No Ride 100 this year

Several weeks ago, the announcement came that there would be no Ride 100 for 2025. That of course means all the rides complementing it with lower mileage would also be cancelled. I am not sure what thoughts lead to this decision and whether it will return in 2026? There might be several reasons.

I did the Ride 100 in 2024, gaining a charity place quite late in the day. The charity concerned obviously did not fill the allotted number it has been given. A few years ago gaining a charity place was not impossible but harder, requiring one to sign up early. 

Is the Essex event and route as popular as the Surrey one? I have participated in two of the Ride 100 events in Essex and the bit out of London is pretty similar to the Dunwich Dynamo. The getting back into London is along a normally busy main road and not that pleasant on the eye (or the legs with a relentless headwind). 

Could it be the costs to participants slowing down the entry numbers? I live in London and can cycle to and from the start easily, so not an issue. However, if you lived further afield you would need to factor in the costs of getting there and back, perhaps staying overnight in a hotel and that is before you either pay your £100 entry fee or try and raise a few hundred pounds for your charity place. 

It is a charity event and not a race but on every Ride 100 I have taken part in I have heard and sometimes witnessed a sizeable number of participants who seem not care less about anything apart from their desire to complete the event as quickly as possible and with little regard for those around them.

However, closed roads are a bit special. No cars to worry about, no traffic lights and the overall vibe is wonderful. There was a huge amount of love out there for Brompton riders or those not completing the 100+ miles on a road bike. In addition to this, there is a camaraderie among most participants. Have a chat to the person left or right and you hear about the reason why someone signed up for this event. This can be quite humbling. Once you are out into the countryside, it is rather beautiful and again, no cars really adds to the experience. 

It is a shame that it is not happening for 2025 and let's hope that something is in place for 2026. There is of course the Dunwich Dynamo later in the year, but the getting back into London can be more of a headache than cycling about 120 miles through the night and early hours.

Until next time, stay safe out there people!

Perfect books for the G-Line user!?

The other day, I needed to go to a physical bookshop so that I could buy a book, take it home, wrap it up and give it to someone. The closest was Daunt Books. I took my G-Line with me and cycled to Marylebone High Street. 

Daunt Books is either eerily quiet of rammed. For my shopping experience it was rammed and not really the best of ideas to bring a folded G-Line inside. Several elderly types tutted in my general direction like disapproving aunts. I tutted back at them!

I got the book I was after but did notice a little collection of books that would be perfect for the G-Line user. I picked up a few of them and flicked through some of the dead-butch rides on offer, making a mental note of the copious advice given therein. 

As I cycled back on a horrid gravel path - with my new bought book strapped to the rear rack no less - that you can cycle through parts of Hampstead Heath on, it became obvious that I would not need any of those books at all! You see, none of them had chapters dealing with:

• Parents with small toddlers
• Parents with small toddlers in prams
• Parents maybe with a toddler in a pram but jogging pushing said pram along
• People with dogs on the lead
• People with dogs
• Dogs!
• Instagram influencers taking photos
• Tourists 
• Joggers
• Cycling while wearing a Harris Tweed blazer
• People on hire bikes
• Dogs being walked by those people whose job it is to walk more dogs than they can  handle!
• Feral dogs!
• Little dogs with the bravado of a big dog.

Perhaps I need to think about my own book as cycling in London can be like rollercoaster. The One thing that kept me going through all of this was, thank goodness I decided to take my G-Line with me!

Until next time, stay safe out there people!

The novelty of a rear rack on a Brompton no longer a novelty

Two blog posts in one day! Surely not?

On the Brompton bicycles I have owned, the idea of getting one with a rear rack or retrofitting one, has not been given a second thought. With my G-Line, it was a must as it was either rack with mudguards or no rack and no mudguards. Living in London/UK where the weather is as unpredictable as what seems to appear in the news at the moment, having a rack was a must.

Look at the rugged rear rack!

Perfect for those...ahem...spontaneous photo opportunities!

At first, the rack was a bit of a novelty and just existed. I didn't have a use for it. However, when I half folded the bike, it stayed in place in a rather pleasing way. Photo opportunities were made less scary as it make the bike more stable. When I was at a station, using the rack when the bike was semi-folded was wonderful. It glided along as a swan might. 

