# Dunwich Dynamo 2019



## RoubaixCube (24 May 2019)

Its nearing that time of year again where a few thousand of take off from the streets of hackney and embark on a long pilgrimage through the dark countryside in the dead of night, right to the coast.

Dates to mark in your calendars if you haven't already done so is the 13th and 14th of July.

Judging by what the beeb and other sites tell me, Is that there is an oncoming heatwave that will last 3 or 4 months. so In theory it should feel more like the 2016 or 2017 ride.

Usual details apply - Ride starts off at pub on the park in Hackney about 8pm though you're free to arrive earlier, relax, socialise and have a beer in the warm sunshine before the mass exodus begins. I've been told that people start to gather as early as 5pm but earliest i've ever arrived is 7-7.30pm to wait for my friend so YMMV.

The ride is unsupported, so if you suffer a mechanical you'll have to rely on your own skills or wait for others to help you and there will normally be a whole gaggle that stop to see if you're OK if you're stopped by the side of the road. 

Tickets for the lift home are already sold out but you might be able to blag one off someone on their facebook page otherwise you're left to make your own way home. Nearest station as far as i can see is DARSHAM and that's a small journey back the along the same route heading straight into town towards Yoxford. I have always managed to have a lift home organised so Ive never taken a coach or train home

Make sure you take enough food and water for yourself though there will be food stops along the way offering various tasty morsels - One of the best places is around halfway where they grill burgers and hotdogs and the smell alone is a real booster if youre tired and hungry. 

Anyway enough nattering. Heres a basic map of the route







More details on the ride can be found here on their official webpage and also their facebook.

make your your bike is in good condition and your lights are all charged up and ready to go. 


I will be riding solo this year so it would be great to see and ride alongside some friendly faces along the way.

Weather should be pretty good, so hopefully it will be a good turn out.


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## Specialeyes (24 May 2019)

I'm havering between shuttling the van near to the finish a day or so before, or just riding back to Southend through the Sunday. Decisions, decisions...


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## BlackSchmuck (28 May 2019)

Hi
I'm doing the DD for the 1st time this year. Can't wait! Getting the coach from Lowestoft with Dunx Cycles and my lovely wife is picking me up on the beach.
I haven't ridden at night before, it'll be the longest I've ever ridden - but my plan is to take it easy and enjoy the journey...


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## nonowt (28 May 2019)

This will be the 2nd DD for me - really looking forward to it! Last year was fantastic. ...well, until the rain kicked in but we'd arrived by that point. Just starting to get a few longer rides in in preparation. Which is also a great excuse to sneak out for a few hours on a Sunday morning.

My non-expert tips for anyone thinking of doing it:

Fitness: I commute about 45 miles a week and found that four or five 30 - 55 milers were enough preparation last year. The route is fairly flat with the longest uphill stretch being the 9 mile gentle rise from Hackney up to Epping.

Through the night: With a few early nights in the run up I found staying awake less of an issue than I was expecting. An afternoon nap on the Saturday would make sense too (if possible). Decent lights - cheap battery power rear and a high power battery pack powered front. I used one of these but a friend just cable tied on a couple of cheap LED torches.

Fuel: two 750 water bottles filled up whenever you can, one with Electrolyte hydration type stuff in it. Some snacks: a banana, some dried fruit, couple of flapjacks and a veggie hot dog and a few beers bought on route was enough for me. I seem to remember food being sold at pubs/along the roadside in most villages until after Sudbury where the options started to thin out (possibly because it was after 3am by then).

Clothes: bibs shorts, jersey and arm warmers worked for me last year but obviously it depends on how the weather is on then night.


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## Ming the Merciless (28 May 2019)

World naked bike ride in Colchester on the Sat if anyone wants a warm up ride before catching train into London.


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## Blue Hills (29 May 2019)

Think I may well be doing it. If so this year probably on one of my £30 700 wheeled ridgeback builds rather than the 26 inch exped ridgeback of last time. Will probably kip somewhere odd rather than return immediately. Will try to carry less stuff than last time, though more organised, with espresso pot and stove closer to hand.


