London to Brighton BHF ride

[her_welshness]

Thanks for all your comments. I guess given that it seems more a mass walk at times rather than a ride, is to look for something a bit smaller like the Friday night thingy, although I am crap at night! If it was the "Early Saturday Morning, like 4am, ride to the coast", then I would certainly be in!

Our Lewisham parish do a London to Brighton ride with the veteran cars in November. It's jolly good fun, its in the day time and you finish at a very reasonable time of the day 

[Andyf]

I shall be having a lie-in and a few cold beers while being pampered on FATHERS DAY 

Instead, I think I will do the London to Southend...well it is in Gods Own County

And who's idea was it to put the London to Southend and The Dunrun on the same weekend   

[Andrew Br]

I shall be having a lie-in and a few cold beers while being pampered on FATHERS DAY 

Instead, I think I will do the London to Southend...well it is in Gods Own County

And who's idea was it to put the London to Southend and The Dunrun on the same weekend   

FRNttC and DD are always on the weekend nearest to the full moon so they clash.

[Andyf]

FRNttC and DD are always on the weekend nearest to the full moon so they clash.

Sorry didn't explain, I meant the BHF London to Southend. (Was my first ever organised bike ride so have a little attachment to it)

[Andrew Br]

FRNttC and DD are always on the weekend nearest to the full moon so they clash.

Sorry didn't explain, I meant the BHF London to Southend. (Was my first ever organised bike ride so have a little attachment to it)

No, my mistake, I was in full FNRttC mode 

[Andrij]

FRNttC and DD are always on the weekend nearest to the full moon so they clash.

Sorry didn't explain, I meant the BHF London to Southend. (Was my first ever organised bike ride so have a little attachment to it)

No, my mistake, I was in full FNRttC mode 

But they don't clash!  FNRttC (Brighton) begins Friday night.  The Dun Run starts Saturday evening.

Cycle overnight to Brighton, grab breakfast, avoid the bar, get train back to London then sleep.  Wake up early evening, cycle of to the start of the Dun Run, then spend all of the next night cycling to Dunwich.  Simples! 

Yes, I did both last year, and will probably do it again this year.
 

[nuttycyclist]

Personally, having ridden mass events in the past, I'd never ride another one.  I'm not a snob in expecting people to be able to ride, plus I do like the fun of a mass event; but I don't like the chaos, requirement for concentration, and the fact that some novice riders blame everybody else for their own shortcomings.

The transport issues is another point re these rides.

FNRTTC is well worth doing, as is riding it on your own.     I've done FNRTTC and then ridden home to Southend several times now.

Instead, I think I will do the London to Southend...well it is in Gods Own County

And who's idea was it to put the London to Southend and The Dunrun on the same weekend   

I ride home from the Dun Run (well actually I've stopped doing that too as it's getting too busy).   I've nearly made the finish line of the London to Southend before, but we did have a few unplanned holdups that year.

[Andyf]

Had thought of doing the Dunrun then 30 miles to Ipswich, get the 7am ish train down to Stratford then London to Southend............

[Martin]

The one thing from your comments which surprised me was that the Policeman said 80 000 riders were taking part when only 27 000 registered. Bit naughty not paying an entry fee IMHO.

There are two points here. Firstly, the places are limited in number so some people who are unable to register do the ride anyway, perhaps with friends who are registered. Secondly, the BHF took over what was a critical mass event and started to ask people to pay to ride it. It won't  be every one of the un-registered riders who feels the same way but for many it is the BHF who are being naughty here,

the history I heard was that it was a couple of dozen cyclists who first did it in 1976 (no idea for which cause though) whatever it would not have been allowed to grow to 27k riders without the organisation required which the BHF now do.

ah; found it London to Brighton Annual Bike Run: today a massive charity run yes as you say sounds a bit of a CM type affair

aside from that it's very naughty doing it without registering; if only the 27k riders who paid did it then it would be more than just a walk (although it's been as busy as it is now for at least 20 years; I've only been able to ride up How Lane once in all that time) it's unregistered riders that swamp it.

the Veteran Car one is very good; but uses almost none of the route the BHF one uses; being mostly a blat down the A23 apart from the busy bit between Pease Pottage and Pyecombe which it avoids; using the very nice bit through Cuckfield and Burgess Hill.

[Adrian]

But they don't clash!  FNRttC (Brighton) begins Friday night.  The Dun Run starts Saturday evening.

Cycle overnight to Brighton, grab breakfast, avoid the bar, get train back to London then sleep.  Wake up early evening, cycle of to the start of the Dun Run, then spend all of the next night cycling to Dunwich.  Simples! 

Yes, I did both last year, and will probably do it again this year.
 

How the hell do you avoid the bar when we took one to the top of Ditchling? My ambition to do both was out the window right there.

[Adrian]

I would like to endorse everything Tim C says. It is a day out on the bike not a bike ride.

I would equally endorse Her Welshness' promoting of the ride with the vet cars. That is a great day, although I did turn over and go back to sleep in 2009 rather than embrace the gale and rain.

I acknowledge the truth of Martin's opinion, in as much as there are more than enough registered riders and there really is no need to add to them. I'll still do it again though if asked.

[Andrij]

But they don't clash!  FNRttC (Brighton) begins Friday night.  The Dun Run starts Saturday evening.

Cycle overnight to Brighton, grab breakfast, avoid the bar, get train back to London then sleep.  Wake up early evening, cycle of to the start of the Dun Run, then spend all of the next night cycling to Dunwich.  Simples! 

Yes, I did both last year, and will probably do it again this year.
 

