RL100 - Richmond Park speed bumps

chrisaonabike

Ok, so there are now three speed bumps at Pembroke Lodge in Richmond Park.

August 4 will bring 20k cyclists up Sawyers Hill, quite early on in the ride. They'll all turn left at Richmond Gate, and then head down to Kingston Gate past Pembroke Lodge.

I have a horrible feeling that those speed bumps, especially the new one that seems particularly badly made (compare it with the new one at Robin Hood gate, which is very smooth), could easily cause accidents - it'll only take one wobble if a lot of people are going down there at once, and it could be quite a mess.

What think you, people?

marcusjb

You are right. The second one in particular, is a real f***er, especially on fixed.

I have yet to hit the new one at speed (it was being built last Thursday when I was last doing anti-cw laps). I hope they are not any more on their way. Getting silly now!

Hopefully they will warn people with some signs.

Omar Little

Could get messy! the speedbumps on their own will probably will be ok (ive not seen them so dont know what they are like) but the problem will be if some riders hit them at speed and bunny hop or unweight, whereas there will be others who panic and slam the brakes on.

coopster_the_1st

Those speed humps are not a big issue.

I'd be more worried about the potholes and ruts on the descent off Leith Hill...

drlodge

Coopster the 1st wrote:

Those speed humps are not a big issue.

I'd be more worried about the potholes and ruts on the descent off Leith Hill...

The descent is quite a good surface now, its been fairly recently resurfaced.

Padeye

drlodge wrote:

Coopster the 1st wrote:

Those speed humps are not a big issue.

I'd be more worried about the potholes and ruts on the descent off Leith Hill...

The descent is quite a good surface now, its been fairly recently resurfaced.

Really?

I reccied this on sunday having never been there before, and the road down from Coldharbour to Dorking was awash with stone chippings. It was sketchy enough on my own never mind if its crowded.

nick300zx

Padeye wrote:

Really?

I reccied this on sunday having never been there before, and the road down from Coldharbour to Dorking was awash with stone chippings. It was sketchy enough on my own never mind if its crowded.

Yep that is Surrey's idea of resurfacing.

I was at Ranmore common last weekend, which had just been done (not on the RL100 route but nearby), and was hit several times by stone chips from idiots in cars passing too quickly.

Hopefully all the loose stuff will have cleared by August.

Stedman

ChrisAOnABike wrote:

Ok, so there are now three speed bumps at Pembroke Lodge in Richmond Park.

August 4 will bring 20k cyclists up Sawyers Hill, quite early on in the ride. They'll all turn left at Richmond Gate, and then head down to Kingston Gate past Pembroke Lodge.

I have a horrible feeling that those speed bumps, especially the new one that seems particularly badly made (compare it with the new one at Robin Hood gate, which is very smooth), could easily cause accidents - it'll only take one wobble if a lot of people are going down there at once, and it could be quite a mess.

What think you, people?

Has anyone been in touch with the organisers in relation to this hazard? I noticed on the Great Manchester Cycle, they have used temporary tarmac both this year and last to create temporary ramps. Perhaps Surrey CC could do the same here?

drlodge

Padeye wrote:

drlodge wrote:

Coopster the 1st wrote:

Those speed humps are not a big issue.

I'd be more worried about the potholes and ruts on the descent off Leith Hill...

The descent is quite a good surface now, its been fairly recently resurfaced.

Really?

I reccied this on sunday having never been there before, and the road down from Coldharbour to Dorking was awash with stone chippings. It was sketchy enough on my own never mind if its crowded.

RL100 route doesn't go down the Coldharbour way, it heads down Leith Hill Road.

Slo Mo Jones

I did Leith Hill at the weekend, and the surface on the descent is just as crap as ever. Anyone riding it for the first time should be extremely watchful on their way down there - could be carnage.

