Ride London 2016

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Comments

  • kingstongraham
    kingstongraham Posts: 28,166
    deejaysee wrote:
    I totally get why it has to be this way but this registering at the Excel before hand is a right pain in the ars*

    Why does it? The only reason it is like that is to be able to sell your footfall to the exhibitors.
  • capt_slog
    capt_slog Posts: 3,974
    deejaysee wrote:
    I totally get why it has to be this way but this registering at the Excel before hand is a right pain in the ars*

    especially if you live outside London.

    I'm 120 miles away, my heart bleeds for KingstonGraham who has to travel across the City :lol:

    My outlay for this event is around £500.

    Blimey :shock: That's just come as a bit of a shock.


    The older I get, the better I was.

  • slowbike
    slowbike Posts: 8,498
    Capt Slog wrote:
    I'm 120 miles away, my heart bleeds for KingstonGraham who has to travel across the City :lol:

    My outlay for this event is around £500.

    Blimey :shock: That's just come as a bit of a shock.

    Ouch!
    My direct costs so far are the entry fee (what was it? £50?) and a bit of food/drink - I'll spend a bit in fuel to get up to London, but staying in my van overnight Saturday - so no expensive hotel fees.
  • carbonclem
    carbonclem Posts: 1,784
    If you are travelling from outside London, the whole thing is a pain :D but registering isnt that much extra aggro, once you have accomodation relatively close to the start then booking in on Saturday and getting to the Excel isnt quite so bad.

    My weekend costs have taken a huge spike but thats due to my wifes birthday coinciding. £ for £ it is a bloody expensive sportive though, still, all good fun :D
    2020/2021/2022 Metric Century Challenge Winner
  • Thigh_burn
    Thigh_burn Posts: 489
    Mattsaw wrote:
    johngti wrote:
    Anyone else planning on forgetting to put the ridiculously big helmet sticker on?

    I didn't bother last year. I think only a couple of them are mandatory.
    The handlebar and jersey ones if I remember rightly?

    I think handle bar, bike and jersey are mandatory. The bike one - which is in addition to the handlebar one - says it needs to be visible on the bike. Didn't say where however.

    Wish I knew the helmet one was optional before I plastered it on last night.
  • kingstongraham
    kingstongraham Posts: 28,166
    Capt Slog wrote:
    especially if you live outside London.

    I'm 120 miles away, my heart bleeds for KingstonGraham who has to travel across the City :lol:

    Thanks, glad you see it isn't a nice extra chance to come to see that big London for some of us.

    I occasionally like to have a reminder to myself why I cycle rather than take public transport in London anyway.
  • pitcaig
    pitcaig Posts: 39
    Hi
    Does anyone else have a VIP pass for the start on Sunday?
    My daughter won me one at excel yesterday while I was signing on. Just wondering what I get with it.
  • Bikequin
    Bikequin Posts: 402
    Sorry for the noddy question - but is there secure bike parking at the registration? Can't find anything on the website about it.

    Thanks
    You'll not see nothing like the mighty Quin.
  • kingstongraham
    kingstongraham Posts: 28,166
    Bikequin wrote:
    Sorry for the noddy question - but is there secure bike parking at the registration? Can't find anything on the website about it.

    Thanks

    Yes.
  • iPete
    iPete Posts: 6,076
    Bikequin wrote:
    Sorry for the noddy question - but is there secure bike parking at the registration? Can't find anything on the website about it.

    Thanks

    Secure bike parking inside, with no need for a lock, apparently.
  • j_mcd
    j_mcd Posts: 473
    I've just been and registered and the bike parking looks fine. No queues at all.

    No queues to register either although I suspect that this will be different on a Saturday.

    Bit annoyed to find that Evans were sponsoring the event this year rather than Wiggle. I can see Evans stock anytime I like by popping into a shop but the Wiggle store gave me the change to look at all their DHB stuff. In saying that, there do seem to be some good discounts on jerseys compared to shop prices.

    I'm really quite looking forward to this now, even if the predicted wind direction suits no one at all!
    Giant Defy Advanced 0 - Best
    Planet X London Road - Wet
    Montague Fit - Foldy thing that rarely gets used these days
  • slowbike
    slowbike Posts: 8,498
    No real wind to speak of - so that's no bother :)
  • j_mcd
    j_mcd Posts: 473
    Slowbike wrote:
    No real wind to speak of - so that's no bother :)

    Pfft, it's a hurricane like 8 miles an hour, anything more than 2mph is too much in my book (I also don't like hills)
    Giant Defy Advanced 0 - Best
    Planet X London Road - Wet
    Montague Fit - Foldy thing that rarely gets used these days
  • 1986sv
    1986sv Posts: 83
    pitcaig wrote:
    Hi
    Does anyone else have a VIP pass for the start on Sunday?
    My daughter won me one at excel yesterday while I was signing on. Just wondering what I get with it.

    Had VIP access through Skoda last year, access to the velodrome, free coffee, porridge, fruit, also Laura Trott...you don't get her free but she was there.

