FNRttC London to Brighton, June 8

[mmmmartin]

A magical night. Lovely views from the more up sections and lots of fast descending opportunities. Great landscape views from top of Farthing Down and, later, across to the airport lights. Almost surreal.

Very warm, many wore shorts all night, the warmest night ride I can remember for years.

An excellent, clever and brand new escape from London created by Adrian, quicker and easier than ever before.

Not a drop of rain, three punctures in the first half and only a broken spoke in the second. We were rolling along so quickly it was touch and go whether we'd arrive at 'Spoons before it opened. A good 'Spoons, masses of bike parking for all of us, brekkie served quickly.
Great atmos, very friendly and relaxed.

Ditchling was ascended, no probs. Chapeau to Adrian to clever route creation and leadership. And he can ride a bike with a wheel that has only 11 spokes.

 

[srw]

An excellent, clever and brand new escape from London created by Adrian, quicker and easier than ever before.

Ooh. I like that idea. Where does it go?

 

[StuAff]

Made it home safe and sound at about 1430. 190 miles. No trains were involved.

 

[Mr Orange]

Quite incredible @StuAff

 

[Mr Orange]

That was a lovely adventure...again!! Many thanks all. Now withdrawal symptoms until Whitstable in August!

 

[StuAff]

Quite incredible @StuAff

Given the number of people I know who do 300km + audaxes on a regular basis, let alone PBP or LEL, have done Transcontinental Race etc…not that special. It's only my second longest ride ever!

 

[mmmmartin]

190 miles.

 

[mmmmartin]

That was a lovely adventure...again!!

Yes,totes agree.
Daft to say it, but it was far more than a mere bike ride....

 

[User10571]

Made it home safe and sound at about 1430. 190 miles. No trains were involved.

Well done Stu.

 

[Cat76]

Thanks so much all for being amazing on my inaugural Fnrttc ride! Esp to Martin for the pre-DB tips, I really had no expectation of making it up there on my heavy bike :O) Unfortunately went for a tactical power nap at 7pm but totally crashed out and missed my friend's 40th!! Doh! Now just need some kind of lighter bike for the next one... and new lights... and some kind of saddle bag...

 

[mmmmartin]

Where does it go?

@srw you have email

 

[srw]

The London Exit, for anyone interested involved a new bit down the Clapham Road past Stockwell where there were rather a lot of impatient drivers. We avoided Portnall's Road by going over Farthing Down. I think that was a bit steeper, but better views and a nicer route. Then we entered a section with a big downhill

For what it's worth, the one time I've climbed Farthing Down I loved it - much more satisfying than Portnall's. But the payoff (and for me, as an unconfident descender in the light, let alone the dark, it was a horrible, hateful payoff) was the descent of what looks as if it's called Hilltop Lane - narrow, gravelly, twisty, very steep (chevroned), poor tarmac. I had to stop half way down to recover equanimity and pluck up courage for the second half. I know the club has had bad experiences on the hill down into Reigate, but it does have the advantage of being lit and wide.

Looking at the map, and bearing in mind I know absolutely nothing of these roads, I wonder whether it's worth exploring the B2031 Shepherd's Hill down to the A23 - on paper it should be a more forgiving gradient, and a better road.

Usually when I say things like that someone pops up to say that no, it is horrible.

 

[mmmmartin]

We were given plenty of advance warning, and the darkness and conditions meant that no one I saw was tempted to go fast. A sort of inbuilt traffic calming. All went well.

I'm not convinced that being well lit and wide is an advantage on Reigate hill as it tempts people into excess speed.

Agreed - everyone takes it really slowly, brakes on all the way, and there was an explicit and detailed explanation beforehand. It's safer to go slowly on a gravelly road with no cars than on a well-lit road with traffic. The risk of injury is confined (more or less) to gravel-scrape rather than high-speed collision. There's a big difference between the view of someone taking part in a ride and a club with a leader looking to get 60 people safely to the destination.

 

[StuartG]

The night did not start well. A front puncture on the train from London Bridge to Waterloo East. Then a rear at Chaldon and then another front hitting an unseen pothole after Bletchingley. Still an opportunity for wayfarers to enjoy more of the night air on one of the best routes south out of London. Though it is now suffering from an appalling degradation in road surfaces over the last 12 months as years of neglect by Surrey CC are catching up fast. They can't blame the weather (which is becoming more benign) which doesn't wear away the thin top coatings of aggregate that substitute for 'road repair'

If this isn't reversed the safety of night rides in a few years time is going to be a real issue as the main threat switches from loony drivers to holy roads.

But enough of that. The £5 all you can eat arrangements at Burstow was great. So was dawn. I wasn't feeling great after picking up an allergy earlier in the day and little sleep this week so Ditchling Beacon was a worry as I'm three years older than the last ascent. It was OK but only one gear to spare. Next year - none?

Brighton and my first encounter with the Marina. What a post modernist dump. Sacrilege that millions were spent here while that magnificent iron esplanade that connects it with Brighton falls, like so many of our roads, into neglect. But breakfast was great - too great. People knock Wetherspoons but for bang per buck and speed of service they are untouchable.

@rb58 led us back north with some gusto that had the 'big breakfast' rolling uncomfortably. The sun was shining and after we left the A23 path the country was stunning. We went our different ways after Handcross - he to push his E up to 106 and me to raise it to my age [clue: less than 106] . Got to Coulsdon at 13:30 and jumped on a train home - century done!

Alls well that ends well ... thanks to our leader(s)

 

[srw]

Agreed - everyone takes it really slowly, brakes on all the way, and there was an explicit and detailed explanation beforehand. It's safer to go slowly on a gravelly road with no cars than on a well-lit road with traffic. The risk of injury is confined (more or less) to gravel-scrape rather than high-speed collision. There's a big difference between the view of someone taking part in a ride and a club with a leader looking to get 60 people safely to the destination.

Glad to hear it - and agreed that points of view differ. If I say that you have obviously upped the briefing game since my last expedition, please take that in the very positive spirit it's intended, and long may it continue.