RideLondon-Surrey 100 (2017) Anyone?

[mjr]

Not quite, the first cut off is quite aggressive for the late starters. It's 27 miles in, and you need to be there by 10:50 making it 1hr50 for 9am starters.

Oh dear - I've now found three pages on the website giving different times at the first cut-off for the 100: 10:50, 11:00 and 11:10. Does anyone know which is official and current for this year?

That said, if you can't do the first 27 miles @ 15mph, where it's fast and flat, you'd probably be slower than 12mph overall when you include the hills.

Yes, unless you have to make an unplanned stop - stay away from the kerbs, folks!

Also, I think solving 100 / ( t + 8½ ) = 27 / ( t + 1⅚ ) for t, the number of hours before 9am of your start time, means if you've a start time before about 8:20, then the speed needed to make even a 10:50 first cut falls below the speed needed to finish in time.

 

[DaveReading]

Not quite, the first cut off is quite aggressive for the late starters. It's 27 miles in, and you need to be there by 10:50 making it 1hr50 for 9am starters.

And there are waves starting later than than, I know someone who has a 9:12 start.

 

[bikingdad90]

From the last wave you would need to average 14.09mph to beat the first cut off at Hampton Court and then average 12.82mph between there and Newlands Corner.
Dropping to 11.81mph to Westcott, to 11.11mph to leatherhead, then increasing slightly through to 11.76mph to finish on the Mall.

If you are one of the slower riders you start later so as not to create a jam with the faster riders who will be starting earlier. Makes no sense to me! Presume it is because the tv crews will want time to set up on the mall to film all the feel good stuff for charity and good to ratings.

 

[slycle]

From the last wave you would need to average 14.09mph to beat the first cut off at Hampton Court

What time do you see the cutoff being? According to this it's 10:50am - https://www.prudentialridelondon.co.uk/events/100/rider-info/slower-cyclists/ - with those who arrive after 11am being withdrawn from the event entirely.

With the last wave starting at 9:15am this means those people need to average 17.05mph to Hampton Court, dropping down to 14.73mph for those starting at 9am. It's going to be very tight for a lot of people starting after 8:45ish.

 

[DaveReading]

With the last wave starting at 9:15am this means those people need to average 17.05mph to Hampton Court

That's just plain ridiculous and, more to the point, directly contradicts the statement (on the same page) that diversions will only be mandatory for "cyclists travelling slower than the eight-and-a-half-hour time limit" (i.e. just under 12mph, though granted most riders will complete the early, flat part of the course faster than their overall average speed)..

 

[mjr]

What time do you see the cutoff being? According to this it's 10:50am - https://www.prudentialridelondon.co.uk/events/100/rider-info/slower-cyclists/ - with those who arrive after 11am being withdrawn from the event entirely.

With the last wave starting at 9:15am this means those people need to average 17.05mph to Hampton Court, dropping down to 14.73mph for those starting at 9am. It's going to be very tight for a lot of people starting after 8:45ish.

And https://www.prudentialridelondon.co.uk/events/100/timetable/ says last riders at 11:10. I can't find the page with the other time right now. The site's a bit of a mess and it's not clear which pages are current.

 

[slycle]

And https://www.prudentialridelondon.co.uk/events/100/timetable/ says last riders at 11:10. I can't find the page with the other time right now. The site's a bit of a mess and it's not clear which pages are current.

I read that to mean that there'll be no riders through Hampton Court at all by 11:10, not that the diversion starts then. But yes, not clear and seemingly contradictory timings and explanations on their various pages.

 

[mjr]

I read that to mean that there'll be no riders through Hampton Court at all by 11:10, not that the diversion starts then. But yes, not clear and seemingly contradictory timings and explanations on their various pages.

Well https://www.prudentialridelondon.co.uk/events/46/timetable/ says last riders at Hampton Court for the 46 at 11:40.

Is the page with 10:50 navigable from the website or only findable with search engines? The timetable pages are linked from the menus, so I'm inclined to think they're current.

 

[PaulSB]

There's one person standing at the entrance of each pen containing a thousand or so people. You can just ride past them, they might mention you're in the wrong pen but they're not going to chase you in and drag you out. There's no security to speak of. Once you're in the pen, you're in the pen.

Could you explain a little more about these pens? I have an image of a large fenced off area which we ride in to and then a gate at the other side which riders are released through.

It's rather hard to visualise

Thank you.

 

[srw]

And https://www.prudentialridelondon.co.uk/events/100/timetable/ says last riders at 11:10. I can't find the page with the other time right now. The site's a bit of a mess and it's not clear which pages are current.

That page specifically refers to this year's event!

They seem to have forgotten that last year when we withdrew they promised us a tandem place for this year - time will tell whether we get it back. I wasn't hugely impressed with the travel options page this year, either - unlike previous years, where you are taken straight to your main account on the site you have to "buy" (for free) a set of travel options, and re-enter rider number and postcode.

 

[jefmcg]

They seem to have forgotten that last year when we withdrew they promised us a tandem place for this year - time will tell whether we get it back.

I think time has told. When @vickster withdrew a couple of years ago, she had to take up her place shortly after the event she withdrew from - by the end of October as I recall.

If you haven't heard by now, I suspect you won't.

Apologies if I am wrong.

 

[srw]

I think time has told. When @vickster withdrew a couple of years ago, she had to take up her place shortly after the event she withdrew from - by the end of October as I recall.

If you haven't heard by now, I suspect you won't.

Apologies if I am wrong.

Oh, we've got places, definitely - we went back online in October and repaid and all, and have had the magazine and the emails this week. But despite getting an email last year saying that that was all we had to do to make sure of a tandem place they seem to have forgotten and we have two solo spots. Someone in the office is dealing with it, but she was off on holiday yesterday afternoon.

 

[Vegan1]

Only 5 weeks to go.

 

[Rustybucket]

I'm out, bad back so can't ride this year

 

[Beebo]

Could you explain a little more about these pens? I have an image of a large fenced off area which we ride in to and then a gate at the other side which riders are released through.

It's rather hard to visualise

Thank you.

There a 5 different start areas but only 1 actual start line, so the pens all funnel into one area.
The pens themselves are long and thin, they are roads and paths surrounded by metal fencing. As the pen in front of you empties out you move forward into their now empty pen and so on, until you get to the start line, it is all very well done. You push your bike until the last pen where the starter will give you a count down, at this point everyone gets on their bike to the sound of 100 of people all clipping in, and you are off slowly. Once you go up the slip road to the A12 the road soon opens out.
If you have ever watched the crowds at the start of the London marathon it is a bit like that, you will be penned in for at least 30 mins. There are portaloos dotted about the pens so no need to panic if caught short.