Ride London 2014

Foobies · August 2014

Surrey Commuter wrote:

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 fine

Hotel is the Park International on Cromwell Road.

On the south side of Cromwell Road which is part of the route

birdie23 · August 2014

tomuswhu wrote:

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,

Haven't ridden either but Swains is steeper but no where near as long. Leith shouldn't cause you a problem.

Anonymous · August 2014

tomuswhu wrote:

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,

Be interesting to hear what you think of the dreaded Leith and Box Hills.

Do not think I have ever heard anyone say they are worse than they imagined.
Most seem to say they are easier than feared.

How many miles have you got up to in a training ride?

ugo.santalucia · August 2014

Carbonator wrote:

tomuswhu wrote:

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,

Be interesting to hear what you think of the dreaded Leith and Box Hills.

Do not think I have ever heard anyone say they are worse than they imagined.
Most seem to say they are easier than feared.

How many miles have you got up to in a training ride?

Simon Warren gives 3/10 to Box Hill and I think he is generous and 6/10 to Leith Hill, which is extremely generous, considering some Welsh climbs that rise 3 times in elevation also get 6 or 7. Interestingly, even the Mam Tor in the Peaks gets a 6/10 in his second book, which is very unflattering for a climb that rises over 200 metres and reaches 18% at points... My guess is that when he visited Surrey he was on his fully loaded touring bike and when he went to the Peak District he was riding his 5 Kg hill climbing bike

tomuswhu · August 2014

Cheers for the info guys. Carbonator, I have cycled 4 or 5 70-80 milers now with 500-700m of climbing, I live in Essex after all... What has everyone done distance wise? I've only cycled in a group of 3 a couple of times so far.

Anonymous · August 2014

tomuswhu wrote:

Cheers for the info guys. Carbonator, I have cycled 4 or 5 70-80 milers now with 500-700m of climbing, I live in Essex after all... What has everyone done distance wise? I've only cycled in a group of 3 a couple of times so far.

That sounds about right to me. You will be fine on the day in terms of distance and climbing.
Would have been nice to have got some decent group riding in but there is no reason why you cannot ride sensibly and pick it up on the day.

Have done a few long rides this year but have mainly just done fast 65 mile rides for training.
Keep meaning to do more 80 mile rides but just not managed to for one reason or another.

Have a great day.
You have done the training so now just make sure your bike and kit are as well prepared ;-)

birdie23 · August 2014

tomuswhu wrote:

Cheers for the info guys. Carbonator, I have cycled 4 or 5 70-80 milers now with 500-700m of climbing, I live in Essex after all... What has everyone done distance wise? I've only cycled in a group of 3 a couple of times so far.

Did a century in May but other than that just the usual mix of 40/50/60 milers. Did the Etape Pennines a few weeks ago so late June/early July was all about hills for me. Been doing flat out 30/40 milers since.

Anonymous · August 2014

birdie23 wrote:

Did a century in May

Not a Tour of Wessex stage by any chance?

birdie23 · August 2014

No, was just a simple out and back to Oxford with a nice lunch break by one of the colleges!

marcusjb · August 2014

Pleased to have made, not one, but two ascents of Sawyer's Hill on the tandem this morning.

I think we are ready! My legs were pretty battered from yesterday's hanging onto the wheel of one of the fastest riders I know for 210km, so I wasn't sure how up for laps of the park I was going to be.

As a concession to looking speedy, I have removed the front pannier rack and we're running 28 mm tyres for this ride. I am leaving the mudguards and rear pannier rack, as I simply can't be bothered to remove them. A kg or so on a 20kg bike is going to make little difference.

Still a little nervous about having twenty-odd thousand solos around us - particularly on the corners, we need a lorry-style sticker on the back to say don't undertake us on the left! But I am looking forward to it a lot now - it is totally different to the sort of thing I normally do and a very rare opportunity to ride on closed roads.

Cartebleu · August 2014

marcusjb wrote:

Pleased to have made, not one, but two ascents of Sawyer's Hill on the tandem this morning. I think we are ready! My legs were pretty battered from yesterday's hanging onto the wheel of one of the fastest riders I know for 210km, so I wasn't sure how up for laps of the park I was going to be.

Is it orange? I saw a tandem parked up by Roehampton Gate today.

RP very busy today, no doubt everyone getting their final bit of practice before next week. Certainly a fair share of idiots out there as well today, but I may save that rant for another day.

GL everyone for next week.

marcusjb · August 2014

Nope - purple Co-Motion.

It was busy - we were in there at 7:30 and it was already pretty packed!

Mikey23 · August 2014

Oh well, 5.5k miles and 250k climbing this year... I guess im ready as i'll ever be!

sherer · August 2014

I usually stop riding the week before to make sure I'm fresh. Any advice is this a good or bad idea ?

kingstonian · August 2014

sherer wrote:

I usually stop riding the week before to make sure I'm fresh. Any advice is this a good or bad idea ?

I would taper down my training, not stop completely.

Dippydog2 · August 2014

Kingstonian wrote:

sherer wrote:

I usually stop riding the week before to make sure I'm fresh. Any advice is this a good or bad idea ?

