# London Sightseer Audax anyone?



## Trikebeard (14 May 2009)

Was looking at doing the London Sightseer this year on Wednesday July 1st, anyone interested in joining an ICE Q for a 100k spin round our nations capital? 

I know alot of you may have real jobs, family, 'other things to do', etc. But you know you want to!


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## arallsopp (14 May 2009)

Whilst its my kind of conveyance and distance, the timing might knock this one out for me. Apart from Wednesdays "workday" status (bluuurggh) I wouldn't like to think how long 100k in London traffic would take. Being in a (comparatively) wide track vehicle, down at exhaust height, might not be a world of fun.


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## Chonker (14 May 2009)

I don't have a real job or any of that junk, I do have a Trice Q though 

Do I need to be a member of the Audax club to join?


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## Trikebeard (14 May 2009)

I read someones blog about the sightseer from last year and it seemed that the time frame was pretty good, 62 odd miles in no less than 5 hours and no more than 10, though it was on a sunday which helped quite a bit I would imagine! 

But that aside the route seemed pretty good and wasn't on many big busy roads, there's some river side riding and some park detours, one via Buckingham palace (que silly tourists and many cameras as a fleet of stunning recumbent machines roll past!) It seemed like a good way to spend a day.

I cycle around Cambridge everyday, through all kinds of traffic, and dont seem to have too much of a problem dealing with it! But Cambridge is not even slightly comparable to London, with the exception that they both have a river in the middle...

I think you have to pay a small extra fee to join the race for the day, bringing the total to about £5  the ride is going to be from near Hampton Court, across London to the Dome and back again.

here are some more details:
http://www.ctc-heartofengland.org.u...ightseer-audax&option=com_eventlist&Itemid=40

Hows the new trike Chonker? Treating you well I hope! How many miles have you racked up?


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## Chonker (14 May 2009)

It's great  heavy thing to drag up hills though..

I've probably done around 70miles by now, I've been having cycling computer issues so not entirely sure. I've tried two now and I'm struggling to get the damned wheel sensor picking up correctly.

It's exam time for me this week so not been able to get out on it as much as I'd like 

I've been practicing hill climbing alot down at Redbridge Cycling Centre, it's so quiet there during the week I've had the circuit to myself some days!

62miles would be by far the longest ride I've done, but still plenty of time to build up to it and london's fairly flat I guess (or am I just being overly hopeful)


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## Trikebeard (14 May 2009)

Trust me the hills get faster, I wont say that they get easier, cause im still out of breath by the top, but i do get there faster!  

As for the spedo issues have you got the mudguards on your Q? If so you should be able to get the comuputer on the wingmirror arm and the sensor attached to the side of the mudguards, usually needs a bit of rubber to push it that extra few millimeters to the get a clean signal from the wheel. If no mudguards i have seen people with the same computer position but with the sensor set up on the stearing somehow, sort of attached to the black plastic thingy that has the alluminimum truss rods leading to the steering!  

wow, reading that back it sounds a bit confusing! maybe i'll take some pictures later on to better explain! 

Oh and as for the flatness i really dont have a clue, im sure your pretty safe from any insane climbs, but again there might be some mini mountains!


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## Chonker (14 May 2009)

I've got the front mud guards ordered but at the moment the sensor is mounted on the steering arm but this means the magnet is mounted quite close to the centre of the rim. Less dynamic imbalance I figured but my guess is the signal pulsewidth is much wider than the computer expects and is getting filtered. I'd like a picture of the sensor attached to the mudguard if you've got one 

I guess this is what you mean, this is how my sensor is mounted (not cateye though).

http://www.ice.hpv.co.uk/images/tri..._model_accessories/computer/strada_sensor.jpg


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## Trikebeard (14 May 2009)

Ha, i've just de-mudguarded my bike for the summer, though im thinking of getting them back out (fearing the weather!) but i'll get the gist of it up on here shortly.

Just about to leave work, trying beat the rain home! Im faster than the weather, at least i hope i am!


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## dataretriever (14 May 2009)

Well I'm up for it.

I have my Sensor mounted on the steering arm of my Q and the computer on the mirror and have had no probs, I'll post some pics if anyone is interested....


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## Auntie Helen (15 May 2009)

Slightly different issue but this is the mount for my Garmin 205 on a Trice Q:


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## Chonker (15 May 2009)

Looks great, im regretting not just ponying up for a gps based one now, but I've spent quite a bit already and i can't send my one back now that it's been fitted :/


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## GrumpyGregry (15 May 2009)

sounds like a great excuse to take a day off. though I will be going upright where does one sign up? i.e. is it a pukka audax with all that entails?


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## Chonker (15 May 2009)

it's listed on the audax website under their events, not sure what that means it'll entail though, I'm new to all this


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## GrumpyGregry (16 May 2009)

I've done a couple of audaxes in the last year. Must join really and do it properly i suppose.