How the hell do you avoid the bar when we took one to the top of Ditchling? My ambition to do both was out the window right there.

Well, I didn't avoid *that* bar, quite the contrary!     But I heard stories that after breakfast some riders progressed to a local hostelry.  By the time they emerged they were in no fit state to continue with an even longer overnight ride that evening.
 

[Adrian]

Well, I didn't avoid *that* bar, quite the contrary!     But I heard stories that after breakfast some riders progressed to a local hostelry.  By the time they emerged they were in no fit state to continue with an even longer overnight ride that evening.
 

What,this sort of thing?

[smurphboy]

Registration was interesting...

They tried to use a queuing system - so that applications were processed in the order that you tried to access the site (time event on the page to refresh and a unique page ref generate, so I assume the server would respond in order...)

It was a mess - I waited for 3.5 hours before resorting to phoning them (someone on twitter got registered that way and everyone seemed to have given up on the queue) and I've just gone back now and found that you can just register with no queue... wtf? I think they abandoned the queue.

And then... it turns out that they aren't going to tell you if you are successful until Monday! So why did they need a queue if it wasn't first come, first served???

All very odd. Maybe they are trying to weed out the sort of impatient types would won't want to queue to get up the Beacon...

[Domestique]

I did this back in the early 80's. At the time I was well chuffed with myself, longest ride, great atmosphere, the Anti Bike League at the start 
It was a great day out and something I was very proud of at the time. I seem to remember never seeing so many cyclists on a ride. I stopped in a pub to use the loo then couldnt get back ont the road with the constant stream of cyclists 
I am sure its very similar today. Do it and enjoy

[Adam]

Thanks for all your comments. I guess given that it seems more a mass walk at times rather than a ride, is to look for something a bit smaller like the Friday night thingy, although I am crap at night! If it was the "Early Saturday Morning, like 4am, ride to the coast", then I would certainly be in!

Our Lewisham parish do a London to Brighton ride with the veteran cars in November. It's jolly good fun, its in the day time and you finish at a very reasonable time of the day  

Even more fun is the Historic Vehicles ride in May.  Many more varied vehicles (and the weather is usually better).  We did it in 2009 but forgot about it last year, and I've realised I've already said I'm running a Dover ride for this 1st May.  

[Adrian]

Thanks for all your comments. I guess given that it seems more a mass walk at times rather than a ride, is to look for something a bit smaller like the Friday night thingy, although I am crap at night! If it was the "Early Saturday Morning, like 4am, ride to the coast", then I would certainly be in!

Our Lewisham parish do a London to Brighton ride with the veteran cars in November. It's jolly good fun, its in the day time and you finish at a very reasonable time of the day  

Even more fun is the Historic Vehicles ride in May.  Many more varied vehicles (and the weather is usually better).  We did it in 2009 but forgot about it last year, and I've realised I've already said I'm running a Dover ride for this 1st May.  

Well reminded. We need a separate thread for this.

[Adam]

Good idea. I think I'll postpone my Dover ride.

[Jurek]

Good idea. I think I'll postpone my Dover ride.

Good call.
Not that there's anything whatsoever not to like about your Dover ride.
The Historic Commercial Vehicles ride is a hoot though.
And perhaps more likely to have good weather than the November veteran cars run.

EDIT - Ought I start a thread? Or did one or the other of you wish to take on that particular mantle?

[TimC]

Registration was interesting...

They tried to use a queuing system - so that applications were processed in the order that you tried to access the site (time event on the page to refresh and a unique page ref generate, so I assume the server would respond in order...)

It was a mess - I waited for 3.5 hours before resorting to phoning them (someone on twitter got registered that way and everyone seemed to have given up on the queue) and I've just gone back now and found that you can just register with no queue... wtf? I think they abandoned the queue.

And then... it turns out that they aren't going to tell you if you are successful until Monday! So why did they need a queue if it wasn't first come, first served???

All very odd. Maybe they are trying to weed out the sort of impatient types would won't want to queue to get up the Beacon...

It was - and still is ongoing - a complete cock-up. BHF should hang their heads in shame. It was better when it was done by snail-mail!

[smurphboy]

I've been told I've got a place but we can't confirm it (and pay and register the rest of my team) until later in the week. I presume the web devs are being fired and the new devs are figuring out if the 486 used as a webserver is really going to work...

[Adrian]

I've got an advance train ticket from Brighton for Sunday 19 June complete with cycle reservation. What are the chances of that being honoured?

[mattc]

I've got an advance train ticket from Brighton for Sunday 19 June complete with cycle reservation. What are the chances of that being honoured?

Hmm, interesting! I would suggest you'd have a strong case for claiming a taxi fare off them.

Not sure I'd take the gamble, mind - maybe some legal eagles will add some FACTS here.

[Adrian]

I've got an advance train ticket from Brighton for Sunday 19 June complete with cycle reservation. What are the chances of that being honoured?

Hmm, interesting! I would suggest you'd have a strong case for claiming a taxi fare off them.

Not sure I'd take the gamble, mind - maybe some legal eagles will add some FACTS here.

I am absolutely positive that I won't be trying to get it honoured. I shall bring my bike from Brighton up on the Friday evening so it can go back on the Sunday and stay there.

[Sergeant Pluck]

I’m doing the night version this time round.

Am I right in saying that the trains are refusing all bikes all weekend? Where do I need to ride to in order to get back to London - it can be safely presumed that I won’t feel like riding back.

Anyone else doing it? I haven’t, as you may detect, had a look at all the bumpf yet but I note that it seems to avoid the Ditchling Beacon  presumably due to safety concerns.