FNRttC Friday Night Ride to the Coast - Brighton 28th September

[Steve Jones]

My first time on an fnrttc run, and I must say the standard of organisation, especially of the weather, was fantastic. Despite this being my first night ride, for some strange reason this was my third ride to Brighton this year, having not done it for 10 years, and it was much the most memorable. of the trio. My "normal" Brighton route is down the western side of the the A23 and over Devil's Dyke, so this was the first time I'd tackled Ditchling Beacon in 17 years; as it happens on the same bike (an 18 year old Raleigh Dynatech). Glad to see I could still make it with a bit of puffing. I say the same bike, but it's like rather like Trigger's broom, given the number of new parts over the years. I'm not sure that Clive Hodgson, the Raleigh Special Produce Division man who assembled it - the bike came with a card and a photo of said gentleman, would recognise it.

I got volunteered to be wayfinder a couple of times, which was kind of restful, and made me think 90 bicycles is rather a lot when whizzing down Reigate Hill. My greatest admiration is for those at the back. That requires a sort of grim determination to get through, and having been there, and done that, all I can say is it gets easier, as it's only been in the last 6 months or so that I've taken up cycling again. I didn't feel too bad, and was able to go out on Sunday with the local bike club's "moderate group" Sunday morning run over the Chilterns.

I'm of the old-fashioned sort who can't quite face the idea of beer before midday, so I waited 'till back home in Maidenhead before indulging in a couple of pints in the local 'spoon. (I'm haunted by the image of the local packs of middle aged men who turn up in that pub at 9:00AM to start on the strong lagers; a vision of what I might become...)

I've registered for the Whitstable ride, so I assume I'll be seeing a few of you again.

Thanks to Simon, to the Scouts and everybody else for such a great night out.

We few, we happy few, we band of brothers;
For he to-day that sheds his blood with me
Shall be my brother; be he ne'er so vile,
This day shall gentle his condition:
And gentlemen in England now a-bed
Shall think themselves accursed they were not here.


By Bill from the midlands.

 

[ianrauk]

I dragged along Ian jnr's childminder (Donna) and her hubby (Alan) for this event.
They hadn't been cycling long but both have come on leaps and bound since they did start.

They were also so blown away with the camaraderie and encouragement that the FNRttC'ers give out in spades to others.

Here is her blog of the ride. (I'm Big E.. oo eeer missus)
Enjoy.... they did.

 

[Recycle]

Impressions from another newbie (and yes I know, I can't spell recycle). From my avatar my identity should be no mystery to those who were there. To remove any ambiguity, of the recumbents present, I was the old fart.

First the apologies. I have only had the bent for two months. I thought I had my balance sorted but I learned that night riding brings its own challenges. If I cut anyone up - sorry!

I was sent a link to the FNRttC site from someone on the ctc forum and I'm glad I followed up. The organisation was fantastic. Herding 100 cyclists through London without losing anyone despite the traffic lights conspiring to fragment the group made it clear to me that this had been done before.

Things that stood out in my mind:

Every stop was a new social event.
My first experience of Reigate's intellectual elite...
The scout stop came just at the right time and the spread was magnificent.
No rain, no wind, clear skies and a full moon. What more could you ask for?
I conquered the beacon! (even if I could have probably up walked faster).
The loooong down hill runs from the beacon
41.1 mph over the Brighton speed camera & no flash I wuz robbed!
Great ride, great company, thanks all.

 

[kimble]

First the apologies. I have only had the bent for two months. I thought I had my balance sorted but I learned that night riding brings its own challenges. If I cut anyone up - sorry!
[...]
I conquered the beacon! (even if I could have probably up walked faster).

You can't be doing that badly balance-wise if you managed the beacon.

Riding a 'bent in a group can be challenging at the best of times, as speed and braking differentials aside, you have to be aware of people gravitating to your blind spot or misjudging your line on sharp corners. At night you get the additional complication that anyone behind you is reduced to LEDs in the darkness, so it's really hard to judge distance in your mirrors. With practice you get better at keeping track of what's going on, though. Oh, and if you're sufficiently low down, oncoming car headlights become a *serious* problem - the Streetmachine's high enough that it's no worse than an upright, thankfully, but I know what it's like from riding my partner's ICE trike.

