RideLondon-Surrey 100 (2014!!!) Anyone?

[Flyingfox]

I'm in Green start area, Wave C at 7.35, my friends are an hour earlier so looks like I'll be Billy No Mates for the journey!

Need to decide whether to ride through the Blackwall Tunnel (which apparently we are allowed to do between 04.00 and 07.00) or take the cable car. The cable car is winning at the moment!

I've been doing a fair few smaller hills and just come back from a week cycling in Austria where I managed some long drags. I'm going to try and ride the hills before the 10th, not sure how I'm going to get on as I get exercised induced asthma so hills are a real challenge for me. I guess there is no shame in getting off and walking if I need to on medical grounds.

 

[srw]

I'm definitely not so sure about my time as I was last autumn when I estimated it. After a summer of riding, and hoping the group ride and closed roads would up my pace by an mph or so, 6 hours 20 seemed like a genuine time for me. I'm currently working on the theory that a finish will count as a win and 6:20 will be cause for serious celebration.

I'm sure it was a 9-hour limit when we signed up....

If it's any comfort, we have a local 14-mile loop that we usually do at a moving average of about 13.5mph. Yesterday we deliberately went for speed - late braking, choosing not to change down, on the drops for some sections. We got around it in a moving average of 15.9mph. I reckon a few more weeks of that sort of thing, plus some more hill practice (we got a far bit on holiday last week - thank you @mmmmartin...) plus the adrenalin of the day and the added assistance of group riding (though how much help that will be on the tandem I'm not sure) will bring us home inside 8.5 hours.

 

[EltonFrog]

Can someone who's done this ride before tell us what to expect once the wave load opens, closes and the ride starts?
It seems we could be sitting around for up to an hour in a waiting pen, is that the case?

It's a leisurely walk with the bikes for a few hundred feet to the start pens. There are two of them, a little wait which was quite soclal last year, chatting to folk, checking stuff, checking out each others bikes and so on, the time goes quite quick, it won't be an hour though more like 30 mins once they get the first lot started I think each pen leaves in two minute intervals once the first lot have gone. Once you off there's a two mile ride before the you get to the timer for the official 100 mile start. it's very well organised just listen to the announcements follow the signs, enjoy the ride.

 

[w00hoo_kent]

Need to decide whether to ride through the Blackwall Tunnel (which apparently we are allowed to do between 04.00 and 07.00) or take the cable car. The cable car is winning at the moment!

Tunnels winning for me, I'll always be able to do the cable car, this may be the only time I can cycle through the tunnel.

 

[Flyingfox]

Tunnels winning for me, I'll always be able to do the cable car, this may be the only time I can cycle through the tunnel.

Yes, that was my other thought, not many can say they've cycled through the tunnel. I remember as a kid a few of us snuck onto the M20 before it was open (nobody worked on a Sunday then!) and rode along a big stretch of it. Bet I'm the only one on here who can say that!

 

[EltonFrog]

Yes, that was my other thought, not many can say they've cycled through the tunnel. I remember as a kid a few of us snuck onto the M20 before it was open (nobody worked on a Sunday then!) and rode along a big stretch of it. Bet I'm the only one on here who can say that!

Nice one, I used to ride along the M3 on before it was opened.

 

[David_66]

Hi all... Its not long now, really looking forward to this one.
Staying at Travelodge, Stratford, hope to say hello to anybody staying there too..

• Start Area: Black
• Wave:B
• Wave Load opening time: 05:52
• Wave Load closing time:06:22
• Start Time:06:52

 

[w00hoo_kent]

Right, filled out my travel plan, cycle in from (near) the Blackwall Lane drop off which means I'll probably be on the road in the car a little before 5am (I can't believe that's good preparation for doing exercise :-) ) wave opens at 06:20 which I presume is the first thing I need to be there for, everything else is done a day or two before at Excel, right?

