London Revolution 2017

[Next Stop]

Three years ago today, with little training, a buddy and I took part in the London revolution bike ride, 187 miles around London in two days.
Quite simply the most punishing but enjoyable thing I've done on two wheels.
Has anyone else taken part in this or anything similar and wish to share there experience, good or bad?

 

[Ernesto]

I got back into the sport 7 years ago ... after a few drinks in the pub, I signed up for the infamous "Eroica" ride through Tuscany in Italy ...and was hooked from there. Cycling through Siena and the Tuscan countryside was fabulous.....must go back one day soon in the van...

 

[Nasher]

I did the 58 mile London to Brighton ride on a Unicycle a few years back

 

[Ernesto]

I did the 58 mile London to Brighton ride on a Unicycle a few years back

For a bet ? I would have thought that was impossible - how long did it take you ?

 

[Nasher]

I learned to ride a unicycle a few months beforehand, managed an 8 mile training run, two evenings before the ride, in 1 hour - my longest & furthest ride at that time

I figured that I would just have to do that 7 times plus the last 2 miles. My calculation was therefore 8 - 9 hours (including a lunch stop)

However about 15 miles out I was knocked off my unicycle & needed a trip to the first aiders. This delay meant that I lost the advantage I had of an early start so everyone else caught up with me & slowed my progress - so in the end about 13 hours

Whilst in theory, I did it for charity, it was mainly for me (but certainly not a bet)

There was an article written, but I'm not sure Funsters would want to see it here

^{_{Subscribers  do not see these advertisements}}

 

[Ernesto]

Blimey that’s impressive ... I’d thought your back would be killing you after that amount of time... but then so would every other muscle ??

 

[Ridgeway]

I was really keen on doing a "Haute Route" event this June (relatively local) although must admit that the back to back climbing amounts would have been perhaps beyond my limits, hesitated and then C19 thankfully put a stop to my crazy idea

 

[PhilMary]

There was an article written, but I'm not sure Funsters would want to see it here

Yes, we would, that's what Funsters is all about.
Phil (2 wheels)

 

[LesW]

I did the 58 mile London to Brighton ride on a Unicycle a few years back

I did the London to Brighton ride about 35? years ago, organised by The Heart Foundation I think..

It was great, the sun shone all day, roads were closed, refreshment stalls set up by locals.. and I managed to get over Ditchling Beacon without getting off my bike.

 

[Next Stop]

I was really keen on doing a "Haute Route" event this June (relatively local) although must admit that the back to back climbing amounts would have been perhaps beyond my limits, hesitated and then C19 thankfully put a stop to my crazy idea

Those "Haute Route" rides sound amazing, punishing but rewarding with the views to be had!

^{_{Subscribers  do not see these advertisements}}

 

[MattR]

The Dunwich Dynamo, from Hackney, East London to Dunwich, Suffolk is a great ride to do in late June / early July. Slightly chaotic but an amazing buzz as around 2-3,000 cycles ride through the night.

 

[Googlebot]

Those "Haute Route" rides sound amazing, punishing but rewarding with the views to be had!

Seen loads of them while in the Alps. Done a few Cols but not day after day. It is amazing riding.

 

[Ridgeway]

Seen loads of them while in the Alps. Done a few Cols but not day after day. It is amazing riding.

Most days are 3000m each and usually on the 3rd day it's climbing TT as you say it's the consecutive days that would hurt.

 

[Chris]

I once cycled from Charing Cross to Greenwich stopping at every pub on route for several beers.

I completed it with very little training too.

187 miles is impressive

 

[Nasher]

Yes, we would, that's what Funsters is all about.
Phil (2 wheels)

This was the article written by a local reporter after interviewing me on my London to Brighton Unicycle ride:

"You're mad!!!"

That was the comment from the organisers of the London to Brighton bike ride when I told them I was attempting the fifty eight mile route on a unicycle. Funnily enough every body else said the same thing.

Still I think I'm normal and everybody else is weird!

The annual London to Brighton bike ride is listed in the Guinness book of records as "The Biggest Bike Ride in the World" and is a great fund raiser for the British Heart Foundation. I had previously completed it five times, on two wheels.

The day of this year's ride dawned, although at half past three on a Sunday morning dawn hadn't actually happened. I awoke, got up, washed, shaved, breakfasted and drove for an hour to the start at Clapham Common.

I was allowed to start early at ten past five, whilst the back-up crew, my long suffering girlfriend Julia, had to join the queue and wait till five thirty, she incidentally had been told on the Wednesday evening before Sunday's ride that she was doing it, and to make matters worse had to carry my lunch, luggage and tools as well as her own.

I started the ride feeling comfortable (I'd put lots of baby lotion on the tender bits) but with many doubts in my mind as to whether I would succeed. My previous longest distance on a unicycle was eight miles and that was two days before, during a training session. I have been riding a unicycle for less than a year and started training four weeks before the event

Ten miles out Julia caught me up and we agreed, that as everything was going well, she would meet me after twenty miles and give me breakfast. I had already unicycled two miles further than ever before, things were looking and feeling good. Until fifteen miles out ...crash... a lady cyclist "didn't see me". I landed on my back and elbows with a resounding thump, my back landing on the pedal. "Ouch" I exclaimed (or words to that effect) I struggled on for five miles, to where Julia and the first aid stop were, they treated me. (aren't those St Johns people wonderful?) I drank 2 pints of water and pedalled on in great pain. By this time the slight haze which was keeping temperatures down lifted and it became much warmer.

