# Prudential Ride London-Surrey 100... Beginners advice wanted



## C17rsf (25 Feb 2015)

As this is going to be my first time riding an event like this, I was wondering if I can call on people who have done it before and give me some advice on the following topics as a newbie guide:

Preparations - should I just train upto 3/4 of the distance as this seems to be suggested a lot
Equipment - What essentials do you think I will need, food, spares etc...
Security - Whats security like at toilet stops etc

And generally any other useful tips and tricks that you would think myself and maybe other newbies would benefit from..

Thanks in advance.


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## vickster (25 Feb 2015)

There's a big thread here (and others in that part of the forum)

https://www.cyclechat.net/threads/ridelondon-surrey-100-2015-anyone.162528/

Train as you feel comfortable. Buy if you've never ridden 100 miles in a day before, I would say do so, not least so there's not psychological concern about managing gne distance

Take a couple of inner tubes. Tyre levers, good pump. Multitool. Plenty of liquid to get you started as it could be hot. Snack stuff like jelly babies, flapjacks, banana, pork pie if of the more savoury persuasion. If you think you might use gels, try them out before, they can have an upsetting effect on gne stomach for some people, which could be a bad thing! Usual stuff really. 

Security, take a lock, even though it's closed roads, pedestrians can get around. Bikes often go AWOL at sportives 

Have fun, it's not a race

I'm doing it too, having had to withdraw last year. I do however need to get on a bike again as I recently had knee surgery!

Have you sorted accommodation for the Saturday night?


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## C17rsf (25 Feb 2015)

thanks for that... 

i was searching ride100 and so that topic didnt show.. lol

Yeah I booked accommodation the other day, no chance of getting near Stratford though so gone down to the docklands near excel as someone suggested elsewhere, plus the price was better than near stratford.


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## Specialeyes (25 Feb 2015)

The food stops are really well stocked with free stuff of both sweet and savoury varieties, and massive, so you can travel relatively light.

Last year I stopped, refilled (and, erm, emptied  ) just once at what would have been half way. The closed roads and restricted access makes it feel more secure than a normal sportive. I didn't take a lock at all and left my strong lock in the official bag (which you collect inside the barriers and after the finish), along with a change of clothes etc. The only time I was off the bike was when it was outside the portaloo  at the stop. The strong lock was to chain it up for the after-ride pub session! Others' mileage may vary, as it were.

As for spares etc, definitely take a couple of tubes, as there were punctures galore, with all the sharps being washed onto the road, levers, pump and a multitool.

Above all, it's massive fun and a real treat to hammer around London, cheered on by thousands, on closed roads.


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## derrick (25 Feb 2015)

I think you need to get a couple of 100 mile rides in before hand, as said above normal tubes pump tire levers, there is plenty to eat and drink on the way, security can be a problem with toilet stops, do not leave garmins on the bike as a few got nicked last year.


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## Doobiesis (26 Feb 2015)

I'm also doing this - I have just started my training using the guide in the magazine. As its cadence based a lot of the days I've purchased a cadence sensor. 

If you follow that plan I don't feel you can go wrong. My longest rude to date has been 43 miles. It wasn't that difficult but I'm guessing 100 miles is mentally quite hard. 

Good luck with your training


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## Big Nick (26 Feb 2015)

I missed out on a place but had planned to do plenty of 20-30, then 40-50 and then two or three 70-80 mile rides in the months/weeks build up before as I'm sure the atmosphere on the day will get you through the extra mileage to the 100 miles

My longest ride was 82 miles last year on a very warm day and the most discomfort came from running out of fluids and chaffing on my butt so I would say chamois cream is a must but try it out first to check you aren't allergic to the one you get.


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## vickster (26 Feb 2015)

I'm just going to ride my bike as soon and as much, as often, as far as I can. Never needed to fuss about cadence before. In my experience of doing both, there's a very big difference between cycling 40 odd miles and a 100 (In terms of legs, feet, nether regions, back, shoulders, but then Im crocked!)


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## Joffey (26 Feb 2015)

I did my first 100 mile ride last year - previously my biggest was 62 miles. I'm was 18 stone and could average 15mph over the 62 miles of my previous ride so if you are kinda ok doing that you will be fine with a bump up to 100. The hardest part is the last 10 miles, I felt really dehydrated (I was) and I was cramping. If you can ride 70 you can ride 100!

Take the usual stuff with you that you would take on any 50 mile bike ride. There will be feed stops so don't worry too much about food and drink. Just make sure you are fit(ish), you can ride 70 miles ok and you have had a decent breakfast (not too heavy a one though)!!!

I will see you there!!!! Good luck!!!!


