ride london stsrt times

MattPillinger

Well I'm 6:34 start time (arrive at OP at 5:34). I put down 6:10 - 6:19 for ride time which I think is fairly realistic, but it does depend how congested the course is at the start and on the hills.

Fairly happy with that start time, as I'd rather be away earlier, although I might not be saying that at 5:00 when I'm leaving my Docklands hotel.

Just hope it's not raining, it'll be pretty grim to have us all hanging around for 1 hour in the pouring rain, spirits damp before you even get going

Chris87

Nobody will be forced off the course they will just be directed down a shorter route, considering the massive scale of this whole event I think it's been handled bloody well! Yes early starts aren't great but most sportives have pretty early starts anyway and you don't get closed roads!

izza

Have they said what ID is required to bring to Excel?

longy

I have a 7.30ish start time and am 25 minutes before my mate who forecast a much quicker time than I did. Ho hum. I'm in it for the experience but, for the record, will not be wearing a Mr Blobby suit :roll: Happy to say hello to any of the others who aren't intending to be breaking the land speed record on the way round.

bigmat

7:02 start time for me. Would expect to cover that course in around 5 hours on closed roads if I was riding solo, but think I can kiss goodbye to a quick time setting off that late. Oh well, at least I get a bit longer in bed and will just take the event for what it is - I'm sure it will be fun!

thegreatdivide

Der Kaiser wrote:

I am glad I didn't get in this event now. I would not have been impressed at starting at 6am. Basically the organisers want everyone out of the way before the Pros have a race. I think this will ruin it for some of the slower riders who could well be forced off the course without completing it.

Why not have the Sportive on the Saturday and the race on the Sunday?

Why? Because you have to get up early? You didn't get in this year - we get it - try again next year and put yourself down for the slowest time so you can have a lie in.

This event is no different to the Etape Caledonia apart from the extra 19 miles and 4 x the riders. The Etape C starts waves at 6:15.

zardoz

Der Kaiser wrote:

I am glad I didn't get in this event now. I would not have been impressed at starting at 6am. Basically the organisers want everyone out of the way before the Pros have a race. I think this will ruin it for some of the slower riders who could well be forced off the course without completing it.

Why not have the Sportive on the Saturday and the race on the Sunday?

The range of start times was made clear from the start and closing 100 miles of roads for 2 days would not be acceptable. This isn't the Olympics after all.

zardoz

essjaydee wrote:

FFS...stop bloody moaning and just look forward to the day :roll:

So what if you didn't get the start time you wanted. So what if your not going to be able to do your fastest 100 mile ride. Go and race instead if speed is your goal :!: So what if people will be riding in costumes for charity. So what if people are using 11-32 cassettes. Miserable buggers the lot of you

It's the first one. Your going to be part of something unique and special. I'm sure there will be problems, hold ups, or whatever, who cares:?:

Let's all try and enjoy the day for what it is. A celebration of cycling Doesn't matter what bike your on, what kit you wear, what gearing your using, what your average speed is, what time you start or what time you finish.

I know I will

Totally agree, it seems many people have missed the whole point of this event. I did the first London Marathon way back in 1981(A unique double doing the 1st London Marathon and 1st Ride London?). These same moans were made about that event from people who considered themselves better than everyone else.

If anyone wants a guaranteed start time and a clear run, do the training and get in a pro team

Leesykoi

I can't wait, got a late notice entry and carrying a bad cruciate injury but so what.

This is going to be epic and i cannot understand all the moaners. I'm travelling down from Newcastle and bringing my non cyclist missus down to make a weekend of it.

AllWhyte

I have am having my blobby costume resprayed in the sky team colours, just wondering how much vaseline I will get through.
Start time 7.38
est time 8.5 hrs nodding along at the back!

spearmint_wino

How did people get on? The route out of London is along my normal training loop so I inadvertently rode with some of you for 20k

option_click

essjaydee wrote:

FFS...stop bloody moaning and just look forward to the day :roll:

So what if you didn't get the start time you wanted. So what if your not going to be able to do your fastest 100 mile ride. Go and race instead if speed is your goal :!: So what if people will be riding in costumes for charity. So what if people are using 11-32 cassettes. Miserable buggers the lot of you

It's the first one. Your going to be part of something unique and special. I'm sure there will be problems, hold ups, or whatever, who cares:?:

Let's all try and enjoy the day for what it is. A celebration of cycling Doesn't matter what bike your on, what kit you wear, what gearing your using, what your average speed is, what time you start or what time you finish.

