Is it as packed and awful as I fear it might be? (Onroad)
Bike Forum
What's the London to Brighton like?
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Posted 4 months ago #
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full of nodders on mtb's. avoid.
Posted 4 months ago # -
I enjoyed it the twice i did it.
However, make sure if you do it to start as early as possible as it gets packed on the ditchling beacon and it becomes unrideable as people don't understand the concept of walking on one side and leaving room for riders.
I gave up after they changed the trains to get back and it became a nightmare.
Posted 4 months ago # -
It's a cycling event for people that don't usually cycle.
Posted 4 months ago # -
It's a cycling event for people that don't usually cycle.
this.
not done it myself but from what I've seen if you want to go on a 50 mile bike ride at a slowish pace and enjoy a bit of an atmosphere then do it.
If you want a fast ride from London to Brighton then start very early with the tdf wannabes or do it on a different day.
Posted 4 months ago # -
I do it most years and have for the last 15. I ride down with a group to Brighton, we start ASAP and avoid the crowds, have breakfast on the seafront and ride home. A great century ride every year.
Riding with the crowds is an experience (I've done it a couple of times). It's more dangerous than the most hectic road race sprint finish, you'll probably have to walk up 2-3climbs since everyone else does and it will take you ages. Then the transport home (unless you ride back :D) is a nightmare. On the plus side you usually see some amazing sights somewhere, you can stop at the pubs and the comrardarie is great.
Posted 4 months ago # -
That's what I thought, director has entered a work team and as I ride a bike has kind of assumed I'd love be doing it.
Posted 4 months ago # -
Century as in miles or km's?
Posted 4 months ago # -
Miles - of course. One year we road to Ashdown forest as a detour on the way back. 250km.
Posted 4 months ago # -
I think an early start is out of the question
Posted 4 months ago # -
Maybe not relevant as you've already been entered but i'd agree with wwaswas - do it on a different day.
I did last year with a group of 8 mates - managed to piece together a slightly extended route that was mostly single lane country roads - was an absolute blast.
Posted 4 months ago # -
Second what everyone says about the volume of traffic and the amount of people blatantly riding a bike for the first time that year. It's quite scary in places, but it's a fun day out too. We camped along the coast near Angmering, then rode the rest of the South Downs Way the next day.
Posted 4 months ago # -
START EARLY !!
Finishes about 5 minutes walk from me in Brighton - pop in have a beer..Posted 4 months ago # -
I live on the downs link so tempted to put some semi slicks on the Meta 5 and doing it laid back on the MTB rather than trying to dawdle on the road bike.
Posted 4 months ago # -
i've done it quite a few times, mostly on the large scale BHF organised ride. Definitely echo what others have said, the volume of traffic can get a bit frustrating at points, such as the odd hill you have to walk up because it's got too blocked up.
mostly it's all good fun, though. ultimately it's a long bike ride so what's not to like?
edit - also, to add, i'm registered on the first BHF organised L2B night ride, 26/27 May. If anyone else is doing it, let me know!
Posted 4 months ago # -
We've seen it a couple of times by coincidence/accident. On the beachfront one year no one could move/gridlocked. Silly really.
Secondtime was on the train back. We were sat looking out at a great deal of cyclists on the platform being told that none of them would be allowed on. That must have been the first year the train company became 'funny' with them as there was supposed to have been extra storage laid on specifically for that day.
Posted 4 months ago # -
yeah that's also true about the trains being a bit of an issue these days. generally when i've done it we've sent a sister/girlfriend/random ahead with the car to meet us at the end and drive back with bikes on the car.
Posted 4 months ago # -
Definitely very crowded, but this is only a problem if you were hoping to clean the hills and generally make progress in an unimpeded manner.
You can ask for an early start but, like us, you may get a time two hours later than you wanted, then see loads of people at the start who got an early time but couldn't be arsed to turn up for their slot and just mosey along when it suits them.
With a bunch of mates you can either treat it as a social day out experience, or just ride the route independently on a different day and make a bit of a race of it.
EDIT: As far as I know, bikes are not allowedon London or Brighton bound trains on the day, so you have to arrange your own transport, or use the (pricey) BHF supplied coaches.
Posted 4 months ago # -
It's a great atmosphere, but not a serious ride, and unless you're right at the front, be prepared to d some standing around - the route uses back country lanes (quite rightly) but it means that when people hurt themselves, as they inevitably do, there can be long holdups while ambulances go down said roads to collect the injured.
Last official one I did took nearly seven hours, with only 4.5 of those actually riding.
Posted 4 months ago # -
The Mrs did it twice, she enjoyed it due to the mass of pople and the closed roads (all apart from last few miles into Brighton). It was the only times she ever rode the bike. The second time she didn't even do any training. I always collected her so to avoid the bus/train fiasco of trying to get home.
Posted 4 months ago # -
It can be a lot of fun. Do it. Doesn't matter if you have a late start time, just arrive early and leave with the first group. Your time wont be recorded correctly, who cares.
