RideLondon-Surrey 100 (2019) Anyone?

[steverob]

Which forecast though - I wouldn't trust the BBC. Darksky has been my go-to for the last year - seems pretty accurate. But it's still 5 days away - a lot can change between now & then!!

Admittedly that forecast was from the BBC, who I will admit are always pessimistic about the weather - for example, this weekend just gone was meant to be a wash out in my area, whereas in reality it was drizzling on and off all day, so while they weren't totally wrong, they were a little harsh.

However DarkSky are the exact opposite - whenever I look at their app, any of their forecasts that are more than 1/2 a day ahead are always really optimistic and never seem to predict more than a 10% chance of rain even when everyone else is saying it's going to chuck it down! I do swear by their "next hour" rain forecast though - that does do the business and it's what I actually got their app for in the first place, so I can't complain too much.

 

[vickster]

The Beeb is only forecasting a low chance of light rain on and off. Has been pretty spot on for today!

 

[steverob]

The 46 was very unpleasant in the rain, freezing cold before even starting. The weather also meant we missed the Kingston cut off. If weather bad, I’m even more glad I deferred!

I know exactly how you felt. For me, the rain started just as our pen started shuffling forwards towards the start line and got to its heaviest probably not long after we passed Tower Bridge. By the time I reached Hammersmith I was so cold I was shivering even while riding, soaked through (I could hear the water sloshing around in my shoes), completely fed up and just wanted to quit - was even trying to work out in my head what the nearest station to the route was that had a service I could take my bike on to get back home; that's how bad it got.

Eneded up stopping at Chiswick Bridge - didn't really need to (I wasn't originally planning on stopping until at least the 40 mile mark), but I just knew I had get my head together. I spent 15-20 minutes there just talking to other riders and scarfed down a load of pastries that the volunteers manning that stop had brought along, until eventually my mood changed and I just went "sod it" and got back on my bike!

Yes, at the end of it all, once I'd done the full 100 miles (managed to get ahead of the two cut-offs, but only just it turned out), I was proud I did stick with it all the way to the finish, but do I really want to do that again just one year later?

 

[dickyknees]

Forecast for the start looks better than last year at the moment.

https://darksky.net/details/51.5388,-0.0181/2019-8-4/uk212/en

 

[steverob]

Forecast for the start looks better than last year at the moment.

https://darksky.net/details/51.5388,-0.0181/2019-8-4/uk212/en

I did say that DarkSky tends to be on the optimistic side, but even that's quite a surprising forecast compared to the others out there!

BBC earlier today was putting rain chances for the start at 50-60% (which was when I wrote my original post). They've now downgraded that to just 10%-20% admittedly, but they still think it's going to rain at some point.

 

[mjr]

Doesn't the BBC have a bit of a conflict of interest in basically advising people to defer rides and days out and stay in and watch TV?

The met office is more reliable, as are weather quest and ventusky IMO

 

[Nomadski]

It won't rain, I'm taking part.

(It's rained every year I haven't taken part)

 

[Mitcheridoo]

So, for various reasons, I am late making up my mind on whether to do the 100. I am now having trouble getting to the start. I'm wondering how dodgy it would be to start the ride in Chiswick. I'm asking for a friend obvs...

 

[Racing roadkill]

So, for various reasons, I am late making up my mind on whether to do the 100. I am now having trouble getting to the start. I'm wondering how dodgy it would be to start the ride in Chiswick. I'm asking for a friend obvs...

There’s no problem with that, except that you won’t get a 100 mile ride officially registered, because you’ll miss the first timing bar, at the Olympic Park start line.

 

[Racing roadkill]

I’ve heard that the road is still out at Hedley. I hope they get it sorted before tomorrow.

 

[Low Gear Guy]

I’ve heard that the road is still out at Hedley. I hope they get it sorted before tomorrow.

It was open yesterday evening

 

[DaveReading]

So, for various reasons, I am late making up my mind on whether to do the 100. I am now having trouble getting to the start. I'm wondering how dodgy it would be to start the ride in Chiswick. I'm asking for a friend obvs...

On a couple of the rides, I've met up with riders who started on the course, one just by Billingsgate and one at Kingston.

Your "friend" has paid for their entry, presumably. Nobody is going to care less about their choice of start point.

 

[vickster]

As above, you’ll just have no official time registered for your entry. Just done forget to go register at Excel by 5 today and get your numbers or you won’t be easily able to join the course al all

 

[adrianykw]

I pulled out this morning , will consider re-entering when the email comes through in October

Hi Vickster - long shot, but if your entry is still available to RideLondon I'd love to buy it from you!

mail.adrianwong@gmail.com

Thanks!

-Adrian

 

[Racing roadkill]

It was open yesterday evening

Good stuff.