I know I will

mitchventoux wrote:

very well put ,some people on here are so far up there own asses ,complaining about start times and being behind all the muppets and how fast they gonna do it ,bloody wannabe pros dressed in full sky kit , I shall be treating it as a nice ride in the sun I hope and chat on way round to fellow cyclists who don't take it too seriously

I couldn't give a monkeys about setting the fastest time possible, but at the same time I'd prefer not to get stuck behind hoards of people having a nice chat whilst pushing their bikes up Leith Hill (à la London to Brighton).
Setting off earlier will help to avoid that. Not unreasonable, surely?

Chris87

Wait.....you mean we're not all supposed to pretend we're racing in the Olympic road race?

Clearly I signed up for the wrong thing! This is an outrage, completely false advertising! Rant rant rant, blah blah blah....

jonny_trousers

Option Click wrote:

essjaydee wrote:

FFS...stop bloody moaning and just look forward to the day :roll:

So what if you didn't get the start time you wanted. So what if your not going to be able to do your fastest 100 mile ride. Go and race instead if speed is your goal :!: So what if people will be riding in costumes for charity. So what if people are using 11-32 cassettes. Miserable buggers the lot of you

It's the first one. Your going to be part of something unique and special. I'm sure there will be problems, hold ups, or whatever, who cares:?:

Let's all try and enjoy the day for what it is. A celebration of cycling Doesn't matter what bike your on, what kit you wear, what gearing your using, what your average speed is, what time you start or what time you finish.

I know I will

mitchventoux wrote:

very well put ,some people on here are so far up there own asses ,complaining about start times and being behind all the muppets and how fast they gonna do it ,bloody wannabe pros dressed in full sky kit , I shall be treating it as a nice ride in the sun I hope and chat on way round to fellow cyclists who don't take it too seriously

I couldn't give a monkeys about setting the fastest time possible, but at the same time I'd prefer not to get stuck behind hoards of people having a nice chat whilst pushing their bikes up Leith Hill (à la London to Brighton).
Setting off earlier will help to avoid that. Not unreasonable, surely?

Do you really think there will be that many casual riders doing it? I'm not saying there won't be, I'd just be surprised. I guess the answer is to sprint like f*ck and overtake as many people as you can before you hit the hills. Shouldn't be a problem for the quality of riders we clearly have on these boards.

option_click

Who knows, but judging by the social buzz along the lines of "just got a place on London100, best think about buying a bike LOL" there could be many. I'm sure the distance will have deterred a lot of the L2B crowd though.

jonny_trousers

spearmint wino wrote:

How did people get on? The route out of London is along my normal training loop so I inadvertently rode with some of you for 20k

You're thinking about the wrong event, mate. That was the FT London Cycle Sportive.

Over all it was a good event. The weather was great and the route challenging (for me anyway), but fun. There was a cock-up when we all hit a closed road and had to do a detour, and it looked like one poor sod needed an ambulance, but hopefully he/she is ok. The food at the feed stations was a bit cack, though.

Stedman

Clearly there are two camps here, those who want to get around as quickly as they can and those who want to just want to get around the course! Is it is necessary to justify which camp you are in?

spearmint_wino

Jonny_Trousers wrote:

You're thinking about the wrong event, mate. That was the FT London Cycle Sportive.

ah. my bad.

Jonny_Trousers wrote:

Over all it was a good event. The weather was great and the route challenging (for me anyway), but fun. There was a cock-up when we all hit a closed road and had to do a detour, and it looked like one poor sod needed an ambulance, but hopefully he/she is ok.

Was that the person with the Focus (I think) snapped in half just behind the head tube? I passed that - looked nasty, hope they're ok.

sherer

lets just remember that first year events are always a learning experience. I'm sure it won't be perfect the first year but as long as feed back any issues politely i'm sure they will listen and improve that for the year after

simonhead

I know there will be thousands of people with little or no experience cycling the route, just like the L2B however there shouldnt be the number of casual riders that there were on the L2B just joining outside the park gates. I have no issues over time, I just want to ride and enjoy it, not too fussed by the pace but given its closed roads I am hoping that there wont be anywhere near the ammount of people pushing bikes up as there were on L2B.

I think the organisation and marketing of the event has been pretty outstanding and am looking forward to the atmosphere that I hope will be there. Just need to make sure the weather is good.

mitchventoux

Option Click wrote:

essjaydee wrote:

FFS...stop bloody moaning and just look forward to the day :roll:

So what if you didn't get the start time you wanted. So what if your not going to be able to do your fastest 100 mile ride. Go and race instead if speed is your goal :!: So what if people will be riding in costumes for charity. So what if people are using 11-32 cassettes. Miserable buggers the lot of you

It's the first one. Your going to be part of something unique and special. I'm sure there will be problems, hold ups, or whatever, who cares:?:

Let's all try and enjoy the day for what it is. A celebration of cycling Doesn't matter what bike your on, what kit you wear, what gearing your using, what your average speed is, what time you start or what time you finish.

