Ride London 100

I'm going to the pub after the ride.

What a boring route, it's almost like they made a tour of roads I try to avoid!

Essex New Road

Actually rougher than the forest paths

I think the joy will be riding those exact roads when closed to traffic.

Traffic isn't the sole reason I avoid them, there's just far more pleasant roads to ride, even in Essex.

Errr…has any information been released yet about registration / start times / etc? I think previously you had to go to the excel centre or something? Beginning to think maybe something has been sent out by post but I have moved house and haven’t updated my details.

It used to all get sent out about a month before from memory

Ok cheers! turns out they have my correct address anyway. My memory of when entries opened is out by about 6 months it seems.

https://www.ridelondon.co.uk/help

"
Participants will be notified of individual start arrivals times by email three weeks before Event Day...
"

I'm unlikely to ride. Covid stopped my half-arsed training plan for two weeks and then sapped me of all enthusiasm knowing it was always going to be a slog. I never got in the right shape and whilst I could probably get round on muscle memory of fitness and sheer bloody-mindedness ICBA.

Next year probably, still chasing that London Classics medal.

Holy crap you actually read the FAQs, amazing work.

I will mostly be powering around on bloody-mindedness and pork pies, so if you do decide to give it a go you’ll have company.

Ha, I went looking for the refund/transfer/deferral info.

And, as I expected, there are no refunds, transfers or deferrals. Ride it or lose out.

Thats pretty shit in my books.

And, as I expected, there are no refunds, transfers or deferrals. Ride it or lose out.

That's changed. There used to be a deferral possible if you paid again.

If I'm doing it fixed after a year of next to no exercise and 4 weeks casual riding you can very well get out on the course too.

I'll be doing it having not ridden more than 10 miles this year. It'll be a slog but nothing nutella and banana sandwichs can't fix.

21.59km cycling so far this year. Plus another ~4h on Zwift. That's it.

It’s gotta be pretty flat? I say get out and slog round, surf some wheels etc.

Yeah, saw the profile, the longest climb looks to be along Epping Forest. Also noticed the 60 and 100 ride share the same route up to Chipping Ongar so I might peel off if I'm feeling crap.
Also, anyone got their start times yet? Less than three weeks out and not heard anything from them.

Should get them on Friday by email. Packs getting posted out too apparently so no need to traipse to Excel, which is an improvement.

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Hah same. Will probably still get there for then though - a colleague is in the same wave (D)

I would have thought earlier the better, like an accordion the mass of slower riders will make it even fuller as they move back through the field?

Strategically, yes an earlier start time is probably better (although I will be part of the mass of slower riders, lol), but two children have left me in a state of permanent exhaustion and the idea of being up and at it at 5:30 makes me feel physically ill.

The times I did it, the most enjoyable rides I had were the early ones. Getting up at 4am was a bastard but not getting stuck behind people walking up any decent hill was worth it. The whole Newlands Corner-Leatherhead section was pain in the arse for it when I did a relatively late start, as was the Kingston to Wimbledon Village bit. Also more riders through each bit is more chance for serious crashes; I hope there aren't any but I doubt it will be like that and the waits can be quite long.

Also, without wanting to sound like a dick, a lot of the earlier waves are the faster riders and usually with a bit more skill and awareness. I found the later start I did was full of people not really realising how many people were around them and causing crashes (guy coming down Leith Hill sitting on his top tube trying to take a selfie was a highlight). I'm glad people enjoy their day but I didn't really enjoy the increased stress of the later waves compared to the earlier ones.

Ok fine you guys win I’ll get up early but if I die from tired then it’s on your heads