Another Account Of The Dunwhich Dynamo

Dunwich Dynamo 2014- Sometimes you just need to get on your bike and smile at the sky

This event despite its popularity (up to 2000 riders) remains virtually unknown to many cyclists. With its deliberate lack of organisation and the turn up on any bike and go when you want ethos, it retains an underground and slightly subversive feel to it. The origins go back to 2002 when some courier riders decided to keep riding to the coast overnight because they could and the rest is history as the event has grown to become a Mecca for all that is great about the eccentricities of cycling. Taking place every year around the full moon in July it attracts riders from far and wide who just get the challenge of riding all night for around 160 km. There is a steady stream of riders leaving from early evening heading east for the Suffolk coast like bats into the night. Starting from London Fields Hackney the first section getting out of London is busy but straight forward and quickly you are out through Epping where the main roads are left behind for quiet lanes. There are some pinch points around the pubs as some think beer and riding is a good idea! Riders soon string out and you follow a line of red lights snaking into the night. The route is marked in places with tea lights but mostly you follow the masses on the magical mystery tour heading east for the coast. At about halfway there is a feed/water stop if you want it. This gets busy but gives a welcome break for tired legs and you get a snap shot of the variety and numbers of riders/bikes. Back on the road you roll on through sleeping villages and it becomes strung out again. There are small groups of unfortunate people fixing punctures at various points and you hope you are not next. Some ride at a pace and others do their own thing content to just be there in the moment. Although the profile is relatively flat there are rolling hills which seem to grow before your eyes as the legs get tired. If Boris bikes, recumbents, tandems, a BMX, and Bromptons can do it any bike can. One year a Penny Farthing even completed it. Check out the YouTube video. http://m.youtube.com/watch?
v=91PBQUWZCp8 . So how did the Hastings CC riders fair? We met at the start as some came up by train and I joined them with my brother who lives in London and has done the
ride several times. It was my second ride and I had wanted to share the magic of the event with the club. Those who took up the challenge were Nigel Tamplin, Peter Buss and Diego. Steve Butcher had decided the weather forecast was not for him and cried off. He need not have worried as we dodged the rain all night save for a brief downpour and soon dried off. There was a lot of surface water in places but the cycling gods smiled on us and we avoided the worst showers. It was a warm night and short sleeves were the order. The pace from the off was high and pushed around 30 km through Epping! This could not last but it remained high as Nigel powered on like a demon. Peter was dropped and we decided to regroup at the feed stop. Before there we dropped Diego and Peter did not show. It turned out both had continued past the stop. Later Nigel spotted Peter on the side with a puncture (he had five during the night and had to buy tubes off people) We decided that a combination of soft tyres and probably not removing the flint or thorn was the likely route of the problem. This made his ride extra tough and was not the best experience for his first century plus ride. Still he remained smiling and wants to ride it again! Diego had arrived first riding alone but hitching a tow from a group of Dulwich Paragon club riders. Next in was Nigel 'the gorilla' Greipel who put on an endless show of power to drop us. I came in with my brother just after 5am. Peter appeared around 6am. At the end the car park was littered with bikes as riders took stock of their achievement. Whether ridden at pace or just ridden to get there, all had a shared experience and the buzz was palpable. Queues snaked out of the cafe and the beach beckoned for others to simply lie and recover or for the hardy to take a dip.The swim for me is the reward for the effort and a fitting end to a special ride. I stayed in for 20mins letting the cool water ease my muscles. Looking back, the beach was littered with bikes and the chatter of individual stories floated across the water. Now refreshed with bacon butties and coffee my body still running on adrenaline started to crave sleep and it was time to leave with another DD in the bag. I cannot recommend this ride enough. If people can arrange the logistics it has to be done but be warned you will want to come back for more.

Jon S