Nightrider

Nightrider. 100km around the sights of central London by bike in the middle of the night, starting and ending at Crystal Palace (or Alexandra Palace, if you fancy). It's an interesting experience; let me tell you what I learned on the 2014 ride.

The first thing, and this was a bit of a surprise, is that 100km doesn't seem so far when broken into 20km chunks and cycled with a bunch of like-minded people. You share the joys of the descents and the pain of the hills, the frustration of the red lights and the dangers of the unexpected right turns, and life seems just a little better as, together, you overcome adversity (self-imposed adversity, it is true, but still a challenge to be defeated and a victory to be shared).

Also surprising was the variety of bikes in use. Lots of road bikes, as you'd expect, and large numbers of hybrids but also an awful lot of mountain and downhill bikes as if climbing hills or riding over smooth Tarmac were things that happen only to other people. There were also some tandems (including one crewed by two chaps in tutus and brightly coloured stockings), at least one tricycle tandem and a modest number of folding bikes. All, it seems, are welcome.

The organisation was good, the route was (mostly) well signed and the break points were clearly labelled and well-stocked with food (except, strangely  for the one at the Imperial Museum, which had only a small selection of strange crisps and children's sweets). The start and finish were well organised and we got away on time and in good order.

The roads, even in the small hours of the morning, are not free of traffic. It's mostly taxis, buses and delivery vehicles and although you might hope that professional drivers would be used to seeing cyclists on the roads this doesn't mean they're prepared to give way or, even, to drive safely. As always when riding around London, care must be taken to avoid motorists.

And the drunks, of which there are many. Most were supportive, many clapped, some cheered. Others just stared, bemused, as 20-30 riders in identical hi-vis jackets rode past in search of the bright yellow signs that would indicate the next turn on the route.

A few memories stand out. Crossing Tower Bridge amongst traffic but in a huge crowd of cyclists. Reaching Alexandra Palace without stopping on the hill. Riding through an eerily quiet Canary Wharf. Seeing the start of the dawn across the city from Hampstead Heath. Stopping on Waterloo Bridge to capture the sunrise above a glass-smooth Thames. Reaching the finish line.

Rain or wind might have spoiled the day but for us the ride was dry and the night clear. It was chilly in the small hours but shorts, t-shirt, mitts and jumper were sufficient.

Next year? I think I'll be signing up for the 2015 ride.