2013-07-13 - Going Nuclear - Part 2 - Sizewell A and B

1. Fox
   
2. Chainbreaker
   
3. Branwen
   
4. Laner
   
5. Howradmichello (aspirationally)
   
6. Bothwell
   
7. Scilly Suffolk (joining at Ipswich, CAKE AND BEER OFFERED, and disgusting toilet optional, appointment booked!)
   
8. Blue fleet
   
9. dbr
   
10. hairnet
    
11. Howard
    

Would it be possible to do it on the Saturday?
Just cos then if its really nice weather- some could camp and ride back?

Has this been resolved yet?

Subscribed. Not sure if in yet but keeping an eye on things.

Oops. There appears to have been something of a cockup. Sorry.

The good news is doing it on the Saturday is fine and actually suits me better. The bad news is that when I planned this I forgot that the train back goes via Ipswich. And you can only have six bikes booked on each train from Ipswich. The Saxmundham - Ipswich train is fine, but not the Ipswich-Liverpool Street train.

This shouldn't be a problem as some of us could get a later train from Ipswich, but having worked out that we need to get the 20.57 train from Saxmundham, which connects with the 21.43 to Liverpool St, the 21.52 and the 22.23 are both £34, not £8. The next £8 train is the 22.43, which doesn't get in till just after midnight.

So, unless you're prepared to hang around for over an hour at Ipswich and get in that late, only six of us can get the train.

Given this, I've booked six bike spaces and six £8 tickets on the 20.57 from Saxmundham on the Saturday which gets into Liverpool Street at 23.01.

This requires a few ground rules:

1. No bedwetting! Because you'll be taking a slot someone else could take. You'll owe me £8, obviously. But you can pay this on the day. If you don't turn up for a genuine medical emergency or similar, you can pay later.
   
2. You need to be ok with the fact we have to get that train (or it will cost us £52 each plus there probably won't be enough bike spaces). If we do it at 14mph average it will be 8.5 hours riding, which leaves 3.5 hours spare. Sounds like a lot, but we are planning on eating and drinking in the pub at the end before we leave for Saxmundham. My ideal would be 15mph average/less stopped time before Sizewell and have more time at Sizewell/in the pub :)
   
3. Not really a rule, but on fixed v. gears, I will be using gears as I'm going to ride about 500 miles that week and do the Rapha Rising thing. If you want to bring fixed great, just bear in mind the average I'll be aiming for and the distance.
   
   

That out the way, list time!

1. Fox
   
2. Coriolis Beneficence
   3.
   4.
   5.
   6.
   

Hi Fox,

Correct me if I am mistaken, but I think I bumped into you on the last part of your last nuclear ride...

...Is it bad form to come on one of these rides on a geared bike, because I don't think I could manage this sort of distance on a single, let alone fixed.

I would be up for this ride though, just need my radio active.

Ha, yes, that was me! Well done for tracking me down (and good pun).

Gears are absolutely fine, as above.

Definitely out - I've borked my toe and I can see me being able to do a pootle at the weekend on it, but certainly not at a 15mph average.

I will be watching your ride feed with interest, Fox, with a view to doing this solo later. Have fun, all!

Sorry to hear that. And to clarify, that was just in an ideal world, 14mph is what I've planned it on - stopped time makes more difference anyway!

^^ I'm out for this as well (not that I was ever really in, but the 200mile sprint from Lincolnshire was never really going to happen). Keen to do this - or the Dengie peninsula - on another day, if you fancy company, Bothwell?

I'll wait to the end to see if any spots open. I don't think I'm near fit enough.

Keen to do this - or the Dengie peninsula - on another day, if you fancy company, Bothwell?

Oh, fo' sho'. Was intending to do both at some stage. When I do get round to it, it will be very much a rebuilding-of-fitness kind of deal so won't be pacey, I'll probably have been on a break from riding of about a month or so. Will bump again when I'm ready to go back out!

I'm thinking about this now if everyone's going to be geared up, I don't think I want to be the lone fixie skidder (brakless in a group of people I haven't ridden with before) but I don't really want to ride my road bike either.

