Ride London 2016

Emphursis · February 2016

Fourth rejection in a row for me... It's frustrating that there are some people getting in year after year while others haven't got in once. They really should weight it favour of people that haven't done it before, or not in he last X years or something.

milemuncher1 · February 2016

Emphursis wrote:

Fourth rejection in a row for me... It's frustrating that there are some people getting in year after year while others haven't got in once. They really should weight it favour of people that haven't done it before, or not in he last X years or something.

Unfortunately, they are not allowed to 'weight' the process. It's something to do with European anti discrimination legislation apparently.

slowbike · February 2016

Well - this is a new one on me - Just recevied (well, the better half has) an email saying "we are extremely grateful that you decided to donate your entry fee .... and a limited edition Prudential RideLondon Roubaix long-sleeved cycling jersey will be sent to you as a thank you."

Only - she didn't (and nor did I - although I've got a place) ... so administrative cockup then ... well - if they want to send a jersey then fine (although why would they send a roubaix long sleeve jersey for supporting a summer event?!)

grenw · February 2016

Strange. I got the email today confirming the rejection that came in the post last week. No mention of a jersey in the email even though it arrived with the magazine.

Anonymous · February 2016

Slowbike wrote:

Well - this is a new one on me - Just recevied (well, the better half has) an email saying "we are extremely grateful that you decided to donate your entry fee .... and a limited edition Prudential RideLondon Roubaix long-sleeved cycling jersey will be sent to you as a thank you."

Only - she didn't (and nor did I - although I've got a place) ... so administrative cockup then ... well - if they want to send a jersey then fine (although why would they send a roubaix long sleeve jersey for supporting a summer event?!)

Maybe they have a good long range weather forecast

The most recent three years gifts have all been winter stuff haven't they?
Makes more sense if you think about it. You can start using them straight away.

I thought it came with the magazine. I donated (or pre-paid as it turned out) so when there were two slim mags delivered I felt I was probably in.
Wife did not donate, so I checked hers first.

Anonymous · February 2016

Same for me. Didn't get in. Definitely didn't elect to donate my fee. Will see what happens

Anonymous · February 2016

They look a bit like horse racing jockeys tops.

slowbike · February 2016

ah - if they came out with the rejection mag then that's a blank on the jersey front ... not bothered really ...

itboffin · February 2016

Slowbike wrote:

Well - this is a new one on me - Just recevied (well, the better half has) an email saying "we are extremely grateful that you decided to donate your entry fee .... and a limited edition Prudential RideLondon Roubaix long-sleeved cycling jersey will be sent to you as a thank you."

Only - she didn't (and nor did I - although I've got a place) ... so administrative cockup then ... well - if they want to send a jersey then fine (although why would they send a roubaix long sleeve jersey for supporting a summer event?!)

Because most people will be training through winter so they're just rubbing it in

slowbike · February 2016

Slowbike wrote:

ah - if they came out with the rejection mag then that's a blank on the jersey front ... not bothered really ...

They sent out an appologise email - they made a mistake ... with the jersey, not my entry ..

Anonymous · February 2016

itboffin wrote:

Slowbike wrote:

Well - this is a new one on me - Just recevied (well, the better half has) an email saying "we are extremely grateful that you decided to donate your entry fee .... and a limited edition Prudential RideLondon Roubaix long-sleeved cycling jersey will be sent to you as a thank you."

Only - she didn't (and nor did I - although I've got a place) ... so administrative cockup then ... well - if they want to send a jersey then fine (although why would they send a roubaix long sleeve jersey for supporting a summer event?!)

Because most people will be training through winter so they're just rubbing it in

Probably more encouraging people to train and take a charity place.
Its is first and foremost a charity event after all.

The people who get the jersey have already donated, so its a good target market.
They are less likely to be people just wanting a cheap closed road sportive, who then b1tch when they don't get in.

Thigh_burn · February 2016

So I've got a charity place.

Any tips to be had for training. I'm starting from the lowest of starting points ie I've barely been on my new bike due to the weather and am beginning to crap myself that I've bitten off more than I can chew.

Mike_L · February 2016

Thigh_burn wrote:

So I've got a charity place.

Any tips to be had for training.

If you haven't already got the official Magazine, there's a few training plans included there
I assume these are the same ones as here https://www.prudentialridelondon.co.uk/ ... ing-plans/

also consider

joining a club to build your group riding skills
roping in a few friends for training rides

antonyfromoz · February 2016

I'm in on my first attempt - very excited (but I have no idea what time i estimated). Does anyone have any transport suggestions about the best way to get me and the bike in from Oxford? I have not thought about booking a hotel but I suppose this is also an option. Are most of you staying in London or travelling in on the day?

