FNRttC FNRttC to Brighton 8th May 2009

[TimO]

WARTY stands for 'Wowbagger and Annie Ride The Year', apparently. ...

Actually, the WARTY stands for Wowbagger and Annie Round The Year, but close enough.

Theoretically I could do both, but in practice not. To get to Marks Tey for the 10am start, the latest train would leave Brighton at 6:50, which is probably pushing it even if I went straight to the station and missed out on Breakfast.

Since I also tend to sleep for the entire Saturday following a FNRttC (or the entire Friday for the April one!), I don't think my body would be happy with another 50+ miles of riding.

 

[dellzeqq]

....before this entire thread becomes infested with references to the spawn-of-satan website....
Mike E
Bed and Breakfaster 1
Bed and Breakfaster 2
Bed and Breakfaster 3
Dan Br....er
Simon L (another one)
John F
Paul M
Steve R
Helen B
Jakob B
Niroshee G
Patrick H
Dan P
Adrian C
Marilyn B
Julian D
Stuart A
Rob H
Alastair M
Davywalnutwhips
tdr1nka
ilovebikes
Radius
Aperitif
John G
Jane G
User10571
Martin S
Clive B
Louise L
Jane D
Dan B
Tim H
Sitting Duck
redjedi
lee 1010
Greg C
Marna G
Pete G
gbs (to be confirmed)
Des O'D

which brings up the 40..but! I don't think we'll need to worry about numbers this time because, in a sort of Return to the Roots, this month's FNRttC will be catered! OOOOOHHHHH YESSS! His elegance, Mr. Tourist Tony, will be waiting for us in a building somewhere on a dark road near Horley, armed, so I understand, with butternut squash soup, bread and drinks. It had better be a dark road, because it's one of those that is mysterious by night and plug-ugly by day - User10571's disappointment with the prosaic daytime truth was palpable.

We are going to extract a some sovs from you on the night - I'll circulate an e-mail in a few days - but I dare say that it will be better value than junction 31 or Gatwick.

 

[dellzeqq]

I've got an EL320- about 1k candlepower at the centre of the beam, 6k total, so rather less powerful than the 530, but still pretty bright, on city streets at least. Think that'll be OK or do I need to go shopping? .

You're pushing your luck if it's a dark night. Brighton is a considerably darker route than Southend, with faster descents, and overhanging trees. On the last Brighton ride I was pushing the bounds of decency with the EL530 - although there's no rule that says you have to descend through Ardingly at 35mph.

I've done the Dunwich Dynamo on the EL320, but that's considerably more open, but, even then, I lost the road half a dozen times - and the run in to Dunwich, where the road is overshadowed wasn't fun.

If this is the light you come with, and it's overcast, then you'll be relying on others. That can be tricky if you're in front of them - your shadow will flick from side to side as they move left and right.

Before you go out and splurge on a EL530 I'll ask a fellow rider, who has a more powerful light, what it is and how much it costs. I think the EL530 is nearing the end of its run as the LED light of choice.

 

[MacB]

Lights wise, without breaking the bank, the Fenix L2D will really light hings up. Runs on 2 x AA batteries so you'd probalby want to bring 4 spares along. About £60 including a Twofish Lockblock for mounting to the bars.

 

[Sittingduck]

Hmm I was also slightly worried if my front light would be okay for this (Cateye EL220). I have never really ridden out in the countryside at night so I'm not sure how bright a light I will need. Might need an upgrade for this ride I guess...

 

[Tony]

Pop into Sports Direct and pick up one of the Karrimor 5 LED head torches they are punting out for about nine quid. Like Simon, I use two EL530s on the front, a knobbly sex-toy Cateye thing on the back, and a Smart bright-flash thing on a loop on the back of my jacket. The head torch is for really dark places.

 

[dellzeqq]

User10571 uses Hope Vision 1 - about £72 at Evans -and he says that they are significantly brighter than EL530s, which can be had for under £40. All of this is a bit of a take-on - the LEDs are not that expensive, and Cateye could uprate the 530 tomorrow if they wanted to. But, we appear to be at their mercy.

NOW HEAR THIS. Rear lights do not have to be too bright. Sometimes it's pretty damn difficult to stay on the road when you've got half-a-dozen NATO issue red lights flashing at you.....reflectors (including ankle band reflectors) are good.

 

[Sittingduck]

Cheers boys, I'll take a look into it

 

[tdr1nka]

You shall know me by my lights.

 

[gbs]

to dellzeqq: thanks for including me, provisionally, on what should be a fun event. Sadly the three reasons I cited earlier hold true and I have to decline May. June may be beyond my waning powers and so July (to Brighton) is what I aim for. Have'nt discussed family hols yet .....

Bon voyage mes braves!

 

[GrumpyGregry]

NOW HEAR THIS. Rear lights do not have to be too bright. Sometimes it's pretty damn difficult to stay on the road when you've got half-a-dozen NATO issue red lights flashing at you.....reflectors (including ankle band reflectors) are good.

Mea culpa, mea culpa, mea maxima culpa. What is deliberately intended to fool night time car drivers into giving me a wide berth is retina burningly bright for a following cyclist.

I shall have only one on and it shall be as dim as a TOC H lamp

 

[Dan B]

Lights wise, without breaking the bank, the Fenix L2D will really light hings up. Runs on 2 x AA batteries so you'd probalby want to bring 4 spares along. About £60 including a Twofish Lockblock for mounting to the bars.

Make that £50 from the fenixtorch.co.uk site. I run one of these in bright-but-not-superbright mode and generally change the (NiCD) batteries at half time - but obviously a spare spare set never hurts.

 

[Aperitif]

Where's mysterious Pavel?
Good to see Lee 1010 in attendance too - the man with a tacho on his bike!

 

[tdr1nka]

I didn't know he liked Mexican food?

 

[Aperitif]

natch!