Dunwich Dynamo, 1st July 2023.

[rogerzilla]

They're part of the reason that the locals put tacks on the road.

[Jurek]

They're part of the reason that the locals put tacks on the road.

Salient point.

[toontra]

Seeing as DD departs at midnight, time is likely to be inappropriate, though it probably doesn't matter in open countryside and is swamped by other city sounds in the urban core. High volume rock at 2am in Suffolk Parva is going to be unwelcome but apart from that, it's up to your riding companions.

Depart from London is 7-8pm, so most riders will be going through the villages 10pm-6am.  Even "urban" areas are pretty silent after 12, especially the suburbs, so music is going to be unwelcome.

BT speakers on bikes have always struck me as being somewhat twatty in a "look at me" kind of way.  Using then at night is just plain wrong, and irks me as a fellow rider.  Headphones?

[Sergeant Pluck]

BT speakers on bikes have always struck me as being somewhat twatty

Particularly on the DD, during which surely the greatest pleasure is the complete silence that one encounters at certain stages, broken only by the sound of smoothly running bicycles. Perhaps even only one bicycle, should you find yourself alone.

[Cudzoziemiec]

Seeing as DD departs at midnight, time is likely to be inappropriate, though it probably doesn't matter in open countryside and is swamped by other city sounds in the urban core. High volume rock at 2am in Suffolk Parva is going to be unwelcome but apart from that, it's up to your riding companions.

Depart from London is 7-8pm, so most riders will be going through the villages 10pm-6am.  Even "urban" areas are pretty silent after 12, especially the suburbs, so music is going to be unwelcome.

I must have been confusing it with a FNRttC.

BT speakers on bikes have always struck me as being somewhat twatty in a "look at me" kind of way.  Using then at night is just plain wrong, and irks me as a fellow rider.  Headphones?

They certainly can be, but they can equally just be a bike version of a car radio.

[Lightning Phil]

DD doesn’t have a fixed departure time. You’ll find riders heading off a 9pm or earlier.

[ScumOfTheRoad]

I believe legend has it that the original Dynamo was a bunch (peleton ?) or couriers, who decided to ride to the coast after an evening in the pub. Of course you can start it at any time of your choosing.

[Adam]

I believe legend has it that the original Dynamo was a bunch (peleton ?) or couriers, who decided to ride to the coast after an evening in the pub.

Urban myth created by Barry Mason, to increase the alure of the ride. 

[rogerzilla]

Paid-for sportive-like thing run by Mosquito Bikes, AIUI.

[SpaceBadger]

Carrying a BT speaker is like having a massive 'all the gear, no idea, so please drop me' jersey on, so I happily oblige whilst muttering 'wanker' under my breath.

[Jurek]

I believe legend has it that the original Dynamo was a bunch (peleton ?) or couriers, who decided to ride to the coast after an evening in the pub.

Urban myth created by Barry Mason, to increase the alure of the ride.

^This.

[Andy W]

To be clear, thr DD departs London Fields at 8pm on the dot. Leaving earlier is cheating and much after 8 :10 pm is tardy. Having ridden it numerous times over the last 12 if say each year brings its own unique character to the event. With regard to the disco soundbox blaring away on a bike in the small hours i found it irritating so pushed on. There are bigger things in life to get really annoyed about and if someone wants to play loud music they can carry on. There are more pop up refreshment stops along the route as well as the pubs.
2000 people equals 2000 opinions and perspectives. Id recommend it even as a one off experience. Something magical bowling through quiet rural roads with just your bike lights illuminating the pitch black night. I actually do use a dynamo front light, lessis more. I do have a retina burning light as well but it biminishes my peripheral night vision.
Ps. Start when you fancy!

[Wowbagger]

I'm not quite sure if the above post is tongue-in cheek, but people can leave when they like. It's not a race. And trying to get 2000 people to go through those narrow streets and alleyways all starting at 8pm - well, good luck.

I usually aim to start between 8.30 and 9pm. That way, I try to save the annoyance of being overtaken by a load of fast people who, all too often, overtake too closely. I'm usually at the beach in time for lunch.

[JellyLegs]

I might have to give it a go in 2023 if I am free.  I have never ridden the DD, despite living right on the route for the last 20 odd years. 

Imho, those with Bluetooth speakers are nothing but an inconsiderate pita.  Try sleeping through the dozen or more you get going through between 11pm and 2am each time when the windows are all open due to the July heat and you are used to the near silence of a small Essex village.  Doesn’t make for a happy me the next day.

