Dunwich Dynamo 2017

[RoubaixCube]

Good to meet you out on the ride today. I thoroughly enjoyed it apart from the first 8 miles out which was probably the worst I have seen it and this was my 9th Dun run

Yes it was quite chaotic to say the least. Last year ran a lot smoother when getting out of london though all the cyclists were still causing a lot of havoc for other road users -- folks just seemed a little more disciplined.

I think this events gotten too big for its own good. Maybe the start times should be shifted to 10 or 11pm so that the traffic is lighter. Though I left the park dead on 8pm so it was a mad rush by everyone else to also get rolling.

I spotted another cyclechatter other than you along my travels and it was nice meeting you both.

 

[robjh]

Last night was my 2nd Dynamo, the first being two years ago in 2015. I had an excellent night, + morning getting back, but here are a few observations comparing the two years:

- the congested and rather chaotic stage leading out from Hackney seemed to go on rather further than last time. Maybe this is simply that we left a bit later (8.40 rather than 8.00), maybe not.
- there were fewer pop-up food stalls at the roadsides. I remember a lot more after Sudbury, or is my memory playing tricks?
- hardly any Dulwich Paragon riders this year - in 2015 there were large numbers and very visible in the course of the ride. I personally had no problem with them but the difference seemed striking enough that I wondered if this was the result of a deliberate decision.

 

[iZaP]

Who was riding with a cyclechat jersey? The yob who shouted"cyclechat" whilst riding past was me!

 

[Brains]

This was third DD
My observations/improvements would be

Encouragement for people to leave earlier, so instead of the bulk leaving around 8pm, start them off from 4pm, given that a 'normal' cyclist takes circa 12 hrs Park to Beach (9-10hrs moving time seems average) , then a lot more people would be at the beach by dawn. I hear people were still rolling in after mid day !
It would also spread the surge out in the London traffic and reduce the queues at the popular stopping places.

Some better sign posting. These are probably only about 15 turns in the entire 118 miles that are not obvious. a couple are signed. a few more would be excellent

Encouragement for a few more pop up food stalls, especially in the last half.

Who's going to do all this ? Personally i would not mind adding £1-2 to the coach ticket (which would make another £1-2K) which would pay for someone to take a couple of days off work, have some 'estate agent' type signs printed up, and the day before to drive the route and put them up.
(Yes, i did buy a route card, but they cant be read in the dark, and also unless you understand them they may as well be written in Greek)

Likewise, a bit of PR with the village WI or whatever may get a few more of those villages 'on side' especially if we contribute £500 to the local church steeple fund or whatever from buying cakes and coffee

It would all take time and behind the scenes organisation, but it could be done and still keep the anarchic disorganisation vibe

 

[RoubaixCube]

Who was riding with a cyclechat jersey? The yob who shouted"cyclechat" whilst riding past was me!

I spotted 4F with the CC jersey and later Blue Hills with his kitchen sink on the back of his bicycle --- If you heard someone calling out "hello?? Cyclechat??" It was most likely me. I dont think I saw anyone else.

- there were fewer pop-up food stalls at the roadsides..

Encouragement for a few more pop up food stalls, especially in the last half.

Strangely enough on the ride home after I had been picked up by my 'support vehicle' I told my friend who had been on standby in colchester part of the night that, he could make a little profit if he stopped at a cash and carry the day before and stocked up on a few pallets of soft drinks, chocolate bars and crisps.

I did push the topic past him but i dont think i encouraged him enough to think about doing it. It'll give him something to do while he waits for us so I'll pick it up with him again.

I think he'll be happy he can make a little money on the side. but he'll be operating by himself unless he can grab someone else to help him.

 

[Redlight]

hardly any Dulwich Paragon riders this year - in 2015 there were large numbers and very visible in the course of the ride. I personally had no problem with them but the difference seemed striking enough that I wondered if this was the result of a deliberate decision.