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## rogerzilla (22 Jun 2019)

Forget the train from Darsham - all bikes are banned from the East Suffolk line for the day.


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## RoubaixCube (23 Jun 2019)

rogerzilla said:


> Forget the train from Darsham - all bikes are banned from the East Suffolk line for the day.



That is a shame. I heard one time they were handing out numbered slips of paper alongside ticket purchases so they could have a set number of cyclists per train instead of total chaos with riders putting their bikes on the seats and taking up whatever space that was vacant


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## Blue Hills (23 Jun 2019)

I'd never have.tried to get on at darsham. I used to know a woman who did the dynamo years and years ago, very early days when it was way way smaller. She wasn't a very experienced cyclist but heard about it somehow and did it on a whim. Did the ride, pretty worn out. Went to darsham.
Even way back then the guard refused to let her on.
She burst into tears.
He let her on.
Wouldn"t advise you rely on this technique Roubaix.


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## RoubaixCube (23 Jun 2019)

Blue Hills said:


> I'd never have.tried to get on at darsham. I used to know a woman who did the dynamo years and years ago, very early days when it was way way smaller. She wasn't a very experienced cyclist but heard about it somehow and did it on a whim. Did the ride, pretty worn out. Went to darsham.
> Even way back then the guard refused to let her on.
> She burst into tears.
> He let her on.
> Wouldn"t advise you rely on this technique Roubaix.



I always have a friend in a support vehicle for lifts home  the headache of trying to get home has never bothered me very much


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## PeteXXX (23 Jun 2019)

I've been on a couple of DD's, but not doing it this year due to other commitments. 
If you're on London Fields for a long time before the ride, don't inhale too deeply, or you'll float the first 15 miles, then get the munchies!


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## rogerzilla (26 Jun 2019)

Getting back by train is always a nightmare. You have to ride to Ipswich or Lowestoft and book in advance due to demand. Beccles used to be an option but I think that is covered by the ban. There is reasonable bike capacity from Ipswich only.

I know the sheer volume of motorised transport in the car park at the end depresses the organisers but that's the problem with finishing the ride in the boondocks.


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## mjr (26 Jun 2019)

rogerzilla said:


> I know the sheer volume of motorised transport in the car park at the end depresses the organisers but that's the problem with finishing the ride in the boondocks.


No, it's a problem with our railways. There just aren't any bike-ready Motor Luggage Vans to hire in any more for events like this (Scotrail is building some but only what it wants and I don't think they'll be compatible with Anglia's new trains so no help there for DD2020...) and even if there were, I'm not sure there's a way to sell bike tickets since CTC got them made free in the 70s, so no incentive for train companies to supply to meet the demand instead of ban. Unintended consequences...


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## nonowt (1 Jul 2019)

Useful info for those wanting to get the train back from Ipswich:
https://www.greateranglia.co.uk/form/dunwich-dynamo-reservation

Looks like they putting a lot of extra spaces on.


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## Blue Hills (1 Jul 2019)

nonowt said:


> Useful info for those wanting to get the train back from Ipswich:
> https://www.greateranglia.co.uk/form/dunwich-dynamo-reservation
> 
> Looks like they putting a lot of extra spaces on.


well good for them.
Hope it works.

Me - I'll be peddaling back if I do it - after a night's kip somewhere.


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## Ming the Merciless (1 Jul 2019)

Was thinking about riding this again but going to help at an audax control on the day instead.


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## mjr (1 Jul 2019)

nonowt said:


> Useful info for those wanting to get the train back from Ipswich:
> https://www.greateranglia.co.uk/form/dunwich-dynamo-reservation
> 
> Looks like they putting a lot of extra spaces on.


Anyone know how it'll work if you're not going towards London? Like how to book Ipswich-Peterborough or -Cambridge? Norwich is the same distance as Ipswich if you shortcut the cycle routes, so I guess that's as easy to ride to as train.


