Ride London 2014

Grantmk

caadybrompton wrote:

Anyone know the sketch with the Mavic Cars/bikes ?

Were they just fixing punctures helping with a better pump etc for people , or were they supplying people with tubes/tyres if needed as well ?
Great service it seemed for those in need.

Couldn't workout the protocol , as I was lucky enough not to get a puncture.

I found myself a little isolated on the Dorking Road when the Mavic car came past me, slowed down and paced me for a few minutes back to a group in Leatherhead - felt very pro :-)

Dippydog2

SoSimple wrote:

Another vote for GP 4 seasons, all the way without a flat, which given the sheer number of punctures i saw was unbelievable.

Still it all pales into insignificance when you think about the poor guy who didn't make it - so sad

I did the whole thing on GP4000s.

Several thousand km and not a single puncture.

I am of the view that most tyres are fine. It's how you look after them that matters.

After every ride I run my hand round the tyre and check there is nothing stuck in it. If there is I pull it out. Nine time out of then there is nothing. Occasionally a little stone or something. I guess if I pulled it out and the tyre deflated that might count as a puncture. Hasn't happened yet.

Omar Little

Flew around the first 60 miles or so then got a puncture, rather annoying....sort that out then get going again then a group with Marianne Vos passes by and I latch on. I no longer care about the missed time im riding along with a cycling legend and getting to chat to her. Had to dig really, really deep not to get dropped too much going up the hill in Wimbledon and manage to get back on the Vos group after chainganging it for a couple of miles with another few guys. Get to Embankment and the thought crossed my mind that i was lucky to get a puncture to get to experience all this with a world champ and how i better position myself good so i get a get a once in a lifetime photo opportunity "sprinting" against her ....no sooner had i thought that than i go through a huge unavoidable puddle and get another puncture with some debris under the water. Arse!

Literally happened within about 20 seconds of thinking id been fortunate getting the first puncture. Didnt know whether to laugh or cry! Was GP 4 Seasons for what its worth, under 300 miles on them. It was glass both times and i reckon just bad luck would have punctured most tyres apart from a marathon plus. My first puncture in approx 5000 miles too, what a time to get

Of course reading the sad news about the death quickly put my disappointment into perspective, 36 is no age at all

terry2708

ashleydwsmith wrote:

terry2708 wrote:

I echo some of the posts that say it was too dangerous to ride down Leith and Box hills. It would have been carnage!

Highlight of my day was a big bloke apologising for coming up too fast onto some cobbled high street after I was signalling for everyone to slow down. It was Martin Johnson!!! I tried to hang onto him but he got away.

Never ridden in such hard rain but loved it none the less. 4 hours 13 for a grandad was very pleasing. Will be trying to get under 5 hours for the real thing next year but father time is starting to catch up on me.

Hope everyone involved in the crashes (i saw a big pile up at a very quick roundabout, so glad I went left and not right there) is ok, and a big thank you for every volunteer / supporter who helped me get round.

where did the pile up happen? my mate went down at a roundabout with about 6 others in an early group. road rash down his left side. continued to ripley but was hurting too bad and his mate couldnt change gear so they withdrew.

It was around 30 - 35 miles in, I heard the horrible crash noise but we were going quite fast and couldn't stop (there were loads people there to help) I just remember a guy on a S-works with bright orange decal dodging round it. Hopefully everyone was ok.

birdie23

Terribly sad news about the death. Best wishes to his family and I hope the riders who were around him at the time, and stopped to help, are feeling okay after such a horrible experience.

It's awful to hear of fit and healthy people going so young.

Mikey23

Didnt puncture? You were the one...

I didnt think there were that many gel wrappers to be honest. My soreen wrapper flew off while i was trying to stow it

I have a bit of a hair trigger bladder but found that the torrential rain was a bit of a bonus in that respect ... After all i couldnt get any wetter could i

HertsG

Mikey23 wrote:

I have a bit of a hair trigger bladder but found that the torrential rain was a bit of a bonus in that respect ... After all i couldnt get any wetter could i

You dirty, dirty boy!

