London Lockdown Ride revisited on a Brompton

It had been a while since I had embarked on a ride involving any considerable mileage, so when Geoff asked if I was interested in joining a select few on a nocturnal ride, I happily said yes.

The ride was based on the "London Lockdown Ride", a 100-mile route that takes participants on a winding journey through the capital, starting and finishing at Victoria Station. The "lockdown" part of the name refers to the sparse traffic on London's streets during the pandemic.

The preceding week had been rather busy and Friday, as always seems to happen with me, arrived in a blur. I prepared my Orange Titanium (more on my choice of Brompton later) and headed south to Victoria Station to meet the other participants. Apart from Geoff and me, everyone else was riding big wheels. There was no official ride leader, but Ross, who had devised the route, was with us, so we were in good hands.

At more or less 9:00 pm we set off beneath blue skies and into a wonderfully warm evening. Our route took us through Chelsea before crossing the Thames via the rather lovely Albert Bridge. We then followed the river, passing Battersea Bridge and Wandsworth Bridge, before turning south towards Tooting, Balham and Streatham. Like Battersea and Wandsworth, these areas have seen considerable development in recent years, although they have yet to achieve quite the fashionable status that Battersea now enjoys.

Passing Wandsworth Prison, where the great Oscar Wilde was once an inmate, I could not help wondering how long it will be before the site becomes luxury flats. From there we continued to Dulwich, passing Dulwich College, the distinguished school attended by P. G. Wodehouse, Sir Ernest Shackleton and Bob Monkhouse.

Still south of the river, we turned north through Catford, Hither Green and Lewisham. I cycled at a slightly quicker pace through these areas!

From there we made our way around the Greenwich Peninsula before returning to the north side of the Thames via the Greenwich Foot Tunnel and on towards Bow. Along the way we cycled beside the Limehouse Cut. I have to admit that I did not particularly enjoy this section. It was narrow and the surface was dreadful. At that point I found myself longing for the comfort of my G-Line, which would have glided over it with ease.

Instead, I was reminded of something one of P. G. Wodehouse's characters, Sir Roderick Spode, once proclaimed: "At birth, every citizen, as a right, will be issued with a British bicycle and an honest British-made umbrella." I reflected that I already had the bicycle. The umbrella, however, might have come in handy if I had indeed been driving through some of the areas we had just passed!

By this point I was in need of some fuel. I do not think I had eaten or drunk enough either before or during the ride, so the sight of a McDonald's was positively joyous. I suspect the last time I visited the Golden Arches was on another cycle ride several years ago, so the whole experience felt rather novel.

As we approached the 50-mile point, I told Ross not to wait for Geoff and me any longer. I was beginning to slow down and it was not fair to keep holding everyone else up, so the two of us carried on together.

The next 20 miles or so were hard work. I had almost run out of water and was beginning to realise that I probably would not complete the full 100 miles. My body, and particularly my knee, was telling me as much. Added to that, I had no desire to face either my doctor or Mrs Orange if the knee problems I had experienced a few years ago returned simply because I had been stubborn.

I also found myself wishing I had brought my Brompton Electric. With its 12-speed gearing and power available at the touch of a button, it would have made life considerably easier. Those thoughts were rather dashed, however, when we had to cycle the entire length of the Parkland Walk. This three-mile trail follows the course of the former Edgware, Highgate and London Railway. Its gravel surface made for hard going and reminded me that the G-Line would have been the ideal machine for that section.

Once through there, we rolled into much more familiar territory: Primrose Hill, Belsize Park, Hampstead and Maida Vale. It was at Maida Vale that I said my goodbyes to Geoff, who valiantly continued alone to complete the remainder of the route.

After 78 miles I reached Baker Street station. At that point I felt rather like I had after completing one of the Small Wheels Big Difference rides from Oxford to London. Click here if you want to read more about this!

I boarded the Tube for the short journey to Barbican, where I enjoyed some water, fruit juice and a flapjack before making my way home. Once there, it was time for a hot bath, something to eat and then bed.

A few hours later I felt perfectly fine and, as I write this on Sunday morning after a pleasant walk with Mrs Orange, I feel absolutely fine. I suspect I had been just a little too blasé about tackling a 100-mile ride.

In all I cycled just over 78 miles and a few more getting to and from the start/end points. It was an enjoyable ride and I loved the fact that I never left London and ended the ride in London as well. I do think that I will need to prepare a little more of longer rides and not just assume it will be all okay. Many thanks to Ross and the other riders and to Geoff. 

Until next time, stay safe out there people!