Anyone entered ride london 100?

[Redlight]

haven't been that way in years but I seem to recall Leith Hill as being long but not that steep.  Or is that just me burting a bad memory in my subconscious?

[Ewan Houzami]

....I rode a "big" sportive, from London to Canterbury (110 mile and 5,000 riders) just a few days before the TdF pros in 2007. I started in the leading bunch of 30 riders, which were mainly London Dynamo, with police outriders stopping the traffic and allowing us through red traffic lights. It was a great buzz and I did feel like a Pro rider for a short time.  We had paid what seemed like a lot of money to enter the sportive and I wanted to see what was on offer, but because we were all flying along we went straight past the first feed station at about 40 mile. I eat all the food I had taken and by 70 mile my bottles were empty. I had a choice, try and stay with the lead group and be first into Canterbury, or stop at the second feed station and re fuel for the last 40 mile.
I pulled over with a few other riders in similar situations. What did I find but rows and rows of EMPTY tables with helpers saying that they were still waiting for the food to arrive. All there was, was water, not even energy drink, and so I filled my bottles and left, rather peeved about the whole event, but some how in the back of my mind, I thought it would be a bit of a shamble.
So if you have got this far in my post you will realise why I didn't enter the London 100 this year.   Good luck and be prepared.

It was a bit of a shambles wasn't it? But as I didn't enter in time on this occasion, I did the naughty thing and rode along without paying so didn't feel quite so short-changed as many. A friend put the route together (took him a year to get all the local boroughs on-side) and he comes from Canterbury - which was pretty much why the route/ first stage of the Tour finished there.  What irks me most about these rides is that people don't get the idea that they're meant to do their fair share of the work at the front when they join a grupetto - instead, they wheelsuck the whole way.

[Redlight]

Ah well. Ballot result came out today. I didn't get a place.  Anyone interested in riding the pleasant part of the route (i.e. skipping the bit through central London) as a leisurely day out the day, or weekend, before?

[LeeW]

Just checked on the event website and went to my riders area and I see this:
Registrant Type:    Prudential RideLondon-Surrey 100
Status:    Confirmed
And a button to pay now.
Just need to make my mind up now if I should pay (or loose my place)

[mattc]

What irks me most about these rides is that people don't get the idea that they're meant to do their fair share of the work at the front when they join a grupetto - instead, they wheelsuck the whole way.

Are they 'meant to'?

If it's a race, it's just good tactics to wheelsuck as much as possible - then win the sprint, or attack on the climbs.

If it's not a race, why do you care? 

[trickedem]

I didn't get in. Wasn't sure how I was going to be feeling about spending all Sunday on a bike, after finishing LEL, so not too bothered. I am sure it will be a great event for those who did get in.

[MattH]

Same here.
Thinking about it, this is probably a good outcome. I'm sure it'll be fun, but those with slightly fewer miles in their legs in the preceding week will probably get more out of it than I would.

[marcusjb]

Not ever so upset to not get a place.  It would be quite challenging post LEL - if it were the day after LEL, I'd probably be fine (from experience) - it's once I have had a couple of days rest that things swell up, don't bend anymore etc.

Rather annoyed that my better half managed to not sign up for the RideLondon 100 and clicked on the FreeCycle box  - so I won't even get the chance to cheer her on! 

Still - it runs through our part of town - so I suspect I will go and clap and cheer for those on the ride.

[London Edinburgh London]

BTW, the chap managing ride London is also managing the LEL prologue. We had a morning recce of our prologue before he nipped off for ride London launch.

[STMS]

I got accepted, but i entered ridelondon not even contemplating LEL. I'll have to make my mind up, got a few weeks. If i do i wont need to worry about missing the prologue then.

[marcusjb]

BTW, the chap managing ride London is also managing the LEL prologue. We had a morning recce of our prologue before he nipped off for ride London launch.

Wow - impressive stuff!   

[veloboy]

I wasn't sure if I got in - no email - but arriving home tonight there was a 'Ride London' mag through the letter box - I guess I'm in! 
It'll be a nice wind down from LEL - I suspect even with closed roads, the numbers will keep the speed down.. We'll see for sure.

[Ivan]

I wasn't sure if I got in - no email - but arriving home tonight there was a 'Ride London' mag through the letter box - I guess I'm in! 
It'll be a nice wind down from LEL - I suspect even with closed roads, the numbers will keep the speed down.. We'll see for sure.

Did you check the back of the sheet of paper with your address on? This was my rejection letter. At least I got the jersey, might use that for the return leg from Edinburgh.

Ivan

[Redlight]

The way to check is to go on the web site to pay your entry fee.  If you haven't got a place, when you log in it will tell you that your registration has been cancelled.

[mikewigley]

I've not entered the London 100 but I've just signed on for the Freecycle event on Saturday 3rd August.  The aim is to finish LEL on the Thursday night, perhaps Friday morning, so it could form an LEL postlogue, on an 8-mile closed road circuit of central London before I drive home.  With "more than 50,000 ... cyclists of all ages and abilities" it's going to need me at my sharpest!

Then again, I could be completely knackered by then!  (Or worse, somewhere between Edinburgh and London!)

Details here http://www.prudentialridelondon.co.uk/Prudential_RideLondon___Events/Prudential_RideLondon___FreeCycle.htm