Dogtrousers
Kilometre nibbler
I know we've been wittering about this in the RideLondon2020 thread, but I guess it should have a thread of its own.
I'm not sure what 4,800 ft is (I'll work it out later ) But I do know from plenty of experience that Essex is flat.
I don't have any concern about hills. I do have concern about being OTL. I'm wondering how they apply the rule.
Preparation has begun. I rode my first century since before Covid at the weekend. It was actually quite an important one, as I crashed and damaged my bike a lot (and me a bit) half way through a century a few days before the first lockdown began. So I returned to the same route and finally finished it. It took me 9 hours, which got me thinking ...
How does the 8 hour cutoff business work? I'm guessing that they only eliminate people who are injured/ utterly pooped and struggling/ mechanically broken down. Izzat right?
I'm wondering how worried I should be. I've ridden about 80 imperial centuries over the last decade but only two or three were under 8 hours. My typical time is around 9 hours (longer for hilly ones), including about 30 minutes sitting round eating and another 30 minutes of miscellaneous stops - traffic, navigation checks, clothing adjustments, photo opportunities and so on.
I figure that the closed roads and the fact that Essex is generally flat should speed things up a bit and if I'm very strict about keeping stopped time to an absolute minimum it should be OK. If I see the the broom wagon approaching I'll certainly be able to get a lick on to keep it at arm's length.
One of my few sub-8 100 milers was actually the first 160km of the now defunct Great Escape flat 200k Audax out from London into Essex, which bodes well.
I've found it can make 2-3mph ave. difference between a flat-ish and a hilly route. Also don't forget you will probably find yourself riding in a bit of group which will speed you up / preserve some energy with the drafting effect compared to riding solo.I'm not sure what 4,800 ft is (I'll work it out later ) But I do know from plenty of experience that Essex is flat.
I don't have any concern about hills. I do have concern about being OTL. I'm wondering how they apply the rule.
As I've never been to Ben Nevis that's not terribly enlightening. But it's OK. I already know just how flat Essex is. I've done a fair bit of riding there. I've done the sums and the figure you gave comes out to 1460m or roughly 0.9% overall. Flatter than any of my usual routes.It is 400ft more climbing than if you’d ascended Ben Nevis from sea level
Thanks. I'm hoping for an assist from the closed roads and just from the fact that it's an event.This may help. Closed roads make a huge difference. I usually ride a flat century in 6:00 - 6.15: hours. I did the old route in 5:19 and logged it at 4478 feet so a flat ride - I'm from Lancashire, the hills on PRL aren't what I'm used to. I'm expecting to do the new route in 5:30 and hoping for 5:00.
I'm generally not keen on riding on other people's wheels because I don't trust either them or myself to be safe. But maybe with large numbers out there there may be some kind of overall draft?I've found it can make 2-3mph ave. difference between a flat-ish and a hilly route. Also don't forget you will probably find yourself riding in a bit of group which will speed you up / preserve some energy with the drafting effect compared to riding solo.
I get you on that, but you soon spot a group of 4 or 5 people who look like they know what they are doing, get chatting and tag along and take your turn. equally you spot a bunch of erratic lunatic you don't want to ride anywhere near!I'm generally not keen on riding on other people's wheels because I don't trust either them or myself to be safe. But maybe with large numbers out there there may be some kind of overall draft?
I suspect any 8 hour "limit" is a worst case scenario if you leave in the final wave.Preparation has begun. I rode my first century since before Covid at the weekend. It was actually quite an important one, as I crashed and damaged my bike a lot (and me a bit) half way through a century a few days before the first lockdown began. So I returned to the same route and finally finished it. It took me 9 hours, which got me thinking ...
How does the 8 hour cutoff business work? I'm guessing that they only eliminate people who are injured/ utterly pooped and struggling/ mechanically broken down. Izzat right?
I'm wondering how worried I should be. I've ridden about 80 imperial centuries over the last decade but only two or three were under 8 hours. My typical time is around 9 hours (longer for hilly ones), including about 30 minutes sitting round eating and another 30 minutes of miscellaneous stops - traffic, navigation checks, clothing adjustments, photo opportunities and so on.
I figure that the closed roads and the fact that Essex is generally flat should speed things up a bit and if I'm very strict about keeping stopped time to an absolute minimum it should be OK. If I see the the broom wagon approaching I'll certainly be able to get a lick on to keep it at arm's length.
One of my few sub-8 100 milers was actually the first 160km of the now defunct Great Escape flat 200k Audax out from London into Essex, which bodes well.
That's what I was hoping to hear!I suspect any 8 hour "limit" is a worst case scenario if you leave in the final wave.
You'd expect them to allow extra time for loo & refreshment stops, mechanicals and so on.That's what I was hoping to hear!
Unfortunately I was honest in my estimated finishing time so the final wave is where they may dump me.
Nope, that hasn't been the case, but in the past, the men's pro race has been chasing the sportive, which I think isn't happening in 2022. And despite all that and the 20-odd motorbike police in front of the race, a guy in gold cinelli kit on a cinelli bike (to be fair, his kit looked as coordinated as any pro) still managed to ride into the Mall finish between the peloton and groupetto one year.How does the 8 hour cutoff business work? I'm guessing that they only eliminate people who are injured/ utterly pooped and struggling/ mechanically broken down. Izzat right?