London Fixed-gear and Single-speed

let me know you are all alive and healthy when you get back. sending luck your way this time.

+1 genius, got me for a second, i've been looking at the beach ball of death quite a lot this week.
b

I'm pretty disappointed to not be on this ride. Especially after buying the chain ring + tools to gear myself down for it (although that stuff will be useful at other times). Hope everyones having fun!

Yeah, I'm gutted I'm not going. After missing the last LtB ride, I've been looking forward to this one since it was organised. But last night started coming down with a cold/throat thing and by 6.30 this morning, it was raging. I thought about HTFU and go, but just couldn't. As said before, gutted.

Next time... always next time...

Don't worry - if it's the same thing I've had, it only lingers for about 2-3 weeks...

I'd be on the ride if I wasn't so..... living in Dublin.

the fastest one yet! left brixton hill at abou 0900 and we were at the pier by 1330. no punctures. although dt had a bit of drama losing 3 of his chainring bolts. some waiting on top of hills and a few longish stops.

good ride and accident free!

@lebowski. sux you missed out mate. dont worry, im sure this will be repeated in the warmer months.

big turn out. had about 23(?)

HOLY FUCKING SHIT

Fucking lost again! (Got there fine. Fucked the return trip by adding ~20k heading to Lewes?!)
Was on 185k at Caterham with no food or drink for last 30k and another 50k into London to ride = fuck that!
Trained to Victoria, rode to Ealing.
So I still got my 200k for the day. Return trip was fscked. Shoulda got train from Brighton. Ouch.
How fucking quick did it turn icy?!?! Rained just before Caterham Mofo!!! My hands were frickin' iced. I'm surprised it didn't turn to ice.

how long was the return trip for you hippy? surprised to see you actually. i thought you'd end up somewhere southampton or something ;p

the curse is broken, praise the lord

I took off from the group at the top of that first hill.. where all the trouble is.. so the curse went with me..

well i pissed right on the spot where i broke my collar bone...hehe

curse went with you? did you puncture/s? crash? found a scratch on the spesh?

ralph - end up hiking up the hills or did you manage with your ratio?

I was gonna leave something there for you but didn't have anything suitable.
No, I blamed the curse on myself. Three times I'd done L2B someone else on the ride had broken a bone. So, not being in your group meant no one broke bones :)

So, how did the proper ride go? How are the fixers legs now? Did some of you hang around Brighton? I'm into the Rego and I've showered and I'm warm now so feeling better.

What a good ride - curse lifted.

Ride was great, good to finally put faces to names (when I've worked out who's who)

Miserable ride home from London bridge, soaking wet and bloody freezing!

Knees are a bit shaky, nothing a couple of beers and ibu[pofen tonight won't fix.

ride was good, met good people, had fun, spun like a bastard on the downhill, ground up the ascents, enjoyed it so fucking much, had no legs for the last 15 or so miles, and was caught in that no mans land between riders, when they're just too far to get close to, and the rider behind is just too far away to give you encouragement, or form a little group.
Got a puncture on the descent into brighton, so jonny didn't have to buy a round, but apart from that we were puncture free.
stayed in brighton until about 5ish, back into the house just right fucking now.

Good job everyone, looking forward to london to southend, if the legs are feeling good enough...

Nice one all, glad you got there safe, quick and generally hassle free!

brett that was an especially spectacular route, though we got a bit mixed up it was all good in the hood with your instructions..

Absolutely awesome ride - perfect weather, great bunch of people and no major incidents.
Koga's maiden voyage was smooooth, very strange riding with gears and freewheel but very thankful for them on those downhill runs!
Got a few bits of video that I'll try to cobble together as I crash on the sofa and the burn in my legs subsides :-)

Good job peeps, until next time!

Glad to hear it - The downhill out the back of Caterham just before you cross the M25 is an absolute beast!

Yeah brett.. you know that route works when even hippy makes it to Brighton!

Can you sort me out a return route though? :)

On the way back I ended up here, Ashurst Wood. Not only that, I was heading away from London?!?! How the truck does that happen?!?!?!

Was the route posted on this thread somewhere? I looked quickly, but may have missed it. I'll look more closely if it is.

It was posted in one of the earlier L2B threads.
I dug it up from there and posted it in this thread. Look above..

They need to teach 'search' in schools :P

If you're navigationally-challenged, in a hurry, don't want to add unnecessary miles, (and preferably in a group of 3 or so), bomb it back up the A23, team time-trial style.

A bit grim, so you'll be motivated to get it over with post haste.

I ended up "bombing" (grovelling) along the A22.. fucksake!
I saw Caterham, remembered the DEStruction incident and jumped on the train. Beaut!

Yeah, sorry about that. Anyway, found a bikely thing + the text directions you posted. Cheers!

Was really good to meet you peeps and do some rad riding and see how to ride a fixed properly. I hope to put some pics up and if I am still alive in the morning I will take my fixed out to Speakers Corner for Sheldon tomorrow.
Cornelius you crack me up!!
My first proper ride in UK and covered 75 miles with a great bunch.
Jonny thanks for the beer.
Stu.

I Had such a great time.
Had to cycle back from Victoria and by the time I got to Golders Green I seemed to hit some sort of wall. I was unable to go any further until I had a mars bar and some lucozade. It was also raining kind of freezing hailstones on me at that point too.

Eighty miles in all and 4 pints. I have a feeling I will be a little sore tomorrow.

Great to meet you all

You were subconsciously coming to see me :0)

PS Please make the next one a Sunday. The missus works Sats so I have to look after the boy. Not a bad thing at all, but it does kinda rule me out of L2B rides!

Bugger off Sammy Davis Jnr.. I've got other rides book for Sundays. Just strap the kidlet to your bike :)

(I was coming to see your orangeness..)

My phlegm matches Sam's frame.

At least it's not pearlescent white. Then I'd be really worried...

Great ride, lovely route, and we really lucked out with the weather. Looking forward to the next one!

the koga is looking rather lovely.

Awesome! :)

awesome slamm

damn, looks like i missed a good ride

Cool Vid.

Great video ! What do you call that kind of music ? Some kinda 'Jive' ? 'P

Caution - non cycling related stuff to follow:

If you host it on Youtube - sticking &fmt=18 on the end of the address ups the quality (at the expense of slower connections). - I tried this on the above video and there was no perceivable improvement, so I think you may have compressed it quite heavily before you uploaded it (?). But it does work for most Youtube stuff.

Anyhow, why don't you upload it to Vimeo, much much better quality video and audio and great user interface.

Check out the quality baby:

Compare:

ach, sounds good guys - well done on beating the weather. Spent the day trying to shake out the juice from my laptop. ooops. good work. Next time!

slam where do you mount your cam? its well steady.

Yeah, he's pretty good at keeping it level, I like the parts where the camera rises a few feet above the cyclists, not sure how he does it though ?

helmet mount? he is one of them tall fuckers, they are not to be trusted.

hand-mount you mean?

what is this 'mounting' you speak of?
One hand on the bars, one hand holding the camera. :-P

Cheers for the tip tynan, will try Vimeo in a sec, and maybe also exporting on a slightly higher setting.

slammbo

check yo private message

the big fella