London Freewheel - Sunday 21st September 2008

[Hilldodger]

Cyclemagic have just been booked for the day and oh boy will you notice us all

Can't wait

 

[ChrisKH]

set route. I'll be there with partner and son on my really bad mtb and he on an Isla bike. I'll take my airzound and will wear cyclingplus top (how retro)

Errr, ditto. No point taking the road bike for some little scrote to crash into. The larger the mass of cyclists, the higher the likelihood of a clipless moment also.

 

[Sig SilverPrinter]

Anybody going from Havering Borough?

 

[CopperBrompton]

I'm a marshall on the ride in from Newham (though they are being rather slow at providing details). Will be easy to spot on the Q. :-)

Helen, if you're on the Southend to Liverpool Street line, you'll have no problems - I take mine in on the train all the time.

Ben

 

[Auntie Helen]

Ben, is the Southend to Liverpool line also done by National Express? They are the company that are being a bit unhelpful about taking my Trice, although I am hopeful that a contact will provide me with a letter allowing me to take the bike on the train. Is it difficult to manhandle them up into the carriage (bearing in mind I have an arm disability which means I can only lift with one arm)?

 

[CopperBrompton]

Yes. I operate on the basis of 'just do it'. Not had anyone suggest that I can't, and on two occasions I've had them offer me a ramp (though this was because they mistook it for some kind of wheelchair).

I'd recommend NOT asking them, as that gives them the opportunity to say no, and potentially gets the word out that could affect the rest of us.

Since you have an arm disability, you might want to put a blue sticker on the front post, which should definitely avoid any issues with jobsworths.

I'm always sensible about it, picking quiet times, positioning it so that it's easy for people to step over the saddle, asking people if they are ok doing that and offering to move it for them if not, etc.

If you can lift it with one arm, and step up while doing so, you should be fine.

Which station do you travel from?

Ben

 

[Auntie Helen]

I'm going to be travelling from Colchester although I usually go from Manningtree; however there will be a few other cyclists going from Colchester, including someone to whom I lent my old bike, so I think there will be some people to give me a hand if I have a problem lifting it. I am able to lift it into my car one-handed and that may be harder than onto a train so hopefully things should be OK. I will also go for the Norwich train which apparently has a guard's van.

I wasn't planning on asking anyone about the Trice when at the station, I thought I'd just go for it; however I did telephone in advance to find out the general lie of the land and discovered that even with my disability they said they couldn't take the trike. However if I smile nicely at the lads on the platform I expect, on a Sunday with fewer travellers, I ought to get away with it!

 

[ChrisKH]

I'm going to be travelling from Colchester although I usually go from Manningtree; however there will be a few other cyclists going from Colchester, including someone to whom I lent my old bike, so I think there will be some people to give me a hand if I have a problem lifting it. I am able to lift it into my car one-handed and that may be harder than onto a train so hopefully things should be OK. I will also go for the Norwich train which apparently has a guard's van.

I wasn't planning on asking anyone about the Trice when at the station, I thought I'd just go for it; however I did telephone in advance to find out the general lie of the land and discovered that even with my disability they said they couldn't take the trike. However if I smile nicely at the lads on the platform I expect, on a Sunday with fewer travellers, I ought to get away with it!

That's the spirit! I'll keep a look out for the recumbents and trikes as we don't get many round our way.

 

[ChrisKH]

Did they send anything out this year to participants? Last year there were bibs, bells, etc. and general frivolous stuff sent out to decorate your bike with (not that I did). I was just wandering if anyone actually received anything other than e-mail confirmation to participate this year.

I see they have opened it up to everybody in the paper not that it isn't open to everybody, but last year you were requested to sign up online and get with the programme. I'll have to look online.

 

[Auntie Helen]

I've signed up but haven't received any goodies.

Does anyone know if it's easy to get more water and food from within the route? I don't want to load myself down with too much stuff for the train journey if I can avoid it.

 

[CopperBrompton]

No, they decided it was too expensive to send anything out by post. I know all participants get a hi-vis vest on arrival, and I imagine that other goodies will be available at the main stands.

Marshalls get a few things, including some lights, which I'll give to someone on the day, so if you don't have any lights, come and say hello to the guy on the black TRICE. :-)

Ben

 

[CopperBrompton]

Does anyone know if it's easy to get more water and food from within theroute?

If there's nowhere on the route, there are plenty of shops just off it. There's a Tesco Express just by Trafalgar Square, for example.

Ben

 

[ChrisKH]

If there's nowhere on the route, there are plenty of shops just off it. There's a Tesco Express just by Trafalgar Square, for example.

Ben

There's a few in the City (Sainsburys too) but I'm fairly certain they are shut at the weekends. The Trafalgar Square one will be open for tourists. I would try and bring as much as you can; last year being sponsored by Hovis there was sandwiches, water and apples for all. I don't know that Sky will be providing the same but hopefully there'll be something on the Mall.

 

[CopperBrompton]

The Square Mile ones will be closed, but the West End ones will be open.

 

[Auntie Helen]

Well I just got back from Freewheel and had a great time. Even got to see the back of Boris's head as he was being interviewed along the Mall.

Ben, I think I saw you going the other way (the only black Trice I saw) and I chatted to a couple of other Trice owners that I met along the way.