Cycling

ifp

Well-known member
where abouts are you based? I got a nice bike for a good price from a bike shop in Whitechapel. Can't remember the name of it but I'm sure a quick google will bring it up.
 

jenks

thread death
if you live in london get down to epping forest, high beech etc. or to the new cycle place in essex. can't remember the name. something hill? they have a dedicated mountain bike course.

Hog Hill - it's great. You can also hire road bikes and can even take part in some racing. I took my kids in the hols, the people there couldn't have been more helpful.
 

luka

Well-known member
doesnt make up for losing eastway though. thats a whole bundle of childhood memories under concrete.
 

Mr. Tea

Let's Talk About Ceps
where abouts are you based? I got a nice bike for a good price from a bike shop in Whitechapel. Can't remember the name of it but I'm sure a quick google will bring it up.

I'm in Bow, so that's handy, ta. Though I'd prepared to go across town if someone knows somewhere really good out west/south/north.
 

jenks

thread death
Fabien Cancellara - won Flanders last week by dropping Boonen and this week with 20k to go appears to have done the same at Roubaix.

Here, though is my favourite clip of him:

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jenks

thread death
And if you haven't seen Danny Mac - you are in for a treat.

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jenks

thread death
There's some bonkers riding here, best played with the mute button on though

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I opened a bike shop in Richmond this month. Selling bikes like this



I'd been working from home most days until it opened. Now my working day starts with a 6.5 mile / 20+mph dash on one of these:




There's nothing faster than me on my route. If you're on a motorbike or in a car or on a bus, you will get stuck in traffic with everyone else while I fly by in any lane I choose. If you are on a bike, I will be quicker than you away from the lights and faster up hills.

Right now, the conditions are perfect but I'll be back in this thread asking for advice on wet/cold weather riding gear about 6 months from now.
 
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bobbin

What
has anyone done london to southend? it looks like there's a nice route in there somewhere (no big roads etc) but that it might be difficult to remember... it's not about stopping to look at a map the whole time.
 

luka

Well-known member
i did london to brighton, we winged it and got a bit lost and ended up cycling for miles on the hard shoulder of whatever ajor road it is, cars whizzing past at 90mph... quite a rush in a fucked up sort of way. then 2 days later i done that dunwich dynamo thing. thats my biggest feat of athleticism. its been downhill since then. we started on calledonian road, went through loads of werid s.london suburbs, its actually a great ride. i wouldn't do one of the orgnaised ones. my mate phoned me up that evening and said do you fancy it so i rode over to his and we woke up early and went for it. dont be scared, buy a map and do it tomoroow
 

jenks

thread death
has anyone done london to southend? it looks like there's a nice route in there somewhere (no big roads etc) but that it might be difficult to remember... it's not about stopping to look at a map the whole time.

Done it a couple of times - really very straightforward - the whole thing is signed from start to finish and unless you are truly slow you will always have a few people around you. It's a great ride once you get out of London - the first five miles are the worst. The hills out of Chigwell usually claim a few who are surprised to find slopes in Essex but after that it's quite gentle.

Like luka says - you don't need to do it as part of an organised thing, pick a nice morning and just head out and get the train back.

Always fancied the Dynamo but never got my act together to actually do it. Balmy summer nights and bike riding, lovely.
 

luka

Well-known member
you must have done a different route. we didn't go through essex at all. we went through kent. the south downs are quite hilly. there was a couple of short sharp ones that had me spinning away on a very low gear, quite fun though.
 

luka

Well-known member
oh sorry im an idiot, i was talking about brighton.
london to southened is easy if you live in stratford like i did. its like going down the road.
 

bobbin

What
Done it a couple of times - really very straightforward - the whole thing is signed from start to finish and unless you are truly slow you will always have a few people around you. It's a great ride once you get out of London - the first five miles are the worst. The hills out of Chigwell usually claim a few who are surprised to find slopes in Essex but after that it's quite gentle.

i've beaten the hills of chigwell before, but to be honest i can't really see why you'd want to go that way...? (well not for me from clapton anyway)

do you mean there are proper signs outside of organised rides? like, ride this way for a nice trip to southend sort of thing?

Like luka says - you don't need to do it as part of an organised thing, pick a nice morning and just head out and get the train back.

wasn't even thinking about it, organised fun is not normally the one

oh sorry im an idiot, i was talking about brighton.
london to southened is easy if you live in stratford like i did. its like going down the road.

no harm done, i want to do brighton soon as well.
i can get to stratford easy, sounds good as long as there's none of your a-road exploits involved!

but i was looking at this: http://www.cycle-route.com/routes/Central_London_to_Southend-Cycle-Route-1332.html

like i said looks like a pleasant route, but a bit complicated. have you been a different way? or is it somehow easier when you're on the road?

thanks guys, info so far very appreciated
 

luka

Well-known member
its just one long road the way i remember it. it sounds more sensible to suss out a good route though. i like southend. i enjoyed london to brighton more as a ride though. it does get annoying checking a map the whole time, particulalry if like me you cant read a map.
 

bobbin

What
yeah looking again if you miss out their mad wiggly bits and do b roads, it's almost straight up and down to where the m25 is and the samefrom basildon. might get lost in the little bit in between but i can deal with that. now i'm raring to go and annoyed with my uncle for getting married again this weekend.
 
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