6 December- hack Bike Ride To Brighton

This was our annual 'Hack Bike' ride to Brighton. Numbers were down on last year but Pete T still managed to attract a good number of eleven riders which included Pete Baker and John S on their inaugural rides.

Things got off to a bad start before the ride had even started when Derek suffered a blow out to the side wall to one of his tyres. One quick visit to Halfords for an over priced gator skin quickly sorted this out.

After a fifteen minute delay we were off. Predictably PT did his usual thing and set off at his own considerable pace with a few of his faster acolytes trying to hang on to his back wheel. This meant that before long we were all strung out along the length of battle road. I find it takes me quite a while these days for my legs to get working and so was not surprised to find myself right at the back, this felt more like a solo ride rather than a group ride and I felt very vulnerable with the heavy traffic rushing past me.

It wasn't until near the turning for husrtmenceux  that I finally managed to catch up with some of the group (John S and Derek) but soon after I spotted Pete Bryrne at the side of the road. John and myself went to his assistance. The chain had come of his fixie but Pete had no spanner so there was nothing we could do about it. I tried ringing the other three fixie riders but no-one was answering their phone so we were stuck . Fortunately with a bit of brute force Pete managed to get the chain back on and we were off. We now rode steadily along the A21 towards lewes and were careful to hold our line as we were subjected to some poor overtaking by some vehicles (surely there must be a better route than this!). We kept expecting PT and the others to be waiting for us but for mile after mile we rode on feeling abandoned by them.

Finally we met up with the others at the first pub stop of 2013. Disappointingly the pub has now closed down, so without much delay we were off again but thank goodness we were now all together again in a much safer group of eleven and were  able to get off the busy A road and onto the much quieter B2192. From here on the ride became enjoyable and before long we came to our second scheduled pub stop but this one was also closed down!

At Last A Pub That Is Open!

 Finally we arrived at the Green man at laughton, a pub that had not closed down. Not long after we arrived Nigel declared he couldn't find his garmin. He knew it was somewhere in the pub but he couldn't locate it . After us all looking high and low we had given up, thinking someone must have knicked it but  it turned out it was buried deep inside Nigel's lycra and he had been sitting on it all along, LOL We only had one pint but the alcohol seemed to greatly effect us and we rejoined the route full of optimism and speed enjoying the mainly downhill riding into lewes.

Our usual pub by the river opposite the Harvey's brewery was too busy but the one around the corner was almost empty despite selling excellent beer. Emerging from the pub the cold really hit us, now the sun had gone in the temperature was down to around four degrees. Pete and Nigel were wearing face masks against the cold and looked more like house burglars rather then cyclists. Dan and PT knew a route through Lewes that would get us out onto the Plumpton road without having to go on the main roads. They agreed to go slowly so that no-one would get dropped. Unfortunately their idea of slowly was rather different to most peoples and we tore around the narrow streets of  lewes at what seemed a dangerous pace knowing that without a gps file if you got dropped you would never find the route to Plumpton .

Somehow we had all stayed together and now began the steady drag up to Plumpton. PT put the hammer down and it was a case of deja vu  as we all became spread out. This time I didn't mind and was happy to ride with Derek in the cold and dark enjoying the beautiful full moon that helped light up the roads and the spooky trees along side .

Malc Agrees, Pete's Bike Is Hideous!

Our favourite Plumpton  pub stop (half Moon) was as wonderful as ever. Some of us wanted another pint there but we were out voted two to one (probably a good call) so it was back on the road for the main event, the climb up the 'Beacon'. Everyone was in silent contemplation as we hit the initial slopes of this famous climb. This ascent really is epic as it winds it way up and round, the sight of the glittering yellow lights of Brighton in the distance were spectacular and it was almost a shame to reach the top.


Now it was time for the wonderful descent down into Brighton. Almost immediately PT had to pull over, a pedal on his fixie  had managed to detach itself. None of us had an allen key large enough to put it on properly but PT managed to wind it part the way back. Pete Byrne's rear light was dead so we took  a frog (pitifully weak) light from PTs bike and put it onto Pete B's seat post but I considered the light so poor I said I would stay behind him to give some rear end over. Pete B was by now completely done in and just couldn't push the pedals on his fixie any more. His bike has no free wheel hub so Dan kindly agreed to swop his free wheel fixie with pete . This meant Dan had to endure a terribly uncomfortable ride down the beacon declaring pete's fixie the worst bike he had ever ridden.

Eventually we entered the streets of Brighton but Pete B and Dan were so done and cold (it was now -2 degrees C)  that they were desperate for sugar and were riding rather erratically. A couple of choc bars from a nearby shop soon put them right and finally we were able to regroup with the others at  the pub nearest the station .

We were fortunate to all get into a nice but expensive tai restaurant before finishing the day with the train ride home.

Hats off to Nigel, John and Malc who decided that despite the sub zero temperatures they were going to ride all the way back home!

Another eventful hack bike ride completed!