I know I will

mitchventoux wrote:

very well put ,some people on here are so far up there own asses ,complaining about start times and being behind all the muppets and how fast they gonna do it ,bloody wannabe pros dressed in full sky kit , I shall be treating it as a nice ride in the sun I hope and chat on way round to fellow cyclists who don't take it too seriously

I couldn't give a monkeys about setting the fastest time possible, but at the same time I'd prefer not to get stuck behind hoards of people having a nice chat whilst pushing their bikes up Leith Hill (à la London to Brighton).
Setting off earlier will help to avoid that. Not unreasonable, surely?

not unreasonable at all ,ive done the etape twice and generally a sportive a month ,this route will be fairly easy and I expect to do it in -6 hours ,but will treat this as more of a fun ride ,will just enjoy riding on closed roads in uk for first time so wont care about setting a time

adydow

It's going to be like that Halfords advert going up Box Hill.

Omar Little

Option Click wrote:

I couldn't give a monkeys about setting the fastest time possible, but at the same time I'd prefer not to get stuck behind hoards of people having a nice chat whilst pushing their bikes up Leith Hill (à la London to Brighton).
Setting off earlier will help to avoid that. Not unreasonable, surely?

Leith Hill isn't until about 50 miles in, if someone is not in good enough shape to have to push their bike up the hill then its going to take them about 4.5 - 5 hours to get there, which should give plenty of time to get in front even if leaving in a later wave.

adam0bmx0

5:34 get to the park, leave at 6:34am, happy with that, will be cycling 6-7 miles there from my gf's in Elephant and Castle, at least I can cross at London bridge and then head NE to the start.

padders

Your arrival time at QEOP: 05:22
Your personal load time is: 05:46
Your Personal start time: 06:22

So an early start, planning to gently ride in from Twickenham, around 15 miles or so - might try to hit the drop off zone on the A10 and follow the signs in from there.

Mikey1976

Arrival time is 5.46
Start time is 6.46

Anybody else staying at the premier inn, Stratford?

I signed up for breakfast but somehow I don't think they will be serving any at 5.00am?!?

drlodge

Mikey1976 wrote:

Arrival time is 5.46
Start time is 6.46

Anybody else staying at the premier inn, Stratford?

I signed up for breakfast but somehow I don't think they will be serving any at 5.00am?!?

Ooh you're posh, I'm staying at the Travelodge Stratford :shock:

make mine a triple

Mikey1976 wrote:

Arrival time is 5.46
Start time is 6.46

Anybody else staying at the premier inn, Stratford?

I signed up for breakfast but somehow I don't think they will be serving any at 5.00am?!?

Yep pulled the trigger as soon as I got a place, I stayed there with one of the kids when I watched the track cycling world cup back in Feb 2012. Nice view of the Olympic park, I have read somewhere that cycles are o.k in the rooms, (I do hope people are considerate enough not to do full mech works in the carpets!!!) I am going to stick mine in a plastic mattress bag just in case they get funny over a 'dirty bike' in the room

Note rooms are only accessible via lifts so could be fun with everyone waiting to get down in time for their start time.

I assume there wont be any breakfast ( so will probably bring some muesli etc and eat as soon as I get up. Otherwise I am sure you can buy food at the start. I am used to setting off at 6am for my long weekend rides so a 6:18 start time will be no problem for me! (Weirdly I put an optimistic ride time of 6 hours on the app, and I seem to be with the 5h 30 mob)

Shackster

Mikey1976 wrote:

Arrival time is 5.46
Start time is 6.46

Anybody else staying at the premier inn, Stratford?

I signed up for breakfast but somehow I don't think they will be serving any at 5.00am?!?

I'm at the Premier Inn too, arrival time is 0542 so there'll be a few of us riding over there (I have no idea of the route from the hotel to the start at the mo , I'm assuming that info will be in the final magazine thingy). Better factor in a few minutes extra for lift-related faffing! (as well as clothing related faff, breakfast faff etc...!)

Mikey1976

Shackster wrote:

Mikey1976 wrote:

Arrival time is 5.46
Start time is 6.46

Anybody else staying at the premier inn, Stratford?

I signed up for breakfast but somehow I don't think they will be serving any at 5.00am?!?

I'm at the Premier Inn too, arrival time is 0542 so there'll be a few of us riding over there (I have no idea of the route from the hotel to the start at the mo , I'm assuming that info will be in the final magazine thingy). Better factor in a few minutes extra for lift-related faffing! (as well as clothing related faff, breakfast faff etc...!)

Think the start is only a mile or so away from the hotel?

Going to be interesting on cycling back to the hotel from the Mall finish, had a quick look on google maps and its about 8 miles, and that doesn't include any road closures that are still going :roll: