LEL magic spreadsheet

[Greenbank]

It's interesting to see what the actual stop times were, and time lost on the road, compared to what I thought they were based on memory. I can only really account for 10 minutes of that extra 30 minutes that I lost on the road.

If you're going to do a detailed plan with that spreadsheet (I'm not, I'm just getting a rough idea of various plans) then you want the information that goes in to be realistic rather than estimates based on rose-tinted memories of a ride.

[frankly frankie]

6 minutes at Gamlingay on the way out may be ok, it is just a stamp-and-go and water control after all,

?? the last I heard, it was to be a feed station only - no stamp required - obviously the hope is that significant numbers of people will not call in at all (after all St Neots is only just down the road).  Anyone in mid-field who does call in must expect to queue, I should think.

Hopefully then there would be a more even spread of riders passing through Thurlby, which even so is obviously going to very busy and likely queues.  (Not to mention some comic capers outside as 2 non-stop streams of riders right-turn across each other to get into/out of the cul-de-sac with the control in it.)

[LEL]

6 minutes at Gamlingay on the way out may be ok, it is just a stamp-and-go and water control after all,

?? the last I heard, it was to be a feed station only - no stamp required - obviously the hope is that significant numbers of people will not call in at all (after all St Neots is only just down the road).  Anyone in mid-field who does call in must expect to queue, I should think.

Hopefully then there would be a more even spread of riders passing through Thurlby, which even so is obviously going to very busy and likely queues.  (Not to mention some comic capers outside as 2 non-stop streams of riders right-turn across each other to get into/out of the cul-de-sac with the control in it.)

Gamlingay is a basic tea coffee sandwich cake feeding station on the way out - it is only compulsory to stop on the return.  This was done cos the fast riders are not likely to stop there and can carry on up the road.  Thurlby is likely to be the  site of first queues - though previous experience has taught the  control crew how to  keep a plague of locust riders moving fairly swiftly.

As for the  elf and safety  - don't stat eh bleeding obvious - I might have to go and risk assess it and I hate paperwork.....

[mattc]

(Not to mention some comic capers outside as 2 non-stop streams of riders right-turn across each other to get into/out of the cul-de-sac with the control in it.)

Gamlingay is a basic tea coffee sandwich cake feeding station on the way out - it is only compulsory to stop on the return.

Excellent - I was going to suggest quick/cold food, but I knew you'd have it under control  I don't want to turn down anything i have paid for.

I don't see a problem with traffic at the turning - basic Highway Code says the arriving (slower) riders will have priority

[simonp]

6 minutes at Gamlingay on the way out may be ok, it is just a stamp-and-go and water control after all,

?? the last I heard, it was to be a feed station only - no stamp required - obviously the hope is that significant numbers of people will not call in at all (after all St Neots is only just down the road).  Anyone in mid-field who does call in must expect to queue, I should think.

Hopefully then there would be a more even spread of riders passing through Thurlby, which even so is obviously going to very busy and likely queues.  (Not to mention some comic capers outside as 2 non-stop streams of riders right-turn across each other to get into/out of the cul-de-sac with the control in it.)

Gamlingay is a basic tea coffee sandwich cake feeding station on the way out - it is only compulsory to stop on the return.

This I have to try! 

[LEL]

6 minutes at Gamlingay on the way out may be ok, it is just a stamp-and-go and water control after all,

Gamlingay is a basic tea coffee sandwich cake feeding station on the way out - it is only compulsory to stop on the return.  This was done cos the fast riders are not likely to stop there and can carry on up the road.  Thurlby is likely to be the  site of first queues - though previous experience has taught the  control crew how to  keep a plague of locust riders moving fairly swiftly.

This I have to try! 




Yes, its a new recipe specially developed for a quick control stop. 

