London A-Bike Meeting Sat 28 July Please confirm attendance!

[Garry]

This was suggested by ATMP and I think it's a great idea, so I'm starting a thread on it.

Please post suggested dates and venues here. I'll be happy to post a report with photos and maybe videos on the official ABikeCentral blog (launching soon).

Garry

[Amuro Lee]

I regret that I won't be able to attend.

Amuro

[Binch Shin]

I saw the great idea too and think I will see all of you on TV.
You will make the main Topic of BBC.

P.S. A minute ago, I transferred this plan to Alexander Kalogroulis.

[newcross]

I saw the great idea too and think I will see all of you on TV.
You will make the main Topic of BBC.

P.S. A minute ago, I transferred this plan to Alexander Kalogroulis.

It would be great if somebody from A-bike development team or Mayhem could join us in London to give us some insight on A-bike.

I'm looking forward to seeing many A-bikers for this event. At least, I have 4 Japanese A-bikers including myself within my reach (me, my girl, my sister, and friend's friend).


Weekend would be convenient for many people, but what sort of activity shall we do in this event? I think date and venue should be fixed accordingly.

[thatsme]

i will return to the uk in may, i would be interested in joining.
date and place please

the above post was mine.
i keep forgetting to log in all the time.

[Timbo in Essex]

Sounds a great idea - count me in.

I would suggest we leave it until the evenings get lighter, maybe sometime in June and meet in the early eveing at a pub which is releatively easy to cycle to. I tend not to go to the West End much so I'm not really up to speed about central London pubs but there are plenty of pubs along the river (Thames) which could be suitable - Bankside St.Katherines Dock, Wapping etc.

Somebody simply select a pub and a date and I shall be there (with me bike)

Ooops - sorry that was me. I'll get the hang of this new technology sometime

[ATMP]

Wow! I have just checked the forum to find a comment I made at the end of a previous posting has really taken off. I guess part of the reason I suggested a London meet is because I love my A-Bike, but in no way feel I have mastered riding it. There are many of you out there who have owned an A-Bike for months and have clearly mastered its unique handling. I still haven't mastered setting the bike up and collapsing it down very quickly. I have even managed to forget to lock off the front of the bike once and went flying over the handlebars of the bike in front of my work colleagues. The bruises are a reminder to check these things before you set off!

Whilst the A-Bike has lot in common with bikes generally - there is an awful lot about the bike that is very different. I have been cycling too many years to mention, but I have never struggled to master the basics of riding a bike as I have with the A-Bike. This is not meant as a critisism of the bike, but an honest appraisal of my experiences. I look forward to meeting up with anyone who can teach me how to ride the bike with confidence! Tips on setting it up and breaking it down quickly and day to day maintainance would also be useful.

I do tend to agree with other comments that if we are to meet up as a group the warmer longer days that are fast approaching would be the ideal time.

[newcross]

One possible venue is pub in West India Quay area. I've never had a drink there before, but if I remember correctly, there are couple of pubs/bars at the dock on Hertsmere Rd. "Bar 38" is one of those.



Over there, they offer seating outside, and huge public open space besides the dock, where should be able to accommodate us to play around with our A-bikes.

Traffic around Canary Wharf is rather quiet and road condition there is nice and smooth, so riding from station to the dock has no problem.

Please refer the link below for map & aerial photo to see the area. (sign A shows "bar 38")


http://maps.google.co.uk/maps?f=l&hl=ja ... 7&t=h&om=1

[Juinn]

West India Quay sounds like a great idea although there are a lot of cobbles just outside that pub. Having said that Canary Wharf does have a smooth tarmac surface and is conveniently a nice length circuit. Perhaps some times trials???

[Guest]

West India Quay sounds like a great idea although there are a lot of cobbles just outside that pub. Having said that Canary Wharf does have a smooth tarmac surface and is conveniently a nice length circuit. Perhaps some times trials???

Oh, yes. I see the cobbles in the bar38 photo I posted.
We could do maintenance workshop(?) and other stuff there, but maybe not for riding around...

P.S. I actually see this meeting as a great opportunity to see/try A-bike compatible parts as well as exchanging riding tips. I can offer my A-bike fitted with Cane Creek Thudbuster LT Suspension Seatpost for you guys to try.

[newcross]

(Sorry, It was me.... logged out without me noticing )

West India Quay sounds like a great idea although there are a lot of cobbles just outside that pub. Having said that Canary Wharf does have a smooth tarmac surface and is conveniently a nice length circuit. Perhaps some times trials???

Oh, yes. I see the cobbles in the bar38 photo I posted.
We could do maintenance workshop(?) and other stuff there, but maybe not for riding around...

P.S. I actually see this meeting as a great opportunity to see/try A-bike compatible parts as well as exchanging riding tips. I can offer my A-bike fitted with Cane Creek Thudbuster LT Suspension Seatpost for you guys to try.

[wickleashley]

Ha, cobbles! Much as I love my a-bike, planning journeys around steep kerbs and cobbles is always going to make the thing difficult.

Hello again, anyway -I might be up for an a-bike meeting if it's sometime in June, perhaps a weekend? It'd be nice to see others interested in it.

Posted just once before on here, got my bike a couple of weeks ago and been riding it around a little bit, here in Cherbourg, at the top of Normandy. Am I the only A-biker in all of France?! I ended up getting one when prices dropped, in anticipation of living in London next year and because I have no space at all to keep a normal bike -and I've already had one bike stolen that was chained up on the street.

Anyway, I'm back living in Blighty from the end of May, so although I won't be doing anything technical like swapping parts at all, I might erm be able to come down for a pint. I'll keep checking the boards...

[newcross]

Date: A weekend sometime in June,
Place: Trafalgar Square (start or finish)

This seems to be the way to get the most out of this London meeting.

(Please refer the topic below for Sir Clive, A. Kalogroulis and Mayhem Wine!)
http://www.abikecentral.com/forum/viewtopic.php?t=203

[Garry]

Hey I think there's no need to wait until June. Why not setup a monthly meeting? Someone needs to take charge of this Any volunteers?

Sorry I'm not in London often myself now, so I can't do it, but I'll try to attend sometime if I can.

[Garry]

In this lovely weather I'd suggest a meet-up in trafalgar square, then a ride through Green Park, and a picnic in Hyde Park.

Come on, someone take charge and make it happen, before the rain returns