After last year's DGRide in 2012, where 70 bikes turned up with dapper ladies and gents on board, we knew this year was gonna be bigger, but we didn't expect to be leading well over 300 bikes across Central London just one year on. People who missed last year's ride were gutted not to have been there, and the photos and video that came out of this amazing spectacle gave any biker goosebumps. The vibe was unique - smart and well-behaved, but eccentric, individualistic and definitely with an edge of rock an roll. From ubercool dudes in Reservoir Dogs style black suits with skinny ties, to chaps dressed as Lorded Gentry in tweeds and Horse riding boots, WW2 pilots to 70's retro dudes, it was all superb, and completely, utterly infectious. As before the mix of people was completely random, arriving on all manner of bikes. The rules were simple. Be dapper, wear an open face lid, and ride the kind of bike that a distinguished Gent (or Lady) should be seen on. Ride like a gent, don't be an arse, Keep Calm and Carry On Biking... With over 300 bikes signed up on the Facebook page the talk turned to Marshals and pre-warning the Police, with route maps and escorts - and even a waiver, in case anyone fell off and then wanted to sue the BSMC for mishandling the ride - but as my dad once told me; Rules are for the guidance of a wise man, and the obedience of fools. ... I'm starting to live by this excellent excuse for stupid behaviour. Anyway, all this health & safety bollocks is exactly what biking is there to escape from. Most people who ride bikes like ours are grown ups, and they know how to ride across a city without killing themselves or any passers by, and if not, see you later. The pre-ride talk was simple "I'm going to a pub called the Ship in Wandsworth, please follow me if you want to come too" ...or something like that anyway... We did do a few sensible things, like plan a route with five stops along the way to reassemble, and there were a few people in the pack who knew the way and we did have a back marker, but that was it. The rest was common sense. Our hosts for the meet up were Michael and the Dirty Burger Crew behind Pizza East in Kentish Town. The breakfast bacon baps are perfect for a Sunday morning pre-ride brunch and there's free flowing tea and coffee, literally on tap. The car park was just about big enough for 200 bikes, while the rest of our dapper crew spilled out into the side streets. The ride itself really does deserve superlatives like, Epic, and Awesome. Bystanders were truly in awe, and it was an epic event. Leading the pack was daunting and difficult. Partly because there were 300-400 people behind me, so I had no room to fuck up. But also because I was riding a Ducati cafe racer with a dry clutch through a busy city at 20 miles and hour, without mirrors. Doh. I probably saw less of the whole spectacle than anyone else. It took us about 45 minutes to ride the 10.5 miles from Kentish Town, down and along the river, back up through Chelsea and over Wansdworth Bridge to the Ship Inn. No mishaps, we gained a few more riders, one breakdown, and that was about it. The rest was all smiles, and "fuck me this is insane", interspersed with massive grins (and aching wrists, for me, anyway). The original idea has come from a guy called Mark Hawwa in Australia, who runs the Sydney Cafe Racers. I befriended him online through the guys at Garage Project Motorcycles. A photo of Mad Men's Don Draper in a suit on a BSA had caught everyone's imagination. Mark floated the idea of the ride, we volunteered to organise it in London, and the rest is now history, ...but it really was this simple image that led to the whole insane venture, with over 38 countries taking part, raising $277,000 for research into prostate cancer. If you were there, you don't need to read any of this. Just cruise the photos and grin form ear to ear at the memories. If you weren't there, I think I know what you'll be doing this time next year. See you in 2014. Thanks to all the photographers who took the pics on these pages, including; Matt Bone, Tim van Someren, Merry Michau, Mykel Nicolaou, Adrian Clarke, Ali Latimer, Chaz Fearnley, Gareth Roberts, Ian Solley, Ralph Avis and Paul Leeson. Hope I didn't miss anyone. Please get in touch if I did. The departure...