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## Trikebeard (21 May 2009)

Wow!
It has been a long week! So about this Audax, Im gonna sign up for it today, im printing forms as i type, the application and stuff is here:

http://www.ctc-heartofengland.org.u...ightseer-audax&option=com_eventlist&Itemid=40

So its 100k which is 62 and half ish miles, i'll be doing mine on a trice Q and i think it would be kinda kool to have a fleet of us there! As a preparation im going to be doing some fast wacks round this little course in Cambridgeshire:

http://tinyurl.com/omk8fv
(the google link was huge!) 

And i might take a trip down to Southend at somepoint (72.5 miles)

I guess closer to the time when we are surer of numbers and the like, we should arange a time and place to meet. I think we have 4 so far, myself, chonker, dataretriever and grumpygreg. 

Am i right?


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## Auntie Helen (21 May 2009)

Trikebeard, send me a PM when you're doing your ride to Southend and I might join you (from Colchester anyway), assuming I'm back from my German Cycle Tour...


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## Trikebeard (21 May 2009)

That sounds like a plan!
My route to Southend is Cambridge, Sawston, Ickleton, Saffron Waldon, Thaxted, Great Dunmow, Ford End, Great Waltham, BroomField, Chelmsford, Great Baddow, Howe Green, East Hanningfield, Rettendon, BattlesBridge, Hockley, Rochford, Southend annnnnnnd Thorpe Bay!

He he, It looks like quite a jaunt when you look at it like that! 
Where did you want to jump in?


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## Auntie Helen (21 May 2009)

Trikebeard said:


> That sounds like a plan!
> My route to Southend is Cambridge, Sawston, Ickleton, Saffron Waldon, Thaxted, Great Dunmow, Ford End, Great Waltham, BroomField, Chelmsford, Great Baddow, Howe Green, East Hanningfield, Rettendon, BattlesBridge, Hockley, Rochford, Southend annnnnnnd Thorpe Bay!
> 
> He he, It looks like quite a jaunt when you look at it like that!
> Where did you want to jump in?


Ah, I had temporarily forgotten the location of Cambridge vs Southend, thinking you'd be coming down via Ipswich for some bizarre reason.

I'd probably have to come across to Chelmsford and go from there although I've not explored that way yet. I'm not back in the country till 15th June so you might have made your trip before then anyway.


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## Chonker (21 May 2009)

I might join in on the way to southend n'all 

I could even be tempted to come up to cambridge one day


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## sheddy (21 May 2009)

and if you go this Sunday or Monday, theres a free Airshow to watch when you get there !


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## Trikebeard (23 May 2009)

I wish i could be out on the trike today, the weather is fantastic! But here i am stuck at work, and my laptops hard drive broke yesterday, so thats gone for 7 working days! Aarrrrghhhh! Well at least i have the internet here! 

Well it looks like my trip to southend is going to be next Friday going down and Monday coming back up. I'll be leaving Cambridge quite early around 0700, and should arrive in Southend mid afternoon. I'll have my phone on me(PM me for the number), and if you fancy joining in at somepoint it would be great to have the company!

Lets just hope this great weather holds!


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## Chonker (25 May 2009)

Ah, am working friday so can't make the southend trip. Cheque's sent off for the Audax :?:


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## dataretriever (27 May 2009)

OK, That's my cheque and application sent off! best I do some practise now then.....


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## dataretriever (2 Jun 2009)

ok, i've had a gentle day at work so was trying to work out what to take. In addition to the normal multi tool, minipump and spare tube..

2 more tubes, larger pump instead of the mini, 3 litre camelbak and spare water, a-z, waterproof top, sweets. That's as far as i got.

Anyone done this before and or got any ideas?


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## Chonker (23 Jun 2009)

Not long now, how's the training going? I've not managed to get out on mine recently and probably wont between now and then as I've got an interview to prepare for on friday and an exam next tuesday so this really is going to be a shock to the system!

As far as stuff, I was going to try not to take lots of it, I usually end up loading up my radical pod bags and regretting it!

Did you get the routesheet yet? That's a bit daunting, I don't really know my way around london and havn't the best sense of direction!


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## GrumpyGregry (23 Jun 2009)

sorry peeps but what is "training"?


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## Chonker (23 Jun 2009)

Heh, well 'preparations' is probably a better term. I've been trying to build up my mileage with longer runs but just not finding time to do it


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## GrumpyGregry (23 Jun 2009)

Hmmm my preps for such rides are minimal; check me tyres, butter my soreen, buy a train ticket and go....


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## dataretriever (27 Jun 2009)

My prep will be along the lines of a highlighter and the A-Z. I might get as far as filling my waterbottle too at the rate I'm going....


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## GrumpyGregry (29 Jun 2009)

my day pass has been rescinded by the powers that be so I won't now be going


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## Chonker (1 Jul 2009)

Nice ride, was a bit hot though!!


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## dataretriever (2 Jul 2009)

It sure was and my knees ache today! Pics to follow....


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## dataretriever (4 Jul 2009)

Just before the cobbles of Wapping vibrated everything off my bars........







The view from Greenwich Observatory and the only real climb on the route. The last picture of my Trike with flag before some scrotes nicked it!

I should have charged for "Goes on the Recumbent" at the lunch stop as the uprighters clamoured to sit in the deckchair. Could be a money maker on the September event if anyone's up for it?


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