Ride London 2014
Comments
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Carbonator wrote:
100 miles is not L2B pub crawl territory IMO and it is disrespectful to get in peoples way and not be able to finish the full course.
If you think it is a 'turn up and have a bash' type event/distance then how far/hard would an event have to be before you felt people should take it a little seriously?
I think you have a distorted perspective of what these events are: they are non competitive mass cycling events aimed at rising money and rising awareness. As such, you will find the uber-fit as well as the guy dressed like a teddy bear (or a banana) and riding a Boris Bike... it is unavoidable when you organise an event in a large metropolis... that's the kind of crowd you are going to attract. If you want it to be different, then you cannot brand it as a mass participation event, open to all that welcomes all... you then need standards.
If you want to ride Paris-Brest-Paris, you need to qualify for it, if you want to enter London 100, you only have to enter a ballot and pay your fee.... they are very different events
Personally, I think nobody has any interest in attracting more "4 hours bods", as there simply aren't enough of them to fill up the 20 K spaces allocated and it's not sustainable in the long run, as these people will seek new challenges.
If you want a more competitive crowd, you should look at other closed roads events held outside the big cities... Etape Caledonia or Etape Cymru tend to attract the kind of crowds you would like to see in London e.g. people who can climb a hill.left the forum March 20230 -
Not at all. I just think it must come to a point where you have to train for an event/challenge and I draw a line in the sand somewhere between 54 miles and 100.
You seem to think I am pro 4 hour bods but I am not. I do not sl4g them (me hopefully) off like a lot of the pro 8.5 hour (by the skin of their teeth) bods do though, and nor do I slag off the 8.5 hour bods.
The event is very much for both and all in between, but IMO its not for people who do not train and make an effort to ride safely and courteously to the other (types of) riders.
I don't want a more competitive crowd. I just want to do a fast 100 mile on closed roads thats part of a cycling orientated weekend away.0 -
Carbonator wrote:Spatulala wrote:"No one minds cyclists that much if they stay on the left in single file. Seems a reasonable ask to me.
I take driving as an opportunity to see how quick I can get to B&Q and back. If a cyclist holds me up because they are riding alongside another cyclist then I won't be best pleased. I don't mind people cycling but they should have some respect for cars by keeping single file."
There, fixed that for you. Sorry, couldn't resist.
Think you are on the wrong forum mate. Try petrol heads or max power.
Bit odd when someone (presumably a cyclist?) on a cycle forum thinks that cyclists have to ride single file on the roads.
Of course cyclist should ride single file if there is not room to pass, but it sounds like you think they should do it all the time like so many ignorant tw4t drivers do.
You would not walk along pushing your bike up a hill two abreast normally, so why do people think its ok to do it on an event.
It made me laugh that the person who was oblivious to the point I was making as it flew over his/her head was the very same person whose words I doctored to make my point in the first place!
Ride London is a fun day on a bike. It attracts a wide spread of people, many of whom have no idea of what training they might need to avoid walking at any point. It's about getting bums on saddles.
If you're out to get a sub 4 and a half hour ride, then get in an early wave. You won't see any of those annoying cyclists who don't understand how to ride properly and who have their faces plastered in those annoying smiles, as if they're out to have 'fun', whatever that is.0 -
Carbonator wrote:
The event is very much for both and all in between, but IMO its not for people who do not train and make an effort to ride safely and courteously to the other (types of) riders.
I don't want a more competitive crowd. I just want to do a fast 100 mile on closed roads thats part of a cycling orientated weekend away.
Look, many years ago people who were serious about marathons used to enter the London Marathon, to knock the 3 hours wall. Then it became a fundrising event for fancy dress party people and those who are serious about their training no longer do the London Marathon. There is a professional field and then there is a field of teddy bears, professional fundrisers and brisk walkers.
The L 100 is going that route, because that's the only route that is acceptable for the people of London and Surrey... people like you, who take it seriously as a bicycle challenge, will get bored of it and more and more "strugglers", pedal armed walkers and fancy dressers will secure their spot, because they want to be there... if Boris did it, who needs serious training?
Hence why I struggle to understand why you take this thing so seriously, when it doesn't take itself seriously, as far as cycling challenges go. The Etape Caledonia is a pretty flat course, fast, closed roads and you can have a weekend in Scotland and that's what I would do for 2015 if I were you...left the forum March 20230 -
Why do you think I take it seriously? What do you even mean by seriously?
