Your ride today....
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About four years ago Dom Whiting visited Oxford and rode around the city on a bike with a pair of decks on the front, collecting fellow cyclists with the lure of the drum and bass he was smashing out.
I remember watching the video with a mixture of joy (such a great idea) and regret (being reminded that I wasn't there to enjoy such things).
This week a friend broke the news that Dom was returning, so that had to be done. In the time elaspsed Dom's exploits have grown from pretty low key events with small contingents to long, street-filling precessions that bring the city to a standstill.
After a fraught morning of not getting everything done I turned up late on Broad St but things were still getting started, with a many cyclists and those on other modes of transport packed into the east end.
I'd decided on the Brompton as the least-worst tool for this task since it's small, manouverable and upright.. which was handy as I was half-considering bringing it to the city anyway as using the Fuji for the commute is doing my swede somewhat..
Eventually we set off down Parks road towards the natural history museum at a very leisurely pace, although the density of bodies and fairly hectic atmosphere kept one on one's toes.. The weather had deteriorated since the glorious sun ealier in the week, however despite the looming couds the rain mostly held off.
While I was happy to just roll along it seemed that many had an agenda in getting to the front and (as in life generally) I found myself being constantly, slowly overtaken by everyone else. Some folks infront of me decided to cut through past the uni's engineering building to get out ahead of the column as it doubled back on itself and I made a split second decision to join them..
...sure enough we found ourselves out front for all of a few seconds before being consumed having stopped to take some photos.
The route continued back down St. Giles, George St, and Bridge St before looping back through town, past the Westgate, up St, Aldates and up the High St. towards the Cowley Rd..
Unlike Dom's earlier solitary excursions there were now three or four different somewhat-human-powered rigs rolling along at various points in the convoy, all playing different stuff..
Riders were diverse and pretty much every type of bike was represented. It felt very "east Oxford" from joint-smoking kids' seemingly endless manuals on MTBs to mums and kids in posh electric cargo bikes. The atmosphere was nice and the odd inconsiderate scally aside everyone seemed friendly and considerate.
Despite the nice atmopshere the process was hardly relaxing due to constantly having to be on the ball for people encroaching from all directions. It was also odd to have such a soundtrack and yet be travelling so slowly, with little physical outlet. Near the Cowley rd I got delayed and ended up dropping off the back; catching up proving a nice opportunity for a bit of exertion.
The enormous ride ended outside the Siad business school next to the station, where folks hung about for a while and slowly disbanded.
I lingered for a bit before hustling off to begrudgingly buy an after-hours toothbrush (having forgotten to bring my single item to the flat)...
Thanks to Dom and his mates for bringing so many cyclists together in such a positive act of solidarity; it was great to join them. It was also nice to hear how apparently so many people had dragged their mothballed bikes out of the shed just for this event, so hopefully that might get a few more people riding as a result.
I suspect earlier, smaller happenings might have been a bit less hectic / more relaxed but everyone seemed to have a good time and I'll be there again when next time rolls around
I remember watching the video with a mixture of joy (such a great idea) and regret (being reminded that I wasn't there to enjoy such things).
This week a friend broke the news that Dom was returning, so that had to be done. In the time elaspsed Dom's exploits have grown from pretty low key events with small contingents to long, street-filling precessions that bring the city to a standstill.
After a fraught morning of not getting everything done I turned up late on Broad St but things were still getting started, with a many cyclists and those on other modes of transport packed into the east end.
I'd decided on the Brompton as the least-worst tool for this task since it's small, manouverable and upright.. which was handy as I was half-considering bringing it to the city anyway as using the Fuji for the commute is doing my swede somewhat..
Eventually we set off down Parks road towards the natural history museum at a very leisurely pace, although the density of bodies and fairly hectic atmosphere kept one on one's toes.. The weather had deteriorated since the glorious sun ealier in the week, however despite the looming couds the rain mostly held off.
While I was happy to just roll along it seemed that many had an agenda in getting to the front and (as in life generally) I found myself being constantly, slowly overtaken by everyone else. Some folks infront of me decided to cut through past the uni's engineering building to get out ahead of the column as it doubled back on itself and I made a split second decision to join them..
...sure enough we found ourselves out front for all of a few seconds before being consumed having stopped to take some photos.
The route continued back down St. Giles, George St, and Bridge St before looping back through town, past the Westgate, up St, Aldates and up the High St. towards the Cowley Rd..
Unlike Dom's earlier solitary excursions there were now three or four different somewhat-human-powered rigs rolling along at various points in the convoy, all playing different stuff..
Riders were diverse and pretty much every type of bike was represented. It felt very "east Oxford" from joint-smoking kids' seemingly endless manuals on MTBs to mums and kids in posh electric cargo bikes. The atmosphere was nice and the odd inconsiderate scally aside everyone seemed friendly and considerate.
Despite the nice atmopshere the process was hardly relaxing due to constantly having to be on the ball for people encroaching from all directions. It was also odd to have such a soundtrack and yet be travelling so slowly, with little physical outlet. Near the Cowley rd I got delayed and ended up dropping off the back; catching up proving a nice opportunity for a bit of exertion.