The addition of bungee straps meant that I could actually carry the odd item quite easily and securely. A panettone from a select delli travelled safely, sitting on the rack while traversing the wild gravel tracks to be found on Hampstead Heath!

On another occasion, I didn't take a front bag with me but stored what I needed in a little waterproof roll-top bag secured quite happily on the rear rack. It all worked well. 

I cannot see me getting a rear rack for any of my other Brompton bicycles. On the G-Line is really does enhance, the look. The look I refer to is one of dead hard, butchness. On my other Brompton bikes it might give off the vibe of a sociology teacher or maybe probation officer. I'm sure you know what I mean, but it just isn't for me. 

Yes, it makes the G-Line heavier however I like it and it works. It enhances the all-terrain, rugged look of the G-Line, even if the owner still looks like a junior government minister on a fact finding exercise!

Until next time, stay safe out there people!

I say farewell to the Cloud Blue

Yesterday, I parted company with my Cloud Blue. It has been several months since I used it and as many months since the decision was made to sell it. 

I bought this bike as I really liked the colour and designated it the job of being my commuter Brompton. It served me well for this purpose and also worked well when the wet stuff arrived and I couldn’t bring myself to take one of my Orange Brompton bikes out. 

The arrival of my Brompton Electric and G-line have meant that the Cloud Blue wasn’t just the 13th bat sitting and waiting in the pavilion, it did not have a hope of making the first 11. 

I did go on quite a few adventures with it. If my memory serves me, I think that I took it for an overnighter to Brighton not that long after unpacking it. CLICK HERE to read about this adventure to Brighton

I now have only Orange Brompton bikes in my entourage and on several levels that does seem a better fit. 

It goes to a good home and it’s new owner has bought a really great bike. 

Until next time, stay safe out there people! (You never know, there might even be another blog post later today, by no promises). 

The best Blue Plaque in London?!

A stones throw from Baker Street station, if you look carefully enough, you might just stumble upon the best Blue Plaque in London.

‘Danger Mouse’ was a cartoon series that all began in 1981. It followed the exploits of British Secret Agent, Danger Mouse and his sidekick, Penfold. It had a wonderful theme tune and memorable for many reasons.

So, a wonderful find this morning and my favourite Blue Plaque.

Until next time, stay safe out there people.

Follow me sign up

Hello you there dear reader. I have finally managed to get a subscribe by email widget which will make it a great deal easier for you to know when a new blog post it out. 

It is rather simple. You simply enter an email address you would like a notification to go to and then an email will be sent to that address which you click to confirm. Once that is done, you should get a notification whenever I publish a blog post. Naturally, I will not bombard you with hundreds of posts and you can unsubscribe at any time. 

For reasons unknown blogger removed this facility a few years ago but since quite a few of you have contacted me about this, here it is. 

Until next time, stay safe out there people!

Normal clothes for cycling

On a Christmas lights ride (I went on three) I had a commitment beforehand that meant cycle specific clothing was not an option. So, I simply wore my normal outside of work attire that have pretty much acted as a sort of uniform or as long as I can remember. This did get me pondering the question of whether or not you actually need cycle-specific clothing all the time?

That uniform I mention for this time of year is: tweed blazer, wool turtleneck jumper, jeans and a pair of Chelsea boots or gibson shoes. The only item of cycle-specific clothing I wore to these rides was a cycle helmet.  I felt pretty comfortable cycling around and tweed being an amazing material, did keep me fairly warm. I did also have a hi-viz tabard and rain jacket stowed away if I felt I needed it but that was it. I usually wear something similar when ambling around London and again the question of whether I need cycling specific gear all the time is one that keeps rising to the surface. 

Many years ago, I recall cycling from my university near midday and locking my bike to the railings in Cavendish Square. From there I would meet my mum and sometimes both my mum and dad for lunch somewhere before heading back for afternoon lectures/tutorials. I wore pretty much the uniform I describe and I remember it had the seal of approval from my mum and to some extent my dad. 

Being a Brompton user for many years, the concept of being able to just get on your bike and go literally anywhere at a moments notice has always appealed. I have some lycra but it isn't my default cycling attire as you have probably guessed. 

So, I have a few rides coming up in the near future and as far as what I will be wearing, I suspect it would have made my late mum proud. 

Let me know what you think about normal clothes when out and about on your Brompton. Until next time, stay safe out there people!