Ride London 2015

surrey_commuter

Der Kaiser wrote:

Surrey Commuter wrote:

Der Kaiser wrote:

I didn't enter the ballot this year as I find the ballot weighting unfair. I have gone off Sportives a little as most of them require a large entry fee to ride on public roads (particularly if they aren't closed). Then you have to sort out hotels and travel. It gets very expensive all in all.

Having said that I can see the appeal of riding an event like this one. Closed urban roads in a busy city like London is very appealing.

Does sound like they need to get a handle on notifying people if they got in or not.

would you mind sharing the details of the ballot weighting?

Well if you live overseas and apply you get in. If you are a woman you have a greater likelihood of getting in.

It's not a straight ballot as in names are drawn out. It's not rigged but weighted to fulfil certain criteria.

Whilst I understand the rationale behind the "Ballot" I don't like it. It would be fairer to call it a selection process.

I am told that the Marathon is weighted in favour of people who are likely to finish and then after that they try and get a reasonable mix by sex/age/race. As they are the same organisers it might be wise to tweak your application to put yourself in a less popular age category and opt for a less obvious ethnic group.

It can not be that difficult for us to figure out the algorithm underpinning their "ballot". We just need to post age/sex/ethnic group. I suspect the triple rejects are white guys under the age of 35.

FoldingJoe

Well, I'm a white male - was 39 at time of event last year and didn't get a ballot place, so did it for charity.

40 this year and did get a ballot place (or thinks I did), so is that because I've jumped up an age bracket, because I did it for charity last year, or just lucky!?!

Der Kaiser

Surrey Commuter wrote:

Der Kaiser wrote:

Surrey Commuter wrote:

Der Kaiser wrote:

I didn't enter the ballot this year as I find the ballot weighting unfair. I have gone off Sportives a little as most of them require a large entry fee to ride on public roads (particularly if they aren't closed). Then you have to sort out hotels and travel. It gets very expensive all in all.

Having said that I can see the appeal of riding an event like this one. Closed urban roads in a busy city like London is very appealing.

Does sound like they need to get a handle on notifying people if they got in or not.

would you mind sharing the details of the ballot weighting?

Well if you live overseas and apply you get in. If you are a woman you have a greater likelihood of getting in.

It's not a straight ballot as in names are drawn out. It's not rigged but weighted to fulfil certain criteria.

Whilst I understand the rationale behind the "Ballot" I don't like it. It would be fairer to call it a selection process.

I am told that the Marathon is weighted in favour of people who are likely to finish and then after that they try and get a reasonable mix by sex/age/race. As they are the same organisers it might be wise to tweak your application to put yourself in a less popular age category and opt for a less obvious ethnic group.

It can not be that difficult for us to figure out the algorithm underpinning their "ballot". We just need to post age/sex/ethnic group. I suspect the triple rejects are white guys under the age of 35.

So you are suggesting I lie on any future application forms for the event?

I am over 40, white and I was rejected in 2013 & 2014. I supplied evidence to say I had completed Sportives previously. I didn't apply this year because I realised it is weighted against people like me and I decided that I would rather do something closer to home.

If it was a fair random ballot then I would be more inclined to try to get in.

kellar

Has anyone received a confirmation that they are in magazine yet? If so does it just say to go online to the web site and complete the registration or do we wait for a confirmation email with a link?

I can remember this happening last year with regards to the web site displaying on some peoples computers/devices but not others before the magazines arrived.

buzzwold

paul2718 wrote:

Tjgoodhew wrote:

The blue screen happened last year. it seemed to be a fault and they quickly closed it when they realised people were logging on to view the ballot results.

I managed to get on via my mobile but couldn't on desktop. Mine shows as cancelled for the 3rd year running.

Surely thats some serious bad luck

If 10000 get places in the ballot, and 80000 applied, then the chances of failure are 7/8. Over 3 years that's a 67% chance of not getting a place.

I don't know what the numbers were over the last two years, something similar probably, the size of the event has risen, and so has the cap on the ballot. If you want to ride it you need to buy a place from a charity for £600. I think there were and are plenty available.

http://tourofcambridgeshire.com/ has a much better approach. And you can go as fast as you want!

Paul

Still blue screen of death as of today and the phone message is politely inferring that you wait until the 16th February. I donated, so we will see.