There are a few spray painted circles around the very deepest potholes, so maybe some remedial work will be done before the 4th, but not enough.

drlodge

It'll probably get surfacing dressing like the other roads in that area :-(

rich_e

I rode the Surrey Hills for the first time this weekend and did the Leith Hill descent yesterday.

I bombed it down, largely because I think with how shaded it is, my sunglasses were blocking so much light that I couldn't really see the pot holes properly. Its certainly a very rutted road and I felt my saddle try and rebound into me a few times. Its going to be one of the sketchy parts of the entire route for sure. Given its the toughest climb of the event though, it may well string people out a bit further as they begin to drop down. It probably becomes an issue if there are too many riders trying to go down and anyone going very slow. You never know, maybe they will heavily marshal this point if they think its going to be a problem.

The stone chip road resurfacing is pretty nasty as well.
There is a long section on the smaller hill area just before Leith Hill.
There was also another very long section that was throwing stone chips everywhere and cars were skidding a bit further from the Box Hill descent... though I'm not sure whether this part is actually on the official route, but they did have warning signs up about parking on the day and the road being cleared. Not checked my frame properly yet, but wouldn't be surprised to see a good few scratches and one even managed to get into the drivetrain when I was shifting gears. With how hot it was, I even had a couple embedded in my tyres.

Bi50N

I went out to do Leith Hill on the 6th, taking this route, thinking I was doing the Ride London route, and encountered the loose gravel surface road

http://app.strava.com/activities/65094465

But that's not the actual route - this is, ridden two days ago:

http://app.strava.com/activities/66729444

And the descent into Dorking is actually fine - well surfaced

drlodge

Bi50N wrote:

But that's not the actual route - this is, ridden two days ago:

http://app.strava.com/activities/66729444

and the descent into Dorking is actually fine - well surfaced

That's what I thought and said above, so was a bit surprised to find someone saying it was pot holed. Certainly one section that was bad has been resurfaced and its quite smooth now, no "surface treatment" on that route the last time I was there.

bigmat

Leith Hill descent should be OK, riders should be thinned out a bit by then. Also, you'll have the full width of the road which should help.

Speed bumps in Richmond Park should be fine too - the third one is a bit too big - I have lost my back end hitting it at over 30mph - but if its crowded enough for any loss of control to be an issue then you'll probably find you are slowed down enough for it not to be (if that makes sense...)

rich_e

Having checked, the road I was referring to with the fresh stone chips is Headley Common Road (B2033) which is what you turn onto at the bottom of Box Hill Road.

I compared it against the route in the final Ride London magazine and it does indeed appear that the Ride London route follows that road up towards Leatherhead.

JDinho

Can only hope that Surrey council gets the road repairs done in good time for the Ride London Classic, have to hope that some planning has been done to get the roads in good order ahead of the ride.

The pro teams signed up shows some intent from the organisers and the last thing they'd want is bad roads.

Fortunately I'm local to the hilly section from Newlands Corner to Leatherhead so I can see what progress is being made.

Biggest issue I had on the decent from Leith Hill to A25 was because I kept my sunglasses on so couldn't see anything as the tree canopy covers the road and there is little light.

Wonder if the Box Hill speed bumps are staying in? They looked permanent and I doubt they will rip them out now.

rich_e

JDinho wrote:

Biggest issue I had on the decent from Leith Hill to A25 was because I kept my sunglasses on so couldn't see anything as the tree canopy covers the road and there is little light.

Yeah, thats what I found also, which I think is the reason I was going quickly for the first time riding it, given that had I been able to see better, I would probably have gone slower due to the road being somewhat rutted. It does look good though the way the rocks form a little canyon on the way down.

Wonder if the Box Hill speed bumps are staying in? They looked permanent and I doubt they will rip them out now.

I would imagine those are controlled by The National Trust, rather than Surrey Council. They had the road closed last week I believe it was to do some road work and put in those new stencils, obviously in time for the Ride London events. However, the speed bumps are still there, so I doubt they are going. They clearly put those in to slow down bikers and fast cars and would obviously then probably have to put them back in again.