[Closed] Prudential Ride London 2018

Me too. That makes it every single year I have been unsuccessful now.  I do wonder if it's because I don't tick the box to say they can keep my entrance fee if I am not allocated a place. Never mind will probably go and do the Dunwich Dynamo instead.

Don't worry the premier London sportive is actually the cobblemonster, 21 sections of cobbles and a couple of big hills at the end, entries due to open soon

ive had a pack though the post saying ive been provisionally accepted, subject to payment. no emails (that i can find) but i suppose that means I'm in.
failed the last 2 years so it about time

I thought maybe I didn't get in because I did tick the box.  They've had their money so they don't need me.

i didnt pay anything up front. what am i missing??

I'm in after 2 years of no success! Did it once before in the year of that hurricane, so looking forward seeing some of the route this time.

Just wondering if I need more than 10 gears on my cx bike...?

Nah, it'll be fine. 😁

After a couple of rejections I’m in this year - woohoo!

Got in for the 3rd year out of 4!

@markwsf and @theboyneeds
So you just got the pack through the post and now you have to pay the entry (in the next couple of weeks I think)

<span style="color: #444444; font-size: 12px; -webkit-text-size-adjust: auto;">Me too. That makes it every single year I have been unsuccessful now.</span>

Yep same!

First go this year, no joy

First attempt this year and got in, only entered on a whim but pretty excited now.

I’d best start thinking about getting some miles in.

Friend & his wife wanted to do it, only got one place.

I applied for the ballot twice and never got in. Got a charity place both times mind.

Wifey applied twice and got in both times. They have a fixed quota for male and female places (probably 50/50) and the male places are much more over-subscribed.

[i]I have a Large but need an XL.

Anyone lost weight and fancy a swap?[/i]

I have an XL from 2015 that's too big (I made the same mistake but the other way round). It's in perfect nick as I've only ever worn it around the house, I might be up for a swap.

I got a place but my usual riding buddy didn't.
I've done it twice before (2015 on my own + 2016 with riding buddy) so not actually that keen on riding it on my own again.
Will give it some thought as to what to do..

How does the ballot process work then?

Seems some folk are riding it for the second (or more times) yet others have been rejected multiple times.

Not me by the way, entered a couple of years back and didn't get it...haven't bothered since.

How does the ballot process work then?

Seems some folk are riding it for the second (or more times) yet others have been rejected multiple times.

Not me by the way, entered a couple of years back and didn’t get it…haven’t bothered since.

No-one seems to know. There are rumours each year. Women seem to get in every time. There was a story doing the rounds that if you put your home addess outside of the UK you get in every time as well (tourism being one of the driving factors). I saw a comment from a guy in Luxembourg who works in London 2 weeks a month and has a house there, he puts his Luxembourg address and gets in every time!

I've never got in via the official ballot so I didn't even bother trying this year; it's always been corporate places through work and somehow we've always managed to get the first wave off as well.

Every year unsuccessful.

6 out of 6 !!!

[img] [/img]

Accepted. first in six. But I plan on riding as a Ride Leader anyway.

BWT acceptance rate is about 1/6 for males so probability of six rejections is 1/47,000. You're special 🙂

Maths fail - probability of six rejections is about 1/3 : (5/6)^6

I reckon the ballot is weighted toward entrants from London.
I live in a London borough and have been successful 3 out of 5 times.
I also think the pick so many from each 'group' of ages/predicted completion times/etc.

I've also heard than you've usually got around a 1/6 chance of getting in if you are a male, but 1/2 chance of you are female.

In, first attempt. Live in the North East. Male.

Seems I need to put the lottery on this week.

Popularity has also increased, so it’s not (5/6)^6, bit moot though.

I didnt get in again though, so I’m 6/6 out. Will probably fix bikes again, I feel there should be a way of trading that in for a place!

>>I reckon the ballot is weighted toward entrants from London.</p>
I don't think so.
>I also think the pick so many from each ‘group’ of ages/predicted completion times/etc.</p>
>possilby
>> I’ve also heard than you’ve usually got around a 1/6 chance of getting in if you are a male, but 1/2 chance of you are female.</p>

>definitely.  They've got an objective of increasing female engagement.  It has occured to me that in these times of flexible sexuality there's absolutely nothing to stop you self-identifying as female.  It's not as if you're going to be dressed differently when you turn up at the start line.</p>

>put your home address outside of the UK you get in every time as well (tourism being one of the driving factors

definitely.  Tends to work the other way around as well if you apply for events outside the UK

[edit FFS.  I'm know there was a lot of moaning about the old forum but was there not ANY user testing of this new one?  in 20 plus years of hanging out online this really is getting on for the worst ]

Tried once and failed.

