[Closed] Ride London start time? Anyone else got theirs?

where/ how? in the post?

EDIT: 7:04

Seems I got lucky then with 8.34, though if it's as hot as it is now I'd have preferred an early start

Got mine.

Wave Load opening time: 06:36
Wave Load closing time: 07:16
Start Time: 07:56

30mins later than last year, can't decide if that's better or not.

8.34 is only lucky if you like stop start cycling in massive crowds. Good luck though!

8:12 here. Not too pleased.

Not this year but I'll be on the Torq stand doing my bit.

Wave opens 4.40am. Start 5.40am. Is that not the middle of the night?!

4:40am... that's pretty brutal. At that time I reckon there's no real risk in terms of being deeper in a wave as most riders will be of a similar level so just roll in before the wave closes (IMO, YMMV, OMG, STFU, WTF etc)

I am a late team entry, and I know nothing!! Anyone else in a team? Any info on start times for them?

Anyone else got a charity place?

[url= https://www.justgiving.com/fundraising/thom-bostock ]I'm raising money for Anthony Nolan [/url] in memory of 29erKeith.

I'll be at the Anthony Nolan party afterwards, it'd be good to meet any fellow STWers.

8:30 despite telling them we would need the full 8.5 hours to complete the ride.

Utter ****nuggets

Start Time: 06:36

cycling to the start so up at 4, it will be like going on holiday.

8:30 despite telling them we would need the full 8.5 hours to complete the ride.

Utter ****nuggets

Usually the quick people get sent out first and the people who need more time later. The broad idea is then the people aiming for 4-6 hours are long gone before the slower people arrive at the climbs. If they reversed it, you'd end up with almost everyone arriving at Leith Hill at the same time or, if they randomised it like at an event I did recently, you have the first 5-10km with loads of VERY dodgy overtaking before the order sorts itself out a bit.

8:30 despite telling them we would need the full 8.5 hours to complete the ride.
Utter ****nuggets

Usually the quick people get sent out first and the people who need more time later. The broad idea is then the people aiming for 4-6 hours are long gone before the slower people arrive at the climbs. If they reversed it, you'd end up with almost everyone arriving at Leith Hill at the same time or, if they randomised it like at an event I did recently, you have the first 5-10km with loads of VERY dodgy overtaking before the order sorts itself out a bit.

I understand this but why ask you how long you need and then ignore the information you give them?

Why not say from the ouset that you might only have 7 hours to complete?

If they had we wouldn't have bothered entering. When entering they tell you that you have a limit of 8.5 hours to complete the 100 this is what we have trained towards and I doubt we can knock an 1.5 hours off our time for a 100 mile ride in the space of a month.

I don't think they commit to saying when you may or may not be able to start. They say that the event finishes by 4:30 or whatever and then ask you for your predicted time so they can decide where you start. If it looks like you may finish outside the time limit, they'll first route you so you don't do Leith Hill and if not sweep you up.

TBH, though, you'll be surprised the effect closed roads have on your speed. I would imagine anyone who has trained can maintain 20kmph on this route, the climbing is relatively minimal and the roads are decent quality.

What!! Only 8.5hrs!!

Best get on my bike...

8.5 hours is nearly 12 mph average spped and that's without stops.

7 hours is over 14 mph without stops.

I don't think the closed roads effect will be that good.

I'm told the queues at the feed stations are always appalling, and OK we will be self-sufficient for food and water but there will always be the need for a bog stop at some point so we are going to have to go quicker than that.

When entering you are told there is an 8.5 hour time limit, at no point do they tell you that you may have less time than this.

Not being able to complete the 100 miles makes the event totally pointless when you are raising money for charity.

We would have chosen a different event if a 7 hour time limit had been given when entering.

I don't think the closed roads effect will be that good.

And at the risk of being blunt/rude, if you genuinely think you are going to take 8.5hrs on such a fast course, maybe doing some training would have been a good idea

I average between 13-15mph in fairly hilly Devon.

I averaged 20mph in the middle of a hurricane on the ride London bertha edition. It really is a fast course.

Or turn up early. Not sure the marshalls care that much.

To give you an idea, only 2000 people took longer than 8.5 hours last year out of, what, 25000-30000 starters? It's definitely a quick course, you'll surprise yourself, if you've not done a fully-closed road event it's hard to explain the impact that all the slowing-stopping-accelerating has on your time AND your energy levels. You can also find a bigger group and draft a bit which will pull you along at a surprising pace. Also, don't underestimate the impact being in an organised event has; you'll have loads of people cheering you on.

