C2C on folding bikes
Posted: 22 Sep 2010, 12:44pm
Hi folks
just wanted to let you know that I've just come back from cycling the C2C on folding bikes.
We met in 2009 to ride the first (apparently) London to Paris ride on folders (an organised charity ride with 30 participants), did that in 4 days and had so much fun that some of us (never met before) decided to do something else. The outcome was 7 of us doing the C2C over three days (last Saturday 'til Monday evening), using (mostly) the sustrans route, not as an 'organised' ride but 7 mad people deciding to have some fun.
Bikes varied from Bromptons (of course) to Dahon and Ridgeback (rebranded Dahon), 2 gears (one of the Bromptons) to 27 (a Dahon Speed Pro). Apart from a couple of broken spokes and punctures the bikes held up very well, of course luggage was down to absolute minimum (4.3kg was the record low). Weather was ok (Saturday) to downright awful (Sunday over the Pennines) to great (yesterday into Sunderland).
Our plan is to do Lands End to John O'Groats next year ... er, just a first leg, from Cornwall through the West Country. We'll ride over a number of years (i.e. a leg each year) but the idea is - again - to have some fun and show that folders aren't just for city boys (and girls) but are capable of doing much more. This was, is and will be a ride of people who've become friends (so don't contact me with a 'can I come', won't work as it's too much to organise) but am happy to share some of our experiences.
Martin
just wanted to let you know that I've just come back from cycling the C2C on folding bikes.
We met in 2009 to ride the first (apparently) London to Paris ride on folders (an organised charity ride with 30 participants), did that in 4 days and had so much fun that some of us (never met before) decided to do something else. The outcome was 7 of us doing the C2C over three days (last Saturday 'til Monday evening), using (mostly) the sustrans route, not as an 'organised' ride but 7 mad people deciding to have some fun.
Bikes varied from Bromptons (of course) to Dahon and Ridgeback (rebranded Dahon), 2 gears (one of the Bromptons) to 27 (a Dahon Speed Pro). Apart from a couple of broken spokes and punctures the bikes held up very well, of course luggage was down to absolute minimum (4.3kg was the record low). Weather was ok (Saturday) to downright awful (Sunday over the Pennines) to great (yesterday into Sunderland).
Our plan is to do Lands End to John O'Groats next year ... er, just a first leg, from Cornwall through the West Country. We'll ride over a number of years (i.e. a leg each year) but the idea is - again - to have some fun and show that folders aren't just for city boys (and girls) but are capable of doing much more. This was, is and will be a ride of people who've become friends (so don't contact me with a 'can I come', won't work as it's too much to organise) but am happy to share some of our experiences.
Martin