London to Nelson - A Poll

[mcshroom]

I think London to Nelson comes down to this: I'm still seeing it as A - B which as everyone who knows me will accept is head down, A road.

I hope your route planning isn't just riding straight up the A6

If I stop mid-way it kind of makes it a holiday. Is that a bad thing? It will keep many people happy, not least my mum. But then there's the challenge. I hope you can now see why I asked for advice.

That's not a bad thing, it depends what you are doing the ride for.

 

[martint235]

Voted for the 'go for it' option. For me, that would be too much (at least in 16 hours...I just can't go that quick for that long, I've done 162 miles in 14 hours including stops), but for you, certainly doable. I'd be inclined to agree with LD- allow more time than you think you'll need, because you might just need it. If it really is 250 miles (thought your planned route was a bit shorter?) that means 15 mph overall (not rolling) average for 16 hours, a big, big ask. I know you're a lot stronger and quicker than me, but you will be flagging sooner or later. There might be mechanicals, roadworks, all sorts of other minor niggly delays. And don't forget that you can save yourself a lot of energy, and time overall, by easing up a little- it takes the same amount of energy to pedal for 20 miles at 20 mph as 32 miles at 16 mph.

Stu, thanks and I really mean it for the input but, and I don't want to start a physics row, the energy required to move me from one place to another doesn't really change according to speed. The wattage does. I need to put more power out to do it in a shorter time (wattage=energy per hour).

Sorry I'm being picky and I shouldn't be. Please take the smiley as it's meant

 

[martint235]

That's not a bad thing, it depends what you are doing the ride for.

Basically it's a good way of getting to my parents (if I do it this time I can do it more often) plus I get to meet Potsy on Manchester to Morecambe

 

[StuAff]

Stu, thanks and I really mean it for the input but, and I don't want to start a physics row, the energy required to move me from one place to another doesn't really change according to speed. The wattage does. I need to put more power out to do it in a shorter time (wattage=energy per hour).

Sorry I'm being picky and I shouldn't be. Please take the smiley as it's meant

Absolutely, no offence taken whatsoever. I was just working on the basis that as aerodynamic resistance increases as a square of speed, and the power required to overcome that drag therefore increases as a cube, if you go a bit slower you save a lot of energy (required to produce that power). I appreciate in practice it might just be rather more complicated (the wikipedia article on this strikes me as a pretty good primer though)...

 

[Aperitif]

Had to happen sooner or later in 2012!

Ok, I have read what you asked BigMart and I think (wow that hurts) this:
250 miles. When we rode to Stonehenge and beyond, I clocked 250 miles counting from out of the door etc until the battery ran out and determining the rest via ridewithgps blah blah (want to give me a pipe yet?) We tooled around quite a lot and, with mechanicals, arrived back to the Cenotaph 24 hours after leaving. The return bit along the A4 was 'paced' as I asked Davy to keep it at 18mph so we all stayed together. Lot to be said for riding and sharing.
When you, Ian, Rimas and I did the return from Harwich, I covered 202 miles - your distance was similar. The return leg was tight, and rapid until we went our separate ways and, starting at midnight, I arrived back about 6:30pm? Probably we only dropped three hours on that ride?
Riding London to Cardiff was 145 miles I think. Lots of casual stops and mechanicals etc - Frank and I arrived at 11:30pm - that would be about 12 hours riding?
Also, young Andy and Rob kicked off from Sheffield early one morning and we were rolling down the A5 about 7pm - Adam will have better details than I, but it was a good day's riding for them. Young fit boys but with Adam and I holding them back, of course...Sheff to Nelson is about another 50 miles+ roughly?
All that to say - I would advise starting at midnight and making a decision about continuing or stopping a lot earlier in the day. It is a long haul on your own, although do-able of course. Also that is a 15+mph average for the duration - some will be quicker, some slower. Even philistines need to stop. Maybe not for you Morris Dancing or scenic views of Ancient Monuments (save for the odd group photo of Simon, Adrian, User10571, Greg etc) but even you will run out of things to talk to yourself about, and you'll need 'input'. And 'output'.
Could be that a kind soul or two (young fit students based in Sheffield perhaps?) might like to ride up with you...Three extras gets a groupsave! Better still, make it a 'H4H ride' and Luke might come out of the woodwork!
I didn't vote either...