    Also toilets. Toilets are good.
  • slowbike
    slowbike Posts: 8,498
    J_MCD wrote:
    Slowbike wrote:
    No real wind to speak of - so that's no bother :)

    Pfft, it's a hurricane like 8 miles an hour, anything more than 2mph is too much in my book (I also don't like hills)

    ah... ok - don't sit behind me then ... ;)
    Hills - there are no hills ... just a couple of speed bumps .... apparently .... :o
  • milemuncher1
    milemuncher1 Posts: 1,472
    Don't forget to get your free mini cowbell thing. It's quite nice.
  • Cliveyp
    Cliveyp Posts: 173
    I'll get the daughter to lift one.....where are they?
    2015 Ridley Fenix 105
    2012 Cube Ltd SL
    2011 Trek 1.2 - Sold
    2001 Giant Boulder - Sold
  • slowbike
    slowbike Posts: 8,498
    Milemuncher1 wrote:
    Don't forget to get your free mini cowbell thing. It's quite nice.

    ooo ... I've got one of those ... well - not quite so mini - but should I take it on the ride .... I could ring it when overtaking the plodders ... saves yelling "OOOOOOOOOOOOOOOONNNNNNNNNNNNNNN YOOOOOOOOOOOUUUUUUUUUURRRRRRRRR RIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIGHT" ... ;)
  • rich_e
    rich_e Posts: 389
    Just picking up on the comments on the roads and making space for people...

    The one thing I remember most about it when I did the 100 in 2013 was that for most of the ride, you have a lot of road space. Infact, it's almost like people forget the roads are closed and end up sticking in the left lane, which becomes all the more noticeable on some of the bigger road sections.

    The only areas I can honestly say space was compromised were:

    - Sawyer's Hill in Richmond Park
    Lots of people all coming through the park section together, so pace dropped up the hill and along the section across the top.

    - Leith Hill
    It's the steepest climb and narrow with many walking up. That said, I'm not built like a climber and still had room to get up the right side. The only pinch came when an ambulance came past, which I believe was for the guy that came off on the descent that somebody already mentioned in this thread.

    - Rolling hill after Leith
    I can't remember where exactly this is, it's not the main descent of Leith, but there is another really fast descent, the road is fairly straight and its sheltered by trees. When you come out of the trees, the hill suddenly kicks back up very briefly. I remember this caught a lot of people out on their gears and was the only point in the ride where I had to come to a grinding halt.
  • capt_slog
    capt_slog Posts: 3,974
    Milemuncher1 wrote:
    Don't forget to get your free mini cowbell thing. It's quite nice.

    Free?

    Bugger. Mrs Slog had me order a couple off the amazon.

    If you see a short lady at Trafalgar Sq and later at the Mall, waving a mini-cowbell like she's trying to kill something with the clapper, that's likely to be her. She will be joined by the younger Sloglet, now 22, who will be wishing he was riding with us but would struggle due to health issues.

    I'm riding with elder son, Chip Slog.


    The older I get, the better I was.

  • Thigh_burn
    Thigh_burn Posts: 489
    Capt Slog wrote:
    Milemuncher1 wrote:
    Don't forget to get your free mini cowbell thing. It's quite nice.

    Free?

    Clif were giving them away on their stall. Picked up a couple up. It's been noisy in the house since.
  • pitcaig
    pitcaig Posts: 39
    1986sv wrote:
    pitcaig wrote:
    Hi
    Does anyone else have a VIP pass for the start on Sunday?
    My daughter won me one at excel yesterday while I was signing on. Just wondering what I get with it.

    Had VIP access through Skoda last year, access to the velodrome, free coffee, porridge, fruit, also Laura Trott...you don't get her free but she was there.

    Also toilets. Toilets are good.

    Thanks sounds like the VIP pass was the best choice of the prizes she was offered. It was that or a Ride London cycle top.
  • Anonymous
    Anonymous Posts: 79,667
    I thought the Expo was much better than previous years.
    Evans was way better than wiggle and Prudential had some fun things going on.
  • Anonymous
    Anonymous Posts: 79,667
    Milemuncher1 wrote:
    Carbonator wrote:

    I am pretty quick but still find myself in front of people on the right sometimes.
    They are just letting me know they are there/want to pass, and I move over.

    Wow, you sound like you'd do well in the Classic.

    Haha, I'll give you that one.

    On re reading it's not quite what I meant.
    I meant I am quick enough to need to pass people, but still end up in front of people that need to pass me, despite being fully aware that they will need to.

    Have a great ride MM1 ;)
  • DAZZ_A
    DAZZ_A Posts: 74
    Is there a Garmin file for the route? I can't spot it anywhere.
  • Anonymous
    Anonymous Posts: 79,667
    pitcaig wrote:
    Hi
    Does anyone else have a VIP pass for the start on Sunday?
    My daughter won me one at excel yesterday while I was signing on. Just wondering what I get with it.

    Wife won VIP entry two years ago.

    She got a free jersey (red, not normal colour), VIP start straight into her wave after the breakfast in the velodrome (so no queuing).

    We (6 of us) went to Prudentials 'after party' with free beer/wine and canapés.

    Then we all went to watch the pros finish in the VIP stand (with more free food/drink and a goodie bag each).
  • capt_slog
    capt_slog Posts: 3,974
    The bike is all packed away in it's bag, and the stuff is in the car.

    Good luck on Sunday all, have a great time and stay safe.


    The older I get, the better I was.

  • dandrew
    dandrew Posts: 175
    Arrived early enough at Excel to see a rat scuttling through the downstairs toilet cubicles! Hope to be able to move as fast on Sunday!
  • ducknumber1
    ducknumber1 Posts: 1,172
    Not long since arrived at the hotel, after driving down from "The North". I'm in full agreement with those above that this is not a cheap do, especially for out of towners, but after doing it last year I also agree that it's well worth it.

    Last time I managed to sneak out with my numbers without doing the show, but sounds like it could be worth it, I fancy a mini cow bell....
  • johngti
    johngti Posts: 2,508
    DAZZ_A wrote:
    Is there a Garmin file for the route? I can't spot it anywhere.

    Got one off ridewithgps that I've stuck on the Garmin. Don't know (a) if this link will work and (b) if the route is 100% correct but here you go... https://ridewithgps.com/routes/15331302

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