Ride London 2016

Tjgoodhew

Anybody have a web link like previous years? - unlikely to be at home for a few days and the suspense is killing me

secretsam

Big fat "no" for me, that'll teach me for being so c0cky last year and getting a charideee place and then a place through the ballot

Still, given I'm recovering from surgery, probably for the best!

Anonymous

Endura kit looks pretty good.

Coldblack fabric, and hopefully decent FS260 style pad in the shorts.

Yost

Carbonator wrote:

Wife and I both in this year.
Late 40's, white, 100 miles from London, and both sub 5 hours if that helps the conspiracy theories.

My comment wasn't so much about conspiracy theories, more the likelihood that I am in the most common category of cyclist, so have the most competition, assuming the organisers look to ensure a broad mix of age, speed, sex, ethnicity etc, which I believe they do. Of course, it is also likely that this category gets the most places allocated as well.

buckmulligan

Tjgoodhew wrote:

Anybody have a web link like previous years? - unlikely to be at home for a few days and the suspense is killing me

+1 to this ^

Given that this is organised by the same company as the London Marathon then the variables that affect your chances of getting a place are pretty well established.

No effect - Postcode, skin colour, previous participations.
Massive effect - Gender, age-group, finishing time.

London Marathon are notoriously shady about it (and to their own disgrace in my opinion) but leaked reports from the tech contractors who run the ballot confirm that it's designed to achieve an even spread of age, gender and finishing time, so logically there must be some selection bias based upon those variables.

Anonymous

Yost wrote:

Carbonator wrote:

Wife and I both in this year.
Late 40's, white, 100 miles from London, and both sub 5 hours if that helps the conspiracy theories.

My comment wasn't so much about conspiracy theories, more the likelihood that I am in the most common category of cyclist, so have the most competition, assuming the organisers look to ensure a broad mix of age, speed, sex, ethnicity etc, which I believe they do. Of course, it is also likely that this category gets the most places allocated as well.

Sorry :oops: , was not aimed at you. Just know that these things get discussed.

london-red

Tjgoodhew wrote:

Anybody have a web link like previous years? - unlikely to be at home for a few days and the suspense is killing me

Maybe one of those who didn't get in could go to http://www.prudentialridelondon.co.uk/ballot/pay and tell us what it says after logging in... I assume if you haven't got a place, it will say that and won't let you pay...

Tjgoodhew

Iv just tried that and got a message saying we do not recognize your details.

So im assuming im not in for the 4th time

london-red

Tjgoodhew wrote:

Iv just tried that and got a message saying we do not recognize your details.

So im assuming im not in for the 4th time

Definitely had the right password? It said that for me, until I used the right one...

milemuncher1

Yost wrote:

Commiserations magazine received again! Am I right in thinking that as a white, 40 something male of just-above-average speed, I probably have the smallest chance of ever getting a ballot place? Might apply as a 60 year old female estimating a 4 hour finish next time.

It's completely random, throwing a dart at a pile of entry's a few thousand times and accepting the hits. There's no voodo involved.

s@intsteve

I'm in I've applied every year and was only successful last year so must be lucky to have made the cut 2 years in a row.

It should be good fun. Looking forward to it especially as I will have complete l'etape du tour 2 weeks earlier so i should be in top form.

Anonymous

Tjgoodhew wrote:

Iv just tried that and got a message saying we do not recognize your details.

So im assuming im not in for the 4th time

That's not what would have happened in previous years.

You would be able to login and it would just say 'Cancelled' on the 'Status' line.

Sounds like you just could not login

1986sv

Ooh let me go to the pay screen...maybe i'll have a congrats magazine waiting this year

Cliveyp

Just tried my log in (I wont find out until I get home from work) and I was taken to a payment page. Tried a friends login (I entered his details in the ballot for him) and it came back saying details weren't recognised.

Fingers crossed!!

london-red

Fingers crossed all..

buckmulligan

Nice, it takes me to the payment page too, so I'm hoping I have a spot.

Thanks for posting the link up London-Red!

snakedoc

Works for me too (after never getting in via this route for 2 years running and only getting in through my club).

I'll believe it though once I have the magazine in my hands!

secretsam

BuckMulligan wrote:

Given that this is organised by the same company as the London Marathon then the variables that affect your chances of getting a place are pretty well established.

No effect - Postcode, skin colour, previous participations.
Massive effect - Gender, age-group, finishing time.

London Marathon are notoriously shady about it (and to their own disgrace in my opinion) but leaked reports from the tech contractors who run the ballot confirm that it's designed to achieve an even spread of age, gender and finishing time, so logically there must be some selection bias based upon those variables.

Actually, I'm OK with this. Some kind of weighting (a nicer way to put "Selection bias") means it's not full of racing snakes (or MAMILs, or whoever are the most common entries) and that real people with fat arses who want to push themselves get to have a go.

But I agree, the organisers should be upfront that they try to represent a broad spectrum and that the selection process is weighted in favour of this.

Der Kaiser

I got a commiserations magazine. Three years of trying Three years of being turned down.

I guess being a white middle aged man isn't paying off on this occasion.

buckmulligan

SecretSam wrote:

BuckMulligan wrote:

Given that this is organised by the same company as the London Marathon then the variables that affect your chances of getting a place are pretty well established.

No effect - Postcode, skin colour, previous participations.
Massive effect - Gender, age-group, finishing time.

London Marathon are notoriously shady about it (and to their own disgrace in my opinion) but leaked reports from the tech contractors who run the ballot confirm that it's designed to achieve an even spread of age, gender and finishing time, so logically there must be some selection bias based upon those variables.