 

[Flying Dodo]

I've had another thought. Getting across London from your place, to say crossing the M25 there must be several hundred sets of lights, mini-roundabouts and junctions. Even bearing in mind the time you want to set off, that number of obstructions to a law abiding citizen like you will seriously slow you down, as well as sapping your energy with the regular deceleration/acceleration required.

It certainly wouldn't be any admission of failure, or lack of achievement to not do the full 250 miles! Assuming you've got a Network railcard, take advantage of London Midland's ridiculously cheap fares to get to the last station in the area, Long Buckby just past Northampton (or a bit nearer in to London if you prefer), and then you can cruise along to your parents.

 

[User10571]

Good call from FD.
When I've shed London on solo rides, I have on many occasions caught a train to the periphery where the scenery starts to become greener....
Doing the 'burbs without company seems somehow more arduous than when riding with others.

 

[StuAff]

What those three said!

 

[Globalti]

If you want company from, say, Manchester to Nelson send me a PM. If I'm not overseas on business I'd be happy to act as wind-break for those last few hilly miles.

 

[martint235]

Thanks for all the replies. That's a lot to think about. Here's my initial thoughts on what's been said so far:

1. Leaving at or around midnight. I think this is now a definite. It makes too much sense for even me to ignore it. Using my initial time plan, any incident would push me further into night time for my arrival. In the interests of my parents' wellbeing I think not arriving in Nelson at midnight is a good thing.
2. The train to Long Buckby. I don't know. There are pros and cons to this. The last train seems to be 21.46 getting me to Long Buckby just after 11pm. But then I'd have 4 hours or so of riding in the dark on roads I don't know at all. Crossing London I'd be riding on well lit roads that I've ridden before. This doesn't seem much of an excuse even writing it so I'll probably go for the train option.
3. Making it a H4H ride and inviting others along (cheers for the offer Globalti I may be in touch). This is a good idea, it's always easier to ride in a group than solo and I know my parents are very worried about the solo thing. However as I said in the original thread, my problem with this is I have absolutely nothing to offer anyone who makes it to Nelson. My parents' house is tiny and will struggle to accommodate my bike. My sister's place has nowhere secure to leave a bike. And there's very few hotels in the area. Of course if anyone is willing to sort something out for themselves and wants to hang around for the Manchester - Morecambe ride I'm happy to go riding in the intervening days.

As I said a lot to think about and thanks again for all the answers.

 

[Flying Dodo]

Get the first train out of Euston which is 5.30 am, and gets there around 7 am. Still plenty of time left for the rest of the journey.

 

[martint235]

Get the first train out of Euston which is 5.30 am, and gets there around 7 am. Still plenty of time left for the rest of the journey.

Long Buckby seems to save me about 75 miles. So it's only saving me about 25 miles compared to leaving at 4am. Or an hour and a bit in real money.

 

[Wobblers]

I voted for the 250 mile option - I'm sure you're more than capable of it.

It would definitely be an experience - but, with many miles and hills to go, and having to choose the more direct and less pleasant route, just how enjoyable an experience is open to interpretation. Especially if you're going to be on your own most of the way. Were it myself, I'd probably tackle it in the company of others, but not on my own (I'd get bored, and not sure I've got the stamina for the full 250 miles by myself). It's so much easier with company, and with someone to act as the occasional wind break. If you get the company for much of the way, I'd say go for it.

The other option is to tackle it over two days - you could turn it into a more pleasant bimble that way. As you've said, that's more of a holiday. I'd offer you the use of my spare room if you want, though Birmingham's probably a bit westwards for you.

 

[Flying Dodo]

Long Buckby seems to save me about 75 miles. So it's only saving me about 25 miles compared to leaving at 4am. Or an hour and a bit in real money.

Or you could go a bit further north by train. I only quoted Long Buckby as that's on the limit of the Network Railcard, but with London Midland's sale, you could buy a second ticket from Long Buckby to further north.

 

[Aperitif]

You are wrestling with so many train options that you'll soon be in a 'half-Nelson' mate.
Anyway, if you did get an escort to the colour, from peeps willing to ride up, where is it written in the regs. that you have to provide for them? Part company somewhere near and if anyone wants to stay somewhere until morning then it will only be a case of riding around until one sees a pair of legs hanging out of the window...that'll be 'The Thomassons @ No: 49' for sure! Unless you are subject to a folding body press of course, in which case my submission will be disqualified. Better still, doss in Adam's garden and kick off from there. I know nothing but riding it will suffice. Any mention of 'train' when relating the tale of 'home to home' will leave you wondering.