Ride London 2016 - debrief

Something that has not been mentioned any where by the hosts. Even though I did contact them earlier today (4th August 2016) about it.

http://www.getsurrey.co.uk/news/surrey-news/ridelondon-2016-mothers-frus...

Too many riders. It wasn't like riding pleasantly on closed roads (which I have experience of and very fond memories) 

This was as stressful and needed as much concentration as riding amongst normal traffic, 

I rode this course with more pleasure (less riders) during the tail end of a hurricane in 2014 !! 

It's been totally ruined by the sheer volume of numbers. I'm not surprised that there were serious accidents. Like many others I was  relieved to have got through it unscathed.  

Loved it, every minute of it. The Garmin only registered an agonisingly close 99.5 miles... a bit gutting but close enough and still my longest ride by 35 miles. The 17 mile ride back to my brother's house in Loughton through London traffic was a warm-down that despite hurting a few times, definitely added some mileage to the Strava account, kept me alert and stopped me aching too much on Monday. Really pleased with a 19.5mph average too; never thought i'd achieve that after only cycling since the end of April. Feel pleased with myself that I've ditched the fags, startedto eat helthy and I now have a helthy hobby...

As an experience it was great. I rode for Macmillan having secured a late charity place in June, so crossing the lined was doubly enjoyable, knowing i'd completed a long ride AND done it by really pushing to raise enough money.

Chaingangs, wobbly beginners and accidents aside (the latter of which I was one of the lucky ones who didn't have to queue for too long to get past), I'm not familiar with much of London, apart from the major sights, so it was all a bit alien to me and I didn't really know where I was half the time. But that made it quite nice, riding through tunnels and along streets that I can well imagine are busy as hell 99.9% of the time. The whole closed roads thing was a great novelty that I doubt I'll experience again any time soonon a sportive.

The course was varied; some of the roads around Surrey were a tad tight for the numbers going through but that's one of the pitfalls of an event that's open to so many... maybe i'll have a different opinion if I start earlier or later next time?

One downside of the whole thing was that there was a lack of banter and comradeship out on the road. It definitely felt like 'every man for themselves'. I chatted to a couple of people briefly and had my brother to talk to all the way round, but it semed most people (including myself) were just getting their heads down and riding hard. Maybe that was the wave I set off with, maybe it was just the type of person at the event.... I'd promised I'd take in the sights but putting in a good pace kind of got the better of me unfortunately. Anyhoo...

Will I do it again? definbitely. Whether it's as a paying ehrant or a charity rider, it's a greta event to ride a course under special conditions.felt sorry for the people who had accidents and for those who didn't get to complete the full course. It's a shame but I suppose it's a side effect of the numbers involved.

It was my first Ride London, placed through the ballot, but raising funds for Yorkshire Air Ambulance.

I had a 8:30'ish start time, and consequently, got caught up in the traffic at Pyrford, and before every climb after.  I agree with other commenters that the biggest issue appears to be the broad range of abilities combined with the sheer numbers. Descents which solo would have been a joy became nervous as people sat on their brakes. Climbs became chaotic with weaker cyclists deciding to dismount at the most inappropriate times & places in the road.

All in all though, I really did enjoy the event, even though I was plagued by cramp for the last 20 miles... an unusual occurence for me, but can't have been taking in enough fluids.

Would I do it again? Maybe, but next time I might see if we can get a British Cycling Club entry so a few of us can go.

It really is something to behold!

Big of a long one, but here is my write up of the day:

https://cyclejames.wordpress.com/2016/08/01/prudential-ride-london-2016/

I rode my first PRLS on Sunday - I think I can safely say I had one of the positive experiences. I predicted a time of just under 6 hours (based on my average speed for the TotB in 2015) and set off at 0703 - as it happened, I was significantly faster than I expected (finished in 4:51) and I missed all the major delays - stopped for about 5 minutes in Kinston and about another 3 in Wimbledon, but that was it. It was an amazing experience, particularly the crowds in Wimbledon and London. I totally agree that the starts could have had a bit more in the way of safety briefing - lots of slow folk sticking doggedly to the right of the road - and, given that I thought the start times were dictated by the estimated finish times, it was a bit surprising how many *much* slower riders there were on the course ahead of me and how many fast pacelines came through from behind (although I was grateful for the 5 team riders who barreled past me at about 15km and to whom I attached myself for about another 50km - I did offer, 3 times, to take a pull at the front, but they were only interested in riding as a 5!).

@GreenCanary - gutted to hear about your bike. All the best with recovering it.

As far as I can tell, it isn't seeded, it's simply random.

The organisers face a dilemma. Set the fast folk off first so they can have a good old burn up or set the slower riders off first in the hope that they complete the course on time?