Actually, I'm OK with this. Some kind of weighting (a nicer way to put "Selection bias") means it's not full of racing snakes (or MAMILs, or whoever are the most common entries) and that real people with fat arses who want to push themselves get to have a go.

But I agree, the organisers should be upfront that they try to represent a broad spectrum and that the selection process is weighted in favour of this.

I agree that it's great to have a broad spectrum of riders there, it's a mass participation event not a race and I think it's a great opportunity for people new to the sport to get involved and challenge themselves in a well-supported and inclusive environment.

What I don't agree with is the marketing strategy whereby they encourage people to donate their entry fees with the lure of a secondary ballot without making public any details of how these ballots are drawn nor what your chances of getting a spot in either round are. In years gone by, the London Marathon entry procedure would even have the "Donate Fee" box pre-ticked for you and I know several people who have inadvertently entered their payment details (for both RL and LM) assuming that payment would only be taken if they got a spot. It all strikes me as very duplicitous for a supposedly reputable organisation.

london-red

BuckMulligan wrote:

Nice, it takes me to the payment page too, so I'm hoping I have a spot.

Thanks for posting the link up London-Red!

Let's hope I haven't got people's hopes up unnecessarily :?

saftlad

White, middle-aged man here. Applied twice, accepted twice.

Expected finish time was 5:30 I think

Der Kaiser

saftlad wrote:

White, middle-aged man here. Applied twice, accepted twice.

Expected finish time was 5:30 I think

I can't understand it really? Might be because my mum kicked up a stink when she was declined for the 5th year on the trot in the London Marathon.

Club route for me I think.

Stedman

Rejected three times, then hit the magic 60. BINGO!

sherer

Got rejected but I've done it three times already. I suspect it was more because I didn't raise any money last year

vinnymarsden

Im on a roll!! 3 tries…3 refusals… Im not sure I have any agreement with the age/color argument, although I do agree there does seem to be a lot of non cycling "cyclists get in, if you get my meaning.I did the London Marathon many years ago when you never ever had to ballot for a place, and I understand the need to limit numbers, but to just blanket keep refusing people seems a bit harsh.
They can't say its entirely random either…we live in an age where EVERY facet of your life/existence is monitored/recorded so to suggest that it accepts/rejects you randomly seems a bit naive. I thought to be honest that 3rd try might trigger an acceptance just by default because my details have not changed in the slightest..same name/date of birth/address/email etc, oh hang on, hang on just a cotton picking minute….. I KNOW why i got refused…Im from "UP NORTH"!!!!
Thats my conspiracy theory…we got NOTHING during the 2012 Olympics…nothing since, other than closure of sporting venues, I think Boris Johnson and his London bias has tipped the balance in favour of postcode selection!!!
Im happy now..I've worked it out!! Theres one thing for sure…I will not be trying for a 4th time, I think 2017 will see me take my mine across the sea to a foreign event!!

milemuncher1

The questions they ask you when you apply are nothing to do with 'selection criteria' it's completely random, as was nicely demonstrated last year, a guy who I go on club rides with, applied twice ( not strictly on, but so what ) , the only difference in the two applications was that his middle name was different on each application, no other differences. He received both magazines, he both got in, and didn't get in, simultaneously I have to laugh about all the bullshit I hear about 'quotas' and 'selection' every year. The information you supply when you apply, is used in the risk assessment ( a pre requisite of the events insurance) after the ballot has finished, to enable the organisers to attempt to put people in 'Waves' which should ensure a steady flow ( at least on the non hilly bits ) and prevent 'pinch points', and hopefully ensure everyone ( who isn't in the back of a broom wagon ) gets to the finish, before the Pro race finish has to be set up.

rogerv78

I got a commiserations magazine today, bit disappointed to be honest, I did get in last year on the 3rd time trying and really enjoyed it, I was really hoping to get another crack at it as I got stuck on leith hill for 45 mins !

I'm not sure how they pick the entrants but as a white nearly 40 year old, slightly overweight with an estimated finish time of under 6 hrs male, it does make you wonder ?

A female friend of mine got in but cant do it, she has offered me her place but if I am correct the places are non transferable? Which is a bit pants as I really want to do it but really can't be bothered with the hassle of going down the charity place route ?

Anonymous

I donated (or pre-paid as it turned out) but wife did not.

Is there still a second ballot for people that donated the entry?

buckmulligan

Milemuncher1 wrote:

The questions they ask you when you apply are nothing to do with 'selection criteria' it's completely random, as was nicely demonstrated last year, a guy who I go on club rides with, applied twice ( not strictly on, but so what ) , the only difference in the two applications was that his middle name was different on each application, no other differences. He received both magazines, he both got in, and didn't get in, simultaneously I have to laugh about all the bullshit I hear about 'quotas' and 'selection' every year. The information you supply when you apply, is used in the risk assessment ( a pre requisite of the events insurance) after the ballot has finished, to enable the organisers to attempt to put people in 'Waves' which should ensure a steady flow ( at least on the non hilly bits ) and prevent 'pinch points', and hopefully ensure everyone ( who isn't in the back of a broom wagon ) gets to the finish, before the Pro race finish has to be set up.

Are you basing this on any actual knowledge of the ballot procedure or just wild speculation? If it's the latter then I don't see why your speculation is any more valid than anyone else's.

As I said before, Ride London is run by the same organisation as the London Marathon and if you browse the running forums you can find first hand accounts of how the ballot for that is run. I would say that's a much better indication of how entrants are picked for Ride London than any of the speculation here.