Anybody checked to see if they made the ballot for PRL100?

il_principe

Il Principe wrote:

TGOTB wrote:

Il Principe wrote:

TGOTB wrote:

On a typical week in the Summer, I reckon I could find a TT or road race on a traffic-free circuit, within riding distance of my home/office, pretty much every day of the week (most evenings you'd even have a choice). The TTs are open to anyone, and most of the road races are open to anyone with a licence (which you can buy for less than the cost of many sportives and will last you a whole year).

Really? On closed roads excluding built for purpose tracks such as Hillingdon? Where do you live? Bloody hard to find that around London/Surrey. There's a big difference between 'traffic free' and 'closed roads'.

No, they are predominately purpose-built tracks. Like roads but without the potholes, and specifically designed for bike racing. We're actually pretty lucky in the London area with no less than 4 purpose-built circuits:
Hillingdon
Cyclopark
Stratford
Hog Hill
On top of that you have Crystal Palace and Dunsfold, plus quite a few others a bit further afield
If you want to race on the track you have Herne Hill and Stratford, plus Welwyn and Palmer Park within reasonable driving distance (and Preston Park if they can resolve the safety issues).

You've missed my point then, your are conflating roads with circuits. I'm talking about roads. It's almost impossible to find races on closed roads. Imagine this is one of the reasons Ride London is so popular. It's so rare to be able to ride closed roads so people jump at the chance and then unsurprisingly, many of them want to smash out a good time.

Edit - it's one of the things that has out me off racing. I find laps so boring. Tried Hillingdon last year (KW newbies race) and going round and round and round and round isn't for me.

itboffin

You're going to love the quiet Nevada roads.

meanredspider

The whole bunch riding thing is interesting. I can understand why people do it but you can't really claim you've done the ride yourself but with the help of a bunch of other people.

I love the various sportif type events in Belgium and Luxembourg - incredibly cheap and incredibly friendly. Even some of the more popular ones like La Chouffe Classic don't have the same nob-factor that some of the UK ones have.

itboffin

LBL is defo worth doing great atmosphere hard ride and hard drinking too be had, win win in my books oh and the food was awesome.

I'll be back, hopefully

rick_chasey

itboffin wrote:

LBL is defo worth doing great atmosphere hard ride and hard drinking too be had, win win in my books oh and the food was awesome.

I'll be back, hopefully

LBL sounds ridiculously tough.

itboffin

Back to back +12 hour Belgian beer drinking sessions are indeed hard work, on the liver.

rick_chasey

I bet.

I'm too much of a pussy to do LBL at the moment. 260km of constant up and down just would do my head in long before I got to the end.

Kieran_Burns

I remember a moment on the first Sportive I ever did: I was in a group of over a dozen riders, all taking it in turns at the front when we came into a village down a sweeping right hand bend. There was a junction at the bottom where a marshall stopped the traffic both ways and we swept through with slowing - really sublime moment and I think the thing that sets the London ride apart.

Agent57

The first mass ride I did was Manchester to Blackpool. The general standard of riding was terrible. OK, it was a charity ride rather than a sportive, so would have brought out people who ride a bike once a year, but still.

roger_merriman

Agent57 wrote:

The first mass ride I did was Manchester to Blackpool. The general standard of riding was terrible. OK, it was a charity ride rather than a sportive, so would have brought out people who ride a bike once a year, but still.

I've been to sportives (uk) charity rides and watched TOB/TDF in all cases cyclists en mass the standard of riding has been woeful, the worrying ones being the roadies since they tend to be faster, and will draft, slice past etc. the potential risk being higher, than the slower hybrids/mtb's etc, who normally don't chose to ride close, though poor road craft means they do not anticipate.

itboffin

Exactly its those that think they're good riders that tend to be frankly shite and full of themselves

Commuters rock 8)

Gazzaputt

Agree with the consensus about awful group riding.

To many on the PRL100 who try to ride in groups haven't a fcuking clue.

Look if you haven't ridden in a chaingang and haven't an idea then leave well alone. It's dangerous for yourself and the rest of the group. It isn't elitist it's a fact.

I'm off riding in Majorca this year when it's on so I won't be partaking.

tgotb

Il Principe wrote:

TGOTB wrote:

Il Principe wrote:

TGOTB wrote:

On a typical week in the Summer, I reckon I could find a TT or road race on a traffic-free circuit, within riding distance of my home/office, pretty much every day of the week (most evenings you'd even have a choice). The TTs are open to anyone, and most of the road races are open to anyone with a licence (which you can buy for less than the cost of many sportives and will last you a whole year).

Really? On closed roads excluding built for purpose tracks such as Hillingdon? Where do you live? Bloody hard to find that around London/Surrey. There's a big difference between 'traffic free' and 'closed roads'.

