[Closed] Ride London 2016

Waiting to find out...

Not in.

Would have been nice, but not too disappointed.

I got my "tough shit" magazine in the post. Or maybe that was last year's. I forget. Time flies, doesn't it?

Also, I'm a lot less bothered since I moved from London to Surrey last year. Riding to the start, into Surrey back to London, and home back from the finish is one thing. Less appealing to train in from Surrey day the before, find somewhere to stay, ride to Surrey and back and train home again.

I guess I'll find out tonight..??

Did it last year - would like to do it again but ultimately not that fussed.

I went to watch last year as it went past the in-laws house.

Not had anything back yet, but deadline is 15th?

How do people get back from the end of the ride?

Is it "do the ride, then jump no the train with your bike and get back to your car"?

Surely there would be 1000's of people with bikes trying to get somewhere...

Or do you just ride back and do the course in reverse too

'COMMISERATIONS"

Oh, thanks. 🙂

Got badgered into applying last year.
Received the 'commiserations' magazine, then realised how cynically exploitative the whole mass participation charity events have become.
What the magazine basically says is "there aren't enough spaces in the event for us to offer you one, because we pre-allocated them to charities who will offer you a place, thereby preventing you from raising money for the charity of your choice. Oh yes, we hope you don't mind the awful waste and cost involved in printing this glossy magazine as a way of insulting you"

Or am I just getting old and grouchy? 😉

Anyway, I also feel rather embarrassed to ask people to sponsor me for doing something that I love - I'd rather just go for a quiet ride with my mates, and donate some money to charity anyway.

For those of you who do get in - enjoy the day, rise to the challenge, raise whatever you can and (most important of all) be safe and represent cycling in a good way

How do people get back from the end of the ride?

Is it "do the ride, then jump no the train with your bike and get back to your car"?

Yep

I stayed in a crappy travelodge the night before, rode to start, did ride, then rode to station and got train home.

It was a nice quiet train and I was the only one with a bike on my carriage.

The starts are staggered over quite a few hours and this spreads everything out quite a bit. I was in an earlyish start group and was finished by just after 11, so that probably helped

i was chastised by Mrs Feet for not doing it for charity last year. i said it was because I didn't really see it as a big enough 'challenge' to warrant badgering people for money. Apparently that was the wrong answer!

How do people get back from the end of the ride?

Is it "do the ride, then jump no the train with your bike and get back to your car"?

walked/rode to Charring X with bike - train home (Orpington) shower/dinner then got a lift back to the O2 to pick up my car.

Yeah not in but the wife got in, pity really as we rarely get the chance to ride together.

when is it this year? just so's I can arrange a weekend away then.

Just got a message from my wife, I'm in!

Best get some riding done.

31st July

Didn't get in and actually quite gutted.

This would have been my first big road event and I was well up for it.

Are there any other events that are similar in the UK? Won't be as convenient cause I actually live in Surrey but I'd still like something on my calendar for me to train towards...

aP - Member
when is it this year? just so's I can arrange a weekend away then.

aP - Member
When is it? Just so's I can arrange to be away that weekend.

POSTED 1 YEAR AGO #

😆 Google wasn't working a year ago either, right? 🙂

I can't be arsed to google it, when I know someone on here will be keen to let me know when it is 😉

enbern - there are loads on here: http://www.ukcyclingevents.co.uk/, they won't be the same scale or prestige/closed roads as the Ride London, but plenty to choose from.

I loved the Ride London last year, didn't enter this year as fancied something different, going for a couple as linked on the page above.

aP - Member
I can't be arsed to google it, when I know someone on here will be keen to let me know when it is

fair point - QED...

Cheers theflatboy I appreciate it, I actually already do a few of the MTB events on that website and will definitely be doing some road ones this year!

I was hoping for some epic rides similar to the Ride London - on closed roads would be all the more sweet!

Guess I'll have to settle for the London to Brighton - only 54 miles though, which I don't think will be too hard. I'll just have to do it FAST.

Dragon Ride is a good effort, although the last time I did it people seemed to be being scraped into ambulances every time the road changed direction.
I'd suggest just going to ride stuff in Europe instead, its much better, and the level of riding isn't quite so awful as it is in the UK. ie Maratona, Marmotte type events.

fair point - QED...

except 2 seconds clicking and swiping over a bit of the thread title, then pasting into a google search would have got him the answer quicker and with less bother than typing out how much he didn't want to be around (again) and then about how unbothered he was about it after all.

but then we wouldn't know how unbothered he was.

