London Bikeathon Route

menthel

My wife and I did the 52 miler (extended out to 66 miles in total including home and back- by far the furthest my wife has ever ridden) and whilst we were raising money for a charity dear to our heart the route and the marshalls out on the course was a shambles! It started at Royal Hospital, Chelsea and then slung us into Central London out to St Pauls and seeing botht the front and back of the British museum. Apart from the constant traffic lights this bit was ok. The A3 and A23 were not too bad round to Clapham Common either but then we were sent around Battersea, over the bridge and into Hammersmith and over Hammersmith bridge! Then into Mortlake- bonkers busy windy narrow roads that just queued back with cars and bikes. We then went round the Petersham side of Richmond Park and there were lots of people stuggling up there that obviously don't cycle reguarly and with the traffic as well it was quite frankly dangerous. We then went round to Ham House (pretty, never been before!) before being sent out through Surbiton and Berrylands, crossing the A3 a number of times. It was quieter and easier through New Malden and Raynes Park but watching people walk up Copse Hill was a little funny (I know it shouldn't be!) but after that it went silly again- Parkside, Putney High Street and then the King's Road all the way back to the Royal Hospital. Silly, busy roads that were not fun for anyone.

I know they were probably crippled by the London Triathlon and the Richmond Park Duathalon but quite frankly if they had started on the outskirts (of any part of London!) and slung us out into the countryside it would have been better. I hope they get a better route for next year as they may find they get very few entrants repeating that route.

Anyway, rant over. and doing most of my commute at 8am on a Sunday meant lots of Strava PB's!

spasypaddy

and lots of people in their bikeathon jerseys running red lights

menthel

spasypaddy wrote:

and lots of people in their bikeathon jerseys running red lights

And on the pavements, across ped crossings with people on and on the wrong side of the roads. I did have a word with a few at the beginning but quite frankly I gave up at the end, it was a little like a really bad commute. Not as bad as that Saturday free ride on the Ride London weekend, but it was getting there.

I saw one woman fall off her bike into a car. She had been standing still at the time and just rode off without an apology to the driver.

okgo

It sounds like a ridiculous event, and staggering they held all three of those events on the same day.

menthel

okgo wrote:

It sounds like a ridiculous event, and staggering they held all three of those events on the same day.

It would be a good event if had a well planned route and wasn't on the same day as 2 massive events in and around the areas it was planned for. Start periperhally (somewhere like Wimbledon Common is not too bad but out in the further reaches of London would be great- Nonsuch Park springs to mind) and then sling us out into the countryside (just not over the same old bloody Surrey Hills!) and it would have been great.

fat_tail

Why do we need three events on the same day in London. I love cycling in all its forms but yesterday I was completely sympathetic to drivers. The bikeathon was a shambles especially around Mortlake, Putney, Richmond and Wimbledon.

These organisers need to take a hard look at the quality of cyclists they send out on the roads. Absolutely poor cycling and no consideration for other road users.

Wrath Rob

I did this too after a mate pulled out, 100 miles though in my case. I can echo the comments above. The general standard of riding was p1ss poor amongst the 100 mile guys, though it was generally of the "jump red lights, not point out obstacles and wobble over the road a bit" that you get on most sportives.

However, once we joined back up with the 52 and 26 mile groups, things went down hill further. The route joined in Kingston and took us along some pretty busy roads with loads of backed up traffic, which you expect occasionally on the commute, not on a sportive. For example, routing 7,000 people down Putney High Street was dangerous and irresponsible. Many of the riders simply weren't prepared for that level of traffic and it showed from some frankly very poor decision making on display from all parties.

I don't know why they started and finished this in Central London (Royal Hospital Gardens), when you could have had a much nicer ride for all 3 routes if you were based in Surrey. Their Twitter feed has been taking some flak, and rightly so.

On the plus side, I set the 7th fastest time up Box (I should have gone for it properly but I took it relatively easy as there were another 70 miles to go) and finished 74th overall. However, I can safely say I won't be back for another attempt next year.

menthel

They have also had quite a few comments on facebook too. Hopefully this will make them think a little harder for next year.

mozzer2906

Agreed did the 52 Miler and the course planning was an unmitigated disaster.... I am honestly surprised no-one was seriously hurt, the children weaving through heavy traffic on Putney high street at the end was a disaster waiting to happen.

Also the marshalls were totally disinterested, one sent us completely the wrong way (after we stopped and asked) and we ended up doing an extra 12k out around Kingston... however in retrospect this was the best bit of the ride.

Great charity and in the end I still enjoyed the day, but they need to do some serious replanning for next years event.

veronese68

I did this a few years ago and really enjoyed it. The route at the time was from Ham House, vaguely along the river, to the Thames Barrier and back.
I saw quite a few people riding at various points between Kingston, New Malden and Raynes Park and the route choices did seem strange. The traffic was made worse by the ongoing fatberg works and Richmond Park being shut so car drivers were particularly impatient.
It's an event I want to do again, but not if the route is that bad. I suppose they try to keep it in London as it is the London Bikeathon, maybe a change of name and route is in order.
It is a cause I'm particularly keen on so well done and thank you to all that took part.

okgo

I wonder when there will be a cull of these events, there are ample sportives and god knows what that already that happen in parts of the SE where cycling is OK (surrey and the like), its getting stupid with the sheer number of these events in this area, and all they do is ruin everything for everyone. Its too much and I feel and I can see these sportives ruining everything (including road racing, and time trials) for everyone due to the sheer lack of any thought around how it will effect people.

elbowloh

Completely agree. Did the 52 as was riding with my brother who only starting riding a month ago.

It seemed to be a case of picking all the busiest roads/junctions in London and then sending a few thousand cyclists that way! Once out of Chelsea Hospital and South of the river, what was the point of riding back into central London and then also back in to Chelsea and Hammersmith? Just head out of town until.

It was carnage and took us almost 3 hours to do the first 20 miles. As others have stated it was dangerous and irresponsible.