Ride London 100

nice one.
I've just put together my new road bike :)
think I might need those gears!

Is it realistic to try on my single speed bike ? I've a specialized langer 2013 and slightly concerned about box hill.

Box Hill is just a false flat with "Hill" in the name.

I'm pencilling in a training ride early next saturday if anyone is interested about 60miles or so?

I'm pencilling in a training ride early next saturday if anyone is interested about 60miles or so?

May well be up for this. Let me know what you're thinking nearer the time.

so who's up for a ride on saturday? early...ish? about 8 or 9 start?

so who's up for a ride on saturday? early...ish? about 8 or 9 start?

Up for joining next week - only did about 30miles yesterday so need to up it to 50 or 60 soon.

Did you get out in the end?

Up for joining next week - only did about 30miles yesterday so need to up it to 50 or 60 soon.

Did you get out in the end?

No i didn't but am free all of next weekend so a ride then would be great, would be good to get 3 or more for a ride

definitely up for a ride either early saturday or sunday? anyone else?

I'm keen - what time and route are you thinking?

I'm riding on saturday morning, but heading north, just for exercise nowhere near the route. and not so big hills... anyone welcome to join, it won't be speedy.
do really want to get out in the right area soon, hopefully next weekend.
oh, just checked the diary. next saturday morning is the plan, won't be stupid early but I'd like to meet these hills.

North is fine with me. Somewhere flat with some not too tough hills would be great.

May have a bit of a hangover on Saturday, but what better way to get rid than witha cycle, what distance were you thinking?

realised that ^^ was a confusing post.. this saturday I need to be in Cambridge in the early evening so you would need to get the train back yourself - will be either Bishops Stortford - Cambridge
28 miles (have done this a few times so won't get too lost, except in the Shelfords where I always get lost despite being the closest villages to town) or London - Cambridge
on a winding 71 miles. I have never done the first half of that route so some stopping and checking is to be expected. Or somewhere in between... there are trains from liverpool st to Roydon, Sawbridgeworth, Harlow, Stortford... If getting the train partway out it's easiest to get a day return all the way to Cambridge and just get off on the way out. I will be single-speed and carrying a little light luggage.
where are you based?

next saturday morning would like to get out to surrey.

i've done London to Cambridge single speed, on 47t 16t gearing. Was doable, just slowly up some of the hills though. Last 10-15 miles into Cambridge down hill all the way.

yep done it a few times too (the more common route a few miles west of ^that one), was more for pace info...
think I'm more or less decided on Harlow - Cambridge
, 37 miles on the lanes. my not-on-here partner may be coming, in which case it will be fairly leisurely pace and not great for training... although still welcome to join, more likely hopefully catch up with you next saturday.

Hi, going to ride from Hackney to Saffron Walden on Saturday morning. Anyone fancy joining? It's about 50 miles. I'm staying up there for the night but there are regular trains directly back in to Tottenham Hale/Liverpool Street. Pretty sure there are no drastic climbs, essex being pretty flat....

hmm, I was thinking of doing Bishops Stortford - Cambridge again, so could join you as far as Saffron Walden and carry on from there... what time you thinking of? I don't really do early...
I'm not venturing to Box Hill until my gears are ready!

it was lovely out there last weekend, even though we set off super late.

did anyone get out on a ride? Had a family emergency so only just been able to check this, anyone up for a ride monday morning?

I'm feeling vaguely ill/weak so didn't get out today. thinking about maybe doing the Eccentrics Ride on monday though, gentle 50 miles. I don't think my "training" is going so well...
hope your family emergency is not serious :/

emergency was fairly serious, but all mainly ok, think i need some hills so may head out for a loop of box hill instead

Did a very boring route of Regents Park laps and then a few laps of Swains Lane in Highgate to fake some hills. Irritatingly have got some kind of chest infection which is making it all a bit difficult. Hope the family is ok. I have recruited some other people from the charity I'm cycling for so should be able to get 5 or 6 people next weekend.

I am desperately worried about this now, my Dad is ill in hospital and all my energies in the last month have gone into visiting hospital and looking after him. I have done no training and now will be looking to just complete the course in time.

I fear I will be having to walk up Leith Hill, probably pissing off a lot of cyclists, but my Dad is dying in hospital so if anyone does have a problem with it, they wont get a kind response! (rant over, you may tell from this that I am under a lot of stress!)

If anyone can suggest a crash 5 week training plan that would be great!

Hey jazzythumper. I'm really sorry to hear about your dad and I can only imagine the stress.

In terms of the ride, try not to worry about it too much. In the grand scheme of things it's only riding your bike. I know the distance sounds daunting if you're not used to it (and apologies if my assumption is wrong), but it's very doable with even a modest amount of fitness. The important things on the day will be not to go off at a pace you're not comfortable at and to make sure you eat and drink little and often.

Try not to panic and 'crash train', as most likely all you will do is injure yourself and have a fairly miserable time. The most important thing to do now is ride as much as you can and make sure the miles you can squeeze in count. If you only have an hour free, find a hill and get some hill repeats in at a level that pushes you. Eat and recover well too.

I'm doing this ride too and am struggling through a knee problem that's dramatically reduced my mileage over the past several months. I know that a century ride is going to hurt and that I won't be riding it at a pace I'd normally expect to, but I'm going to just try to enjoy the event and those closed roads.

If you fancy a Sunday morning stretch at some point let me know.

Take care,

Tom

jazzythumper - sorry to about your dad.
I'm similarly untrained having just emerged from a months worth of heavy workload during which time bike was out of action and I didn't have time to fix it. finally got round to it last night so tomorrow plan to get on the bike for the first time in weeks! argh.
argh but at the same time, don't worry about it. I'm trying not to, at least.
did you ever get out to reccy the hills? I haven't yet but still want to, despite busy weekends (seem to have a wedding to go to every weekend in july...).