Eight on a short ride to Banstead; Nonsuch Saturday riders 27 September.

Saturday provided ideal cycling weather and there was a healthy attendance at Nonsuch Park.  Healthy in more ways than one; it is great to see Tony back riding and with Nigel cleared by the medics to ride, the availability of leaders is at last improving a little.  

Steve W arrived and took five to Richmond Park on the scheduled longer ride.  Lynda turned up for the first time in a long while and she went with Colin Q and John B on a short ride.  I offered a fairly short ride up to Banstead and had seven takers, so Maggie and I set off with Steve H, the other Colin, Sue B, Tony, Nigel and Jen, up what used to feel, when I first came to the club, like the never-ending climb past Cheam Station and Banstead Station.  We took a vote, tea indoors (Banstead) or out (Tattenham Road Rec) and the indoors had it, so we made our way to the Cafe in the Park, which used to be Pistachio's.

The chocolate brownies were a hit and we chatted a bit before we descended past the prisons and split up at Downs Road to take our several ways home.

A nice group, a pleasant little ride; thanks for the company.

Assault of cyclist and theft of his electric bike on the Wandle Trail

 Our neighbour was assaulted this week on the Wandle Trail and robbed of his expensive electric bike.  He has given permission for us to publish this so that others can take appropriate precautions.  He is 78 years old but not what we would term "vulnerable".  6' 4", fit and well built and a regular cyclist over long distances. 

This is his account.

"Last Thursday (16th September 2025) I was cycling along the Wandle Trail at 10:15 am in the north-bound direction where the path (going towards London) leaves the river and goes up a slope to the park road, near the Imperial Playing Fields.  Two white youths on an electric motorbike, no registration, dressed in black hoodies and balaclavas passed me in a south-bound direction. I continued cycling but they turned around and chased me, by which time I had reached the unnamed park road to turn right past Tooting and Mitcham Football Club ground.  They repeatedly rammed my bike from the rear and the side with threatening language. On the fourth attempt I was knocked into the brambles on the side of the park road. They stole my bike and made off in the direction of London Road/ Bishopford Road; I was injured, fortunately just bad bruises, lacerations and grazes. 

'I keep my phone in my pocket so I was able to call the police.  The 999 operator was helpful and the police came quickly.  The bike was recovered by the police as it had a tracker fitted and I was able to tell them the location where it was dumped (Lower Morden Lane). However, the bike was trashed with everything forcibly wrenched off it, and the saddlebag containing my prescription glasses and GoPro video camera was missing."

Paul & Maggie

Wandle Fortnight. Beddington Park ride 20/9/25

From Maggie 

Every year we look forward to the variety of bikes and riders who turn up for the highlight of the Wandle Fortnight  - a beginners ride from Beddington Park!

This year though it appeared that some of our regulars had omitted to highlight the date in their diaries. Roger and Paul were going to be elsewhere and Colin has not yet made it as far as Beddington. 

Planning ahead therefore, we'd had 6 new cyclists a few years ago, we worked out a long and a short ride to suit all comers and Anna, Ken and Maggie arrived early to welcome them all.

And we waited... yes, the sky was grey, there was a sprinkling of rain but surely not enough to put anyone off! 

2.10 came and went. We checked our watches....

So be it. Let's not waste this route to Earlsfield with it's new detour. So a little quiet and dejected we set off. Our new route omitted the traffic mayhem at Savacentre and stopping to watch a cormorant on the river near Earlsfield we were soon enjoying tea and coffee in the Eclectic Collection coffee shop. Real tea, tea strainer and extra hot water - how good was that?

Tea in Earlsfield

Sorry not to share this delightful stop with anyone else. We left as the sun came out and enjoyed very pleasant weather home.

 

Church Heritage Day 13/9/25

 From Karen

Church Heritage Day and "light" showers:

It was an ideal opportunity to road test my lower back on a (very) short ride to Old Malden. Colin was (of course) already in attendance when I arrived at NSP, shortly to be joined by Tony and Sharon. 

It was great to see Tony on good form and that Colin's recovery continues apace. So just four of us this afternoon, trumped by Maddie's all-day ride to Windsor. I was forewarned about the resurfaced (?) path leading to Sparrow Farm exit. Goodness!  It was akin to cycling through sand.....probably worse. 

It may have been responsible for what happened next.  By the time we turned into St Clair Drive, Sharon had a flat.  Fortunately, we had the benefit of seasoned campaigners to wrestle with the tyre removal and before long were powering through Worcester Park.  Sharon kindly treated us to refreshments at St John's Church in thanks for our assistance (although I was more of a hindrance than a help!)

 

Colin (or providence?) led us to St Mary's Church where, immediately upon our arrival,  the heavens opened; not a light shower,  but a full throttle downpour.  We resisted the temptation to indulge in more tea and cake and, once the weather had cleared somewhat, we made our way back to NSP, followed by rainbows.

WhatsApp Hoax - Meta AI

From Simon Lambourn

Recently the webmasters (Tim C, Tony H and myself) have been contacted by several Sou'Westers about a message (which we now think is a hoax) saying "you must turn on WhatsApp Enhanced Security by [some date] to prevent or Meta AI can read all your personal and group chats".