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## RoubaixCube (2 Jul 2019)

Well I dont know how many spaces they originally had available but I counted the number at 301 or 303 then it dropped to 241 when i refreshed the page a few minutes later.

Its great they are at least trying to make things work rather than have an all out ban and leave people possibly stranded, headaches aside i thought a business would jump at the idea of making a few sacks more of money. I know a lot of pubs stay open and welcome the extra business even if its only for one night.

Like the food stop that sells the burgers. Totally overpriced but the smell is overwhelming and it really lifts your spirits when you get one or two of them down before carrying on. They probably make more money in that one night then then do in 6 months at their regular pace.


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## Andrew_Culture (8 Jul 2019)

I'm planning to ride this year having missed the last couple for various reasons. I'm just down the road from Dunwich (in Ipswich) so my problem is I'm struggling to get to London from Ipswich. The train overlords are only allowing six bikes per train, even although the guard's van can easily fit around 200 bikes. It might actually be the different between being able to ride the Dun Run or not.


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## mjr (8 Jul 2019)

Andrew_Culture said:


> I'm planning to ride this year having missed the last couple for various reasons. I'm just down the road from Dunwich (in Ipswich) so my problem is I'm struggling to get to London from Ipswich. The train overlords are only allowing six bikes per train, even although the guard's van can easily fit around 200 bikes. It might actually be the different between being able to ride the Dun Run or not.


Excuse me if this is a stupid question, but could you still take a stopper trains (the ones usually from platform 3 or 4 taking 1h20+) unrestricted?

As I understand it, the reason for the bike-reservation-required Norwich-Ipswich-London trains going to a 6 bike limit is that the new intercity trains (Flirts) can only carry 6 so they won't issue more reservations than that to avoid a mess when they switch over, but the new Ipswich-London stoppers (Aventras) take as many bikes as physically fit, same as the current ones (Dusty Bins).


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## Andrew_Culture (8 Jul 2019)

mjr said:


> Excuse me if this is a stupid question, but could you still take a stopper trains (the ones usually from platform 3 or 4 taking 1h20+) unrestricted?
> 
> As I understand it, the reason for the bike-reservation-required Norwich-Ipswich-London trains going to a 6 bike limit is that the new intercity trains (Flirts) can only carry 6 so they won't issue more reservations than that to avoid a mess when they switch over, but the new Ipswich-London stoppers (Aventras) take as many bikes as physically fit, same as the current ones (Dusty Bins).



I was refused entry to a dusty bin / intercity a few weeks ago. The guards van was empty. You could have a point with the terrible little trains that stop at every station though, the first dun run I did the carriage was packed to the ceiling with bikes on the way to London.


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## RoubaixCube (8 Jul 2019)

Andrew_Culture said:


> I was refused entry to a dusty bin / intercity a few weeks ago. The guards van was empty. You could have a point with the terrible little trains that stop at every station though, the first dun run I did the carriage was packed to the ceiling with bikes on the way to London.




you mean like this







I heard this is why they banned cyclists coming from from the DD in the first place.

If upto 3000 people want to get home. They *will* get home unless they've been banned outright from using the service. While I can see that this is far from respectful for other train users that didnt take part in the DD, Greater Anglia or whoever runs the line should really consider laying on extra services for that day or half of the morning/afternoon to get people home. Im glad they have tried to organise something. even if it was just 300 or 400 tickets for cyclists. thats still 300 odd people that get ferried home.


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## Andrew_Culture (8 Jul 2019)

As ever there’s a bigger picture at play here. There’s only so much space on a 150 year old set of tracks and as I understand it at the weekends freight gets priority.

I would point the finger at privatisation but this ain’t the rumours and chat section of the forum


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## Andrew_Culture (9 Jul 2019)

I went to Ipswich station to book my ticket for Saturday and was told by the desk staff that all bike bookings have been removed from their system for this weekend. So I was told to go to https://www.greateranglia.co.uk/form/dunwich-dynamo-reservation so I could fill out the bike booking application form.

