Hello from South London

[Darkhorse]

Hi boys and girls,

My name is Dave.

Looks like a friendly forum! Can anyone with point me in the right direction as to where in the forum to find a cycling partner?

I'm an ex club cyclist who has returned to the fold and needs to get fit. I'm not really interested in the die-hard stuff anymore, and am more interested in leisurely rides at the weekend down by the Thames or in Richmond Park (off road stuff). So I'm really looking for beginners with a sociable attitude. Any reply will be appreciated.

 

[ttcycle]

Hi Dave!!

Welcome to CC!

You may be in luck- there's a London ride on Sunday's - this one's an easy going one - haven't decided yet as taking time off the bike but may be along myself. You;re more than welcome!

https://www.cyclechat.net/

 

[PK99]

Hi boys and girls,

My name is Dave.

Looks like a friendly forum! Can anyone with point me in the right direction as to where in the forum to find a cycling partner?

I'm an ex club cyclist who has returned to the fold and needs to get fit. I'm not really interested in the die-hard stuff anymore, and am more interested in leisurely rides at the weekend down by the Thames or in Richmond Park (off road stuff). So I'm really looking for beginners with a sociable attitude. Any reply will be appreciated.

whereabouts in south london?

& does ex club cyclist mean you used to be fit and fast???

 

[Darkhorse]

Hi Dave!!

Welcome to CC!

You may be in luck- there's a London ride on Sunday's - this one's an easy going one - haven't decided yet as taking time off the bike but may be along myself. You;re more than welcome!

http://www.cyclechat...05#entry1737445

Thanks for that TT, sticking to something a bit more local at the moment, but many thanks for the offer. If and when I graduate back to my former glory I'd like to come along. Thanks.

And in Answer to your last question, my user name is Darkhorse, so there's a clue?

 

[ttcycle]

where is local? There's a few of us that are South - me included - also another briefly club cyclist and very unfit (bike skiving currently) so you wouldn't be alone in that, however if a jaunt into central London feels too much at present then that's understandable.

 

[Darkhorse]

where is local? There's a few of us that are South - me included - also another briefly club cyclist and very unfit (bike skiving currently) so you wouldn't be alone in that, however if a jaunt into central London feels too much at present then that's understandable.

Yeah, it's just to get up that way I'd have to ride on the road, and I gave that up a long time ago! Only do 'off road' over Wimbledon Common and into Richmond Park. Or have been known to do Putney down to Walton On Thames by the river (but not recently). Just too many psycho drivers on the road nowadays. I have a long collection of cycling incidents, the most impressive of which was being hit broadside by a car that the police calculated hit me at 60mph. That was a long time ago, but driving doesn't seem to have improved any.

 

[ttcycle]

Yeah, it's just to get up that way I'd have to ride on the road, and I gave that up a long time ago! Only do 'off road' over Wimbledon Common and into Richmond Park. Or have been known to do Putney down to Walton On Thames by the river (but not recently). Just too many psycho drivers on the road nowadays. I have a long collection of cycling incidents, the most impressive of which was being hit broadside by a car that the police calculated hit me at 60mph. That was a long time ago, but driving doesn't seem to have improved any.

sounds like you've had some unpleasant experiences but mostly road cycling seems to be not that dangerous, there are more cyclists about these days and there is a whole load of fun to be had- well if you were looking for cycle buddies either way off road or on road, this is the place for it - maybe start a thread in the informal rides section and sometimes the sunday rides do go up to Richmond Park so may be able to meet you there for a short stint.

 

[Darkhorse]

sounds like you've had some unpleasant experiences but mostly road cycling seems to be not that dangerous, there are more cyclists about these days and there is a whole load of fun to be had- well if you were looking for cycle buddies either way off road or on road, this is the place for it - maybe start a thread in the informal rides section and sometimes the sunday rides do go up to Richmond Park so may be able to meet you there for a short stint.

Yeah that would be cool. I will put a post in the 'informal rides section', thanks for the heads up TT.

 

[PK99]

Yeah, it's just to get up that way I'd have to ride on the road, and I gave that up a long time ago! Only do 'off road' over Wimbledon Common and into Richmond Park. Or have been known to do Putney down to Walton On Thames by the river (but not recently). Just too many psycho drivers on the road nowadays. I have a long collection of cycling incidents, the most impressive of which was being hit broadside by a car that the police calculated hit me at 60mph. That was a long time ago, but driving doesn't seem to have improved any.

I'm wimbledon based and do common/park/walton/putney with mrsPK most saturdays. plus i do some extensions to leatherhead/epsom/walton on the hill.

I've just checked out a great route: thames path to walton, on road link to Garsons farm then off road behind calremont park, through Princes Coverts then ashtead common to horton country park, then hogsmill to Cheam with a final 4 miles on back roads home to wimbledon. mostly towpath and trail with some easy single track through he woods

most shown here: http://connect.garmin.com/activity/96793078 but that version goes to leather head for lunch than back over epsom downs (40 mile total, cutting out leather head woud save a few miles.)

 

[Darkhorse]

i do some extensions to leatherhead/epsom/walton on the hill.

Ah, my old stomping ground. Box Hill and Ranmore common… It’s a lovely area, but I no longer have the temper for riding on the road to get there anymore.



Besides Richmond Park provides me with its own brand of entertainment… The other day I was over there, and this young guy (25-27) comes tearing past me (dressed in all the right gear), obviously out to impress me. It took less than half a mile before he took a corner way too fast, flew right over the handlebars and ended up bouncing onto the road at Ham Gate (I did ask him if he was OK). What is it with people today? Do they just read the ‘internet guide to cycling’, and think that’s all there is to it? I mean, until I saw these people, I didn’t think staying on a bike was that difficult? Its nothing to the balance required doing self defence (one of my other hobbies).

 

[ianrauk]

Ah, my old stomping ground. Box Hill and Ranmore common… It’s a lovely area, but I no longer have the temper for riding on the road to get there anymore.



Besides Richmond Park provides me with its own brand of entertainment… The other day I was over there, and this young guy (25-27) comes tearing past me (dressed in all the right gear), obviously out to impress me. It took less than half a mile before he took a corner way too fast, flew right over the handlebars and ended up bouncing onto the road at Ham Gate (I did ask him if he was OK). What is it with people today? Do they just read the ‘internet guide to cycling’, and think that’s all there is to it? I mean, until I saw these people, I didn’t think staying on a bike was that difficult? Its nothing to the balance required doing self defence (one of my other hobbies).

AHHHHH Ranmore Common and Box Hill.. climbed both at the weekend.
Box Hill is ok.. Ranmore Common... phewey...now that is a bleedin' leg burner

 

[arallsopp]

You've come to the right place, I think. I came here looking for a cycling mate a couple of years ago, and, well, we all just got a bit carried away with the whole thing. Days and nights were lost. It were brill.

Andy.

 

[brockers]

And in Answer to your last question, my user name is Darkhorse, so there's a clue?

Dave Lloyd ?!

 

[Darkhorse]

Dave Lloyd ?!

Ha, ha... NO! But I think he made good frames! It comes from the days when I used to do Ranmore Common on a 30lb taiwanese mountain bike in a 66" gear, with big fat knobbly tires... And then went on to bait some poor unsuspecting club cyclist on a 753 racer going up the hairpins of Box Hill. I had a lot of fun back then, but there's no way I will ever acheive that level of fitness again!!!

 

[MissTillyFlop]

AHHHHH Ranmore Common and Box Hill.. climbed both at the weekend.
Box Hill is ok.. Ranmore Common... phewey...now that is a bleedin' leg burner

But the view is incredible!