snafu21

Any interest in an occasional folding bike meet, in say Hyde Park London, (or any place else?)

Team 'Smug Heads' (see the Dahon Hammerhead thread below), currently with an unofficial and unelected membership of, say, five, has brought up the topic of cycling round cities on goofy looking bikes, and cordially extend the invitation to 'Persons Owning Other Folders', for say a meeting on Sunday 1st June in Hyde Park London.

Any Interest? If not in June, then how about 1st Sunday in July? Ownership of a Dahon Hammerhead, in Shark Gray, while desirable, is not wholly essential.


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edit: From Mike over at Fold Soc:

Thanks for the information. I've put it on the news page - if it is successful and does become a regular event, let me know, and I will add it to the events page. If you would like to submit a brief report and photo I'd be delighted to put it on our site.

Regards

Mike Hessey
The Folding Society
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Link to Mike's news item:

https://foldsoc.blogspot.com/


Sue

2006 Hammerhead (Shark Gray)

nigelme

Consider me, Nigel, there.

How will we recognise each other!

snafu21

How will we recognise each other?

I hadn't thought of that.

Also posted on the Dahon forum and fed to the Fodling, er Folding Society... 1st June is ok by me. Where's a good place to congregate and risk a SWAT team in Hyde Park, preferably with coffee and buns?


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nigelme

There is a tea house just north of the Serpentine going toward Poet Corner but I do believe there are several eateries in the park. I tend to bring a picnic on such outings.

You'll know me, I will be wearing a pink carnation, a trilby, twead jacket, lycra leggin's and toupee....no! scratch that, i'll be the smug bloke riding a Hammerhead.

LittlePixel

Being too lazy to get up in time to get a train to ever make it to any of the Foldsoc origami rides, this is a far more appealing prospect for me... I'm not too sure I can definitely make it but would love to come if indeed I can make it. Tea and buns being a good carrot on the stick naturally!

snafu21

Excellent. More recruitment going on in the Strida and A Bike fora.

The lure of coffee and buns is proving to hard to resist. Be there, or be er, hungry.


Can the mods here make this a sticky?

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Sue - Cycling for England.

mulleady

Come on Littlepixel you can do it. Would love to see your fixed gear brommie in person! Remember I nominated you as the leading folder bike poser online. Why not live up to it in person lol?

Nekohime are you joining us all the way from LA on your Kent? If you come you can ride my Brompton lol!

snafu21

We need to see Bromptonauts there too. Is not London home of the Brompton, Goofiest of all the Folders? Actually, that honour might go to the Sinclair A-Bike. The thought of being overtaken by one fills me with dread. But, someday, it's going to happen.

mulleady

Bromptons are not goofy lol!! Especially in raw lacquer!

cyclistjohn

I attended the German "Spezi" show, & an A-bike was on our tour bus, ridden by Paul; he led the pack to our restaurant one evening, & I can assure you, he was anything but slow - very impressive actually. I rode his bike for a short distance, & it was most definitely better than I imagined from reading some forum posts. Riding a bike is certainly the only way to know what it's like. "Armchair", or "forum speculation" riding, is just that, speculation.

nigelme

I still intend to arrive on my Hammerhead, being one of the founding fathers/mothers of the 'Smug-heads' - I am, however, also a Bromptonaut, a Moultoneer and a Downtubian!

Chop!

Bugger! I'm in London on the 10th, be on route from Dublin to Wrecsam ar y diwrnod hwn (oops, on that day) LOL!
Hope it all goes well and that they don't slap a carbon offset tax on your Olympian coffee & cake extravaganza!
And as CyclistJohn said, the 'Birdy Freunde' from Germany were leading the Origami ride down the Rhein,
suddenly they stopped & said "It's not fair to let this A-Bike try to keep up with us, and in any case if he goes in
front it will slow us down and we're too early for the restaurant". So Paul Stobbs took the lead and set a cracking pace! Hills and even rough ground melted under his tiny wheels!!! Everyone was rightly impressed!
The next day I rode his A-bike again, this time 'in anger' and while it was not a patch on the Strida, I did manage
some silly speeds around the Spezi site! But there's no way I could match Paul's amazing efforts!

Safe riding (& snacking) Chop!

Sammyboy

I'd been thinking about a name for Downtube riders, but I hadn't got any further than a plural - Downtubisti.

mulleady

Downtubulars!

nigelme

How about 'Yanists' - like Janists we respect the nature of everything (except nasty plastic folding pedals).

mulleady

No no! Lyansky the mad professor will get a big head!

LWaB

Its not about the bike. Paul is an accomplished cyclist, though typically self-effacing. He did the 1979 PBP in around 80 hours.

snafu21

Well, regardless of what actually arrives, I hope to see many Folderisti in Hyde Park next Sunday. I alone will be responsible for filling London with traffic fumes, as I have to drive in from Oxford, in a 4x4 no less. I've made a complete nuisance of myself posting the event in every folding forum I can find, so I really hope somebody turns up. Yes, I'm bringing the Hammerhead, it would be rude not to. It's complete with plastic folding pedals, my lightweight go-faster MKS's haven't arrived yet.

I hope founding, sorry, Folding Father 'Nigelme' suggests a meeting point. Where's that cafe north of the Serpentine, N? Is there a loo?

I'll be there about 10:30. Please save me a bun, remember your hand-signals, and try not to exceed any speed limits....

Diode100

What a great idea ! Alas I'm in london the weekend after 1st June, but for July why not combine it with the weekend of the Smithfield Nocturne, which is the 5th I think.

Here's a map of Hyde Park showing the cycling routes :-

https://www.royalparks.org.uk/docs/pa.../hyde_park.pdf

and here is one of Kensington Gardens, which is the other side of the road :-

https://www.royalparks.org.uk/docs/pa...on_gardens.pdf

Chop!

The Down-nuts! LOL! Chop!

Dynocoaster 

Downtubers.

nigelme

Down-Tools!

Ah! reminds me of my days with the union.

nigelme

I think that's gay slang! Most things are.

You will not be the only 'Boris!' in da Kensington area. I'm getting there on my 1x2.

I suppose we should set an example for the kids and stick to the 'designated cycle route'

The Boathouse has tea and...boats. It is a lovely spot. ( See Map link below )

snafu21

I like boats. Ok. I vote for the Boathouse about 10:30?

Do Dahons float? I'm not sure I fitted the brakes on properly.

snafu21

Another good idea. Have you put it to the Committee? Oh! Wait. You are the Committee.

Have we got any contacts within the Nocturne organisation to help with publicity?


And do we get a badge, or anything? If you turn up, you get free life membership....

Thanks for linkies of cycle routes, Diode-dude. V. helpful.