Ride London 2016

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Comments

  • slowbike
    slowbike Posts: 8,498
    Surrey Commuter wrote:
    Slowbike wrote:
    I've had a quick look at the FreeCycle route - it comes out to Bank - and a bit further to Leadenhall Market - direct route to eXcel is ~ 5 miles ... so considering a quick trip out there on the Saturday to register - leaving wife and 1yo on the freecycle circuit (she's a capable rider and no issues with leaving her for a bit)
    Anyone got suggestions for a sensible but quick(ish) route?

    ta

    you need to get to Tower Hill and then take CS3 all the way there

    Ta - just checked the CS3 - looks fine
  • rich_e
    rich_e Posts: 389
    Carbonator wrote:
    zebulebu wrote:
    A mate's club is riding it and he's asked if I want to join them at 5:20, but will that be a problem if I have an allocated start time of much later?

    5.20? Really? They starting an hour earlier this year then?

    Having a later start time will not be a problem, just go up to a marshall at the pen you want to start in and say
    " I am due to start in two hours but I want to start now" in a loud voice, and you should be fine :wink:

    Being serious for a minute, its pretty lax from my experience, although I have never tried to sneak into an earlier pen.
    If you get stopped you could always try the "yeah ok, I'll just go and tell my mates that I am starting later and give them my mobile number (insert other reason) scam.

    If the organizers gave a monkeys you would think they could easily delete peoples timing chips and ban them from future events.

    I've only done the first year, but from what I could see, not everyone adhered to their designated letter pen start times. Those staffing it are likely to be volunteers and probably won't care so much, but obviously if everyone decides to start when they want, the whole thing would be chaos.

    One aspect I noticed a lot of people doing was starting at their designated time slot and pen, then as soon as they exit the start straight, they pull off onto the verges before joining the A12 and wait for their friends/club to start. If you are concerned about time, you actually won't be losing any, as the first mile or so is neutralized before you hit the beginning timing mat and then your clock actually starts.

    Unless they've put a stop to people congregating at the start, or scrapped the neutralized section, I would imagine that is still the case.
  • fenix
    fenix Posts: 5,437
    Just had an email extending registration to the event - so I'm guessing its not gone full this year ?
  • cruff
    cruff Posts: 1,518
    Carbonator wrote:
    zebulebu wrote:
    A mate's club is riding it and he's asked if I want to join them at 5:20, but will that be a problem if I have an allocated start time of much later?

    5.20? Really? They starting an hour earlier this year then?

    Having a later start time will not be a problem, just go up to a marshall at the pen you want to start in and say
    " I am due to start in two hours but I want to start now" in a loud voice, and you should be fine :wink:

    Being serious for a minute, its pretty lax from my experience, although I have never tried to sneak into an earlier pen.
    If you get stopped you could always try the "yeah ok, I'll just go and tell my mates that I am starting later and give them my mobile number (insert other reason) scam.

    If the organizers gave a monkeys you would think they could easily delete peoples timing chips and ban them from future events.
    Pretty sure he said 5:20... although I was drunk at the time and it may have been 6:20 :lol:

    Cheers for the info - I reckon if anything my start time will be after them, so it'll be them waiting for me, and I'm not sure they'd want to do that (trying to do a reasonable time would be made a lot more difficult if it meant going through loads of slower groups)
    Fat chopper. Some racing. Some testing. Some crashing.
    Specialising in Git Daaahns and Cafs. Norvern Munkey/Transplanted Laaandoner.
  • shaunclaridge
    shaunclaridge Posts: 87
    Hi,

    My first time on the ride this year and I havnt really had time to think about it and have failed to read any of the news emails ect they have sent.

    Firstly, am I supposed to have had something other than my initial letter in the post and the weekly news email? Like a number or a start time? Or is that all sorted on registration the day before?

    Secondly, I have arranged a sofa at my friends house for the night before and after who lives very close to Shepherds bush ..... I have never cycled in central London before but it looks like about 12 miles to the start. Is cycling going to be the best way of getting there? Im happy to leave early and have a gentle spin over there as a warm up but im wondering if i will be able to cycle in reverse on the course before the event starts or will I have to also plan a route to avoid the course? Is a taxi a better plan?

