I bought it in an Imelda Marcos moment, really have no need for it.

Ooo pics?
I have a rollup which makes a lovely toolkit but no good for tiffin and waterproofs.

I don't have a pic but there may be some on the archie's thread... Busy now but I'll have a look about.

http://static.lfgss.com/attachments/35062d1295219927-saddlebag.jpg
com sa?

It's feckin huge!

@Hoefla
I'm sure we could arrange a meeting point if you're happy to be there early. There's a station called Elsenham(sp?) near Ugley that may well be near the route. This is guess, based on my limited knowledge of the area from an Audax around there last week.

I was going to suggest Much Hadham (I would cycle out from Bishops Stortford) as there is a promising pub there the Bull Inn, streetview shows a big beer garden/yard... but I've just checked and the Liverpool St line is out that day. Damn engineering works = buses to Audley End. SO I'm now investigating the KingX line for potential...

@Hoefla... Ok do your thing.

@Ed yeah it can expand large, yet packs pretty small too with various rolldown/strap adjusters. Now I'm questioning selling it! It's a pretty good design.

okay, most of the KingsX line is way out west, so looks like my options are
a) cycle out to Audley End, pick up train to Bishops Stortford, cycle out to Much Hadham, wait.
b) train to Royston, cycle out to Barkway and keep heading south until I bump into you lot.
... this is potentially more miles than starting in brick lane... hmm.

what sort of time will you be setting off?

I was thinking about doing this. I have a question though, I have a pretty low gear ratio (easy to pedal and slow) and I was wondering if it would be worth changing to a smaller gear at the back so i can maintain some speed over distance. In light of this, what are the hills, if any, like on the way to Cambridge and would I (fairly fit) be able to do it on a slightly harder gearing? Thanks

Do come on the whole ride, hoefla!

I'm sure you'll enjoy riding in a large group--always someone different to talk to.

You're not worried about the distance, are you?