We did some research, because we care about privacy but also "enhanced security" means nobody can save photos or GPX files from chats, which is something many of us use a lot to communicate about rides.

It turns out to be one of a long line of Facebook and WhatsApp hoax messages claiming that something will change by next week (or whatever) and you have to do something - write a message on your Facebook or change some setting to prevent Facebook/WhatsApp using all your information.

If you google "whatsapp enhanced security hoax meta AI" you will see that the claim has been debunked by several sources (admittedly unknown sources to me).   But also if you google "can Meta AI read my WhatsApp chats" you get a direct answer from Meta in their Frequently Accessed Questions page:

Only messages that mention @Meta AI, or that people choose to share with Meta AI, can be read by Meta. Meta can’t read any other messages in your personal chats. When you share your personal messages for AI features that use Private Processing technology, Meta can’t read or access the messages you’ve shared.‬ Learn more in this article.

So we are not going to implement Enhanced Security because it would severely reduce the usefulness of the club's WhatsApp groups.   If we were, say, a military organisation, (mentioning no names) then perhaps it would be a good idea.

I thought it was worth writing this post for two reasons.

1. There is a lot of false information, and false people, false experts and organisations out there trying to deceive you.  Please, check the source and check the facts.
2. Regardless of this particular hoax, you should still be careful about what you share online - do you know and trust ALL the people you are sharing it with?

Stay suspicious!  Stay safe.   And please do ask around if you have any concerns or questions.

Down on the farm; Nonsuch Moderates 6 September to Garsons Farm

Wednesday's storms must just have been a figment of the imagination, because Saturday was a super day for cycling, dry, not too hot, not too windy.  As a result of which we had a good turnout at Nonsuch Mansion, over tweny riders in all with Colin Q and Tony H coming along just to meet everybody.  We had a newcomer, too; Jenny rides with Portsmouth CTC and we were glad to have her along.

Garsons Farm was on the schedule for the longer ride and Telegraph Track for the short one.  We ran three groups.  Nigel T, cleared by the doc to be back in the saddle (and the MG driving seat) took the short ride, and Steve W took half a dozen boy and girl racers off to Garsons; I offered a more modest paced ride to the same place.

We let Steve's group go first, because they'd only be embarrassed when they couldn't overtake us, and then off we went, reassembling as is my wont at the North Western exit of Nonsuch Park for a headcount and to appoint a back marker (Maggie).  She was going to be minding Roger and Anna, Ken J, Alyson, the other Colin, John B, Jan and Jenny and with yours truly up front, that made ten.  And I must have got the pace about right because after being temporarily split by the Ewell lights we stuck together pretty well, despite heavier than usual traffic.

We took the route past Chessington North, over the A3 on Clayton Road, down the hill to Claygate and then carrrying on until we hit the A 244 to take us in to Esher.  There Roger and Anna stayed for coffee, allowing Roger and his new pacemaker to opt out of coming up Lammas Lane on the way back.  Garsons was as it always is, bike parking long distant from the restaurant and the service a bit slow but proper pots of tea and good cake.  At least they had not yet got out the Christmas fare.  The boy (and girl) racers were already there, of course. 

 

The Racers at tea

We had our tea and cake in the sunshine and let them go before climbing the hill ourselves (which wouldn't be much at all were it not for the traffic) and rendezvousing successfully with Anna and Roger on the green at the top.  By now John had gone off to do his own thing so there were nine of us on the way home through Weston Green and Long Ditton, Surbiton and Berrylands.  

The Moderates on the way home at Weston Green

We split at Worcester Park, the others going up Green Lane towards their homes while Maggie and I went with Jenny and Jan back to Nonsuch.

A really enjoyable afternoon's cycling.  Great to have seen Tony on a bike again.  Excellent to know that the magic mushrooms have enabled John's knees to recover sufficiently to have him discharged from hospital care, and good company.  We very much hope to see Jenny back soon.

All Day Ride to Windsor September 13

 

Windsor Ride

Saturday 13th September

Come and join for the next all-day Saturday ride to Windsor on 13th September.

The ride will be pretty, and pretty flat - on and off road - and include lots of beauty, interest and surprises along the way.

The route is 48 miles from our start in Kingston - so many may like to take the train on the way back (Windsor & Eton Riverside to Clapham Junction/Waterloo) - with other options as we come back.

We will meet at Canbury Secret Cafe in Kingston 

https://maps.app.goo.gl/axh3oCJgBDNfyDz39?g_st=ipc,

have coffee and tea at the Ferry Cafe, Sunbury on Thames, 

https://maps.app.goo.gl/5zEV5usNoRQcMMdi6?g_st=ipc ,

and lunch at Cinnamon in Windsor. There will be a guide for those who would like it from Nonsuch Park to Kingston.

For anyone like me who likes a car-bike-car option, you can do a 33 mile round trip from the Ferry Cafe. Please private message me on WhatsApp if you’d like to join for the ride - and let me know where you’d like to join (Nonsuch, Canbury Gardens, Kingston or the Ferry, Shepperton) and if you would like to be in the fast group (whizzers) - or the regulars (smell the roses).

 

Madeleine

07533673919