But the booking window for booking bikes onto trains for the Dun Run closed Sunday 7th July. Arg! So I won't be getting to London via train on Sunday.

I don't suppose anyone will be driving from Ipswich to London on Saturday will they?


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## Ming the Merciless (9 Jul 2019)

That form only applies to Sunday bookings. Did you explain you want to book your bike on the train on Saturday, not Sunday?


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## Andrew_Culture (9 Jul 2019)

YukonBoy said:


> That form only applies to Sunday bookings. Did you explain you want to book your bike on the train on Saturday, not Sunday?



I thought I told the staff that, but I might try again tomorrow just in case I wasn't making myself clear.


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## mjr (10 Jul 2019)

Andrew_Culture said:


> I was refused entry to a dusty bin / intercity a few weeks ago. The guards van was empty. You could have a point with the terrible little trains that stop at every station though, the first dun run I did the carriage was packed to the ceiling with bikes on the way to London.


Dusty bins (class 321) are the "terrible little trains" not intercities, although they do seem to be covering for an unavailable intercity at the moment. The new fleets can't come too soon! Although it will mean the end of the guard vans.


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## nonowt (11 Jul 2019)

FYI: Quite a few coach tickets back to London are cropping up for sale on LFGSS and the Dunwich Dynamo Facebook page.


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## Andrew_Culture (11 Jul 2019)

nonowt said:


> FYI: Quite a few coach tickets back to London are cropping up for sale on LFGSS and the Dunwich Dynamo Facebook page.



Smart. I only need to get as far as Ipswich


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## anothersam (12 Jul 2019)

Seeing as it’s that time of year again, I might as well dust this off:



Best of luck to all contestants.


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## spark303 (12 Jul 2019)

mjr said:


> Anyone know how it'll work if you're not going towards London? Like how to book Ipswich-Peterborough or -Cambridge? Norwich is the same distance as Ipswich if you shortcut the cycle routes, so I guess that's as easy to ride to as train.


I was told by the GA guy that posts on the Dynamo Facebook page that other routes out of Ipswich Eg. to Cambridge, would just be subject to the normal restrictions ie. no booking needed, max four non-folding bikes first come, first served etc.


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## RoubaixCube (13 Jul 2019)




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## RoubaixCube (14 Jul 2019)

Unfortunately I decided to call it a day at The Bell near Braintree/Sudbury. 

I didn't count on it being this cold and I'm out in a Tshirt and gilet. 

I was hoping to make it to the next stop with the burgers but that's a bridge too far on this occasion. 

However I beat my PB for 40miles. Done it in 1hr40mins


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## Blue Hills (14 Jul 2019)

Pity. Didn't do it myself this year - stuff intervened.
I always remember barry's barry mason's written advice about the pre dawn chill. First year I did have extra layers but was too lazy/focussed to put them on. So just had a t shirt, maybe a base layer. And suffered. 
Surprised you went so lightly clad though as you have done it before.


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## Andrew_Culture (15 Jul 2019)

I quit at Needham Market and headed back to Ipswich. I don't think I've been so cold on a night ride before. But the real reason I had to quit was that my arse was in agony! I've had the same Charge Spoon for at least seven years now, probably bought off here for a tenner. Time for an upgrade!


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## Blue Hills (15 Jul 2019)

How cold was it/could it have been?

I've ridden in some very low temperatures, only deterred by risks of ice.

Were you well prepared?

Seems odd the saddle suddenly turned to agony. Have you recently moved it?


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## Andrew_Culture (15 Jul 2019)

Blue Hills said:


> How cold was it/could it have been?
> 
> I've ridden in some very low temperatures, only deterred by risks of ice.
> 
> ...



It was 18oC, I have no idea why that felt cold. I think the pain came from the lack of time I've spent in the saddle recently.