Your BB will go rusty!

Anonymous

Saw a lot of downed riders. Hope everyone that crashed is physically O.K.
A guy went into the back of a parked van just before the finish. It seemed pretty serious. Does anyone know how he is?

sherer

Only saw one Mavic bike so not sure if they were just there for celebs and quick riders in the first bunch.

Started at 7:15 but didn't see any groups running at my speed all day so ended up doing most of it solo.

Great day out that even the weather couldn't avoid.

Do nose it's over what could they improve on ?

chrisaonabike

Mikey23 wrote:

Didnt puncture? You were the one...

I was the other one!

GP 4 seasons, about 1000 miles old. Apart from a couple of snake bites that were entirely my own fault, I've only had one puncture in two years (nearly 6000 miles) and that was on the 4 Seasons, not the stock Giant tyres that were their predecessors and much more flimsy looking. And even that was a very slow one that I didn't notice until the tyre was flat at home a couple of days later

I doubt it's much to do with tyre brand. I look for and avoid any crap I see, and I don't ride in the gutter.

Still feel very lucky not to puncture yesterday - there was so much water on the road that mostly I couldn't see what I was riding over.

curto80

I was running my GP4000s and I got away without puncturing as well. No doubt totally down to luck but I was impressed generally with how well they performed in the typhoon. Didn't have a single dodgy moment.

oneof1982

Too much talk about the "p" word here and who did and who didn't. Hope all those that didn't remember their pump and inner tube when they are out this weekend

ashleydwsmith

I didn't get one and I was on Vittoria rubinho pros and I think I was on the only look 675!

But I did help one guy 3 miles from the end who had had 3 punctured used all his tubes lost his pump and had only ridden a road bike 5 times. Got him to the end so all good!

andy_from_embsay

No flats for me (that I knew about) - ultremo tubeless. I also got round Etape Caledonia in the year of the tacks without a flat.

I was surprised how difficult it was to get in the right group. Kept seeing trains go past, hopped on the back then they tended to slow down and i seemed to find myself on the front pulling again. All got a bit wearing around the half way point, then finally managed to get some help in the last 20 miles or so. Complicated by a loose cleat on my shoe that felt like it was about to fall off - which it finally did on the Mall. Happy to get under 4hrs and the average speed just over 22mph.

Anonymous

Big thank you to whoever helped my wife with changing her inner tube.
I hope you were cool about the time spent helping.
If its any conciliation she has worked very hard in training for this event, I am genuinely open mouthed at her road bike achievements to date, and you absolutely saved the day for her

iPete

Grantmk wrote:

caadybrompton wrote:

Anyone know the sketch with the Mavic Cars/bikes ?

Were they just fixing punctures helping with a better pump etc for people , or were they supplying people with tubes/tyres if needed as well ?
Great service it seemed for those in need.

Couldn't workout the protocol , as I was lucky enough not to get a puncture.

I found myself a little isolated on the Dorking Road when the Mavic car came past me, slowed down and paced me for a few minutes back to a group in Leatherhead - felt very pro :-)

Awesome!

Anonymous

Feeling 'pro' is what RideLondon is all about in some ways.
Not in a d1ckhe4d I actually think I am a pro kind of way, but more of a 'just for a day, I am going to be supported and inspired'.
Its a fine line sometimes, but I know which side of it I am.

I was lucky enough to get to watch the end of the Pro race from the grandstands right next to the finish line, but what was better than that was seeing all the support cars pull in to park behind them as we left quickly to get back to QEOP and pick up our bikes.

iPete

Agree, it was as close to road racing as I may get, it had it all, except any actually racing/attacking.

Although I do feel motivated to go and race again. Getting bored of non cyclists asking what position I came in...!

