gavgav
Guru
Yes, this is the link to my fundraising page, it’s the Enthuse site which is linked directly to Ride London
https://2024fordridelondon.enthuse.com/pf/gavin-taylor
RideLondon-Essex 100 (2024) Anyone?
- Thread starter dickyknees
- Start date
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Yes, this is the link to my fundraising page, it’s the Enthuse site which is linked directly to Ride London
https://2024fordridelondon.enthuse.com/pf/gavin-taylor
ColinJ
Puzzle game procrastinator!
- Location
- Todmorden - Yorks/Lancs border
By coincidence, I have just converted my DIY 6-speed bike to Hollowtech II and one of the warnings was to make sure to tighten the 2 left crank retaining bolts correctly or the crank might fall off! (The instructions also warned to check the bolts again after 100 km of riding, and regularly after that.)I also saw a guy who'd stopped and gone back to fetch something he'd dropped in the road. As I approached he picked it up and held it up for his friend to see. It was his left crank.
PS Having a crank fall off could cause a very nasty crash. It sounds like that rider (and those near him) were lucky not to be injured.
steverob
Guru
- Location
- Buckinghamshire
Other things that have since come to mind post-ride - some because I'd forgotten, others have been prompted by reading about other's experiences on here.
As mentioned by @gavgav, the pen system seemed to work really well. My pen opened at 6am and not being desperate to be right at the very front, that is also the time I left my hotel, assuming about a 15 minute ride to The Mall. Despite the documentation saying you had to go via Hyde Park Corner and Constitution Hill if you were in Pink, I found you could cut through Buckingham Gate with the Blue pen riders and get through to Pink that way as well, saving a good 5 minutes. Ended up riding freely down The Mall and eventually only came to a stop on Northumberland Avenue about 100 yards from the Embankment junction. We were held there for only 20 minutes while the first Blue wave was still departing and after a bit of a slow crawl forward, finally got riding properly at about 6:45, which was 15 minutes before our earliest listed start time.
Cocked-up slightly at the first Welfare Hub at Epping. Had no intention of stopping there and was staying to the right as instructed past all the traffic islands, but had to move off line to avoid something (can't remember what) and went to the left hand side of one island, only to find that was the last one before the barriers started and there were no gaps to get back out, meaning I had to ride straight through at barely above walking pace!
Was tempted to stop at Great Dunmow as well but thought it was a little too early, so held on until the official stop at Felsted. Even then I didn't really use the facilities except for the loos (of which there were plenty - quite impressed compared to some sportives I've done in the past). Didn't need a top up on my water and I've never been a fan of flapjacks or gels, so ate some of the snacks I'd brought with me, texted updates to the family and hit the road again.
As mentioned previously, I managed to find a large group to draft/shelter with from 63-75 miles; basically it was a group of about 7 riders from one cycling club that I've now found out (having had a chance to look up their jerseys) were Tottenham Cycling and they all looked like they were out for a leisurely ride (probably their normal relaxed Sunday club jaunt pace), to which another 8-10 riders including myself had attached themselves to the back of - I found the pace quite enjoyable however a few were looking like they were having to put in a little bit more effort to keep up! Got chatting to one of the other hangers-on and we were both a bit gutted when they pulled off, which was only just before the big deluge.
Post-storm (hail when in a headwind really stings the face!) I took a quick breather at the 80 mile marker and for the first time on the ride undid my jacket - only finally took it off coming through Stratford. I found the A12 to be really draining - might have been the constant ups and downs, or could have been just overall fatigue setting in. It was enlivened though by someone crashing in front of me as we passed the Olympic Park - no-one anywhere near him, he just suddenly went down. Everyone stopped and checked he was alright and he said "I'm fine, I wasn't concentrating" so can only assume he'd hit a pothole or something. The only other crash I saw was after the finish line where someone overcooked it coming round the right hand bend where they were asking you to slow and dismount - imagine doing 100 miles safely and then falling there!
As mentioned by @gavgav, the pen system seemed to work really well. My pen opened at 6am and not being desperate to be right at the very front, that is also the time I left my hotel, assuming about a 15 minute ride to The Mall. Despite the documentation saying you had to go via Hyde Park Corner and Constitution Hill if you were in Pink, I found you could cut through Buckingham Gate with the Blue pen riders and get through to Pink that way as well, saving a good 5 minutes. Ended up riding freely down The Mall and eventually only came to a stop on Northumberland Avenue about 100 yards from the Embankment junction. We were held there for only 20 minutes while the first Blue wave was still departing and after a bit of a slow crawl forward, finally got riding properly at about 6:45, which was 15 minutes before our earliest listed start time.
Cocked-up slightly at the first Welfare Hub at Epping. Had no intention of stopping there and was staying to the right as instructed past all the traffic islands, but had to move off line to avoid something (can't remember what) and went to the left hand side of one island, only to find that was the last one before the barriers started and there were no gaps to get back out, meaning I had to ride straight through at barely above walking pace!
Was tempted to stop at Great Dunmow as well but thought it was a little too early, so held on until the official stop at Felsted. Even then I didn't really use the facilities except for the loos (of which there were plenty - quite impressed compared to some sportives I've done in the past). Didn't need a top up on my water and I've never been a fan of flapjacks or gels, so ate some of the snacks I'd brought with me, texted updates to the family and hit the road again.
As mentioned previously, I managed to find a large group to draft/shelter with from 63-75 miles; basically it was a group of about 7 riders from one cycling club that I've now found out (having had a chance to look up their jerseys) were Tottenham Cycling and they all looked like they were out for a leisurely ride (probably their normal relaxed Sunday club jaunt pace), to which another 8-10 riders including myself had attached themselves to the back of - I found the pace quite enjoyable however a few were looking like they were having to put in a little bit more effort to keep up! Got chatting to one of the other hangers-on and we were both a bit gutted when they pulled off, which was only just before the big deluge.
Post-storm (hail when in a headwind really stings the face!) I took a quick breather at the 80 mile marker and for the first time on the ride undid my jacket - only finally took it off coming through Stratford. I found the A12 to be really draining - might have been the constant ups and downs, or could have been just overall fatigue setting in. It was enlivened though by someone crashing in front of me as we passed the Olympic Park - no-one anywhere near him, he just suddenly went down. Everyone stopped and checked he was alright and he said "I'm fine, I wasn't concentrating" so can only assume he'd hit a pothole or something. The only other crash I saw was after the finish line where someone overcooked it coming round the right hand bend where they were asking you to slow and dismount - imagine doing 100 miles safely and then falling there!
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gavgav
Guru
Just in case any of you saw this and have any footage. Utter scumbag lowlife who needs permanently removing from the right to drive a car and some time behind bars. https://www.bbc.com/news/articles/c2eevmlz0yeo
