2013-06-09 - London Ditchling Devil 200km Audax

Cheers Ed, I would be on 51/20 and that works out pretty much the same.
Will be pootling along at my own pace anyway.

Was thinking of doing the olympic route, which I have yet to experience. Only one lap of box hill though, think that will bring it to around 80 miles from central london.

Dont
It's SH*T. It's on busy roads and it's horrible. you will freak out and bail before you even get to box hill.

If you want a nice Surrey workout, find one of the routes for the TNRC 5 hills (or any TNRC leaving from Effingham Junction) which are readily available via the search function / google. These are on much nicer roads, take in the same good bits, and dispense with the 100m/hr A-road sections.

and if you want a really great training run, get hold of the surrey hillier audax route which starts at the cafe at the top of box hill.
it's only 65 miles or so, but you wont be wanting for more riding afterwards.

So... to important matters.

Sun Inn or Spencer Arms for post ride beverages on the Barnes common?

Sun Inn has better food but Spencer Arms has lovely outdoor tables and is more romantic for those arriving at a more "twilightly" pace.

Just signed up for the Devil. Bizarrely, I think I've only ever done rides of this length at night before. Looking forward to it!

I rode this last year as my first audax (fixed at 68" on my Pompino) and loved it so have signed up again this year.

I'm leaving from Putney and aiming to start early, around 8:00-8:15 from Wimbledon Common if anyone wants to ride in a bunch at a fairly relaxed pace. :-)

^It wasn't you that I met on the way up coombe lane was it?

anyone have a profile for the ride? the .gpx they provide file wont import into garmin connect website.

http://www.bikemap.net/en/route/1975390-the-ditchling-devil-200km/

^^^ No, based on your description that wasn't me. I rode most of the way around with another fixed rider - a lad on a green Condor Tempo.

Gotcha, surprised how many people do it fixed! Can't be an easy one :)

I think you made it sound harder than it is.

I would do it fixed, but I felt SO comfortable and "right" on the new bike that trying other bike felt weirdly and not quite right (my kogswell fixed for example).

Will pm you about the saddle block soon, you can pick it up this week, doing the DD Vesalius?

Well it's not easy geared, but It's probably fear of the unknown for me. Will have to soon change that :)

And as I said upthread I'm away in ireland this weekend unfortunately..

Thanks Ed, but I may actually be sorted. Have just taken the plunge on this, so hopefully won't be needing the adapter.
Will be needing to sell my other saddle though :p

I would says similar effort, it's hard on both fixed and geared, the former can be slightly more selective to make sure the ratio suit the terrain.

Signed up for this a couple of weeks ago. First time I've registered/paid online and in doing so I forgot to send the SAEs for the brevet card. It's not entirely clear but presumably you're still supposed to do this... Anyone in the know?

Anyway, I'll be there either way on a white Genesis Croix de Fer with a Lampre cap so say hi if you're passing.

Mail the person who start this topic.

If you enter online you pick your brevet card up at the start on the day, well that's what I've done for every event that's involved paypal, including this last year.

you pick your brevet card up at the start on the day

This

Out of curosity, what sort of pace do people ride these audax at? This will be my first official one.

Just ordered one of these badboys to store my carbs in

Out of curosity, what sort of pace do people ride these audax at? This will be my first official one.

15-30 kph average

^

Out of curosity, what sort of pace do people ride these audax at? This will be my first official one.

Probably not as fast as you! In all seriousness there will be a real mix of some very fast, a lot average pace, and a few that like to get their money's worth :p

I like to aim for an average of 20km/h overall :) anything above that is a bonus, anything below that I blame on hills/mechanicals ;)

There's a small hill after arriving in Brighton that's harder than Ditchling Beacon, so stick with your 48/19 if you can.

Tongdean lane? A short(ish) and sharp mofo

Out. Not in the right place to enjoy this. Going to do some morning miles with Fox then MTB with BN and crew instead.

Out. Not in the right place to enjoy this. Going to do some morning miles with Fox then MTB with the EFHB crew instead.

;-)