London to Brighton 2023.

[Dogtrousers]

Crikey! 6 hours for a 60 mile ride.

In all seriousness do people really enjoy this as a bike ride? I don't live close enough to take part but at that pace wouldn't bother.

That's how long all my 100k rides generally take.

Should I not bother?

 

[T4tomo]

Crikey! 6 hours for a 60 mile ride.

In all seriousness do people really enjoy this as a bike ride? I don't live close enough to take part but at that pace wouldn't bother.

You have to be prepared to chat to other riders. Treat the first half as mobile social occasion rather than a bike ride.

Also the standard of riding / road etiquette is shockingly poor.

I think doing it once is enough.

 

[PaulSB]

That's how long all my 100k rides generally take.

Should I not bother?

Perhaps I didn't say enough. The descriptions and comments I've read here and many times before are of roads rammed with cyclists, many walking, making it difficult to make progress. There would be no joy in this for me.

If one's comfortable pace, steady riding, stopping for views, coffee etc. is 60 miles in six hours that's an entirely different matter.

The first scenario puts me off, the second is what cycling is about, moving at one's own pace as and when it suits not being forced to stop, start etc.

I see those very differently. Apologies if I've unintentionally inferred slow riding is in some way pointless.

 

[Sharky]

Out of curiosity, I started entering the 2024 ballot. When I came to the question about cycling experience, it made me smile..

As an experienced time trialist, I would, with training expect to still do a 50 mile TT in about 2hrs 30mins.

As an experienced London to Brighton rider I would expect to do the 56 miles in 8 hours!

I would therefore classify myself as an Advanced Beginner.

 

[Dogtrousers]

Perhaps I didn't say enough. The descriptions and comments I've read here and many times before are of roads rammed with cyclists, many walking, making it difficult to make progress. There would be no joy in this for me.

If one's comfortable pace, steady riding, stopping for views, coffee etc. is 60 miles in six hours that's an entirely different matter.

The first scenario puts me off, the second is what cycling is about, moving at one's own pace as and when it suits not being forced to stop, start etc.

I see those very differently. Apologies if I've unintentionally inferred slow riding is in some way pointless.

I did 70km in 5:57 the other week. There was the small matter of 1600m of climbing, about a zillion junctions, and a decent cafe stop.

But even I have to admit it was a pretty pointless exercise.

 

[Fab Foodie]

You have to be prepared to chat to other riders. Treat the first half as mobile social occasion rather than a bike ride.

Also the standard of riding / road etiquette is shockingly poor.

I think doing it once is enough.

^^^This.
And because there is nothing quite like-it in the world, I have done it somewhere between 10 and 20 times. On all kinds of bikes and often riding back to London afterwards. It's a fun, festival spirit day out for many people who would never contemplate riding that far.

Smiles not miles.....