RideLondon-Surrey 100 (2014!!!) Anyone?
- Thread starter jdtate101
- Start date
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Rupie
Über Member
Bit of a torrid build up to the day; bought a new Bianchi, which was for final training, a trip to the Alps and the 100. Long story but ended up with replacement, and did only 25 miles before the day. I live in the cotswolds and the Biggest problem was having to come to Exhell to collect numbers.
Stayed in little hotel in Kings Cross the night before, free parking on the street !, and was worried about finding way to start, but was joined by lots of people and had nice chat to people. I could not be bothered to buy see through waterproof or put holes on so gaffa taped number on my back, it lasted 20 miles.
Dressed with just waterproof and leg warmers and boots for my second ever sportive was a correct choice. Staggered at the number of punctures and how busy the roads were, all the way around. When the rain started I just put my head down and got on with it. You had to focus so hard to avoid people, water, holes that I ended up with tunnel vision. Having not ridden the route I did not know where I was most of the time, and the shortening messed up my miliage notes as well. Th comaradary and emotion of the day made my finish in under 4:30hr, which is staggering for me.
My worst moment was when I was coming down a hill, near kingston, I saw two people come together just in front of me. I braked hard and there was nothing I could do and I went straight over legs and bike of the young lady. I was mortified. Thankfully everyone was fine, a marshal ran over and made sure we were fine. Her bike needed bending back in shape and we carried on.
Don't remember most of the rest of the ride, except got in a little group of fellow Bianchi riders in the last 10 miles and flew into the finish.
Cycled back to the car and went home. Had a great day and would love to do it again. I feel I have trained for 100m and need to do so, may find another event this summer.
Stayed in little hotel in Kings Cross the night before, free parking on the street !, and was worried about finding way to start, but was joined by lots of people and had nice chat to people. I could not be bothered to buy see through waterproof or put holes on so gaffa taped number on my back, it lasted 20 miles.
Dressed with just waterproof and leg warmers and boots for my second ever sportive was a correct choice. Staggered at the number of punctures and how busy the roads were, all the way around. When the rain started I just put my head down and got on with it. You had to focus so hard to avoid people, water, holes that I ended up with tunnel vision. Having not ridden the route I did not know where I was most of the time, and the shortening messed up my miliage notes as well. Th comaradary and emotion of the day made my finish in under 4:30hr, which is staggering for me.
My worst moment was when I was coming down a hill, near kingston, I saw two people come together just in front of me. I braked hard and there was nothing I could do and I went straight over legs and bike of the young lady. I was mortified. Thankfully everyone was fine, a marshal ran over and made sure we were fine. Her bike needed bending back in shape and we carried on.
Don't remember most of the rest of the ride, except got in a little group of fellow Bianchi riders in the last 10 miles and flew into the finish.
Cycled back to the car and went home. Had a great day and would love to do it again. I feel I have trained for 100m and need to do so, may find another event this summer.
laurence
Veteran
- Location
- in the aeroplane over the sea
one of mine looks similar.
a couple of me in the rain and loads of the finish. i know one of the snappers got me in kingston, but the photo isn't there yet - however, the slightly overweight woman who isn't wearing orange is 'me' in two photos.
most of the Mall ones i am looking sideways - i was trying to spot Girlski in the crowd. there are some of me patting the bars after the line, which i like.
Nomadski
I Like Bikes
- Location
- LBS, Usually
Blimey, I'm glad it wasn't like that when I finished. Early, raining = no crowds.
Hope you enjoyed it regardless.
zizou
Veteran
Think these are better photos than the official ones, as they seem to capture the rain more https://www.facebook.com/media/set/?set=a.821164091242024.1073741937.523861794305590&type=1 Only about a 100 or so but someone might get lucky and appear in one!
(you dont need to be a facebook member to view them - im not)
(you dont need to be a facebook member to view them - im not)
Beebo
Firm and Fruity
- Location
- Hexleybeef
They're good, cant see me but I have now seen the Boris bike, Brompton, a man dressed as a banana and the famous BMX rider (No, 9459 for anyone who wants to bother seeing what his time was.)
w00hoo_kent
One of the 64K
- Location
- Maidstone or Greenwich
I spent the miles from Newlands to Leatherhead riding close to the guy dressed as a banana (I wondered if it was waterproof and he was having the last laugh there) also spent a chunk of time riding near the folding tandem near the end of the set. Saw the Mavic car once, quite near the beginning, fixing a puncture on a Croix de Fer, I figured it was because they could pronounce it properly :-)
U
User33236
Guest
Only 12 for me and all from the latter third or so of the ride.
srw
It's a bit more complicated than that...
They're good as photos of an event; the official ones are good as photos of individuals. That does give a bit of a one-sided view of the event, though - the series was clearly taken during the particularly heavy downpour so makes it look only like a MAMIL race, rather than the mixed event it looked like from further back.
srw
It's a bit more complicated than that...
Circe Helios. It doesn't actually fold, but it's very versatile - @Flying Dodo uses one as a cargo bike by taking out the stoker seatpost when it's not doing tandem duty. You can also convert it easily to a kiddyback tandem.
Beebo
Firm and Fruity
- Location
- Hexleybeef
there are 37 of me, all very similar, the boby number shouldnt make any difference, as they pick the number from your helmet and handlebars.
I guess you must have been hiding behind other riders as you passed the cameras.
