Ride London 2013 - BJ's latest masterpiece

13

Comments

  • Rench88
    Rench88 Posts: 27
    Just to be clear - I didn't specify your post as a moaning one (and neither did NapD as far as I can see). Just the tone of some contributors to this thread.
  • Anonymous
    Anonymous Posts: 79,667
    In the ballot, not long to wait now, fingers are crossed.

    Have Hotel booked and doing the Freeride on Saturday with my daughter even if I do not get in.
  • Anonymous
    Anonymous Posts: 79,667
    Week to go until ballot day.
    I think they are posting out magazines like they do for the London Marathon.
    Two different ones. 'Sorry' on the front of unsucessful applications, and 'Well Done' on the front for those that got a place.
  • Gazspurs
    Gazspurs Posts: 122
    I did read that there were 50,000 entries & not the expected 75,000 so we might have all reduced our odds to just over 2 to 1.

    Would love to get a place in this, got everything crossed
  • charlie_potatoes
    charlie_potatoes Posts: 1,921
    Gazspurs wrote:
    I did read that there were 50,000 entries & not the expected 75,000 so we might have all reduced our odds to just over 2 to 1.

    Would love to get a place in this, got everything crossed

    Quite a few places have already been allocated to charities and other concerns (I think) which will increase the odds.

    I'm riding for a charity and will give my ballot place over to them if I am one of the lucky ones.
    "You really think you can burn off sugar with exercise?" downhill paul
  • Gazspurs
    Gazspurs Posts: 122
    If u did get in & already have a charity place & I don't I will happily make you a £100 donation for your entry.
  • charlie_potatoes
    charlie_potatoes Posts: 1,921
    Gazspurs wrote:
    If u did get in & already have a charity place & I don't I will happily make you a £100 donation for your entry.

    I would be happy to do that under normal circumstances Gaz but I have a gentleman's agreement with the charity.
    "You really think you can burn off sugar with exercise?" downhill paul
  • Gazspurs
    Gazspurs Posts: 122
    No worries, hope we can all get in & enjoy the day!

    The thought of traffic free cycling along in the Olympic route! Superb
  • charlie_potatoes
    charlie_potatoes Posts: 1,921
    Gazspurs wrote:
    No worries, hope we can all get in & enjoy the day!

    The thought of traffic free cycling along in the Olympic route! Superb

    Yeah it doesn't get much better (in this country at least)

    Good luck with the ballot.
    "You really think you can burn off sugar with exercise?" downhill paul
  • Dess1e
    Dess1e Posts: 239
    southdownswolf wrote:
    I can't understand why anyone would do that. If you don't get into an event, try another one, or go for a training ride. Don't pretend to be in the race.

    I thought it was a sportive. Races are completely different; legally anyway.
    www.kentonrc.co.uk
  • southdownswolf
    southdownswolf Posts: 1,525
    Dess1e wrote:
    southdownswolf wrote:
    I can't understand why anyone would do that. If you don't get into an event, try another one, or go for a training ride. Don't pretend to be in the race.

    I thought it was a sportive. Races are completely different; legally anyway.

    " RideLondon aims to be the largest charity fund-raising cycle race in the world."
    Their words not mine, may be a bad choice, but they chose them.
    Can't imagine many of the top amateurs not racing it.....
    "Slower cyclists can enjoy a challenging ride while faster riders will relish the opportunity to pit themselves against the country’s top amateurs"
    Definately sounds like they intend it to be a race. 8)
    http://www.stuartmole.co.uk/
  • Anonymous
    Anonymous Posts: 79,667
    They seem to want it like the London Marathon. Race upfront and big jolly fund raisers bringing up the rear.
  • southdownswolf
    southdownswolf Posts: 1,525
    Carbonator wrote:
    They seem to want it like the London Marathon. Race upfront and big jolly fund raisers bringing up the rear.

    Exactly. I thought this as soon as I saw all the entry methods. They have just copied the whole London Marathon format, but adapted for cycling.

    Wouldn't fancy being dressed as a Rhino, cycling for 100 miles. :shock:
    http://www.stuartmole.co.uk/
  • Anonymous
    Anonymous Posts: 79,667
    I guess there are going to be some complete muppets doing it.
    Will be interesting to see how it compares to say the London to Brighton on that front.
    I had originally not even considered people doing it on anything other than a road bike, but now I am thinking there will be MTB'S with full on Knobbly's :lol:
  • moscowflyer
    moscowflyer Posts: 540
    Gazspurs wrote:
    If u did get in & already have a charity place & I don't I will happily make you a £100 donation for your entry.