I would quite like to ride 100 miles in under 5 hours but other than that its just a big/unique event of its type that can be part of a weekend away.
I try to do one of our local events in under 2 hours but I don't feel anymore serious about it than a training ride/run or trying to get a high score on flappy birds.
The nice thing about chatting about it on here is just the camaraderie.
It is also a bit of a focus to loosing weight too. Its just the thing in the year I am training for, but that does not mean I rate it as anything more than what it is.0 -
Carbonator wrote:Why do you think I take it seriously? What do you even mean by seriously?
I would quite like to ride 100 miles in under 5 hours but other than that sits just a big/unique event of its type that can be part of a weekend away.
I try to do one of our local events in under 2 hours but I don't feel anymore serious about it than a training ride/run or trying to get a high score on flappy birds.
The nice thing about chatting about it on here is just the camaraderie.
Well, if you set yourself targets in terms of finishing time and get annoyed if someone slows you up a hill, I would say that's pretty serious... 'casue I canassure you out of 20 K people, probably 15 K are there to take selfies in front of London landmarks and upload them on Facebook and Twitter as they go... those who are not serious will probably look at the number of "like" they receive, rather than the average speed...
Look, a few years ago I did RVV (also a 20 K event) and had to walk up the Paterberg and Koppenberg, because it was a slow procession of strugglers walking up a cobbled road 2 metres wide... did I complain about the lack of standards and training? No, I simply moved on and I no longer do the RVV (that's the Tour of Flanders, by the way)left the forum March 20230 -
I don't think thats serious at all. Would have thought a lot of people have a target time, be it 4 hours or 8.5.
I am not annoyed if slow riders slow me up, just if someone being a knob does. Just as I would on the commute to work really.
I am not concerned about myself, I have an early start so not that likely to happen to me, but I feel sorry for those it does happen to.
If the 15k people behind me are all out to take selfies then everyone will be happy, but personally I don't think they are.
Edit: Last post as I like the post count number.
Have a good ride everyone, see you in the bar :P0 -
with an event this size I think there is room to keep everyone happy. I had a late start last year and overtook a few people, I also got passed by loads of people who were a lot quicker than me. I met someone who had stopped off at a pub mid route and was taking it slowly. Everyone got round and hopefully this year there won't be any serious accidents and everyone will have a good time.
You never know the organisers may have put up signs to say walk on the left in single file.
Lets wait until after the event and if it needs signs give that as feedback.
Anyone know what the decents are like this year, one last year in Surrey was quite bad for potholes but not familiar enough with the area to say where exactly it was0 -
Human nature innit... Used to get frustrated by the london marathon runners getting in my way who had done minimum training and were struggling/ walking from early on. I remember the furore over jade goodie pulling out half way round. Seems like a good idea when you enter in august but less appealing the following jan when commitment needs to dig in. If i am baulked on one of the hills i will try to maintain good karma and remember that there will be many opportunities to get a nice rhythm and a fast average. Smile a lot and enjoy the day...0
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sherer wrote:Anyone know what the decents are like this year, one last year in Surrey was quite bad for potholes but not familiar enough with the area to say where exactly it was
The descent of Leith Hill northwards is exactly the same. Mind the big pothole on the first left turn.0 -
Carbonator wrote:I don't think thats serious at all. Would have thought a lot of people have a target time, be it 4 hours or 8.5.
That is serious, whether you like it or not... and no, the majority of people probably don't have a clue how long it will take them... talking about it on a cycling forum skews your perspective towards the performance side of an event which has nothing to do with performance.left the forum March 20230 -
That sounds rather more reasonable.Mikey23 wrote:If i am baulked on one of the hills i will try to maintain good karma and remember that there will be many opportunities to get a nice rhythm and a fast average. Smile a lot and enjoy the day...0 -
I was lucky to get up Leith Hill without too much fuss, although it was tight in places. What was more frustrating was people riding on the white centre line or to the right of it, when there was nothing on their inside for hundreds of metres in front of them. Can you not just keep to the left generally?0
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If you are walking up Sawyers after 20 miles then you are not going to have fun and be unlikely to get the cycling bug. I imagine that by Newlands they will be a shattered mess wondering how they are going to get home.0
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In fairness, if you're a shattered mess by Newlands Corner you're probably going to take the optional shortcuts past Leith and Box and pootle home on a road that's basically flat with a couple of small bumps in it. You'll still have done 86, which isn't bad if the furthest you've ever done before was a couple of laps of the park. Though in such circumstances it will probably be some time before you persuade yourself to get on a bike again.
