Ride London 2015

MattPillinger

welshychris wrote:

HI Matt thanks for the info, im looking at hotels near the expo. but will have to take a car as were going to France on our hols on the monday!. My wife and daughter would like to do the freeride but am unsure how we would get the bikes from docklands to town! My daughter is only 7 so its likely that i will have to try and carry 2 bikes. the wife well she can fend for herself..lol . so could be a right pain getting the bikes to central london. Did you find the hotel was ok with you having your bike with you etc

Hi Chris, you could put bikes on DLR last time - so hopefully you can do so again, which will make life easier for the freecycle (check their website to be sure though). DLR runs from Excel (& several spots nearby) to Tower Hill, which is at the far eastern end of the freecycle route.

They also had secure (ie inside, with security guard, with token system) storage for bikes at Expo - useful for when you are registering - you could just go in, get your stuff and go, but in 2013 it was worth hanging around for an hour or 2 (Laura Trott was there, stunt BMX demo's and whatever the technical name for those challenges where bike is wired up to a computer and you ride a segment of Tourmalet or wherever).

My hotel was fine with bike in the room - I keep my bike in showroom condition and they could see that. I guess for you the key thing is a hotel with free/cheap parking which I suspect rules out central London and as you say, near Expo is probably best.

secretsam

welshychris wrote:

Hi Guys im doing the ride this year but cant find much info on the logistics of it all. I need to find a hotel to book etc. so can anyone recommend a hotel to stay in. Also how do you get your bikes to the start if your not that close. Can you Use the tubes/trains etc. ME and the family would also like to do the London freeride on the Saturday but again cant seem to find much info on how to get your bikes into town!!!!!> but if you could recommend and bike friendly hotels id really appreciate it. but all info gratefully received as i need to get this sorted before the wife kills me!!

LOL am staying near London Bridge 'cos my office is there, so can use secure car park and the secure bike sheds (may even store the bike in the office!!!!!)

drlodge

SecretSam wrote:

LOL am staying near London Bridge 'cos my office is there, so can use secure car park and the secure bike sheds (may even store the bike in the office!!!!!)

Ditto Got a room at the LSE Bankside house for £68, and the office is in Gracechurch St where I can park the car. Really kinda handy!

GiantDance

Just be notified by someone from my club, that I'm part of the 4 man team we have entered am over the moon

stretchy

When will we be able to pay for the parking?

Omar Little

Anyone received the entry details if successful via the club challenge ballot?

We were supposed to hear on the 13th April but i havent got any emails or mail about it yet.

rollemynot

Looking to do this next year...... If I'm lucky enough.

Looking to use my campervan as transport/accommodation.

Thoughts?

Bmacbri

Hi,

Pretty sure this is answered somewhere in the 16 pages of replies on this threat but since I am too lazy to scroll through a years worth of replies:

Does anyone know the elevation of this ride? I am riding it this year (for charity) and just wondering what sort of training rides I need to do.

Thanking you all.

drlodge

Elevation is not a lot. Its a mostly flat route with two gentle hills (Newlands and Box Hill) and one steeper section going up the south side of Leith Hill. If you can do a Cat 4 hill after 60 miles in your legs you'll be fine (or walk it if not).

surrey_commuter

Bmacbri wrote:

Hi,

Pretty sure this is answered somewhere in the 16 pages of replies on this threat but since I am too lazy to scroll through a years worth of replies:

Does anyone know the elevation of this ride? I am riding it this year (for charity) and just wondering what sort of training rides I need to do.

Thanking you all.

approx 1,400 metres in total with both Leith and Box Hills about 150m. As they are only about 10 mins to ride up it would not be the biggest disaster if you ended up walking.

Anonymous

Why would he need to walk? He has months to train.
The other option is to have a rest and then give it another go.
I hope anyone that does walk is respectful of those that want to actually cycle.

FoldingJoe

Anybody know if they are funny about deferring places?

Is it on medical grounds only?

Thanks

JohnW52

No, as long as it's the first time. My son did it last year as he didn't feel he was ready. You can only defer once though.

sherer

FoldingJoe wrote:

Anybody know if they are funny about deferring places?

Is it on medical grounds only?

Thanks

Tried to defer my place last year but as I was entered via a charity I wasn't able to defer the place, just direct entries only

rogerv78

Hi guys I have managed to get a ballot place in this years ride and have been raising money for charity, I have been thinking lately about how exactly I get to the olympic park from where I am in hampshire for the early start ? I am based in hampshire, what were other peoples experiences from the last few years ? Any help is appreciated, tia

99thmonkey

Train To Waterloo, cycle from there

Anonymous

Don't forget that you need to get your number etc.

MattPillinger

rogerv78 wrote:

Hi guys I have managed to get a ballot place in this years ride and have been raising money for charity, I have been thinking lately about how exactly I get to the olympic park from where I am in hampshire for the early start ? I am based in hampshire, what were other peoples experiences from the last few years ? Any help is appreciated, tia

Depends where in Hampshire, but I'm Basingstoke and the first train on Sunday is too late to get to start, so I'm staying over

brettjmcc

Does anyone know when they are releasing car park booking this year?

