PH road ride hill smash

[idiotgap]

- PedalPowered road ride planned for Sunday 1st Oct starting in Oxted. Sign-up here: https://beta.doodle.com/poll/2d3nn7cxzga49sv7
Meet at the Ellice Road Car Park at 10:00am for a 10:30 depart.
The intended route is here: https://ridewithgps.com/routes/25441744
This is a social ride, there will be coffee/cake stop/s and options to miss bits out.



In a 2018 ride London thread there was some talk of the Surrey Hills and a surprising number talking about the hills just into Kent near Westerham

I thought it might be fun to put a ride together and have a little Pedal Powered meet accessible at least to those in the area, in London or prepared to travel a little.

Lots of options for routes, maybe something like this which I put together when a friend was visiting from Scotland so he could tick off a few of the "100 climbs". We can tone it up or down depending on who's coming or make sections optional. I think a cake stop would be essential.
https://www.strava.com/activities/662056016

I won't get too far into the details/dates right now, let's just see how many are up for the idea in principal.

Edited by idiotgap on Friday 1st September 12:06

Edited by idiotgap on Wednesday 13th September 12:20

Edited by idiotgap on Tuesday 26th September 11:07

[idiotgap]

I was thinking of doing something this year, but I wouldn't rule out doing it again.

How does Sept 23rd sit with people?

I'm happy to do a longer ride, but didn't want to put anyone off too soon, I think the distance/cake ratio depends on the relative appetites of those actually taking part!

This ride is unlikely to take in Box Hill and Leith Hill, there is the ride London for that, this ride is to take in the hills over near Westerham like Toys, Ide, Chalkpit Lane, White Lane, Yorks Hill etc, there is a plenty of challenge to equal Surrey staples. A longer ride could take in climbs in both areas, but the transfer between might be a bit tedious.

http://cyclinguphill.com/100-climbs/yorks-hill/
http://cyclinguphill.com/100-climbs/toys-hill/
http://cyclinguphill.com/white-lane-bec-cc-hill-cl...
https://roadcyclinguk.com/sportive/ten-best-cyclin...

[idiotgap]

All are welcome! I've done Yorks when it's been like that.

I'll be out that way on my home from work tonight, but going down hill.

[idiotgap]

I've mucked up my dates so unless I destroy no.1 sons first beavers camp and my wife's half marathon plans I can't do it.

Now thinking about the weekend of Sept 2nd/3rd

[idiotgap]

Since 2nd/3rd seems to be problematic for many and quite close. Can we gauge interest in the 30th Sept/1st Oct weekend then?

[idiotgap]

Yes I am conscious that this is rather haphazard. For this iteration I'm now going to stick to the weekend of the 30th Sept/1st Oct. I've put up an online poll to choose between the Saturday and Sunday.

If you're interested in coming, click and vote. If you can make either day, please click both so we can see roughly how many are coming. https://doodle.com/poll/2d3nn7cxzga49sv7

I've specified Oxted as the location because it makes the train an option to get there and there are a good number of parking options.

[idiotgap]

Bob the Planner said:

I'll be at Brand Hatch (Final BTCC round) that weekend so will be unable to make it. Have a good ride.

I noted that Toys Hill was closed today as I intended to use that route. Was supposed to be for 3 days only but looks to be extended. Should be clear by the end of Sep though.

Thanks for the planning news! Would be good if they improved the surface on the Southern face a bit.

I did White Lane down going home from work on Friday and up Tandridge Hill Lane up into Gangers on the way in yesterday even if something is closed nearer the time we'll have plenty to choose from. It's been great to get the ideas of hills I'd not heard about before and I'll be doing some exploring in preparing the route.

If you haven't yet signed in and are thinking of coming along, please fill in the doodle poll and help choose the date:
https://beta.doodle.com/poll/2d3nn7cxzga49sv7

[idiotgap]

My philosophy, at least for this first iteration is that it is a social ride. Not much point in us all turning up just to race round and not chat. On a hill you sometimes have to just set your own rhythm and get up it and it sounds like the appetite is for a route with so many hills that completing it will be achievement enough without worrying too much about overall pace.

[idiotgap]

Just giving the thread a bump...
1 Month to go until this pedal powered meet-up.
Sign-up here and express you preference for the Sat or Sunday of the weekend 30th Sept/1st Oct. Right now the Sunday's are in the lead.

[idiotgap]

Tell your friends. The ride is on!

Day:
Sunday October 1st 2017

Where:
Starting at the Ellice Road carpark in Oxted. This is free with no time restrictions at the weekend and close to Oxted Station so should suit those driving or coming on the train.

Sign-up:
https://beta.doodle.com/poll/2d3nn7cxzga49sv7
It's not compulsory to sign-up, there is no closing date, but it gives us all an idea of who's coming if you do. We used the doodle as way of voting for the day and Sunday narrowly edged Saturday out.

Route:
I'm going to start work on that this week. I'm basically planning to fit in as many of the hills so far mentioned in this thread as possible and see what we end up with.

Here are the ones I found in the thread and remember, chime in with any you think are must haves or that I've forgotten.

- Toys North
- Toys South
- Ide
- Titsey
- Chalkpit Lane
- Star
- Yorks Hill
- White Lane
- Brasted Hill
- Sundridge Hill
- Beddlestead Lane (clubsport says "may be too tame")

[idiotgap]

Master Bean said:

How many miles/metres climbing?

