Hi from Sunny Sussex by the Sea

[JohnHenry]

Just wanted to say hello as some fool (it might be have been me after a pint or two of Doombar) has signed me up for the London to Brighton. We have a team name "Team Zimmer", have done some gentle pootling along the Thames and also the Worth Way and I have even bought a new (to me) bike with more gears on it than I know what to do with. I did use everyone of them on a recent practice up Ditchling Beacon and only stopped once which is a massive improvement for me.

It's been a while since I cycled so I am grateful for any tips (yes, yes, I know that a lot of REAL cyclists won't touch the London to Brighton with a barge pole but the fundraising efforts cannot be denied in these straightened times....

 

[Paulus]

Welcome to the forum JohnHenry. If you can get up Ditchling with only one stop you are well on the way to easily doing the L2B. Eat before you are hungry, and drink fluids, (not ale) before you are thirsty. Get out and build up the miles in the next few weeks. You should aim to be able to ride 30+ miles fairly easily and then you are ready for the longer distances of these charity rides. I did the L2B 15 years back and vowed never to do it again, there was just too many people who couldn't ride a bike over the slightest of incline without having to stop in the middle of the road and get off. But don't let me put you off. Enjoy the ride, and this forum and maybe we will see you on some of the forum rides in the future.

 

[JohnHenry]

Thanks for that, Paulus, I seem to remember that the last time I did the LondonBrighton (1992!?) Ditchling was impossible to ride up because of the sheer volume of people pushing so maybe it won't even be an issue. Team Zimmer are going to do a couple more practice rides of 30/40 miles before the day.

I like the advice of eating before hungry and drinking before thirsty - I did become seriously disoriented when I didn't do that, once, and it scared me.

Looking forward to some more rides - the FNRttC format looks interesting - am I right in thinking that a certain brisk pace has to be kept up on these or are "meanderers" allowed?

 

[Aperitif]

15th July is the 'Genteel' ride to Brighton JH. - after the 19th June - obviously. The Friday Night Rides are easy paced but try not to be too dawdling - mainly because it can get a bit nippy in parts, but no-one is left behind unless there is a serious mechanical. http://fnrttc.blogspot.com/ is your first port of call if interested, then read more in 'Informal Rides', which has a mass of ride reportage to give you a flavour. Just look for those initials 'fnrttc'.
Have fun!
For what it's worth, I don't take drinks to the Coast, but I sometimes take drinks at the Coast.

Edited to say that Tim H, of FNRttC fame is man of Crawley.

 

[JohnHenry]

Thanks Aperitif - are you by any chance brother to a doctor from my neck of the woods?

My own sister hails from Somerset and is looking for some cycling around there.