RideLondon-Surrey 100 (2015) Anyone?

[Black Cat 9]

Pink E 8:03 start, a little later than I was hoping for, would have liked to be an hour or so earlier.

Questions, so many questions...I am staying in Bloomsbury and will ride the 7miles or so to the start. But how do I get across the Ride route closed roads into Queen Elizabeth Park to the start?

Also is the official Prudential Ride kit popular or considered a bit naff to wear on the day? Since I will be over from the land down under thought it would be a good souvenir and reminder of the day.

 

[Simontm]

Pink E 8:03 start, a little later than I was hoping for, would have liked to be an hour or so earlier.

Questions, so many questions...I am staying in Bloomsbury and will ride the 7miles or so to the start. But how do I get across the Ride route closed roads into Queen Elizabeth Park to the start?

Also is the official Prudential Ride kit popular or considered a bit naff to wear on the day? Since I will be over from the land down under thought it would be a good souvenir and reminder of the day.

There is a site for closures while TFL will have up to date info on the day.
Also here're the maps

 

[sleaver]

The ramp to the Bear always gets me, absolutely nothing but there you go! Coombs lane will be a surprise to those who don't know it and Wimbledon hill is an absolute PITA

For some reason, the ramp to get back on the A25 after Leith gets me every time.

But the short and sharp descent between there and Westcot is fun

Bit off topic but I did White Down for the first time a couple of weeks ago after going up Leigh. It made Leith seem flat!

 

[sleaver]

That said the whole route is childsplay compared to the back 40 miles in Velothon Wales. Leith is really the only major challenge I would say.

After Wales, I've renamed the Surrey Hill to the Surrey Speed Bumps

 

[srw]

@srw What are you counting as the 4 1/2 hills? Newlands, Leith, Box are the main three then Richmond Park and Wimbledon?

While it is mostly flat, I would say that it is fairer to say that it is rolling terrain in Surrey for those who don't know the area.

The incline up past Holmbury St Mary before Leith Hill, while not steep, does go on for a few kilometres. I would say this is more challenging than Richmond Park due to the length and the distance covered before it.

Wimbledon is 4, and I don't remember the name of the half, but it was littered with gel wrappers - just after a station that was handing them out to the whippets.

 

[srw]

Doesn't count there were two of you

You've never tried climbing a hill on a tandem then? Gravity gets in the way.

Last year we reached Richmond town centre for the first time as the fastest amateurs were coming back through, and for the second time as the pro peleton was coming out.

 

[Nathan_Wind]

Hi. Anyone riding to the start from Central London, Covent Garden?

Any idea what the roads will be like?

 

[w00hoo_kent]

I definitely noticed Wimbledon doing the 86 miler although it was my first time through Richmond Park and I still couldn't tell you where the hill is.

Wimbledon with Leith & Box might have done for me :-)

The closed roads and sheer number of bikes makes it easier than otherwise.

I agree it's odd fasts go before slow but with the speed difference some chain gangs in identical kit squeezed past us duffers on the wet bits of the 86 I'm glad it wasn't a constant stream it would have been accident city.

I don't recall a lot of official kit (I had it but didn't wear it) and it is a nice memento. In the UK, unless desperate, I'd watch Wiggle as the sales come on, it's decent DHB kit and goes a lot cheaper, I think I paid £35 for my second set of bibs & jersey.

 

[Simontm]

For some reason, the ramp to get back on the A25 after Leith gets me every time.

But the short and sharp descent between there and Westcot is fun

Bit off topic but I did White Down for the first time a couple of weeks ago after going up Leigh. It made Leith seem flat!

Oh god yes that ramp. I don't know what it is, I decelerate from 30mph to about 3mph in a second Last week I hit 43mph heading to Westcot.
White Down? Haven't done that. When I accidentally did Coombe Lane north thought that would kill me. Leith Hill and Staples Lane are kittens compared to that

 

[sleaver]

I agree it's odd fasts go before slow

It is the same with running events although those are actual races whereas RideLondon isn't.

Using running as an example, people still put in a predicted finishing time but some people can't run at the pace that they entered. The fast runners then have to dodge people who are walking within the first 1km of maybe a half or full marathon. If you accidentally run into someone while running, it isn't really a problem, but imagine faster riders trying to get past slower riders where a "bump" will end up in a bit more of a mess.

I still think it is unfair as it puts pressure on people who are doing it as a challenge, but with the pro race, they have to have the time limit because unlike running where the elites go first, we have the likes of Wiggins, Cav and Greipel chasing us down.

 

[sleaver]

White Down? Haven't done that.

Give it a go

It is easy to get to as well after Leith Hill. Just take the left turn at Abinger Common about 3/4 of the way down after Leith or just go up that ramp to the A25 and turn left instead of right then right a bit further down the A25. Once at the top, it is quite a nice ride through Ranmoor Common to Box Hill. Once you've stuck your lungs back in your chest

It is one of those hills that keeps giving Probably imagine Leith Hill but without the flat bits but don't let that put you off

https://www.strava.com/segments/6691301

This one has a sting in the tail as well when it suddenly ramps up around the left hand turn near the top

https://www.strava.com/segments/7091214

It is funny how Box Hill has got a "reputation" due to the Olympics and it having turns like Alpe d'Huez but it is probably the easiest hill in the Surrey Hills area.

 

[sleaver]

Also is the official Prudential Ride kit popular or considered a bit naff to wear on the day? Since I will be over from the land down under thought it would be a good souvenir and reminder of the day.

I brought the t-shirt at the expo last year and wasn't going to bother with the official jersey due to the cost. However, after 86 miles in Bertha's "after birth" (as @Nomadski put it even though he was probably sitting in the dry ) I brought it because those 86 miles were kind of character building

This is just me though and it partly comes from when I was running, but I don't wear the official clothes before or during because with running, it is seen that you need to do the event first to "earn" the right to wear them. That is just me though and there are plenty of people who wear the kit during RideLondon and it was the same with Velothon Wales.

I buy the jerseys as a souvenir and may wear them one day as it is a nice thing to have. Although I doubt I'll buy the RideLondon one this year as it is just a different design. Well, unless we are lucky enough to have another hurricane <goes off to Goggle to find rain dances >

 

[Nomadski]

I wore the Velothon Wales shirt on the day as it had HUGE pockets at the back. I bought the RideLondon 2013 set but only wore them after as I was riding for charity that day anyway so wore the CRUK shirt.

@Black Cat 9 Wear what you like, ride what you like, it matters not what anyone else thinks. Just wear something!

 

[rb58]

It's a few years since I went up Leith Hill and I don't think I've any opportunity to get over there to recce it before the day. I'm familiar with White Down though and I don't see how it can be tougher than that. Is it?

 

[Nomadski]

It's a few years since I went up Leith Hill and I don't think I've any opportunity to get over there to recce it before the day. I'm familiar with White Down though and I don't see how it can be tougher than that. Is it?

Not done White Down but that looks much tougher.