Whilst unicycling along I was constantly getting comments from other cyclists: "You're mad", "Good luck", "Where's The other half of your bike?" etc. until a voice said "Are you from Wargrave?" (my village) apparently he had read in the local newsletter that someone from the village was attempting the ride on a unicycle, after a brief chat he said "Good luck - you're mad."

My next official stop was thirteen miles further and during that time I was knocked off my unicycle a further three times, although these only resulted in a damaged knee and ankle. The trouble is that the London to Brighton bike ride attracts thirty thousand riders and a unicycle tends to be a bit slower. I also had a number of people bump into me but managed to keep my balance.
With thirty three miles done I stopped for lunch, which consisted of water and bananas, my carefully planned dietary preparation had started the day before and bananas were to be my main source of sustenance. Lunch lasted half an hour before I set off again feeling slightly jaded but hopeful that I would complete the ride. The sun by this time was blazing and it was very hot, my next stop would be at the foot of Ditchling Beacon, a very steep hill, some seventeen miles from my lunch stop.

The same comments from other cyclist kept coming, and I was knocked off a further three times. My back and knee were very painful but I pedalled on, at a slower rate, still wondering whether I could make it.

About three miles after my lunch stop, there was a grass verge with about 100 spectators on it, the first person looked up, saw me and started to clap, others looked up and joined in the clapping until all of them were clapping and they kept up the applause until I was out of earshot. That was a great lift and at that time all doubts as to whether I would make it were gone. The sun was burning me, I was covered in sweat my back, elbows knees and ankle were bleeding, my knee and back were in agony, I'd unicycled 36 miles, there were 22 to go but I was definitely going to make it. These waves of applause happened on a further 2 occasions and were a great lift each time. But I was feeling pretty tired and fell off twice without any help.

As I approached the village of Ditchling, about 2 miles before the start of the climb, as usual, the locals were lining the streets. There were too many people attempting the climb, so the marshals stopped everyone until things cleared. However a keen eyed marshal waved me on and I rode towards the village alone. As soon as a group of people spotted me they started clapping and cheering and as I unicycled through the village it seemed like the entire population of the village were cheering and clapping until I was out of earshot, it was very loud and wonderful

I met up with Julia at the foot of Ditchling Beacon, drank a further two pints of pints of water, which took my fluid in-take up to about 10 still felt dry. Whilst I was resting, some of the cyclists from my company came past and stopped for a chat.

Climbing the Beacon was easy, I got off and walked like everyone else! (it was far too crowded to attempt to ride it) From there it was all down hill to Brighton...one problem going downhill on a unicycle is harder than going uphill and much slower. By this time my speed had dropped considerably and there were no jokes from the other cyclists only "Go on you can do it", "Well done keep going" or "You haven't really come all this way on that?" and on I cycled.

..
The last eight miles were extremely slow I finally reached Brighton and the finish at Madeira drive. I was very tired I could hear people shouting (it was some work colleagues) I wobbled over the finish line, got my card stamped to prove I'd done it and a big soppy kiss from Julia.

I had taken twelve hours to complete the fifty eight miles and the only bits that ached were caused by accidents, so, all you cyclists, baby lotion comes highly recommended!

We had a meal in Brighton, got driven back to Clapham Common, where I drove my car home, by then it was about one in the morning and I said "no more challenges for this year".

So if anyone out there can think of one for next year..let me know.

At the finish.....

^{_{Subscribers  do not see these advertisements}}

 

[62253]

Audax riding is my thing. They are usually quite low key affairs with less than 100 riders. A typical Audax ride would be 200 Kms (126 miles), and they usually take advantage of commercial controls at cafes, supermarkets and petrol station shop to replenish supplies. Some events offer more TLC with village halls as checkpoints and offer some food and drink.

Longer rides are available on the calendar; 300, 400, 600 and 1000 Kms with next years LEL (London-Edinburgh-London, if it is still going to run) topping out at 1500 Kms for which you have 125 hours to complete.

The longest ride I did last year was 600 Kms (380 miles) which took me 36 hours and included 3 hours sleep in a village hall.

I had planned a similar year this year, but that has been derailed so far for obvious reasons.

The picture is about 8 hours into a 400 Km self supported ride which I completed in just under 24 hours.

 

[kevenh]

I did the London to Brighton ride about 35? years ago, organised by The Heart Foundation I think..

It was great, the sun shone all day, roads were closed, refreshment stalls set up by locals.. and I managed to get over Ditchling Beacon without getting off my bike.

I did London to Brighton with Sky*. At Ditchling Beacon I cycled all the way up with a mostly negative psychology: my mantra was “*** this, after the next corner I’m definitely walking” but I never remembered to got off the bike.
*- Ian Stannard was the only “Sky Team” cyclist with us. The rest mostly Sky employees