The enormous ride ended outside the Siad business school next to the station, where folks hung about for a while and slowly disbanded.
I lingered for a bit before hustling off to begrudgingly buy an after-hours toothbrush (having forgotten to bring my single item to the flat)...
Thanks to Dom and his mates for bringing so many cyclists together in such a positive act of solidarity; it was great to join them. It was also nice to hear how apparently so many people had dragged their mothballed bikes out of the shed just for this event, so hopefully that might get a few more people riding as a result.
I suspect earlier, smaller happenings might have been a bit less hectic / more relaxed but everyone seemed to have a good time and I'll be there again when next time rolls around
Last edited:
CarbonClem
Active Member
With a stinking head cold and post dentist aching I decided to head out alone today and probably do a shorter ride, to get back to watch PR. After 25 miles I bumped into the local club ride so joined them after all. Ended up in the fractured ‘quick’ group that skipped the coffee stop and cracked on. Got home in time for PR after 70 miles and 3353ft. First long ride on my new wheels . They seem good.
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PedallingNowhereSlowly
Über Member
Got out for a steady 50km local loop on the boat anchor, taking in Blithfield Reservoir.
Nice and easy on the outward leg. The wind was a bear in the return leg. Especially after the preceding 10km run and the 30+km thrash on the new bike the day before.
Still, good to get out and get some more miles into the legs. Hopefully I'll be able to contemplate a metric century soon.
Nice and easy on the outward leg. The wind was a bear in the return leg. Especially after the preceding 10km run and the 30+km thrash on the new bike the day before.
Still, good to get out and get some more miles into the legs. Hopefully I'll be able to contemplate a metric century soon.
About four years ago Dom Whiting visited Oxford and rode around the city on a bike with a pair of decks on the front, collecting fellow cyclists with the lure of the drum and bass he was smashing out.
I remember watching the video with a mixture of joy (such a great idea) and regret (being reminded that I wasn't there to enjoy such things).
This week a friend broke the news that Dom was returning, so that had to be done. In the time elaspsed Dom's exploits have grown from pretty low key events with small contingents to long, street-filling precessions that bring the city to a standstill.
After a fraught morning of not getting everything done I turned up late on Broad St but things were still getting started, with a many cyclists and those on other modes of transport packed into the east end.
I'd decided on the Brompton as the least-worst tool for this task since it's small, manouverable and upright.. which was handy as I was half-considering bringing it to the city anyway as using the Fuji for the commute is doing my swede somewhat..
View attachment 769089
View attachment 769090
Eventually we set off down Parks road towards the natural history museum at a very leisurely pace, although the density of bodies and fairly hectic atmosphere kept one on one's toes.. The weather had deteriorated since the glorious sun ealier in the week, however despite the looming couds the rain mostly held off.
View attachment 769091
While I was happy to just roll along it seemed that many had an agenda in getting to the front and (as in life generally) I found myself being constantly, slowly overtaken by everyone else. Some folks infront of me decided to cut through past the uni's engineering building to get out ahead of the column as it doubled back on itself and I made a split second decision to join them..
...sure enough we found ourselves out front for all of a few seconds before being consumed having stopped to take some photos.
View attachment 769095
The route continued back down St. Giles, George St, and Bridge St before looping back through town, past the Westgate, up St, Aldates and up the High St. towards the Cowley Rd..
View attachment 769097
Unlike Dom's earlier solitary excursions there were now three or four different somewhat-human-powered rigs rolling along at various points in the convoy, all playing different stuff..
View attachment 769098
Riders were diverse and pretty much every type of bike was represented. It felt very "east Oxford" from joint-smoking kids' seemingly endless manuals on MTBs to mums and kids in posh electric cargo bikes. The atmosphere was nice and the odd inconsiderate scally aside everyone seemed friendly and considerate.
View attachment 769101
Despite the nice atmopshere the process was hardly relaxing due to constantly having to be on the ball for people encroaching from all directions. It was also odd to have such a soundtrack and yet be travelling so slowly, with little physical outlet. Near the Cowley rd I got delayed and ended up dropping off the back; catching up proving a nice opportunity for a bit of exertion.
View attachment 769102
The enormous ride ended outside the Siad business school next to the station, where folks hung about for a while and slowly disbanded.
View attachment 769103
View attachment 769104
I lingered for a bit before hustling off to begrudgingly buy an after-hours toothbrush (having forgotten to bring my single item to the flat)...
Thanks to Dom and his mates for bringing so many cyclists together in such a positive act of solidarity; it was great to join them. It was also nice to hear how apparently so many people had dragged their mothballed bikes out of the shed just for this event, so hopefully that might get a few more people riding as a result.
I suspect earlier, smaller happenings might have been a bit less hectic / more relaxed but everyone seemed to have a good time and I'll be there again when next time rolls around
Reminded me of Techno Viking. Worth a look on youtube for those who haven't seen. An internet sensation for a while a few decades back.