Anonymous

Its funny, as non cyclists I was with on the day (I am originally from The London so met up with friends) referred to it as 'a race', which I hated, but to cyclists I have no problem in beating their times, and happily respect being beaten by theirs.

veronese68

Carbonator wrote:

A guy went into the back of a parked van just before the finish. It seemed pretty serious. Does anyone know how he is?

I was passing Downing Street and heard the crash further up Whitehall, it made the policmen jump. When I got there there was a woman in a bit of a fluster saying she didn't know what to do so I stopped. A bit surprised nobody else did, his friend was just coming back. The guy was groaning, but not coherent. I could see he was breathing but would need help so I looked for help. A passer by said he was a trained first responder so he jumped the barrier and came to help. One of the policemen ran up from Downing Street so I asked if he'd radioed for an ambulance. There wasn't much else I could do so left him with people that knew what to do. By the time I left he was talking to the first responder guy telling him his shoulder hurt. He'd taken a chunk out of his knee and probably had a hell of a bang on the head. Can't tell you any more than that.

veronese68

ugo.santalucia wrote:

Introducing: punctures are history

Perfect tyre for the conditions, glad you recommended them.

In fact I had the perfect bike for the conditions.

Anonymous

Veronese68 wrote:

Carbonator wrote:

A guy went into the back of a parked van just before the finish. It seemed pretty serious. Does anyone know how he is?

I was passing Downing Street and heard the crash further up Whitehall, it made the policmen jump. When I got there there was a woman in a bit of a fluster saying she didn't know what to do so I stopped. A bit surprised nobody else did, his friend was just coming back. The guy was groaning, but not coherent. I could see he was breathing but would need help so I looked for help. A passer by said he was a trained first responder so he jumped the barrier and came to help. One of the policemen ran up from Downing Street so I asked if he'd radioed for an ambulance. There wasn't much else I could do so left him with people that knew what to do. By the time I left he was talking to the first responder guy telling him his shoulder hurt. He'd taken a chunk out of his knee and probably had a hell of a bang on the head. Can't tell you any more than that.

I was diagonally opposite the van (spectating) when he hit it and could not cross the barrier as cyclists were coming down on my side of the road at that point.
Some other cyclists went to his side and a lady spectator from the other side went to help so I ran back down to where they were diverting the riders and told them to stop riders going on that side and call an ambulance.

rich_e

Carbonator wrote:

I was lucky enough to get to watch the end of the Pro race from the grandstands right next to the finish line, but what was better than that was seeing all the support cars pull in to park behind them as we left quickly to get back to QEOP and pick up our bikes.

At last year's 100, I hung around to watch the Classic finish, I then picked up my bike from the the storage area in Green Park, then cycled out along Piccadilly to get home. Traffic was obviously quite heavy and all the team cars were also joining it. I ended up cycling behind the Team Sky car all the way up Regent Street to Euston Road. That was fun!

veronese68

Carbonator wrote:

Veronese68 wrote:

Carbonator wrote:

A guy went into the back of a parked van just before the finish. It seemed pretty serious. Does anyone know how he is?

I was passing Downing Street and heard the crash further up Whitehall, it made the policmen jump. When I got there there was a woman in a bit of a fluster saying she didn't know what to do so I stopped. A bit surprised nobody else did, his friend was just coming back. The guy was groaning, but not coherent. I could see he was breathing but would need help so I looked for help. A passer by said he was a trained first responder so he jumped the barrier and came to help. One of the policemen ran up from Downing Street so I asked if he'd radioed for an ambulance. There wasn't much else I could do so left him with people that knew what to do. By the time I left he was talking to the first responder guy telling him his shoulder hurt. He'd taken a chunk out of his knee and probably had a hell of a bang on the head. Can't tell you any more than that.

I was diagonally opposite the van (spectating) when he hit it and could not cross the barrier as cyclists were coming down on my side of the road at that point.
Some other cyclists went to his side and a lady spectator went to help so I ran back down to where they were diverting the riders and told them to stop riders going on that side and call an ambulance.

