Access Sport Ride Around London Sportive

nunowoolmez

Hello all,

I am thinking of doing the 'Ride Around London' sportive on 25th September & was wondering if any one else was thinking of doing this? I live in north london & trying to figure out logistics. Access sport have stated they will be offering a transfer service back to the start but no news as yet of this.

The ride looks really great but the fact that the start & finish are in different places is just a really bad idea in my opinion. The event starts in herne Hill for the long route & finishes in Waltham Cross somewhere.

Any one else in the same boat?

Cheers

Ali, Hampstead

http://www.accesssport.org.uk/ride-around-london

Brakeless

I'm doing it from North London. I'll ride to the start, about 15 miles, have a coffee etc, do the sportive then cycle home, about 8 miles from the finish.

josame

nunowoolmez wrote:

Hello all,

I am thinking of doing the 'Ride Around London' sportive on 25th September & was wondering if any one else was thinking of doing this? I live in north london & trying to figure out logistics. Access sport have stated they will be offering a transfer service back to the start but no news as yet of this.

The ride looks really great but the fact that the start & finish are in different places is just a really bad idea in my opinion. The event starts in herne Hill for the long route & finishes in Waltham Cross somewhere.

Any one else in the same boat?


The Cheshunt (near finish) to Liverpool street train leaves you just 5 miles from start.

SmellTheGlove

Same plan here as Brakeless.
May benefit from a lift home if my brother manages to get out of bed but having seen the route elevation (now on accesssport site) I reckon a few extra miles at the end shouldn't be beyond the legs - the Marmotte it's not!

Looking forward to it; have cajoled a squad of five to join in so should be a blast.

hambones

I live in the Abbey so will ride the 20 miles or so to Herne Hill so should rack up 135 for the day.

Gymfreak

I wasn't going to do this because it looks like a logistical faff. If I parked at the start, how far would it be to ride back there from the finish? I see its £24 to get transport back, and I don't want to pay that so would do a different sportive that day. But if I could ride back and it not be that far, that would change things. I don't know that area of London at all........

SmellTheGlove

Gymfreak wrote:

... if I could ride back and it not be that far, that would change things. I don't know that area of London at all........

What hambones said

Brakeless

THe route map is on thier site now

http://maps.google.com/maps/ms?msid=216 ... 9,3.515625

aspender

I put the route into Ride With GPS:

http://ridewithgps.com/routes/687340

Comes out at 1731m of elevation

FransJacques

Is everyone still committed t this event for the princely sum of £28? I'm torn.
1700 meters for 115 miles is not bad at all.
How many of you are starting in HH? I see that this is the start for the longest course.

Brakeless

I rode this yesterday, some good points and bad points.
A starting point with no parking whatsoever other than in busy residential streets.
Stop start route for 15 miles out of london, must have stopped at about a dozen sets of traffic lights,. Plenty of signs but it was impossible to see what way they were pointing until they were about 10 metres away. The 'festival of Cycling' at the finish was basically a Chain Reaction Tent and a BMX ramp! The feed stops were well stocked and manned by really freindly and helpful people but placing one at the far end of windsor meaning you had to pass through a really busy town centre full of tourists twice was not good.
The route in the last ten miles was different to the route published, on the maps issued the route went through Brookmans Park, the signed route didn't, seeing as my wife and kids were waiting to see me go past in Brookmans park this meant I had to go off the signed course to let them know what was going on. They's spent half an hour waiting wondering where all the cyclists were!
The finish being at a different place to the start was more hassle than it was worth, if the route had been exceptional it would have been worth it but I don't think I'd bother with this event again (if it happens again)

aspender

Definitely agree about the signage. The arrowheads on the CRC signs were far too small. If the sign was placed at the far end of a junction as it often was, you had to get right to the junction before you could work out which way you were turning.

Other than that I found the event to be very good. Personally the different location for start/finish didn't impact me and at least it alleviated too much riding in built up areas that a route beginning ending in the same place in London would incur. I do expect that this may have put people off entering however, but the numbers seemed pretty good.

Fair play to the guys doing the 115 miles on what looked like gym cross trainers on wheels!

stephenballantyne

I was just pleased to get round my first 100+ mile ride (clocked 140 miles for the day including the slowest ride home in history!). Managed to do the 115 miles at only a fractionally slower speed than my training rides that are half the length, so well chuffed with that.

Bit miffed with the route change and some of the less well paved roads, but this is the UK, so nothing too surprising there I suppose. Other than that it was a really nice event, with lots of friendly volunteers and other cyclists. Climbing Box Hill for the first time was a highlight.

MattFT

I had a good day out on this too. The start of the route wasn't great, but after box hill it was good. The split start/finish route didn't bother me too much. Just wish I had a more comfortable saddle! As my first century, it was a good choice. Not too challenging, and everyone was very friendly.