The Road Cycling Thread

[Gary the Enfield]

Have done ride London twice. If you need any advice or tips, let me know. Good luck for it - it's a great event and fun weekend in London.

Where would be the best place to stay over?

London.

[Annoyed Grunt]

Have done ride London twice. If you need any advice or tips, let me know. Good luck for it - it's a great event and fun weekend in London.

Where would be the best place to stay over?

London.

Nice one, thanks!

[Gary the Enfield]

Have done ride London twice. If you need any advice or tips, let me know. Good luck for it - it's a great event and fun weekend in London.

Where would be the best place to stay over?

London.

Nice one, thanks!

There are a few hotels in town but you don't really say what your bidget is or how many? My advice would be stay near the Start/ Finish. And book early. What's the date of it?

[Annoyed Grunt]

Have done ride London twice. If you need any advice or tips, let me know. Good luck for it - it's a great event and fun weekend in London.

Where would be the best place to stay over?

London.

Nice one, thanks!

There are a few hotels in town but you don't really say what your bidget is or how many? My advice would be stay near the Start/ Finish. And book early. What's the date of it?

31st July. Starts at Queen Elizabeth Park, finishes on the Mall. Going to book soonish.

[Burnden Paddock]

There's a Premier Inn at the shopping centre at Stratford, which is next door to the QE park. We used it just after the Paralympics. Not sure how far in advance you can book, but may be worth giving them a call. Hopefully it's not already full.

[Gary the Enfield]

Certainly Stratford would be cheaper than Central London.

[Annoyed Grunt]

There's a Premier Inn at the shopping centre at Stratford, which is next door to the QE park. We used it just after the Paralympics. Not sure how far in advance you can book, but may be worth giving them a call. Hopefully it's not already full.

Will give that a try. Not made a good fist of organising things.

[jimbo]

Random, but I stayed both times at the royal foundation of St Katherine in limehouse. Cheap as chips, good breakfast and comfortable place to stay. It has secure parking which is important and you can keep the bike in your room. It's 15 mins ride to the start and 20 mins back from the finish. It gets taken over by cyclists for the weekend.

[LeverEnd]

Got out on the road bike again yesterday, enjoyed it more than my first effort. Going to have to risk the clippy pedal things soon. Expect to fall off sideways at various traffic lights.

[Annoyed Grunt]

Random, but I stayed both times at the royal foundation of St Katherine in limehouse. Cheap as chips, good breakfast and comfortable place to stay. It has secure parking which is important and you can keep the bike in your room. It's 15 mins ride to the start and 20 mins back from the finish. It gets taken over by cyclists for the weekend.

Fell off the first time I used them, at the junction where Ainsworth Arms is. Thankfully, it was early in the morning, not many cars around or people to see me do it.

[LeverEnd]

Only one way to find out!
Are they easy to get used to?

[Annoyed Grunt]

Random, but I stayed both times at the royal foundation of St Katherine in limehouse. Cheap as chips, good breakfast and comfortable place to stay. It has secure parking which is important and you can keep the bike in your room. It's 15 mins ride to the start and 20 mins back from the finish. It gets taken over by cyclists for the weekend.

Fell off the first time I used them, at the junction where Ainsworth Arms is. Thankfully, it was early in the morning, not many cars around or people to see me do it.

Piece of cake now.

[Bruce Rioja]

There's a Premier Inn at the shopping centre at Stratford, which is next door to the QE park. We used it just after the Paralympics. Not sure how far in advance you can book, but may be worth giving them a call. Hopefully it's not already full.

Will give that a try. Not made a good fist of organising things.

There's also a Travelodge lower down that has all you need. A two minute walk into Stratford and eat at 'The Eddie' (King Edward VII) a superb gastro pub with a very decent selection of ale. My best find EVER (Well, my best find when I'm working at the Excel Centre anyway)

[Annoyed Grunt]

There's a Premier Inn at the shopping centre at Stratford, which is next door to the QE park. We used it just after the Paralympics. Not sure how far in advance you can book, but may be worth giving them a call. Hopefully it's not already full.

Will give that a try. Not made a good fist of organising things.

There's also a Travelodge lower down that has all you need. A two minute walk into Stratford and eat at 'The Eddie' (King Edward VII) a superb gastro pub with a very decent selection of ale. My best find EVER (Well, my best find when I'm working at the Excel Centre anyway)

Will give that a try as well.

[jimbo]

Can't recommend the place I stayed highly enough. Ticks all the boxes for location and the fact it has a secure car park and lets you keep the bike in your room which is important for last minute servicing bits. It's also close 5 mins from the Excel arena where you have to sign on the day before.

In terms of the day itself, I'm not sure what standard you are but make sure you get plenty of experience riding in groups before you do it. I've never seen as many crashes as this year. The first 30 miles until we were through Richmond Park were crazy. The roads are full with fast moving groups all over the road. It only takes one idiot to bring a few down. I saw people listening to headphones and taking selfies as they were riding along. Being confident with so many around you is important.

As for the route itself, it's pretty flat and easy, and a really fast run. It's great fun riding round London on closed roads - when else would you get the opportunity to do it? Great feeling as you swing left onto the mall to finish.

[jimbo]

That was me doing the first one in 2013

[Annoyed Grunt]

Thanks for the advice. Had a look at the place you mentioned, but booked up. May have to go with Travelodge/Premier Inn next to the Excel.

Will be getting out on club rides in the build up to it, so group riding will be ok.

[Annoyed Grunt]

Jimbo, quick question. Once you've finished, how to you then get around/back to your hotel?

[officer_dibble]

Got out on the road bike again yesterday, enjoyed it more than my first effort. Going to have to risk the clippy pedal things soon. Expect to fall off sideways at various traffic lights.

Ha ha thats next summers task for me now, having purchased a rather sexy cannondale in the evans warehouse clearance sale.

[jimbo]

Best way to get back to wherever you're staying is to ride. Same as getting to the start. The area around the finish is packed so finding any transport or arranging for someone to meet you to bring you home is a nightmare. Better to ride the 5 miles or so back to base. It has the added benefit of loosening the legs off a little as well.