Post-ride report: I made it! We set off at about 23:30 as one of many waves of cyclists. The climbs to Hampstead Heath and Crystal Palace were tough with only 2 gears - lots of standing on the pedals. I heard lots of "there's that guy in the DJ on the Brompton". Made it back to the Velodrome just before 0700 (appropriately) - the same place that Bradley Wiggins broke the One Hour World Record later that day!
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Please help me to support BikeSafe to make cycling safer for everyone.
You probably know I'm a big fan of cycling, and may know that I founded the Oxfordshire Cycling Network to bring together groups campaigning for more cycling and better, safer facilities.
Now I am pleased to support one of our members - BikeSafe - directly by doing the London Nightrider - an epic 100km (62 mile) night-time journey around London - and it would be great if you could help me to support this good cause.
The event has a 'film' theme and will visit many famous film sights. So if with your help I beat my fund-raising target I will do the ride in full James Bond style - in my dinner jacket, on my Q-branch Brompton, and quipping one-liners all the way.
BikeSafe will use the money I raise to advance their plan for safe cycle and walking paths, with their pilot project aiming to link Oxford, Botley, Farmoor and Eynsham (although no secret volcano base is included). These towns are in easy cycling distance of each other, but the B4044 that links them is busy and fast - essentially removing people's choice to adopt a healthier and cleaner mode of transport. BikeSafe's proposed path is a great example of convenient and safe infrastructure that would encourage more people to cycle more often.
The London Nightrider event will not only raise funds for this good cause, but will give us first hand experience of the rapidly improving cycle infrastructure of London – a city where cycling has more than doubled in the last ten years.