    How are people getting to the start from west london area?

    Im sure a google search could help me with this but you guys seem to be the fountain of knowledge on this one!

    https://www.google.co.uk/maps/dir/Sheph ... !3e1?hl=en
  • milemuncher1
    milemuncher1 Posts: 1,472
    shaunclaridge wrote:
    Hi,

    My first time on the ride this year and I havnt really had time to think about it and have failed to read any of the news emails ect they have sent.

    Firstly, am I supposed to have had something other than my initial letter in the post and the weekly news email? Like a number or a start time? Or is that all sorted on registration the day before?

    Secondly, I have arranged a sofa at my friends house for the night before and after who lives very close to Shepherds bush ..... I have never cycled in central London before but it looks like about 12 miles to the start. Is cycling going to be the best way of getting there? Im happy to leave early and have a gentle spin over there as a warm up but im wondering if i will be able to cycle in reverse on the course before the event starts or will I have to also plan a route to avoid the course? Is a taxi a better plan?

    How are people getting to the start from west london area?

    Im sure a google search could help me with this but you guys seem to be the fountain of knowledge on this one!

    https://www.google.co.uk/maps/dir/Sheph ... !3e1?hl=en

    All you have to do, is wait on just about any road in central London, on the morning of the ride, then wait for the inevitable herd of bikes, with their stickers, and numbers on to appear, you won't be waiting long. Then just follow them, until you reach the park, then the different coloured start pens / kit trucks, are clearly marshalled/ signed. It really is that simple.
  • itboffin
    itboffin Posts: 20,064
    I still don't even know my start time where can I login to find out?
    Rule #5 // Harden The Feck Up.
    Rule #9 // If you are out riding in bad weather, it means you are a badass. Period.
    Rule #12 // The correct number of bikes to own is n+1.
    Rule #42 // A bike race shall never be preceded with a swim and/or followed by a run.
  • slowbike
    slowbike Posts: 8,498
    Milemuncher1 wrote:
    shaunclaridge wrote:
    Hi,

    My first time on the ride this year and I havnt really had time to think about it and have failed to read any of the news emails ect they have sent.

    Firstly, am I supposed to have had something other than my initial letter in the post and the weekly news email? Like a number or a start time? Or is that all sorted on registration the day before?

    Secondly, I have arranged a sofa at my friends house for the night before and after who lives very close to Shepherds bush ..... I have never cycled in central London before but it looks like about 12 miles to the start. Is cycling going to be the best way of getting there? Im happy to leave early and have a gentle spin over there as a warm up but im wondering if i will be able to cycle in reverse on the course before the event starts or will I have to also plan a route to avoid the course? Is a taxi a better plan?

    How are people getting to the start from west london area?

    Im sure a google search could help me with this but you guys seem to be the fountain of knowledge on this one!

    https://www.google.co.uk/maps/dir/Sheph ... !3e1?hl=en

    All you have to do, is wait on just about any road in central London, on the morning of the ride, then wait for the inevitable herd of bikes, with their stickers, and numbers on to appear, you won't be waiting long. Then just follow them, until you reach the park, then the different coloured start pens / kit trucks, are clearly marshalled/ signed. It really is that simple.
    The only slight issue with that will be if those herds are all riding around hoping to pick up someone who knows the way to the start .... ;)
  • milemuncher1
    milemuncher1 Posts: 1,472
    Slowbike wrote:
    Milemuncher1 wrote:
    shaunclaridge wrote:
    Hi,

    My first time on the ride this year and I havnt really had time to think about it and have failed to read any of the news emails ect they have sent.

    Firstly, am I supposed to have had something other than my initial letter in the post and the weekly news email? Like a number or a start time? Or is that all sorted on registration the day before?

    Secondly, I have arranged a sofa at my friends house for the night before and after who lives very close to Shepherds bush ..... I have never cycled in central London before but it looks like about 12 miles to the start. Is cycling going to be the best way of getting there? Im happy to leave early and have a gentle spin over there as a warm up but im wondering if i will be able to cycle in reverse on the course before the event starts or will I have to also plan a route to avoid the course? Is a taxi a better plan?

    How are people getting to the start from west london area?