I'd like to do it again and get the full 100 in. I did the Bertha year and got cut short to 86.

I'm in.

Now I can start fretting about getting there and back...

My riding buddy has just sent me a picture of his acceptance letter - I'm at work so not idea what the postman has delivered to my house..

The suspense is killing me!!

I'd like to do it again and get the full 100 in. I did the Bertha year and got cut short to 86.

Me too. I was relatively happy that my ride to the start and back from the finish put me over 100 anyway.

Might even be pleasant in the dry! Except it wouldn't. You'd just go faster until you reached your tolerance level for unpleasantness.

If you want something similar try the Nichole sportive, not closed roads but similar length and many of the same bits.

if you didn't get in, you could join a BC-affiliated road club who can apply for an allocation of tickets.

Got in through the ballot last year and did the full 100.

Got in again this year - well chuffed 😀

It's a no for me, but I'm going to take a charity place with the good people from Beating Bowel Cancer.

I did the Ride London 86 a couple of years ago. The rain was biblical; I've never ridden a bike in rain as heavy as that. To my amazement my Castelli Sottile rain cape kept my top half pretty dry.

I did the Ride London 86 a couple of years ago. The rain was biblical; I've never ridden a bike in rain as heavy as that. To my amazement my Castelli Sottile rain cape kept my top half pretty dry.

I actually quite enjoyed that!
I only got a place in it through work who'd "bought" 3 team places and allocated them by raffle. I've never got in through the normal ballot. Not heard yet but I'm expecting the "commiserations" magazine on my door as usual. 🙁

No place for me, but I'll probably chuck my name in the hat work the work ballot for a space

In 🙂

I'm in!

I'm in! Now to start working out what looks set to be a logistical nightmare!

I'm in, got 24/12 solo the weekend before.

I'm in too.

Looking forward to it after I had to bail on the first year.

Rejected again 🙁

FFS. Another year with no joy. Sigh.

Wonder what I'm doing wrong on my app - have applied every year with no success. Nor can I get a London Marathon place, having tried that four or so times.

Might need to look at doing the charity thing, but like others have said I don't feel it's enough challenge to warrant it. Ho hum.

Well bugger me, I'm in. Wasn't expecting that at all, not even a flicker of expectation when I opened the packet.

Applied every year, never got in until I moved out of London, making taking part much more of a palaver! Maybe that's what bumped me in. Me bringing my considerable provincial spending power to the hostelries of London.

It's a no for me. Done it last year for the MS Society but only 96 miles due to the detour at Leith Hill. Kind of gutted but kind of relieved, got our first kid on the way in April so training would likely be replaced with changing dirty nappies, vomit and lack of sleep....

Im in as well .
Looking foward to it , although my winter milage is probably 10% of last years so alot of work to do . This does mean however I might miss out on DrP's now legendary Brighton- London-Brighton car crash of a bike ride as last year it was on the same day as RL.

Same as reluctant Londoner for me....I'm out...after applying every year so far unsuccessfully

not in this year.
never mind - I might join in anyway.

Commiserations for me. 3rd entry. 3rd failure.

Will do spannering again I think!

That's another annoyance - some people get in every year, others never get in.
Can't help thinking they should prioritize newcomers.

Rejected.

I said I wouldn't be too bothered after doing it for the last 3 years but I was gutted when I saw the magazine last night.

seems like a lot of people on here didn't get places - guess the application numbers are getting bigger and bigger...

That's another annoyance - some people get in every year, others never get in.

Lady friend of mine has got a ballot place every year. Two X chromosomes seem to help your chances, from what I've seen.

She might not do it this year - 2 weeks after an iron man. 100 miles probably doesn't fall into the category of "recovery leg-stretcher"!

I've applied every year and not been successful, as have at least 4 of my friends each and every year.

Agree with others, when people know you enjoying riding, it's hard to ask for sponsership when it's something that whilst challenging, is doable and something you enjoy.

and also if you're just going for a decent time, rather than trying to get round at all - when I did the Dragon ride I raised quite a bit, but was comfortable asking as I wasn't sure I'd actually get round!

just had a text from a mate.

he didn't bother entering the ballot this year after three knockbacks but just got an acceptance letter...

That must be the key to success - play hard to get 😆

didn't bother entering the ballot this year after three knockbacks but just got an acceptance letter

How does that work then?

How does that work then?

that's what he's wondering.

