[quote][cite]Posted By: razil[/cite]I conquered Shooters hill this morning - the Kent side, not sure I'm brave enough to attempt the London 'face' tonight.[/quote]
Well done Razil. In prep for my London to Southend trip a few weeks back now, I made it my mission to do Shooters Hill at least once up each side beforehand as only tackled Gravel Hill and Watling St up until that point just to prepare myself for the pain ahead. I found the Kent side a damn sight easier than the London side. The London side just seems to drag and drag and its a killer halfway up just after the traffic lights. It was hard on a mountain bike but I dread to think how hard it would be on a road bike.
I did of course silly... honestly on the LTB they build it up but I was actually quite disappointed. I think the real hazard is all the 'ameteurs' that get in the way and make you stop or fall of which is fatal.
I nearly collided (while out cycling last weekend) with a policewoman cyclist...who was on the wrong side of the road and cut right across me without looking. Fortunately I saw her and braked in time...she then tried to blame me, so I pointed to the sign directly behind her which said "Pedestrians Only" and that I was in the cycling lane.
Generally I find the best road users are motor-cyclists, I guess driving reasonably quickly on two wheels when the slightest thing can kill or maim you and/or wreck your bike makes you more safety conscious than most road users. After that I'd put general car-drivers, then van/lorry drivers, then equestrianists and finally cyclists and I include myself in that, I think it's easy to switch off a bit and lose concentration when cycling, and I see it very often with other cyclists. I'm not sure why, perhaps it's the hassle of having to stop and then start again or that there are too many distractions when you're cycling that you don't otherwise notice.
I shall be cycling up Westerham Hill on both Saturday and Sunday and when I get to the top I shall cycle down and do it all again...just because I'm that hard, right ;-)
Bern - lol at you calling all the other riders 'amateurs' :-)
[cite]Posted By: Charlton Charlie[/cite]I shall be cycling up Westerham Hill on both Saturday and Sunday and when I get to the top I shall cycle down and do it all again...just because I'm that hard, right ;-)
Bern - lol at you calling all the other riders 'amateurs' :-)
[quote][cite]Posted By: Charlton Charlie[/cite]couldn't do LTB - not long enough....just about be warmed up and it'd be time to come home... ;-)[/quote]
I'm envious. I so need to get myself a road bike. I'm doing regular 40-50 mile rides literally every weekend with 20-30 mile circuits every other night and really have got the cycling bug now but I think I made a huge error is settling for a mountain bike. Having been doing lots of off-road stuff as a kid, I thought I'd get back into it quickly but I've found myself doing 95% of all my cycling on roads now... I'm actually tempted to sell my golf clubs to help fund a road bike as not using them anymore.
I have to admit to wondering whether I've got the confidence to ride an agressive, dropped-bar road bike with very thin wheels, well compared to my 1.7" semi-slicks and 2.1" off road tyres. Is it an easy transition to make?
(Apologies for making this sound like bikeradar rather than CL!)
JohnBoy, that's good going mate...I reckon you'd find that you fly along on a road bike if you've been putting the effort in on the road on an MTB....
I'm not riding anywhere near enough at the moment, but will be doing the Westerham loop this weekend (G/wich, Mottingham, Chis, 7oaks, Westerham,Biggin Hill, Bromley, Greenwich)..probably Sunday morning if you're around and fancy it? Get my mobile number from AFKA...8am depart... Have also got a spare boardman you could try, to see whether you feel happy about a road bike before you purchase one....
Blimey Razil, can only dream of doing that sort of distance. How many days did it take you and how many miles were you doing a day?
I think my next aim will be to do a 100 mile ride. Bearing in mind it took me just over 4 hrs to do the L2S, I guess I'm looking at nearly 8 hours in the saddle to do that. Have been investgating the possibility of doing the London to Paris ride next year over 3/4 days but with the 1st leg being 80/90 miles plus to Dover, I think I'll be right at the back of the queue and is an off putting thought.
Was reading Charlton Charlie's FB link the other day to their French Mountain climbing escapades. Puts cycling over Shooters Hill in the shade somewhat. I so wish I could be at that standard!
Yes I was impressed with CC's French thingy, I like to think I inspired him...
The Shooters hill thing is really to do with commuting, i.e. you wouldn't necessarily want to do it everyday if you didn't have to, on my ride I normally avoid it, but just decided to incorporate it for fitness reasons.
On the issue of having to stop at intersections and the like, there's been a decent amount of discussion about this sort of arrangement here in Ontario, but I'm not holding my breath!
I wouldn't worry JohnBoy, it's a pretty easy ride down to Dover. Met a bloke who did it and it seems there's plenty of more relaxed people on it. I've done the ride down to Canterbury many times and it's very easy if you roughly follow the A2/Pilgrims Way. The bloke I met felt the French part wasn't too bad either. Doesn't take long to get up to 90 miles plus a day, you soon discover that eating plenty is crucial.
