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Anyone else doing the Ride London sportive this weekend?
Looking forward to it, doing it as part of the British Cycling club challenge (basically 4 riders in a team and you each do the 100 miles and then your teams average time is put against other clubs average) so looking forward to the extra competitive element to it.
Weather forecast not looking too great so ive ended up packing a ridiculous amount of kit for a single days road ride to cover all the eventualities!
I'm not, but appears everyone else who I know who rides a road bike is... good luck!
I am, looking forward to it but also apprehensive especially with the weather forecast. Headwinds for first 50 and tail for last 50.
Also packed a ridiculously huge amount of kit for one dAys road ride.
I'm doing it with the missus on a tandem. Not looking forward to the stupid o'clock start Sunday morning to drive to London, park and then ride to the start for our 'wave loading time' of before 7! Lets hope it either pees down or is dry, can't be doing with showers - rain, get wet, don waterproofs, boil-in-the-bag, strip-off, repeat!
Right faff going up to Excel yesterday to register - don't know why they couldn't send it in the post. Worth watching the biking display though, never seen trials type stuff in the flesh - WTF?
My mate is racing in the handcycle section, against Paraolympic and World Champion (or both!) Handcyclists. He's under no illusion he'll be picking up a medal.
If you see a guy in a bright orange handcycle with deep section carbon rims give him a cheer please, it'll make his day! (His name is Sean).
Thank you.
We'll be cheering from our balcony with a beer 8)
We'll be cheering from our balcony with a beer
Most likely you will be in doors sheltering from the wind and the rain.
I'm in, kayak and sails packed!
yes
Yep. 7.07 start. I'll be in a fetching baby blue BLISS jersey.
I think rule 9 may apply.
spot the [s]difference[/s] similarity
http://www.yr.no/place/United_Kingdom/England/London/long.html
http://www.xcweather.co.uk/forecast/london
http://www.metcheck.com/uk/dayforecast.asp?day=2&zipcode=london
http://www.bbc.com/weather/2643743?day=3
If the easterlies could hang on until about 9, before they swing round to big southerlies, that would be awesome! And not so much rain, please. at least until after 12 ish.
"ellow alert of rain
From:
0015 on Sun 10 August
To:
2345 on Sun 10 August
Updated 7 August at 10:37
There is the risk of severe weather during Sunday as a depression tracks over, or close to, the UK. At this stage there is more than average uncertainty in the forecast, but the public should be aware of the risk of heavy rain, strong winds and large waves, sufficient to disrupt transport and [b]make outdoor activities dangerous[/b].
This is a particularly volatile situation, and this warning is likely to be changed as the event approaches."
lol. (my bold).
Well as long as i'm not standing in the rain at 5am I don't mind. Back by 10am anyway.
We're volunteering at the hub at Newlands Corner. I'll take a brolly I think.... 🙂
Luckily my house is a couple of hundred metres from the route so chance of a change of clothes!
Lol the profile of Leith Hill on the "Surrey Hills Challenge" poster at sign in, made it look like the North Face of the Matterhorn.
I'll be there in the Club Challenge - if I was doing it as an individual I'm not sure I would turn up with the weather we have coming
Oh and yes the registration thing is a joke. Really efficiently managed once you have spent a whole day getting there. Totally pointless.
Currently morning looking better so will have to ride fast but can't see me hitting my 5 hour target given the wind and general dampness.
Really efficiently managed once you have spent a whole day getting there. Totally pointless.
Amen, though I guess the whole thing is to stop a black market in places. It's an awful lot of faff, but it's once in a lifetime.
If that weather warning stays in place as worded then the RL organisers have a tough call to make.
Just left registration
The trade stands are selling out of...........
Rain jackets.
Some half price bargains at Endura though.
Just think that it won't stop anything. Now I have my stickers I could just as easily pass them on as if I had received them in the post.
Hey ho. Probably only moaning because I am not looking forward to getting up at three in the morning to get wet.
I wish I had bothered to get a new tight fitting jacket, mine's fine except it's a size too big as lost to much weight and so pretty draggy.
Hey ho. Probably only moaning because I am not looking forward to getting up at three in the morning to get wet.
entirely reasonable, I am not a morning person either, especially when morning means the middle of the night
Time is merely an abstract concept created by man.....
😉
true but mornings are bloody well created by nature
there is more than average uncertainty in the forecast
Considering the average amount of uncertainty in our forecasts, there could possibly be hail/snow/heatwave/tornadoes
Good luck to those of you who are taking part.
Spannering at Newlands Corner for me. I foresee a day of repairing punctures on filthy BSOs. 🙁
Spannering at Newlands Corner for me. I foresee a day of repairing punctures on filthy BSOs.
If I stop will you give mine a full service?
Actually, the brake pads I ordered haven't arrived yet - don't suppose you might have some SwissStop greens knocking around? 😉
I will be there slowly making my way around. Sure it will be a great day, even if it is a "bit" wet.
