RideLondon...missed out on the ballot...what are the options
Comments
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Yep, que'd up, got the ticket, got the t-shirt.............. and cannot wait for the energy gels :P
Is it only 3 miles this year? I thought it would be 102 like last year
Should be easier to close all the roads again I guess, that was the best part.
Still, what can you expect for fifty quid these days :roll:0 -
Carbonator wrote:Still, what can you expect for fifty quid these days :roll:
I bought
Deda Logo stem; Deda Piega bars and 2 x Vittoria Randonneur PRO tyres for 56 pounds. Each of them is the best specimen of its kind I have ever had...
SO, yes, 50 pounds can go a long way if you don't get fooled by the marketing hype... on the other hand, if you do 50 pounds won't even be enough to buy you a bottle cage or get you 100 miles of ridingleft the forum March 20230 -
ugo.santalucia wrote:DaveP1 wrote:Really? :roll: I'm from the North too, and used to have this attitude. It isn't just in London, it goes through some beautiful parts of the country. Yeah, it is posh Surrey and posh suberbs, but still beautiful.
The bit around Leith hill is pretty... the rest is forgettable... I live and ride there and I can safely say it's the worst place I've ever lived, cycling wise... terrible road surface, overbuilt, overcrowded and very limited choice of roads which are vaguely safe to ride on
I have to agree somewhat with Paolo. The roads are not that great. I did it last year, but entered again, just for the closed roads... and that I need to get 3 mins off my time to go under 5 hours!
The best bit for me, was actually deserted central London first thing in the morning (all a bit 28 days later), but in reality I get more enjoyment visiting the in-laws and cycling round the valleys in Wales0 -
brettjmcc wrote:ugo.santalucia wrote:DaveP1 wrote:Really? :roll: I'm from the North too, and used to have this attitude. It isn't just in London, it goes through some beautiful parts of the country. Yeah, it is posh Surrey and posh suberbs, but still beautiful.
The bit around Leith hill is pretty... the rest is forgettable... I live and ride there and I can safely say it's the worst place I've ever lived, cycling wise... terrible road surface, overbuilt, overcrowded and very limited choice of roads which are vaguely safe to ride on
I have to agree somewhat with Paolo. The roads are not that great. I did it last year, but entered again, just for the closed roads... and that I need to get 3 mins off my time to go under 5 hours!
The best bit for me, was actually deserted central London first thing in the morning (all a bit 28 days later), but in reality I get more enjoyment visiting the in-laws and cycling round the valleys in Wales
For deserted central London, get out at 5 AM in June... it is really deserted rather than car free but with another 10,000 cyclists around youleft the forum March 20230 -
i think its probably a bit like the effect of the london marathon. its what got me into running and inspired the nation. so even for the majority of runners who would have had a better time running the local 10k with 200 others it was 'the thing to do'. so everyone applied for it every year and in the early days most got in but in recent years it became a lottery or there were the charity places you could blag in with. and i agree that it is the thing to do, a once in a lifetime opportunity that i would recommend to anyone. something you have to do in order to say you were there and you did it. and for some it became addictive and you had to do it year after year. i did the first nine on the trot.
and then common sense kicks in and you realise that it is actually a pain in the bottom. a logistical nightmare of gargantuan proportions and its not possible to even run a satisfactory race cos of the number of people taking part. and i guess its the same with this thing but the difference is that it doesnt have the groundswell of public support yet and they are trying to make it into a london marathon on wheels. and cynical old me aint going to buy into it when ive got far nicer runs around cornwall like an audax for a fiver in my home town. and i dont really want to share the route with zillions of others who are only going to whizz past me or get in my way and generally piddle me off. but i can understand the buzz around it and why its important for so many and i dont knock that...0 -
Perhaps there are many reasons not to want to do this event, but there's just no way it can be replicated. Not until the inevitable post apocalyptic event happens, anyway. And even then you'll have to dodge flesh eating zombies or giant, overly aggressive plants who've somehow learnt how to walk.
If you want to do it, do it; you'll love it. If you don't want to do it, enjoy spending your money elsewhere.0 -
Mikey23 wrote:
and then common sense kicks in and you realise that it is actually a pain in the bottom. a logistical nightmare of gargantuan proportions and its not possible to even run a satisfactory race cos of the number of people taking part. and i guess its the same with this thing but the difference is that it doesnt have the groundswell of public support yet and they are trying to make it into a london marathon on wheels. and cynical old me aint going to buy into it when ive got far nicer runs around cornwall like an audax for a fiver in my home town. and i dont really want to share the route with zillions of others who are only going to whizz past me or get in my way and generally piddle me off. but i can understand the buzz around it and why its important for so many and i dont knock that...
You do talk a lot of sense, but the fear that the course was going to be chockablock with careless nodders just didn't transpire last year. It was a very fast, easy to ride sportive, and I have to say, incredibly well administered.0 -
It seems a shame that this thread is not representative of the cycling population as a whole.