Thigh_burn · February 2016

Mike_L wrote:

If you haven't already got the official Magazine, there's a few training plans included there
I assume these are the same ones as here https://www.prudentialridelondon.co.uk/ ... ing-plans/
...
roping in a few friends for training rides

Thanks for the link, I think I may have binned in the magazine without actually reading it :oops: :oops:

I've already started roping them in, with some success.

milemuncher1 · February 2016

antonyfromoz wrote:

I'm in on my first attempt - very excited (but I have no idea what time i estimated). Does anyone have any transport suggestions about the best way to get me and the bike in from Oxford? I have not thought about booking a hotel but I suppose this is also an option. Are most of you staying in London or travelling in on the day?

I'll be doing this again

https://www.strava.com/activities/358717097

https://www.strava.com/activities/359437667

https://www.strava.com/activities/360441831

I rode up to London from Southampton on the Saturday, stayed at the Waterloo Central Travelodge, on the Saturday night, rode over to Stratford On the Sunday for the ride, stayed overnight on Sunday, then rode back to Southampton, on the Monday.

milemuncher1 · February 2016

Thigh_burn wrote:

So I've got a charity place.

Any tips to be had for training. I'm starting from the lowest of starting points ie I've barely been on my new bike due to the weather and am beginning to crap myself that I've bitten off more than I can chew.

Don't stress out too much about "training". Just try to build up to ride lengths of about 80 miles, within about a month of the event. Try and include as many climbs, as you can find. And I'd say get yourself out with some groups ( maybe a CTC group, or a Skyride social group in your locale ). This isn't a race, it's an ( admittedly quite large ) group ride, on closed roads. Don't under estimate the effect of not having to worry about traffic, and / or red lights, will have on your time. The maximum allowed time, is actually very generous. Don't worry, enjoy the ride, there's so much going on, you probably won't notice that it's actually a 100 miler.

Cliveyp · February 2016

antonyfromoz wrote:

I'm in on my first attempt - very excited (but I have no idea what time i estimated). Does anyone have any transport suggestions about the best way to get me and the bike in from Oxford? I have not thought about booking a hotel but I suppose this is also an option. Are most of you staying in London or travelling in on the day?

First attempt this year for me too.

I'm heading down from Worcester on the Saturday with the wife and daughter probably by train with the bike bagged up. Staying in Tower Hill area overnight so will need to venture to the Excel as soon as we get there. Then going to ride over to the start down the A11 - which sounds like it will be very busy with people doing the same - then meeting up with the family after for a gentle stroll/pedal back to the hotel before heading home Monday after a celebratory evening!

paul2718 · February 2016

Re transport: the organisers arrange many car parks for £10-£15 for the day. The route to the start is posted, the route from the finish requires some imagination, but not that hard. I drove in from South Northants last year, very early start but simplest and cheapest option. Would have been back by lunchtime if the car hadn't exploded just past Regents Park...

Re training: it's the easiest 100 mile ride ever. So you can get away with very little 'training' as such, given some determination on the day. But walking up the hills is disrespectful to all those who didn't get places. So just ride a lot. Learn about pacing yourself, try to make efforts then recover, then another effort. 100 mile rides are time consuming, but when you ride 40 or 50 try and raise the pace in the last 10 miles, build some fatigue and then empty yourself. Quite important is to try and ride with other people, get used to being aware of what is going on around you, and some of what other riders expect of you, however reasonable or unreasonable as that expectation may be. Ideally ride some other lower key sportive events in the next few months. Get the failures in early... Get some experience of the distance and time in early. The time to learn about the bonk is not late July.

Paul

Thigh_burn · February 2016

Thanks for the tips u/paul2718, u/milemuncher and others.

Do you think I'd find something like a Garmin 520 would be beneficial for the training, I'm thinking it will be particularly helpful because of Strava and finding decent rides. Or is there another way to achieve the same.

Any tips on other kit I might need beyond, spare inner tube, pump, water, food, rain proof top (depending on weather forecast)?

Mike_L · February 2016

Thigh_burn wrote:

Any tips on other kit I might need beyond, spare inner tube, pump, water, food, rain proof top (depending on weather forecast)?

