Ride London 2014

Freshfunkmeister

I did it last year and echo the sentiments above. The route isn't very challenging but to ride on closed roads in the city in massive bunches makes up for it. Bizarrely I got the commiserations magazine and an e-mail guaranteeing me entry on the same day. Will have to phone them tomorrow to see if I am or not riding on 10th August....

Slo Mo Jones

ChrisAOnABike wrote:

Phil562 wrote:

2 commiserations mags delivered to my home yesterday :-(

Yes, same here

I've now been on the phone to Cancer Research UK and will be doing it for them again.

Me too, including the bit about doing it for them last year (when I missed the ballot deadline (well, I didn't even own a bike by the time the ballot closed))

Don't know if I'll ask people to sponsor me. Seems a bit rich to ask the same people for sponsorship for the same event for the same charity two years running.

vamos tony

2nd year running got rejected. 2nd year running wife got in. so I sent them an email asking what I was doing wrong

Hello,

The ballot is drawn by computer to ensure that the maximum possible number get around the route within the 8.5 hour time limit. We were very pleased that of the 16,293 starters last year, 15,883 finished the route within the time limit.

British Cycling members have a better chance of getting into the event through our partnership with British Cycling which offers additional places through the British Cycling Club Challenge.

Places are still available through charities. We actively encourage as many riders as possible to ride for charity. In 2013, the Prudential RideLondon-Surrey 100 raised £7+ million for charity, a record for a UK cycling event. Our goal in 2014 is to raise £12 million. Longterm, we want the Prudential RideLondon-Surrey 100 to become the most successful one day charity fundraising cycling event in the world.

Regards

Prudential RideLondon Team



So its now a charity event with targets??? Why can’t it just be an event for people who want do it. Asking your friends for money to do something you want to do has lost its appeal years ago.

islwyn

vamos tony wrote:

So its now a charity event with targets??? Why can’t it just be an event for people who want do it. Asking your friends for money to do something you want to do has lost its appeal years ago.

Agreed - difficult for those of us who do 100+ miles every week as normal to ask for money, I know no one who would sponsor me to ride 100 miles! Run a marathon is different.

I do think it's unfair that it's turning into a charity event but then again, it always has been and will be a business that at the end of the day, wants to make money. Annoying.

Anonymous

Islwyn wrote:

vamos tony wrote:

So its now a charity event with targets??? Why can’t it just be an event for people who want do it. Asking your friends for money to do something you want to do has lost its appeal years ago.

Agreed - difficult for those of us who do 100+ miles every week as normal to ask for money, I know no one who would sponsor me to ride 100 miles! Run a marathon is different.

I do think it's unfair that it's turning into a charity event but then again, it always has been and will be a business that at the end of the day, wants to make money. Annoying.

You kind of answered your own thought lol.

It is not 'turning' into anything. It set out to be the biggest fund raising cycling event in the world from day one.

Its main aim is not for people who regularly ride 100 miles+, but there is the ballot for those riders (like me I guess) which is about as fair as I can see it really.

They need fast riders for sure, but they need more riders that can/will raise money and they would not raise much at all if charity was optional.

You guys are not living in the real world if you think they are going to close London and Surrey every year to give tens of thousands of seasoned cyclists a nice pro style race track for a £48.

I thought the London Marathon gave an automatic entry on your fifth attempt at the ballot so maybe they do the same thing with RL.

josame

phreak wrote:

Is it worth the fuss? The route is pretty dull and not massively challenging, the only real saving grace that I can see is zipping around London on closed roads.

I applied like as it's on my doorstep (refused), but even had I got in I'd be more looking forward to the Tre Dreilander in June by quite some margin. Hard to compare Box Hill to the Stelvio isn't it?

My blog

Wow, reread the paragraph and then see whether there is even a smidgen of a chance that you want to click on the 'my blog' link tacked on below. Boreoff soonish 'like'

phreak

It's a signature. You've actually had to manually include it in your quote as they're not included as standard. They're tacked on (as you put it) to every post, just as your quote about comparing bikes is.

Either way, does having an opinion on an event I applied for warrant your being rude? I applied, got refused, am not all that fussed (for the reasons given). If you feel differently then my opinion hardly detracts from that, so why get so tetchy?

