Ride London 2015
Comments
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went there last night and the show seemed even worse than last year. Only bonus is it's saved me a trip to the LBS to stock up on some gels.
No idea why this couldn't be sent by mail, i'd happily pay more money to have this sent to me and skip the show.
I asked that and was told it was for "security". Surprised they didn't ask me to remove my shoes.
Security my arse. I forgot my passport so showed my unsigned bank card. A goodun.
Pointless show though. Has to travel from Paddington to the excel of the night sleeper. Then when we got there at 9 I realised it doesn't open till 10. Useless.2019 Bianchi Oltre XR4
2016 Bianchi Ethanol
2015 Bianchi via nirone 7
2018 Boardman ADV 8.90 -
I registered today. My start time is 6.00 but I want to start a bit later and was told that is no problem at all, you can in effect start at any time later than your official start time but they don't wNt people starting earlier thN their allotted time. So I am working on a start time of around 7am.
For drinks, I'm starting with one 500ml bottle which I will drink in the first 20 miles. Then when I get to Kingston I'll see my family - and I will ditch the empty 500ml bottle and pick up 2 x 750ml bottles which will easily cover me for the rest of the ride.0 -
I registered today. My start time is 6.00 but I want to start a bit later and was told that is no problem at all, you can in effect start at any time later than your official start time but they don't wNt people starting earlier thN their allotted time. So I am working on a start time of around 7am.
I would be very careful on this as it clearly states on all the information given that you cannot change your start time and if you are late you will not be allowed to start. I wouldn't just take the word of someone that has just been employed for three days to give out rider packs!0 -
Went last night and its a complete waste of time. They've even done away with all the shiny bikes by the registration desks. I'd gladly pay a fiver to have it mailed.
What are people wearing? I start at 6.09, and went out at 6am this morning at it was COLD! Had a baselayer under the jersey and some arm-warmers which worked fine, but I'm hoping to get around without stopping so I don't want to be stripping off halfway round (I only did an hour this morning - it'll be pretty warm by 10am on Sunday).
Just picked my pack up and yes the 'show' is significantly poorer than when I did it in 2013.
As for clothes at the start. Just old arm warmers and gilet for me. BBC currently says about 14/15 for Stratford. I think the weather is going to be roughly like 2013 looking at the forecast0 -
I registered today. My start time is 6.00 but I want to start a bit later and was told that is no problem at all, you can in effect start at any time later than your official start time but they don't wNt people starting earlier thN their allotted time. So I am working on a start time of around 7am.
I would be very careful on this as it clearly states on all the information given that you cannot change your start time and if you are late you will not be allowed to start. I wouldn't just take the word of someone that has just been employed for three days to give out rider packs!
Nope - the Enquiries desk at the registration place had it written in their instructions, he showed me. He showed me the full list of start times for each colour, the times when the wave closes etc.0 -
Is anyone planning on riding up to this from Surrey/SW London?
What route are you planning?
Riding from Twickenham, probably setting off at 04.15 to get there for 05.30, although all this talk of flexibility on start times is tempting me to stay in bed for another hour ....0 -
It's not a race and all that jazz but Strava have put up a Box Hill segment just for tomorrow..
https://www.strava.com/challenges/BoxHill150 -
I want to ride with a mate who has a 6am start time compared to my 7. Anyone had any luck begging (or sneaking) into a different pen than the one allocated?0
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I want to ride with a mate who has a 6am start time compared to my 7. Anyone had any luck begging (or sneaking) into a different pen than the one allocated?
Based on the above, looks like he'll be welcome to wait an hour so you can ride together.0 -
Guys 'n' gals
About to head off for my overnight stop. Tummy gone nuts, sadly...
Have a great ride all, see you tomorrow
Now, where's that Imodium?
It's just a hill. Get over it.0 -
[url=http://www.bikeradar.com/forums/viewtopic.php?p=19670099#p19670099]KnightOfTheLongTights[/url] wrote:Is anyone planning on riding up to this from Surrey/SW London?
