Omega Owners Forum

Chat Area => General Discussion Area => Topic started by: tunnie on 24 April 2013, 09:28:41

Title: London to Brighton
Post by: tunnie on 24 April 2013, 09:28:41
So at the weekend I took part in a "Team Sky" cycle challenge from London to Brighton, its for Sky staff, family and friends to enter, around 300 of us did it. They do a number of trips, such as London to Paris, Alps and Scottish challenges as well. Thought I would start off with basic one  ::)

So the start was at the Garden Rooms in Hampton Court, weather in weeks before the ride was just awful, made training difficult. (well thats my excuse  ::))

(https://dl.dropboxusercontent.com/u/803897/Cycling/London2Brighton%202013/2013-04-20%2008.43.41.jpg)

Bike got a quick look over:

(https://dl.dropboxusercontent.com/u/803897/Cycling/London2Brighton%202013/2013-04-20%2008.43.27.jpg)

Bike ready to go

(https://dl.dropboxusercontent.com/u/803897/Cycling/London2Brighton%202013/2013-04-20%2008.36.54.jpg)

Team Sky Support Car:

(https://dl.dropboxusercontent.com/u/803897/Cycling/London2Brighton%202013/2013-04-20%2009.13.55.jpg)

View at the top of the Ditchling Beacons, aka "The Wall". After close to 60 miles, my legs felt like noodles climbing this. But at no point did I walk the bike, rode the whole way which was my key aim. Quite chuffed at that :)

A little panorama:

(https://dl.dropboxusercontent.com/u/803897/Cycling/London2Brighton%202013/2013-04-20%2015.05.15.jpg)

The finish point was at the Albion Hotel in Brighton, next to the Pier. Sky hired out a bar, for a few celebration drinks! :)

(https://dl.dropboxusercontent.com/u/803897/Cycling/London2Brighton%202013/2013-04-20%2016.26.50.jpg)

So all in it was 64.5 Miles, 5 hours riding time, climbed total of almost 4,000 ft, burned 2,500 calories at an average of 12.4 mph. At some point I clocked 35.8mph!

Next time i really need to practice some big hills, Box Hill was much, much easier than I thought it would be. But that Ditchling was a right fraker!

Doing it again in June, this time on closed roads, but told its usually slower cause its so packed!
Title: Re: London to Brighton
Post by: pscocoa on 24 April 2013, 09:35:04
Brilliant - great stuff. A mate of mine bikes all over the world and sends regular reports back by Facebook - he has the time these days.
Title: Re: London to Brighton
Post by: pauls on 24 April 2013, 09:43:37
Well done mate :y A good day out
Title: Re: London to Brighton
Post by: horsecow on 24 April 2013, 09:50:45
Well done, its hard to beat a good ride at the weekend  :y
Title: Re: London to Brighton
Post by: Elite Pete on 24 April 2013, 09:55:17
Nice one Mr T. :y

I nearly killed myself doing a 10 mile bike ride last year but did enjoy it, well apart from the passing tractor covering me in cow poo. At least it gave the people of the car following the tractor a good laugh  ::) ;D
Title: Re: London to Brighton
Post by: Steve B on 24 April 2013, 09:56:59
300.thats a lot of bikes   :y :y Out of interest..what ever happened to a good old set of mudguards on a bike  :y
Title: Re: London to Brighton
Post by: tunnie on 24 April 2013, 09:57:41
Cheers all, feel really good from it. Tempted by getting a full on road bike, but the state of the roads puts me off.  :-\

Title: Re: London to Brighton
Post by: tunnie on 24 April 2013, 09:58:38
300.thats a lot of bikes   :y :y Out of interest..what ever happened to a good old set of mudguards on a bike  :y

Often on "commuter" type, I have a rear mud guard, you can get front one which goes underneath frame, never really felt a need for one.
Title: Re: London to Brighton
Post by: Gaffers on 24 April 2013, 10:01:00
Nice one Tunster, if you had a proper bike you'd have gone faster  :P ;D
Title: Re: London to Brighton
Post by: tunnie on 24 April 2013, 10:09:17
Nice one Tunster, if you had a proper bike you'd have gone faster  :P ;D

Downhill, after going for it like mad, coasting down. People on road bikes just coasted by me  :(

Noticed a huge difference in rolling resistance between full mountain and hybrid tyres, must be same again for road ones as some of them were super thin, combined with a much lighter frame.

