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Dunwich Dynamo - London to Dunwich bike ride, 8/9 July 2006

Brixton Hatter said:
how fit were you, did you do much preparation?

i do 12 miles a day atm which is a piece of piss, but i've never done more than about 65 in a day. i remember getting an ache/soreness in my knee after about 40 miles of the the second day (i'd done about 35/40 on the first day) so i guess i'd be worried about developing something like this that would leave me stranded and unable to cycle in the middle of suffolk at 4am :eek: but i guess maybe i'm a fit young lad and shouldn't complain! a few long rides in prep would be best i suppose
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I was reasonably fit, I guess. I did it with three mates. We basically tried to squeeze in one longish ride every three or four weeks, starting in January. Started off with some 40 mile rides, then upped it to 50, 60, even did an 80 miler I think from Reading back to London. Eased off in the last few weeks, had a massive pasta meal before we left (and the obligatory pint in the Pub on the Park ;) ) and then just cycled off...

Some things I found out:

It's a very sociable ride. Lots of nice people and friendly conversations down dark country lanes.

No matter how fast you think you have been riding, when you get to the village hall for food, about 60 miles in, the place will be rammed and you will have to wait about 45 mins for a plate of cold pasta. I'll be taking my own lunch next time.

Until the lunch stop you'll pass - or be passed by - other little batches of cyclists. After the lunch stop things seemed to thin out considerably - which was nice, in a funny kind of spooky moonlit way :cool:

Pack lots of little cereal bars and other things to munch on, and a water bottle. You will get thirsty.

Take a spare inner tube, tyre levers and fresh batteries. If you're in a group make sure someone packs a pump.

Pack some Sudocrem. If you get saddle sore it'll take the fun right out of things very quickly indeed. If things start to itch or feel irritated down there, slap it on immediately.

We left around 8.30pm and arrived Dunwich about 6.30am. I reckon of that we spent around two hours eating, resting, fixing bikes etc. I do know we averaged over 14mph.

The breakfast in the cafe is pretty rubbish - tiny portions. Still, you'll be too tired to care, and the coffee is hot.

It's a bit of a pisser arriving at 6.30am and realising that a) the bus doesn't leave until 1pm, and more importantly, b) the pub doesn't open until 11. Bah! If I could I would try and organise my own transport home at the end.

Was it worth it? Definitely. It was a fantastic experience. Am I doing it again this year? Yep!
 
:eek: Bloody hell, that's a very long way!
We have been to Dunwich many times, rumour has it that old dark, misty nights a ghostly bell can be heard, it's from the church that fell into the sea with the rest of the village many years ago.
 
Really looking fwd to this. Am going to have reception committee waiting for me at the other end - my girlfriend's flatmate's parents own a mansion in Suffolk apparently, so am getting whisked off there afterwards :cool:
 
lighterthief said:
Pack some Sudocrem. If you get saddle sore it'll take the fun right out of things very quickly indeed. If things start to itch or feel irritated down there, slap it on immediately.
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Probly best to slap it on beforehand I would have thought, rather than mid-ride - I can imagine that might be a bit undignified in public :D
 
Try this as well, the old gun range is here:

http://www.orford.org.uk/

Then there's Thorpe Ness Mere as well. So much to do in this area, you will need about a month! Framlingham Castle, Snape Maltings concert Hall, Aldborough. Rendlesham Forest is my favourite, lots of loonspuds runnning around hunting UFO's! :D

Sutton Hoo Anglo Saxon museum......sit of fthe famous dig. Biggest find in the country to date.
 
han said:
Ahh - so the key thing is to do some weekend 50 milers to prepare the ol' knees and peeps will be ok! :)
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I'll happily try out some 50-milers with you Han. Can we start with a downhill ride :)

I'm not sure whether to try this with drop down bars or not as I've been having physio on my shoulder.
 
citydreams said:
I'll happily try out some 50-milers with you Han.
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oo great! :) Let's do it. Know any good routes?