Was quite surprised by the cynical commercialism of it, TBH - how much do the commiserations magazines cost to make, and why are so many places allocated to certain charities?

Couldn't be bothered with the faff.

Avoid commitment to a date that may be raining.

Avoid huge numbers of people (one of the nice things about cycling)

Ride with your mates

Donate to a charity of your own choosing

Might just be me, being an old git, though 😉

i've been rejected four out of four

seen it finish a couple of times though, and in a way (no sour grapes, honest) I'm glad I've not got in.

Riding with 25k other people just doesn't tweak the nipples. But it does mean the roads near me are nice and quiet for a weekend...

[i] why are so many places allocated to certain charities?[/i]

why not?

[i]Avoid huge numbers of people[/i]

The huge numbers of people doing it is kinda the point

[i]Ride with your mates[/i]

I did

[i]Donate to a charity of your choice[/i]

I raised about £1500 both times I did it, with best will in the world I wouldn't have donated that much myself

[i]Might just be me, being an old git, though[/i]

Yup, reckon so 🙂

Was quite surprised by the cynical commercialism of it, TBH – how much do the commiserations magazines cost to make, and why are so many places allocated to certain charities?

it's a business (they also do the marathon) and they earn a lot of money from the charity places. It winds me up as Ride London was supposed to be an Olympic legacy event to get people cycling, but it's just a cash cow. That in itself is not unusual and wouldn't normally bother me except for the total uniqueness of the event (closed roads in the capital) means I really want to do it!!

[i]seen it finish a couple of times though, and in a way (no sour grapes, honest) I’m glad I’ve not got in.[/i]

[i]Riding with 25k other people just doesn’t tweak the nipples.[/i]

That'll be why you've only applied for it four times 😉

I think I've entered every year after the 1st one ie 2014,2015,2016,2017 and 2018.

i've been rejected everytime.

[i]it’s a business (they also do the marathon) and they earn a lot of money from the charity places. It winds me up as Ride London was supposed to be an Olympic legacy event to get people cycling, but it’s just a cash cow. That in itself is not unusual and wouldn’t normally bother me except for the total uniqueness of the event (closed roads in the capital) means I really want to do it!![/i]

Even if it was free to enter they'd still have to cap the numbers, so it would still probably be a ballot, so you'd stand no more chance of getting a place then now. In fact, you'd probably have even less of a chance, as more people would probably apply.

I have no problem paying, it's the fact that they artificially limit the number of paid entries by having so many "charity" places (as that is the massive earner for them)

It's also a massive earner for the charities, and that's a good thing right?

The charity places is really the legacy. I mean the london marathon is a marathon event 2nd, but a charity fundraiser first? I completely agree with that, plenty of sportives elsewhere to pay and go to. The more money going to charity the better.

plenty of sportives elsewhere to pay and go to.

I have no real interest in sportives, Ride London is unique with no real alternative AFAIK

It’s also a massive earner for the charities, and that’s a good thing right?

there's nothing to stop people raising money, you don't need a special "charity" place where London Marathon PLC skims off a sizeable chunk of the donation. Anyway this is a particular rabbit hole I can't be bothered disappearing down today so that's the last I'll say on the subject 🙂 (apart from my next post lol)

EDIT: well I've figured out how to get rid of the <span> nonsense or whatever when you quote, doing multiple quotes however seems to have eluded me!!

The charity places is really the legacy

couldn't disagree more, I certainly don't think it was sold as that originally either. It makes it totally exclusive because it prevents the poorest, who don't have loads of friends etc who can afford to sponsor them, unable to take part. Perfect for fat IT middle managers though doing their annual sporting event who can pass the sponsor form around the office.

Doh! - I was about to work out probability of at least one acceptance and forgot! That's 1 - (1-1/6)^6 = 67%. What I posted was six acceptances - and I've ridden all five times (never on a ballot place).

Anyway the actual likelihood of acceptance is also based on your projected time. If you put in a pretty standard 6 hours, you are much less likely to be accepted than if you put in 4:00:01 hours. If you are female it is about 1/2 based on our club.

I'm working with the organisers on providing ride leaders and improving safety. It's a great event, especially at the pointy end. Still no sub 4 hours 🙁

"I’m working with the organisers on providing ride leaders and improving safety"

Interesting - The standard of riding/safety on previous RideLondon100 events has been variable at best. anything that can be done to improve it would be great.

How would the 'Ride Leaders' work?

How would the ‘Ride Leaders’ work?