There was a bunch of about 20 came past me, a little closer than I would have preferred, as I approached Dunwich (about 4.45) and quite a few at The Ship a little later. Perhaps they were spaced out more along the road this time. Given that the club has about 700 members I'm sure they can't have been the only ones riding. There appeared to be quite a lot from the Penge club as well. I didn't see any bunches from London Dynamos, for which I was grateful ;-).

 

[mjr]

Encouragement for people to leave earlier, so instead of the bulk leaving around 8pm, start them off from 4pm

Wouldn't encouraging lots of cyclists at peak commuter time onto some London roads that AFAIK don't usually get that many attract road-rage and possibly even police attention? Or would they exit along the Lea Valley instead of the A104?

 

[Brains]

Wouldn't encouraging lots of cyclists at peak commuter time onto some London roads that AFAIK don't usually get that many attract road-rage and possibly even police attention? Or would they exit along the Lea Valley instead of the A104?

I'm thinking that they would be more spread out, so if people started over a 5 hour period between 4pm and 9pm (and later!) you would not get peletons forming in London.

Also it's a Saturday, so not prime commuting time.

I looked at the Lea Valley route, it could make sense, but a bit is along the canal, what could possibly go wrong ? also it would involve Kings Head Hill, which is un-ridable up, so I think the current exit from London is about the best that can be done

 

[4F]

Who was riding with a cyclechat jersey? The yob who shouted"cyclechat" whilst riding past was me!

That was me

 

[Blue Hills]

Yes it was quite chaotic to say the least. Last year ran a lot smoother when getting out of london though all the cyclists were still causing a lot of havoc for other road users -- folks just seemed a little more disciplined.

I think this events gotten too big for its own good. Maybe the start times should be shifted to 10 or 11pm so that the traffic is lighter. Though I left the park dead on 8pm so it was a mad rush by everyone else to also get rolling.

I spotted another cyclechatter other than you along my travels and it was nice meeting you both.

Sorry if I was a tad uncommunicative roubaix - I was suffering a bit at Sunbury though revived later. I managed to achieve your suggested start time by having a very badly planned day - arrived at London Fields at 10:30 to, not surprisingly, find everyone long gone. Didn't start to see folk for quite some time. Good to see that a fair few folk were taking it easy/enjoying the ride though. I usually get to Needham Lake pre dawn but it was well light by the time I got there this year and there were plenty of folk lounging around in no particular rush to break records.

 

[RoubaixCube]

Sorry if I was a tad uncommunicative roubaix - I was suffering a bit at Sunbury though revived later. I managed to achieve your suggested start time by having a very badly planned day - arrived at London Fields at 10:30 to, not surprisingly, find everyone long gone. Didn't start to see folk for quite some time. Good to see that a fair few folk were taking it easy/enjoying the ride though. I usually get to Needham Lake pre dawn but it was well light by the time I got there this year and there were plenty of folk lounging around in no particular rush to break records.

No worries - I honestly thought it was my taste in music that was scaring you off
Nowt wrong with some peice and quiet, but it honestly helped me keep a steady pace through the night. You did pretty well for a 10.30 start. My friend and I would of been well ahead of you by that time but we got separated and decided to have a rather lengthy rest stop at the fire station before setting off again.

 

[Blue Hills]

In my tootling round sudbury i did find someone sleeping on a bench outside macdonalds - not sure if it was a cyclechatter or not or if they were waiting for the 5am opening to then bail or carry on. My plan to do the ride on lidl wine gums and espresso was frustrated by thinking at sudbury that i'd stupidly put the gas cartridge at the bottom of a pannier. Once i got to dunwich i realised it was on top of the bike where it should have been. Doh! So it was more wine gums.

 

[Blue Hills]

This was posted on the other place, often the place for less mellow stuff:

View: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=qrwnWuSXMog

 

[mjr]

This was posted on the other place, often the place for less mellow stuff:

View: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=qrwnWuSXMog

Nice idea, but it makes the ride seem a bit dull compared to others.

 

[Blue Hills]

why mjr?


feel free to post the others.