As you say Paul, the odds of 3rd time luck would appear to be 67%, but as each ballot is a separate event, the 12.5% chance each time of entry is more applicable.

I agree on the cost. I'd just like to try it and compare to the London Revolution, which I did in 2013 and thoroughly enjoyed. I'll look at tour of cambs, but given what I've read this will be full of racing wannabes eager for the £1500 prize.

paul2718

The Tour of Cambs has a race at the front, and a sportive at the back. Should work nicely since it is modelled on the European style of event. FWIW I think it is absurd that RL isn't a qualifier for the UCI worlds, it's supposed to be a premier event with Olympic legacy.

With new events like the Velothon and ToC both having UCI connections, RL, with its focus on beginners, and the unlikelihood of getting a place without paying a huge fee, is in danger of looking irrelevant within three years of being a pioneer.

I got in for 2013, because they guaranteed places to people who'd completed qualifying events. Missed last year, assume I've missed this year. It would be a nice bonus event, just because it is so fast. There remains a chance of a team entry...

Paul

surrey_commuter

Der Kaiser wrote:

Surrey Commuter wrote:

Der Kaiser wrote:

Surrey Commuter wrote:

Der Kaiser wrote:

I didn't enter the ballot this year as I find the ballot weighting unfair. I have gone off Sportives a little as most of them require a large entry fee to ride on public roads (particularly if they aren't closed). Then you have to sort out hotels and travel. It gets very expensive all in all.

Having said that I can see the appeal of riding an event like this one. Closed urban roads in a busy city like London is very appealing.

Does sound like they need to get a handle on notifying people if they got in or not.

would you mind sharing the details of the ballot weighting?

Well if you live overseas and apply you get in. If you are a woman you have a greater likelihood of getting in.

It's not a straight ballot as in names are drawn out. It's not rigged but weighted to fulfil certain criteria.

Whilst I understand the rationale behind the "Ballot" I don't like it. It would be fairer to call it a selection process.

I am told that the Marathon is weighted in favour of people who are likely to finish and then after that they try and get a reasonable mix by sex/age/race. As they are the same organisers it might be wise to tweak your application to put yourself in a less popular age category and opt for a less obvious ethnic group.

It can not be that difficult for us to figure out the algorithm underpinning their "ballot". We just need to post age/sex/ethnic group. I suspect the triple rejects are white guys under the age of 35.

So you are suggesting I lie on any future application forms for the event?

I am over 40, white and I was rejected in 2013 & 2014. I supplied evidence to say I had completed Sportives previously. I didn't apply this year because I realised it is weighted against people like me and I decided that I would rather do something closer to home.

If it was a fair random ballot then I would be more inclined to try to get in.

"lie" is a strong word... I was thinking more massaging the facts... but we need to know which way to lean

g00se

One way to get this working again - use the URL:

https://regonline.activeeurope.com/regi ... bershipID=

and you'll get the login form. Use the Chrome Inspect element trick as outlined before.

For me - cancelled. Booooo.

Der Kaiser

Surrey Commuter wrote:

"lie" is a strong word... I was thinking more massaging the facts... but we need to know which way to lean

Surely anything where you deliberately put down incorrect information is a lie.

I am 43 and if I said I was 42 on my application it would still be a lie.

lkjhgfdsa

Given the number of gents who appeared in the 2014 women's rankings last year (http://speakthinkblog.speakmedia.co.uk/ ... -boardman/), I dare-say that some facts were very strongly massaged upon application!

surrey_commuter

Der Kaiser wrote:

Surrey Commuter wrote:

"lie" is a strong word... I was thinking more massaging the facts... but we need to know which way to lean

Surely anything where you deliberately put down incorrect information is a lie.

I am 43 and if I said I was 42 on my application it would still be a lie.

you might find more scope for massaging in the non-numerical areas... ie for many people ethnic origin could be open to interpretation.

FoldingJoe

The man from Ride London - he say Yes!!

ic.

Did you get your magazine? If so, any instructions on payment or anything?

paul2718

Magazine arrived, straight in the bin with the other junk mail. I think they could be more environmentally sensitive.

Paul

buckmulligan

Haha, I know that feeling from the London Marathon ballot! Why do they think that sending a massive magazine about the super-exclusive event that they've just rejected you from is a good idea?!

Interested to see if the £58.00 invoice theory holds true, because I'm away and won't be able to collect my magazine for another couple of weeks.

