Sunday 23 June 2013

Tour De Waltham Forest with a Legend

After doing the ALL NIGHT Velonotte Albertina and finishing this morning I got a few hrs sleep and went to a local ride.
My borough has been having a Waltham Forest Bike Week. Loads of events and rides all around the borough so I thought I would pop along to explore my borough some more.

Everyone was welcome to the rides and it was great fun.

Bumble B at the start

Rollapaluza "Roller-racing"
I promised myself to have a go at this when I returned from the local ride.
Along some of the canal paths, places I have been before many times.
This bench is special

Our little gang of riders

We don't weight THAT much :P


When I returned to the start point I went back to the Rollaoaluza Tent and had a go on the roller bike. Got beat bad but the other guy was a a proper gym instructor type, so it wasn't to bad :P 500meters in 29.40

500m in 29.40s & it hurt >:P
 I was surprised to get a little medal at the end of the ride which was VERY cool.
Another medal to my collection
It's always good to ride in our local area as we get to see new things and meet local people. A few have seen or heard of "The Legend" in various cycling publications that we have been in already. :D

Garmin Data: Tour De Waltham Forest

Bumble B's grand tour of Early-Victorian London


The ride is basically going around London's historical places and have a radio broadcast telling the riders about the area they are in and history of it.

"Velonotte rides again!
Grand-tour of Early-Victorian London and personages, narrated by Britain's leading historians, followed by the special 5 o'clock morning tea.
Live broacasting - Resonance FM 104,4 Mhz
Produced by Sergey Nikitin & Velonotte. Supported by RBKC & Garage Center for Contemporary Culture

This was my 2nd London Velonotte all night ride, our first Velonotte it pretty much rained heavily the whole ride and I was completely unprepared for the conditions.
The weather forecast said there would be a little rain on and off though out the night so I made sure I took my Altura Night Vision Jacket to be on the safe side. 

I headed off to the meeting point, Piccadilly Circus for my fellow LBC clan. Once we finally got there we headed off to the event meeting point in front of Buckingham Palace.
Meeting up with a few from LBC
Bumble B is always ready
As always lots of riders, all kinds of different bikes had turned up. A few familiar faces & bikes and a few new ones that had seen Bumble B & me at other events had to come and say hi.

Then it was time to set off on our adventure into the night to learn about the early Victorian age in London. I had bought with me a old cheap radio to try to listen in but found it hard to lock onto the station when we did get to the next stage.

We headed into the direction of Trafalgar Square. While going there we noticed alot of car transports parking up in the dark and off loading some seriously expensive cars of all types, old & new. 

Found out that the Top Gear TV show was recording a show about REALLY expensive cars. Cue lots of nervous security guards as loads of cyclist came along.
Admiralty Arch

Our first stop was Charing Cross Station where we kinda stirred up alittle trouble. With so many bicycles in the forecourt of the station and taxi rank it was clear that we would be blocking other traffic come in and out. With it being a Saturday night it was pretty busy with people leaving and arriving the area. Ambulance & police where already there attending another incident at the time too.

Cue lots of annoyed party goers shouting out "Bloody cyclists" thinking we was on some kind of demonstration.
Charing Cross Station
After a short hold to listen to the broadcast we headed to our next stop.

After this my radio started playing up to much so I didn't bother with it anymore but there was a few people around that had radios so I could listen in.

"Note to self to get myself a small mp3 player with radio, maybe iPod 6th gen"

There was a few more stops on the way but I was so enjoying the ride itself and chatting with so many people I kinda lost track. Manages to take a few photos on the way but with it raining alittle on and off I didn't do to many.
Down the Strand




Kensal Green Cemetery
The final stopping off point was what looked like a club. We could get hot drinks as well as wine
Well earned rest


After we left this final resting point me and OrangeBrompton decided as soon as we saw a familair sight we would head off back to Charing Cross for a well earned McDonald's Breakfast. We've been to this spot on many a night ride and know it to be open at these times. I got to the McDonalds alittle ahead of OrangeBrompton to find that some kind of incident had happened & was closed.

We was on a mission to have a McDonalds breakfast now and went looking for another. We then ended up in Oxford Street near the Tottenham Court Road Station where the McDonalds was closed for cleaning but would open in about 30mins. We decided to wait.

Standing outside watching the finally hardcore party goers trying to find some place open to have somethign to eat they joined us waiting for McDonalds to open. It' finally did and purchases where made.
One thing I did notice was that whenever there is a large group of friends are in line ordering things they really get the staff confused and keep changing their minds alot. I for one can never understand why this happens, you know what you want, order it, pay and that's it right?

While me & OrangeBrompton where waiting I notice he got approached by a homeless lady with 2 big bags. I didn't hear the conversation he had with her but he quickly pointed her to McDonalds staff and had an odd look on his face. I think I asked him what happened and said to read his blog later on to find out.

Well me knowing what goes on in London & knowing that OrangeBrompton had lead a sheltered life I was looking forward to his blog entry about the his conversation. He didn't disappoint  ;)

After we ate our orders we decided to head off home. I for one had another ride I wanted to go on later that day wanted to get home as soon as possible to get a few hours sleep if I could.