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## mjr (15 Jul 2019)

spark303 said:


> I was told by the GA guy that posts on the Dynamo Facebook page that other routes out of Ipswich Eg. to Cambridge, would just be subject to the normal restrictions ie. no booking needed, max four non-folding bikes first come, first served etc.


It looks like that is what happened. It was a headwind home from the Harwich ferry, so our group of 8 non-folding bikes managed to take the two through trains northwest without problem, four on each train. The table for the wheelchair users opposite the bike space had been removed on the Cambridge train (easily allowing another three bikes) and the guard after Ipswich was fairly liberal, allowing two extra bikes on at Ipswich, one at Stowmarket, two at a stop before Bury, two at Newmarket, with three off at Bury. The queue was visible at Ipswich, as were the ban warning signs on the southbound platforms at Needham Market and Stowmarket.


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## nonowt (15 Jul 2019)

Andrew_Culture said:


> It was 18oC, I have no idea why that felt cold. I think the pain came from the lack of time I've spent in the saddle recently.



I had the same every time I stopped (Bell Inn at Great Barfield, Cyclist at Sudbury and the Needham Market coffee stop). When it was time to get back on I'd be visibly shaking but after a mile or two I'd be fine. I was just in s/s jersey and arm warmers plus bibshorts..). I think it was about 11°c and drizzling when I was at Needham at about 3.30am. Should have put my base layer on but wasn't thinking straight with the shaking!


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## Specialeyes (15 Jul 2019)

nonowt said:


> I had the same every time I stopped (Bell Inn at Great Barfield, Cyclist at Sudbury and the Needham Market coffee stop). When it was time to get back on I'd be visibly shaking but after a mile or two I'd be fine. I was just in s/s jersey and arm warmers plus bibshorts..). I think it was about 11°c and drizzling when I was at Needham at about 3.30am. Should have put my base layer on but wasn't thinking straight with the shaking!



I stopped at Needham Lakes, sat by the water, necked two cans of Coke that were so cold they were turning to slush, then proceeded to shake uncontrollably for what felt like 5 minutes (but was in reality a lot shorter), and reasoned to myself that I just needed to get up and get going again - which I did. That was my last stop until Dunwich, and the last 10 miles or so was very much running on empty  Massive fun though - loved the 3-4 guys standing in the middle of nowhere clapping and cheering around 1.45am - presumably they were locals who didn't want to keep their neighbours up!

3rd - 4th July next year from what I read earlier - I'm in! So if anyone wants a lift back London/Essexwards after, just let me know...


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## Blue Hills (15 Jul 2019)

Sounds like some of you folk repeated my first time mistake. And the wind chill got to you. After that first year I have always used my layers.


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## Ming the Merciless (15 Jul 2019)

Many new to night riding underestimate how warm it will be. The same air temperature at night will mean you will be much colder than during the day. There is no solar radiation warming you up. The forecasts also have a range of temperatures and can easily be up to 6c colder than headline temps. Plus you will get cold pockets of air in hollows and dips. Always take some warmer layers for overnight. An emergency silver blanket can also be useful in case of an accident or mechanical which brings you to an extended stop.


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## mjr (15 Jul 2019)

YukonBoy said:


> The forecasts also have a range of temperatures and can easily be up to 6c colder than headline temps.


Not only that, but the forecast temperatures are generally in towns, which can be 2c (summer) to 4c (winter) higher than where you'll be cycling. It's a good point, worth making before next year's DD!


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## mmmmartin (16 Jul 2019)

if you like night riding there's a well-known club that does it many times a year 
https://www.fnrttc.org.uk/
is the website. £2 annual membership, rides from London every month, also from York, Bristol, Manchester. 
Next one is to Whitstable in early August - we've been doing it for years have have about 50-120 riders - there's a Tail end charlie team for mechanicals, an all-Upper at the back and waymarkers at every junction. Halfway stop for whistable is at a village hall in Strood with a flat fee and profits going to charity. 
also there's a tour in Europe every year - this year it was Ireland and we've done the Netherlands, France, Belgium. 
You'd be very welcome.


