RideLondon-Surrey 100 (2017) Anyone?

[sleaver]

What are you doing posting here instead of the RideLondon-Surrey 99.6 thread then?

In all seriousness, I have a theory about this and @Nomadski may be interested as well.

I've done ride London 3 times and all were varying distances:

2014 - 86 miles
2015 - 100.5 miles
2016 - 99.4 miles

We can discount 2014 as that was the year of Bertha and a life times supply of showers in 5 hours. However, for 2015 and 2016 there is a mile difference and while 100 miles is a long way, you would possibly be pushing it to make that mile by just taking corners wider. Unless there were two routes around quite a wide corner to help

As we know, there are two starts. in 2015 I was in the right hand one and the left one for 2016.

The start route for 2015:

The start for 2016:

As you can see, if you start on the left, you have a tighter turn onto the A12 and then a shorter route around the turn, due to using the East Cross Route section, until both sections join.

So that may cause the distance descripency.

Now, if you don't mind, I need to go and get a life

 

[steverob]

In all seriousness, I have a theory about this and @Nomadski may be interested as well.

I've done ride London 3 times and all were varying distances:

2014 - 86 miles
2015 - 100.5 miles
2016 - 99.4 miles

We can discount 2014 as that was the year of Bertha and a life times supply of showers in 5 hours. However, for 2015 and 2016 there is a mile difference and while 100 miles is a long way, you would possibly be pushing it to make that mile by just taking corners wider. Unless there were two routes around quite a wide corner to help

As we know, there are two starts. in 2015 I was in the right hand one and the left one for 2016.

The start route for 2015: <<picture removed>>

The start for 2016: <<picture removed>>

As you can see, if you start on the left, you have a tighter turn onto the A12 and then a shorter route around the turn, due to using the East Cross Route section, until both sections join.

So that may cause the distance descripency.

Now, if you don't mind, I need to go and get a life

That 1.1 miles difference is a LOT though - far too much to be explained away by just cutting corners. For example, the two different starts you've mentioned - while they look like they would be very different in distance, turns out they actually only account for about 0.2 miles difference between them, plus I believe some of that would be made back up when the left route has to go the long way round a roundabout a few miles later (near East India DLR station). The only other thing I can think of is that maybe at the drinks stops (assuming you took any) you parked the bike in a rack one year, while the other year you walked round with it and left the GPS running which added on some more miles? Clutching at straws a bit here!

 

[rugby bloke]

So the mileage difference has got me looking back into my Strava records:

2015 - na - shorter distance due to Leith Hill closure.
2016 - 100.6
2017 - 100.2

 

[smutchin]

<1% is well within the normal range of variability for gps devices.

Furthermore, if we take an average of @sleaver and @rugby bloke's results, we get 100.175 miles.

 

[Nomadski]

In all seriousness, I have a theory about this and @Nomadski may be interested as well.

I've done ride London 3 times and all were varying distances:

2014 - 86 miles
2015 - 100.5 miles
2016 - 99.4 miles

We can discount 2014 as that was the year of Bertha and a life times supply of showers in 5 hours. However, for 2015 and 2016 there is a mile difference and while 100 miles is a long way, you would possibly be pushing it to make that mile by just taking corners wider. Unless there were two routes around quite a wide corner to help

As we know, there are two starts. in 2015 I was in the right hand one and the left one for 2016.

The start route for 2015:

View attachment 367275

The start for 2016:

View attachment 367276

As you can see, if you start on the left, you have a tighter turn onto the A12 and then a shorter route around the turn, due to using the East Cross Route section, until both sections join.

So that may cause the distance descripency.

Now, if you don't mind, I need to go and get a life

I've started on both sides, and the only time I ever hit 100 miles was in 2013 when I didn't even start the recording until quite a way down the A12 where the original timing block was....

2013 (Left side, Garmin 800) - 102.2 miles - Started Garmin on A12 itself, as that was where starting chip block was.

2015 (Left side, Garmin 800) - 99.6 miles - Started Garmin on Waterden Road, at starting gate.

2017 (Right side, Garmin 820) - 99.1 miles - Started Garmin on Waterden Road, at starting gate.

 

[SteCenturion]

Just entered the ballot for 2018 ....
any advice on reasonably priced areas to stay & how far ahead to book *should I be lucky/unlucky*) enough to win a place* would be welcome.

Equally any experience from veterans on how to approach the event, stories/examples of the good bad & ugly too.

Cheers.

 

[vickster]

Book now on a cancellable rate. Look at Ibis, travelodge, premier inn around docklands or east London within 5 miles or so of the Olympic park
Probably find something for £70-100 for the Sat night
If you wait until the places are announced, it could be 50-100% more and limited availability

How to approach? Just ride your bike plenty once you've got a place. Have you ridden 70+ miles before?. It's not a race

 

[mjr]

+1 but avoid "hub by premier inn" that don't allow bikes. At least one tells you to lock up on the street outside

Anywhere in eastern Central London would be fine too, with a route to CS2 signposted from various points and usually a river crossing for cycling only (Rotherhithe tunnel in 2017)

 

[jefmcg]

Just entered the ballot for 2018 ....
any advice on reasonably priced areas to stay & how far ahead to book *should I be lucky/unlucky*) enough to win a place* would be welcome.

Equally any experience from veterans on how to approach the event, stories/examples of the good bad & ugly too.

Cheers.

This belongs in the 2018 thread

 

[SteCenturion]

This belongs in the 2018 thread

Cheers, hadn't spotted that thread, been on a sabbatical from CC for some time !

 

[SteCenturion]

Book now on a cancellable rate. Look at Ibis, travelodge, premier inn around docklands or east London within 5 miles or so of the Olympic park
Probably find something for £70-100 for the Sat night
If you wait until the places are announced, it could be 50-100% more and limited availability

How to approach? Just ride your bike plenty once you've got a place. Have you ridden 70+ miles before?. It's not a race

Cheers vickster.

65m on a sportive has been my max so far but need something to spur me on.

Will book something regardless of ballot & just have a weekender in little London village.

 

[srw]

We stayed in the Marriott West India Quay and would recommend it. Goody bags, early breakfast, ballroom converted to a bike park, member of staff with bike shop experience providing emergency mechanic service. Couldn't have been more welcoming.

 

[smutchin]

You could stay at the Premier Inn at Waltham Forest and enjoy a nice traffic-free ride along the River Lea to the start.