    I'd take you up on that, both me and my mate are in on a charity place and have also entered the ballot, so either of us would happily sort you out for a £100 donation if we get in.
  • thegreatdivide
    thegreatdivide Posts: 5,807
    Carbonator wrote:
    I guess there are going to be some complete muppets doing it.
    Will be interesting to see how it compares to say the London to Brighton on that front.
    I had originally not even considered people doing it on anything other than a road bike, but now I am thinking there will be MTB'S with full on Knobbly's :lol:

    This is always a good reason to put yourself down for a fast finishing time. You get an early wave and away from any potential carnage.
  • Anonymous
    Anonymous Posts: 79,667
    The muppets are going to be a lot easier to spot compared to a running event.
    Personally I do not think you should be able to ride anything other than a drop bar road bike in a 100 mile road event.
  • snickwell
    snickwell Posts: 72
    Oh goody, let's bash people who aren't riding full road/carbon setups. That's really going to encourage non-cyclists isn't it? If you look at the largest/best sportives in the world, there are many participants who aren't riding drop bar road bikes.
  • moscowflyer
    moscowflyer Posts: 540
    I think a lot of people will get a shock. What's the time limit, 8 or 9 hours? Lots will get swept up by the wagon before the elites do their thing, of that I'm certain.
  • Anonymous
    Anonymous Posts: 79,667
    snickwell wrote:
    Oh goody, let's bash people who aren't riding full road/carbon setups. That's really going to encourage non-cyclists isn't it? If you look at the largest/best sportives in the world, there are many participants who aren't riding drop bar road bikes.

    I did not mention carbon bikes, why did you?

    I find it very odd to do 100 tarmac miles on an MTB!
    I think a drop handle bar rule would have been ideal for this ride. Its not a L2B pub crawl (it remains to be seen what it is to be fair).

    I certainly would not encourage non cyclists to ride 100 miles to be honest, and if bashing them makes them do things properly, then thats great for cycling.
  • marcusjb
    marcusjb Posts: 2,412
    I know plenty of people who ride flat bar bikes for all sorts of reasons - and they'll rip the legs of virtually anyone out on the road!

    I couldn't care less what bike someone turns up on as long as it is well serviced - there's no 'proper' bike for riding 100 miles and everyone is different. Cycling is a broad church and all that.

    If I get in, I suspect I'll be hanging out around the back coming only two days after London-Edinburgh-London - I will do my best to encourage those around me, flat bars or not!

    (and at the risk of ridicule I'll not be on carbon - steel, mudguards and a Carradice!)
    Stuff about riding a bike a long way
  • moscowflyer
    moscowflyer Posts: 540
    I'm sure his comment was aimed more at the 'casual' rider, a bit like the bloke watching the London marathon who thinks he'd like a go with it despite only ever having run for a bus before and then decides to enter and gets in.

    I consider myself a decent cyclist, I ride a few thousand miles each year but still haven't ever ridden more than 100km so I'm going to struggle, let alone someone dusting off the cobwebs from their 2001 Halfords MTB.

    Of course, there's some ridiculously solid riders who will p*** all over me on their MTB's and the like, but the majority are unlikely to know what's hit them.
  • Anonymous
    Anonymous Posts: 79,667
    Thats exactly my point if it needed any clarification. Thanks for backing me up MF :D

    Not too much of a problem with flat bars as such, more that it would stop a lot muppets who cannot "rip the legs off anyone' from taking part.

    Maybe a 'no suspension' rule would be better.

    You could have the 'leg rippers' on Islabikes and Raleigh Choppers if they do it in under 9 hours I guess.
  • aimathers
    aimathers Posts: 1
    Got my limited edition jersey (XL stands for tight fit)
    Gonna keep it unlike some who are putting on a certain online auction website
  • Anonymous
    Anonymous Posts: 79,667
    Be interesting to see how many go on there and what they sell for.
    Wondering if a cheeky 'buy it now' might have been better?
  • paddy08
    paddy08 Posts: 69
    When did you get yours? I definitely ticked the donation box and paid when entering the ballot - got a place fortunately but no sign of jersey. . .
  • Velonutter
    Velonutter Posts: 2,437
    paddy08 wrote:
    When did you get yours? I definitely ticked the donation box and paid when entering the ballot - got a place fortunately but no sign of jersey. . .


    So did I Paddy, but no sign of my shirt, so will ring them next week.
  • Anonymous
    Anonymous Posts: 79,667
    Your £48 paid for your entry.
    There was therefor nothing to donate, so no jersey.

    Only people that donated the entry fee (if they did not get a place) got a jersey.
  • Velonutter
    Velonutter Posts: 2,437
    Cheers Carbonator, so I presume we can order a Jersey can't we?
  • Anonymous
    Anonymous Posts: 79,667
    Do not think so. People are selling them on auction sites though.

    They seem to have sizing issues so maybe go a size up?

    I would hope the day is too warm to wear heat absorbing black, but maybe its a bad omen as to what the British weather will be on the day :roll:
    If it does pour down maybe they will come up with a decent design/colour for next year :wink:

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