So, if you start at 6 AM then you can be in Brighton by about 10 AM. Job done.
I have done it twice. Singlespeed first time and pedalled up Ditchling, well chuffed I was
Then did it on a road bike and had a hoot.
JUST START EARLYPosted 4 months ago # -
Wanted to add: get your boss to organise transport back. A van can be rented for a day for not a lot of money.
Posted 4 months ago # -
most of the people riding it have little spatial awareness and have no idea how to ride in a group, it's like a commuting nightmare with people who only drag the bikes out of the shed once a year and there are always lots of accidents.
best thing to do is donate to the BHF and ride your bike somewhere else.Posted 4 months ago # -
I did it a couple of years ago. There wss a group of 8 of us entered together with the same team name but we all got different start times and we weren't allowed to start until the latest time. The crowding was horrendous - saw several big crashes where people just stopped in the middle of the road in a steep descent. Lots of standing around waiting fot roads to clear and walking up virtually evry hill
Genuinely the most unpleasant day I've ever had on a bike.Posted 4 months ago # -
There's always the off-road version. http://singletrackworld.com/forum/topic/london-to-brighton-off-road
Posted 4 months ago # -
Beginning to change my mind again. My tolerance for dumbasses is unrelentingly low.
Posted 4 months ago # -
I must say I never had a problem getting back. Bike on a lorry, self on a following coach. Easy.
Posted 4 months ago # -
Take your time, stop at all the pubs, ride your slowest bike.
Posted 4 months ago # -
There are loads of L2B organised charity rides rather than doing the big Heart foundation one. I don't get what all the snobbery is about though to be honest, it's a charity fun ride not a bloody section of the tour ffs. I've done it on a BMX and it took 8 hours.
I agree getting back can be a bit of a pain, we drove down the night before and left our car there over night. finish your ride and then dang your bikes on your own car
Posted 4 months ago # -
Forgot to add, as someone else has already said.......take it easy and just enjoy the atmposphere, it's a great crack and you also get to see some fit ladies along the way on bikes
Posted 4 months ago # -
For my sins I've done it about 6 times within work groups. I did it last year after a gap of a few years and it seemed worse than I remember. So busy even with an early start (and avoiding the start line at clapham common as always by joining just down the road a bit).
It really is for cyclists who don't ride for the rest of the year and many of whom seem to ignore the official advice to have a well maintained bike.
So you need to be on your guard all the time for the most crazy behaviour/ events. Those riding slowly hard on the right listening to ipods was a constant problem as they have no awareness of what's going on. People walk on the slightest incline so be prepared to stop. I managed to stay on the whole ride but only with a lot of track standing. Lots of polite requests to get by seem to work fine but are constant.
Seemed to be a lot of accidents last year including one just down from the start line involving a car and some pretty nasty ones on the descents.
The climb up Ditchling last year was so crowded that it was hard to stay on the bike. Not seen that before. Tempers were fraying as the walkers didn't think to yield.
Trains ban cycles and pick up by car using the park and ride means a big queue for the bus back to the racecourse where the car park is. Took us hours last year to get home to London.
All that said:
1. These are just observations and not complaints. Enthusiasts cannot complain because they shouldn't be riding it as enthusiasts. Its not an event for them. Racing down through the continuous bike traffic shouting and moaning to other riders is just ridiculous.
2.If you are doing it as part of a group and plan it to be a social and lazy day with no rush and plenty of time to get home then do it and you'll probably enjoy the day.
Posted 4 months ago # -
Ms Enveetee and I have done it every year for the last 25 or 26 years on our tandem.
We live in Brighton, about 12 years ago or so they stopped taking bikes on trains so getting up to Clapham was a pain - Now we cycle both ways, leave Brighton at 6 (ish) Egg McMuffin brekky on the way, arrive Clapham about 12 ish. Then cycle back. The roads are less crowded mid afternoon, we still get in at 5ish or so
It's a bike ride for a good cause, not a race, a fantastic day out - don't miss it
Posted 4 months ago # -
the best thing to do is not bother officialy entering and just dropping some money to bhf or your chosen charity.
garanteed start time then.
dont leave clap common any later than 7am or you gonna be walking up hills while people who dont normally ride get off and die by the roadside.
all in all its a great day out and ive been doing it since about 1998.
and ditchling beacon is one mofo hill you need to do b4 you die for sure.
youll be sweating like a dog by the top but its all worth it when you get ther and admire the view and achievement on riding not walking which ive done both when the hill is rammed with retarded non bikers who just get off right in front of you. i dont know if anyone else found this but its harder on the legs to walk it than ride.
opinions please. thanx.Posted 4 months ago # -
It's a frickin nightmare.
Loads of walkers, loads of crashes i.e woman slams on the brakes and says 'ooh look a windmill'Posted 4 months ago # -
Well worth the climb to the top and a very enjoyable day out.
If your looking to set times and have a race then forget it but if a few burgers and a good
laugh is what you need then go for it.
Posted 4 months ago #
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