So I had a little ride to get through on the Sunday before the Queen’s Jubilee. Because of the early start, there were no trains and I was damned if I was going to pay over £100 for a room for the night (and that’s without breakfast).
A few beers and a burger before a bedtime of 7:30pm, I was up again at 3:30am, the dawn chorus singing “WTF are you doing up this early?” as I had my porridge, put my kit on and headed out.
The previous day was one full of drama as I did my final checks, wash and oil, only to find a pea-sized bulge in the back tyre. Disaster! Heading down to Sigma, it literally was a mission just to find a compatible UST tubeless tyre in the time left that day.
Mission complete, my chain then tangled as I took off the wheel…grrr.
After trying, and failing, to follow the tips on GCN, I took the bike down to Surbiton Cycles, where with some kind of magic unknown to me, the mechanic fixed it in about one second. I have no idea what trickery he used but they were stars and did not take the piss out of me for being an incompetent bear.
From looking at near disaster - and probably a very uncomfortable day on the commuter, loverly bike but not a ton machine - to a breeze with the Continental 5000 slipping onto the rim easily. But now the tester…Mavic always claims that with the UST system, an ordinary track pump can set the tyre. But not with every tyres I have used was that always the case. So with a deep breath, I started pumping. Very quickly the clicking began as the tyre popped into place - relief.
So the promising week of weather ran away, embarrassed at being out so soon before July and instead a brisk, but sunny, morning was to be had. Arm warmers and leggings attached, gilet on, I headed out into the dawn.
There were a few other cyclists heading over to Westminster for the start but were either not used to the route or not morning people as they weren’t that chatty. One cyclist parted at the Kings Road/Embankment lights, only for him to reappear at the Albert Bridge lights after he got lost. I pointed out it was straight down from here, which he was very pleased to hear.
Around Parliament Sq and into Whitehall, we were ordered off our bikes - some newbies not realising that walking is a big part of Ride London - and then down onto the Embankment where we had an unexpected rolling start. Many, including me, had been wondering where our start pens were. Instead, we were off and, for me, half an hour earlier than expected.
Having usually been in a post-7:30am crowd, it was slightly surreal cycling on empty roads with no returnees to swear at in complete jealousy!
We bombed up through the City, down the Limehouse, around Docklands and East End and onto the A12 where the first slog appeared with the going up and down the multi-lane carriageway. It was also the first taster of many of the chains’ attitude to positioning.
The slog got more annoying with the Woodford Road heading into Epping forest which seemingly just went up and up. You can tell a slog as people begin to be quiet and try and find that suitable pace. The problem with this slog was that there wasn’t a consistency to it which began to pale after the first five minutes.
Post Epping, it was a bit nicer with a few more flats and the occasional down. However, as bucolic as rolling countryside may seem, after ten miles or so with a north wind in your face, it starts to become a war of attrition.
01:16:13 - Epping - 25 miles First split: 01:16:13; 19.74mph
Up and down, up and down, the miles passed. More and more chains appeared. Some perfectly fine, out on the other side of the road. However, many more seemed to not only stay on the left hand side but also move in. The positioning not only blocking in slower, more newbie-type cyclists but also solo cyclists like myself who found themselves having to cut speed as we could no longer overtake the slower cyclists as chains moved into the space that really wasn’t there in the first place.
At around 50. I overtook someone at a flyover simply because I was going faster, and for one of the few times in my life, I had actually downshifted into the perfect gear for momentum. Looking at the mileage, I realised the halfway welfare stop was coming up so I began to ease off only for him to pompously pass me saying: “What goes up must come down again”…so I simply overtook him again before turning off for some refills.
02:56:07 - Felsted - 53 Miles Second split: 01:25:04; 19.76mph
The welfare stop when I was there was superb. Ladies wondering around with flapjacks in trays, water stations, bananas, crisps and even a coffee stand.