Yes, lots of people passing at that point, not surprised you couldn't get across. They'd just stopped the flow when the guy came over the railings to help. Well done for getting them to divert, that was needed, made things a lot safer thank you.

Anonymous

If I am really honest I was glad others got to him first.
I shouted to keep him still until professionals arrived (as I felt that was the best thing to do in case of neck/spinal injury) and ran to get help.
It was only after speaking to two people (one with an earpiece and the guy actually in charge of diverting the cyclists) that they seemed to take me seriously, but I hope that helped.

southdownswolf

Despite the weather and the shortened course, I thoroughly enjoyed the ride. Riding around the closed roads of London at 40kph+ was great fun, hopefully I will be able to get in again next year, along with a few friends.
On the whole I thought the organisation was very good, however the transporting of bikes back to the start was a big disappointment. By the time I had found out the drop off point for bikes back to the start it was about 11:30am. I then waited for an hour due to the guys driving the vans not being allowed to load the vans, eventually two people from Prudential turned up to load. No securing the bikes or even putting any protection between them! Anyway, a few hours later I made my way back to the Olympic Stadium where the bikes were being dropped off to find my bike. I could have taken any bike there though... The people signing the bikes out just told me to go look for my bike and then sign next to the number. There were people without any id or even a race number saying that they had "x" bike and went into the pen, pulled out a bike and walked off. I presume that they owned it, but it would have been so easy to have walked out with a bike worth £0000's and just sign against the number. Needs to be sorted for next year.

As for punctures - I was riding Schwalbe Ones with about 500 miles on and can report that I had no punctures.

chrisaonabike

iPete wrote:

Agree, it was as close to road racing as I may get, it had it all, except any actually racing/attacking.

Personally, I wish all the people that treat it like a race would just sod off and race in actual races instead.

Not pointing the finger at you Pete, for all I know you were the epitome of respectful consideration, but as did most here, I expect, I saw a lot of people going hell for leather through non-existent gaps, cutting people up, passing dangerously - putting others at risk, all for the sake of saving a few seconds.

Racing is fine if you want to go and race, but the RL100 in a monsoon is not the place to do it, or even play at doing it.

hatone

ChrisAOnABike wrote:

iPete wrote:

Agree, it was as close to road racing as I may get, it had it all, except any actually racing/attacking.

Personally, I wish all the people that treat it like a race would just sod off and race in actual races instead.

Not pointing the finger at you Pete, for all I know you were the epitome of respectful consideration, but as did most here, I expect, I saw a lot of people going hell for leather through non-existent gaps, cutting people up, passing dangerously - putting others at risk, all for the sake of saving a few seconds.

Racing is fine if you want to go and race, but the RL100 in a monsoon is not the place to do it, or even play at doing it.

That reinforces my point, twice back in this thread. The RL100 need to introduce a BC category classification system to sort the bunch.

Those who want to race can race. Those who don't want to, don't.

Trying to put the fastest in the front waves based on their predicted times, hoping all is well doesn't work. There's the inevitable overlap. Many don't have the experience of racing hard and fast in tight quarters, however good or fit they think they are as a cyclist.

chrisaonabike

hatone wrote:

That reinforces my point, twice back in this thread. The RL100 need to introduce a BC category classification system to sort the bunch.

Probably the vast majority of the people treating it like a race but still riding dangerously weren't BC categorised. Even having the cat 1-4s at the front would leave hordes of wannabees behind them, mixed in with everyone else just as it's been.

I say again, it's not a race. Those that want to race, man up and go and race in actual races. The RL100 is a closed road, iconic route sportive, and those that try and race on it and just end up causing havoc are simply selfish and inconsiderate. They should sod off.

peat

I agree that a BC category probably wouldn't help. Those with a race licence get their racing fix elsewhere and so it'd still be the same 'wannabe' loonies slicing and dicing as if they are hoping to be spotted "hey kid, you've got legs! I'm gonna make you a staaaar"