With a combined bike and rider weight of 95kg what wattage will I need to average to get around the 100 mile Pru Ride London course in under 5 hours?

Thanks

Solo or Drafrting?

this will probably do it: http://www.bikecalculator.com/

just leave watts blank and fill in other values.

Insufficient parameters to give a valid answer really. Loads of things make a big difference, drafting, tyres, how aero are you

You can have a play with this, http://www.bikecalculator.com/

Something like this would help keep the speed up, and make you look badass
http://www.wiggle.co.uk/catlike-chrono-aero-plus-helmet/

I read that as “Solo or Farting”. Would the odd bottom chuff make a big difference?

The obvious answer is that regardless of wattage, you’ll have to ride at an average of over 20 mph for 100 miles. (That’s a real average rather than an auto-paused Garmin fudge average btw.)

If you’re not riding that quick over distances less than 100 miles now I think it’s unlikely.

this is what you want… https://www.bestbikesplit.com/

But as above, maintain an average over 20mph?

Power will be affected by too many variables such as gradient, wind, even rolling resistance to calculate an average figure. Hence all the cleverness in the above website.

I’ve got no idea what the Ride London is like… but assuming you can get into a reasonably organised group of riders and you’re comfortable following a wheel… 20mph, you could probably do that off an NP of about 200 watts. An FTP upwards of 300 and you’d cruise around. An FTP of 250 and it’d be quite hard work.

FWIW, solo training rides over rolling terrain round here, an NP of about 240 watts gives a 20 mph avg. I’m 71kg though and fairly aero. Drafting in a bunch you need about two thirds the power.

All very back of a fag packet!

n fudge average btw.)
If you’re not riding that quick over distances less than 100 miles now I think it’s unlikely.

I usually average about 14-15mph on the road down in Devon. Ride London (the hurricane edition) I averaged just over 20mph. That mass of riders and closed roads makes a huge difference.

wot jambo said, inc. all the numbers (but not the devon bit).

2 extra hills (they cut Leith and Box that year) is going to take the average down a bit, but I wonder how much the crappy weather slowed us down. Not being able to see, or draft as close was a bit of an issue!

Not being able to see, or draft as close was a bit of an issue!

I had guards on. I think I towed someone or other round the whole course.

didnt stop at all either which made a big difference. figured it was so grim we’d just get it done.

I read that as “Solo or Farting”. Would the odd bottom chuff make a big difference?

Not the only one.

How many onion bhajis would you need to consume pre-race to gain a pound of static thrust to help you up the climbs?

My ftp is around 285w and I wil be drafting like my life depends on it.

Sounds like consensus is 200w average will get me close?

FTP is really for sub-hour efforts. It’s a marker of fitness and predicts endurance to an extent.

I’ve done the past three rides and am hoping for a faster time than last year (4:06:36). It is a fast course – no stopping necessary, so that will add one mph to almost any average you have at the moment. Drafting is of course free speed (unless you are on the front). Last year my average power was 240 Watts (85% of my FTP) (I’m 68 kg plus 8 kg of bike and drinks). So about 3.2 Watts/kg including bike.

For sub five hours, I think you will need to average about 2.5-2.8 Watts/kg (including bike) or 240-270 Watts. Your FTP will see you round fine in that time. Just watch out for other riders!

Be sure to eat a lot to avoid fatigue
My diet is large risotto night before (can’t eat a lot of pasta)
three weetabix at 5AM
gel on the line at 6AM
eat every 30-40 minutes rotating solid food (bar or banana) and gels
caffeine gel on the climb at Norwood to the finish
bloks or jelly babies ad libitem as something to chew
I drink two 750 ml bottles of NUUN electrolyte drinks (it’s cooler at 6AM, so don’t need to stop to refill).

Good luck. Last year was very fast and most of our club went under 5 hours. If the weather is the same this year you can expect the same fast times.

And this year I’m doing the ride in memory of my sister and mother and have set a tougher goal

https://www.justgiving.com/fundraising/Daren-Austin1

My mate, who was no fitter than me at the time, did 4:45 the first time it was run. My FTP was probably about 270, at 66kg, but it’s pretty flat as a course so weight less important. He’s quite good at hurting himself though so I’d imagine he’d average maybe 230?

This seems to be close to TiRed’s analysis too.