I jumped on a bus heading into my neck of the woods. When I was riding the short distance to my home a bright Yellow Cab car. He just about passed me and then pulled in and stopped right in front of me and I nearly went into the back of his car if it wasn't for my ninja like reactions I would have hit him hard.
I then went around to the driver's side looking in wanted to know if he even saw me. He didn't as he was talking to his friends in the car. I called out to him saying he could have waited to go around me properly or not over take me full stop in the first place. He said he didn't see me. What the hell?

Anyways I couldn't be bothered as I just wanted to get home and rest up for the next ride, Tour de Waltham Forest in a few hours.

Garmin Data: London Velonotte 2013

Friday 21 June 2013

The longest day: Summer Solstice Ride

Amanda O mentioned a ride that she had heard though the grapevine to welcome in the longest day of the year.

Seeing I would be off this weekend I thought hell why not as I actually like night time rides. So with it being so late I had to head out early and rode all the way from East London to Cutty Sark. Once again my Garmin Edge 800 guided me all the way even under the Woolwich foot bridge.

In the Woolwich Tunnel Lift

Cutty Sark
Met up with a few riders I have riding with before on other rides but it looked like I was the only Brompton at this stage. I've ridden with Sam K many a time and always enjoy the bunter ;)
Fellow rider Sam K
More night time riders

Fellow riders, one with Christmas tree lights on, Cool!

There was a couple of stops on the way and the first one was at London Bridge Station. This is actually right near where I bought Bumble B just about 4yrs ago. Bumble B's birthday was the day before. Seem fitting to be visiting the place where I found what would later become Bumble B.

Gathering Riders. I think Sam K wants a Brompton

Near his birth place, London Bridge
After collecting more riders at London Bridge and 2 more Bromptons I noticed. Then we was off again to our next stop, Bar Italia which was a short ride to Primrose Hill.
Waiting at lights


We arrived at Bar Italia in plenty of time to get to Primrose Hill for sunrise so we stopped here for some coffee and munchies for about 30mins.
@ Bar Italia
 It was pretty busy at this coffee bar but then again it was the only place open you could get a coffee at this time of night and with us all invading the place it got pretty busy.
Rickshaws
Well we then set off as we didn't want to miss the sunrise on Primrose Hill. Seeing the park was pretty much deserted I tried to ride up the hill. Seems I always do a little better on hills each time, slowly but surely. :)

Riding up Primrose Hill
 Finally at the top of Primrose Hill. I always like Primrose Hill, great view of the city of London.
Bumble B awaiting sunrise.


Fellow riders just chilling out

Primrose Hill Park & London skyline
Forever the gentleman Sam K helped one of the lady riders fix her puncture.

Inner tube speaking?
With so many riders it was simple to sort.

The dark art of patching
Me & my Boy on Primrose Hill
My boy >:)
Another good ride just wish there was more Bromptons but then again we was there representing the London Brompton Club.

Garmin Data: Summer Solstice Ride 2013

Thursday 20 June 2013

Happy 4th Birthday

Today is Bumble B's 4th birthday and many more birthdays to come.

Once again happy birthday my boy :)

Wednesday 19 June 2013

50,000 page views

Afew days ago we passed the mighty 50,000 page views mark. 

We'd like to thank everyone that cones to our crazy corner of cyberspace & enjoys it. 

We are humbled. 

Sunday 16 June 2013

Winning is good :)

The LightSkin Seat post from Stolen Goat. They ran a competition awhile back and I actually won. It's the first time I've ever won something bike related.

Basically a seat post with flashing LED's built in so I can fold and unfold without worrying about the LED's getting ripped off.

PAD: 13th June 2013
Bumble B with LightSkin

It looks sweet as hell but only thing is cant really have a saddle bag on it. Just need to have the new redesign Brompton Toolkit as that's the only thing I really need to have with me on day to day type stuff.

5 Flashing LED modes and even a rubber bung at the end to protect the end of the post. Clever design that has won some big design awards. I loved it the first time I ever saw them.

Check out Stolen Goat for lots of cycle related bits, bobs & clothing.

Saturday 15 June 2013

Bumble B at the #Nightrider London 2013

After the IG London Nocturne last week in Smithfield's me and Bumble B had to rush home to get changed and back out to Alexander Palace for the start of the Nightrider London 2013.

This is the first ever time I have done 2 events so close together so I would be finding out how fit I would be.

Got home, changed out of racing mode and into touring mode. As always I was a little late in meet up with my partner in crime & Mark W from the LBC. Mark W actually got into the final of the folding bike race earlier.

As always I arrived late, seems to be our trademark these days but met up with Mark W & my cycling partner OrangeBrompton. We had to quickly head off to Alexander Palace for the start of another EPIC ride.

Joining us at our starting point would be Ann & David P from the London Brompton Club. Got all signed up and searching for everyone in our little gang.

All was a blur at first as we heading down Alexander Palace hill into the darkness of London.

Nightrider London 2013

Nightrider London 2013
Mark L @ Imperial War Museum

Nightrider London 2013
Imperial War Museum

Nightrider London 2013

Nightrider London 2013
Ann P being well Ann P lol

Nightrider London 2013


Nightrider London 2013
Welcome breakfast at the end of the ride


PAD: 9th June 2013
Proud of my Bumble B
100km later we end up back at the start Alexander Palace amd a well earned breakfast.
Hell a weekend I can tell you. Slept hard after it that's for sure.

Garmin Data: NightRider 2013