isle of wight randonnee
 

Hi,

Anyone done the Isle of Wight Randonnee in recent years? Is it easy
enough getting the train down from London with a bike or will it be
full of cyclists? Is there much fun in the evenings or are people very
serious cyclists?

O

On 29 Jan 2005 08:35:57 -0800, (ok) wrote:

Hi,

Anyone done the Isle of Wight Randonnee in recent years?



Yes, last three years.

Is it easy
enough getting the train down from London with a bike or will it be
full of cyclists?

It only attracts a field of around 1500, I think. Some of those
drive, some live on the island, some will use a ferry other than the
one your on. I don't think there will be a problem getting your bike
on the train. Mind you the train operating company keep messing
around with their bike carrying rules.


From London, a good way is to get a train to Portsmouth Harbour, walk
to the end of the platform and get the hydrofoil to Ryde. You _might_
be able to get a through ticket from London.

Beware cycling down the pier, especially in the rain - the planks are
longitudanal and slippery.

Is there much fun in the evenings or are people very
serious cyclists?

Deadly serious, not even a smile is cracked.

Seriously, I don't know. Last year we went over for the weekend as a
bunch of Tandemistas and filled a pub up.



Tim

ok wrote:

Hi,

Anyone done the Isle of Wight Randonnee in recent years? Is it easy
enough getting the train down from London with a bike or will it be
full of cyclists? Is there much fun in the evenings or are people very
serious cyclists?

I've ridden the last couple of years.

Last year i rode with my 11yr old son and we got the train down to
Portsmouth the day before and just wheeled on to the Wightlink Fastcat.
I did notice that quite a lot of riders went over on the early morning
ferry on the day of the event and started at the Havenstreet control.
The previous year we went over on the Lymington ferry and stayed at
Totland YH.
Again no problems.

A whole range of people ride, from family groups to hardened roadies.
This year it seems they are introducing a 50km ride as well as the 100
and 30.
http://www.cycleisland.co.uk/
There doesn't seem to be any organised evening activities, although last
year we had a good time in a Sandown pub supping ales from the Ventnor
brewery :-)

We will almost certainly be going over again this year.
It is a friendly event and the route, whilst quite taxing is enjoyable.

John B

Tim Hall wrote:

On 29 Jan 2005 08:35:57 -0800, (ok) wrote:

Hi,

Anyone done the Isle of Wight Randonnee in recent years?

Is it easy
enough getting the train down from London with a bike or will it be
full of cyclists?

From London, a good way is to get a train to Portsmouth Harbour, walk
to the end of the platform and get the hydrofoil to Ryde. You _might_
be able to get a through ticket from London.

Yes, through tickets are available.
If you have a Network Card then it also gives a discount on the ferry
fare (at least it did when I last went over in November).

John B

"JohnB" wrote in message
...
ok wrote:

Hi,

Anyone done the Isle of Wight Randonnee in recent years? Is it easy
enough getting the train down from London with a bike or will it be
full of cyclists? Is there much fun in the evenings or are people very
serious cyclists?

I agree with other posters, although from having ridden it twice would go
for the Fishbourne vehicle ferry (same fare as Ryde) and ride up to
Havenstreet, especially as it is anticlockwise this year. Have never stayed
after it, got the next boat back.

ok wrote:
Hi,

Anyone done the Isle of Wight Randonnee in recent years? Is it easy
enough getting the train down from London with a bike or will it be
full of cyclists? Is there much fun in the evenings or are people very
serious cyclists?

O

It's a really good ride; a ride for cyclists rather than a mass ride for
daytrippers on bikes as the L2B etc have become.

Being thankfully underpromoted their are usually ony 1500-2000 riders
and as there are a number of start points, the field is well spread.

No idea what the trains are like from London but am familiar with the
ferries from Pompey. My advice would be to take the car ferry rather
than the cat. It takes marginally longer but lands closer to the start
at Havenstreet. It also gives you time to relax on board and you get to
avoid Ryde Pier. The pier is half a mile of longitudenly (?) lain planks
with .5 inch gaps between. I have seen a number of people come a cropper
when attempting to ride this; it eats front wheels.

