laurence
Veteran
- Location
- in the aeroplane over the sea
don't forget the hail.
RideLondon-Surrey 100 (2014!!!) Anyone?
- Thread starter jdtate101
- Start date
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don't forget the hail.
w00hoo_kent
One of the 64K
- Location
- Maidstone or Greenwich
5 hours 19 unofficial time. Pleased with that, I was hoping to be under 7 hours for the 100 and that suggests I would have been comfortably. Add to the agreement on cutting the hills. Initially there was a bit of a grump on my part (not Facebook worthy or anything) as the forecast didn't seem that terrible, but once the heavens properly opened it was obviously the right thing, trying to descend either of those with misting glasses, or squinting through rain while water ran down the middle of the road would have been too much for enough people to make it just too dangerous. The right call easily justified.
We were trying to be jolly about the rain at the drinks stop before Newlands and then it started to thunder so we decided to stop taunting it.
If anything needs grouching at it was coming back from the event by riverboat, a foxy shambles.
I really wish I could remember the number of the guy on the BMX because I want to know if he finished.
We were trying to be jolly about the rain at the drinks stop before Newlands and then it started to thunder so we decided to stop taunting it.
If anything needs grouching at it was coming back from the event by riverboat, a foxy shambles.
I really wish I could remember the number of the guy on the BMX because I want to know if he finished.
laurence
Veteran
- Location
- in the aeroplane over the sea
my ride stats for today:
Distance: 140.0km, 86.99 (not including riding to get trains to the start)
moving time: 6:02:27
Avg Speed: 23.2km/h, 14.4mph
Max Speed: 64.4km/h, 40mph!!! (and i was freewheeling the descents as there was no point pushing)
elapsed time was 7:03, but i started the garmin before the start.
not 100 miles, but my first 100KM
Distance: 140.0km, 86.99 (not including riding to get trains to the start)
moving time: 6:02:27
Avg Speed: 23.2km/h, 14.4mph
Max Speed: 64.4km/h, 40mph!!! (and i was freewheeling the descents as there was no point pushing)
elapsed time was 7:03, but i started the garmin before the start.
not 100 miles, but my first 100KM
laurence
Veteran
- Location
- in the aeroplane over the sea
cheers. sadly, i did realise that i am now better at descending than ascending. a problem with old age. i was quite surprised by the times, looking on the official site the splits are quite good, i hammered the last section.
chapeau to everyone out there today.
sleaver
Veteran
Just looked at my brake pads on the train and going by the black crud on the fork, I'm guessing I wore then down a bit.
Not that I'm trying to show off or anything
, I think I had The Mall mostly to myself as well apart from maybe one other. Trying to line up the finishing photo so that I wasn't in a group.
All in all a very good weekend. Got a photo to Laura Trott on Friday (sorry, had to mention that again for who ever it was), watched the women's grad Prix on Saturday, topped off by today's ride and watching the end of the Pro race.
Now back to normal food
Not that I'm trying to show off or anything
, I think I had The Mall mostly to myself as well apart from maybe one other. Trying to line up the finishing photo so that I wasn't in a group. All in all a very good weekend. Got a photo to Laura Trott on Friday (sorry, had to mention that again for who ever it was), watched the women's grad Prix on Saturday, topped off by today's ride and watching the end of the Pro race.
Now back to normal food
Speedball
Well-Known Member
- Location
- King's Lynn
What can I say about today? Could probably fill a book with stories about today.
First thing I will say was that it was 100% correct to shorten the route. Disappointing I guess but saw enough people come off today to know that the descent of Leith Hill would have been extremely dangerous.
Think my official time was 6:03 but that doesn't tell the whole story. Was flying along (by my standards) for first 28 miles when I got a dreaded visit from the puncture fairies (they were out in force today). Stopped to fix it but soon realised my tyre was knackered, so had to walk 3 miles back to the Hampton Court hub and wait to get a new one fitted (Sigma Sport guys were fantastic).
That took my last £20 and only inner tube so decided that priority was to finish and tip toed my way to finish. Only really relaxed when got to the 95 mile mark as I knew if worst happened I'd just walk the rest. Certainly a lesson learnt to take a debit card with me in future.
Met some great folks at various points, plenty of offers of help from kind souls watching as I was walking back to Hampton Court but sadly no one had a spare tyre on them (about from the one I have round my waist). My only moan was the actions of the 0.1% who rode like knobheads. Trying to train through narrow flooded roads. Saw one group come a cropper and a couple go flying just before Newlands. Today wasn't a day for Strava PB's, everyone needed to look out for each other and to be fair most did.
First thing I will say was that it was 100% correct to shorten the route. Disappointing I guess but saw enough people come off today to know that the descent of Leith Hill would have been extremely dangerous.
Think my official time was 6:03 but that doesn't tell the whole story. Was flying along (by my standards) for first 28 miles when I got a dreaded visit from the puncture fairies (they were out in force today). Stopped to fix it but soon realised my tyre was knackered, so had to walk 3 miles back to the Hampton Court hub and wait to get a new one fitted (Sigma Sport guys were fantastic).
That took my last £20 and only inner tube so decided that priority was to finish and tip toed my way to finish. Only really relaxed when got to the 95 mile mark as I knew if worst happened I'd just walk the rest. Certainly a lesson learnt to take a debit card with me in future.
Met some great folks at various points, plenty of offers of help from kind souls watching as I was walking back to Hampton Court but sadly no one had a spare tyre on them (about from the one I have round my waist). My only moan was the actions of the 0.1% who rode like knobheads. Trying to train through narrow flooded roads. Saw one group come a cropper and a couple go flying just before Newlands. Today wasn't a day for Strava PB's, everyone needed to look out for each other and to be fair most did.
