Epping Forest: Episode III - Return of the Badgers

It's a pedigree race bike, but you wouldn't think that from looking at it.
Joint 4th SSEC
2nd Clunker Classic
1st for a few seconds then smashed the front and dropped to 25th Clunker Classic

:) I can't remember why i put toeclips back on last year, they are just death offroading.......

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Got a flying helmet handy if that counts as protection* for cycling, do you get Me109s or Stukas looking for cyclists in the forests.

*bad idea

youre perfect

cant wait to do the cc next year :)

Gearing could feel a bit high ( although I've seen higher used there ). I've been on 55" on all the previous rides, but will be trying out 52" this time around, so maybe I can get a little further up the hills before I get off and push.

Helmet is entirely up to you: You're not going to find yourself plummeting down near-vertical rock faces in Epping Forest. I see that you've ridden the Fort William DH course on a rigid-forked Karate Monkey, so your skills will already be light years ahead of mine :-)

@dicki might be able to suggest a decent route from Stratford?

I've had retrobikes, skip finds and brakeless fixie-skidders on these rides and they've mostly been ok....

As for

"country bumpkin"

I live in semi-rural Norfolk.

7Up, could dual duel on Boris bikes next year....... although the push uphill has finished a few off before they get to roll down, heavy bikes an all that.

Shall do some google-fu and see how far it is from stratford to chingford, if a brakeless fixie can get round and it's dry i might chance it with the 28c's and buy a helmet :)
Just got to look up what 42x18 is in GI and whop the wide bars and non-flexy metal brake levers on.
Don't feed me smarties or let me have too much coffee if i get there, i might be a bit lively :)

Excited thinking about it.

I think im going to have to postpone myself to the 12th, its ironic because I am actually in London on the 8th and 15th. But have to be at a meeting on 8th at 4pm in central, doesnt leave much time for a quick pootle in the woods!

On the 4th its a bit fanciful for me to get all the way there so early in the morning.

ok....... had a look at the tube map and multi map.
8.5miles if ride from Stratford international, alone in bandit country, then repeat after a forest ride..... in the heat.

Or, it looks like if i drop down to Stratford station, i can get London overground to Hackney central and then swap train for overground up to Chingford, and it's all within 1-6zones and within an all day travel pass.
Here's the problem, i don't know the train times (yet) i assume a very regular service, would i have dramas taking a bike on an overground train that early on a weekend ?

I can remove the rear rack and take the bike down, tape the wheels to the frame and turn the bars, be similar size to folded pushchair/pram and in effect hand luggage.

Just removed the fixed sprocket with wrong tools and could now fit another freewheel, found a 22t to get me down to 42x22 from 42x18 or around 63gi to 52gi might have it by friday if i order tuesday, and some cx tyres.

Any pointers to train travel, or does planned route look like a goer ?

Cycle from Stratford up Leytonstone High Road to Leyton Flats (1.5/2 miles at most), then it's forest all the way up to Chingford.

I'll be heading up from Bethnal Green so happy to meet you near either the Olympic or Victoria parks and ride up with you? I'll probably go up through Hackney Marshes and then all the way up the canal, which is my normal route to the woods if I'm riding SSCX

Thanks 606.

will look into that as multi map wants me to play on the A12.
Prime factors to consider, i don't know the area, it's off my maps and unfit so a 8mile hack across town or along unknown and maybe unsignposted wood tracks is not my first choice.
Input noted though, i just happen to free and should be able to get a rideable bike together so it's a doable date but i am very unprepared for it.

Ride stratford to walthamstow/st james street/wood street then overground to chingford. 45 mins altogether, tops.

I could probably meet you at Leytonstone and lead you up to Chingford; it is unsignposted wood tracks. I guess it takes about 45 minutes.

Sorry Gregory missed your post.

Still melting my brain looking at tube/train maps.........

Happy to meet at Stratford if it helps. Though I'm only around for the 12th.

If somebody is able to guide you some of the way, then that's great; unfortunately I'm travelling from entirely the opposite direction. The 4mile ride to Wood St Station is pretty straightforward and it's a quick journey from there to Chingford.

Saying that... very hot day, unfamiliar location and a million overheated, London car-wankers and it could get a bit stressful :-/

happy to meet at stratford on the 8th.. 4th is dynamo day

Will most likely try and train it up to chingford, looking like a hot day so removing 16miles of very hot city riding will help me loads. (unfit/old/out of practice etc etc)

On a plus note, after much searching..... found a 22t 3/32 freewheel at CBM's so that's in the post, be nice for my knees that will. Tesco's do helmets so thats easy to pick up, just need a long valve innertube and patches.
Had a look about today in town and found some not so nice 35c tyres for £10, loathe to buy more tyres as i have some, but like the helmet not with me.
Dry weekend, 28c Delta cruisers, think this fella had 23c tyres on his bike.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=IWlmWrCyLRc

Yep reckon i should be allright on 28c only 7mm smaller than 35c :)

^^ epping is nothing like as bad (good?) as that. You will be totally fine :)

bad is rad :)

My steel raleigh is a bit flexy for that extreme riding :)

Those are the good bits that I never show you.

You'll welcome that lower gear, Definitely bring innertube/s, as you can have a group of people all carrying different sizes these days :-/

You might get shaken about a little on the 28s, although there's nothing high-speed enough to rattle your fillings out.

"..these days"

"nothing high-speed enough to rattle your fillings out."

..or dentures

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