Should say as well it's easy handling a road bike. The only thing I found in the first week that the big chain ring seemed to really take it out of my legs compared to a mb's 44/46, didn't take long to get used to it though.
Agreed it won't take u long to get used to drop bars and you'll find you can zoom along in comparison. I have been doing eltham to croydon for since feb 08 now although I did stop in october last year and restarted in feb, want to go right through this year but maybe need some winter tyres, mudguards and something water proof for my legs.
I just got the overshoes after my shoes filled up with water about 3 times! I have a waterproof jacket so just need something for legs. Waterproff tousers seem too baggy,
I would be up for meeting up to do the westerham loop one weekend chaps. Maybe we could organise a lifers cycling trip to an away game one day?
Comments
Well done Razil. In prep for my London to Southend trip a few weeks back now, I made it my mission to do Shooters Hill at least once up each side beforehand as only tackled Gravel Hill and Watling St up until that point just to prepare myself for the pain ahead. I found the Kent side a damn sight easier than the London side. The London side just seems to drag and drag and its a killer halfway up just after the traffic lights. It was hard on a mountain bike but I dread to think how hard it would be on a road bike.
Nah, ok, i've only gone up the London side once! coming back down was good fun though - 45mph!
Ditchlin Beacon on the London to Brighton was a killer though.
" I'm walking to New Orleans" - Fats Domino song
tsk the Beacon is a peace of piss..
try the spittal of gleanshea
Grab us a pint of Whelks and some crab claws from "Chummy's" on the way up
its not that bad by itself, but try it after having already done 45 miles!!
could you not afford the train ticket??
that's impressive.
i'm crap at hill climbing .....
Generally I find the best road users are motor-cyclists, I guess driving reasonably quickly on two wheels when the slightest thing can kill or maim you and/or wreck your bike makes you more safety conscious than most road users. After that I'd put general car-drivers, then van/lorry drivers, then equestrianists and finally cyclists and I include myself in that, I think it's easy to switch off a bit and lose concentration when cycling, and I see it very often with other cyclists. I'm not sure why, perhaps it's the hassle of having to stop and then start again or that there are too many distractions when you're cycling that you don't otherwise notice.
Bern - lol at you calling all the other riders 'amateurs' :-)
do a ride like LTB and you will see what I mean..
I'm envious. I so need to get myself a road bike. I'm doing regular 40-50 mile rides literally every weekend with 20-30 mile circuits every other night and really have got the cycling bug now but I think I made a huge error is settling for a mountain bike. Having been doing lots of off-road stuff as a kid, I thought I'd get back into it quickly but I've found myself doing 95% of all my cycling on roads now... I'm actually tempted to sell my golf clubs to help fund a road bike as not using them anymore.
I have to admit to wondering whether I've got the confidence to ride an agressive, dropped-bar road bike with very thin wheels, well compared to my 1.7" semi-slicks and 2.1" off road tyres. Is it an easy transition to make?
(Apologies for making this sound like bikeradar rather than CL!)
All of the above on a lightweight mountain bike so you don't have to have a flash boy racer thingy..
I'm not riding anywhere near enough at the moment, but will be doing the Westerham loop this weekend (G/wich, Mottingham, Chis, 7oaks, Westerham,Biggin Hill, Bromley, Greenwich)..probably Sunday morning if you're around and fancy it? Get my mobile number from AFKA...8am depart... Have also got a spare boardman you could try, to see whether you feel happy about a road bike before you purchase one....
I think my next aim will be to do a 100 mile ride. Bearing in mind it took me just over 4 hrs to do the L2S, I guess I'm looking at nearly 8 hours in the saddle to do that. Have been investgating the possibility of doing the London to Paris ride next year over 3/4 days but with the 1st leg being 80/90 miles plus to Dover, I think I'll be right at the back of the queue and is an off putting thought.
Was reading Charlton Charlie's FB link the other day to their French Mountain climbing escapades. Puts cycling over Shooters Hill in the shade somewhat. I so wish I could be at that standard!
The Shooters hill thing is really to do with commuting, i.e. you wouldn't necessarily want to do it everyday if you didn't have to, on my ride I normally avoid it, but just decided to incorporate it for fitness reasons.
been thinking about it for a while.
http://lesveloistesgentils.wordpress.com/
CC
http://bicycling.com/blogs/roadrights/2009/07/28/a-stop-sign-solution/
Should say as well it's easy handling a road bike. The only thing I found in the first week that the big chain ring seemed to really take it out of my legs compared to a mb's 44/46, didn't take long to get used to it though.
I just got the overshoes after my shoes filled up with water about 3 times! I have a waterproof jacket so just need something for legs. Waterproff tousers seem too baggy,
I would be up for meeting up to do the westerham loop one weekend chaps. Maybe we could organise a lifers cycling trip to an away game one day?
I found that got me up Shooters Hill ok. Eglinton Hill was shorter but steeper! Plum Lane was a b***** too!
The depressing thing is that I've become so unfit I couldn't cycle up any of them now!