Firstly wer take a pice of  handcrafted basics madeira cake.  This is then soaked in a modern taste combo of  best Yorkshire Tea and  Finest quality instant coffee before being  enrobed in a  thick layer of tasty sliced bread smoothly coated with a creamy butter substitute.  The whole is then finished with a topping of granulated sugar crystals and served with optional chilled milk.

A plain version omitting the sugar crystals is also available
.

 

[The Mechanic]

do we really care how many pee stops and red lights we will encounter on each leg?

I tend to pee down the same leg every time

[Greenbank]

One thing that may help with Average Speeds is this:-

(Climbing figures from bikehike.co.uk so take them with a large dose of salt as they may under read)

Cheshunt -> Gamlingay (65km): 562m climb (522m on return)
Gamlingay -> Thurlby (87km): 433m climb (467m on return)
Thurlby -> Washingborough (66km): 272m climb (303m on return)
Washingborough -> Thorne (106km): 309m climb (201km in 74km on way back)
Thorne -> Coxwold (90km): 354m climb (276m on return)
Coxwold -> Middleton Tyas (50km): 264m (233m on return)
Middleton Tyas -> Alston (77km): 861m (681m on return)
Alston -> Canonbie (59km): 299m (603m on return)
Canonbie -> Dalkeith (119km): 1449m (1415m on return)

Day 1: Start to Thorne would be: 324km and 1576m climbing (easy peasy)
Day 2: Thorne -> Canonbie would be: 276km and 1778m climbing (easy again, especially since most of that is Yad Moss)
Day 3: Canonbie -> Dalkeith -> Alston would be: 297km and 3467m climbing (2864m of that in 200km).
Day 4: Alston -> Washingborough would be: 291km and 1391m climbing (easy!)
Day 5: W'borough -> Finish would be: 218km and 1292m climbing (easy!)

[Tiger]

I am a bit of a techno-klutz. I can't download the spreadsheetas an excel file - how do I do that?

[Greenbank]

File -> Export -> .xls

[The Mechanic]

I tried that and it messed up the formulae and the formatting.

[Greenbank]

Here's mine: http://www.greenbank.org/misc/lel.xls

A few changes:-

• Corrected typos.
• Corrected distances.
• Estimates at climbing figures added in column E (in meters). (Suggested by bikehike.co.uk, take with big pinch of salt.)
• Change the start time in cell F6 if required.
• Added "Time in hand at departure" and "Hours Riding" columns
• Moving average speed in Q25.

As before, just change the numbers in the blue boxes.

[SandyV]

Thanks Greenbank - this is great!

[LEL]

Don't forget to add times for a possible info or secret control which may or may not occur.

[SandyV]

Vorsprung/ Greenbank (or anyone else with LEL knowledge)

The magic spreadsheet suggests 60 minutes off the bike on the Washingborough Thurlby leg (other legs are 15 or 30) - any ideas why this would be?

 

[Greenbank]

Vorsprung/ Greenbank (or anyone else with LEL knowledge)

The magic spreadsheet suggests 60 minutes off the bike on the Washingborough Thurlby leg (other legs are 15 or 30) - any ideas why this would be?

 

It's because you haven't changed it to how long you think you're going to be off the bike at that control (EDIT) out on the road on that leg. The values in that spreadsheet were just a snapshot of a possible scenario I was playing around with. Looking back at the figures I'm guessing that, in this scenario, I thought I'd have lunch there as I get to the control at just after 11am and I had time to spare given that 30 minute stops at all of the controls still got me back by 9pm.

All the values in the blue boxes (Rolling Average, Minutes Off Bike and Break At Control) are for you to change.

[SandyV]

I thought Minutes off Bike was between controls (on the road) and Break at Control was time actually at the controls? 

[Greenbank]

Sorry, yes, minutes off bike is between controls.

(And the lunch would probably have been a treat of a pub lunch an hour or so south of Thurlby, so not at the control).

[SandyV]

Thanks - I had wondered if there was something particularly tricky about that leg which anticipated more time off the bike.  Allowing for the secret control is a good idea though.