Dunwich Dynamo

Photo: Some fancy photography at the start

I’ve never done it. I’ve wanted to do for years. I’ve always been in Italy during the summer for the last several years so never had the chance. So many people I know have done it. I really wanted to join the gang.

It’s called the Dunwich Dynamo. Saturday 12th – Sunday 13th July 2025

It’s a night ride from London Fields to Dunwich beach in Suffolk, 179 km away. I love the informality of it. There is no registration. No start time. Just turn up and start riding when you want to with a view to arriving at the beach for dawn/breakfast.

We were Andy, Chris, David, Jyde, Jules, Mike, Stephen, Yvan and me.

Four us wearing our Giro for Gino jerseys. The ones we’ll be wearing on London Edinburgh London on the 3rd August.

As I’ve ridden alone through the night a few times lately it was wonderful to ride with company. The km just slipped by. Along the route various pubs had licences to stay open all night. I just can’t manage alcohol on these rides but when I saw a sign that said “Double expressos only” I was in. In fact I was in twice.

Between the first and second double espresso a guy walked up to me and showed my Strava profile on his phone. I was intrigued. We’d been following eachother on Strava for years but never met. Amazingly David recognised me and said hello. I was impressed. I know I was because I told him so. Nice to meet you David.

As night turned to day we stopped at the volunteers rest. Not a rest for the volunteers, quite the opposite. The whole place was run by volunteers and the prices reflected it. Meal Deals all round.

Thank you so much to everyone who gave up their time in the middle of the night to help us along the way.

At Framlington, with 26km to go Mike and Stephen began to slow so Yvan and I dropped back to pick them up and help them in the final stages. The rest of the group pressed on. We didn’t see them again until the beach.

It was littered with bikes and riders. Severalcrazies who enjoyed a swim in the North Sea. We had one crazy amongst us. Nice one David.

Riders who made it to Dunwich had previously made a choice. Book themselves on the return coach or cycle back.

The four LELers plus Jules, Stephen and Yvan started the ride back to London whilst the rest caught the Jyde Express – his car that he’d dropped off near Dunwich the previous day.

Our second breakfast was in Woodbridge. An experienced audaxer amongst us took the opportunity for a 10 minute re-charge. David followed suit.

“Are you pleased to see me or is that a banana in your pocket?” It’s a banana in my pocket.

As Colchester and Chelmsford railway stations loomed we lost a few riders who took the train back to London.

The four musketeers with GIRO FOR GINO jerseys on decided on a different plan.

“Why don’t we take a short detour to Writtle, the location of the finish of London-Edinburgh-London then ride to Shenfield, have a pint or two then get the Elizabeth line back to London” proposed the experienced audaxer. The rest quickly agreed and that’s exactly what we did to finish our day (night).