No, they are predominately purpose-built tracks. Like roads but without the potholes, and specifically designed for bike racing. We're actually pretty lucky in the London area with no less than 4 purpose-built circuits:
Hillingdon
Cyclopark
Stratford
Hog Hill
On top of that you have Crystal Palace and Dunsfold, plus quite a few others a bit further afield
If you want to race on the track you have Herne Hill and Stratford, plus Welwyn and Palmer Park within reasonable driving distance (and Preston Park if they can resolve the safety issues).

You've missed my point then. I'm talking about roads, not purpose built venues. It's almost impossible to find races on closed roads. Imagine this is one of the reasons Ride London is so popular. It's so rare to be able to ride closed roads so people jump at the chance and then unsurprisingly, many of them want to smash out a good time.

That's the thing though; this isn't a race on closed roads either. It's not a race, and although the roads are closed to cars it sounds like they're full to capacity with cyclists of widely varied experience and ability. Sounds reminiscent of the last Brompton Worlds I did, where the bunch was lapping Goodwood 25+mph and splitting to go either side of people in fancy dress doing half that speed; I came away feeling like I'd dodged a bullet.

If I wanted to "smash out a good time" I'd far rather share the course with cars, which tend to be fairly predictable, than a mixture of people out for a nice Sunday ride, and wannabe racers who've developed their group riding skills from watching the Tour on TV...

il_principe

I'm well aware that it isn't a race. My point is that the local & closed roads mean it will always be treated as a race by some. I'm merely suggesting that those who do so ensure they have the requisite level of skill.

I wouldn't do it again if you paid me.

tgotb

Il Principe wrote:

I'm well aware that it isn't a race. My point is that the local & closed roads mean it will always be treated as a race by some. I'm merely suggesting that those who do so ensure they have the requisite level of skill.

I wouldn't do it again if you paid me.

I think we're on the same page :-)

bigmat

It was quite good in the front bunch - fastest sportive you could imagine and quite enjoyable flying through closed roads in central London. Only the minority will have that "racing" opportunity though. Further back, the appeal will be for people wanting a more leisurely ride. I can see how the two concepts don't work that well together, I had the same issue running the marathon but having to weave round people dressed as rhinos etc is a lot less dangerous than having to overtake countless nodders.

timothyw

Crikey, people don't half moan a lot don't they? I hate to point it out but cycling is inherently quite a dangerous sport in a lot of ways - you go fast, you're at risk from other road users, whether they be cars, trucks, other bikes or pedestrians who cross the road without looking. Actual racing is even more dangerous, you only have to look at the numerous pile-ups you get in the average grand tour.

If you find that a bit risky, perhaps you ought try skiing which is also noted for being fast and great fun... but not without it's own dangers!

I was out in the first hour last year, and with the shite conditions I made a deliberate effort to get out fast and not stop until the halfway point, precisely in order to stay ahead of the trouble that I knew would occur, and it was fine. It was an awesome days riding, and if it ain't for you, don't enter, simple!

elbowloh

Didn't get in.

Last year was probably my worst ever riding experience though. Not just the weather and the shortened course but loads of other issues before I'd even started.

Massive queue at the official car park meant I missed my start time by an hour and a half, got a puncture in the car park and my pump broke when I changed the tube. Then lost my ride buddies and couldn't find them at the start.

Then the rain...

guinea

Three years in a row without a place, just the relentless spam from Prudential.

At what point do I just give up hoping for an entry?

MonkeyMonster

are we waiting for the magazine in the door again or has anyone figured the new url to check online?

dhope

MonkeyMonster wrote:

are we waiting for the magazine in the door again or has anyone figured the new url to check online?

https://regonline.activeeurope.com/regi ... Id=1589802
But check using your mobile

msmancunia

If you log in and there's a kind of invoice there for £58 does that mean you're in?

If it is then I can't make it - I forgot the date and booked a holiday beasting myself up Cols de Lombarde, Bonnette, Vars, Izoard, Galibier, Croix de Fer and Alpe d'Huez. I leave on the morning of 2 August.... :-(

Ben6899

Choppergeddon.

dhope

msmancunia wrote:

If you log in and there's a kind of invoice there for £58 does that mean you're in?

That's the current thinking and apparently how it worked last year.

May mean nothing at all though

solstice21

I just logged in and read 'this entry was cancelled 28/1/15'. I take it that means I didnt get in (again)?

Gazzaputt

I got in sods law isn't it? Anyone want mine?

MonkeyMonster

So presuming it lists me as invoice et al I am in rather than saying cancelled...

FoldingJoe

Think so - seems likely. Those who didn't get in are seeing Cancelled.

mtb-idle

i can't see the attraction myself. Why not try something like this from Cosaveli?

Www.cosaveli.com

tgotb

MTB-Idle wrote:

i can't see the attraction myself. Why not try something like this from Cosaveli?

http://Www.cosaveli.com

:shock:

For the cost of their three-day ride in Belgium, I could do 3 weeks in the Alps!