Oh, and if it's just water you'll need, don't stop at the hubs, just stop at the drink stops.

We would have chosen a different event if a 7 hour time limit had been given when entering.

Ironically if you'd said you'd do it in 5 hours you'd have probably been let off the leash at 6am. The downside being you'd have been swamped by the next 1-2 hours riders, some of whom are likely to be very quick but lacking in common sense when it comes to passing.

I am a late team entry, and I know nothing!! Anyone else in a team? Any info on start times for them?

Fairly late team entry here and we all received start details yesterday. Maybe get in touch with their help desk?

I'm riding ther course with my wife. It will be her first 100 mile road ride. So far we have been training solidly for 8 weeks.

2 x 1 hour high intensity rides in the eveings after work and one longer ride at the weekend. We have been averaging 11 mph on the longer rides on routes that have been 40 - 45 miles with 2,500ft - 3,500ft of climbing in them. I genuinely don't think Box Hill will unduly trouble her - we have done much harder in training, Leith Hill may involve a short stop halfway up but should be manageable.

Ironically if you'd said you'd do it in 5 hours you'd have probably been let off the leash at 6am. The downside being you'd have been swamped by the next 1-2 hours riders, some of whom are likely to be very quick but lacking in common sense when it comes to passing.

If we had known this we would have done - we're better at staying out of the way than drafting.

jam bo - Member
I average between 13-15mph in fairly hilly Devon.

I averaged 20mph in the middle of a hurricane on the ride London bertha edition. It really is a fast course.

jam bo - Member
Or turn up early. Not sure the marshalls care that much.

If this is genuinely the case then we will but we have been given a start area and a wave - won't the marshalls know if you are in the wrong one?

If this is genuinely the case then we will but we have been given a start area and a wave - won't the marshalls know if you are in the wrong one?

Yes, but make up a story about a mate/brother/the dalai lama who you want to ride with and be at the back of the wave you want to start in and you'll probably get in. Try to be at the front of the loading and someone will inevitably tell you to shove it. What can they do, disqualify you? Worst case you wait until your designated start time.

Smokey, try e-mailing them and explaining, worst case they say "tough", more likely they will give you an option.

I started at 6.10 last year. There were plenty of people with different colour numbers in our pen. I think the marshalls get overwhelmed slightly.

You will be amazed how much faster you go. For instance I average around 16.5-17mph on 60-70 mile solo rides around the surrey hills. Last year I averaged 21mph on RideLondon. I jumped on the back of some chains admittedly, but most of it was on my own.

From the amount of training you guys have done, you'll be fine 🙂

lunge - Member
Smokey, try e-mailing them and explaining, worst case they say "tough", more likely they will give you an option.

Off round the Fylde coast on Saturday in search of flatter roads to see how that impacts our average speed.

just ride, jo. don't go nuts, don't spangle yourself overtraining. There's a very good chance you'll be grand. I found myself with very similar increases in speed to the others above.

I've not ridden iut before jo but i've heard lots of people ride it faster than they've ever done 100 before.

Unfortunately drafting isn't one of her strong points

you've still got ages to train for this though. try it at the weekend. bit of through and off is not only a good way to share the work but also it's a brilliant distraction and the miles can fly by.

I think there is only 3000ft of climbing in the whole route.

I did very little drafting, no one was running mudguards and it was so wet you got drowned if you got within a couple of yards of a back wheel.

I'm well overweight and the year I did it my daughter was born in the January and we moved house after - so other than a couple of commutes and MTB rides, there was no "training" that year and the furthest I'd ridden was about 40 miles.

Despite the odd stop (including 10 minutes rest in a bus shelter in Wimbledon as my feet hurt so much) I still averaged over 14mph. The crowds, closed roads, other riders, never slowing or waiting at a junction really do sweep you along.

Fit two bottle cages, don't bother with the "hub" stops - all the others still have drinks and toilets, and there were plenty of families outside their houses offering to fill bottles. Take plenty of food (I had a whole Soreen stashed in slices wrapped in foil), I think keeping enough fuel going in will get you through it. That and making sure you're comfortable - try to get a couple of longer (50, 60 mile) rides in and make sure shoes, bike fit, clothes, etc don't cause issues.

If timings are same as last year, you need to be at the Mall by 1745, so more than 9 hours to complete from a 8.30 start. Worst case you bypass Leith and/or Box Hill.

I'm a 7.20 start time but I'm in Team Pru so ironically can start whenever I want from the velodrome. Having not done it before (nor any sportives as I'm not a roadie) I'm thinking start as early as possible. Would that be the sensible approach?
I've spoken to some colleagues who've done it and all give the same advice....don't stop at the hubs.

I got a late entry through work (ballot place), 05.44 start sp they're definitely setting people off earlier (last year I was in first group off at 6am).

I don't think the closed roads effect will be that good.

It's phenomenal - both times I've done RL I've been about the 4hr mark - on my own on open roads (same route) I'd struggle to do it in less than 5'30"

Or turn up early. Not sure the marshalls care that much.

They do - last year they were absolutely ruthless in not letting people jump into earlier waves and the wave opening points were well marshalled and controlled, no option (that I saw anyway) to jump gates or duck under ropes. A mate in a later wave tried to start with me and was turned back. Several other people, including a guy on a Boris Bike who tried explaining that on such a heavy bike he'd need all the time he could get, were also refused entry.

So a flat 60 miles in just less than 6 hours completed today, wife's start time is 20 mins before mine so hopefully should catch her by Richmond park.

First attempt at drafting on a flat stretch went ok at 16-17 mph.

5 weeks to go so a hilly 60 next week followed by a flat 75 the week after with the midweek rides as they are and hopefully we will beat the cut-off times at Box/Leith Hill and get to complete the whole course.

Finally got her kit and bike setup sorted too so good progress today.

Sounds like you're going well. You'll only know on the day if you'll do it but you'll certainly go faster. I took over 100 mins off a local gran fondo route between a recon ride and the actual event. Some of that was fitness, some of that was riding in a group but some of it was also the feeling that I was being timed and I wanted to get it done as quickly as I could.

Got all of the cut-off times and route and feeling a lot more confident now. Also told if you make all of the cut-offs you have until 17:30 to finish 🙂

Start = 8:15am

[b]Hampton Court Bypass[/b]
Description:27 Miles - 892 ft - 11:10am
2 hours 35 mins = 10.5 mph average required to here

[b]Leith Hill By-Pass[/b]
Description: 53 miles 1846ft - 13:20
5 hours 5 mins = 10.5 mph average from start

[b]Box Hill By-pass[/b]
Description:67 miles - 2896ft - 14:45
6hours 30 mins = 10.5 mph average from start

[b]Finish[/b]
100 miles - 17:30 - 4441ft
9hours 15 mins - 11mph average from start

A hilly 60 planned for this Saturday. If we manage 11 mph average on that including stops then we should be fine

Just be aware of you're going to try and spot her its very easy to miss someone with all the people on the road. Make sure you remember what she's wearing.

Just be aware of you're going to try and spot her its very easy to miss someone with all the people on the road. Make sure you remember what she's wearing.

Or just say that if she gets to the first hub or the feed station in Richmond Park (or wherever) and hasn't seen you, wait there. And the same goes for you. Also, Garmin and iOS have "find a friend" sort of functionality and I assume other phones/GPS devices do too.

Finally got start time

8:44!

Ah well...

8.5 hours is nearly 12 mph average spped and that's without stops.

7 hours is over 14 mph without stops.

I don't think the closed roads effect will be that good.

I did ride London last year, and took 45 minutes off my previous best for a century. It's a very fast course.

Not checked yet, but think I'll be first wave. Riding for Winston's Wish again. Still targeting sub 4 hrs 😆 . Will try not to blow on Leith Hill like I did last year trying to hold onto the first wave.

We have 10 clubmates riding as rolling marshals in orange jerseys. London clubs have been asked to provide 100 riders at different speeds/times throughout the ride. Watch out for them. Personally pleased with this development as it was one I proposed at a feedback session as a means of improving overall rider safety.

6.24 am start for me.

We have 10 clubmates riding as rolling marshals in orange jerseys. London clubs have been asked to provide 100 riders at different speeds/times throughout the ride.

What will these rolling marshals do though? Just go along for the ride and... dunno

What will these rolling marshals do though? Just go along for the ride and... dunno

Tell you to look around, be careful, not throw litter and other massively annoying stuff that no-one in the front groups will take the blindest bit of notice of.
Might be more useful to the first timers, the people who've never done that distance before and so on.

I picked up my numbers and everything this morning, fairly quiet up there. Evans Cycles had a huge shop and a couple of stands up there including some demo bikes.

Everyone else feeling ready?

few guys from my club also doing riding marshalling. Basically to spot bad / unsafe riding and try to correct it (nicely!) so there aren't big pile ups - not everyone is used to big groups. Also for pacesetting, will be riding to a schedule to give people an idea how fast / slow they're going.

Anyone and any luck starting earlier in previous years?

Fixing bikes again at Newlands Corner, hopefully won't see anyone, but do come say hi if you're there, I'm Nick!

Tim, my time is 8.40am - you had better be wearing your Bullheart top!

Wave nick. I'm off at 5:44. Have a 28 mile ride to the start as a little warm up. Can't sleep!

Just having last cup of tea before heading out for the start.

Ride safely and enjoy the day.

Couldn't get on the train yesterday so drove last minute, barely made it to excel centre, hotel flooded due to the rain (moved rooms about 0245 hours), hoping today goes slightly better!!

On our way out shortly, bit of brekkie and a 2 mile bimble to the start. At least the rains stopped

5 punctures by the time I was 15 miles in. Bailed at Kingston. Wasn't meant to be.

Gutted.

5 punctures by the time I was 15 miles in. Bailed at Kingston. Wasn't meant to be.

Gutted.

You've now got the rest of the day to get your mountain bike out and have some proper fun!

Ha. I live in the middle of the route though, so can't get to the trails...

Also have to go up town to try and get my bag.

5 punctures by the time I was 15 miles in. Bailed at Kingston. Wasn't meant to be.

Gutted.

🙁
There did seem to be a lot of punctures - must have been the overnight rain. At the last minute I decided against putting on the lightweight race tyres and left the 25mm Conti GP 4 on.

I saw TiRed very briefly at Newlands Corner, that seems to be my once-a-year point of saying hello as it was exactly there last year I bumped into him.

Pacing it is a problem for me, I deliberately took it easier at the start this time (helped by the warnings given in the rider briefings, the whole bunch seemed to be fairly restrained) but I was properly running on empty by Wimbledon and went straight out the back of the group I was in. Had a cold last week so knocked my fast time ambitions down a bit and hoped to get in by 10am (5.45 start time) whcih I managed with a minute to spare. Strava lists it as 4.15 actual and 4.13 riding time but the GPS lost reception and auto paused several times going up Leith.

Good event this time, no dangerous riding that I saw although some riders had definite issues going round corners. From their high straight line speed and lack of any dress sense I just assumed they were triantelopes and gave them a wide berth.

knocked my fast time ambitions down a bit ..........Strava lists it as 4.15 actual and 4.13 riding time

some people inhabit different planets to me 😉

Top time if you weren't really going for it!!

Thanks for cheering nick. And yes I chatted to crazy legs. Was much safer this year at the pointy end. I think there were more club riders. Felt like a big surrey league 2/3 race.

Paced myself up Leith Hill and managed to chase back onto the front group. Then paced myself off the bunch up Box Hill (280W and 177bpm - no blow up like last year).

Rode the next 15 miles in no man's land at 50 mile TT pace, before being caught by a club mate and a roaring strong Trek rider. Couldn't hold their pace after all that work. Paced myself up Wimbledon Hill (178bpm) before being caught by the second bunch who'd been dropped on Leith. Finished strongly in a time of 4:08 I think (Garmin time) Pleased with the effort but still no sub-4. Maybe hang on until Wimbledon next time!

No crashes in our wave 😀

Who won the race?

Who won the race?

That's not happened yet!
Women's race yesterday (the Kermesse-style laps of Whitehall & The Strand) was won by Coryn Rivera in a sprint finish.

The Daily Fail has a loaded headline about the event. The bile is overflowing....

Good effort to all those who rode though.

Just one man and his dog watched you, the rest of London is fuming apparently.....

I waved to kids out in Surrey, and thanked people for cheering all the way around. Even the gentleman who lives on Leith Hill was very cheerful too. We were of course the first wave.

Got to love Cav and Rochelle bigging up the dead/heavy road surface.
Poor pro's better not go ride in some other areas of the UK as the Ride London course is widely regarded as one of the fastest sportive routes in the UK

Well done to TiRed and crazy-legs for some very impressive times.

Got to love Cav and Rochelle bigging up the dead/heavy road surface.

There's a few "grippy" bits out around Leith Hill in particular. Road surface is largely shite and that really doesn't help.
But yes, it's a very fast course.

All this talk of sub 4 hrs confuses me. Isn't it the same course as the pros..

They've just come in in 4.05? Whats going on there?

Yep, managed to give TiRed a little cheer, won't lie I also called one of your teammates Daren too 😳 was useful knowing you were aiming for a quick time - was tracking you in the app so could keep an eye on progress approaching us!

Got a little video of the first guys over, so must have you in there too Crazy-Legs!

Good day, we had a constant stream of punctures to fix. Much more fun when it's dry - more unusual mechanicals. A crazy number of Giants to fix and S-Works Turbo tyres not holding up well!

The usual amusing 'mechanicals', one chap complaining the shifters were broken on his brand new bike. The look when I gave the brake lever a push to shift up, he'd ended up in small-small and didn't know what to do from there! One tub changed, one girl with 650b (not 650c) road wheels which caught us all out, managed to squeeze a 26" tube in.

Lots of crash victims, but everyone polite and friendly, literally no one was rude which is nice, despite the fact you have to tell people that not only is their bike very broken their day is finished too!

Well done to all who rode - sub-4 would be a great ride TiRed, I saw Rob Sharland appears to have managed it, with Ernie of this parish in the group too, not sure how many guys did it though.

All this talk of sub 4 hrs confuses me. Isn't it the same course as the pros..

They've just come in in 4.05? Whats going on there?

We're all as awesome as the pros. 😉
Actually they do Box Hill 3 times so it's not quite the same route.

Wowsers, you guys are on it. I got 4.56 Garmin time and 5.0something on the app time. Forgot I stopped for 2 wees and a water top up...!
Felt a bit jaded for the middle stretch until I saw a couple of mates after box hill. Possibly due to little sleep after the hotel shenanigans mentioned above...Point A in Shoreditch...other hotels are available....!

It's not the same route. But it shares a lot in common. Vittoria Corsa G+ are great in the wet. I've raced them in torrential rain and today they held up with no punctures.

I wonder how many were pinch flats compared with flints?

I saw one pinch, think I changed about 30 tubes, pulled some huge chunks of grit out of tyres though!

Everyone I know got around bit quite a few picked up knee injuries so bit of a slog. Watched the pros at ranmore, think they go up about the speed I imagine I go before I check strava.

Yehaaaa! 3hr58min for 100miles. I'm mega happy with that (cheers njee)! This is my first such event; really impressed and will probably end up doing it again (or maybe Pivot 24). Won't be drinking quite so much the night before though, I actually puked a little in the first 10miles...maybe not double talisker next time?
Well done to everyone who ride. I managed to raise just under 1k for Mind as well which is great.

Day didn't get off to the best start: 2 hours sleep, frozen porridge, and the shower was scalding hot.

Saw a crash before we'd even got to QEOP in the muck from last nights rain.

My first London 100 and I loved it. Probably the best organised & most fun sportive I've done.

Did 4:59, I wanted sub 5 hours so I'm stoked. Also raised 2.4k for Anthony Nolan. A lot of sponsorship from STW. So cheers 😀

yep, when Stuyven attacked on Box Hill to bridge to the leaders they said he was doing 37kph.

That's the speed I descend Box Hill 😳

2nd Ride London completed, a bit slower than last year, though not trained as much, but pleased with under 6:30. No punctures for me, but did see plenty being fixed.

Overall riding seemed a lot better this year, with fewer crashes, not sure why, weather overnight/road conditions making people a little more aware? Also, there did seem to be a more communication "on your right/left", and waiting for a reply before coming through.

Despite my better half not being able to train properly for last 2 weeks due to illness we still finished an hour before the broom wagon. 🙂

Saw a couple of crashes and got caught in the congestion at Leith Hill buy few dramas.

Our first ride where there were lots of flat sections, wow it makes such a difference when you can settle in to a pace for more than 5 minutes!

Why do people talk of Leith Hill as if it's a monster, 😕 It's over in 10 minutes!

'Twas a good day. Leith was a car park, but other then that and a broken cleat at Westcott I very much enjoyed myself. Good to see TimP too. £3k raised for Samuel's Charity too, so all good.

Sub 4 hours? Madmen, the lot of you. What about the scenery... 😀

Despite my better half not being able to train properly for last 2 weeks due to illness we still finished an hour before the broom wagon.

Great work getting round, pleased you both made it! 🙂