These go for about £250/350 second hand, although might consider new at the end of the year and get "last years model" thats what I did with my current one. Brand new at £350 compared to £500 new.

http://www.specializedconceptstore.co.uk/news/newsarticle.aspx?id=576&parent_id=2 (http://www.specializedconceptstore.co.uk/news/newsarticle.aspx?id=576&parent_id=2)

That said, I've not used the cycle to work vouchers yet. Hummmm!
Title: Re: London to Brighton
Post by: cem_devecioglu on 24 April 2013, 10:13:36
Very nice.. as usual I enjoyed the pictures and different places Tunnie.. thanks :y
Title: Re: London to Brighton
Post by: Kevin Wood on 24 April 2013, 10:23:35
Well done. :y
Title: Re: London to Brighton
Post by: cam2502 on 24 April 2013, 10:31:36
Well done  :y :y , 60 odd miles.... I'd think twice about driving that far!  ;D ;D ;D ;D
Title: Re: London to Brighton
Post by: horsecow on 24 April 2013, 13:30:50
Road bike does make a huge difference but then again those tiny little rumble strips feel like a crater!! All depends how much you are going to use it.
Title: Re: London to Brighton
Post by: omega3000 on 24 April 2013, 14:19:24
Well done mate , i feel knackered thinking about what you did  ;D :y
Title: Re: London to Brighton
Post by: fastandy36 on 24 April 2013, 16:22:15
ya legend. I once did a charity cycle from South Dublin to North Wicklow (36 miles) in Ireland. Energy and stamina wise, I was ok, but my back-side was not the same for about 4 days after
Title: Re: London to Brighton
Post by: Kevin Wood on 24 April 2013, 16:25:44
ya legend. I once did a charity cycle from South Dublin to North Wicklow (36 miles) in Ireland. Energy and stamina wise, I was ok, but my back-side was not the same for about 4 days after

I bet it took a pounding knowing what some of the roads are like there.  ;D

It's bad enough in a Westfield.  ;D
Title: Re: London to Brighton
Post by: fastandy36 on 24 April 2013, 16:30:50
ha ha, youre not too far off the mark Kevin, roads in Ireland are notoriously poor. Interestingly enough, our support vehicle stupidly kept slowing as we were going down hills, and complained to us for overtakin him. What a pleb.
Title: Re: London to Brighton
Post by: paul.lovejoy on 24 April 2013, 16:51:05
well done tunnie but did you ride back :o :o :)

i used to cycle a lot, drive the car to the pub on a sat night taxi home then out on the bike to pick up the car :y was at least 2 miles  was always glad to see the car still in the car park :y
Title: Re: London to Brighton
Post by: Field Marshal Dr. Opti on 24 April 2013, 16:55:19
Well done, Mr Tunnie. That trip would have been too much for an 'elderly Omega' ;D
Title: Re: London to Brighton
Post by: tunnie on 24 April 2013, 17:00:03
Nah did not cycle back, although some did  :o

Not quite at that level yet!

Thanks everyone  :y
Title: Re: London to Brighton
Post by: Lizzie_Zoom on 24 April 2013, 18:52:19
Well done Tunnie. :y :y :y

In my thirties I used to regularly cycle 18 miles around country lanes, and that was enough.  The thought of going down to Brighton from London..............well all I'll say is 5 miles on my exercise bike a day is quite enough! :D :D :D :D

I do admire those who can go distance like you Tunnie, I really do! 8) 8) 8) 8) ;)
Title: Re: London to Brighton
Post by: Field Marshal Dr. Opti on 24 April 2013, 18:54:36
Well done Tunnie. :y :y :y

In my thirties I used to regularly cycle 18 miles around country lanes, and that was enough.  The thought of going down to Brighton from London..............well all I'll say is 5 miles on my exercise bike a day is quite enough! :D :D :D :D

I do admire those who can go distance like you Tunnie, I really do! 8) 8) 8) 8) ;)


Is there a 'hidden meaning' here? ::) ::) ;)

Just wondering, with Lizzie being of 'cougar' age.:y ;D
Title: Re: London to Brighton
Post by: Lizzie_Zoom on 24 April 2013, 18:56:57
Well done Tunnie. :y :y :y

In my thirties I used to regularly cycle 18 miles around country lanes, and that was enough.  The thought of going down to Brighton from London..............well all I'll say is 5 miles on my exercise bike a day is quite enough! :D :D :D :D

I do admire those who can go distance like you Tunnie, I really do! 8) 8) 8) 8) ;)


Is there a 'hidden meaning' here? ::) ::) ;)

Just wondering, with Lizzie being of 'cougar' age.:y ;D


Only Tunnie can answer that!! ;D ;D ;D ;D ;D ;D ;D ;)
Title: Re: London to Brighton
Post by: paul.lovejoy on 24 April 2013, 19:00:05
roarrrrrr go get him tiger :-* :-*
Title: Re: London to Brighton
Post by: paul.lovejoy on 24 April 2013, 19:01:54
but will he go there and back i wonder ::) ::), its a young mans world Mr O
Title: Re: London to Brighton
Post by: omega3000 on 24 April 2013, 19:53:51
Well done Tunnie. :y :y :y

In my thirties I used to regularly cycle 18 miles around country lanes, and that was enough.  The thought of going down to Brighton from London..............well all I'll say is 5 miles on my exercise bike a day is quite enough! :D :D :D :D

I do admire those who can go distance like you Tunnie, I really do! 8) 8) 8) 8) ;)

 :D :-* :-* :-* :-* :-* ;D ;)
Title: Re: London to Brighton
Post by: tunnie on 24 April 2013, 20:34:04
 :o :o :o :o :o :o :o
Title: Re: London to Brighton
Post by: Gaffers on 24 April 2013, 20:39:36
Is tunnie a 'cub' in training? ::) ::) ;D ;D ;D