If what I saw last year was anything to go by, it didn't. It was two or three blokes out for a ride and they did the square root of **** all to actually assist with anything.

Admittedly I was in the front group and the standard seemed reasonable but at no point was there any introduction, any offers of advice, assistance, support, any attempt to get people to work together.

Totally at odds with all my ride leading experience where we have to actively engage with the riders, answer their questions, maybe do a little bit of directing (how to ride 2-up, the next bit of course involves x, y & z etc).

Maybe they were different further back with the more novice riders.

I doubt it was sold as a charity legacy thing to start with, I'd agree with that.I just think there's enough spaces that you dont have to fundraise, so a lot should be for charity as that's something decent coming out of it.

There are a lot of small charities who raise decent money (proportionally) via this. I know some who have had £300 or so and for the size of their charity, that has been a massive bonus to them.

My issue is the ballot system itself, seem to be a lot of people I know who have "won" on numerous occassions, whereas others, myself included, haven't despite entering annually. That seems odd to me, surely you should have a black mark against you to move you to the bottom of the list if you have been lucky enough previously.

Entered the ballot for the first time ever and been rejected which as I’m a woman clearly makes me as unlucky as I thought I was. I won’t be doing the charity route and will spend the money entering other sportives instead.

<span style="color: #444444; font-size: 12px;">That’ll be why you’ve only applied for it four times </span>

Oh I'm not saying I wouldn't do it, or apply again. Just to say I have done it. But if i don't get in, it's not the end of the world.

First time I've signed up. I had such a good time with Velo Brum I was keen to have a peep. Congratulations letter came through yesterday! Sadly it's on the exact same weekend as Pivot 24 12, which the missus has signed up for. Argh!

Crazy legs, this is what a club mate said about ride leaders get at the back of the event last year may be of interest;

"I was sceptical about the role too but in the end thought that it was definitely worthwhile.

I arrived at the end of the loading time just as the volunteer was trying to shut the pen as there wasn't any room for more people to fit in. He was happy l was there to help us look official and I blocked tge entrance with my bike as he asked people to go back to find the next vacant pen. Most took it well as they were late but some gave the volunteer some stick especially a bunch of real latecomers. He explained that he'd expected to have a partner to help do all this but had been on his own.

I then spent much of the ride making the usual manoeuvre signals, shouting for people to stay left to let faster riders through, and I asked 4 or 5 to keep at least one hand on their handlebars. I also asked those parked up if they were ok. Nearly all were fine.

I helped with a mechanical on Leith hill. A rider who's chain was stuck in the rear mechanism. She was upset and was grateful I could get it going again.

As we got going, an official car joined us on the climb which due to the number of riders ahead blocked the right hand side of the road. That resulted in frustrated faster riders shouting behind the car and one rider to fall (all ok) after we came to a virtual standstill as the car struggled to get past cyclists ahead.

Then at the top of Leith I helped a fella fix a puncture. He didn't have an inner tube, any glue for his repair patches or a pump!!! So I ended up doing the job and sold him an inner tube for £3.

Within 2 miles I helped with another puncture. Then another minor mechanical later on.

As usual I saw several ambulances - but I wasn't needed.

Several people asked me about the role as we went along - and appeared to think it was a good idea. They appreciated a bit of local knowledge and one lady at the start on her first sportive was reassured we'd be out there.

I think that there could be more warning of pinch points where the road narrows which cause sudden braking with the potential for accidents.

I also reflected on the role of the volunteers. The chap looking after my pen the start got uneccesary stick and I saw that many more did when I got back to Putney. Some pedestrians were offended at having to wait until it was safe to cross the High Street and they let the volunteers know it. It was a bit hair raising to see them stop the cyclists at the bottom of Putney hill. One volunteer reported a bad crash where a pedestrian that couldn't wait, dashed across causing a cyclist to come off. I also got a bit of verbals, about cyclists, from a frustrated driver stuck in the congestion as I returned home from the ride."

<span style="color: #444444; font-size: 12px; background-color: #eeeeee;"> It makes it totally exclusive because it prevents the poorest, who don’t have loads of friends etc who can afford to sponsor them, unable to take part. Perfect for fat IT middle managers though doing their annual sporting event who can pass the sponsor form around the office.</span>

Oxfam have places for £50 entry plus £50 minimum sponsorship so hardly a great leap from the £69 the ballot costs.

£50 minimum sponsorship, are you sure? It's normally something like £500.

https://oxfam.nutickets.com/32823

Yes, unless they've made a massive error on the website.

The declaration you've have to fill in as part of the application even says £50