Dyou think it's necessary to do the whole length (ie. 80 miles) in training in one go, or would 50 miles suffice?


citydreams said:
I'm not sure whether to try this with drop down bars or not as I've been having physio on my shoulder.
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Hmm, I'd go for the sit up and beg stylee if I were you - less strain.
 
han said:
Dyou think it's necessary to do the whole length (ie. 80 miles) in training in one go, or would 50 miles suffice?
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According to my cycle computer (geek), the ride from Hackney to the beach was 116 miles last year.
 
Nothing will stop me after last year, which was my first ever.

The atmosphere was incomparable. One minute you're on your own - not a sound other than the tyres of your bike on the road, and the wind passing your ears. But other times you're cycling along with others.

There were a few tricky moments when I couldn;t see a thing due to having little LED front light - I even hit a pot-hole at speed and survived. But for the most part I could see by moonlight, or by the light of other bikes' mega-lights.

In the darkest hours, there is a line of lanterns hanging, or standing at the edge of the road to lead the way. Look out for the bats. I also saw voles running around.

The sun coming up brings a renewal of strength - and that early morning feeling was fantastic.

Some I talked to were struggling to stay awake on the saddle by this time, or feeling the cold. Not me - I was wide awake the whole time, and never cold - not till I reached Dunwhich anyway.

I recommend bringing something warm for putting on why you're waiting for the bus home.

My training was non-existent but I do cycle around 150 - 200 miles a week, and quite often do 50 - 70 mile rides. I knew I'd at least manage over half way.

after 90 miles it began to hurt, but the promise of reaching the hundred mile point kept me going.

After that it was increasing discomfort and pain, but I knew I'd have to finish. There's no backing out by then.

Bring lots of water, high calorie snacks, and vaseline.
 
lighterthief said:
No matter how fast you think you have been riding, when you get to the village hall for food, about 60 miles in, the place will be rammed and you will have to wait about 45 mins for a plate of cold pasta. I'll be taking my own lunch next time.
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Food ran out while I was in the queue - I wouldn;t rely on getting a hot meal - take your own food. Good place to buy bananas and fill up with water though.

The breakfast in the cafe is pretty rubbish - tiny portions. Still, you'll be too tired to care, and the coffee is hot.
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I remember it as one of the tastiest meals I've ever had. I must have been pretty hungry by then.

Was it worth it? Definitely. It was a fantastic experience. Am I doing it again this year? Yep!
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yep! :)
 
don't think i'd be ready to do it this year - haven't been cycling enough - but I have always wanted to do it and might start building up some decent rides over the summer....

somebody was talking about it on the Robert Elms show on Tuesday (still on BBC Listen Again) i imagine, and made me REALLY want to do it.
 
You'd be ready Dub, doesn't take much cycling to get you fit enough.

Join me on some weekend rides, Pieface came on one last year and it was smashin' - we even went to a posh castle. She needs a better bike though, she nearly died going up a hill on her tank :(
 
ChrisFilter said:
You'd be ready Dub, doesn't take much cycling to get you fit enough.

Join me on some weekend rides, Pieface came on one last year and it was smashin' - we even went to a posh castle. She needs a better bike though, she nearly died going up a hill on her tank :(
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yeh, but i'm getting over a chest infection so i won't be cycling anywhere for a week or so - i have NO lung capacity at all - i'm busy every weekend between now and Italy, that sort of thing..
 
Ah, fair play. You don't really have much of a commute either, do you? Never mind, come on bike rides with me anyway. 30 miles then a cheddar ploughmans (Ploughman's?). Now that's what I call a Saturday :cool:
 
oh of course, it would be at that point Pie Face and I would give you 30p spending money and send you off to the Pier.
 
Just seen this. I'm in. Sounds like a great ride. I often ride down to Brighton in the summer months, 60 miles in five hours, so I reckon 120 miles in 10 hours sounds easily manageable. Will talk to some friends over the weekend and see if they are up for it, too. And the Pub in the Park, perfect place to start.:)
 
citydreams said:
I'll happily try out some 50-milers with you Han. Can we start with a downhill ride :)

I'm not sure whether to try this with drop down bars or not as I've been having physio on my shoulder.
Click to expand...

Do you fancy riding down to Brighton one weekend? I know a nice route from Croydon to the downs.
 
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