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## rogerzilla (16 Jul 2019)

Had a very fast and easy run. First time I've finished with anything left in the tank. No debilitating cramp for once (really loaded up on salt on Saturday - I sweat it out to the extent that my cycling clothes get white patches). Had three strong coffees during the night, ate little, rode a light fixed gear. 

If you saw me, I was in the St. Raphael kit on a blue Harry Quinn steel track bike the same age as me. What a machine. Was with two other chaps from work all the way.

The secret to not getting cold is to keep stops short. The air temperature doesn't make much difference if your clothes are damp with sweat - you cool off very quickly.


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## nonowt (16 Jul 2019)

rogerzilla said:


> Had a very fast and easy run. First time I've finished with anything left in the tank. No debilitating cramp for once (really loaded up on salt on Saturday - I sweat it out to the extent that my cycling clothes get white patches). Had three strong coffees during the night, ate little, rode a light fixed gear.
> 
> If you saw me, I was in the St. Raphael kit on a blue Harry Quinn steel track bike the same age as me. What a machine. Was with two other chaps from work all the way.
> 
> The secret to not getting cold is to keep stops short. The air temperature doesn't make much difference if your clothes are damp with sweat - you cool off very quickly.



Fairly sure I saw you on route and possibly on the beach. We also made good time: built up speed after leaving Epping and pretty much kept the pace up until the finish (much to my suprise! I was sure I'd be spent by Sudbury). I was the stupidly tall guy riding 26" framed racing green Condor (1976 - a wee bit younger than me). My two pals were regular sized and on modern bikes.


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## redflightuk (17 Jul 2019)

This was my 4th trip to Dunwich but the first time on the Recumbent. It was much more comfortable than the DF. I started from Codicote and joined the route at Great Bardfield as I just keep coughing after a few minutes in London. Being on something different I.got to speak to quite a lot of riders through the night, I didn't see any other bents until i was heading home.
The food and coffee at the stops I visited were great and I made it to the beach at about 5:30. 
I had breakfast and a short nap and headed for home. 25 hours door to door 19hrs moving 220 miles 
See you next year.


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## RoubaixCube (18 Jul 2019)

Well... On the plus side....


2016 DD






2019 DD







It wasnt like i was killing myself to do the same distance. Though the decrease in time could be because I decided to stick with the pack rather than stopping every few yards for a breather and waiting for a friend.

I absolutely died in 2016. cramp was just killing me the last 7miles of that run.

Definitely need to think about taking more layers or at least a softshell jacket. One of the ladies who sat at my table at The Bell had a woolly hat on, extra pairs of socks, tights and softshell.

I missed out on 2017 and 2018 DD rides so was hoping this would of been a fun return.


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## kimble (18 Jul 2019)

I had the cold shaking thing too, which was unexpected given the conditions. I didn't record a temperature lower than 12C at any point during the ride, and I'm no stranger to night riding (this was easier than a Fridays ride because we didn't have the not-knowing-how-long-you're-going-to-be-stopped problem). I assume some weird combination of humidity, high temperature during the preceding few days and possibly feeling the cold more due to being a bit less lardy this year?

Anyway, made it to Dunwich in Lanterne Rouge position, on account of the people I was riding with struggling after the first 75km, and stopping for an hour to provide first aid to an injured rider. Camped at Kessingland, then carried on up the coast as far as Walcott before calling it a day on Tuesday morning due to my Achilles grumbling. (I'd originally planned to turn left at Skegness and tour my way back to Birmingham.)

I think I counted three other recumbents, including a Kingcycle on the other side of the Lea Bridge Road which may not have been part of the ride, and a Performer that I only saw at Dunwich. I last did the DunRun in 2012 or so, and noticed that there seemed to be a lot fewer people using crap bikes (as opposed to deliberately inappropriate bikes ridden for the challenge or comedy value) on the ride - not sure if that reflects a shift in demographics, or just greater availability of cheap road bikes. People also seemed to waste less time being lost, presumably on account of the rise of the smartphone.