Ride London actually recommend TWO spare tubes for an event this length
in 2014, that was increased to FOUR because of the rain & I saw several people who punctured even before the start

Possibly a CO2 'pump' if you don't already have one
Spare Chain links
A second bottle & cage if you don't already have one (so you can avoid early water stops)
Money - if needed for emergency repairs/spares

If it's wet ...
An 'Ass Saver' or 'Race blade' mini mudguards
Overshoes
Arm/Leg Warmers / Gilet (can be taken to start & left with your bag for collection after the finish)

Some of this can actually be left to almost last minute as the Excel event will have several stalls selling everything you need

JACE100 · February 2016

Lucky enough to get in after 4 attempts. However my partner is due to give birth on the day so can't make it!
Do you have to pay the entry fee before you attempt to defer to next year?

antonyfromoz · February 2016

thank you all for your suggestions - I will wait to see what parking options they put forward in the June newsletter and then probably pick a park and ride somewhere near the start. As far as I can tell from Google maps, there is about 7 - 8 miles between the start and finish so this should be ridable even after 100 miles.

kingstonian · February 2016

Thigh_burn wrote:

So I've got a charity place.

Any tips to be had for training. I'm starting from the lowest of starting points ie I've barely been on my new bike due to the weather and am beginning to crap myself that I've bitten off more than I can chew.

You have plenty of time to get ready for it. I did it last year and had 4 months off the bike due to a bad knee, so started my training in late April.

I had the benefit of living on the route so tried to do most of my training on the route itself, which helped enormously as I knew what I was facing and meant I knew I could get round without any problems.

Where are you based? if you live somewhere hilly then I'd say that you'll be fine if you get to the point where you can get through a 75 mile ride without blowing up. If you are in Lincolnshire then you'll be wanting to travel to find some hills.

Thigh_burn · February 2016

Kingstonian wrote:

Where are you based?

Thanks, I'm in North London, so I have the benefit of Swain's Lane & Highgate West Hill. I can also try and do the route. I'm aiming to work up to 80 miles by May. It seems this all a wonderful excuse to buy some new kit as well, which is an added bonus.

defride · February 2016

antonyfromoz wrote:

thank you all for your suggestions - I will wait to see what parking options they put forward in the June newsletter and then probably pick a park and ride somewhere near the start. As far as I can tell from Google maps, there is about 7 - 8 miles between the start and finish so this should be ridable even after 100 miles.

I'm not far from you, last year I left the house at 4.15am drove straight up the M/A40 to Old Street, parked up on a side street and rode the 4 miles or so to the start along with hundreds of others and made it in plenty of time for a 6am start. Could have ridden back but met family and we grabbed a black cab, the whole logistics was a lot easier than I'd expected.

For me this was less hassle than other options, friends who stayed in the city were up at a similar time

kingstonian · February 2016

Thigh_burn wrote:

Kingstonian wrote:

Where are you based?

Thanks, I'm in North London, so I have the benefit of Swain's Lane & Highgate West Hill. I can also try and do the route. I'm aiming to work up to 80 miles by May. It seems this all a wonderful excuse to buy some new kit as well, which is an added bonus.

If you are able to be doing 80 mile rides with a few hills thrown in by May then I'd say you will be absolutely fine.

The first 20 miles of the ride (Olympic Park to Kingston) is pretty flat, so works as a nice warm up.

milemuncher1 · February 2016

antonyfromoz wrote:

thank you all for your suggestions - I will wait to see what parking options they put forward in the June newsletter and then probably pick a park and ride somewhere near the start. As far as I can tell from Google maps, there is about 7 - 8 miles between the start and finish so this should be ridable even after 100 miles.

It's actually relatively easy to do the ride back from the finish to Stratford. You will probably be buzzing from the ride, and almost certainly won't notice an extra couple of miles.

milemuncher1 · February 2016

Kingstonian wrote:

Thigh_burn wrote:

Kingstonian wrote:

Where are you based?

Thanks, I'm in North London, so I have the benefit of Swain's Lane & Highgate West Hill. I can also try and do the route. I'm aiming to work up to 80 miles by May. It seems this all a wonderful excuse to buy some new kit as well, which is an added bonus.

If you are able to be doing 80 mile rides with a few hills thrown in by May then I'd say you will be absolutely fine.

The first 20 miles of the ride (Olympic Park to Kingston) is pretty flat, so works as a nice warm up.

Absolutely spot on.

Anonymous · February 2016

Anyone got the email about signing up to offers from Evans?

I tried to sign up (from both Mac and iPhone) but it said the information was not secure.
I sent it anyway, but nothing seemed to happen.
No 'thank you for signing up' screen/message, and no confirmation email.

Have not bought much online with Evans, but that always seems to go t1ts up too!

Is it just my computer, or do other people have issues?

The 'Rider Card' idea sounds good if it works.

Ride London 2016

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