If I stop will you give mine a full service?
I'd sooner do some work on a bike owned by someone who understands what lubricant is for. I draw the line at taping bars though, I'm shit at it!
Can't help on Swiss Stops, I think the order of the day is £5 Aztecs, yours for just £40 😉
Clearly I'm prejudging what I will be faced with, but I imagine the riders on nice bikes are the most likely to be self sufficient! I expect said owners of BSOs will also be grumpy at having to walk up Newlands Corner in the rain to get their puncture fixed.
Can you tell I'm excited!?
Looking out of the office window (I can see the Dome/o2) it's quite cloudy, bit thick enough to carry a bit of rain but it ain't raining yet..
No wind eithers.. 😉
Spannering at Newlands Corner for me. I foresee a day of repairing punctures on filthy BSOs.
I foresee a day of unreasonable demands and questions as to why you don't have the necessary ceramic bearings to replace the worn out ones on their £3000 wheels...
😉
I didn't see any BSOs amongst the bikes at registration, and the riders looked like they mostly rode a bit.
Email just in from RL advising mud guards, layers, overshoes and taking long finger gloves.
May have to take my Camelbak!
Not sure about long fingered gloves, overshoes will be useful though. Doubt many will have mud guards.
I have an Ass-saver type thingy. Reluctant to put it on my lovely titanium road bike!
I'd go no gloves - it won't be cold, soggy gloves are far more unpleasant than just having wet hands.
Apparently I have to be at Newlands for 6am, and have to approach it from the North, which is a significant detour.
Grumble Grumble Grumble
Predictions for Sunday’s weather are changing hourly and we have many contingencies in place
Obviously they have to sound like they're prepared, but exactly what contingencies could these be?
Hairdriers for the road?
Theme park ponchos for all participants?
Tyre warmers on the wets for the pace car?
Apparently I have to be at Newlands for 6am, and have to approach it from the North, which is a significant detour.
Nick I will keep an eye out for you. I'll either be in a blue-ish 'Make a Wish' top or a Pink Rapha one and on a very new looking white Condor Leggero.
Would be good to say hi!
Yes, do! I'll be the one up to my arms in black brake pad crap being shouted at for not changing tubes quickly enough! 😉
Good grief. Overshoes? Guards? Just adds weight, it'd slow me down, plus I've crappy tyres on the winter bike, its asking for a crash.
I just popped out for a 50k warm up and got rained on 3 times - how appropriate. As long as you don't stop, its quite warm.
Anyone know when they take bags off you for the stuff you want to pick up at the finish? Just before you set off, or when you turn up, an hour before?
Wasn't going to bother with the extra faff, but if it's weeing down, it might be nice to have some extra stuff for the ride over and the waiting, then strip off and ditch it before the start.
This is interesting, not seen it before:
http://www.metcheck.com/UK/confidence.asp?day=2&zipcode=london&hourOf=6&dayOf=10&Unit=mm&monthOf=8
Shows you the results of all the different models. eg they all agree what the temperature is likely to be, 75% agree there's next to no rain, but the other 25% of the models are spread evenly in predicting everything up to "really quite wet"
The train's starting to look attractive. Ride through the smart bits of town, divert to Victoria, train to Guildford, ride Surrey Hills, jump on the train at Leatherhead, get off at Waterloo, finish off.
😆
The rain looks to be appearing mid to late morning. I'm starting to feel happy with my start time of 0605, and hopefully finishing not long after 10:45 ish. I have packed three different weight rain jackets, from monsoon to soft shell. More worried about the poor spectators, or people not used to all weather cycling.
Hmm mid-morning. Starting at 0627, my plan had been to roll round, I really don't care about my time, but that's changing to put the boot in ...
I've also seen snow forecast for Sunday!
[url= http://weatherscopes.azurewebsites.net/?starSign=Libra ]http://weatherscopes.azurewebsites.net/?starSign=Libra[/url]
😉
Me and Mrs M both in through the ballot. Look out for a big lump in a bright red BHF top. That'll be me BTW. 😀
looks like i have a 06:50 start and no waterproofs !
Part of the BC Club Challenge. Twickenham CC have 65 riders and I'm hoping we run in two or three blue trains. So do say Hi. I'm off at 06:12 and would like to be back by 10:30. I'll wave Nick, but don't plan on stopping with my team. I will then wait around for a another four hours for my sister to finish.
Bought two Ass Savers at registration because the race bike is due a trip this year and i'll need the aero into that headwind 😉 . The Endura race cape may negate all the same aero gains from the skinsuit.
Good luck everyone. Take plenty of spare inner tubes.
Wish if bought an ass saver now!
Bet you wish you had a castelli gabba too.
Mine turned up today. I'm not riding on Sunday though 😆
I've woken up in a very negative frame of mind. Considering taking the winter bike with old crappy tyres (turbo worn Duranos) now and sod the time target, also realised I don't have a road rain jacket so I'll have to see what's left in the scraps of the Bike show, if anything.