I don't think I want to do it in touring mode again. Going quickly on a faster bike would be okay, except for the faff of trying to get home form Dunwich. TBH, the novelty value of this ride is over by the time you get to Sudbury, and there are much nicer night rides. I'm tempted to do it in reverse, but the prospect of having everyone's strobe-o-vision front lights in my face, and the final ride into London while tired, puts me off.


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## Specialeyes (18 Jul 2019)

kimble said:


> ...the prospect of having everyone's strobe-o-vision front lights in my face, and the final ride into London while tired, puts me off.



I was amazed when cycling away from the beach and back to find my van near Darsham, at the brightness of the oncoming constant stream of lights. It was starting to get light by then (4.20-ish) but the lights coming across the Heath towards me were properly fierce. Maybe it's because I was tired but as I said, it was already getting light by then, and I was sitting up on a road bike - so I can imagine that on a 'bent or, heaven forbid, in a car, they must have been pretty dazzling!


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## Blue Hills (18 Jul 2019)

Ah that's a thread in itself. 

A particular bugbear of mine.

I think the last time i did the dynamo was the same as roubaixcube's time before this.

I do fear that as it gets ever bigger and more full-on it is somewhat losing its charm.

Was the kingcycle mentioned above by any chance the puncture fairy that is @bobcolover. ??


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## kimble (18 Jul 2019)

Blue Hills said:


> Ah that's a thread in itself.
> A particular bugbear of mine.



Dazzle is, to some extent, unavoidable. Even a correctly-aligned StVZO-compliant light can be dazzling in proper darkness (especially when there's an element of up and down to the road surface), and we can't expect those to make up more than a small fraction of the lighting on a group ride.

It's the flashing that really baffles me. I can understand why it might seem like a good idea to prevent SMIDSYs in the daytime when it's hammering down with rain, and I don't mind it on the rear, but for seeing where you're going in darkness it's actually a hindrance. I'm never sure if people do it out of fear of cars, or in order to conserve battery life.




> I do fear that as it gets ever bigger and more full-on it is somewhat losing its charm.



For me the size of it *is* it's charm. There's very little else going for it, other than some reasonable roads in mid Suffolk. As I say, there are nicer night rides (with more considerate fellow riders) and there are certainly much better destinations.




> Was the kingcycle mentioned above by any chance the puncture fairy that is @bobcolover. ??



Nope, wasn't him. And no fairing.


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## bobcolover (18 Jul 2019)

Well I did do it on my kingcycle with the rear yellow fairing. I didnt see any other Kingcycles on the ride or at the start or finish with or without fairings front or rear. I met a very tall gent on a HPV Grasshopper with a flag at the start and again some way into the ride... but never got his name; and didnt see him at Dunwich, and I didnt see any other recumbents.
I'd had bad leg cramps a few years ago so kept very well topped up with High 5 Zero and didnt get any cramp at all this year. The first half seemed a bit easier and after a burger at Sudbury firestation the second half was very ok . The coffee etc place at Needham Lakes was mobbed. I had NO visits from the puncture fairy; which was very nice, just a slight mechanical with the front derailleur which I managed to deal with.
Numbers were big, and at times I was overtaken by some very fast people. I normally like the descent into Sudbury but there was a new tarmac road surface that I really didnt like at all; it felt like the tyres had no grip on the surface, the last 1/3rd mile downhill was ok into the town. Did anyone else notice that?
I left at 7.45 and did about 9 hours cycling, getting in under 11 hours with stops. Went swimming; good breakfast, flew my 2 line kite on the beach and then the 10 am coach/ artic for the bike home, although the coach was slightly delayed in leaving. I think someone had been taken ill just as the 9 am bus was about to leave. Uneventful sleep on the coach home.

