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US trains were a mixed bag in my experience - some had bike racks/hangers but others, like the major west coast line, required you to bag or box and put it in the luggage storage. They would sell you a box, but it was a hassle. I generally used the Tardis thing and brought the bike on as hand luggage. So the ctc bag would work if you could carry it.

Ground Effect Tardis might be worth a look - I've used it for multiple flight/train trips and no damage so far. Packs down pretty small when not in use.

Cheers Matt was looking forward to it, one of my favourite night time routes. But probably a daft idea for me given the weekend. Next time hopefully, Thursdays work better for me than Wednesdays.

Had hoped to ride tonight, but way behind on sorting stuff for Flanders. Good riding all.

I'm keen, but... driving to Flanders early doors Friday. Add in a Thursday evening ride - what could possibly go wrong? Prob decide on the day.

So very sad, we see the TCC guys out on these roads all the time. RIP Ralph.

game changer for OGs....RIP
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=v342TST9tFw

Would have been good to catch up Nic - next time. I actually wasn't that difficult to spot since I spent a good proportion of the evening twirling a glowstick and sending people left for food. People generally asked one of 3 questions regarding directions in or out - the answer to each one was 'left'. I could happily get through life never using the word again.

As ever the Dynamo delivered in spadefuls. Still my favourite UK ride by a long distance - even as it has grown and attracted a more mainstream riders there's still a slight air of delicious chaos to the whole affair.

Lovely to catch up with so many faces from previous forum rides and I thoroughly enjoyed my stint 'helping' out at Sible Hedingham. Recommended for anyone considering it next year, you also get the added bonus of riding the second half at about 4am - straight into a sunrise all the way and bumping into a very chilled group of riders who are taking it easy and soaking up the whole experience.

My highlight for the night was the aforementioned local lady at Sible Hedingham who popped out for 5 minutes at 11pm in a summer dress to check that the signage was still in place and ended up staying till about 2:30am giving directions in and out of the food station. She seemed to be having a ball and was full of praise for the riders - all of whom were unfailingly polite and chatty. I did ask whether maybe she wanted to use my phone to let her husband know about her extended sojourn, but she didn't seem to think that was necessary - it was pretty clear who ran that household.

I tried the Dunwich to Diss exit as an alternative to riding to Ipswich - far superior: about 28 miles through largely deserted lanes, you get on the same train that stops at Ipswich later and no one bothered to check on minor things like bike reservations.

interested - pm on the way

Why would you have paid £125 each for them when you can still buy tickets today direct from the club at a slightly less ridiculously priced £70.

Easy on the 'shit team in a shit ground though'...

I'll take the 16GB one if still available - will pm

Glad to hear that fasih made it back safely after the unlucky tyre explosions, apart from that a perfect night's riding in excellent company. Good to catch up with old faces and meet some new. That is a brilliant route, great work from Dan organising and leading - getting us to the Stones 15 mins before sunrise and sorting a clear sky, what more could you want? Once a little light had started to come through, the countryside in the last hour or so's riding was just lovely - a real buzz of anticipation in the air for the last few miles, unlike the normal night ride 'just get me to the finish' feeling.

Great photos Dicki, mine were rubbish. Would definitely like to have a cruise around the area post sunrise next time - but will the weather conditions ever be that spot on again? Was chatting to a couple of the pretty chilled out police team who were looking after things - one had been on duty there for 20 years plus and this was the best sunrise he had seen.

After an amble around the site, rolled back to Swindon with Howard on empty roads in bright sunshine constructing a fantasy breakfast in my head, with maybe a cheeky pint on the side. Hitting Swindon at 6:45 reality struck - no 24 hour cafes, no Brick Lane Beigels, no nothing.... just a train station. Fair enough really for a small town. A fine breakfast in Paddington with the Chris Martin lookalike compensated perfectly, followed by tramp beers and talking bollocks outside a nice pub. We did eventually put some money their way, so didn't feel too bad about taking liberties with their facilities.

Looking forward to Dunwich now...

Cheers Dan, but I'm already west and not sure of timings today, so don't want to risk leaving you guys hanging around at HP. Bracknell gives me the option of the 20:46 train from Feltham.

Also in - no chance of making Hyde Park for 7 so will train or ride to Bracknell. Looking forward to this.