Solo I tend to do 100 mile rides round flatish/slightly rolling in about 5:45.

If it was flat 200W would be ok, but there are hills so 200W average would probably not be quite enough. But it is in the ballpark, I guess the trick is ride as economically as possible and dig deep to stick with the group to the top of Box Hill, after that there are no more significant hills so even if your spent you just need to stick behind somebodies wheel for the final 30 miles.

Something like this would help keep the speed up, and make you look badass
http://www.wiggle.co.uk/catlike-chrono-aero-plus-helmet/

Especially if you wore it back to front and dressed up as a chicken!

but there are hills

Leith is about a mile, and Box Hill about a mile and a half. About 6% grade. Admittedly I’ve not ridden them but they’re not exactly the Ventoux 😉

Leith is about a mile, and Box Hill about a mile and a half. About 6% grade. Admittedly I’ve not ridden them but they’re not exactly the Ventoux

With a combined bike and rider weight of 95kg even a slight ascent is a Hill. Trust me I know 😉 A bit of extra weight makes a big difference to effort required to climb up anything, and this hits the average speed. Lighter people don’t necessarily appreciate this, I consider myself to have some perspective in this area as I’ve got some experience as both a lightweight and heavyweight rider.

Well yes, that is true. Still even grinding up at 5mph, that’s 30 mins tops for both? I guess you could get stuck in a jam. And I guess that also means you now have to do the other 97.5 miles in 4 1/2 hours, 21.7 mph. Has the OP considered an eBike? Are they allowed in sportives? It’s not a competition so I wouldn’t be surprised if they are.

With a combined bike and rider weight of 95kg even a slight ascent is a Hill. Trust me I know A bit of extra weight makes a big difference to effort required to climb up anything, and this hits the average speed. Lighter people don’t necessarily appreciate this, I consider myself to have some perspective in this area as I’ve got some experience as both a lightweight and heavyweight rider.

I’ll start feeling sorry for fatties wheezing up climbs when they stop using their monster legs to smash the flatlands 😀
As a definite lightweight (<60kg) i can confirm that a steady 6% incline may as well be flat and a 10mph headwind is a far more terrifying prospect.

This article from the Torygraph amused me…

3. Forget Leith Hill, it’s the Wimbledon ‘kicker’ that will hurt
For the uninitiated, Box Hill is held up on a pedestal (which is, ironically, only slightly higher than the hill itself) and celebrated as ‘that Olympic climb’ you’re forced to get up on RideLondon.
It’s not a climb. The Col du Tourmalet is a climb.
“People get obsessed with Box Hill and it’s really, totally insubstantial. It’s nothing to worry about. Just find your rhythm and everyone gets up it comfortably,” Ned says.

And encouragingly for the OP…

2. You will be faster than you think

Also why the ridiculously early start times?! If you start at 6am and you’re pretty handy and don’t stop for a break you’ll be finished by 10am. Not much of a day out.

to be fair that wimbledon hill did hurt a bit. after so long rattling along on the flat it came as a bit of a shock to the system.

I reckon if you group hop and are fit enough, with mental fortitude you’ll make that, good luck mate and enjoy the ride

Also why the ridiculously early start times?!

Start time is based on predicted finish time. Starting several hundred 2/3 cat racers behind a bunch of, ahem, more stately sportive riders out for a PB would be a recipe for disaster. At the front it’s really a controlled road race race.

Everyone has to be finished in 8 hours for the prorace to follow. In the marathon, the pro race is at the front. I guess there is no appetite for such an early pro cycling race (and they ride multiple Box Hill loops).

I waited on the Mall for longer than I rode on the Typhoon run! Still a great ride.

Starting several hundred 2/3 cat racers behind a bunch of, ahem, more stately sportive riders out for a PB would be a recipe for disaster. At the front it’s really a controlled road race race.

What are they doing riding a sportive?! Someone should tell them it’s just for fun and everyone gets a medal… 🙂

Would actually make a good 2/3 club road race actually, with some entertainment for the crowds, camera feed from the motorcycles etc… But yes it’s the “only” Sportive I ride – along with a lot of club racers who I see week in, week out.

Might propose that for next year.

caffeine gel on the climb at Norwood to the finish

WTF were you doing in Norwood. It’s nowhere near the course