RideLondon-Surrey 100 (2016) Anyone?

[benb]

It seems to me that the estimated time thing is totally irrelevant considering all the hold ups and diversion in the last three years.

It does affect the start time, and if I had been 30 mins earlier setting off I would have avoided the big delay.
But something like that could happen at any time, so probably not worth trying to second guess it.

 

[rugby bloke]

Another great ride yesterday, despite getting caught up in the congestion. The first 30 miles went really well, I think my average speed must have been easily in the high teens or perhaps even better. I was fortunate to be at a drinks station when the traffic jam started so the 60 min wait was not too bad. Was chatting to a mate afterwards, he was stuck outside a church hall, which was making an absolute fortunate selling tea and cake ! Leith Hill was fine, had to walk a section at the bottom due to weight of traffic but once we got moving there was no problems. Box Hill was busy but for some bizarre reason it is actually one of my favorite parts of the ride, I just love the climb. What was frustrating was having to walk up the kicker after the decent from Box Hill. Come on guys, look ahead and select the right gear ... Was ready for Wimbledon this year and decided to attack it ... a decision I was regretting half way up but hung on till the top. After that, put on the gas and sprint for home.

An amazingly well organised event, but I cannot help thinking that we may have reached and perhaps even past peak numbers.

Strava has finally synced and tells me I completed in 6.43. I was hoping for sub 6 hours, but the congestion well and truly did for that ambition.

Riding back through live traffic to the Finsbury Square NCP came as a bit of a shock - welcome back to the real world of cycling ... One final observation, people who booked parking spaces through the event seemed to be having a real faff getting out of the car park. I just pre-booked on the website and just had to put my ticket in the machine to get out.

 

[philk56]

Not allowed in the sportive. Why was it not pulled out, I wonder?

I passed a handcyclist at one stage. Was getting a lot of cheers but definitely not allowed and I did wonder if it was an interloper. Speaking of which, during the big stop I was chatting for a few minutes to a guy with a nice early 1980's bike. After a few minutes I realised he didn't have a number showing anywhere on himself or the bike, so I presume he was just along for the ride. There are so many places where it is possible to slip onto the road. I did hear one marshall shout out to a couple of kids about not being allowed on the route without a number but wonder how many are that strict or observant.

 

[The Central Scrutinizer]

I was one of the many stuck at pyrford and then at the bottom of leith hill.I was praying please don't divert us but they didn't so i managed to do the whole 100 miles.I feel really sorry for those further behind me who had to divert.

Besides the stopping and starting i thought it was a great event what with all the people cheering you on and finishing on the mall was just brilliant.
I thought the route was a lot easier than i had anticipated it would be,nether had no trouble getting up the hills and riding box hill with the views was great.

There were some "nobbers doing the route and one comes to mind as we were going up box hill one rider came through and although he did say coming up on the right he then went on to say to anybody in his way "move".

I have raised a lot of money for prostate cancer uk and had a great day and hopefully get to do it next year.

 

[rb58]

IAt the start I was chatting with a friend who I was cycling with about the apparent preponderance of peanuts in cycling - you know the type, flashy bike, full kit, speeding past people without leaving enough space, shouting abuse at anyone not seen to be moving out of their way fast enough

You forgot the deep section wheels. My observation was that high proportion of the 'peanuts' had deep section carbon wheels. That isn't to say everyone with deep sections wheels was badly behaved, they definitely weren't. But there did seems to be a high correlation. What's the point of deep section wheels anyway? I thought they were mostly suited to time trials?

 

[Justinslow]

I want to do more going the wrong way around roundabouts!

That is great isn't it!

 

[Dogtrousers]

You forgot the deep section wheels. My observation was that high proportion of the 'peanuts' had deep section carbon wheels. That isn't to say everyone with deep sections wheels was badly behaved, they definitely weren't. But there did seems to be a high correlation. What's the point of deep section wheels anyway? I thought they were mostly suited to time trials?

The last two discarded inner tubes that I've collected from the roadside had really long stems. (Takes run up and leaps to conclusion )

 

[Wolf616]

I must admit I tried to throw a banana skin into a bin and missed by a hair's breadth. I still feel bad about it now (and got some well deserved derisory cheers from another cyclist)

 

[Wolf616]

Will the police arrest me for littering now I've admitted that?

 

[EltonFrog]

You forgot the deep section wheels. My observation was that high proportion of the 'peanuts' had deep section carbon wheels. That isn't to say everyone with deep sections wheels was badly behaved, they definitely weren't. But there did seems to be a high correlation. What's the point of deep section wheels anyway? I thought they were mostly suited to time trials?

I noticed that the bikes with those wheels made a lot of noise, and wondered what the point of them was.

 

[Wolf616]

Yeah that's another question, perhaps not for this thread: why do some rear wheels make clicking sounds when freewheeling and others don't? It's often the more expensive bikes I've noticed it on, but correlation does not equal causation (except with discarded inner tubes with long stems, of course)...

 

[TheJDog]

I started pretty early - up at 4am for a ride across town - 4:50:35 official time, finished at 11:30am or so I think, so I missed all the delays. I was with three other guys, and my attempts to persuade them into a 2 minute turn chain gang were utterly quoshed. Oliver just hammered it at the front when he could, with no mind as to whether anyone could hang on, and Fish was just sounding like a man dying from mile 15 to when I last saw him over the top of Box Hill. I dropped my bottle at the top of Leith Hill, parked at the side by falling off into the ditch, and had to dodge people to retrieve it. Someone ran over it, but kept upright. Sorry everyone! Our pace slowed a bit after Box Hill, so I went to the front to try to up it a bit, and didn't see the other three again until the end. Caned it from there because I wanted to get under 5 hours, wheelsucking when there was someone setting a good pace, but probably 50% of the time solo. Legs felt awful from Kingston, incipient cramp in both quads and slighly sore achilles tendons, but I kept up the pace. Felt good to cross the line, and I even got out of the saddle on the Mall, but didn't go any faster Turned out the other guys were only a minute or two behind me, so I should have just waited for them.

Huge number of riders, and 99% were very good, I thought. I saw one fat f*** chug down a gel and just throw the wrapper down (I said something to him) but apart from that it was all good. Weather brilliant, just warm enough, I was never too hot, crowds fantastic, riding up the Mall was good. All in all, I'd do it again, but I wouldn't worry about the time. My knees are sore this morning. Granny ring all the way into work.

 

[rb58]

And how about that road surface on Box Hill!! I think the National Trust should be given responsibility for all our roads.

 

[mjr]

I passed a handcyclist at one stage. Was getting a lot of cheers but definitely not allowed

Actually, they are, but only in the 46. Like tandems, recumbents and tricycles (who can all do 100 too), RideLondon is one of the few events they can enter. The main types of banned bike at RL are TT bikes, cargo bikes and anything with cowhorn, aero or spinaci bars. Not that anyone seemed to be stopping them - there will be hell to pay if any of them are involved in a crash.

why do some rear wheels make clicking sounds when freewheeling and others don't?

Strong pawl springs (Hope are famous for it) or insufficient lubrication (most that you hear).

 

[rb58]

Strong pawl springs (Hope are famous for it) or insufficient lubrication (most that you hear).

I think the Italians like a noisy rear end (ooh-err Matron!). My Fulcrums (Italian) are noisy, whereas the Mavics (French) are nice and quiet.