RideLondon-Surrey 100 (2015) Anyone?

[sleaver]

What time are you aiming for??

You can't ask questions like that, you'll get us accused of racing

 

[vickster]

I've waited 2 years to do this, having to pull out last year on specialist advice. I would have just liked a bit more time to be able to complete the course comfortably. My only aim is to finish, I don't care about the time

 

[Simontm]

I've waited 2 years to do this, having to pull out last year on specialist advice. I would have just liked a bit more time to be able to complete the course comfortably. My only aim is to finish, I don't care about the time

I refer the honourable lady to my previous answer

 

[w00hoo_kent]

If your not as fast as everyone else around you, just stay to the left, listen out for others warning you they are there and where if needed (done to warn you, not to tell you to get out the way) and I'm sure you will be fine

@azir the only thing I'd add to this is keep your line and ride predictably. Out to Richmond Park is all wide and flat from what I remember, the fast guys will be going at pace, just keep out of their way and don't surprise them. If it's too much then there's a stop at Hampton Court I think, take 30 minutes there, have a rest, eat, get yourself further down the pack (you've plenty of time) even in the weather last year and with a start time of around 7am (can't remember exactly) I found some of the chain gangs coming past on the narrower stuff a bit daunting, but I was managing to go a bit too quick to sit far left which can't of helped.

Surely people should just be able to ride with consideration for others. Slower to the left, faster to the right, have the whole road ultimately

I hate it when I laugh out loud at work. Ride London sees the whole spectrum of bike riders so expect around 50% of them to be nobbers (or at least for it to feel that way).

I've waited 2 years to do this, having to pull out last year on specialist advice. I would have just liked a bit more time to be able to complete the course comfortably. My only aim is to finish, I don't care about the time

My approach was to enjoy the closed roads and to remember that if I wanted to cycle around the area looking at the sites I could do it another time. Don't get caught up hanging around feed stations too much and you should do fine. (I'm not going to say 'no worries, you'll do it easy, and all that crap, I've never ridden with you and it annoys me when people do that to me. But you signed up on the assumption you'd finish it, so go for it (unless that leg hurts too much, then stop.))

 

[Dogtrousers]

Ride London sees the whole spectrum of bike riders so expect around 50% of them to be nobbers

 

[sleaver]

Ride London sees the whole spectrum of bike riders so expect around 50% of them to be nobbers (or at least for it to feel that way).

Any of that 50% posting here

 

[Nomadski]

I've waited 2 years to do this, having to pull out last year on specialist advice. I would have just liked a bit more time to be able to complete the course comfortably. My only aim is to finish, I don't care about the time

If I can give you one bit of advice, from my previous venture in this event, unless you need a long drawn out rest at the top of Newlands Corner, avoid the HUB there. Stop at one of the plentiful mini stop points (indicated by the water bottle on the map) which have toilets and refuel facilities, either before or after the climb.

Newlands HUB was a complete waste of half an hour on my last go - a massive queue slowly winding one way then back again, with no short cut to get out. You are far better off having more, shorter stops, than a few long ones.

Having said that, they may have improved it in 2014, but knowing where it is located it will be a massively over populated rest stop. Far better to turn the corner, take in the lovely breezes of the wonderful downhill section, then stop at the next mini stop.

 

[vickster]

Thanks. I expect it will be my woeful bladder that dictates which stops are used! Hopefully these will be short. I stiffen up if I stop for too long so I'll be mindful of the time taken or needed

I'm not keen on that run down from NC so will be taking it easy. I don't use descents to gain time as I'm a complete coward, more powering through flats if I can. Too many nasty injuries from even the most innocuous falls at slow speeds. Coming off at speed on hills terrifies me

 

[EltonFrog]

If I can give you one bit of advice, from my previous venture in this event, unless you need a long drawn out rest at the top of Newlands Corner, avoid the HUB there. Stop at one of the plentiful mini stop points (indicated by the water bottle on the map) which have toilets and refuel facilities, either before or after the climb.