If it were then there would be no need for a ballot and I would have got in again this year
"You really think you can burn off sugar with exercise?" downhill paul0 -
ugo.santalucia wrote:Carbonator wrote:Still, what can you expect for fifty quid these days :roll:
I bought
Deda Logo stem; Deda Piega bars and 2 x Vittoria Randonneur PRO tyres for 56 pounds. Each of them is the best specimen of its kind I have ever had...
SO, yes, 50 pounds can go a long way if you don't get fooled by the marketing hype... on the other hand, if you do 50 pounds won't even be enough to buy you a bottle cage or get you 100 miles of riding
Was my sarcasm lost on you?
Marketing hype has got nothing to do with paying £48 to do Ride London. I did it last year and want to do it again. It was nothing to do with marketing then and even less so this year.
I resent the implied suggestion that doing RL means you will pay silly money for a bottle cage etc.
RL seems good value to me and 1000's of other people.
The stuff you got for £56 seems a good deal, but anyone in RL could do that and RL so I do not see the relevance.
I got a pair of £260 Lake Carbon, Boa, Kangaroo leather and heat mouldable racing MTB shoes (the best of its kind I have ever seen in my life) for my 11 year old daughter for less than a fiver, so I like a deal too
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You said what can you do with 50 pounds these days... implying it's little more than loose change and I showed you even in the uber-expensive sports market, you can go a long way... that's all
I am not immune to scams... I have done the Etape Cymru last year for 55 pounds (also on closed roads)... ticked the box, moved on...left the forum March 20230 -
Is there anything else that costs £50 that you also consider a scam?
Or can anyone else come up with worse ways of spending £50+?
Maybe it is sh1t, anyone want my ticket (puts both hands in pockets to stop them being bitten off)?0 -
Carbonator wrote:Is there anything else that costs £50 that you also consider a scam?
Or can anyone else come up with worse ways of spending £50+?
Maybe it is sh1t, anyone want my ticket (puts both hands in pockets to stop them being bitten off)?
Yes, the Eroica Britannia charges 70 pounds and it's not even on closed roads... I was really looking forward to that, but the price tag and corporate spirit (a VIP beefed up price for corporate teams including freebies) has really put me off the all thing.left the forum March 20230 -
Grill wrote:DaveP1 wrote:To the majority of you that haven't helped, perhaps you should open your eyes/minds, and give it a go. We come to Bike radar because we love bikes, and RL is one of the best bike events out there.
Reading things like this makes me sad.
Why would you say that? Unless you are trolling for a reaction? Have you done the event?
Anyway, good news, this will stop your sadness. I have a charity place with Blind Veterans, so not only am I doing one of the best bike events out there AGAIN, I am doing it for a bloody good cause. I lost an eye myself 10 years ago, and admittedly not in a war zone, serving my country, or anything remotely heroic, but I feel a connection with this charity.
To anyone left still reading and still trying to get in, I think the charity places are going fast.0 -
Faster than a tent.......0
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DaveP1 wrote:Grill wrote:DaveP1 wrote:To the majority of you that haven't helped, perhaps you should open your eyes/minds, and give it a go. We come to Bike radar because we love bikes, and RL is one of the best bike events out there.
Reading things like this makes me sad.
Why would you say that? Unless you are trolling for a reaction? Have you done the event?
Anyway, good news, this will stop your sadness. I have a charity place with Blind Veterans, so not only am I doing one of the best bike events out there AGAIN, I am doing it for a bloody good cause. I lost an eye myself 10 years ago, and admittedly not in a war zone, serving my country, or anything remotely heroic, but I feel a connection with this charity.
To anyone left still reading and still trying to get in, I think the charity places are going fast.
I have never done it, but it doesn't take a degree in deductive reasoning to figure out that mixing loads of elements that I abhor (sportives, 10,000 people, being fleeced, uninteresting courses) is not the way to magic up 'one of the best bike events out there'.
Let's be honest here, you're not riding this event for charity. You're riding this event because you want to. You could ride anything for charity. LEJOG(LE), London 2 Paris, hell you could have done dry January and raised just as much. 'Bloody good cause' or not (remember last year when a tinnitus charity was trying to get people to fundraise?), the event is the same as is the motivation to ride it.
Then again I do loads of long rides in interesting places for free (or a pittance in the case of audaxes), so perhaps were I not spoiled on a daily basis then I'd find the ride worthwhile...English Cycles V3 | Cervelo P5 | Cervelo T4 | Trek Domane Koppenberg0 -
I have no interest in doing any sportive twice if it is run over the same route. Part of the fun for me is experiencing a new route.
I couldn't do RideLondon as I was recovering from knee surgery, didn't apply for it this year but may do for next. But once I've done it and enjoyed blasting through streets I know without worrying about ending up under the wheels of a bus/lorry/car I will tick it off and move on.0 -
The only events I have done multiple times are L2B, London Bikeathon and a local 40 mile family type one.