TimIrons

brettjmcc wrote:

Does anyone know when they are releasing car park booking this year?

... or the rider start times? I can't plan anything until I know when i need to be there!

rogerv78

99thmonkey wrote:

Train To Waterloo, cycle from there

Yeah trains dont leave early enough ? Will be doing that on the way home though.

rogerv78

Carbonator wrote:

Don't forget that you need to get your number etc.

Yeah thanks I have booked a day off work on the friday so we can drive up to the excel and get the pack etc as I assume its going to be madness on the saturday ?

rogerv78

MattPillinger wrote:

rogerv78 wrote:

Hi guys I have managed to get a ballot place in this years ride and have been raising money for charity, I have been thinking lately about how exactly I get to the olympic park from where I am in hampshire for the early start ? I am based in hampshire, what were other peoples experiences from the last few years ? Any help is appreciated, tia

Depends where in Hampshire, but I'm Basingstoke and the first train on Sunday is too late to get to start, so I'm staying over

Yeah I'm in fleet, so trains are no good for me, I have been looking at staying over but wasn't sure about driving up in the morning and get dropped off ?

Problem is we dont know start times yet so wouldnt know what time to plan on leaving yet ?

Would it be a better idea to go up on the Saturday do the expo and stay over ? How far is the expo from the start ?

rogerv78

Does anyone have any recommendations for any hotels near the olympic park/excel that they have booked for this year or used last year as the ones I have been looking at seem ok to look at for a cheap and cheerful one night stay but some of the reviews aren't good, one of them looks like its used as a brothel of sorts!

Is there anyone else from the fleet or surrounding area planning on travelling up on the saturday and staying over that might want to either travel together or share a hotel room ?

Thanks

Anonymous

Expo is not at all near the start.

Premiere Inn Stratford is excellent (happy about bikes and cooked breakfast from 4am) but doubt you will get a room now.

rogerv78

Hi guys is there anyone else from the fleet or surrounding areas planning on travelling up by train on the saturday and go to the expo, just thought we could share the journey ?
Thanks

MattPillinger

[url=http://www.bikeradar.com/forums/viewtopic.php?p=19621719#p19621719]rogerv78[/url] wrote:

Does anyone have any recommendations for any hotels near the olympic park/excel that they have booked for this year or used last year as the ones I have been looking at seem ok to look at for a cheap and cheerful one night stay but some of the reviews aren't good, one of them looks like its used as a brothel of sorts!

Is there anyone else from the fleet or surrounding area planning on travelling up on the saturday and staying over that might want to either travel together or share a hotel room ?

Thanks

I'm staying in the Ibis Budget London City Airport. c £80. If I'm honest it's not the best hotel in the world but it is close to Excel for Expo and is about 5 mile bike ride to Olympic park - last time I did it (2013) I really enjoyed the bike ride, dawn was just coming, it was cool and there were lots of cyclists on roads with very few cars, you could feel the excitement/anticipation building Edit - & they were fine with bikes in room - just asked that my bike was clean

secretsam

Leith Hill and Box Hill

How "tough" are they? Local comparators for me are the Chilterns!

MattPillinger

[url=http://www.bikeradar.com/forums/viewtopic.php?p=19623435#p19623435]SecretSam[/url] wrote:

Leith Hill and Box Hill

How "tough" are they? Local comparators for me are the Chilterns!

I've not ridden in Chilterns, but the best epitaph I've heard for Box Hill is 'no one has ever ridden up it & said 'that was harder than I thought'.

Leith is a bit steeper and with narrow road, any walkers (there will be some) tend to cause a bit of a blockage, but last time out (2013) it wasn't too bad

timothyw

[url=http://www.bikeradar.com/forums/viewtopic.php?p=19623435#p19623435]SecretSam[/url] wrote:

Leith Hill and Box Hill

How "tough" are they? Local comparators for me are the Chilterns!

They're a lot like the climbs in the chilterns, just with about 50% more overall elevation, so they go on longer.

Box is easier, with the caveat that if it is hot and sunny on the day you are exposed, so keeping a cool head is part of the challenge - the first time I rode up box hill, it was a hot summers day and I decided for some reason it was very important to change the display on my bike computer (probably to break up the grind of the long steady incline) and ended up falling onto the grass bank, which was embarrassing more than anything else. Focus on the road, keep the pedals turning and you'll get there!

Leith is a lot more like what you find in the chilterns, narrow tree lined lane, steep elevation in places, slightly dodgy surface, lots of risk from walking riders if you're later in the ride - I was glad of my triple on the Evans KOTD sportive as it meant I could navigate around them in the granny ring, cadence would have been very uncomfortable otherwise.

Neither of them are killer in terms of gradient, so long as you've got your training in you'll be just fine. I've been on several much more ridiculous slopes in the Chilterns.