And if it is seeded, what happens when riders lie about their time because they want an early start and you end up with a bunch of 6hr people in with a bunch of 4hr people? And if you set the slow people off first then you have a massive traffic jam when the fast people catch them.

I really enjoyed it this year, was in the first wave off, it was very safe, some excellent riding, everyone pointing out turns, road furniture etc. It all split up on Leith Hill and I rolled in at 4.20 or so. Perfect conditions for it - not too hot, not much wind and no rain unlike last time I did it in 2014!

They really need to learn from foreign Sportives with regards to littering though. Most events in France, Belgium etc have a huge net on one side of the road about a mile after each feed station where people can chuck gel wrappers etc. Works really well.

It's a fabulous event, no doubt. I will apply again next year despite the issues of this year. There are clearly some things to be worked out - 27000 cyclists, is that too many now? I don't now, it only becomes an issue when there is an accident. There has been a lot of complaining about 'trains' of faster riders being arrogant etc. I experienced this (once) last year (started at 6:15 am) but not this year (8:55 am start). Equally though, this year I was amazed at the sheer volume of riders not keeping to the left (especially on faster stretches) and doggedly refusing to move over. In a crowd the size of a small town there are always going to be dickheads, knobs and tools - this is society I'm afraid. And there is always perception to cloud the issue - did that group really cut you up or were you daydreaming and getting in their way (riding four abreast and having a nice chat)?

There are lots of comments too about it not being a race - tell this to the organisers! They give you a timing chip (red rag to a bull?) and they celebrate the first rider(s) over the line. If it's not a race why do we need to be timed? (my watch can tell me how long it took). Having said this, there is something about closed roads that urges you to go that little bit faster knowing there isn't anything coming the other way. I say remove the timing chip and let people time themselves (or just don't publish them as in the BHF London 2 Brighton).

The biggest issue though is the organisers complete head in the sand approach to seeding. I was in the Club Challenge and we (male team) had declared times of around 5 hours to complete the course. Our female team declared times of over 6 hours and were given a 6:05 am start, we were given the second last wave time of 8:55 am! I tried to get this changed but no-one wanted to know. I was even told that they had deliberatley put slower riders earlier in order that they might finish on time... So we decided not to ride as a 'train' but I still spent most of the  day calling "on your right". In a ride of 100 miles there will always be seeding issues anyway as tiredeness etc take there toll but large charity groups riding together and who are simply aiming to finish shouldn't be given 6:15 am starting times - that's just silly.

All that waiting time at the start could be used to remind riders of the 'road rules' and conditions to be expected etc. Reinforcing the keep left idea, looking out for 'caution' signs and marshalls etc all could be done as a rider briefing before each group gets off.

All in all though it's a great day of riding through some lovely country and the support from the public is bloody amazing! Bring on next year!

Well, it was very disappointing and frustrating, after having trained and prepared well, and having effectively set aside 3 days for the event (travel + registration on Sat, travel home on Monday) and paid for two nights accommodation, to be denied the chance to ride the full distance through no fault of our own. It made us feel a bit fraudulent collecting cheers from  the fantastic crowds, as well as collecting money from sponsors...
But it's hard to see what the organisers could have done, as looking after injured riders must come first. 
My one real gripe against them is that they appear to have been telling the media that riders were delayed by 'about an hour' or 'up to an hour'. I'm not the first on here to record delays much longer than this. We had three main delays totalling at least 2 hours, and there were thousands of others in the same boat. I'd like them to be more honest about this.
The other thing is that they need to look at away of getting better information out to the riders. There's already a Ride London app, why not use this to post brief messages about delays?
I'm not sure how much can be done about the problems which are blamed on having riders of all abilities on the road together. I think too much of a seeding system would spoil the character of the event. If you start faster riders first a lot of the slower ones will struggle to get round and I'm inclined to think they deserve their chance as much if not more than those for whom riding 100 miles is relatively routine. And of course starting faster riders later  would risk a massive bottleneck near the end as they catch up with slower ones.
For me as someone who's probably in the middle speed-wise (on target for 6hours ish before delays), most of the risky moments that I saw were caused by fast riders, not slow ones. I too saw one complete dick on a TT bike making everyone else's life that much worse, but AFAICS he had no race numbers so may not have been an official participant. Still, it does make you wonder about mobile marshals.
One other thing, maybe it would be more useful to have reminders about rider etiquette over the PA before the start rather than some inane DJ playing music that most of us don't like and trying to get us to do silly 'team-building exercises'? 

