onionbagblog

To the Cols du South London! …early on Sunday morning for a rolling out of The London Classic 2013. The spring classic season is upon us. Anything that the Iron Men contesting the Paris-Roubaix across the Channel can do, the cyclists of South London can match back in Londres.

You want cobbles? Folgate Street, Stepney Green and the rather rear wheel wobble that is Wapping High Street certainly separated out the Iron Men (and Women) for the London Classic.

Climbs? The Cols du South London presented a lung-busting conclusion to the 38.8 miles circuit. Fox Hill alone has a gradient of 20%.

Ouch.

This wasn’t a day for poncing about on the Moulton. That can wait until the Tweed Ride coming up later in the season. Roadies were called for, Lycra et al. Sometimes it really is All About the Bike.

The route roughly covered the signing on at the Gypsy Hill Tavern, freewheeling back down to Brixton, crossing the Old Girl at Waterloo, into the West End, Holborn through to Clerkenwell and Old Street, Stepney Green, Wapping, back South over Tower Bridge, dodging tourists at Greenwich, around the back of Shooters Hill, Forest Hill and then a swift half back at the Gypsy Hill Tavern.

Phew.

Guidance was needed soon after signing on at Gypsy Hill. Bicycling etiquette dictates that when in doubt, simply follow the Frenchie rounding the fixie.

Chapeau!

Our maillout jaune was a wise choice. Climbing the Cols on a fixed wheel ‘ain’t a lot of fun. The follow up is that you have to try and control your ride down the other side for the decent. Monsieur Frenchie managed this in some style, even taking time to create a crafty French jazz cigarette roll up mid ride.

The single speed was infectious. Eighteen wasted gears on the roadie in which to select, but I soon found that I pretty much coasted it using a mid-range selection until we hit the climbs. Tracks stops were once again re-visited - SPD’s and London traffic lights are not a great cycling relationship.

The early stages of the ride were spent borough boundary hopping between Lambeth and Southwark. The route was almost planned so that you could cross the great divide at every geographical opportunity.

What was great to see on such a North and South ride is how bicycling provision changes throughout the Boroughs. Sure, this is top down from City Hall, but whisper it quietly - *shhh* the Cycle Superhighways serve Lambeth incredibly well.

Equally fascinating to observe en route is the changing nature of communities around each corner. Within a sixty second stretch you can find yourself travelling halfway around the world with flags, restaurants and languages brightening up each block back in the beautiful South.

Soon we hit the West End and the cobbles of the backstreets of Covent Garden. Technically North of the river, and so the Paris-Roubaix connection with The Hell of the North was rightfully made.

Speaking of which, we had a chance to catch up with the Iron Men back in Paris-Roubaix via Look Mum in Old Street. The bicycling cafe was completely packed by mid-morning, screening live coverage of the great Spring Classic.

A brief gel bar refreshment, and then through Shoreditch and past some old work haunts. Never underestimate the ability of the East End to throw up yet more cobbled streets. Never underestimate my ability to still get lost whenever I try and take on Whitechapel on two wheels.

Whoops.

CS3 was a joy to mount, as was the sight of some South London cycling friends that we caught up with just as we hit the more familiar territory of SE16. We weren’t alone in choosing two wheels. Couples, families, kids - it was refreshing to see the Bermondsey back streets alive with bicycles and not cars.

The trebling of the pelaton helped to tow in the riders around the Creek at Greenwich. And then it was time to tackle the South London Cols.

OUCH.

The designated route couldn’t have been more ball breaking if it involved attaching a ten ton weight to the back of your bicycles

Crystal Palace basically sits on top of one hill. There are many routes in. And whaddya know - EVERY single in and out road back to Gypsy Hill had to be conquered.

You could sense the challenge ahead during each decent. The level of the drop and the length of the stretch surely must mean that you have got a bit of a bugger to climb around the corner.

I had been tutored well previously with Dulwich Paragon for the final sprint finish up Anerley Road. Every gear change was measured; I needed every single one. Cassette cogs ran out, just as I hit the peak.

Chapeau!

Time for a half shandy back at the Gypsy Hill Tavern.

The Paris-Roubaix had long since finished. Iron Men had recuperated and started preparations for the next Spring Classic.

Back in South London and the bicycling party had just started. Bike frames had to be raffled, BBQ’s had to be eaten and BOOZE really had to be drunk.

And so an ACE London Classic for 2013. The spring weather behaved, and the route remained in South London for over two thirds of the way around. It may have involved two thirds of climbing, but Iron Men (and Women) are made on the South London Cols, and not on the poncey North London cobbles.