Commiserations for me (0/1).

Last year I failed the ballot but got a charity place with Shelter.

This year I failed the ballot but have just got a charity place with UNICEF.

Both years I ticked the 'donate your entry fee and if you miss the ballot we'll send you a natty riding top'. This year's top actually fits 🙂

Don't you just wait until a month beforehand and then take up someone else's place when reality hits home/they realise they haven't done any training etc.?

I'm sure there's been people trying to give away entries here before and on other forums (yes, they do exist)/in the workplace etc.

I was a spectator last year. there were plenty crossing the finish line without numbers on.

I've also done the London double this year, with rejections for the marathon and the ride.

I'm going to do the Manchester marathon and the Salford triathlon instead.

Just wait, they'll come crawling back next year!

Matt

Much to my surprise, I'm in. Even bigger surprise is that my better half managed to get in as well. Now do I ride with her at a pace that I will find painfully slow or do I do it at my own pace and suffer the consequences!

when I did the Dragon ride I raised quite a bit, but was comfortable asking as I wasn't sure I'd actually get round!

I wouldn't do it for charity.

0/4 🙁

Will be submitting the BC Club challenge again this year. Might ride for a charity too (Winston's Wish). Hoping for sub 4 hrs.

njee20 - Member
when I did the Dragon ride I raised quite a bit, but was comfortable asking as I wasn't sure I'd actually get round!
I wouldn't do it for charity.

?

£58 😯

Rejected

I'll probably being doing my own event...
"Who gives a sh*t about London 100"
100 miles of quiet Sussex lanes, with a pub stop half way (sausage, mash and a pint will be less than £56)

😉

Yep, ì got a place, which is a shòck as i dont recall ever entering?!? I have missed out the previous 3 years though when i defo did enter. Now for the pain in the balls of finding accomodation, parking etc. Im beginning to wonder if its actually worth the hassle.. Are there any campsites in the vicinity of the start? Or perhaps a Premier Inn/ Travel lodge type place?

theflatboy - Member

when I did the Dragon ride I raised quite a bit, but was comfortable asking as I wasn't sure I'd actually get round!

I wouldn't do it for charity.

?

Just have a bit of a thing about asking for sponsorship for something that isn't a challenge and that I want to do.

Yep, ì got a place, which is a shòck as i dont recall ever entering?!? I have missed out the previous 3 years though when i defo did enter. Now for the pain in the balls of finding accomodation, parking etc. Im beginning to wonder if its actually worth the hassle.. Are there any campsites in the vicinity of the start? Or perhaps a Premier Inn/ Travel lodge type place?

Best option is to park at the O2 and ride through the Blackwall tunnel (which is closed on the day)
You'll get an email/letter from them about parking etc a few weeks before.

I'll probably being doing my own event...
"Who gives a sh*t about London 100"
100 miles of quiet Sussex lanes, with a pub stop half way (sausage, mash and a pint will be less than £56)

....said nobody who won a ballot place ever 😀

I'm in. 1/3 for me.

Here's an alternative, or a warm up for anyone interested. Beautiful countryside and quiet roads in Hants and West Sussex. Great homemade cake at the stops, if you're lucky, you might get some of my wife's.

We'll be doing the 60 miler again. That was plenty last year. Don't really fancy nearly double the climbing!

http://littlelumpy.co.uk/

Challenge: 60 miles (96.5km) with 4587ft (1398m) of climbing, over the South Downs four times and with two feed stops.

Epic: 100 miles (161km) with 8434ft (2570m) of climbing, eleven climbs and three feed stops.

3 applications.
3 rejections.

Maybe I should have pretended to be a girl.

0 for 3 here as well, and 0 for 6 on the London marathon. Started to get a bit cheesed off!!

Maybe Ride London could introduce a "good for age" category like the marathon... No idea how you'd police it though, mandatory 10 mile TT?? 😈

In at the 4th attempt! Now to sort out some accommodation: any recommendations?

ransos - depends if you want an earlier start and quick finish (i.e. hotel near the mall) or the opposite. I'd reckon it'll depend on your start time.

ransos - depends if you want an earlier start and quick finish (i.e. hotel near the mall) or the opposite. I'd reckon it'll depend on your start time.

I reckon I'd be best off staying nearer the start - I'll have to collect my pack the day before from Excel. I have friends in SE London so I'm going to see if they can put me up, but I don't suppose they'll be too impressed with me getting up at 5am.