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## C17rsf (26 Feb 2015)

Joffey said:


> I did my first 100 mile ride last year - previously my biggest was 62 miles. I'm was 18 stone and could average 15mph over the 62 miles of my previous ride so if you are kinda ok doing that you will be fine with a bump up to 100. The hardest part is the last 10 miles, I felt really dehydrated (I was) and I was cramping. If you can ride 70 you can ride 100!
> 
> Take the usual stuff with you that you would take on any 50 mile bike ride. There will be feed stops so don't worry too much about food and drink. Just make sure you are fit(ish), you can ride 70 miles ok and you have had a decent breakfast (not too heavy a one though)!!!
> 
> I will see you there!!!! Good luck!!!!



I've never done a sportive like this, and only ever done 30 miles on a mountain bike, as said this is a totally new challenge for me.
Fitness wise I think I'm relatively fit, 5ft10 weighing just under 70 kg and do all round weightlifting at competition level.
This is why I'm asking for beginner advice


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## w00hoo_kent (26 Feb 2015)

I was in your shoes last year. Although not as fit. The advice given out in the previous threads is worth reading. I found this site useful too http://sportivecyclist.com/

Everyone is different, what I did was to do more rides, and get in some longer days, 50, 60, 70. Being localish I went and did a loop riding the three hills, which I think would have been useful if they'd been in. Newlands was markedly easier on the day than it had been on the test ride, no idea if Leith or Box would have been. Knowing where you are on the hills is handy. Everyone climbs differently, I didn't feel happy until I'd experienced them myself, personally I'd rate Leith as the worst of the bunch by quite a way. I did one ride over 100 miles in preparation (around 113 in the end) which was handy because it meant I wasn't upset about the route being cut but also it meant I came in to it knowing I could do the mileage which was a big mental thing for me. I know the training guides don't say to it. I'd definitely do it that way again to take the pressure off on the day.

It's really easy to go out fast. I was averaging 22mph mile after mile through London at the beginning, the roads are great, plenty of other bikes are keeping that pace, it's all pretty flat, you're fresh and full of energy. If the hills had been in I'd have worried about this and probably looked to back it off a little (my normal average is mid 17's) as it is I struggled on Wimbledon Hill (made it, but felt it, must have shown it as I was gee'd on by a guy passing me about 4/5ths of the way up) and it is the sting in the tail, keep it in mind as it's not insignificant and it's 10 miles from the end which adds to things.

I took a café lock, but I never walked more than 5 metres from the bike (grabbing food/water) I don't tend to need to pee when I'm riding so portaloos weren't an issue. Again different people, different takes. There were people around, I wouldn't have left the bike unlocked if I couldn't see it, I may be overly paranoid about that. Removing the garmin is a good move too.

If you can stomach High 5 products (I just used them throughout my preparation) then food won't be an issue. Possibly take some savoury stuff (and train with it) if too much sweet/chemical gets to you. There's plenty of places to recharge though, so don't worry about that too much. Carry a couple of gels on you in case you need them between stops.

Think about how you will get back after. I went for the river boat which was probably a waste, it was difficult to find (hopefully this will change for 2015, they got a lot of feedback about that) and it turned out there was a closed route back to Docklands anyway which would have been fine for me, it's flat and the only reason I went with the boat was that I didn't want to come off of closed roads and start dicing with London traffic. As it was the signposting was so terrible I ended up dicing with London traffic trying to find the pier anyway. If you've done some riding beforehand and got the miles in it shouldn't finish you and riding back after should be fine. You get time to recharge at the end although collecting medals, 'goody' bag and your own kit was very smooth. I had food in my kit bag, stood and ate that, called my wife, basically took 20-30 minutes to let everything sink in before getting back on the bike to set off 'home'. I did just shy of 100 miles across the whole day. I wouldn't worry about being a little way off of Stratford, it's not far and the ride to the start was a good nerves cooler for me. Be prepared for a long day, also the initial getting to the start bit was quite torturous allow yourself 20 minutes more than you think it will take.

As others have said, take what you'll need to fix the normal roadside issues. A couple of tubes and patches would make sense. I had them, I didn't need them in the end, but with it being wet lots of people did, I think I saw a dozen before I got to the start. I didn't go silly with bike prep and ran puncture proof tyres rather than super skinny race things. That worked for me, others will do that differently.

Good luck with it all. It's an amazing thing to experience.


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## Joffey (26 Feb 2015)

C17rsf said:


> I've never done a sportive like this, and only ever done 30 miles on a mountain bike, as said this is a totally new challenge for me.
> Fitness wise I think I'm relatively fit, 5ft10 weighing just under 70 kg and do all round weightlifting at competition level.
> This is why I'm asking for beginner advice


 
I would just try to increase your mileage steadily up to 70ish and once you are there or thereabouts you will be fine for the 100. You have plenty of time. Maybe aim for 40 by end of March, 45 by end of April, 50 in May etc. 