41.1 mph over the Brighton speed camera & no flash I wuz robbed!

Could have been worse - I got a bus at just the wrong moment and had to slow to about 25

I managed the best part of 40 past the camera on Reigate Hill though (first time I've had a decently clear run at that one). It didn't do anything, either.

 

[hatler]

And there was mini-hatler complaining that at 30.5 mph he hadn't been flashed by the camera on Ditchling Road. I'll tell him he's going to have to work quite a bit harder.

We've only once made that one go off and that was years ago when he was on the trailer bike and we were doing 46.

 

[dellzeqq]

I've just received this..

I find it so impressive that something can be run with the precision of a carefully planned military expedition and yet have the relaxed feel of a dope-smokers' carnival procession.

 

[Tim Hall]

:-)
And there was mini-hatler complaining that at 30.5 mph he hadn't been flashed by the camera on Ditchling Road. I'll tell him he's going to have to work quite a bit harder.

We've only once made that one go off and that was years ago when he was on the trailer bike and we were doing 46.

Lots of metal at suitable speed is the key. Soot bikes are rubbish at this. Ride in a bunch (maybe the people you're going to groupsave with). Or tow a radar reflector (metalised balloons might work for this). I once half thought through a plan for making a chaff dispenser using party poppers, suitably modified. It all fell down when I realised I'd calculated the wavelength wrong by a factor of 10. And anyway, the chaff wouldn't be moving fast, it would be sort of hanging about in mid air.

 

[Mice]

Lots of metal at suitable speed is the key. Soot bikes are rubbish at this. Ride in a bunch (maybe the people you're going to groupsave with). Or tow a radar reflector (metalised balloons might work for this). I once half thought through a plan for making a chaff dispenser using party poppers, suitably modified. It all fell down when I realised I'd calculated the wavelength wrong by a factor of 10. And anyway, the chaff wouldn't be moving fast, it would be sort of hanging about in mid air.

So basically you are saying that Miss Hatler and Mini Hatler just need to descend side by side to set it off! Am still laughing about you and HMQM being scalped by Miss Hatler at the top of the Beacon! Hilarious - and brilliantly done Miss Hatler!

Mice

 

[dellzeqq]

So basically you are saying that Miss Hatler and Mini Hatler just need to descend side by side to set it off! Am still laughing about you and HMQM being scalped by Miss Hatler at the top of the Beacon! Hilarious - and brilliantly done Miss Hatler!

Mice

the little perishers are good at that. In August I followed Joe up, keeping the traffic at bay by staying just behind him and to his right. 50 metres from the top he looks over his shoulder, goes down on the drops and does his best Cav impression.

 

[dellzeqq]

Two people, preferably not over encumbered with hair, riding side by side, a car width apart, at some significant margin in excess of the speed limit, is my recommendation.

combined age over 100

 

[User10571]

Two people, preferably not over encumbered with hair, riding side by side, a car width apart, at some significant margin in excess of the speed limit, is my recommendation.

Does all of this not rely somehow on the cameras being operational? I was under the impression that most Gatsos had been turned off because it was costing more to run them than the revenue generated by fines.
Or have a got that wrong?

 

[Mice]

combined age over 100

Or in the case of the Hatlers "combined age under 21"!!!

 

[dellzeqq]

I thought that last time I failed to trip that one, well it has to be the most obvious reason after all. Mr Rich P however assured us that he had seen it flash in recent times.

and when it comes to flashing, he's the expert

 

[mmmmartin]

I've just received this..

I find it so impressive that something can be run with the precision of a carefully planned military expedition and yet have the relaxed feel of a dope-smokers' carnival procession.

Hypnocracy, innit

 

[ianmac62]

Does all of this not rely somehow on the cameras being operational? I was under the impression that most Gatsos had been turned off because it was costing more to run them than the revenue generated by fines.
Or have a got that wrong?

Ours in Northants have been turned off because the government no longer provides "central funding". Just when I wanted to set the one off in the Dickensian sounding Kingsthorpe Hollow. Mind you, we do have Dingley Dell, honest.