Specialeyes
Guru
- Location
- Essex
4:59:51 here - chuffed to have broken 5 hours, finishing with a chap from Redhill Cycling Club. As we entered The Mall with no-one in front for a good distance, we shared a glance and went for it.
Huge fun, even with the weather - and the crowds and marshals: heroic, every one of them! I came out of Kingston in each direction having burned a little too much fuel, just because of the crowds
And yes, the decision to cut the hills was quite right. Soon be time to sign up for next year and hope for better weather.
Chapeau, all!
Huge fun, even with the weather - and the crowds and marshals: heroic, every one of them! I came out of Kingston in each direction having burned a little too much fuel, just because of the crowds
And yes, the decision to cut the hills was quite right. Soon be time to sign up for next year and hope for better weather.
Chapeau, all!
Another 4.40 here. Thats not counting the time to fix a puncture at the bottom of the hill at the last hub. I gave my 2nd spare inner to a guy stopped next to me who was on his 3rd puncture!! Apocalyptic rain at times but most people were smiling. Not much you can do about it when youre out in it and since youre soaked through in about 5 minutes there's no point in caring about it. Having everyone on the roadsides cheering us all on was great.
0lonerider
Veteran
- Location
- tyneside
sounds like everyone had a great day!
welldone everyone.
welldone everyone.
geekinaseat
Well-Known Member
- Location
- London
Loved it (apart from probably the first 20 mins due to being wet and cold but soon warmed up)!!
The hills being skipped was a shame but definitely the right decision. The bad weather gives me more war stories to tell than climbing a couple of hills anyway!
The hills being skipped was a shame but definitely the right decision. The bad weather gives me more war stories to tell than climbing a couple of hills anyway!
I was in a smallish group and we didn't know about the hills being removed until we got to Arbinger Hammer!
Definitely right decision though.
4.45 for me including 2 toilet and a stop for chain problem.
Had hoped to break 6 for 100 which I think would have easily done as kept some in reserve for Leith/Box Hill.
Found Newlands Corner really easy-wasn't exactly sure where it was and kept expecting a bigger climb around a corner around there
22mph for first hour which felt so easy! Never usually get over 20 on the flat whilst on training rides.
The flood somewhere on route (!?) which was over the pedals wasn't pleasant also the one under the bridge!
Never seen weather like it before- I can't ever say I'm a fair weather cyclist again!
And definitely no excuse to not get out on the bike in the rain in future and stay on Wattbike!
Saw some people who looked like they were in trouble with ambulances out there-hope everyone ok!
With cycling there from Essex and a longer easy pedal back did 122miles in total.
Definitely right decision though.
4.45 for me including 2 toilet and a stop for chain problem.
Had hoped to break 6 for 100 which I think would have easily done as kept some in reserve for Leith/Box Hill.
Found Newlands Corner really easy-wasn't exactly sure where it was and kept expecting a bigger climb around a corner around there
22mph for first hour which felt so easy! Never usually get over 20 on the flat whilst on training rides.
The flood somewhere on route (!?) which was over the pedals wasn't pleasant also the one under the bridge!
Never seen weather like it before- I can't ever say I'm a fair weather cyclist again!
And definitely no excuse to not get out on the bike in the rain in future and stay on Wattbike!
Saw some people who looked like they were in trouble with ambulances out there-hope everyone ok!
With cycling there from Essex and a longer easy pedal back did 122miles in total.
BigGee
Senior Member
- Location
- North East London
I agree with that. It was people who should have known better that I witnessed doing some of the worst riding. People all in clubs, trying to run a pace line through a crowded road. I had one or two very close shaves with them, one of which caused me to remonstrate.
You do slow down out in the narrower lanes out in surrey, which may be a bit of a shock if you have been bombing out of London at 20+mph. I could see it very clearly in my 10 mile splits and it was not just because the road starts to go up and down. It is a bit of a bottleneck and eventually will probably be the limiting factor on how many people the course can take. They increased the numbers significantly this year, I doubt if they will go up significantly next year, if at all.
As you say though most people respected the conditions and the other riders. There are unfortunately always going to be a few idiots!
Phoenix Lincs
Über Member
- Location
- Sleaford, Lincs
Very well done to you all. You're super stars. 
Very pleased I did mine last year though 
Very pleased I did mine last year though 
Nomadski
I Like Bikes
- Location
- LBS, Usually
Very well done to you all. You're super stars.
Quite.
I went to work at 4am this morning at Gatwick and it was proper hardcore, the rain. I just thought of all the riders all day. When I finished it was sunny and warm, got home it was 21 degrees. Then 20 minutes later Sky and the BBC broke down in a flash storm including thunder and lightning.
Insane, I can only put it down to some ultimate being been very angry Nomadski didn't get a place in this years Ridelondon....be warned Prudential for next year!
Seriously though, massive well done to all and sundry, it was an achievement, and although the weather was challenging, I hope you all still gained a lot of pleasure from the experience.
Great day but unreal weather, was averaging 16.6 mph but then hit Richmond Park and the first real downpour, came to a standstill and had to walk the next few miles due to the rivers that appeared on the road, it took over an hour to do 5 miles!
Shame about taking out Leith & Box hill but can understand why, also wind was shocking at times and had some real 'interesting' rain where you just had to laugh!
Now, where do I sign up for next year? ;-)
Shame about taking out Leith & Box hill but can understand why, also wind was shocking at times and had some real 'interesting' rain where you just had to laugh!
Now, where do I sign up for next year? ;-)