Suitably rewatered and fed, I was back on the road for the head home. Hopefully with a bit of a tailwind. And so it proved for some of the route. A fast paced 20 miles allowed me to stretch my legs and, with still some ups - hey it’s still rolling - being catered for by the faster downs. Even so…at one point I said to a fellow rider: “OK, bored of undulating. Some flats pleased.” He looked aghast and replied: “Downhill only and some proper tailwind thanks.”
Through the fields of Essex we were soon approaching the outskirts of London but on cue at around 70 miles I felt the warning signs. It doesn’t matter what my feed and water strategy is, on Ride London at around 70 I get the dreaded cramps. This time I spotted what was happening, had a quick stretch which seems to sort it…for now.
03:56:51 - Ongar - 73 miles: Third Split: 01:00:46; 20mph
This was it. The home stretch. Fields turned into suburbs, country lanes into A roads. Soon we were flanked by houses and towns where only a few miles previously, the only thing you’d see was the occasionally church spire poking up out of the rolling countryside.
There were still a few cheerleaders around, I guess it was early but after the noise and fun of Surrey, Essex felt more flat than just the lack of hills.
Just outside of the East End, cramp hit again but again a quick stop and stretch seemed to sort it and we were only 10 miles out now. A nice A12 followed by the PITA that is the climb of the flyover, we then detoured around some dodgy back streets only to find ourselves at the back of the Elizabeth stadium and then onto the Barking Road for the route back in and one very familiar to those of us that had done Ride London-Surrey.
I had felt the lurking of the cramp before we hit the Limehouse tunnel again but initially it went away, until we hit the ramp back up. Pulling over, I stretched again. Some cheeky sod shouted out that I can’t stop there as we were only a few K away from the end - thanks mate. More lovely people asked if I was OK, including a Ride Marshall.
Again a few stretches later, I was back on the bike, and caught up with the Marshall who shouted “How’s the cramp?” I said: “Fine, only a mile to cope with" as I overtook. To which he shook his head in, I guess, disbelief.
A nice 20 back into Tower, around the corner, then the sprint over the line. Tourists looking bemused as charity workers cheered everyone through whether wearing their shirts or not.
Because I was early, there was no congestion so could freewheel over the bridge to the other side and then dismount (I told you, there can be a lot of walking in Ride London!).
Picked up the wooden medal and a recovery bar then cycled over to Waterloo, watching with slight concern as other Ride Londoners sped through lights either forgetting that the closed roads were now over or were of that tedious nature of cyclists that don't think the lights apply to them.
The ride to Waterloo was a breeze and I started thinking that maybe I should have cycled home instead. However, Mrs Bear was getting off the train with much welcome milk, bananas and crisps for me at Waterloo and, in fact, did an about turn, and rejoined the train she had come up on after meeting me.
Also on the train back, a bike enthusiast guard who peppered me with questions and was also a Cube fan!
05:14:55 - Tower Bridge finish - 102 miles: Final Split: 01:16:08; 22.9mph
So, 118 miles, and a few days later, my thoughts?
Pluses: The feed stations were excellent when I was there. The marshalling was good when I was going through.
Minuses: The start was chaotic. Would have been nice to be told that there was a rolling start. The aforementioned chains - poor behaviour and positioning.
I luckily missed getting punctures but saw a few repairs going on and Marshalls out with brooms clearing tacks from the road. Just stupid from Essex residents. You can get really hurt when hit by a sudden puncture.
Also a mention to the serious injury that happened behind our time group which resulted in an hour’s delay for riders as an air ambulance was called. Hope the rider makes a full recovery
Would I do this again? I don’t know. The route itself has a lack of iconography which riding around a closed road Central London has as you speed past Trafalgar Square, Harrods, Hampton Court etc. It is also attritional which brings its own challenges and bizarrely, I don’t think makes it as fun as the Surrey route. And fun does seem to be missing.
Perhaps it will grow on Essex residents but at the moment it seems to be a chore for them which is a shame as a rider. Believe me, when you pass 60 miles and feeling a bit jaded, that support from complete and utter strangers is a great uplift - or maybe it was just because we were heading in before 11am.
So will I do it again? Well...
Ride London: 102 miles
Time: 05:14:45
Elevation: 4,098ft
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