This was the third time lucky in the ballot for me. I did 6h02 in 2013 and struggled on the hill. 2014 was the hurricane and shortened course so I didn't resolve my issues with Leith Hill. This year was beautifully cool to start and sunny later light winds and an early start 6:39. I managed to miss most of the chaos, though there was a bad crash after Leith Hill, but it had just happened so we had to sqeeze past. Later there was a go slow through Kingston as there were barriers through the centre and too many people. A lot of the 46 milers appeared and were spread right across the road, blocking off people like me and even more aggressive aero boys down the right hand side.

Luckily you can generally hear them coming with their whooshing sounds and expensively loud sounding freewheels. There seemed to be less marauding chain gangs and clubs this time.

I managed to cut half an hour off my time and came in 5:31. My road speed not counting stops was 30.3kph, which I was very happy about. In all I was off the bike for about 13 minutes and was surprised at how resilient my body was, I didn't stop from the top of Box Hill. A few on bike stretches were required, where previously I had to stop to eat and stretch. I have done a few other sportives inbetween 2013 and now though, including the Cambridge Gran Fondo (no hills, just push, push,push)

I did suffer a broken spoke at the top of the Leith Hill (sorry to the guy that nearly crashed into the back of me, but it was on an uphill.) I took it a bit easier on the downhills and conserved energy by 'going aero' My favourite bit is still the charge down Putney High Street, preferably on the right hand side at 50+kph, and the long drag along the embankment. I did all that in about 37kph. whoot!

I did notice they weren't handing out gels all over the place like the first event, so there were less squashed packets.

I am very pleased with my effort and will be back in the hat on Monday. I am a bit concerned for future events if I ended up with a later start time. I would be disappointed if I couldn't do my best on the closed roads (very few events offer this) and if I missed my train home.

@GreenCanary [1 post] welcome to the site. Very sorry to hear about your bike. I had my bike stolen in June after doing Cambridge (raided from a gated underground car park, employers say I am not covered.) So I was back to my commuter and didn't get enough training (or so I though.) We all make these micro choices when not to lock up a bike. Sometimes a combi coil lock is all that you need and can wrap around your top tube. I hope you can afford a new bike now, and when you have a brand new steed you will fix your steely gaze on this event again. #unfinished business.

I didn't even get to ride - bike nicked whilst I popped into the loo before the start, just next to the bag transport lorries and below John Lewis.

Can't describe how I feel, especially as police now advise that the portaloos obscured cctv. What totally frustrates me is that there was no warning it was an open site to the public and associated risks - like most people I'd just dropped off my bag containing D lock - even then there was nothing to secure the bike to!! RideLondon created the circumstances that happened, and invalidated my insurance. This wasn't carelessness or bad luck. Plus this happened under the nose of a security guard!! Whilst waiting for the police to turn up I counted 19 cyclists leaving bikes as I did, in 20 minutes.

Response of RideLondon so far predictable - not had any reports of thefts - but I ask in all reasonableness who in their right mind would construct the scenario I found myself in??! This is despite 2 of the course stewards telling me 4 (four) bikes had been taken by 8am!

Thinking about it and risk planning, anything could happen. Cyclists all channeled into one place, high profile event - and entire course accessible unless you happen to be driving a car?!

I've listed the bike as stolen in the Bike Register website and Stolen Bikes websites - if anyone sees for sale a Bianchi Infinito CV with disc brakes, black with Bianchi green bartape - PLEASE report it to: cycletaskforce [at] met.police.uk

I want my bike back!!!!! Thanks!!

4th time doing the 100*. Want to do it a fifth time for sure.

Did get held up for an hour by the Pyrford crash. It'll be interesting to see if they do try to modify the route- looking at a map the only bigger alternative in that area is to go on the Woking perimiter., which means all sort of other issues with disrupting more people. outside the event. The Wey valley in that are is wide, flat and has few roads across it. Everyone that I saw seemed to take the disruption well, very polite.

Most people did seem to be get (and it was in the briefing) stay left if slower, pass on the right. The odd slower rider to the right, and faster rider weaving around and so passing on the left, but few and far between. Obviously this is different to the freecycle- whilst it is "not a race", with the timing chips, timing tracker, etc there's encouragement to set a target for yourself and try to beat or match it in terms of time at an official level, whilst the Freecycle has no timing and is explicitly a sight seeing event.

Chatting with team mates, whilst riding, it was clear that especially in the early stages every nasty pothole had a drift of bidons- cages that don't grip well meeting poor road maintainence.

The littler thing is sadly common to most mass-cycling events. It doesn't take many people to make it a mess, and obviously being bigger than any other this is a multiplier.

