London-Brighton

I've done L-B once, in 1987. The sticker may still be on the Pedersen's
handlebars.

Once is enough. I don't really like riding in crowds, with wobbly riders
unable to keep a straight line & too dopey not to obstruct faster
riders.

At least I can say I've done it!

Compared to some other things I've done cycling, it pales into
insignificance...

--
Helen D. Vecht: [email hidden]
Edgware.

John Hearns wrote:

[L-to-BLEANton]

I've done it once officially and three or four times as a guerrilla.
Pleasant enough if one is able successfully to negotiate those ignorant of
the use of gears and thus having to get off an walk over speed humps, but
when people have asked me the best time to start, I usually reply "the week
before".

I was half-tempted to join a couple of cow-orkers last year but instead did
the BRITONS' /smallest/ mass-participation bike ride (# of entrants in 2004:
2. 2005 instance cancelled). The weather was just as lousy as on the
L-2-B, but we had better scenery, more whizzy downhills and no marshalls
yelling "slow down" every time one had the temerity to exceed 20 mph...

--
Dave Larrington - <http://www.legslarry.beerdrinkers.co.uk/>
Oxymoron: spot cream for chavs.

John Hearns said:

Ok, let the discussion commence.

I've never done the London-Brighton.
Many people I have spoken to enjoy it, and comment on what a great
day out it is to be in the company of so many cyclists.
I'm often asked when out on the bike if I'm doing the London-Brighton.

I just hate to say this, but I will.
Has it distorted people's perception of cycling?

A cycling trip is bound to hurt - you will get sore.
Cycling is something done once a year, on this special day.

Something like marathons I suppose - many people go out running regularly,
get fit, don't suffer unduly.

I just hate the thought of people being put off cycling by doing 56
miles on ill-maintained bikes on what looks like being a very hot day.

Like all sports, you have to build up to doing long distances or big
challenges. You shake out the gear, and build up the muscles and fitness
specific to your chosen pursuit.

Once (1989) I probably won't do it again.

Very crowded at the start - IIRC it took about 90 mins to do the first
five miles. It was a very hot and sunny day. I wasn't a regular cyclist
then and didn't realise the bits of me that didn't usually see a lot of
the sun were burning quite as badly as they were as the breeze was
keeping them cool. After we finished we probably waited about two hours
for one of the chartered trains back and got home late and very tired.
That wasn't so good as I needed to get up at 5am the following morning.

That said I do quite enjoy massed events and did the Stroke
Association's Thames Bridges ride with my 11 year old daughter a few
weeks ago. That was only 32 miles but after riding from home to a
railway station that wasn't closed for engineering works, from Waterloo
to the start at City Hall and home from the finish we knocked up a round
50 miles which she did easily. No hills though!

We were planning to do the Bile Events Richmond to Oxford on July 3 as
this starts less than a mile from (and passes)our house but have
discovered that it has a minimum age limit of 14 years. Appearantly this
is because it crosses the Chiltons (which appear to have been mistaken
for a range of hills) and because of the "busy traffic(!)" in Oxford.

Julesh

Julesh said:

We were planning to do the Bile Events....

I can't help wondering what that might involve...

Quoted message said:

Richmond to Oxford on July 3 as
this starts less than a mile from (and passes)our house but have
discovered that it has a minimum age limit of 14 years.

Presumably there's no age limit for riding along the public highway at
the same time, though. The age limit would just be for registration.

Like you, I've done the L2B once (1997) and probably won't do it again,
though not for the same reasons. I *was* a regular cyclist, and was
very frustrated by having to wait to walk up anything resembling a hill.
It might be OK if I started at 06:30 to avoid the crowds, but I /hate/
early mornings.

--
Danny Colyer (the UK company has been laughed out of my reply address)
<URL:http://www.speedy5.freeserve.co.uk/danny/>
"He who dares not offend cannot be honest." - Thomas Paine

John Hearns said:

Ok, let the discussion commence.

When I was 13, I "ran away from home" which meant, I cycled from South
London to Brighton one January night. Actually, I didn't quite make it
to Brighton - but I did manage Poynings - not bad for untrained legs!

That was the start of my First Bike Phase. I cycled the 100km to my
cousins every summer, and cycled around South London a lot. When I got a
job, I cycled commuted from Croydon to Carshalton every day.
That phase ended when I got married, bought a car and a flat in Croydon.

My Second Bike Phase began three years ago when my doctor famously said
at my belated turning-40-well-man-clinic, "Well Chris, put it this way,
I hope you aren't making too many plans for your retirement..."

Good luck to everyone on Sunday. I shall be cycling up to Sheringham to
see my Mum - a 150km round trip. It'll be hot. I shall take much water,
some bananas to replace Potassium salts, and a couple of bags of
salted Cashews to replace Sodium salts, as well as the usual rations.

--
Chris

Chris said:

My Second Bike Phase began three years ago when my doctor famously said
at my belated turning-40-well-man-clinic, "Well Chris, put it this way,
I hope you aren't making too many plans for your retirement..."

Yeah, this pensions crisis is a real buggar!

Helen Deborah Vecht said:

I've done L-B once, in 1987. The sticker may still be on the Pedersen's
handlebars.

Yes, still there.

Quoted message said:

Once is enough. I don't really like riding in crowds, with wobbly riders
unable to keep a straight line & too dopey not to obstruct faster
riders.

I've done it three times (or possibly 4), first in 1980. We had
trains back from Brighton which took lots and lots of bikes.

The crowds can be a bit much, but thesense of being involved in
something really big goes someway to offsetting that.

Quoted message said:

At least I can say I've done it!

Compared to some other things I've done cycling, it pales into
insignificance...

Absolutely. But for many of those going it is a massive achievement.
Hopefully they'll see it as a positive experience.