    Im sure a google search could help me with this but you guys seem to be the fountain of knowledge on this one!

    https://www.google.co.uk/maps/dir/Sheph ... !3e1?hl=en

    All you have to do, is wait on just about any road in central London, on the morning of the ride, then wait for the inevitable herd of bikes, with their stickers, and numbers on to appear, you won't be waiting long. Then just follow them, until you reach the park, then the different coloured start pens / kit trucks, are clearly marshalled/ signed. It really is that simple.
    The only slight issue with that will be if those herds are all riding around hoping to pick up someone who knows the way to the start .... ;)

    That's very unlikely.
  • denkfaul
    denkfaul Posts: 39
    itboffin wrote:
    I still don't even know my start time where can I login to find out?

    They post the start times & details to you about a month before, so we should get them in a week or two.
  • paul2718
    paul2718 Posts: 471
    Rich_E wrote:
    Unless they've put a stop to people congregating at the start, or scrapped the neutralized section, I would imagine that is still the case.
    The last couple of years the start has been the start. This will become clear when they issue the final instructions.

    Personally I think they should enforce the start times retrospectively. So if your start time is 7.00 and you actually cross the mat at 6.10 and you finish at 11.00 you get a time that reads 5.40* where '*' means adjusted for cheating...

    Paul
  • milemuncher1
    milemuncher1 Posts: 1,472
    paul2718 wrote:
    Rich_E wrote:
    Unless they've put a stop to people congregating at the start, or scrapped the neutralized section, I would imagine that is still the case.
    The last couple of years the start has been the start. This will become clear when they issue the final instructions.

    Personally I think they should enforce the start times retrospectively. So if your start time is 7.00 and you actually cross the mat at 6.10 and you finish at 11.00 you get a time that reads 5.40* where '*' means adjusted for cheating...

    Paul

    That's correct. The first timing bar is right under the gantry at the end of the 'funnel'. If you've set a time Concorde would have struggled to get, they mark your time with a *.
  • rich_e
    rich_e Posts: 389
    I guess they made the change then to stop exactly what I explained was happening in 2013. Which makes a lot of sense, as it was bizarre having the big fan fare of the start then having to dodge loads of people slowing down to pull off the road.
  • paul2718
    paul2718 Posts: 471
    I think it was also to do with making it close to 100 miles timing point to timing point. I suppose we could do a comparison and figure out how the route has changed, but who cares...

    Paul
  • benmac75
    benmac75 Posts: 53
    shaunclaridge wrote:
    Hi,

    My first time on the ride this year and I havnt really had time to think about it and have failed to read any of the news emails ect they have sent.

    Firstly, am I supposed to have had something other than my initial letter in the post and the weekly news email? Like a number or a start time? Or is that all sorted on registration the day before?

    Secondly, I have arranged a sofa at my friends house for the night before and after who lives very close to Shepherds bush ..... I have never cycled in central London before but it looks like about 12 miles to the start. Is cycling going to be the best way of getting there? Im happy to leave early and have a gentle spin over there as a warm up but im wondering if i will be able to cycle in reverse on the course before the event starts or will I have to also plan a route to avoid the course? Is a taxi a better plan?

    How are people getting to the start from west london area?

    Im sure a google search could help me with this but you guys seem to be the fountain of knowledge on this one!

    https://www.google.co.uk/maps/dir/Sheph ... !3e1?hl=en

    If timings align you're welcome to ride there with me. I go from Bayswater. It really is a doddle. I just drop onto Bayswater road, then along and up Oxford street and along. There are signs and as others have said, the nearer you get the more and more bikes are around. By the time you're going through Bow and places the bikes far outnumber cars. In a weird way it's part of the day I really enjoy as I always like big cities first thing in the morning.
  • specialized_nick
    specialized_nick Posts: 427
    I'll be doing this for the 1st time so have a couple quick questions!
    Do you have to sign on the morning of the ride or over the days before and is it easy to get from the Excel to the Olympic park?
  • drlodge
    drlodge Posts: 4,826
    Signing on is done the 2-3 days before hand at the Excel.
    You don't need to go between Excel and the Olympic Park.
    On the day of the ride, just turn up ready to go with your bike/number etc
    WyndyMilla Massive Attack | Rourke 953 | Condor Italia 531 Pro | Boardman CX Pro | DT Swiss RR440 Tubeless Wheels
    Find me on Strava
  • specialized_nick
    specialized_nick Posts: 427
    drlodge wrote:
    Signing on is done the 2-3 days before hand at the Excel.
    You don't need to go between Excel and the Olympic Park.
    On the day of the ride, just turn up ready to go with your bike/number etc

    thank you!
  • capt_slog
    capt_slog Posts: 3,974
    drlodge wrote:
    Signing on is done the 2-3 days before hand at the Excel.
    You don't need to go between Excel and the Olympic Park.
    On the day of the ride, just turn up ready to go with your bike/number etc