I find myself torn between the very reasonable argument that it's basically about mass participation and those who've done nothing like this before could do with some generous support, and the thought that if you've known you were doing it for many months then doing a bit of training for it wouldn't seem like an unreasonable expectation. Everyone will know people who aren't committed runners, but who have done the marathon once or twice, and who most likely spent six months beforehand heavily preparing for it and watching their diet and alcohol intake in order to get round in less than four hours and in a relatively healthy state.
So, I will fundamentally still be annoyed if people get in the way going uphill. But I'll try to be annoyed silently. And I'll sign up for the Etape Caledonia again, where it's possible to get in a fast group on the flat bits and blitz round the thing.0 -
ajh18 wrote:So, I will fundamentally still be annoyed if people get in the way going uphill. But I'll try to be annoyed silently. And I'll sign up for the Etape Caledonia again, where it's possible to get in a fast group on the flat bits and blitz round the thing.
exactlyleft the forum March 20230 -
If you do the EC next year, do try to get in an early wave. Somehow I signed up this year without giving an estimated finishing time and so was placed in the penultimate wave. Went round in 4.18 including a puncture, with a bit of help I could easily have broken 4hrs. (admittedly I took no selfies, despite the stunning Lochside views).0
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ajh18 wrote:In fairness, if you're a shattered mess by Newlands Corner you're probably going to take the optional shortcuts past Leith and Box and pootle home on a road that's basically flat with a couple of small bumps in it. You'll still have done 86, which isn't bad if the furthest you've ever done before was a couple of laps of the park. Though in such circumstances it will probably be some time before you persuade yourself to get on a bike again.
I find myself torn between the very reasonable argument that it's basically about mass participation and those who've done nothing like this before could do with some generous support, and the thought that if you've known you were doing it for many months then doing a bit of training for it wouldn't seem like an unreasonable expectation. Everyone will know people who aren't committed runners, but who have done the marathon once or twice, and who most likely spent six months beforehand heavily preparing for it and watching their diet and alcohol intake in order to get round in less than four hours and in a relatively healthy state.
So, I will fundamentally still be annoyed if people get in the way going uphill. But I'll try to be annoyed silently. And I'll sign up for the Etape Caledonia again, where it's possible to get in a fast group on the flat bits and blitz round the thing.
If you have to walk up Sawyers I doubt you will be doing laps of RP :shock:
I had not ridden a bike (more than a few miles) in 30 odd years and signed up to Ride 100. I have done 2,500 miles training including commuting 20 miles each way (nearly killed me for first few weeks) since Easter. I know a lot of others in the same position so it could be argued that it has converted us into keen cyclists (I am determined to cycle in on the 11th).
I have lost 8kgs and easily saved the cost of the bike in train fares. This is not a case of bigging myself up, it is me saying that if I can appreciate the size of the challenge and do appropriate training at the age of 47 with two young kids at home then so can everybody else.0 -
Veronese68 wrote:
No, he's just changed a couple of words from a post above. Funny how when you change it from a cyclist saying he doesn't want to be held up by slower cyclists to a car driver not wanting to be held up by cyclists it's wrong. The sentiment is the same "Get out of my way I'm more important than you."Carbonator wrote:Think you are on the wrong forum mate. Try petrol heads or max power.
I completely agree with Marcus a little further up. We all start somewhere and people should be encouraged to cycle more, not lambasted for not being as fast as somebody else.
Not at all what the sentiment is.
My post meant what it said, I don't think it's fair to hold others up by walking across the width of the road.
I recently did the Etape Pennines. I did it reasonably quickly for such a hilly event (200th out of the 800+ finishers) but I did have to walk 100m or so on one of the climbs having got cramp. I wasn't the only one I saw do this but everyone I did see do it got over to the left pushed until they were somewhere they could get back on and did it all without hindering anyone else.
I know there are going to be people who need to push. I don't mind that, I've been in the position where you have to push up a hill - not in the least when I took up cycling again as an adult. I just think people should think about the road width and how many people are also trying to cycle up that hill.