Ride thing starts for my wave at 07:20 and I've heard is a bit sluggish to get going. Say timing starts at 07:30 (that may be optimisitic) I'm guessing that'll put me at the Mall some time after 14:00 so I've booked the 15:25 river boat back to North Greenwich, which is a flat couple of miles back to the car. My brain was telling me the 15:05 should be easily doable, but I don't listen to it when exercise is involved.

 

[Bike_Me]

Not sure if this has been asked already, apologies if it has.

During the ride, if say any mechanical failures, accidents, etc. occur, is there any support available and/or transport back to London?

Advance apologies for beinga complete noob at this..

 

[livpoksoc]

Afternoon all. Apologies if this is covered already, but 30 pages on a mobile, on the train is a bit difficult.

Can anyone explain what facilities will be like on the day? Having experienced Nightrider which had some disastrous break stops & ill informed marshalls, I am hoping for more from this event. I basically want to know roughly at what intervals the water stops are & what snacks (if any) are available en route. Also if/where toilets can be found if I get caught short!
Thanks

 

[EltonFrog]

Afternoon all. Apologies if this is covered already, but 30 pages on a mobile, on the train is a bit difficult.

Can anyone explain what facilities will be like on the day? Having experienced Nightrider which had some disastrous break stops & ill informed marshalls, I am hoping for more from this event. I basically want to know roughly at what intervals the water stops are & what snacks (if any) are available en route. Also if/where toilets can be found if I get caught short!
Thanks

I'm not sure where they all are, but there's plenty of them, there's two/three food stops plus a couple more water/toilette stops. Some blokes were peeing in the bushes in the country side, do not do this, not good for PR. loads of bogs at the start and finish. There'll be map up on the website soon that will show where all the stops are.

Hint: all the food is sweet sticky energy type stuff, bananas and maybe a packet of crisps, which we get a bit bored with, so we take a couple of slices of malt loaf and a couple of sausage rolls along for the ride. TAKE SAUSAGES ROLLS, they are the answer to an enjoyable ride.

 

[livpoksoc]

I'm not sure where they all are, but there's plenty of them, there's two/three food stops plus a couple more water/toilette stops. Some blokes were peeing in the bushes in the country side, do not do this, not good for PR. loads of bogs at the start and finish. There'll be map up on the website soon that will show where all the stops are.

Hint: all the food is sweet sticky energy type stuff, bananas and maybe a packet of crisps, which we get a bit bored with, so we take a couple of slices of malt loaf and a couple of sausage rolls along for the ride. TAKE SAUSAGES ROLLS, they are the answer to an enjoyable ride.

Ok thanks, I'll keep that in mind.
On previous events the max mileage per day was 80 so the breaks were once every 20 miles. Can I assume similar (i.e. Stops at 20mile intervals) or would it be pushed out to 25, on the assumption of two breaks for water and/or snacks either side of a lunch stop?

 

[vickster]

My surgeon said a bunch of his friends did it last year and they got lost, signage not too great....so take a map or GPS!

 

[EltonFrog]

My surgeon said a bunch of his friends did it last year and they got lost, signage not too great....so take a map or GPS!

They need to go to spec savers, there was a bit confusion at the very start where one of the roads did not look like it was coned off properly, but apart from that I would say it was almost impossible to get lost unless your riding with a white stick.

 

[EltonFrog]

Ok thanks, I'll keep that in mind.
On previous events the max mileage per day was 80 so the breaks were once every 20 miles. Can I assume similar (i.e. Stops at 20mile intervals) or would it be pushed out to 25, on the assumption of two breaks for water and/or snacks either side of a lunch stop?

If I recall correctly there were toilets at the start, then water and bogs at Hampton Court, and near Pyford, then a proper feed station on top of Newlands corner, then water and bogs on top of Box Hill and the WI were selling teas and cakes at the village hall, more water and bogs at Leatherhead, and again at Esher racecourse. Of course you can stop at the pubs shops and garages that are open en route.