What route are you planning?
Riding from Twickenham, probably setting off at 04.15 to get there for 05.30, although all this talk of flexibility on start times is tempting me to stay in bed for another hour ....
I'm riding from Barnes and hoping I'll be able to ride the route to the start as not really sure any other way to get there. Hammersmith bridge maybe and a4 but will try my main commute first then so anyone stopping me. Leaving at 4.30 for 5.30 arrival for 6.30 start do hopefully they should be chilled given it is the way back so I won't be anywhere near the riders setting off at 60 -
I want to ride with a mate who has a 6am start time compared to my 7. Anyone had any luck begging (or sneaking) into a different pen than the one allocated?
Last couple of years at the Dragon Ride they had similarly strict timing instructions, i.e. you could start later but not earlier. However they just sent riders off in batches so if you were good to go earlier than your allotted time that was fine. I've not done the Pru ride before though so they may be stricter. Try it and see what happens.0 -
A quick note for anyone still planning a route in from south of the river...
According to the TFL website, the only bridges officially open in central London before the ride are Southwark and Blackfriars, although those east of the finish (Waterloo onwards) reopen from 10.30 so should be good to get home again. Whether bikes will be allowed on the closed bridges is a different question, of course.0 -
A quick note for anyone still planning a route in from south of the river...
According to the TFL website, the only bridges officially open in central London before the ride are Southwark and Blackfriars, although those east of the finish (Waterloo onwards) reopen from 10.30 so should be good to get home again. Whether bikes will be allowed on the closed bridges is a different question, of course.
I would hazard a guess that they'll be open to pedestrians if not traffic?
I'm planning on using London Bridge at around 6.30, anyone think that's too risky?Bianchi C2C - Ritte Bosberg - Cervelo R3
Strava0 -
Am I the first one to get home?
We had lovely weather and unlike last year I actually enjoyed it, although the event seems to have been a bit of a crashfest. I hope there are no serious injuries.
Great support in Dorking. It's a shame that half-mile has by far the worst surface of the entire route!0 -
Quite honestly I think I preferred it last year - the weather added a certain charm. Too hot for me this year, I couldn't seem to digest my food and absolutely died on Leith hill (feel slightly guilty as a rider infront of me got cut up and went down, I slammed on and I stayed upright but the chap behind me went down as he clipped my rear wheel - not a lot I could have done really) - it's a decent enough climb to do by yourself but I do wonder if it has a place in a mass start event like this - the road was absolutely chocker and incidents were pretty inevitable. Someone on Strava has mentioned seeing someone getting CPR on Leith hill, hope they're OK.0
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Broke myself. Went sub 4h 30 and legs are hurting now!
Bloody good day out, my first attempt and enjoyed it although the last 20 miles were emotional as cramp was seriously kicking in!0 -
A friend of mine who was doing it said that there was a bad crash on Leith Hill and loads of riders were held for 50 minutes awaiting police and air ambulance.... not good.“You may think that; I couldn’t possibly comment!”
Wilier Cento Uno SR/Wilier Mortirolo/Specialized Roubaix Comp/Kona Hei Hei/Calibre Bossnut0 -
Broke myself. Went sub 4h 30 and legs are hurting now!
Bloody good day out, my first attempt and enjoyed it although the last 20 miles were emotional as cramp was seriously kicking in!
So that's nearly 15 pounds an hour... :shock:
left the forum March 20230 -
Think it was a heart attack and I overheard someone at the end say he didn't make it. Apparently just after we filtered past they closed the climb and diverted everyone because of the air ambulance landing. Upsetting to see someone out for a ride end up getting CPR at the side of the road, it quite affected my wife and others. Thoughts are with his family if what we heard is correct.A friend of mine who was doing it said that there was a bad crash on Leith Hill and loads of riders were held for 50 minutes awaiting police and air ambulance.... not good.Eddy Merckx EMX-3
Dolan L'Etape
Cougar Zero Uno
Genesis Core 50
Planet X TOR0 -
Going up Leith was a nightmare, too many people going up too narrow a road with sharp gradients.
