Official website for event: http://www.london.gov.uk/freewheel/

Excellent concept, very well organised, all in all a truly superb day out! Ideal weather, warm enough that one didn’t cool-off too rapidly once off the bike, cool enough to keep one comfortable on the bike whilst cycling hard.

Enduring memories:

Station bodess at Croydon East, who watches six of us waiting patiently on platform (on a day when all rail companies servicing London have been told to expect increased number of bumbling first time bike/train passengers), witnesses us board the train, then shouts that we've used the wrong doors in the wrong carriage (with much eye rolling and head shaking). Perhaps said member of staff could be sent on a public relations refresher course... 10 of the best with the cat o' nine tails ought to do the trick.

Girl leading road section of ride from Clapham Common to London (with everyday traffic), possibly 6 or 7 years old! Incredible!

Rusty chains! Didn't the loud protestations from said chains give the riders a clue? As an engineering trained bod, it made my heart weep, really.

The awesome spectacle of hundreds of cyclist cycling through an otherwise traffic-free London…amazing!

Very young children cycling the route with stabilisers on their bikes.

The lady with the Jack Russell in her bike’s shopping basket (see photo).

The jugglers, fancy dressers, performers on stilts, unicyclists. The mobile music; people riding around with very loud battery powered sound systems much to the public’s enjoyment. People riding penny-farthings, recumbents, tandems, tricycles, quadcycles, and a whole host of other esoteric machinery. London and Londoners at their very best.

The great atmosphere and good-natured crowd.

Young Master Throplebury still being keen for another lap or three!

All the organisers and marshals who worked so hard to make the event the resounding success it undoubtedly was.

Throughout the day free water in water bottles, free fruit juice cartons, and free dried fruits sachets were on offer, along with vendors selling a range of hot and cold food in St. James’s Park. A group discussion ensued debating the relative merits of purchasing a time-share slot on a hotdog from one of the vendors, but eventually common sense prevailed and a raiding party was despatched to Messrs. Burger and King of Charing Cross, purveyors of fine fast food.

According to my super accurate VDO cycle computer (which bases its readings on my non super accurate input of overall wheel/tyre diameter), myself Lady Throplebury and young Master Throplebury cycled 40 miles in all. The Earl of Winklesham cycled another 6 miles home, Viscount Throplebury cycled a further 8 miles home with rucksack. Both the Earl and Viscount possibly completed an extra lap (we definitely all cycled three laps, after that things get a bit fuzzy), which would add another 7.5 miles to their total. Archduke Sausage fancied cycling all the way home from London after two laps, which by my reckoning puts his mileage at approximately 40 miles too (no idea which route you took Sir).

London to Brighton bike ride (57 miles), here we come…

Most of my photos taken one handed whilst cycling, arm outstretched above head, and didn't think to fit eyepiece cover (so exposures all over the place). Official photos now added.

Anyway, enough of my inane ramblings, here are the photos: