RideLondon Start Times
Discussion
rs4al said:
0852, last wave for me, entered in a team of 4 through my cycling club, god knows why we got such a late start time, I estimated my time at 5 hours... I’ve got a feeling one member of the team put in a really slow time.
Start times are allocated according to a statistical data system. The more ‘high confidence’ data it has, the more likely you’ll get a suitable start time. Previous efforts have a high confidence rating, then it’s a sliding scale, with ‘estimated times’ From riders with no data, at the bottom. It’s designed to optimise flow, and reduce wave compression. The computer system runs simulations of various scenarios, based on available data, and spits out start times accordingly. 07:44 if I remember correctly....... I'll be happy with a 6hr time, very flat or relatively so in Essex where I ride so I'm expecting to suffer. Just need to get rid of lethal continental Gatorskins that the man in the shop said were a good tyre ! Good if you like wheelspin when going uphill and not being able to stop coming back downhill !! Shouldn't be allowed to give them away let alone charge for them !!
05:52 start time for me, a little earlier than I think I’d really like, but would rather that than a later one so will have to suck it up and dig in.
The rest of my club are off at 06:00 so if I’m not happy I can always sit up and wait for them then ride with the pack I’m used to where we all know how each other rides.
The rest of my club are off at 06:00 so if I’m not happy I can always sit up and wait for them then ride with the pack I’m used to where we all know how each other rides.
Marcellus said:
05:52 start time for me, a little earlier than I think I’d really like, but would rather that than a later one so will have to suck it up and dig in.
The rest of my club are off at 06:00 so if I’m not happy I can always sit up and wait for them then ride with the pack I’m used to where we all know how each other rides.
All the coolest dudes are off at that time The rest of my club are off at 06:00 so if I’m not happy I can always sit up and wait for them then ride with the pack I’m used to where we all know how each other rides.
I haven't done my online registration thingy yet, so not sure what time I'll get to set off. But going by my latest rides, I'm going to need close to 7 hours to get around the course. Best average speed I've managed recently is 15.2 mph for a 20 miler (1,200 ft of climbing), and today a 42 miler (with 3,400 ft) came in at 14.5 mph. Too late to really do any meaningful training too... 
I was hoping to go easy on the stopping too, but today I blew through two large bottles of squash in 42 miles, so it looks like feed stops will be essential on the day. my fitness went down the pan with two months off the bike decorating and doing other DIY jobs after moving house in May, and I've only got my road bike back this week.
I was hoping to go easy on the stopping too, but today I blew through two large bottles of squash in 42 miles, so it looks like feed stops will be essential on the day. my fitness went down the pan with two months off the bike decorating and doing other DIY jobs after moving house in May, and I've only got my road bike back this week.
Edited by yellowjack on Tuesday 23 July 21:30
OK. Pre-registration complete.
Green B, loading from 0520hrs to 0600hrs, Wave start time 0640hrs.
For someone who is definitively "not a morning person", that's gonna hurt. I'd been hoping for a start time closer to 0800hrs, or even later, to allow me to admin myself and get a good breakfast inside me. On the bright side, though, it gives me "spare" time on the route before cut-off points, so I don't need to burn myself out getting a fast start.
For what it's worth, based on my experience so far, I don't think the logistics of getting to, and participating in the event are really worth it, so I think I'll leave it in future years. I'm too much of a spontaneous rider to want to be jumping through all these hoops just to ride on closed roads. Not when i can ride mostly empty roads through the New Forest and The Purbecks for free any time I want to.
I might change my mind if I have a great experience on the day, but it's an expensive event too, factoring in transport there, accommodation, and the entry itself. It's caused friction at home too, with me wanting to spend money getting the bike in tip top shape, and having time to "train", and also wanting to get some of the remaining DIY tasks done to keep my wife happy. Obviously I don't plan to move house a few months prior to every RideLondon, but it's definitely caused some stress at home this year.
Green B, loading from 0520hrs to 0600hrs, Wave start time 0640hrs.
For someone who is definitively "not a morning person", that's gonna hurt. I'd been hoping for a start time closer to 0800hrs, or even later, to allow me to admin myself and get a good breakfast inside me. On the bright side, though, it gives me "spare" time on the route before cut-off points, so I don't need to burn myself out getting a fast start.
For what it's worth, based on my experience so far, I don't think the logistics of getting to, and participating in the event are really worth it, so I think I'll leave it in future years. I'm too much of a spontaneous rider to want to be jumping through all these hoops just to ride on closed roads. Not when i can ride mostly empty roads through the New Forest and The Purbecks for free any time I want to.
I might change my mind if I have a great experience on the day, but it's an expensive event too, factoring in transport there, accommodation, and the entry itself. It's caused friction at home too, with me wanting to spend money getting the bike in tip top shape, and having time to "train", and also wanting to get some of the remaining DIY tasks done to keep my wife happy. Obviously I don't plan to move house a few months prior to every RideLondon, but it's definitely caused some stress at home this year.
yellowjack said:
OK. Pre-registration complete.
Green B, loading from 0520hrs to 0600hrs, Wave start time 0640hrs.
For someone who is definitively "not a morning person", that's gonna hurt. I'd been hoping for a start time closer to 0800hrs, or even later, to allow me to admin myself and get a good breakfast inside me. On the bright side, though, it gives me "spare" time on the route before cut-off points, so I don't need to burn myself out getting a fast start.
For what it's worth, based on my experience so far, I don't think the logistics of getting to, and participating in the event are really worth it, so I think I'll leave it in future years. I'm too much of a spontaneous rider to want to be jumping through all these hoops just to ride on closed roads. Not when i can ride mostly empty roads through the New Forest and The Purbecks for free any time I want to.
I might change my mind if I have a great experience on the day, but it's an expensive event too, factoring in transport there, accommodation, and the entry itself. It's caused friction at home too, with me wanting to spend money getting the bike in tip top shape, and having time to "train", and also wanting to get some of the remaining DIY tasks done to keep my wife happy. Obviously I don't plan to move house a few months prior to every RideLondon, but it's definitely caused some stress at home this year.
I know you have watched from the side lines and not got a place previously, yes its a few quid but it really is a great event and I hope you enjoy it. I wouldn't worry about your fitness they are loads of different groups with vary speeds to get involved with. Great camaraderie between the participants. You have two more weeks to great race fit.....Green B, loading from 0520hrs to 0600hrs, Wave start time 0640hrs.
For someone who is definitively "not a morning person", that's gonna hurt. I'd been hoping for a start time closer to 0800hrs, or even later, to allow me to admin myself and get a good breakfast inside me. On the bright side, though, it gives me "spare" time on the route before cut-off points, so I don't need to burn myself out getting a fast start.
For what it's worth, based on my experience so far, I don't think the logistics of getting to, and participating in the event are really worth it, so I think I'll leave it in future years. I'm too much of a spontaneous rider to want to be jumping through all these hoops just to ride on closed roads. Not when i can ride mostly empty roads through the New Forest and The Purbecks for free any time I want to.
I might change my mind if I have a great experience on the day, but it's an expensive event too, factoring in transport there, accommodation, and the entry itself. It's caused friction at home too, with me wanting to spend money getting the bike in tip top shape, and having time to "train", and also wanting to get some of the remaining DIY tasks done to keep my wife happy. Obviously I don't plan to move house a few months prior to every RideLondon, but it's definitely caused some stress at home this year.
ALawson said:
I know you have watched from the side lines and not got a place previously, yes its a few quid but it really is a great event and I hope you enjoy it. I wouldn't worry about your fitness they are loads of different groups with vary speeds to get involved with. Great camaraderie between the participants. You have two more weeks to great race fit.....
Yay! Two more weeks to build back a centimetre on my right calf that is still AWOL after breaking my leg last year. Thanks for the pep-talk, I'm sure if/when I get to the start and we're rolling I'll stop whining and it'll be fine. But I'm not great with preparation the night before, and I'm one of life's natural born worriers. All this pre-registration, and picking up the rider pack days ahead isn't helping, but it's a huge event to admin so I can see why they have to do it this way. My biggest organised event previously has been Battle On The Beach, with a field of around 900 entries, and maybe 850 starters. So RideLondon is far, far bigger than anything I've ever experienced before, and quite daunting if I'm honest about it. The 100 miles? I've ridden most of those roads before, some many times over, and I could probably get round the route today if I wanted to. It's not the distance that troubles me, really, more the sheer scale of the entire event...
Don't worry, its very well organised.
If you know someone local making the trip into London you can delegate, via a signed letter and passport copy, them to pick your pack up. Even when working in London it was faff to get down to Excel and that was from London Bridge.
