Wiggle Dragon Ride 2013

Road Red

Which by my calculation will generate about the £250,000 mark. That is a quarter of one million pounds.

Which is roughly an increase of about £70,000 (nearly 40%) on last year. Wales is obviously a hyper inflationary area. :x

ugo.santalucia

Road Red wrote:

Which by my calculation will generate about the £250,000 mark. That is a quarter of one million pounds.

Which is roughly an increase of about £70,000 (nearly 40%) on last year. Wales is obviously a hyper inflationary area. :x

Here is more a case of offer/demand... the price is driven by the market, rather than by inflation... clearly the organisers believe tehre are enough people prepared to pay 55 pounds to fill up the event... maybe next year it will be 70 pounds... they can charge as much as they feel like, there are no guidelines or restrictions of any sort... it's up to those on this side to open their eyes and say "enough is enough"... clearly 55 pounds is not enough

dodgy

I get the impression that many, if not most sportive riders are beginners, well, in their first 2 years or so of riding? Most of the guys I know who have been riding 10, 20 years or more wouldn't dream of entering a sportive.

I definitely get the impression it's a flash in the pan and the organisers are making the most of it.

narbs

dodgy wrote:

I get the impression that many, if not most sportive riders are beginners, well, in their first 2 years or so of riding? Most of the guys I know who have been riding 10, 20 years or more wouldn't dream of entering a sportive.

I definitely get the impression it's a flash in the pan and the organisers are making the most of it.

I'm doing it for the sixth time this year. My first was when I'd just returned to cycling when age and marriage got in the way of rugby and cricket. I think I paid about £15 and loved it. Now, I have just as much fun on Sunday club runs and winter training sessions.

That year I think I rode six or seven sportives, this year I'll do the Dragon and the Marmotte. The Dragon because I'm from the area and, living in London, it gives me a chance to ride with mates from home when we can all commit to the same day quite easily and I can stay at my parents' place.

I do wonder if I was returning to or taking up cycling today how I'd feel about the cost.

bendertherobot

narbs wrote:

dodgy wrote:

I get the impression that many, if not most sportive riders are beginners, well, in their first 2 years or so of riding? Most of the guys I know who have been riding 10, 20 years or more wouldn't dream of entering a sportive.

I definitely get the impression it's a flash in the pan and the organisers are making the most of it.

I'm doing it for the sixth time this year. My first was when I'd just returned to cycling when age and marriage got in the way of rugby and cricket. I think I paid about £15 and loved it. Now, I have just as much fun on Sunday club runs and winter training sessions.

That year I think I rode six or seven sportives, this year I'll do the Dragon and the Marmotte. The Dragon because I'm from the area and, living in London, it gives me a chance to ride with mates from home when we can all commit to the same day quite easily and I can stay at my parents' place.

I do wonder if I was returning to or taking up cycling today how I'd feel about the cost.

Ah, the mates gambit. Like you have any :twisted:

ugo.santalucia

dodgy wrote:

I get the impression that many, if not most sportive riders are beginners, well, in their first 2 years or so of riding? Most of the guys I know who have been riding 10, 20 years or more wouldn't dream of entering a sportive.

I definitely get the impression it's a flash in the pan and the organisers are making the most of it.

I have a conspiratory theory...

If you get charged 15 pounds, chances are you might not take it seriously and might end up not going if the weather is uncertain or family commitments get in the way. But if you get charged 50 pounds, then you bloody have to be at the start. Many people like this form of commitment, makes it into something to take seriously, it is a date on the calendar that cannot be changed and life has to revolve around it. The organisers, which are clearly clever, understand this and make the most of it...

dodgy

I think you've just hit the nail on the head for the reason I don't ride sportives. I just can't see the point in committing to ride an even x months in advance, when on the morning of the event you could wake up with a cold, or it's pissing it down with rain. Then you've got to jump in a car, faff about parking and then ride with several hundred unknown quantities.
I've ridden lots of sportive routes, though, but on my own dates when I've seen tomorrow's forecast, feeling good and decided to ride any number of established routes nearby.

verylonglegs

dodgy wrote:

I get the impression that many, if not most sportive riders are beginners, well, in their first 2 years or so of riding? Most of the guys I know who have been riding 10, 20 years or more wouldn't dream of entering a sportive.

I definitely get the impression it's a flash in the pan and the organisers are making the most of it.

Certainly true in my case, I've been into cycling for over 15yrs now but only did my first sportive this year mainly because a mate took up the sport in the spring and badgered me into it. It was ok I guess but I'm not overly enthused about doing any more despite regular emails from my friend with links to next years events, running out of ways to politely say no I'm not interested. I just don't get them and what they are about to be honest and the value for money for some of them is appalling imo.

derek48

Try the Marmotte, then you'll get it.

cyclingsheep

I've done the Etape Cymru the last two years (and signed on again for next year) simply because my mother in law lives nearby so I get to kill two birds with one stone. As for signing on for an event in advance and then having a cold/feeling crap, that holds true whether you're doing a sportive or racing in the TdF, these things happen. I did my first (and hopefully not last) Etape du Tour last year, booking over 8 months in advance, with a new baby which could've had any number of complications but I trained hard because it was something I really wanted to do and had done for years and I loved every minute of it. Some on here live near great riding locations or have more flexible lives than others so can drop everything and just ride these routes whenever they wish, others like myself have to book a space well in advance when the stars are correctly aligned. So some of us do sportive and others don't, if you don't then that's great but this is a forum ABOUT sportive events so if you don't like/do them then why bother to post on a forum about them? Just asking. As for this years Dragon? I'm in and training has once again begun....bring it on.

dmclite-3.0

Now.............you can sign on if you are a female of the lady persuasion and not have to through a ballot to ride the Corto distance, now part of the Cycletta Dragonride.