There's going to be an equal number of people who are still pedalling but are really struggling, it's a big challenge for them - maybe they're going to finish in 8 hours - but they want to do it all without pushing. People who are pushing 2 or 3 abreast are going to ruin it for these sort of people more than those of us who can afford to slow down to navigate past people.
Of course if I feel I'm going good up Leith and I have to slow for a group of walkers I'll be annoyed but equally I'll likely have forgotten once I'm down the other side of the hill.
EDIT: I should add that if I am passing any of those who are struggling up the hill I'll be offering words of encouragement, not telling them they don't deserve to be on the road or some of the nonsense you get from cars to bikes.2012 Cube Agree GTC0 -
First post, so no flaming please!
Now well into my 50s, I hadn’t done too much cycling since I was a kid. Getting old and unfitter didn’t sit too well so, when I saw the inaugural Boris100 ride advertised, I procured a charity entry with the idea that it would force me to get the old boneshaker out in preparation for the August ride.
Make no mistake, for me a 100 mile ride was and is a big deal – as was raising a decent wedge for a worthy charity (not, incidentally, one of the well-funded charities cited earlier in this thread).
Not being a time-seasoned peddler, I made a number of rookie errors. Using the bike’s stock 23 tooth cassette was one of them. Despite my size, I couldn’t get up Newlands without resorting to the ‘walk of shame’. Same for Leith Hill.
Later, a minor bike failure cost me a 40 minute repair. But I completed the event – all 100 miles – and this is probably my lifetime’s greatest physical achievement.
For me and, no doubt, many others, this is a HARD event – one that stretched me physically and, at times, emotionally. If that’s not Olympic legacy, then I don’t know what is.
The boneshaker was recently sold on eBay – it fetched just £107 – and I doubt that it will appear on a future running of the Boris.
For 2014, I now have an altogether smarter bike – and a public draw entry to the 2014 Boris100. And so has my squeeze – another whose posterior hasn’t seen too much leather and rivet. So we’ve both been out training with a vengeance!
Despite ballot entries, we’ll also be raising money for charity because a) we can and b) if I lived anywhere near the route and had to suffer a day of closed roads so that people can enjoy riding a bike FFS, it’d sit a little easier if I knew that my inconvenience aided good causes.
So we’ll see you all at the start and, God willing, we’ll see you at the finish too.0 -
HertsG wrote:First post, so no flaming please!
Now well into my 50s, I hadn’t done too much cycling since I was a kid. Getting old and unfitter didn’t sit too well so, when I saw the inaugural Boris100 ride advertised, I procured a charity entry with the idea that it would force me to get the old boneshaker out in preparation for the August ride.
Make no mistake, for me a 100 mile ride was and is a big deal – as was raising a decent wedge for a worthy charity (not, incidentally, one of the well-funded charities cited earlier in this thread).
Not being a time-seasoned peddler, I made a number of rookie errors. Using the bike’s stock 23 tooth cassette was one of them. Despite my size, I couldn’t get up Newlands without resorting to the ‘walk of shame’. Same for Leith Hill.
Later, a minor bike failure cost me a 40 minute repair. But I completed the event – all 100 miles – and this is probably my lifetime’s greatest physical achievement.
For me and, no doubt, many others, this is a HARD event – one that stretched me physically and, at times, emotionally. If that’s not Olympic legacy, then I don’t know what is.
The boneshaker was recently sold on eBay – it fetched just £107 – and I doubt that it will appear on a future running of the Boris.
For 2014, I now have an altogether smarter bike – and a public draw entry to the 2014 Boris100. And so has my squeeze – another whose posterior hasn’t seen too much leather and rivet. So we’ve both been out training with a vengeance!
Despite ballot entries, we’ll also be raising money for charity because a) we can and b) if I lived anywhere near the route and had to suffer a day of closed roads so that people can enjoy riding a bike FFS, it’s sit a little easier if I knew that my inconvenience aided good causes.
So we’ll see you all at the start and, God willing, we’ll see you at the finish too.
