FNRttC Southend on Sea Night Ride Thursday 24th March 2016

[ianmac62]

... Has anyone got photos from the breakfast venue they'd be happy to have go on the website? ...

How about this?

 

[ianmac62]

Many, many thanks to @AKA Bob and all the other helpers for the great ride. Big thanks to the techies who fixed my puncture under London Bridge. I know my friend James enjoyed his first Fridays ride. Great to chat to so many people. And, as well as discovering that both @rb58 and I were taught by Mr Webber for chemistry (clearly many years apart), I had a delightful flashback to 1st September 1970 when I started my teaching career here, as the ride entered Leigh-on-Sea. It wasn't an academy then; the buildings didn't look like this (plenty of them were pre-fabs); and it was a boys' secondary modern school. Thanks to @Flying Dodo for the photo!

and I didn't realise forty-six years ago that I was shaping the future.

 

[velovoice]

How about this?
View attachment 122980

That's wonderful, Ian, thank you!

 

[rb58]

Important caveat: that ride wasn't that much of a test for wet-weather gear in terms of waterproofing or temperature, frankly.

Erm, way marking the south side of London Bridge for twenty minutes whilst the skies did their worst was a definite test. After twenty minutes I spotted that the mechanical was only 100 metres back down the road (under the bridge. In the dry). By which time I was mildly moist in my Altura Night Vision Evo.

 

[ianmac62]

Erm, way marking the south side of London Bridge for twenty minutes whilst the skies did their worst was a definite test. After twenty minutes I spotted that the mechanical was only 100 metres back down the road (under the bridge. In the dry). By which time I was mildly moist in my Altura Night Vision Evo.

Sorry!

 

[StuAff]

Erm, way marking the south side of London Bridge for twenty minutes whilst the skies did their worst was a definite test. After twenty minutes I spotted that the mechanical was only 100 metres back down the road (under the bridge. In the dry). By which time I was mildly moist in my Altura Night Vision Evo.

True....I was on the road at that point. The DHB jacket, too, was feeling the strain, but nothing even vaguely breathable could keep that head of water out. Nonetheless, we've both been in worse!

 

[velovoice]

Did the wet weather gear work? I've got a new altura jacket that seems ok but it's now hands and feet I'm after keeping dry.

I'm afraid I was a last-minute no-show, due to a job interview that afternoon encompassing 3 interviewers in 2 locations over 5 hours with no breaks. Non-stop performance adrenaline and then I crashed.

My w/p jacket and trousers are Craft. Not quite as breathable as Gore but also less 'race fit' than Gore so accommodates layers better. Highly recommend their w/p overshoes too, but when it's cold and/or truly diluvial, I wear Northwave boots which are superb for keeping feet warm and dry. (Hands, I'm not so bothered - I tend to sweat and not feel the cold and would rather have breathable gloves than truly w/p ones. And to be honest, I've yet to find truly w/p ones. Sealskinz are pants; half an hour of heavy rain and you're stopping to wring them out.)

 

[ianmac62]

... I wear Northwave boots which are superb for keeping feet warm and dry ...

You'll see from the photo above, @martint235, that I did the whole ride in wellies, the kind that Nokia made before they turned to making mobile phones. Dry feet = happy man.

 

[mmmmartin]

I'm a fan of Paramo - the best at keeping the rain out and not creating too much sweat. I've had three - one was for mountaineering but cut too short for fell-running, so was sold, one was part of the kit for an expedition and was sold afterwards and my current fave is the Velez Light smock, which has never let a drop of water in through every one of my 12 200k rides for my randonneur round the year, nor on any FNRttC, and isn't sweaty. I bought mine from the Paramo seconds shop. I prefer the smock for cycling as there isn't a full-length zip, which can let water through. @User was sporting the same on the Southend ride.
You can wash the waterproofing in - you buy the stuff from Nikwax, which makes Paramo clothing, and one wash per year is adequate to maintain the waterproofing. If you damage it, Paramo will fix it (they'll charge you but you don't need to chuck the jacket away.)
And @ianmac62 seemed very happy in wellies.

 

[Fab Foodie]

I'm a fan of Paramo - the best at keeping the rain out and not creating too much sweat. I've had three - one was for mountaineering but cut too short for fell-running, so was sold, one was part of the kit for an expedition and was sold afterwards and my current fave is the Velez Light smock, which has never let a drop of water in through every one of my 12 200k rides for my randonneur round the year, nor on any FNRttC, and isn't sweaty. I bought mine from the Paramo seconds shop. I prefer the smock for cycling as there isn't a full-length zip, which can let water through. @User was sporting the same on the Southend ride.
You can wash the waterproofing in - you buy the stuff from Nikwax, which makes Paramo clothing, and one wash per year is adequate to maintain the waterproofing. If you damage it, Paramo will fix it (they'll charge you but you don't need to chuck the jacket away.)
And @ianmac62 seemed very happy in wellies.

As a regular rain Jonah, I also endorse the Paramo Velez light smock for cycling ... And hiking, camping, walking the dog, going to the pub, Waitrose ... In fact pretty much anything outdoors. One jacket to rule them all.

 

[mmmmartin]

this is where i bought mine - it's the eBay shop run by Paramo. I paid £120 - they are £220 now.
http://www.ebay.co.uk/usr/paramoseconds?_trksid=p2047675.l2559

 

[Peterse12]

It was my first Fridays ride, great fun, even if I did find the last couple of hours a bit of a strain. I'll definitely be back, but possibly on something with bigger wheels.

 

[Fab Foodie]

this is where i bought mine - it's the eBay shop run by Paramo. I paid £120 - they are £220 now.
http://www.ebay.co.uk/usr/paramoseconds?_trksid=p2047675.l2559

Shop around on the net and they're regularly available for £180

 

[StuAff]

It was my first Fridays ride, great fun, even if I did find the last couple of hours a bit of a strain. I'll definitely be back, but possibly on something with bigger wheels.

Ah, one of the Bromptons I assume? Many of your fellow riders, including myself, regularly do much longer runs on 16" or 20" wheels- Orange Brompton for one only uses a Brommie for FNRs, I've done quite a few on my 20" Dahons, including my first back in '09. Your fatigue was more likely down to ride fitness & the weather than the bike. Glad you enjoyed it.

 

[StuartG]

Erm, way marking the south side of London Bridge for twenty minutes whilst the skies did their worst was a definite test. After twenty minutes I spotted that the mechanical was only 100 metres back down the road (under the bridge. In the dry). By which time I was mildly moist in my Altura Night Vision Evo.

I think you should consider changing your tailor. I was waymarking on the other side of London Bridge for what felt to be even longer. My ancient Aldi jacket was perfectly dry (on the inside). I'm normally a Lidl man and the only time one or the other has seriously let me down was on the Wetstable run. But nothing could withstand that.

My problem was gloves. They quickly became two enormous sponges. Thank goodness for the spare pair pressed into action post J31.

I too took a sabbatical in 2015 and it was great to be back. Congrats to @mmmmartin & @AKA Bob plus all their little helpers for an enjoyable ride. My very first FNRttC in 2009 was a J31 Southend so it felt right. And if no leader can do anything beyond deploying a tactical nuclear device to make East London a more interesting ride - the post J31 route was a great addition to the repertoire.

My favourite place of all FNRttC rides is sitting on the bench at the top of Rayleigh high street watching other riders complete the hill and relax. Its no Ditchling but most riders know there is less than 10 easy miles down to breakfast and it shows. The bloke upstairs even laid on sun and a cloudless blue sky to make me even happier.