Ride London 100

is there somewhere to lock bikes inside excel? or can I just wheel it round the show?

They have a secure bike parking area just inside. The show is really just a bunch of marketing stands, I wandered through briefly but unless you're after some last minute ride items or leaflets it isn't much to write home about!

Great, thanks.
perfect I was hoping to stock up on leaflets ;)

Exit through the gift shop innit

Good to try out new snacky things and sometimes more useful things like Lezyne had a stand and were doing decent deals, some clothing/kit stands etc.

High5 selling a box of 11 gels, 4 sachets of drink powder, 3 water tablets, 1 bar, 1 recover powder sachet and a bottle for a fiver.

At the Excel?

I guess I just elected to miss all those food/drink stands as my chocolate milk and jaffa cake combo has never let me down!!

I presumed online prices are still cheaper than those offered for most things.

As for race day... what do people do about locking their bikes up when going to the loo, refueling, etc? I could carry my lock, but having inspected some photos of the day, no one else seems to carry one?

Don't bother with a lock. The refuelling stands are walk past with your bike. Stand up pissers where you can watch your bike (unless you need a poo).

If you are planning to faff at the start / end you can put a lock in your bag that you drop off and pick up.

And if anyone was lurking to nick bikes at the stops, I figure there are always plenty of nicer ones than mine about.

Yup.

Anybody doing the 46?
Put my name in after missing the 100 and got lucky, not seen or heard anybody else mention the 46 since.

Just you homes

If you picked up one of the top tube stickers with pacing times on them the section between Hampton Ct and Ripley seems to have a mistake on all of them which gives a pace around 50km/h and then less than 20km/h from Ripley to Newlands corner.

Add about 10-15 mins to the arrival time at Ripley if you are thinking of using one.

Those things seemed like they could generally put a few people in trouble with their pacing. Plus, is it the best idea to have something for people of mixed ability to take their eyes off the road for?

I took one for 8 hours. The time it suggests it takes to get to the first hub is after the cut off time given my start time...

Any chance of picking up someones place if I go with a buddy who is registered tomorrow when he gets his number/chip?

Thinking if someone has an injury, double booked for a family commitment etc...?

Almost Zero.

Don't waste your time

Is there coffee usually available at the start?

Not that I recall, although I'm normally pretty bleary eyed at 5am. What sticks in my mind is the dreadful marshalling, and a couple of years ago the never ending, biblical rain.

Literally nothing.

says "Hot and cold drinks and a selection of food will be available to purchase at the start." in the latest magazine.

Think I'll coffee at home, then carb-load at Brick Lane Bagel shop and stow a salt beef one away for the ride along with the flapjacks I'll make tomorrow. As any good ThNKR knows, my flapjacks do the trick.
Slightly peeved they didn't have any Nuun at Excel but pretty sure a salt beef bagel has all the electrolytes one could wish for. Also hello to Mr racing tyres no-skid forum-capped guy Isaid hi to as I left Excel.

Have fun everyone!