Really enjoyed it. Got round in 5:31, made sure I comfortably paced myself. Hope to get a place for next year and duck under 5 hrs which is perfectly do-able as I had more in the tank and lost 2 moths of training in March and April.
Well organised event too.0 -
Think it was a heart attack and I overheard someone at the end say he didn't make it. Apparently just after we filtered past they closed the climb and diverted everyone because of the air ambulance landing. Upsetting to see someone out for a ride end up getting CPR at the side of the road, it quite affected my wife and others. Thoughts are with his family if what we heard is correct.A friend of mine who was doing it said that there was a bad crash on Leith Hill and loads of riders were held for 50 minutes awaiting police and air ambulance.... not good.
Very sad if that is true. If not true, I hope they are recovering.
My wife reckons she was stuck for well over an hour and a quarter.
Makes you wonder if leith hill is just a bit too narrow for this event? New lands and box hill are a reasonable size, but leith hill is narrow.
What a day for it all though. I watched a little at the very start and then headed to sheen and then Kingston, so managed to see a good section of the riders. Great to see more people in costumes and making it much more of an event.0 -
Riding through swathes of central London minus cars and traffic lights makes this event surreal and compulsive. Like no other. I especially like going full bore over Hammersmith flyover. When else could you do that?0
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I kind of agree with the comments about Leith Hill, it is too congested but I think the problem is that too many people walk (there were people walking up Newlands Corner as well!) so perhaps a possible solution is to take people up the hill be a different route if they're going to walk it.
Had a great time myself, first every sportive completed in 5:31 which I was quite happy with. Cramping up quite a bit now though, less happy about that...Giant Defy Advanced 0 - Best
Planet X London Road - Wet
Montague Fit - Foldy thing that rarely gets used these days0 -
It's very sad of course, but also quite common, unfortunately
With no fitness criteria to get an entry and the push for fundraising, events like this or the London Marathon attract way too many last minute enthusiasts.
Staggering stats from the London marathon: as an average 40K entries, 5K people need medical treatment, 40 end up in A & E and 1 dies of heart attack...
left the forum March 20230 -
I didn't witness any crashes but saw one or two aftermaths, one poor lass flat on her back face covered in blood but medics in attendance.
Set-off at 6:27 so not too far from the first lot, managed it in 4h 36 and got up Leith hill fine, currently 90th fastest out of 7500 odd!
Got a mate who set-off in the first wave and got top 20, only drank 1 bottle and never stopped, feck that! hahaIf the bar ain't bending, you're just pretending0 -
It's very sad of course, but also quite common, unfortunately
With no fitness criteria to get an entry and the push for fundraising, events like this or the London Marathon attract way too many last minute enthusiasts.
Staggering stats from the London marathon: as an average 40K entries, 5K people need medical treatment, 40 end up in A & E and 1 dies of heart attack...
The person in question could be very fit with an underlying condition for all we know.
The stats from the marathon are frightening but based on what I saw today the number of people who required medical treatment was very low and of those who did, it was due to crashing rather than exhaustion.Road - Scott Solace
Mountain - Santa Cruz Tazmon (retro) and Scott Spark0 -
As a later starter in previous years, I found it a little disconcerting to see, at Kingston, the early starting hot-shoes on their homeward leg as I was heading out towards the Surrey hills.I'm one of the last starters - Pink Wave G starting at 8:45
Cheers
Rory
This year I have a 6.24hrs start. I'll give you a wave!
Yep got to Kingston and people were heading back, even with a 2.5 hour head-start it was impressive!
I was pleasently surprised to find there was plenty of space to ride at your own pace, with Newlands and Boxhill being the only pinch-points.
All in all, highly recommended!Road - Scott Solace
Mountain - Santa Cruz Tazmon (retro) and Scott Spark0 -
Set-off at 6:27 so not too far from the first lot, managed it in 4h 36 and got up Leith hill fine, currently 90th fastest out of 7500 odd!
How have you worked that out please?0
