London Fixed-gear and Single-speed

thought id post my experience of longer ride i did recently because this could help newbees.

i had to get an altura luminos jacket for the colder evnings in evans so looked on the website and the nearest one was in waterloo at the cut. this ment a longer ride from E9 london fields down across the river. the ride is much easier now my seatpost is fixed properly and i dont have to stand up.

for this i had a bottle holder on my carbolight frame and i recomend that all riders carry a bottle of sugary drink i use ribena. i also took a bag this was useflu to put all the things i needed in the bag especially some food in case i got tired.

beofre leaving i checked the locatioon of sandwich shops along the route pret is very good for this so that i could stop and refule if necessary. there is a pret at bishopgate where i stoped on the way home to rest before the last push. i found the falafal sandwich was very good and the smoothies range is very refreshign after a ride of this distance.

when ig ot there i felt a little tired but my preparations paid off. if you are thinking of doing this sort of riding i recommned you take food and drink. it was worth going far to evans for the excellent service levels. ten out of ten.

how do you post pics + i have pics of this ride i can post?

did you ride all the way back as well?

I think I saw you riding between sandwich shops..

yesi rode back and i had to stop at pret in bishopgate. its quite a way and its improtant to eat properly. thats the advice.

Don't forget to chew each mouthful 20 times to ensure you get maximum nutritious value from your sandwich.

You did a ride like that unsupported?

Chapeau!

unsuppoted? i have a seatpost now if thats what you mean. and i have lyrcra but didnt wear it for this ride.

Tour riders are pansies compared to you.

i think it's a fine example to set to the rest of us who just don't do that sort of heavy mileage

its easy if you prepare for it properly i think anyone can do it.

What were your preparations?
Did you start on slightly less epic rides like London Fields to Polo? (I usually get a lift in a taxi myself)
How do you prepare for that mountainous terrain near the river?

i give up.

i wrote abotu planning above it is easy really. i took a pack of three jaffer cakes and made some ribena. the worst hill is at the bank but its only realy bad on teh way back but then pret is nearby so its ok like a reward for your effort.

Don't give up, this is an inspiration to us all.

One day you too might be able to get over Blackfriars Bridge without having to push your bike up the South Face.

no dont give up just plan more carefully then you can get up hills in lodnon and eat properly.

I got out of bed yesterday. I had cunningly arranged my pillows on the floor before I went to sleep so that when I woke up, all I had to do was to roll a bit to the left and I was out of bed. I recommend a cup of coffee for a manouevre of this complexity. I left a thermos by the side of the bed with a curly straw in it so that I didn't have to sit up to drink it.

Once I was out of bed, I had to HTFU and actually get up and like, do shit. Whoops.

Aren't you forgetting something?

Surely it's a foregone assumption that he would be carrying a mobile in case he couldn't make it to the Pret and had to dial up a pizza and some beer.

Im confused. Are you saying that you have ridden from Waterloo to Hackney?

Hackney-Waterloo-Hackney.

epic

Saxondale, you should give some advice to that chap who is riding across australia.. perhaps let him know that these big rides seem daunting but can be achieved with the right preparation.

Oh and you may find that moving your keyboard a few mm to the left results in fewer spelling mistakes.

This just blows my mind! I was thinking of cycling home tonight from W12 to N12 and had no idea of the preparations I should be making - especially as I am "ridding long distances" [sic] on a regular basis. Thanks for opening my eyes.

I can make a two-mile detour to take in the Hendon Evans, but there are no Prets on my route [gasp]. I was wondering if you could recommend an alternative chain to refule [sic] at, saxondale? Perhaps you could prepare a a Pret-Evans map of the capital... the we all could make safer long riddes [sic] across London.

I have looked up Australia on Google Maps and , if you alter the scale, it appears much smaller than London. I don't think they have Prets in Australia anyway and so a cycle ride across there is pointless. The only Australian Evans I know of is currently in France.

looking at my a to z i worked out that it is 9 miles which may not seem a lot but in this wether you need to be careful especialy the newbees out there.

@saxondale
Come along to CM tonight and learn the alternative fuel of beer and mars bars.

when you eat jaffer cakes does it affect your sperm count?

no but i heard that smooking and drinking and some forms ridding and saddles can affect your chances of having a child.

This thread is making me laugh, because I actually do carry a Pret voucher in my seatpack, in case of emergencies.

(Note to the impoverished: if you email Pret and complain about their products, they will send you vouchers for free food. Not that I advocate dishonesty. Of course.)

but i think thats just because you can't meet girls when you are ridding and collecting bike parts.

No, 'cause girls aren't into that sort of thing.

it's not that they aren't into it, its that, one must concentrate on ones ridding and jaffer eating on long rides.
nice moustache young lady.

dirty sanchez

Top tips I've made some notes ;)

Come on mate now you are just taking the piss

Yeah, you often see most riders in the Pro Tour drinking Ribena and scoffing Jaffa cakes. Seriously!

always loved this logic..

customer: "your product is shit"
retailer: "thank you sir/madam, here, have some more of it"