Ride London 100

Sorry maybe i was too cryptic, could you be persuaded to do Dunwich Dynamo?

Yes but not the legit one, I’m on holiday. I’m up for the forum alternative date ride

I'll be in Margate I'm afraid.

I’m confused, don’t they clash!?

Ah no worries @dubkev

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Anybody received their signing up instructions? Seem to remember receiving a pack in previous years.

You should have received the by e-mail a week ago check your in box. The e-mail gives what wave you are in, your no. and a link to the final instructions e-book. If you have not received the e-mail address is helpdesk@ridelondon.co.uk giving you full name and date of birth.
You will also have to schlep over to the Excel Centre on the 25th, 26th or 27th to pick up your rider pack and register finally.
Adam

Ah, there it is. Thanks!

What time are you leaving? Me 8:08

6:48

Ah a wee bit faster than me.
I know I will be crap on the hills

6.24 start time for me

7.28 for me, hopefully there will be some reasonably fast people to ride with left by that point.

Noone faster than fast cyclists with a late start!

Hypothetically, if I was meeting friends on the course. Would it be possible to get onto the a12 by the start and meet them there? I don’t want a fight with someone just trying to do their job.

I’ve ridden it officially 3 times and paid last year but couldn’t ride. Missed the email where I was meant to re register for this year.

I joined it at tower gateway the year I did it. Wasn't bothered waiting around in the cold at Stratford, I live just south of tower bridge. Do you have a number to put on your bike? If you are riding with nothing to show you are supposed to be there, you might get some ugly looks.

So fucking early...

Too fucking early!

Well. I dunno what to say. Not gonna forget that one too quickly! Never seen leith hill so atmospheric: or a food stop (on top of a v. Exposed hill) so deserted.

Was the rider on the cinelli mash from here? Smashing it up Leith and box hill!

There wasn't anyone fast near us or any one to work with, we just passed pretty much everyone until just after box hill, then my legs gave up. I feel like one of the things thats really missing from this event is a mini briefing at the beginning where they remind riders to ride on the left unless they wish to pass then they go on the right, which is generally followed but there were a few sketchy moments where we were trying to pass on the right and people in front were just drifting over. And the same applies to the climbs, theres nothing worse than losing your rhythm on a climb.

In other news my friend told us about how when he first got in to cycling he was buying £6 tyres, but was getting punctures on every ride, until he realised he should buy better tyres, then got a puncture straight in a Mavic tyre out of the blocks on the starting road, that blew part of the fabric in the tyre sidewall off the bead, then got 2 more punctures, had to get train to Wimbledon where they had an Evans stall, had the tyre and tube fitted, then when i saw him at the end, I asked him what the tyres were that he was buying for £6, turns out they were Hutchinsons.... Who make Mavic's tyres.

I was towing my wife around and drafting a little at the start, decent speed until about Hampton court, at which point the weather was horrid, and it was difficult to draft without getting a constant spray of road grit in your face.

Took it easier for the rest, though got some PBs on box, leith and newlands.

Agreed that people should be reminded about staying left if you are going to take it slow and easy.

Got a puncture 8km from the end, took 25 minutes to sort out, including snapping a park tools lever, with half flying across to the other side of the road. Not as unlucky as the chap who I spoke to who had 4 punctures, or the guy who had a puncture 1km from the end, who walked over the finish.

Clif shots are amazing, but dissolve in your damp pockets to create a sticky slime.

Some people though we're smashing it and at the last minute say "on your right!" When your already going past someone else which started to grind me after a while. .I saw plenty of close calls which could have been avoided.

No punctures so garanteed I'll get one one the way to work tomorrow.

Never seen so many punctures. I did wonder if they’d bypass leith hill and when I saw people overtaking the ambulance and safety car on their way to a rider down I was pretty sure that should have shut it.
Dreadful into the wind all the way out by a great smash fest after leatherhead.
One dodgy moment where I took a drink in Kingston, a steward walked out with a stop board and when I engaged the rear brake with my free hand nothing happened.

Saw a couple of riders in accidents in a bad way in the last 10km, maybe a combination of fatigue and everyone speeding up to get to the finish.
Hope they’re all ok.

In other news, there is not a molecule of lube left on the chains and they were already rusting by this morning. Should have drenched them in wet lube before the start...