I don't get it.

I am now regrettint entering the ballot at all now, seems the organisation are taking the pish and a transaction fee even if I don't get in the ballot. I really hate companies moving goalposts. I am sure that last because I entered last years event that you had some sort of preferential entry or incentive to enter this year, but I am not sure, could be completely wrong.

Might just pull the plug altogether and do another ride, or just do the route one weekend anyway.........beginning to see the light.

dodgy

Just ride it anyway, don't steal any of the food and nobody will care.

dmclite-3.0

dodgy wrote:

Just ride it anyway, don't steal any of the food and nobody will care.

Hmmm, plenty of shops along the way, its doable.

dodgy

dmclite-3.0 wrote:

dodgy wrote:

Just ride it anyway, don't steal any of the food and nobody will care.

Hmmm, plenty of shops along the way, its doable.

One wonders how any of the thousands of cyclists up and down the country riding 100 miles or more each weekend manage without feed stations...

dmclite-3.0

dodgy wrote:

dmclite-3.0 wrote:

dodgy wrote:

Just ride it anyway, don't steal any of the food and nobody will care.

Hmmm, plenty of shops along the way, its doable.

One wonders how any of the thousands of cyclists up and down the country riding 100 miles or more each weekend manage without feed stations...

Just being part of a big ride, feed stations etc is good`and I do ride 100 miles + on my own regularly, just that the big event thing is appealling, just getting put off by grabby gits in charge.

betwsecolodge

http://betwsecolodge.co.uk/
If you're looking for cheap accommodation close to the start at Margam Park Betws Eco Lodge is ideal. Secure bike storage is also available. Groups and clubs are our specialty.

ManOfKent

dmclite-3.0 wrote:

dodgy wrote:

Just ride it anyway, don't steal any of the food and nobody will care.

Hmmm, plenty of shops along the way, its doable.

Or if one of us gets in, he takes twice as much food at each stop and shares it out.

sampras38

Food isn't the problem as I always use my own, just where to fill bottles, although I'm sure they'll be enough petrol stations on the way.

dmclite-3.0

ManOfKent wrote:

dmclite-3.0 wrote:

dodgy wrote:

Just ride it anyway, don't steal any of the food and nobody will care.

Hmmm, plenty of shops along the way, its doable.

Or if one of us gets in, he takes twice as much food at each stop and shares it out.

bagsy team leader but I do need a domestique. I am full of riding.

sub55

last year i was offered a free place via a mutual sponsor and said no, which says it all really.

dmclite-3.0

sub55 wrote:

last year i was offered a free place via a mutual sponsor and said no, which says it all really.

Well, dipply-doodly shite, good for you, thats made us all feel much better.

sub55

dmclite-3.0 wrote:

sub55 wrote:

last year i was offered a free place via a mutual sponsor and said no, which says it all really.

Well, dipply-doodly shite, good for you, thats made us all feel much better.

Maybe you'd like to put back up your original post before you edited it, so others can decide who's the real obnoxious one between us.

dmclite-3.0

sub55 wrote:

dmclite-3.0 wrote:

sub55 wrote:

last year i was offered a free place via a mutual sponsor and said no, which says it all really.

Well, dipply-doodly shite, good for you, thats made us all feel much better.

Maybe you'd like to put back up your original post before you edited it, so others can decide who's the real obnoxious one between us.

OOhhh, get you.

Nah, I think we all know who that is, as we all know you have absolutely NO sense of humour. :P

Merry Xmas, maybe change your name to Sub 54 next year if you get yer finger out.

sampras38

Found out today I wasn't successful in ballot but will be riding it anyway as Marmotte training. Always use my own food on sportives so will just need water refills.

ManOfKent

I also didn't get in.

£1.11 worse off for trying; £45 better off for not having to pay the entry fee. A few quid down on that if I ride it unofficially and take my own food, either that weekend or another one; a lot of quid better off if I skip the whole thing and don't go to Wales at all.

nunowoolmez

I haven't heard back from them yet! I won't be devastated if i don't get a place in fairness. I will get my cash back & have a couple of plan B's in mind anyway. The AMR Peak 100 is the same weekend & having done it before know it is just as good & just as hard. Another option is the Wiggle Long One. Not done it before but like the sound of it. I'd probably go for the AMR though.

snakedoc

I got in on the ballot!
Part of training for the marmotte next year is now in place.
Now have to choose some other challenges

dmclite-3.0

I'm out and staying out. Greed seems to be the order of the day, can't believe it has taken me so long to see this.

friso

Pissed off I didn't get in via the ballott. All my riding mates paid the extra and got places but I won't have a gun held against my head to guarantee that the more affluent get in

I have done the last three and always sung its praises even though in recent years the organisation has been dreadful

Not any more and I won't be back in future years

Anyone recommend an alternative?

ugo.santalucia

friso wrote:

Pissed off I didn't get in via the ballott. All my riding mates paid the extra and got places but I won't have a gun held against my head to guarantee that the more affluent get in

I have done the last three and always sung its praises even though in recent years the organisation has been dreadful

Not any more and I won't be back in future years

Anyone recommend an alternative?

The unassuming and cheap Chiltern 100 is actually harder than the Dragon Ride and the 106 miles route is very pitoresque. It is typically held in the same period of the DR. 15 pounds or so entry fee, no ballots or similar bullsxxt