Ride London and predicted times

If you don't want to get caught out with inner tubes I would:

1. treat yourself to some new tyres, carry a working pump and 2 good inner tubes (not that old one covered in patches that you think is somewhere in the shed);

2. carry some Park glueless patches. IME they don't stay airtight permanently but will stick long enough to get you round the route.

..Turn up at your coloured zone at the right time, wait, then wait some more, walk about a mile upto start , ride and enjoy.

Can anyone give me an idea of how it works on the morning? I can't actually remember what time I suggested I'd do it in, but as a dedicated plodder rather than a speed merchant I'm guessing I'd have said around seven hours - presumably that means I'll be told to set off in one of the later groups? I'm trying to figure out when and where they'll set me off from so I can make plans for meeting people further on.

My only other events of this nature have been charity rides and last year's Blenheim Sportive, where the start time was basically dictated by how quickly you could sign your name and slap a sticker on your helmet after standing in a queue for forty five minutes.

Did it last year and had a similar start time issue, handily I was the same colour wave as my mate so all it took was a strategically placed bike number and wearing a jacket and I was in. Of course it was also a 6.30am start so I doubt the marshalls were looking too closely.

Neither of us had a puncture but we were on roads to the start until the last few hundred yards but we had to dismount for that anyway. Did see someone getting serviced by a Mavic car though.

You'll be surprised how fast you go, the effect of a peloton is huge.

I'll be at the velodrome waving on those completing the ride

and like a fool, I've taken a charity place. Completed my registration about half four yesterday, with a deadline of 5pm...

Old tyres (with large amounts of grit removed as part of servicing) and a couple of tubes, but no visit from the fairy. No doubt it'll be different this year.

If you can join up before the start then do so, no-one will mind. Just be aware you might be on opposite sides of the park and you will need to leave your bag in the right van...

Brand new Vittoria Pro Techs, a P-kit and two tubes for me last year. Not a single visit from the fairy. Saw an unbelievable number of people fixing them in the first mile down the A12 though, I must have missed the Stinger.

on which:
Avoided the puncture fairy, though probably just luck. But very good advice to use newish tyres- mine had had enough time to break them in but that was it. Replace other "consumables" (chain? bar tape*?) and make sure that everying has been heavily serviced in the couple of weeks before hand- by a shop you trsut if you don't have the tools/skills/confidence to do it yourself.

*nice new bar tape makes you ride faster. Proven fact. Clean bikes are faster as well.

as a virgin 100 miler, all these forum posts are quite valuable.
any frequent fliers got an idea on whether its wise to take overkill on inners, or to take the minimum and hope to escape the puncture fairy?

I had to repair my puncture on the start line. Then a young chap turned up, saw me mending mine and asked me to mend his puncture! He had never done it before, only had one spare tube which I was now using to get him off the start line. Luckily for me I didn't have another puncture, but had spares just in case I did.

Sounds like I got of lightly then as I didn't puncture until just outside Wimbledon last year. And that was due to a rather large gash in my tyre caused by something in a puddle. God bless the Mavic support guys!

Last year they weren't checking the "entry cards" and there were people with different letters and even different colours in my wave...

The rest were mending punctures from the bloody flints used on all paths around the Olympic park.

Warning to all participants.

Arrive a few minutes early, then walk with your bike to the start. Before you begin the ride wipe down your tyres to remove all flints and just hope you don't pick up a puncture in the first mile or two.

If you happen to be in the same start colour stream as your friends then you might be able to join the same start pen as them (or they could join you). Last year my other half had a start time 30 minutes behind me but joined my pen and no one bothered. If they are in a different stream, that might make it more difficult and you would be better to wait after the start. Last year there were loads of people waiting about 200m after the start line for other riders

I think they only have the elite riders go early. Those of us who fall into average pace all go roughly together. I passed many slower riders in front of me but was passed by many others who were faster. My pace was around 5hrs last year for 86 miles so I would of come in under 6 for a hundred. As I went by Wimbledon the elite riders were already coming back into london at a fair lick

You could always get some sleep for an hour!

I think you'll find you're pleasantly surprised with your time. I predicted >6 hours and got under 5 hrs. The lack of stopping and almost constant "peloton" make for an easy swift pace. I usually ride 80 km at about 27-28 km/h. At Ride London '13, I was averaging 32 km/h!

Anyway, it doesn't matter about getting inside your time. You'll probably have plenty of time; they set the faster times off earlier, I think, to stop bunching too much. I could be wrong...

Enjoy

They are quite strict about the start time. They recommend you start, then wait somewhere on the course, an hours a pain though.