Mikey23

Wasn't all that fussed as I have done several london marathons in the past and got fed up with the logistics of accomodation and getting round london. And was getting cynical about the charity places thing. However I find that my employer has some bond places available so think I will go for it. £600 to raise which shouldn't be a prob

Anonymous

Yey, thats the spirit ;-)

Think I can do 3 years before getting bored with the ride/logistics/cost, but will see how this year goes.
Definitely nice to be doing again and thinking I might do it with a friend or wife next year (i.e. not for a fast time) to add a bit of variety.

Velonutter

Because of the cock-ups last year with Wave A, we got in free this year, but even if we hadn't we would have applied for a Charity place as it was such a fantastic event, the crowd and the weather contributed towards it to make it the best event I have ever ridden.

So yeah, I agree with what Carbonator says and would probably do it one more time after this one and let someone else have my place.

I have three mates all doing it for Charity, so I figured I would sponsor them (more like give them some dosh as they won't have any problem doing it).

For me it was all about the spirit of the day fantastic organisation, great support and a brilliant weekend away riding roads that I haven't ridden on a pushbike for over 30 years.

Mikey23

ok so been accepted for a charity place with my company and signed on proper like.. so whats the crack re accomodation and travelling? i would normally be coming up from cornwall on the train but probably wont get on around this event... any well tried and tested places to stay?

josame

phreak wrote:

It's a signature. You've actually had to manually include it in your quote as they're not included as standard. They're tacked on (as you put it) to every post, just as your quote about comparing bikes is.

Either way, does having an opinion on an event I applied for warrant your being rude? I applied, got refused, am not all that fussed (for the reasons given). If you feel differently then my opinion hardly detracts from that, so why get so tetchy?

As stated reread the paragraph and then take a long hard look in the mirror, you have visited a thread about a ride which you did not get on, only to tell us, nay prosletise, the wonderment of another ride which you managed to get on, which, wait for it, is better than the ride this thread is about...the mind boggles (and u think l'm being rude :roll: )

Anonymous

Mikey23 wrote:

ok so been accepted for a charity place with my company and signed on proper like.. so whats the crack re accomodation and travelling? i would normally be coming up from cornwall on the train but probably wont get on around this event... any well tried and tested places to stay?

Premier Inn Stratford was fantastic last year.
Happy with bikes, started breakfast at 4am and its a short ride over to the start.
We booked our room about this time last year (for last years ride) so may still be rooms left but guess more people are clued up about the event etc. this year.

There is a Holiday Inn next door too.
Book something ASAP.

We booked pretty much as soon as they released rooms last year (for this year).
Am going to stay 3 nights this year and make a proper weekend of it with the family.

richard_farrant

Seems that all the really close hotels are booked up, I stayed at Ilford last year, may do that again

Anonymous

Wife cancelled our reservation at the Holiday Inn recently (long story) so might be worth checking back at local ones for cancelations.

People would have booked rooms before they knew for sure if they were doing the ride or not.

Velonutter

We stayed at the Holiday Inn, High Street, Stratford last year and it met our requirements perfectly.

Last year Wave A had to be at the gates for 05:00, but they didn't open them until 20 past and then our official sign in was 05:24 and then just an eager wait on the Start line for 06:00.

Been told we will be in Wave A again. so another early ride :-)

See you all on the line :-)

Anonymous

Try to go the correct way this time ;-)

marcusjb

Well despite not getting a place in the original lottery, I am in.

My better half did get a place, and then noticed they were asking if any tandem teams wanted to ride it - so we went in for the lottery for that (150 tandem allowance I believe) and we're in!

See if we can get some tandem trains going on the flat bits. Should be a laugh all in all.

Mikey23

Thanks for your help guys. Have now booked accomodation at the glorydale inn which according to google maps is about 8 minutes away. At the risk of sounding thick, the event takes place on Sunday 10th august from the Olympic centre? I assume it means getting up really really early on the day?

Anything else I need to know? Does it have that stoopid register before the event thingy like the London marathon? How do those living far away get around that and travelling with a bike? I guess it's going to have to be driven as I can't see there being a train and underground facility?

