England : London Midweek Sightseer 2018

[GrumpyGregry]

Anyone?

I'll probably be the guy on the Rhubarb coloured Brompton.

 

[cosmicbike]

I'm going, my first audax. Have a workmate (my boss..) coming along too, also a first timer. We'll be the ones on totally unsuitable bikes looking lost.

 

[GrumpyGregry]

The routesheet is ferocious, riding as a pair would be a good plan. One to call the instructions, the other to spot the turns.

I got my now ex-boss into cycling but a couple of imperial centuries broke him.

 

[cosmicbike]

Spent last night with the route sheet and Ride With GPS, glad I did as there are quite a few head scratching bits. Also got the GPS files from the organiser who has just done the ride, and pleased to see I got it right
Now I just need to decide CX vs Yukon...

 

[smutchin]

Rhubarb coloured Brompton.

It would be worth doing just to witness this spectacle.

Getting to West London for 9.30am on a weekday rules it out for me, though.

 

[GrumpyGregry]

It would be worth doing just to witness this spectacle.

Getting to West London for 9.30am on a weekday rules it out for me, though.

Hence the Brompton

to be fair I could get one of the really early trains and not ride the clown bike but if I decide to pack in London, the distance is no challenge but the road/traffic conditions just might be, the B makes getting home a lot easier.

 

[smutchin]

Getting a bike on the train is a problem, but not an insurmountable one. It's the prohibitive cost of the train ticket from Kent at that time of day that rules it out for me. And no way am I driving it.

Of course, there's always another option... Hmmmm... <wanders off to do some route planning>

 

[cosmicbike]

I plan to ride to the start, it's only 12 miles from home, and an 0930hrs start means a lay in. Just ordered a pair of 28C tyres for the Yukon so I think that will be the chosen one, with a small Aeropack back on the post

 

[GrumpyGregry]

I'm at Lee Valley. It's hot and I'm riding a clown bike and my water bottle cage mount broke last night.

Apart from that really good fun. I intend to go full value, pace wise, on the next two thirds.

 

[GrumpyGregry]

 

[GrumpyGregry]

One has tettered on the brink of dehydration for the last hour or so, but the New Inn Ham has saved the day. Less than 10km to go but I'm at the shut up legs stage.

Feckin clown bikes.

 

[GrumpyGregry]

Tempted to abandon it and run the last bit.

 

[cosmicbike]

It was a nice ride, bloomin' hot and London was heaving. Made for slow progress, and we finished in 9.5hrs.
Spotted you a few times @GrumpyGregry HMS Belfast in the crowds.

 

[GrumpyGregry]

It was a nice ride, bloomin' hot and London was heaving. Made for slow progress, and we finished in 9.5hrs.
Spotted you a few times @GrumpyGregry HMS Belfast in the crowds.

10.25 for me, which was par for the plan of the day. Great route. Little bit too much off road for my and Rhubarb's taste.