Have fun with this. Looks great! I'm otherwise engaged this weekend.

^^ Why don't you want to ride Dik?

I'm not averse to doing it fixed if the majority want to, I'm just thinking about knee self-preservation given the number of miles and the amount of climbing I'll be doing next week. I can also ride in a fixed friendly way on gears and this will be a fixed friendly ride whatever happens.

Why don't you want to ride Dik?

I'm not used to riding road bikes and I always seem to tire myself out more/I've never ridden so far on gears, whereas I know I can do this distance fixed.

Signs up for Rapha Rising - leads ride to the Fens (well, almost)

nice trolling :)

Sorry, bad typo there!

I **can **also ride in a fixed friendly way on gears and this will be a fixed friendly ride whatever happens.

Is what I meant. Not not.

I'm not used to riding road bikes and I always seem to tire myself out more/I've never ridden so far on gears, whereas I know I can do this distance fixed.

Hmm, convention would suggest the opposite, but just come, it'll be fine. Including on fixed. You're probably better riding what you're most comfortable with.

Signs up for Rapha Rising - leads ride to the Fens (well, almost)

nice trolling :)

The hilly riding is 16th-20th :)

ok

super important train ticket list sign up quick

1. Fox
   
2. Coriolis Beneficence
   
3. shinkuu kiss
   4.
   5.
   6.
   

1. Fox
   
2. Chainbreaker
   
3. 
   
4. Laner
   
5. Howradmichello (aspirationally)
   
6. Bothwell
   
7. Scilly Suffolk (joining at Ipswich, CAKE AND BEER OFFERED, and disgusting toilet optional, appointment booked!)
   
8. Blue fleet
   
9. dbr
   
10. hairnet
    
11. Howard
    
    

Unfortunately I'm out as I'm now working Saturday and Sunday. Yay!

I'm still undecided - will try to get a commitment going this week.

super important train ticket list sign up quick

1. Fox
   
2. Coriolis Beneficence
   
3. shinkuu kiss
   4.
   5.
   6.
   

Sorry, bad typo there!

riding what you're most comfortable with.

The hilly riding is 16th-20th :)

July 14th, Sacre Bleu.

I'm out - sorry.

just updated myself with the thread...

• regarding the train home from Ipswich, the 21.43 looks like the Norwich intercity to me, this train will have a whole guards-carriage of space for bicycles and luggage - you could fit about twenty bikes in this carriage - the trick is being at the right end of the platform!!
  
• this ride is now taking place on Saturday right?! (instead of Sunday as i'd diarised and would probably prefer, #Doh!); Ps. OP is slightly contradictory as it still mentions the 14th - any chance of a mid-post-poll about the preferred day?! - there is still a 21:43 train home on Sunday! - when sometimes there would be the problem of a Sunday Service involving a coach-change!!
  
• on the Geared Issue, if i had the time and money to upgrade my Pennine to Shimano Dura-Ace in time, then i would, then happily join Ludwig's Geared Breakaway Group (!) - which would travel at an appropriate speed; in contrast, our SS/FG pace to Bradwell Power Station must have felt a little slow for the geared bicycles (surely two groups in such scenarios - SSFG / G - is sensible and socially acceptable - meet at the pub stop and the destination?!)
  
• as it is, i'll be on a SS, but reckon the 14mph is do-able, if its not, there's plenty of train stations on the route for any bail-out - if needed!
  
• so far, i count SS/FG riders as: hairnetnic, howradmichello, shinkuu kiss
  [bothwell - you'll be missed!!]
  

Gutted this is no longer on the Sunday :(

Yeah I had it in my diary as Sunday. Would be a goer if it was.

July 14th, Sacre Bleu.

Gutted this is no longer on the Sunday :(

can somebody (with Fox-level-capability) lead a Sunday edition?!!!

those who seem to prefer a Sunday ride: fussballclub (going on my lookup of the phrase 'Sacre Bleu'!), howradmichello, mk1mark, Howard, ..