    Can't you sign in the day before? That's what my son did last year.


    The older I get, the better I was.

  • drlodge
    drlodge Posts: 4,826
    Capt Slog wrote:
    drlodge wrote:
    Signing on is done the 2-3 days before hand at the Excel.
    You don't need to go between Excel and the Olympic Park.
    On the day of the ride, just turn up ready to go with your bike/number etc

    Can't you sign in the day before? That's what my son did last year.

    Yes...the 2-3 days before is the Thursday-Saturday (ish)
    WyndyMilla Massive Attack | Rourke 953 | Condor Italia 531 Pro | Boardman CX Pro | DT Swiss RR440 Tubeless Wheels
    Find me on Strava
  • buckmulligan
    buckmulligan Posts: 1,031
    paul2718 wrote:
    Rich_E wrote:
    Unless they've put a stop to people congregating at the start, or scrapped the neutralized section, I would imagine that is still the case.
    The last couple of years the start has been the start. This will become clear when they issue the final instructions.

    Personally I think they should enforce the start times retrospectively. So if your start time is 7.00 and you actually cross the mat at 6.10 and you finish at 11.00 you get a time that reads 5.40* where '*' means adjusted for cheating...

    Paul

    Haha, you do realise that it's a sportive and not a race, right?!
  • benmac75
    benmac75 Posts: 53
    Has anyone had their email with a start time yet?

    I received the magazine thing with my number in the post this morning and I am sure that in all previous years that form also told you your start time, wave etc but it doesn't this time.

    The magazine mentions this info being in an email they "sent at the end of June" but I've not had one I don't think (but have had other promotional stuff from them so they have the right address). In some ways it's hardly the end of the world not knowing until the day before as I'll be ready to get there mega early as usual but it'd be nice to know.

    EDIT! Just spoke to them and the email mentioned is being sent out today from 11:00 onwards.
  • capt_slog
    capt_slog Posts: 3,974
    Just got my info in the email.


    • Start Area: Blue
    • Wave: Q
    • Wave Load opening time: 07:17
    • Wave Load closing time: 07:52
    • Start Time: 08:41

    (I've removed some details from the above)


    The older I get, the better I was.

  • slowbike
    slowbike Posts: 8,498
    Start Area - Orange
    Wave - F
    Wave load - 0536.
    Start - 0639

    just need to sort out how I'm getting there now :)
  • heavy_rat
    heavy_rat Posts: 264
    Start Area: Orange
    Wave: B
    Wave Load opening time: 05:08
    Wave Load closing time: 05:43
    Start Time: 06:11

    Not much of a lay in for me
  • milemuncher1
    milemuncher1 Posts: 1,472
    I've got an early one ( compared to last year )

    Black B
    Loads at 06:18
  • Cliveyp
    Cliveyp Posts: 173
    Black wave H

    Start at 08:52.....

    That should keep me well in the cluster of slower/charity riders I guess, so i'm not so concerned that my knee is currently keeping me off the bike. I won't sacrifice my place until I know for sure I won't be able to ride on the day.
    2015 Ridley Fenix 105
    2012 Cube Ltd SL
    2011 Trek 1.2 - Sold
    2001 Giant Boulder - Sold
  • capt_slog
    capt_slog Posts: 3,974
    :lol: Some of you will be on your way back before I get going.

    I had to be realistic about what I could do, I'm under no illusions.


    The older I get, the better I was.

  • iPete
    iPete Posts: 6,076
    6:00am start, both happy and sleepy thinking about it.
  • specialized_nick
    specialized_nick Posts: 427
    8:13 start time for me, Green wave C

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