It's that time of year again where I dust of the shackles of the daily grind and throw caution to the wind by meticulously organising another (Killer..if last year is anything to go by) grrrraaaavel bike ride, all in the name of, well, nothing really...
A few from here have been present for all the previous bimbles:
Mikea, TobyMC, singletrackmind - all small to medium hitters....
See [url= http://singletrackworld.com/forum/topic/its-time-for-drps-gnarmac-brighton-london-brighton-enduroad-adventure-again ]here [/url]for the thread and fairly shonky write ups (if I'm honest.. 😉 of last year's event!
So what's the craic?
Well, The date I've told my wife and kids I won't be at home is [b]SATURDAY 17TH SEPTEMBER[/b] - the only thing I can see going on then is the Wiggle Steeple Chase sportive..meh..
SATURDAY, 17th September 2016... please don't try to change it (too much)..
Meet at Brighton Pier at about 0700, take the [b]BHF L2B road[/b] route up to brighton, eat horrid food at the same cafe we go to, then ride through London to Roehampton uni, and then take the [b]BHF L2B off-road[/b] back to Brighton.
If we're lucky we'll all survive, and grab a brew or two on teh beach - lush...
I live not that far from Brighton, so if you live farer-away than I do, you're welcome to kip over at Chez P on the friday night, or saturday night. After that, you can F-O..
It's a great ride, about 135 miles, about half and half road/off-road.
Bring any bike you want. A CX/gravel bike will be perfik, a V10 less so.
Any questions, fire away... All excited parties start commenting below.
You too could be as cool as this lot:
[img] 
[/img]
DrP
Yay!
3 1/2 months - could happen!
I'll stick it on me calendar 🙂
135 miles? F'off.
I might be able to drag out the return leg..
This is a day out on the train yes ?
135 miles, on a bike...
Meeting some blokes off the internet far from home, what could possibly go wrong? 😀
Oh and I have that weekend free, to push the average age up and the speed down.
Short of contracting Ebola from that cafe this couldn't go any worse for me than last year can it?
I've been on a much shorter ride with P - he's not a doctor at all, he's a nasty man. He'll wheel out a fixed gear shopper bike to make you feel good about yourself
... then it starts
... kidding by the way - he even brought cake
(he's quick though. I can hate him for that, right ?)
[i]135 miles? F'off.[/i]
Yeah, I'm kidding myself I'll ever be able to ride that far.. 😡
Noted.will seek permission .
You all look too hungry in that photo, therefore,I may aim for a London to Brighton only .
(& on to Seaford! Where my Brighton based friend has moved to. Bastid.)
Oh the excitement
One of the best rides of last year , helped by the weather ,and the company of course.
I shall put it on the calender.
I *might* be able to make this year...
In looking at the return journey. What's the crack?
Maybe, possibly., sort of.......
Hmmmm
Afternoon all. I was wondering about this just the other day.....
I'm in!
Sooooo... Tempted. Sounds epic! I'm pretty sure I could make the distance (just!).
Involves meeting strangers off the internet :-} Hmmmm...!
You are all just chat-bots, right?
An idea of 'pace' might be good... mainly the road leg.
i don't have a gravel bike but do have a mtb set up rigid with thunder berts....
Hmm, pace, er, about 15-17mph I suppose. The road leg is quite hilly at times too...
If you hunt about on Strava (or when I get on a pc I'll link it) you can see what it actually was...
DrP
I have to date, ridden a whole 30 miles this year so will very likely have to decline.
Tis a good laugh with plenty of ups and downs, geographically and otherwise. If folk can only do one leg, I'd say choose the second half cos it's mostly off road.
Full monty route - [url= https://www.strava.com/activities/360003578 ]https://www.strava.com/activities/360003578
[/url]
And I did the 2nd half again the following week - [url= https://www.strava.com/activities/364073536 ]https://www.strava.com/activities/364073536[/url]
Oooh, i can't see any problems with meeting up with some strange fellas off internet in spandex in Brighton to go to Clapham Common.... so i may well be interested. (runs off to drop weight from Fargo to keep up!)
scud - MemberOooh, i can't see any problems with meeting up with [b]some strange fellas off internet in spandex in Brighton[/b] to go to Clapham Common.... so i may well be interested. (runs off to drop weight from Fargo to keep up!)
Well this [i]was[/i] the day after Pride and we did get accosted by a couple of still very drunk fellas by Palace Pier 😆
Living just a few miles from Roehampton, might well be interested in the off-road / train home option.
That way I might be able to keep up.
Edit: having done about half the off-road bit earlier in the spring, I can confirm there is a nice easy bail-out at Christ's Hospital...
Mike...sorry to hear you won't be showing us your 'best side' again this year...
Sounds like there's a few others interested 🙂
DrP
I am clearly such a small hitter I don't even get a mention (or is that because I have not made anywhere near a full leg yet??). In answer to the earlier question about speed I was bang on 23km/h for 73km last year and 21.6km for 65km the year before, but for both of those I was on my own for half
I shall put in for a pass for a day out - might even make a metric ton this year!
Having read up on last years near fatal expedition, scrutinized the Strava data and zoomed in on the picture of 5 very dodgy looking fellas I have decided that this is a silly idea.
I have popped it on the calendar!
I do have a month in the Alps beforehand so it is wholly possible that i'll be in traction somewhere in southern France come September but if not I shall be along.
Torino Nice Rally sounds like perfect training for this 🙂