If you are travelling up the day before I suggest bottles pre filled with powder etc. and two bags, 1 for dry / hot kit and the other for wet weather. I also wouldn't worry about finding the Olympic park as it is like ant returning to the nest on the morning, millions of cyclist converging on the start!
Remember you know the route, have ridden the distance (well previously) unlike probably 60% of people who may never have ridden more than 50 miles.
If you know someone local making the trip into London you can delegate, via a signed letter and passport copy, them to pick your pack up. Even when working in London it was faff to get down to Excel and that was from London Bridge.
If you are travelling up the day before I suggest bottles pre filled with powder etc. and two bags, 1 for dry / hot kit and the other for wet weather. I also wouldn't worry about finding the Olympic park as it is like ant returning to the nest on the morning, millions of cyclist converging on the start!
Remember you know the route, have ridden the distance (well previously) unlike probably 60% of people who may never have ridden more than 50 miles.
I rode the entire route ( with a to and from my hotel) on Sunday. The first 10 miles were designed to miss out the tunnels and the Hammersmith Flyover, but otherwise it was the official route. There are a couple of issues with it, as we speak. The first ( big ) problem is a diversion around gas works, at Hedley ( off the back of Box hill towards Leatherhead ) I sincerely hope they’ve sorted it by the event, as the divert route is terrible ( road surface wise ). Another big problem is at Wimbledon / Merton, where there are more roadworks, and a road closure. The third issue is the finish. It doesn’t come up Whitehall, under Admiralty arch and on to the Mall this year, it comes up through Parliament square, towards Birdcage walk, and right onto Horseguards, then left and up the Mall, to the palace. There are great big anti terror barricades as you approach the Birdcage walk end of Horseguards. That’s far from ideal, with this many riders. It could add ‘intrigue’ though.
This was the ride from the hotel to the start. It was dead easy, and ( even on open roads ) it only took a shade over half an hour.
Edited by GOATever on Wednesday 24th July 15:04
GOATever said:
I rode the entire route ( with a to and from my hotel) on Sunday. The first 10 miles were designed to miss out the tunnels and the Hammersmith Flyover, but otherwise it was the official route. There are a couple of issues with it, as we speak. The first ( big ) problem is a diversion around gas works, at Hedley ( off the back of Box hill towards Leatherhead ) I sincerely hope they’ve sorted it by the event, as the divert route is terrible ( road surface wise ). Another big problem is at Wimbledon / Merton, where there are more roadworks, and a road closure. The third issue is the finish. It doesn’t come up Whitehall, under Admiralty arch and on to the Mall this year, it comes up through Parliament square, towards Birdcage walk, and right onto Horseguards, then left and up the Mall, to the palace. There are great big anti terror barricades as you approach the Birdcage walk end of Horseguards. That’s far from ideal, with this many riders. It could add ‘intrigue’ though.
This was the ride from the hotel to the start. It was dead easy, and ( even on open roads ) it only took a shade over half an hour.
Edited by GOATever on Wednesday 24th July 15:04
My latest loading time is 6.12 with a 7.20 start time! I'm with some of the others on here wondering whether all the logistical issues are worth it but as I have entered every year and this is the first time I have got an entry i am definitely going to make the most of it and try and enjoy the day
Lovey1 said:
My latest loading time is 6.12 with a 7.20 start time! I'm with some of the others on here wondering whether all the logistical issues are worth it but as I have entered every year and this is the first time I have got an entry i am definitely going to make the most of it and try and enjoy the day
Last year was my one and only time doing ride 100 and, not wanting to be late, ended up setting off earlier than needed and in the loading bay 90 mins before start. The time flies by as you wait with 100s of other cyclists.Yes, there’s quite a bit of logistics to it but I loved the whole event despite all the rain. I was in a Travel Lodge in Canary Wharf the night before which would normally be quiet on a Saturday but was rammed full of cyclists which made for a great evening before the event.
Agree re that earlier post re the change of route at the very end - if I was doing it this year, I’d be a bit gutted to find out I’d be missing that last turn at Trafalgar Square to go through the arches. Even with the rain the crowds at that point really do allow you to feel for one second like you might actually be in a pro race.. still, I expect they’ll be cheering everyone on from other vantage points.
Very jealous. Have a good time all and hopefully better weather than last year.
krisdelta said:
Weather looks to be warm (late teens early 20's) and dry - perfect! I am not looking forward to a 4am start from Camberley to get my 9:08 departure slot. But hopefully the crowds will make it awesome. Bring it on!
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