Top man - I would be walking up Sawyers :oops: with a 23 tooth cog. I wimped out and swapped my 26 for a 32 so no excuses for walking0 -
i love a good debate. this is my first sportive too. only really caught the road cycling bug last year and have a charity place. live in cornwall so any ride over 10 miles involved 1000ft of climbing so will hopefully be ok on the climbs. especially with 24front and 36 at the back on the mountain bike. (its got slick ish tires and weighs less than 12kg so leave me be)
only problem if my hotel is in kensington so i face a nice 10mile warm up ride to the start. but determined to make the 100 miles even if i do end up walking...2019 Bianchi Oltre XR4
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Foobies wrote:only problem if my hotel is in kensington so i face a nice 10mile warm up ride to the start. but determined to make the 100 miles even if i do end up walking...
It's one of the issues with this event having the start a way away from the finish.
If you're holed up in Kensington, you'll either have to start very early or faff crossing the roads closed for some cycling event .....0 -
I do understand what you mean, it was easy to pick up on the criticism of the ammended version of your post because some people do sound a bit like that on here. Apologies if I offended you.birdie23 wrote:Not at all what the sentiment is.
My post meant what it said, I don't think it's fair to hold others up by walking across the width of the road.
I've ridden up a rocky steep climb on the London to Brighton off road that most people walked. Having to pick my way across the rockier section where people were walking on smoother bits was a bit of a pain. But nowhere near as painful as them cycling passed as I pedalled slowly along the top trying to get my lungs back into my chest. But, fair play to them they'd ridden about 70 miles off road by that point and it was a steep hill. Well done to anyone that has a go in these events, it's not all about the fast boys.
We should be encouraging people like Herts G, Surrey Commuter and anyone else, well done them and hope to see you at the finish.0 -
Foobies wrote:i love a good debate. this is my first sportive too. only really caught the road cycling bug last year and have a charity place. live in cornwall so any ride over 10 miles involved 1000ft of climbing so will hopefully be ok on the climbs. especially with 24front and 36 at the back on the mountain bike. (its got slick ish tires and weighs less than 12kg so leave me be)
only problem if my hotel is in kensington so i face a nice 10mile warm up ride to the start. but determined to make the 100 miles even if i do end up walking...
take the front wheel off and put it in a taxi - pre-book as there could be a shortage.0 -
Veronese68 wrote:
I do understand what you mean, it was easy to pick up on the criticism of the ammended version of your post because some people do sound a bit like that on here. Apologies if I offended you.birdie23 wrote:Not at all what the sentiment is.
My post meant what it said, I don't think it's fair to hold others up by walking across the width of the road.
I've ridden up a rocky steep climb on the London to Brighton off road that most people walked. Having to pick my way across the rockier section where people were walking on smoother bits was a bit of a pain. But nowhere near as painful as them cycling passed as I pedalled slowly along the top trying to get my lungs back into my chest. But, fair play to them they'd ridden about 70 miles off road by that point and it was a steep hill. Well done to anyone that has a go in these events, it's not all about the fast boys.
We should be encouraging people like Herts G, Surrey Commuter and anyone else, well done them and hope to see you at the finish.
No apology needed. I can see how the amended post can come across wrong.2012 Cube Agree GTC0 -
Foobies wrote:
only problem if my hotel is in kensington so i face a nice 10mile warm up ride to the start. but determined to make the 100 miles even if i do end up walking...
Last year I parked at Surrey Quays, and although there were signs, it was clear from the sheer numbers of bikes heading in one direction which way to go. It might be different from Kensington, but I am sure you'll pick up an ok route with other people on it and be able to follow them. Just take it easy and allow plenty of time so you aren't done before the official start!0 -
Thinking of giving it at least an hour to get there just in case. There's one of the ncp car parks nearby just off Hyde park so am going to try to get there and follow the hoards from there. Only problem is my hotel is the wrong side Of the a4 so am praying there's a crossing on cromwell road somewhere lol.2019 Bianchi Oltre XR4
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2015 Bianchi via nirone 7
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Foobies wrote:Thinking of giving it at least an hour to get there just in case. There's one of the ncp car parks nearby just off Hyde park so am going to try to get there and follow the hoards from there. Only problem is my hotel is the wrong side Of the a4 so am praying there's a crossing on cromwell road somewhere lol.
Give details of hotel location and car park and us locals will try to help you.... the A4 goes into an underpass under Hyde Park Corner so if your carpark is off Park Lane you will be fine0 -
I'm heading off for a recon tomorrow, this will be my first sportive, I currently train for hills around Highgate every now and then, how would any of you compare Swains Lane and Leith Hill? I don't struggle too much with Swains as it is but it would be good to know. Cheers,0