Anonymous

You will get a magazine in June (I think) giving final instructions.
If it's like last year you need to pick up race number from Excel from Friday before the Sunday.
You need to be at the loading area an hour before your start time (which you find out in June). You then get loaded into pens and file round to start point (although the actual start of the 100 miles is 2 miles from there).

Should be easy to get to start on a bike if 8 min away but check road closures.

As well as the start (which is a rolling start two miles from where you initially set off) there are timing mats at four points around the course. These are for video clips to be captured.
Mine were all really boring last year because I did not know what they were for.
This year I plan to sprint through them all or just have a drink or something so they look more interesting.

dun247

Hello All,

This year I got my entry into the RD14 , but last yr I didn't.

I was out supporting everyone and noticed quite a few people got lost on their way back to hotels and cars.
I expect that it is most likely because the start is in Stratford (East London) and the finish on the Mall (Central London).
For the Newbies to London I would like to point out some tips to make your day go smoothly.

- If you are staying at a hotel near the start you can expect a 10 mile cycle back from the finish. Fairly straight forward for people with GPS. If you don't have GPS I would recommend you follow signs for Bank, then Aldgate and Stratford.
(This is the cheaper option as hotels generally get cheap the further out of Central London you get)

- For those driving down for the event and driving back after I would recommend you park at the beginning of East London. This being around the Whitechapel and Bethnal green area. I also know of parking being available around Tower Bridge area.
Whitechapel and Bethnal green have free parking on side roads. Tower Bridge area are usually pay parking.

- Bikes are not allowed on Tube and buses.
- Bikes are allowed on DLR, National rail and River services.

If anyone has their own opinions please post.

I live in London so if anyone needs any help let me know and I do what I can.

D

Mikey23

This thread is going to be quite useful as I'm in this year and coming up from cornwall. Seems like a similar logistical nightmare to the london marathon but with a bike. I hadn't really considered that the start and finish are in different places! I've booked accomodation at the glorydale inn in E20 which according to google maps is 8 minutes away

arran77

'Tis a big and scary place Mikey :shock:

Savagestorm

Agreed, looking forward to the discussion on this thread. I currently live in central London, therefore can provide advice on secure locations to lock your bike overnight if needed.

Anonymous

Savagestorm wrote:

Agreed, looking forward to the discussion on this thread. I currently live in central London, therefore can provide advice on secure locations to lock your bike overnight if needed.

How secure are we talking?

My bikes going to be right next to my bed!

marcusjb

Damned right - I've never been refused entry with a bike at a Travelodge (and we're in a Travelodge the night before this ride), so the tandem is coming with us.

Stevo_666

I'm doing it this year. Will probably pedal to the start and pedal home again, just to finish myself off good and proper.

arran77

Stevo 666 wrote:

I'm doing it this year. Will probably pedal to the start and pedal home again, just to finish myself off good and proper.

Gonna ride your proper bike Stevo

dun247

The event is not for another 5 months but one seeing as places have been allocated I thought people would start preparing travel and accommodation now. Its never too early to prepare for a century ride.

Mikey23 wrote:

This thread is going to be quite useful as I'm in this year and coming up from cornwall. Seems like a similar logistical nightmare to the london marathon but with a bike. I hadn't really considered that the start and finish are in different places! I've booked accomodation at the glorydale inn in E20 which according to google maps is 8 minutes away

I know of the accommodation you have booked. I would say 8 minutes about right. The nice 10 miles back to your hotel from the finish will be a nice warm down If you are feel particularly tired you can cycle to London Liverpool St and take the train to Maryland which will put you 2 minutes from your hotel.

arran77 wrote:

'Tis a big and scary place Mikey :shock:

Agreed, but with thousands of cyclists on the day it should make the journey home quite enjoyable.

davep1

Don't forget you'll have to get along to Excel to pick up your entry documents on Thu - Sat before the Sunday of the ride too.
I drove up on the morning (4 am start) from near Brighton and used one of the recommended car parks which I had pre-booked. Finding the start was easy so many bikes heading the same way. Getting back was harder I got lost around the Lime House link which was on the route so ok to cycle through on the event but not so normally. They do warn you finding your back is down to you.