[Cudzoziemiec]

I might have to give it a go in 2023 if I am free.

I would take Andy W's advice above: Go at 2000 on the dot, 2010 is tardy and 2023 is disgracefully late! 

[rogerzilla]

I might have to give it a go in 2023 if I am free.  I have never ridden the DD, despite living right on the route for the last 20 odd years. 

Imho, those with Bluetooth speakers are nothing but an inconsiderate pita.  Try sleeping through the dozen or more you get going through between 11pm and 2am each time when the windows are all open due to the July heat and you are used to the near silence of a small Essex village.  Doesn’t make for a happy me the next day.

There have also been complaints about people calling, "Left! Right! Hill! Gravel! Hole!", etc. which can be annoying if you live near one of these road features and hear it 500 times in the early hours.  But non-cyclists just hate cyclists.

[grams]

There’s noise outside your window one night of the year and it’s quiet the rest of the year? How awful.

[JellyLegs]

I might have to give it a go in 2023 if I am free.  I have never ridden the DD, despite living right on the route for the last 20 odd years. 

Imho, those with Bluetooth speakers are nothing but an inconsiderate pita.  Try sleeping through the dozen or more you get going through between 11pm and 2am each time when the windows are all open due to the July heat and you are used to the near silence of a small Essex village.  Doesn’t make for a happy me the next day.

There have also been complaints about people calling, "Left! Right! Hill! Gravel! Hole!", etc. which can be annoying if you live near one of these road features and hear it 500 times in the early hours.  But non-cyclists just hate cyclists.

I am neither a non-cyclist nor a cyclist hater, I dislike inconsiderate people who feel it is appropriate to play unnecessarily loud music in the small hours when it will clearly disturb others.  They are two very different things.

There’s noise outside your window one night of the year and it’s quiet the rest of the year? How awful.

Every Bluetooth speaker I have ever owned has had two simple to use buttons that, with even the most basic courtesy, could have dealt with the issue by turning the volume down / off temporarily while passing through the villages on route.  My philosophy is don’t expect people to be considerate to you if you can’t be arsed to be considerate to others.

Edit: I recognise I have a particular issue with loud music.  In a previous life I spent best part of a year plagued by a neighbour in a semidetached pair who played base heavy music non-stop from midday until around 3am.  I worked from home, the low frequency base beat was enough to vibrate the walls and could not be got away from no matter where in my house I went.  I was surviving on 3 or 4 hours sleep a night most nights. He didn’t give a toss.  The local council were slow to act.  His landlord wasn’t worried as long as he got his rent.  I couldn’t sell the house as nobody was going to move in with that racket next door. It affected my mental health.  It still affects my outlook on things.

[telstarbox]

... is on Saturday 1 July.

[ElyDave]

Put it in my diary for this year, as I'll probably not be doing an extended tour.  Was thinking of making a shorter tour/long weekend of it and heading back west to Ely afterwards, possibly with a little coastal jaunt or something.  Might be the excuse to pull my finger out and sort out the recumbent.

Is there a GPX route published at all? I know it's very much a "turn up and go, minimally organised" type of event.

[ScumOfTheRoad]

Regarding route sheets - am I right in remembering in prehistoric times (before smartphones) that I sold paper  route sheets for 1 quid a time at the start, for Southwark Cyclists funds?

[Jurek]

Regarding route sheets - am I right in remembering in prehistoric times (before smartphones) that I sold paper  route sheets for 1 quid a time at the start, for Southwark Cyclists funds?

That sounds about right.

[Wowbagger]

http://www.bikehike.co.uk/mapview.php?lnk=https://peter.chesspod.com/routes/eastanglia/dunruntrk.gpx

That's the route I followed in 2008, I think. There have been some minor variations to it since, eg the official half-way stop at Lavenham, which no longer exists.

I believe the odd straight line followed by the track back to Ipswich was the occasion that Regulator, Andrij and I were given a lift by Annie. She was supposed to drop us at the station but the intervention of the boys in blue, who were unhappy about the positioning of our bikes on the back of her car, forced us to ride the last bit.

[ravenbait]

Regarding route sheets - am I right in remembering in prehistoric times (before smartphones) that I sold paper  route sheets for 1 quid a time at the start, for Southwark Cyclists funds?

I don't know if it was you -- I seem to remember buying one for a quid from a chap called Fraser 2002-2005.

Sam

[ScumOfTheRoad]

Not guilty, Sam