Hyde Park > Avebury

1. YAL
   
2. fussballclub (I think)
   
3. gretsch?
   
4. santino
   
   

Train > Countryside meet up > Avebury

1. Stonehenge
   
2. Dropout
   
3. Dublinkevin
   
4. fasih
   
5. balmain
   
   

subscribed but being coy:

1. smiff
   
2. fixedcheese
   
3. dicki
   
4. Mule
   
5. Skully Tor
   
6. Ultracrepidarian
   
7. mashton
   
8. KRZ
   
9. radMich
   

Coy at the mo down to work and weather. Suspect I'll be another of the Bracknell contingent.

Hyde Park > Avebury

1. YAL
   
2. fussballclub (I think)
   
3. gretsch?
   
4. laner
   
5. santino
   
   

Train > Countryside meet up > Avebury

1. Stonehenge
   
2. Dropout
   
3. Dublinkevin
   
   

subscribed but being coy:

1. smiff
   
2. fixedcheese
   
3. dicki
   
4. Mule
   
5. Skully Tor
   
6. Ultracrepidarian
   
7. mashton
   
8. KRZ
   
9. Balmain
   

fwiw nobody did an equipment check when I rode it.

Ditto - I think a back brake is the last thing they are looking for if they did a quick check. Didn't see another fixed on the whole route. Enjoy the ride, wish I was going.

Thanks for organising and leading that Dan - great fun all round, excellent company and a nice little reminder of January 'fitness'. Double kudos to Tim for some sterling backstop work and guiding us to the essential beer/breakfast at the end. Apols for holding you up at Caterham - a wrong turn and I had the feeling that I'd got ahead - seemed better to wait than try and retrace. Great route post Croydon - a couple of years since I've done a Brighton ride, forgotten how nice the countryside is south of the M25 (and how awful Croydon and its surrounds are... ). Definitely going to put that route into action again over the next few weeks.

Thanks for putting that together Nic - great company all round and an awesome day out. Loved the meander through London suburbs, some really informative commentary and the whole Mill Hill experience was way ahead of expectations. 150 year old piece of kit still doing the business - love it. Bar set very high for 2014 forum rides.

Most definitely in - looks like a very fine day for this one. Helpful route Velocio - going to steal the Chiswick to Greenwich section, although I'd better give it two hours to allow for the seemingly obligatory getting lost south of the river diversion.

1. YAL
   
2. bothwell
   
3. OLC
   
4. branwen
   
5. Hoke
   
6. Indra
   
7. Modan
   
8. amey
   
9. dysar
   
10. dry (+ up to 5 others, but they are all lazy arseholes so probably +1)
    
11. Itsbruce
    
12. Hairbreaker
    
13. starfish & coffee
    
14. Seraphinx
    
15. esstee
    
16. LHL..... if life allows.......
    
17. vunugu
    
18. BN
    
19. Henry
    
20. Tonyme...be nice to give the Wes Mason a run out
    
21. Sven
    
22. Horro
    
23. M80
    
24. conker
    
25. Bernie
    
26. onyerbike
    
27. hugothenord01 (bike depending)
    
28. Ok123
    
29. Balmain
    

That was an absolutely lovely day out on the bike. Rain was just enough to give it that slightly epic feel without really being uncomfortable. I'm still in awe of the gloveless duo though.Terrific company all round, great work pulling it all together from Bernie and sterling leadership on the road from Branwen. Thanks all for a fine day - looking forward to next year's jaunt already. The glass half full approach says puncture free - so I'm sticking with that.

From my vantage point on the M25, yesterday looked a very fine day for the return leg, most sorry to have missed that and the opportunity to ride with Dumps and Clubman again. next year...

I'd echo the pristine tarmac comments - you really don't need any bike upgrades for a comfortable ride. Gearing: I was on 42:16 I think - 1 up from my normal ride. That seemed about right for me - perhaps gear up slightly from what you are comfortable with on an everyday basis as you'll be sitting in groups for most of the course. It really isn't hilly - 1500m of climbing on a 300km ride is flat by most standards. I reckon 10 - 12 hours in the saddle for a comfortable spin round. As above, it does get cold at 4am. I always stayed in the local gyms/schools which they open up for the weekend. About £15 for a couple of night's inside, but as said there are loads of other options.