Be prepared for some climbing; the IoW is where they put all the left
over hills. IIRC, it's anti-clockwise this year which is more murderous
than the merely cruel clockwise option.

The event has minimal organisation but is extremely well run. You pick
up a card at the first checkpoint and, if you want to, pay £2 for a
badge and certificate on completion. Several of the checkpoints offer
copious food and (last year at least) all offered free (IIRC) bottled water.

Not sure about apres ride entertainments as I've always staggered onto
the first ferry home but I find it hard to believe that all 2000 other
cyclists are quite as happy to ride past so many pubs without stopping.
Certainly, I only do it as I have to ride home from the mainland ferry
terminal.

On Sat, 29 Jan 2005 16:52:01 +0000, Tim Hall
wrote:


Seriously, I don't know. Last year we went over for the weekend as a
bunch of Tandemistas and filled a pub up.



Tim

Fill up or blow up ?
Weren't the Tandemistas Central American guerilla fighters ; )

"Not Responding" wrote in message
. co.uk...
ok wrote:
Hi,

Anyone done the Isle of Wight Randonnee in recent years? Is it easy
enough getting the train down from London with a bike or will it be
full of cyclists? Is there much fun in the evenings or are people very
serious cyclists?

O

It's a really good ride; a ride for cyclists rather than a mass ride for
daytrippers on bikes as the L2B etc have become.

Being thankfully underpromoted their are usually ony 1500-2000 riders and
as there are a number of start points, the field is well spread.

No idea what the trains are like from London but am familiar with the
ferries from Pompey. My advice would be to take the car ferry rather than
the cat. It takes marginally longer but lands closer to the start at
Havenstreet. It also gives you time to relax on board and you get to avoid
Ryde Pier. The pier is half a mile of longitudenly (?) lain planks with .5
inch gaps between. I have seen a number of people come a cropper when
attempting to ride this; it eats front wheels.

Be prepared for some climbing; the IoW is where they put all the left over
hills. IIRC, it's anti-clockwise this year which is more murderous than
the merely cruel clockwise option.

The event has minimal organisation but is extremely well run. You pick up
a card at the first checkpoint and, if you want to, pay £2 for a badge and
certificate on completion. Several of the checkpoints offer copious food
and (last year at least) all offered free (IIRC) bottled water.

Not sure about apres ride entertainments as I've always staggered onto the
first ferry home but I find it hard to believe that all 2000 other
cyclists are quite as happy to ride past so many pubs without stopping.
Certainly, I only do it as I have to ride home from the mainland ferry
terminal.

As it's anticlockwise I'd be tempted to get thetrain to Lymington then the
ferry to Yarmouth; juat my personal preference you understand!

Julia

JBB wrote:
"Not Responding" wrote in message
. co.uk...
ok wrote:
Hi,

Anyone done the Isle of Wight Randonnee in recent years? Is it
easy
enough getting the train down from London with a bike or will it
be
full of cyclists?

The Southern service from London to Portsmouth along the coast is
usually fairly empty until it hits the coast then picks up several more
bikes each stop, not sure how they will cope on the new trains, it
probably has not occurred to anyone in SWT or Southern management that
the ride even exists so best not to tell them. I would advise just
pitch up extra early at Waterloo Victoria or Clapham junction and
possibly be prepared to miss a few trains on the way back. No problem
at all on the boats, loads of room.

"The Nottingham Duck" wrote in message
...
On Sat, 29 Jan 2005 16:52:01 +0000, Tim Hall
wrote:


Seriously, I don't know. Last year we went over for the weekend as a
bunch of Tandemistas and filled a pub up.



Tim

Fill up or blow up ?
Weren't the Tandemistas Central American guerilla fighters ; )

Yes, but the IOW branch are the Sandownistas ;-)