tubechallenge.com

Someone make it stop.

tubeguru wrote:Someone make it stop.

I dunno... call yourself a forum moderator with an attitude like that?

Sorry to be slow in reporting how it went.

Started off fine at Uxbridge on the 05:10 but realised quite early on that I would be up against it for time. The bike was definitely good for connecting the outlying extremities, and if I were to do it again, I would make fewer mistakes and need fewer maps. As bikes go, though, the Bickerton is not a speedy machine, and so I probably did 10-12 MPH on it. For me, that's better than running, but I did lose quite a bit of time getting the bike unfolded and folded, having to work within the bicycle carriage restrictions, which are fairly onerous.

Around the middle of London, it slowed me down, as it was too heavy to run with. Another time, I will consider fast-walking (I can maintain 4.5 to 4.75 MPH for several miles at a time), with occasional running (not my strong point), and will take less luggage.

I can also see the value of careful plotting. I think my route was pretty good, but I still was short of time, and in the end had to omit about 30 stations in Zone 1. However, I got to all of the extremities, which was my first aim, as I hadn't visited them all before, and I was really glad to do it, especially as it has raised almost £600 for Great Ormond Street Hospital.

stripey wrote:For me, that's better than running, but I did lose quite a bit of time getting the bike unfolded and folded, having to work within the bicycle carriage restrictions, which are fairly onerous.

Can't you take a folding bike anywhere on the tube at any time?

A challenge starting in Uxbridge eh that would involve a awful double back to west ruislip early on very isolated i wonder actually how much time did u spend unfolding and folding the bike each time for the long parts i guess for long distances this is negated but for say North harrow to rayners lane i wonder if say the time taken too unfold would be ur undoing against the odds of a runner.

I bet even wasting time unfolding/folding the bike, I bet runs like Walthamstow Central to Snaresbrook and High Barnet to Cockfosters would be quicker.

One day I might park up at Chesham after rush-hour and see if I can do all the stations that you can take a normal bike though. A "Tour de Underground"!

Can't you take a folding bike anywhere on the tube at any time?[/quote]

Yes you can, but only when it's folded. Some gatemen allowed me to wheel the bike on to the platfrom in a restricted time when I promised to fold it up as soon as I got through the barrier.

palkanetoijala31 wrote:A challenge starting in Uxbridge eh that would involve a awful double back to west ruislip early on very isolated i wonder actually how much time did u spend unfolding and folding the bike each time for the long parts i guess for long distances this is negated but for say North harrow to rayners lane i wonder if say the time taken too unfold would be ur undoing against the odds of a runner.

Well, I live on the west side of London so that made good sense to start from there as far as getting home was concerned. Probably 3 - 4 minutes each time to fold or unfold the bike as that bag for the Bickerton is quite awkwardly small. A good runner would have an advantage, but I'm not a good runner, as I've explained! It was a drizzly day, so the cycling was very refreshing.

I didn't go to West Ruislip until the end, and then cycled back from there to Hillingdon, where I had parked. That end of the system is a bit of a problem with three lines all converging, so it seemed to me that some doubling back was inevitable.

obviously i have no expierance of folding bikes do u need a bag to put it in why not just carry it along no bag do u have any timings platform to platform that u can divulge then u kno whether some are an advantage

palkanetoijala31 wrote:obviously i have no expierance of folding bikes do u need a bag to put it in why not just carry it along no bag do u have any timings platform to platform that u can divulge then u kno whether some are an advantage

I have a Brompton. You don't need a bag, it can be collapsed in less than 30 seconds when you are good at it, and it is easily carried.

tubeguru wrote:

palkanetoijala31 wrote:obviously i have no expierance of folding bikes do u need a bag to put it in why not just carry it along no bag do u have any timings platform to platform that u can divulge then u kno whether some are an advantage

I have a Brompton. You don't need a bag, it can be collapsed in less than 30 seconds when you are good at it, and it is easily carried.

Sounds worth having, although the Bickerton is fun!