Ride London 100

in our distinctive bright yellow and red jerseys

Distinctive is right.

I was expecting something featuring a potato. Nothing could have prepared me for quite how vivid they are.

8:21 wave here. You guys will be half way around before I even start!
Still, at least i get more time in bed :-)

Wave D
6:24...

Should be early enough not to get caught behind the mountain bikes with baskets, and the riders in flip flops.

Wave A, 06:03. Christ - I was late for Dunwich Dynamo. I predict struggling very hard to get there in time, and then blowing up in the first 40 miles by trying to hold on to some super-group.

MassifCentral will be doing personalised A3 ride prints this year..
Sneak preview:

1 Attachment

^nice

Having read the latest info, I realised that fixed WITH one brake is still not allowed. Was this the case last time, and did anyone get away with just the one brake (if riding fixed)?

Wut? Why?

They would say 'safety', I suspect insurance reasons. Nonetheless, can't see what they've got against what is essentially still a two brake set-up.

It has bullhorn handle bars are banned too?! Being new to all these terms, is my OTP charge plug 1 thus not allowed either?

7:15, hopefully I'll overtake the people who might walk up the hills!

Technically my bars are 'modified' too, because they're cut-down risers. They really don't make it easy for us.

There's such a fuckload of riders at the start and it's complete calamity - you'd be very unlucky to get spotted.

I'm starting at 6am, and have done precisely zero training this year due to being a lazy bugger.

It'll be interesting to see what my time ends up being.

Wave: G
Start Time: 12/30/1899 6:30:00 AM

What's everyone gearing atm?

Do they not look at your bike as you register?

They don't closely inspect the bikes. So cut-down risers, one brake etc are unlikely to be spotted. Bullhorns are rather more obvious however.

I don't remember there being any registration on the day, you just turn up. Registration is at the excel centre a few days before, where you collect your pack of rider numbers.

No, you register a day or two before, bike not needed. When you turn up there are lots of gates and about a million to one bikes to staff ratio. You just filter in. At least that's how my wave was last year.

I doubt they'd notice on the day, it's a risk but if they try and stop you just ride to another entry point.

Have to say I'm perplexed how bull horns can be deemed unsafe due to brake location.
If you have bar end levers you can pull your brakes a lot quicker then road levers!

Accounting for all the cross top users I guess.

Just invested in a new handlebar and bar tape. Don't really want to run the risk of being kicked out for the sake of a few quid.
I can sort of understand not allowing bull horns, it is impossible to brake if you're holding them on the side and they do have a tendency to get hooked on things. I still think it's a crap rule though as 99% of the time I just hold the bars normally and can brake instantly.

Oh well...

Interested in this too. I have a compact 50/34 and a choice of 11-23 and 11-28 cassettes. Intend to go on the 23.

EDIT: I did it last year on 11-28 and don't remember even going to the small ring - the climbs were of course removed.

My start time is 6:45am

don't ride this fixed, after hearing @middleofnowhere s report from the other year you'll just get annoyed seeing everyone fly past on the downhills. it would grate on me as the pace is quite fast.

i'm on 6.09 wave. not riding fast this year as i'm riding with my old man for his 70th birthday

I should say firstly that I respect @AirTime hugely - however the only way I would do this ride again is fixed (or at least singlespeed).

^ bold move Dan! why the interest in fixed or SS for this now? as much as i love riding fixed you can't maintain a fast enough speed to ride in any kind of bunch, plus i wouldn't really want to do that with the mental riding you see on the day. if i was riding fixed i'd just amble around it really.

I concur with this. Ride London is too frantic. I did a great little 60 mile charity sportive fixed last summer, through the Hampshire country side in glorious sunshine. That is more my fixed gear banter.