Newlands HUB was a complete waste of half an hour on my last go - a massive queue slowly winding one way then back again, with no short cut to get out. You are far better off having more, shorter stops, than a few long ones.

Having said that, they may have improved it in 2014, but knowing where it is located it will be a massively over populated rest stop. Far better to turn the corner, take in the lovely breezes of the wonderful downhill section, then stop at the next mini stop.

This is good advice, avoid the NC stop if you can. Also unless you like a lot of sweet foods take something savoury with you like sausage rolls, pasties, that sort of thing, you will get hungry take some food you like.

Thanks. I expect it will be my woeful bladder that dictates which stops are used! Hopefully these will be short. I stiffen up if I stop for too long so I'll be mindful of the time taken or needed

I'm not keen on that run down from NC so will be taking it easy. I don't use descents to gain time as I'm a complete coward, more powering through flats if I can. Too many nasty injuries from even the most innocuous falls at slow speeds. Coming off at speed on hills terrifies me

When you go down the hill from NC most folk go down on the left carriageway ( it's a short dual CW), go right - no one goes down that way.

 

[Nomadski]

Thanks. I expect it will be my woeful bladder that dictates which stops are used! Hopefully these will be short. I stiffen up if I stop for too long so I'll be mindful of the time taken or needed

I'm not keen on that run down from NC so will be taking it easy. I don't use descents to gain time as I'm a complete coward, more powering through flats if I can. Too many nasty injuries from even the most innocuous falls at slow speeds. Coming off at speed on hills terrifies me

Have you ridden that descent before? It has long sweeping bends that can easily be ridden when your just in the left lane. Check before you start going down who is around you, and if its clear just use the width of the road. You won't even need to try and go fast, its just a lovely easy descent, perhaps my favourite in the whole of the route as there is no terrifying sharp bends in it, or tight sections near the bottom. You get a wonderful rest after Newlands Corner from it, just look ahead at the corner, and the bike will follow

Leith Hills descent is where you need to be careful, road surface is terrible, a couple of tighter than expected bends, and the road width changes nearer the bottom, just go easy and its ok.

Even though it is closed roads, and you cant get lost, download the GPX to your Edge (if you have one) and have it on the course map page, that way you can track the layout of bends ahead of you - super useful if your not massively knowledgeable on the route. Helped me no end on Velothon Wales - even though friends thought it was crazy having the course loaded!

 

[sleaver]

Leith Hills descent is where you need to be careful, road surface is terrible, a couple of tighter than expected bends, and the road width changes nearer the bottom, just go easy and its ok.

If the sun is out, you also get the effect of it shining through the trees onto the road, meaning you have no chance of telling what the road is like or if you are just going to hit a shadow or a pothole

 

[EltonFrog]

If the sun is out, you also get the effect of it shining through the trees onto the road, meaning you have no chance of telling what the road is like or if you are just going to hit a shadow or a pothole

Two years ago on RL day there was a pot hole which I hit about 30mph and blew the tyre. I nearly pooped myself! I hope the hole is fixed now.

I mean really, what were they thinking not going round the route and not get the roads sorted? Prats!

 

[sleaver]

I mean really, what were they thinking not going round the route and not get the roads sorted? Prats!

To be fair, it is 100 miles. Last year, I think they did fix the worst ones and they did have part of Putney Bridge re-surfaced just for RideLondon because it was closed due to maintenance work and had no road surface.

I don't know how well you know Surrey roads, but to fix it all would cost a huge amount of money and take forever.

 

[EltonFrog]

To be fair, it is 100 miles. Last year, I think they did fix the worst ones and they did have part of Putney Bridge re-surfaced just for RideLondon because it was closed due to maintenance work and had no road surface.

I don't know how well you know Surrey roads, but to fix it all would cost a huge amount of money and take forever.

They should've never been allowed to get in a mess in first place!

 

[slycle]

Leith Hill was closed to traffic on Monday, I rode up it and a bunch of sections were getting potholes filled so at least going up should be smoother. Hopefully they also filled in the ones on the descent, especially the sharp left hander which has horrendous bumps on the left hand side of the road right around the turn.