Soldato
Foolishly decided to get back on the bike tonight so only a short run to see how things went.
https://www.strava.com/activities/2362723691
https://www.strava.com/activities/2362723691
Road Cycling
- Thread starter FrenchTart
- Start date
Good event overall but it was very start stop for me (I started right at the back), I must have walked about a mile of the 100!
My ride:
https://strava.app.link/2K18UtqFDW
I'm left wondering how much speed I lost through stoppages/traffic/getting off and walking. However, more importantly, this soon puts things into perspective:
Unfortunately a guy died today, 50's, fast downhill section, bike clean in half and a pool of blood on the tarmac.
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Soldato
Good event overall but it was very start stop for me (I started right at the back), I must have walked about a mile of the 100!
My ride:
https://strava.app.link/2K18UtqFDW
I'm left wondering how much speed I lost through stoppages/traffic/getting off and walking. However, more importantly, this soon puts things into perspective:
Unfortunately a guy died today, 50's, fast downhill section, bike clean in half and a pool of blood on the tarmac.
Just read a bit on the BBC news about the guys death. They seem to just mention it then go on about the criticism of the road closures and a couple of horses dying cos the vet couldn't get through
Soldato
Finally got out on my newly built Cervelo S3 today after buying the frame back in February. The weather was finally nice enough versus riding my old road bike.
A quick 35miles/3500ft vert to give it a test, no complaints so far. I would have liked to have done further, but I'd done 52miles/7000ft vert on my mountain bike yesterday so the legs needed a little mercy.
A quick 35miles/3500ft vert to give it a test, no complaints so far. I would have liked to have done further, but I'd done 52miles/7000ft vert on my mountain bike yesterday so the legs needed a little mercy.
Soldato
Sad to hear about the Velo event, but without sounding insensitive, that just compounds the reasons why I'll never enter events like that. So many people riding like they're heroes (not saying that guy did as I don't know what happened). But I'm sure the standard of riding in places was abysmal. And not to mention all the faffing about before and after just to ride 100 miles.
@merlin your cadence data is all over the place (not saying it in a bad way!) but it looks like you were barely pedalling for half of it!
@merlin your cadence data is all over the place (not saying it in a bad way!) but it looks like you were barely pedalling for half of it!
Sad to hear about the Velo event, but without sounding insensitive, that just compounds the reasons why I'll never enter events like that. So many people riding like they're heroes (not saying that guy did as I don't know what happened). But I'm sure the standard of riding in places was abysmal. And not to mention all the faffing about before and after just to ride 100 miles.
@merlin your cadence data is all over the place (not saying it in a bad way!) but it looks like you were barely pedalling for half of it!
The guy who died was in his 50's, he was in one of the early front waves so probably had a reasonably clear run down a fast twisty downhill section, from comments online it might appear he was the only one involved.
My cadence data shows just how congested the whole ride was - there hardly ever any clear space, felt like I was on the brakes every 10 seconds. Just too many riders out there, and some of them sadly had no observation and no riding manners whatsoever.
The first 20 miles or so was the worst - accident after accident, utter carnage. I remember looking down at the computer after like 22 or 23 miles and my average was 16mph.
I would do it again, but only if I could find a way to get into an early wave.
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Soldato
- Joined
- 23 Nov 2004
- Posts
- 10,646
Sounds hellish to me.
I find it bad enough with 60 odd bodies trying to fight for place and avoid potholes etc at 24-25mph average.
How many riders per wave?
I find it bad enough with 60 odd bodies trying to fight for place and avoid potholes etc at 24-25mph average.
How many riders per wave?
At a guess I'd say 1250 - 1500 per wave, 5 minute gaps.
I get annoying waiting 10-15 mins at the start of a bunch ride if it’s late! Couldn’t hack a sportif like that!
Soldato
Nope. That's put me off even more, even though I was 100% not interested in the first place.