It definitely seemed easier this year, dont quite know why. I had 2 sets of friends on DFs who were much faster but i just kept my own pace. Saw two ladies from the FNRTTC, May , who wasn't on her usual Brompton but a rather nice titanium number, and her friend whose name embarrassingly I forget...
The night didnt seem at all chilly and although I did wear gloves probably coinciding with the hours of darkness and also a very thin thermal long sleeve number from Uniqlo which is really great and very light. There was very slight rain around 4/5 am but nothing that was any bother.
Inspired to do it next year again.
bob


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## Ming the Merciless (18 Jul 2019)

RoubaixCube said:


> Well... On the plus side....
> 
> 
> 2016 DD
> ...



Your earlier post said you covered 40 miles in 1:40, guess you meant 4:10. Bit of a difference!


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## rogerzilla (18 Jul 2019)

I quite like the roads in the second half, gravel aside It's the bit from the start to NWB that I don't like.


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## RoubaixCube (18 Jul 2019)

YukonBoy said:


> Your earlier post said you covered 40 miles in 1:40, guess you meant 4:10. Bit of a difference!



My mistake - I had no idea where i got 1:40 from. I think it was too quick a glance as i was saving the ride and turning off my garmin. my mind was that garbled.


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## Ming the Merciless (18 Jul 2019)

One for Kimble. I am considering doing this on recumbent next year but wonder if all the tail lights will kill my vision.


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## RoubaixCube (19 Jul 2019)

YukonBoy said:


> Your earlier post said you covered 40 miles in 1:40, guess you meant 4:10. Bit of a difference!



I remember what i said now. I said i beat my personal best for most distance travelled in 1hr40mins. though i had forgot to mention the distance travelled part. Its one of those fancy garmin alerts when you end a ride. Thats where the 1hr40 came from.


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## nonowt (19 Jul 2019)

Second time doing it for me. Last year definitely seemed more mixed in terms of riders and bikes. More lycra and road bikes this year and very few people who looked like they'd found a bike at the back of the shed and decided to give it a go. Personally I think that could be more down to the random nature of who turns up on the day than a shift to a more serious ride. Or maybe more people (in London/SE) are cycling more seriously? I like the mix but don't mind either way- loved it both years. I even enjoy waiting in the pub for 3hrs for the lift home!

I saw maybe 1/2 dozen recumbents maybe, including one with two riders (whatever they're called).

I agree that the size is it's charm (and enables the food stalls and people waving from pubs and gardens), along with the folly of riding somewhere that for the most part disappeared centuries ago and is difficult to get back from. A mass ride to say, Folkstone or Felixstowe, wouldn't be as magically daft.


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## kimble (19 Jul 2019)

YukonBoy said:


> One for Kimble. I am considering doing this on recumbent next year but wonder if all the tail lights will kill my vision.



Disclaimer: I'm one of the lucky 0.01% with a reduced sensitivity to red light, which means when I'm not failing to discriminate yellow/green or purple/blue, I'm generally unbothered by supposedly 'bright' red lights. Red is a dark colour for me. *shrugs*

That said, I do prefer the Streetmachine for night riding, because the eye level (about car driver eye height) is out of the beam of oncoming headlights. The glare can get tedious on the ICE trike or the Baron low-racer, though those do of course have other advantages. Once you're out of Epping, oncoming vehicles are fairly infrequent on the Dun Run, but if you find rear bike lights bright, it could get annoying. But nowhere near as annoying as a saddle after 100 miles of riding.

One of the years a big group of us from YACF rode together, I discovered that I was getting repeatedly dazzled by a specular reflection of my own headlight off the outer surface of another rider's rear light (one of those sensible B&M rack-mounted ones with the nice big reflector). That got rather tedious, but could happen on anything with the wrong combination of angles. A bit like following someone with one of those ProVis jackets.


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## kimble (19 Jul 2019)

nonowt said:


> I saw maybe 1/2 dozen recumbents maybe, including one with two riders (whatever they're called).



Yeah, we caught up with the tandem several times.


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