Punctures observed during a mass event

So for someone averaging 150W in group doing ~19mph that’s 720 calories an hour. Of which (because they’re ticking over somewhere in Zone 2 most of the time) around half will come from fat, so only 360calories from glycogen.    Which means an averagely fit club rider could do RideLondon in about 5 hours using nothing more than a bit of body fat and their glycogen stores.

Strava tells me (with the benefit of my Favero Assioma pedals) I averaged 163W for 6hr26 on RideLondon.
I’m not, whether fit or not, an average club rider though.

I assume you meant without the ability to fit a tube and pump it up…. ?

I’ve seen it several times on supported tours. Once I encountered a woman just stood by the side of the road, I did the standard “are you OK?” (cos she might just have been taking a photo or having a snack) but she’d had a puncture and was unable to even remove the wheel (thru-axle.)

I worked with an GB Team mature triathlete and ironman competitor.

She had £2k race wheels. Etc etc.

But could not change a puncture. She struggled to even change the wheels for race day.

She even got a new bike an oiled the rotors as she thought a anything shiny and 'moving' should be oiled...

We spent an evening at the pub doing puncture lessons and swapping wheels back and forth...

I assume you meant without the ability to fit a tube and pump it up…. ?

Yes, I did.

I’ve seen it several times on supported tours.

Not that surprising there, the tour is supported, that's why they are doing it. A sportive is a bike ride with some signs and food stops, you still need to carry a tube couple of tyre levers and a pump at the very least!!