Nocturnal London to Brighton on a Brompton G-Line

Friday night was to be the penultimate night ride of the official 2026 season, with Brighton as the classic destination. Having used my Orange Titanium quite a bit over the last few weeks, I decided to give my G-Line an outing rather than my Brompton Electric.

I headed off to the start into a pretty mild night. The sky looked clear, and I didn't feel the slightest chill wearing just a couple of merino layers and a reflective gilet. London was a hive of activity. On the south side of the river, Latin dancing was blaring out. As I got closer to the source, I saw that there was a little area one could go into and… dance. As I passed, I was offered a dance. I politely declined - he wasn't my type.

Reaching the start point, I saw a few familiar faces and said hello to Geoff, again on big wheels. Our ride leader and gentleman that he is, Adrian, was ticking off the names of attendees. Dr John and Amy also arrived – on big wheels. There was another G-Line rider whom I had met before, with a rather lovely electric version in green. Would I regret not taking my Brompton Electric with its 12 gears and all that power at the touch of a button?

After our briefing and safety talk, we got ourselves ready and, on the stroke of midnight, cycled off into the night, accompanied by the starting sounds of various GPS devices recording the nocturnal adventures ahead.

The pace was purposeful, and there was a slightly different route that avoided the very busy Clapham area, taking us instead to the turn-off at Cathles Road. Perhaps one to be replicated if Dr John and I ever do one of our own adventures. As usual, I did see a young fox dart away in the distance as it took offence to lots of cycling types invading its territory.

Every few miles we regrouped. There were the usual long stretches of cycling by yourself – always quite soothing – with a taillight in the distance to follow. At Farthing Down and its cattle grid, on entry and exit, we were treated to a clear sky and a good view of the stars above. There are no photos of this part as I was… powdering my nose!

After Farthing Down, the urban environment was pretty much left behind, and things got a great deal quieter. The sounds of wildlife came through over the sound of bicycles and light conversation. Owls, foxes and even the movement of deer could be heard and glimpsed as they moved past the hedgerows to our left and right.

At about 03:30 a.m., we reached our halfway stop at Burstow Scouts. The welcome was, as it always is, warm and friendly, and the food and snacks were just what we needed. Sadly, we said goodbye to Geoff, who wasn't feeling it and therefore headed for the railway station about a mile away. Stepping out into the early-morning pre-dawn, I decided that I didn't need to put on an extra layer at all. I merely zipped up my merino jumper and gilet and stoically carried on, being made of sterner stuff. Just as we were about to depart, I realised that I was not made of stern stuff and felt cold. Swiftly, I got out my stowaway jacket and put it on. I felt a chill for the next couple of miles.

As we cycled, a hazy mist and fog could be seen in the distance, trying to settle and bouncing off our front lights. It served to make things even more atmospheric, and another round of owl calls magnified the effect.

Turners Hill provided a good way to warm up, and I took things steadily on my G-Line, which just glided along quite happily. This Brompton is perhaps the most comfortable of my bikes and is just brilliant on most surfaces I encounter.

At just after 06:00 a.m., sunrise was on its way, and it made for wonderful cycling. In places, fog continued to swirl, creating a mystical scene. We passed quaint little villages and stopped for a while at one of them. Adrian wanted to let time pass by a little so that he could time our arrival in Brighton for those wanting breakfast at 08:00 a.m.

With the sweeping hills in the distance, we arrived at the base of Ditchling Beacon just before 07:00 a.m. Many just made their ascent, but keeping up tradition…I powdered my nose in a bid for marginal gains! I made my ascent carefully and just took my time. My knee requires careful attention, and I had no problem getting off and walking if the need arose. Thankfully, my steady pace worked, and this wasn't needed. I do think that the G-Line is pretty good in this regard. It is nice and stable and has such a good riding position that it really helps. This did not stop me from thinking about my Brompton Electric, which would have destroyed the incline of the Beacon effortlessly.

At the top, we took photos of the beauty below, and in the distance the sea looked a very cobalt blue. Once everyone was ready, we set off again for our more-or-less downhill ride into Brighton. The sky was blue and the sun was out, almost congratulating us on our adventure.

Many went for the breakfast stop, but I dragged Dr John to the Pavilion and views of the pier to get a couple of photos. It was then off to the station to board our train, which was there as we arrived. Dr John had a space for his road bike and, knowing how busy this train gets, I searched for a small seat near a rack. I found one and, as suspected, after even one stop the carriages started to fill. By the time I got off at Farringdon, it was packed. I was pleased to be off and waving at Dr John, who remained on the train for several more stops. At Farringdon, I regrouped and headed for home.

Another lovely adventure, and thanks to Adrian for being the ride leader and to Burstow Scouts for their lovely welcome.

Several years ago, Brighton was the destination for my first nocturnal adventure of this type. I continue to go on as many as I can. I won't go through the reasons why I like them so much again, as I am sure you have read them or can find them in the blog if you look. There is one more in less than a couple of weeks' time that is one of the more traditional offerings from many years back: Burnham-on-Crouch. The offical London to Brighton ride was today but for me, I would much rather experience it this way. 

I look forward to that.

Until next time, stay safe out there people!