Generally I found it really positive- I do get that experience varies- event. I really enjoyed doing it as part of the British Cyling Club Challenege, always more fun to be riding with friends of similar ability. Enjoyed chatting to some from Folkestone Velo in the first third. Had some fun banter with the crowd from the RAF whilst winding up the speed through Fulham towards the end, leading to a mass sprint finish. Up Leith Hill, when able to catch breath to speak, there was a good atmosphere and lovely banter from the marshals on the course.

As ever, great to see people out to cheer along the whole route. Brilliant to see towns and villages in full festival or fete mode to celebrate the event, great seeing local business grabbing the day as an opportunity not an impediment.

And fun flopping into the Silver Star at the top of Whitehall to meet with one of the staff of this parish for a "few" beers to watch the race.

*Year 1: Ballot, but the bit for anyone that chose to donate their entry for an extra chance. Year 2: Asthma UK. Year 3: Asthma UK. Year 4: British Cycling Club Challenge team

I had similar experiences to those that have already been posted. I think that the ride has now become too big for the roads it is run on which causes too many pinch points, thereby increasing the risk of accidents. Compounding the issue this year was having the 46 mile riders rejoining the 100 mile route towards the end.

I've read on various similar websites that a number of others won't be entering next year because of the potential for accidents caused by the congestion. I've ridden the event every year and this was definitely the crashiest and most nervous one in my experience. That may have been due to my later start time of 0735 compared to 0600ish in the previous three years but it just seemed that the roads were pretty clogged up the whole way round. 

One thing I was particularly disgusted with was the amount of rubbish that riders were just chucking on the road and hedges. I rode up beside one guy and (apologies for the passive aggressive nature of this) informed him that he appeared to have chucked his gel wrapper on the floor. He just looked at me as though I was the one in the wrong by having the audacity to question him before I rode off shaking my head. I rode the Etape a few weeks ago and liked the idea of the rubbish zone with netting at the sides of the road - perhaps a similar feature at two or three points along the route would reduce the amount of litter? 

Overall, lots of fun and I'll definitely enter the ballot again for next year but, unlike previous years, I won't be too disappointed if I don't get a place. 

Personally, I thought considering the unplanned difficulties throughout the day the organising and marshalling was at a level to be applauded. They for the majority of the time kept us rolling. The only thing to raise was the lack of communication as to why we were being held up 5 miles before Newlands for 25 minutes. other than that it was well organised. Oh and the chap who was permitted to ride with full on TT bike who was swinging all over the road making others adjust their line to accommodate him was more of a danger than he probably thinks.
The proper conduct can't be said for the riders who refused to 'Make way for the riders on the right' as a sort of obstinate choice of behaviour as opposed to those who just didn't read the pre flight instructions. In some cases that was downright dangerous.
I was following a sort of slow train up Leith Hill on the very edge of the road, to have a rider swerve into me without looking, then shout at me when I scared him by being there !!! luckily I managed to avoid stopping. There were other episodes that I won't go into, but I did feel lucky to have made it to the finish line without incident. And thoughts go out to those that were not so fortunate.

In my humble opinion more 'rubbish containers required. a few more marshals before pinch points to assist with getting us all through. But a very successful event it was too. The crowds at the side of the road were fantastic and very vocal which was an experience.

My Endomondo app (other are available) said 6hrs 22 min moving time but I too had sections of very slow riding due to the incidents so could take off 15 mins at a guess. Much faster than I had anticipated so another reason to be over the moon at the event.  Will be in the ballott next week. I filmed the event with my go pro so aim to have some footage of it if I can manage the editing by the end off the month.

Quite alarmed that it took until halfway round for you to realise you needed to stay left. Did you not spot the advice/requests on the pre-ride info?

Good you enjoyed it though.

Yes I got stuck at Pyrford too.....   Thought about going back and finding a route but stuck with it .... Initial stop there was hour and a half so really not best for your legs standing still for all that time ! 

Then an got further delayed on Leith Hill after a crash there !   In total was stuck in various places for 2 1/2 hous    Actual moving time was 5.45 including several slow miles due to sheer numbers as we moved off from the jams.....  But overall was out for 8 hrs 20 so long day !!

when I saw the main crash site just after Pyrford it wasn't surprising ..... Very narrow road  ... Downhill.... Sharp bend .....  Didn't seem especially signed well with warnings ? 

But it despite this absolutely loved the whole experience... Fantastic crowds and riding through some of the Surrey villages and towns the support and sheer delight of the crowds was simply amazing .

i was  riding for Alzheimer's Society and the shouts and support were incredible.  Especially the old man in a village who actually flagged me down.  He said thank you for riding for Alzheimer's and that I was a hero    He actually had a tear in his eye    I thanked him and rode off with tears in mine  

I really hope to get a place next year .  Amazing event