Soldato
Bloody hell, I didn't realise that the guy died. It was one hell of a fast descent, any mistake clearly a catastrophe. I was on the brakes for most of the descents, shame as it was the only opportunity for me to catch up! It was really busy all the way around, and the groups of fast cyclists/clubs were pretty intimidating for someone who has never ridden in such an event before. Awesome to see the speed and extremely impressive though! I'm not entirely sure why there weren't clear instructions in the rider information packs to keep left. A lot of "middle lane motorists" on their bikes. Apologies to anyone that I held up, although I tried to ride as though as I were on an open road and keep left unless overtaking. The descents were definitely more mentally challenging than the climbs due to the traffic... although I was complemented for my speed downhill at one point 
(after the guy caught me within 15 seconds of starting to go uphill 
).
I'd definitely do it again, as I think it's well suited for my level and the supporters were great as I sped past our local neighbourhood. I'll try to enter some local sportives this summer and see how less busy events compare. I wouldn't want to do such a busy event if I was aiming for >20 mph average speed.
On the plus side I don't feel like total ass today!
(after the guy caught me within 15 seconds of starting to go uphill ).I'd definitely do it again, as I think it's well suited for my level and the supporters were great as I sped past our local neighbourhood. I'll try to enter some local sportives this summer and see how less busy events compare. I wouldn't want to do such a busy event if I was aiming for >20 mph average speed.
On the plus side I don't feel like total ass today!
Soldato
Well done Tom
Thanks! You're clearly far superior judging by the strava feed, but hopefully next year I'll get down closer to 6 hours! I think the gut was causing a lot of wind resistance and slowing me down.
Not sure if this link works, but for those who are interested: https://www.strava.com/activities/2361736548
Soldato
- Joined
- 23 Nov 2004
- Posts
- 10,646
Whole load of nope from me then.
One of the single greatest things on the bike is riding with a small A-Team who look after each other and keep it tight and smooth.
No chance doing that with so much traffic.
lol
You don't seem to have got held up too much - kept a nice steady pace throughout and didn't stop too often, your first 22 miles and last 17 miles were strong.
Soldato
lol
Thanks! I tried to pace myself and kept a lot (well... a bit) in the tank as I've never ridden that distance before. The event was well suited for my pace I think so I didn't seem to get held up. I was surprised at the relative efficiency of the pit stops too, I thought it'd be like festival toilets with complete carnage. The last 17 miles were good as I met my wife and daughter in Kings Norton and got a boost from seeing them! Stopped about on schedule to what I had planned, the worst was trying to ride through needing a wee... that's a new experience for me!
On another note, without a cycle computer/HR/cadence monitor is the Strava upgrade worth it?
Soldato
Sad to hear about the Velo event, but without sounding insensitive, that just compounds the reasons why I'll never enter events like that. So many people riding like they're heroes (not saying that guy did as I don't know what happened). But I'm sure the standard of riding in places was abysmal. And not to mention all the faffing about before and after just to ride 100 miles.
@merlin your cadence data is all over the place (not saying it in a bad way!) but it looks like you were barely pedalling for half of it!
I saw the aftermath of a similar incident the one year I did RideLondon, never again. These sort of mass participation events just don't work on bikes, riding in a group and on closed roads requires skills that most leisure riders don't have. Pushing it too far is disastrous.
Soldato
I think I was put off years ago at a sportive where we encountered a rider who went straight into a land rover. Typical narrow country lane, bit of a descent, can't see around the corner type roads. This guy must have just assumed nothing was coming (which is the same attitude a lot of my club mates still have!)
It must have happened about 5 minutes before we got to that part of the road, but he was in a bad way. We did what we could until the ambulance arrived, which took a while on those roads. I never found out what happened to him, but I must admit my level of sympathy wasn't at its highest. That's not to say he deserved it, or I wished it on him, but if you ride like a tool, you pay the price eventually.
It must have happened about 5 minutes before we got to that part of the road, but he was in a bad way. We did what we could until the ambulance arrived, which took a while on those roads. I never found out what happened to him, but I must admit my level of sympathy wasn't at its highest. That's not to say he deserved it, or I wished it on him, but if you ride like a tool, you pay the price eventually.
Soldato
The descents in the Fred were pretty horrific even with perfect road conditions. I only heard about one incident which resulted in two female riders being airlifted to hospital, both with neck and spinal injuries.