The route/event does get boring quite quickly and it will be interesting to see haw I feel about RL after doing it again.
I guess the main aim is to get a faster time and just to experience again something that I really enjoyed last year.
Whether or not I get the time I cannot see that being a motivation to do next years event but I can imagine wanting to do it again in 2015.
Even if boredom does set in I like the idea of doing with my wife or friend next year. Maybe with daughter in future years.
Riding slower and stopping at feed stations etc.
L2B is another event I would like to do again one day. I think as a bit of a pub crawl and party in Brighton rather than riding it fast though.
Am doing one or two days of tour of Wessex for the first time. I think that will be the nearest comparable thing I do this year so will see which I prefer as a whole.0 -
@carbonator
40 mile family one rinmgs a bell. would that be the BHF one on the somerset levels by any chance?0 -
Heres an option.
1) Gather some mates
2) Plan a 100 mile ride
3) Ride it for free
4) Profit??0 -
Mikey23 wrote:@carbonator
40 mile family one rinmgs a bell. would that be the BHF one on the somerset levels by any chance?
No, I am further north. It is a BHF event though but all on the bike and not a triathlon, no swimming involved.0 -
Carbonator wrote:DavidJB wrote:Heres an option.
1) Gather some mates
2) Plan a 100 mile ride
3) Ride it for free
4) Profit??
That's a great idea, hardly any different.
I was going to go to the Commonwealth games this year but might just sit in the park with a tin of Iron Brew.
At least with your own mates you're not surrounded by idiots that have the bike handling skills of a dead jelly fish. Sportive's are bad enough, this seems like hell and London is crap...ohhh box hill ...its not even any good.0 -
DavidJB wrote:
At least with your own mates you're not surrounded by idiots that have the bike handling skills of a dead jelly fish. Sportive's are bad enough, this seems like hell and London is crap...ohhh box hill ...its not even any good.
Did not notice any idiots around me (although I did leave early to be fair) and thats part of the fun anyway lol.
I do not think bunching was as much of a problem as it is with L2B and its all the more reason to try this event now before it becomes that way.
Why is London cr4p?
Agree Box Hill is badly named but its a fairly flat course so its just another section of the ride.
OP wants options on doing the event, not on what to do instead. He could (and maybe does) do similar to your option most weeks.0 -
Carbonator wrote:DavidJB wrote:
At least with your own mates you're not surrounded by idiots that have the bike handling skills of a dead jelly fish. Sportive's are bad enough, this seems like hell and London is crap...ohhh box hill ...its not even any good.
Did not notice any idiots around me (although I did leave early to be fair) and thats part of the fun anyway lol.
Why is London cr4p?
Agree Box Hill is badly named but its a fairly flat course so its just another section of the ride.
OP wants options on doing the event, not on what to do instead. He could (and maybe does) do similar to your option most weeks.
Were this the case he'd have no interest in RideLondon...English Cycles V3 | Cervelo P5 | Cervelo T4 | Trek Domane Koppenberg0 -
Why?
I ride 60 miles with my mates but still want to do it.
I have just got in from running 10k but am doing a 10k event in a couple of weeks.0 -
As someone who regularly rides a century or two a week (as well as knowing others who do the same), there is simply no appeal to the RLS100. I can assure that if the OP did indeed ride centuries all the time, then he'd be looking for an even that was either interesting or challenging.English Cycles V3 | Cervelo P5 | Cervelo T4 | Trek Domane Koppenberg0
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I did not say he rode 100 miles regularly, I said similar to what was suggested.
Even if he did ride 100 miles with his mates now and I see no reason why he would not want to go to London for a big cycling event on closed roads.0 -
Carbonator wrote:I did not say he rode 100 miles regularly, I said similar to what was suggested.
Even if he did ride 100 miles with his mates now and I see no reason why he would not want to go to London for a big cycling event on closed roads.
No you don't, but myself, as well as many others who've replied to this topic, do. Some reasons we have listed: profiteering, rubbish route, too many people, cost, logistics.English Cycles V3 | Cervelo P5 | Cervelo T4 | Trek Domane Koppenberg0 -
Last year I rode all sorts of events, BCM 600, Edinburgh London Edinburgh, Fred Whitton, Dragon Ride, SR series etc etc. I also did Ride london and it was a really good day out.
None of the other events were closed roads and although very different the big deal with Ride london was that you could basically put the hammer down for 100 miles with no stopping for lights, no slowing down for traffic and I found it pretty challenging.
For sure it's expensive and that's for the individual to decide if they want to pay it but it's really not comparable to any other event out there. Of course there's much nicer scenery and far harder hills elsewhere but no where else can you ride in the same way as you can on Ride London.
For those slagging it off I'd say don't knock it til you've tried it and if you don't want to try it or haven't done it then don't knock those that do.0
