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