Dear all 

I’m keen to keep up some longer rides over the colder months, this is my draft timetable, but changes may have to happen later on just because. Each month I will test a route, so it’s not rubbish when it comes to doing it for real, and leading a ride on that route, I'm sort of doing this with my Dulwich CC hat on, but I know some of you enjoy a big day out too, so come along.

Rides are planned for Sundays so I can have fun at HHV on Saturdays. All rides will be a nominal 200km, but I’ll not force the distance, and I might cheat and make you do a bit more than 200km by putting the start a bit further away. Routes may feature a bit of dull straight road to get us out of town faster; it opens up areas we seldom visit. 

Not sure you can do 200km? Give it a go, you can always jump on the train when you have had enough. Pace will be what works for the group but I'd like to keep the moving average over 25kmph, actual average will depend on faff and lunch of course. I’d expect everybody to turn up with enough food to get through the first 100km, and the group can decide if it’s a day for warming up in a pub or grabbing a sandwich from a petrol station on the day. 

I’ll keep this thread up to date for the duration. I’ll post GPX files up before each ride, and it would be marvellous if some of you had the route loaded on the day so I can sit in out of the wind. Most Garmins will not do 200km of navigating on one charge, so you may need to get creative if you want Strava to validate your life choices, I am that shallow.

It would be greatly appreciated if you fitted proper full length mudguards if rain is likely as 200km can feel a long way if you are getting icy water in the face the whole time, and sitting on the back is only half way polite! Lights take the stress out, stuff happens, it will go dark, please fit them. Please don’t fit continental supersonics and expect everybody to stand about in the cold whilst you fix multiple punctures. I hate crashing so will cancel if ice is likely. 

That all sounds a bit serious, it’s not, it will be lovely, riding in winter is brilliant, you see different stuff, and after a week in the office and not seeing any natural light from Monday to Friday spending that long out in the sun is magical.

Thanks, 

Hector 


October 

Test ride – 15 

Main ride – 29 

November 

Test ride – 12 

Main ride – 26 

December 

Test ride – 3 

Main ride – 17 

January 

Test ride – 7 

Main ride – 21 

February 

Test ride – 11 

Main ride - 18

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I can't make this Sunday but will join you for some of the rides later in the year.

I've hopefully chopped out the unsurfaced bits of the route, this time, but if people want gravel I'd be happy to include some more entertaining options in the future! It's still quite heavy on little lanes though, so probably don't fit the 19mm TT tyres and 42 inner ring. 

Thanks Hector looks amazing, will def try and make some of those rides. 

hello

SOUNDS ACE! will see you there for some rides, need to get a bit of practice in over next few weeks and then will join you probs Nov/Dec

Anna

Anyone joining tomorrow? Meeting Cadence at 8.

How was this ride?

Beautiful I'd highly recommend the rerun on 29th. I wussed out at about 140k  and tried to get the train cos I'd messed up my legs earlier in the week, but then ended up getting stood up by the rail replacement bus and had to do a rather uglier 20 more, and wishing i'd done the whole thing. 

I tested the first route yesterday, Jeremy B (of DP) joined in for the first 1/3rd, and Lucy hung on for 2/3rd before running the gauntlet of the rail replacement bus service , and it is beautiful, it’s well worth coming along on the 29th for the re-run. There are loads of lunch options at Tenterden at 110ish km. One sneaky bit of gravel road through a forest, but smooth hard pack gravel, totally road bike friendly. And an easy bail out option by turning off and into Tunbridge Wells should the whole ride feel a bit much. It’s a tough route, nearly 3000m of climbing, but mostly tough because it’s all on lanes the average speed never gets up. You never really get to roll down the hills, so you end up working for every km. Bring your compact and 32! I was out for over 11hours all in, so lights are essential for the full route.

I’ll re-post the route after making a couple of minor tweaks in the next week or so, and see you there.

As this has proved a bit of a monster I’ll make sure the next couple of routes have a few more easy km in them, and maybe head for just under rather than just over 200km, you will get the full distance in by the time you ride to the start and home again.

Check the rail timetable better than i did before deciding to bail at TW! Whole route (even gravel bits) fine on normal road bike, i was on my race bike, which was fine, atho probably could have done with changing the tyres if any wetter than it was yesterday!

These sound great - I've blocked in Nov & Dec dates.

Cheers

This sounds great Hector, thanks for organising. Hope to join you for a couple! 

Hector sounds great much further than I would normally go which is about 100km. So look forward to having a big ride next weekend.

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