Chunky101

My online status didn't say accepted or cancelled, just had an invoice and a green tick. I got my confirmation magazine through today, first time of trying and I'm in.

My wife's online status said cancelled and she got the commiseration magazine through today.

Anonymous

BuckMulligan wrote:

Haha, I know that feeling from the London Marathon ballot! Why do they think that sending a massive magazine about the super-exclusive event that they've just rejected you from is a good idea?!

So that you want to do it all the more and have a nice list of charities with available places

BuckMulligan wrote:

Interested to see if the £58.00 invoice theory holds true, because I'm away and won't be able to collect my magazine for another couple of weeks.

Just another reminder for everyone not to forget to pay.
If you miss the payment deadline they will not listen to any excuses.

stretchy

Hi Guys!

So my invoice said £58 and I've just popped home for lunch to find a nice congratulations magazine on my door step.

Foobies

another in the £58 invoice club with a congratulations mag sitting at home waiting for me to glance at when i get home, how long do you have to pay?

btw second year, last year did it via the charity route this year a successful ballot, only difference in application was i said i was in a club this year.

ic.

I'm starting to get a little more confident I'm in then. Just need to drop the bombshell to the wife, having signed up for Flanders and getting a weekend pass for that, thinking I wouldn't get into this one.

BTW, I've applied in the ballot each year, this is my first entry (if indeed I am in)

I used to be a runner, I applied 4 times for the LM and never got in. And they've removed the "5th time's a charm" rule now

Anonymous

On a scale of 1-10 (with 1 being its fine to do, and 10 being its a no no) how bad is it to take a charity place, pledge to raise £600, but then (knowing you are not going to bother raising it) give them £100?

I thought it cost the charity at least £150 for the place.

Omar Little

Didnt get in.

I dont mind so much the not getting in - there is high demand and limited places so we cant all get in - its the months between entering and finding out which pisses me off!

Anonymous

Maybe thats another ploy to get people to take a charity place.

As there is no second ballot these days it makes donating your entry less worthwhile.
You are better off using it towards a charity place.

How is everyone finding the consolation jersey?
I find DHB stuff comes up a little big but a lot of people seem to think the opposite.
Guess they want a roomy fit 8)

Anonymous

Friend just got the successful pack although online said cancelled.

ic.

Carbonator wrote:

On a scale of 1-10 (with 1 being its fine to do, and 10 being its a no no) how bad is it to take a charity place, pledge to raise £600, but then (knowing you are not going to bother raising it) give them £100?

I thought it cost the charity at least £150 for the place.

10 for me. From speaking to charities about how hard it is to get places for things like this and LM, I can understand how awful it would be if that effort was wasted

I've heard they get you to sign an agreement promising the money by certain dates. Not sure how enforceable it is though. Personally, if I went the charity route, I'd try to raise the money and cover the shortfall myself.

Anonymous

I think its higher than 10 but did not want to complicate the options lol.

Hope you get in IC. The suspense is killing me.
Its taking longer than it took for those miners to be rescued a few years back

buckmulligan

Carbonator wrote:

I think its higher than 10 but did not want to complicate the options lol.

I don't have much experience either side of the charity events but I'd say it's extremely reprehensible.

It's quite well publicised that for the London Marathon, charities will fork out £300+ per entry for their "Golden Bond" slots, on top of all the admin work required to even get one, so much more than the entry fees for a ballot winner. Making a minimal amount in sponsorship may cost your charity money, not to mention the fact that you've deprived the charity of that slot that may otherwise have been filled with someone with more aspirational fund-raising targets.

That said, I'm not a fan of asking for sponsorship money for things that I would normally do anyway, so sadly it's the ballots or nothing for me

JohnW52

I'm in this year at the third attempt. I did it last year via the charity route and suspect that this might have helped me.
If anyone's looking for a charity place I did it with WaterAid last year and can heartily recommend them (disclaimer - I've been involved with them for 30+ years). They were asking for £550 last year and as this was a bit less than others sold out of their places in 24 hours so get in quick.

On payment you need to have your entry paid by 5pm on 27th Feb or you're out. I've just tried and just got a blue screen so I'll leave it a day or two.

ic.

There is a recorded message on the helpline now saying that the payment facility will be available on their website only from 5th Feb

surrey_commuter

it seems massaging my details has worked... now I just need to overcome the small problem of the in-person registration