I'm not sure yet. The idea is that this will be an inclusive social meet-up, those who want to do the full course can, two laps if they choose. Others will be able to cut some bits out. The emphasis will be climbing rather than distance, but there's a certain amount of traveling around to be done to get to the hills. It will perhaps look like this (60km x 1100m) with a couple more hills bolted on:
https://www.strava.com/activities/662056016

Seems a shame not to get the month's Gran Fondo badge in on the 1st of the month so we may as well make the full route not less than 100km.

I reserve the right to eat my words or DNF!

[idiotgap]

I have a draft route now, I've not ridden all the roads so I will try and give it a go this weekend if I can possibly fit it in. Have a bit of spannering to do first replacing a groupset so it will be a good test of route and bike (not to mention body).

https://ridewithgps.com/routes/25441744

100.3 km 1906m climbing.

Let me know your thoughts. If anyone wants a short version there are some convenient loops that can be missed out so I would be able to publish another version which would allow a group to follow along with a bit of extra rest here and there.

JustinF said:

Aiming for peaks peaks then!
Couple of questions

start time?
will there be coffee and cake?
will there be beer?

Start time should probably be as early as we can manage it, easy for me to get there but it depends on the travel arrangements of others. Is 8:30 for a 9am depart problem for anyone? It looks like the trains are down that day due to engineering works, but let me know if that ruins your plan we can see if we can work something out. They are stopping just 1 stop shy of Oxted so may not be a problem.

I reckon Coffee and cake can be had at the Ide Hill Community shop - I'll try and stop in at the weekend and check they actually have cakes, might be a bit basic. If we want to make that more of a "thing" we can build in a stop at the Westerham Cyclery.

There is definitely a beer to be had at the end in Oxted, if you want one on the way round dun-run style there are a few options. What were you thinking?

Edited by idiotgap on Wednesday 20th September 18:36

[idiotgap]

Thanks for the intel guys. I know where I am for almost all of the route so I don't think it will be too difficult to follow. I will have it on my garmin 520 against a map and can resort to phone if the worst comes to the worst. Shame about the part that's gated, it was giving us a convenient transfer without retreading our steps or going on too major a road. I'll try and adjust the route round it today and give us a decent stop in Westerham so we can get Justin his cake transfusion.

Not having much at the moment, I killed a sram red rear mech last night trying to install this 2nd hand groupset I've put together which was a bit of a bummer then had a minor tumble on the commute this morning.

[idiotgap]

SixPotBelly said:

idiotgap said:

...then had a minor tumble on the commute this morning.

You all OK?

Yes, fine... very low velocity negotiating a kerb at Croydon shared use area. Lost 2 cable ties and the elbow on my base layer. No skin loss.

[idiotgap]

I've updated the route a bit. I'm not completely happy with it yet and the amendments made it longer so there may be more tweaking.

[idiotgap]

I've just updated the route and that's what I'm going to try and follow tomorrow. I think it's probably long enough at the moment at 112km without straying further afield.

Just need to get my bike going tonight, few things still need doing:

- buy wifli rival mech and 11-32 cassette at Evans Gatwick on the way home tonight - pricematch print-outs at the ready. I'm turning killing my Sram Red short-cage mech into a positive by gaining granny gears.
- fit derailleur, hope I don't need to add links back into the chain as it's bound to snap and I'll need to buy another.
- index front and rear, I think the front is about right already but I destroyed the old rear mech in the process so I didn't finish. Must remember to set limit screws before messing about with anything else this time.
- brake cables are fitted but not cinched/adjusted yet
- bar tape, going black this time as I always have oily hands and kill white in minutes.

So basically, I'm probably going to end up going on my old £200 Allez

[idiotgap]

I did get the bike fixed and I'm now on the recce ride, a little bit past half way at the cake stop in Westerham. Good route so far!

[idiotgap]

All done
https://www.strava.com/activities/1197871120

I missed out the final ascent of Titsey but I'd done the crucial 100km and Titsey is a busy road with a horrible surface and I needed to get back home. I think we can leave that in the route as an option for the err... brave.

I didn't set off until quite late due to the spannering and childcare stuff. The question on start time is still open. It took me 6 hours roughly including stops, 5 hrs moving time. I didn't set out to break any land speed records, get PRs or KOMs just wanted to get round, enjoy the ride and pace myself, conscious that nearly all my riding this year has been in bursts of 60 mins twice daily on the commute.

The Westerham Cyclery shuts at 1pm on Sunday, though there are loads of other things in the town. The Ide Hill community shop is open until 4:30.

Edited by idiotgap on Saturday 23 September 18:49

[idiotgap]

I don't mind what time we start, but I think the consensus was that later was better for those needing time travelling down, working the night before and in the hope of catching the heat of the day.

How does 10:00 for 10:30 departure sound?

Hopefully that's early enough to squeeze in a few minutes for Bob the planner.

Gruffy seems to having a maintenance-mare. I've a spare unused pair of these http://www.chainreactioncycles.com/brand-x-road-ra... I can bring up to London bridge any morning this week that you can borrow if that helps get the jack up and running.

Edited by idiotgap on Monday 25th September 23:43

[idiotgap]

Gruffy said:

it's a bigger job I'd only like to do once.

I can sympathise with that. I've not had anything routed through the bars before so I hadn't appreciated that complication. Good luck with Canyon/UPS the hanger and fitting.