Probably best advice is not to worry too much, you'll get round as long as you pace yourself. Don't do what I did and get into a train going at 20mph for a few miles and wear yourself out. Start off at a comfortable pace for you and relax into it.


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## Joffey (26 Feb 2015)

Joffey said:


> I would just try to increase your mileage steadily up to 70ish and once you are there or thereabouts you will be fine for the 100. You have plenty of time. Maybe aim for 40 by end of March, 45 by end of April, 50 in May etc.
> 
> Probably best advice is not to worry too much, you'll get round as long as you pace yourself. Don't do what I did and get into a train going at 20mph for a few miles and wear yourself out. Start off at a comfortable pace for you and relax into it.


 
Will you be doing it on a MTB btw?


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## C17rsf (26 Feb 2015)

Joffey said:


> Will you be doing it on a MTB btw?



No, looking at buying a road bike, hence my other post of suggestions such as 2014 giant defy 1 or canonndale synapse type bike


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## w00hoo_kent (27 Feb 2015)

I went Synapse last year and was very happy with it. Make sure you are comfy with the size if you go that way, they can come up a bit big.


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## C17rsf (17 Mar 2015)

Cheers for all the advise, bought the defy 1 last weekend so hope to be out getting used to the pedals this weekend


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## thatname (18 Mar 2015)

Travel light, be a weight weeny, I saw a few people carrying rucksacs with them when there really wasn't any need to, there are ample opportunities along the route to fetch food and liquids although carry as much of your own supply as you can on the ride and eat often even when you dont think you need to. Personally in events like this I dont want to stop and I am able to stuff enough gels, oatmeal cakes and jelly beans into my pockets along with the spares inner tubes, levers, pump and mini tool. On my bike i carry 2x1 ltr bottles. This seems to be enough for me although i do hydrate plenty 24hrs before the day. That said, if its a scorcher then do stop and take on the liquid because if you dont you will get cramp and end up unable to finish the ride. I never bother with a lock either, when i used the loo at the start after i handed my bag in i just removed my garmin and the front wheel and pointed Percy at the porcelain. Be careful in those portaloos when you are wearing your cleats, its like an ice rink and i saw one poor chap take a fall down the steps last year and render himself out for the ride. I would also add that making sure that your bike is set up just how you want it and are comfortable on because if that seat post is too high or too low by just an inch you will feel it after 100 miles.

Doing 100 miles is also a bit of a mind game. You've trained for weeks, you're fit and you have put in the miles but the one thing I never experienced before was the isolation i felt after 80 miles when i did the first Prudential London-Surrey ride. I have done several 100 mile rides with friends but the previous 2 Prudential rides i have done by myself. At first you will be in groups and chain gangs flying along at speeds that you would not normally average. Eventually the miles and the hill climbs take their toll and I found that the groups around me started to break up. At around 80 miles I was pretty much riding alone which was fine but compared to the previous miles where i was in various groups, having some banter, drafting, taking the front, basically keeping myself occupied which made the miles fly by, it was now becoming a slog and that wasn't good. Eventually a few of us who were riding at a similar pace managed to group together for the last 10 mile run into London. This did wonders for our spirits and we breezed into London on a high. So I guess all i am trying to say is be prepared for that. Oh, and that sharp climb in Wimbledon towards the end is a right *word censored* yet few people seem to mention that....

Have fun and enjoy it, its a blast.


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## w00hoo_kent (18 Mar 2015)

As a bit of contrast to that, I wore a rucksack because it's my hydration pack and I prefer carrying/drinking water that way. I had an electrolyte bottle on the bike. But none of that was particularly odd, because I'd done all of the training that way. As someone who rides solo 95% of the time I found it weird to have so many other bicycles around me (this was actually my main worry coming in to the event) and I didn't really chat with anyone at all on the ride. Equally there was no real drafting and definitely no chain gangs for me. I'd spend time now and then keeping pace with another bike for a bit but agree the last 15 or so miles did have a much lonelier feel to them, the number of bikes on the road seeming to be less dense with things picking up as we came in to the last 5 or so. Having said that, even in the pouring rain there were always people watching from the side of the road and I found this gave a constant lift to spirits.


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## thatname (18 Mar 2015)

Anyone who stands out in the biblical downpour that we experienced last year to cheer you on deserves a medal. Especially the chap on the New Kings Road who stood in the middle of the road ankle deep in Londons finest sewerage, guiding riders around a man hole cover that had blown but was submerged in a pool of water. He wasnt even a marshall. 
Riding in groups is not for everyone granted and i guess it comes with experience and in events like this you have a mixture of abilities so at times i was a little concerned at the beginning when there were several chain gangs steaming through slower packs of riders. One sudden movement off your riding line and you could end up on the deck along with a load of other riders.


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