John said:

Like all sports, you have to build up to doing long distances or big
challenges. You shake out the gear, and build up the muscles and fitness
specific to your chosen pursuit.

I don't think there is much preparation needed to complete the L-B for
a moderately fit person.

Tim

"John Hearns" <[email hidden]> wrote in message
news:[email hidden]...

Quoted message said:

Ok, let the discussion commence.

I've never done the London-Brighton.
Many people I have spoken to enjoy it, and comment on what a great
day out it is to be in the company of so many cyclists.
I'm often asked when out on the bike if I'm doing the

London-Brighton.

Quoted message said:

I just hate to say this, but I will.
Has it distorted people's perception of cycling?

I think we need a charity ride on the Northern Line tube, to provide
some special recognition, a t-shirt or certificate perhaps, for those
heroic enough to ride every day for a period of, say, three months.
Last time I rode the tube they were putting out loudspeaker
announcements about being sure to carry enough water to survive the
trip, and it was a lot cooler then than it is today

What charity should the ride support? For the London-Brighton the
theme is heart attacks. For the Northern Line, brain attacks seems
appropriate.

If one insists on maintaining a London-Brighton theme, I suppose you
could use Southern Trains instead of the Northern Line. Southern
Trains probably needs the publicity.

Jeremy Parker

John Hearns said:

Ok, let the discussion commence.

I've never done the London-Brighton.
Many people I have spoken to enjoy it, and comment on what a great
day out it is to be in the company of so many cyclists.
I'm often asked when out on the bike if I'm doing the London-Brighton.

I just hate to say this, but I will.
Has it distorted people's perception of cycling?

As someone who lives very near the route I often get asked if I am
riding it, as if it is one of the highlights of the cycle sport
calendar; but then I also get asked if I am riding le Tour ;-) so
public perception of the ride varies a lot. Won't be doing it again
until they let me take my bike up to the start on the train, plus it's
on Father's Day ;-(

MartinM said:

As someone who lives very near the route I often get asked if I am
riding it, as if it is one of the highlights of the cycle sport
calendar; but then I also get asked if I am riding le Tour ;-) so
public perception of the ride varies a lot. Won't be doing it again
until they let me take my bike up to the start on the train, plus it's
on Father's Day ;-(

Marshalled it a couple of times, ended up haing to drive to the finish
from my assigned location midway down as they had NO first aid cover at
the finish!!!
Collared a T.A. unit at a water station on the way down so we had two
first aiders and 4 T.A. blokes patching up the fallers/dehydrated etc,
didn't get home til 10pm that night absolutely knackered....No way would
I ride it!

Badger.

Badger said:

MartinM said:

As someone who lives very near the route I often get asked if I am
riding it, as if it is one of the highlights of the cycle sport
calendar; but then I also get asked if I am riding le Tour ;-) so
public perception of the ride varies a lot. Won't be doing it again
until they let me take my bike up to the start on the train, plus it's
on Father's Day ;-(

Marshalled it a couple of times, ended up haing to drive to the finish
from my assigned location midway down as they had NO first aid cover at
the finish!!!
Collared a T.A. unit at a water station on the way down so we had two
first aiders and 4 T.A. blokes patching up the fallers/dehydrated etc,
didn't get home til 10pm that night absolutely knackered....No way would
I ride it!

thanks for your help in previous years; but for the vast majority of
riders there is no great problem in finishing; I sponsored a seriously
overweight friend last year who still did it. In any event if you do
First Aid I imagine you will tend to pick up the tail end; but I would
imagine that the majority of casualties were either completely unfit
riders who had done little or no training, crashes due to excessive
speed or care and inappropriate clothing / food / drink en route. I
often see riders who treat it as a pub crawl. Is there never any First
Aid at the finish? I have arrived in Brighton with a broken spoke and
been sent packing as there is no mechanical assistance.

MartinM wrote:

Is there never any First Aid at the finish?

and if not where does the exhorbitant entry fee go? (BHF claim none of
it goes to them)

MartinM said:

MartinM wrote:

Is there never any First Aid at the finish?

and if not where does the exhorbitant entry fee go? (BHF claim none of
it goes to them)

A good St. John Ambulance presence this year, including at the finish.
There
was a massage area at the end too.

And, I've got to hand it too them, Halfords did well as well. Last year
they
promised maintenance areas, and there was roughly 1 on the route. This
year they had a dedicated repair tent and staff at every official
refreshment stop (about 16), and were apparently doing repairs for the cost
of parts only.

--
jc

In message <[email hidden]>, Jeremy Parker
<[email hidden]> writes

Quoted message said:

What charity should the ride support? For the London-Brighton the
theme is heart attacks. For the Northern Line, brain attacks seems
appropriate.

Perhaps a hedgehog or wildlife charity, then, considering the frequency
with which members of the public throw themselves under the trains?

--
congokid
Good restaurants in London? Number one on Google
http://congokid.com

MartinM said:

thanks for your help in previous years; but for the vast majority of
riders there is no great problem in finishing; I sponsored a seriously
overweight friend last year who still did it. In any event if you do
First Aid I imagine you will tend to pick up the tail end; but I would
imagine that the majority of casualties were either completely unfit
riders who had done little or no training, crashes due to excessive
speed or care and inappropriate clothing / food / drink en route. I
often see riders who treat it as a pub crawl. Is there never any First
Aid at the finish? I have arrived in Brighton with a broken spoke and
been sent packing as there is no mechanical assistance.

No probs, I'd actually gone to provide comms when the *race* directors
team spotted my cross-of-life badge!
The fallers were those who either were travelling too fast and
bailed/crashed or those that found gravel on some downs corners.
AIRI.

Badger.