I would taper down my training, not stop completely.

I cycled 10km to a coffee shop, then 5 km to another, then came home and drank a bottle of wine and cooked a huge BBQ.

Am I taking the correct approach to tapering?

birdie23 · August 2014

sherer wrote:

I usually stop riding the week before to make sure I'm fresh. Any advice is this a good or bad idea ?

I'd recommend going out for an hour a few times. Take it nice and easy, just to keep the legs loose. You can feel really stiff if you stop altogether (assuming you ride quite regularly).

sherer · August 2014

birdie23 wrote:

sherer wrote:

I usually stop riding the week before to make sure I'm fresh. Any advice is this a good or bad idea ?

I'd recommend going out for an hour a few times. Take it nice and easy, just to keep the legs loose. You can feel really stiff if you stop altogether (assuming you ride quite regularly).

Thanks for the advice. I usually just ride at weekends. I'm a slow 14 to 15 mph rider. Might have a slow ride twice this week just to keep the legs moving

Twelly · August 2014

Just in case anyone is looking for a TCX file for Ride London (as I was). I have made one here: http://ridewithgps.com/routes/5523990

Feel free to download and use

HertsG · August 2014

Dippydog2 wrote:

I cycled 10km to a coffee shop, then 5 km to another, then came home and drank a bottle of wine and cooked a huge BBQ.

Am I taking the correct approach to tapering?

I don't think that you're taking this event seriously!

Yesterday my squeeze and I were up before a single sparrow had farted and rode 35 miles. Then I fitted four new tyres and two new chains.

After that we demolished three bottles between us. Tapered as newts!

surrey_commuter · August 2014

Foobies wrote:

Surrey Commuter wrote:

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 fine

Hotel is the Park International on Cromwell Road.

On the south side of Cromwell Road which is part of the route

you need to check where the exit to the car park is... if on the Cromwell Rd you will have to leave before they shut the roads, or just leave it there all day. If exit is not on race route then it will be easy to work your way round the le Palais to cross race route at Hyde Park Corner

Grantmk · August 2014

Am I right in thinking the Blackwall tunnel northbound will be open to cyclists to get to the start? The A12 is closed, will that also be open to cyclists before the event starts?

sherer · August 2014

Blackwall Tunnel was open last year and think it will be this year too.

Trying to sort out route back to the 02 now to pick up car after the event. Was shattered last year so another 9 miles is going to be fun.

sporttourer · August 2014

I am staying at the DocklandsTravelodge, East India Dock Road - which appears to be surrounded by the road closure. Anyone else staying there or know how I can easily leave the Travelodge avoiding the closures & cycle to the start?
Thanks

HertsG · August 2014

Grantmk wrote:

Am I right in thinking the Blackwall tunnel northbound will be open to cyclists to get to the start? The A12 is closed, will that also be open to cyclists before the event starts?

http://www.tfl.gov.uk/campaign/prudential-ridelondon/travel-disruption-and-advice?intcmp=17120#on-this-page-1

According to this link, the Blackwall Tunnel will be closed.

HertsG · August 2014

HertsG wrote:

Grantmk wrote:

Am I right in thinking the Blackwall tunnel northbound will be open to cyclists to get to the start? The A12 is closed, will that also be open to cyclists before the event starts?

http://www.tfl.gov.uk/campaign/prudential-ridelondon/travel-disruption-and-advice?intcmp=17120#on-this-page-1

According to this link, the Blackwall Tunnel will be closed.

https://www.tfl.gov.uk/roads/status/?ci ... %3a59%3a59

But this link says northbound will be open.

I actually have no idea!!

sherer · August 2014

try this link here

http://www.prudentialridelondon.co.uk/I ... osures.htm

If not try asking at Excel when you register, they should have info there.

Grantmk · August 2014

Very confusing info isn't it? I just rang them, apparently Blackwall tunnel will be open Northbound between 04:00 and 07:00. I'm not sure about the A12 though.

Snorebens · August 2014

Hi all

First century imminent so guess I am a newcomer to all of this... riding for charity also but only on the basis of x2 ballot rejections so seems they have set up a bit of a false picture to me. Would rather do a real challenge for something I truly care about rather than asking for money for something everyone knows I'm desperate to do. Still, money for good causes is all good I guess.

Hopefully on course for a good ride; x3 80 milers, x1 90 miles, regular Swains/Mott Street repeats and Col de la Madone under the belt in the last few months. Also got down to Surrey on Friday and did Ranmore, Staples Lane, Leith and Box Hills. To be honest, I thought Ranmore was worse but that was fresh from the station....
Did Leith in 9 mins; not horrific by any means but awful rutted surface on the left just before it rears up nearly had my chain jumping off.

Agree that those pushing bikes should respect those who have no intention to so by keeping left and single file... will see how that pans out I guess.

Now more concerned by the weather than anything else. Met is calling the weekend as heavy showers and flash floods! Could make descending interesting ! At least that comes with a strong southerly pushing you back to London too

dandrew · August 2014

Looking stormy on Sunday :shock:
https://www.google.co.uk/search?client= ... mh7AbSu4Bg

Ride London 2014

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