If it's raining at 4am it's going to be very hard to leave home tbh. Feel free to post any motivational tips...
Bright clear skies in Dorking at the mo.
Forecast shows continuous rain from midnight tonight to about midday Sunday, which is just when .... oh.
If it's raining at 4am it's going to be very hard to leave home tbh. Feel free to post any motivational tips...
Well, just think of it this way Stan, I'm stuck at home unable to ride, and you have the opportunity to ride in the country's biggest cycling event, that just happens to be a bit wet. If you don't end up riding it through a bout of apathy, I will hunt you down and slap you with my 1 remaining functional hand.
Feel free to post any motivational tips...
side benefit of raising money for charity, 'it was a bit wet' doesnt really cut it as an excuse..
Not just a "bit" wet though is it.
http://www.yr.no is a bit more optimistic in that might be starting in the dry, that's what concerns me most, getting cold and wet whilst waiting to get going. We had a downpour in Surrey last night - at least my waterbutts are no longer empty.
OK, how about 20,000 riders (one of whom has only ridden 24 miles in training) can obey [url= http://www.velominati.com/the-rules/#9 ]Rule #9[/url]. Why can't you? Start should be dry, possibly two hours of rain plus a 20mph tailwind. What's not to like?
Mate of mine applied through the lottery system and was gutted when he got the dreadful "Dear John letter".
Bet he is chuckling now though 😀
Well, just think of it this way Stan, I'm stuck at home unable to ride, and you have the opportunity to ride in the country's biggest cycling event, that just happens to be a bit wet. If you don't end up riding it through a bout of apathy, I will hunt you down and slap you with my 1 remaining functional hand.
He's right. Definitely some MTFU needed! I'd much rather be doing it!
I'll watch out for the 'blue trains' Daren!
K57, got gloves? got clear shades? got Belgian booties?
If there's a tick for all three then really the only thing stopping you is your own wild estimate for a PB.
Heck, you'll be with '000's of others, some of whome will be feeling like you, so you'll all be kindered spirits won't ya. Not only that, you should take a look at one of Raphas films, the winter one in Norway... Just pretend your ride is in black and white and grimace a bit whilst looking uber cool.
There you go, have fun.
How about when you're done and sat at home enjoying a cup of tea some people will be packing up gear in the rain for a couple of hours before going to a hotel for the night then spending most of Sunday driving home. Here's hoping the help we've been promised turns up.
Feel free to post any motivational tips...
What would Jens do?
So, chamois cream, yay or nay?
Nobby - Member
So, chamois cream, yay or nay?
You'd consider riding without it?
Right, the proper rain jacket I should have owned anyway is now purchased. There's no time to be aimed for, I shall be on the winter bike with guards and dry gear in my finishing kitbag.
🙂
I never use chamois cream but do use a little vaselene on long wet rides.
Not sure about a jacket as thinking could get too warm so thinking more gilet and arm warmers.
I'm over the negativity.
We're mountain bikers, we're suppose to ride in the rain.
I'd just be getting wet, gilet as mentioned, but not a jacket.
Having just ran through the local forecasts the worst of the rain (rated as heavy) appears to be on the southern part of the loop between 0400-0700. Nearer the start it is rated as light showers/moderate rain.
Between 1000-1300 there is a risk of thunderstorms again on the southern part of the loop, mist likely when most will hit the climbs, but the rain at these times is actually limited to less than 1cm over the 3 hour window.
The return to London looks like showers.
Winds do switch round about 0900 onwards from a South Easterly direction to a stronger South Westerly wind, but that will help the final stint!
It looks like they now anticipate the bulk of the storm to be south of the projected tracks that were available yesterday, which is a good thing.
The latest email from the organisers doesnt sound too promising with the talk of cutting out leith hill and box hill
its only a bit of rain and hardly the transcontinental!
My funk has gone! I'm with you Mudshark - I shall be in club SS with arm warmers, with race cape over if we start in the rain. As I'm riding up and carrying dry kit in my kit bag for the end this gives me a perfect opportunity to see how warm I'll get and make adjustments.
I've cleaned up and re-oiled/greased the bike, superglued some cuts and I've even installed an unnecessary TT tri bag to carry my lunch in 😀
P.s. Dharmstrong theirs a FB report which states the storm is going completely the other way - southwest to Central England up t'north. Guess we'll find out tomorrow.
That sounds better, cap on, clip in, ride hard, have fun 8)
Kryton57, could well do as I was only looking local to the route. As long as it avoids me I'm not bothered!!
Not just a "bit" wet though is it.
I'm from Devon, this is just a bit wet...
Let's keep it positive: the pollen count will be low.
And if you have any mechanical problems at Newlands we will be equipped to help! I have about £3k of cables, brake pads, chains, mech hangers, tyres, tubes etc in my car, plus a half reasonable workshop!
might be having a psychological problem by then! got a couch and clipboard?