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I've just had an idea.
I love long, informal big-group rides, like the Dunwich Dynamo and the Race to the Sun. Minimal costs, minimal organising, minimal rules, just hundreds/thousands of people turning up and all going for a long ride somewhere nice.
In June, there is the Race to the Sun. In July, there is the Dunwich Dynamo. Now what if there was a similar grass-roots mass Century ride every month throughout the year, in a different part of the country each time?
Yes I know there are Audaxes (not interested in getting my card stamped in a bus shelter somewhere) and sportives (**** right off)
Anyone else?
I'd say Audax satisfies your criteria (except for the thousands of participants). Most of the controls on Audax events I have ridden have been nice cafes, or village halls with good catering. You don't have to get your card stamped if you don't want to!
I wouldn't underestimate the effort involved in organising even an informal event. I bet the volunteers behind these things put a lot of time in to them.
I'd say Audax satisfies your criteria (except for the thousands of participants). Most of the controls on Audax events I have ridden have been nice cafes, or village halls with good catering. You don't have to get your card stamped if you don't want to!I wouldn't underestimate the effort involved in organising even an informal event. I bet the volunteers behind these things put a lot of time in to them.
Yep I hear everything you say. A couple of questions - not as challenges to your points but as genuine enquiries...
1. Why do Audaxes get entries in double figures, while the DD and RTTS get hundreds and thousands?
2. If you or I were to write on this forum "Let's all meet in Hebden Bridge on the second Saturday of September and ride to Scarborough", what other organisation would be required?
OK. What route are you going to use?
I don't know, it was a hypothetical. But since you asked, let's say, hypothetically, Hebden, Keighley, Harrogate, Easingwold, Malton...
If an announcement on a forum is all you want to do give it a go. I used to do that for mtb's on another forum a few years ago. I think the most we got was about 10 normally 4 or 5. Problem I can see with getting a big group of strangers together to do a century is who decides the pace, do you all go at the pace if the slowest ? If not you'll have to publish route details ect, ect and before you know it you've "organised" an audax.
Yep - publicise via internet, put a gpx out there...
...and if it ends up just me and a few mates then nothing lost. I just think it could be fun to have more DD/RTTS type rides throughout the year and in different parts of the country.
Exmouth Exodus in August. I'm trying it as an alternative to the Dynamo.
Yep - I found that earlier and I'm in 🙂
A lot of the London Audaxes get hundreds of riders and would get more if the organizers were willing to deal with the hassle.
E.g. 400 for Great Escape in May, 360 started the Ditchling Devil in June and all 1,500 places will sell out for London-Edinburgh-London in 2017.
If you are going to start your event from somewhere that isn't London you would naturally expect to attract fewer people because you don't have an audience of millions close by. But that doesn't mean you shouldn't try!
Yes I know there are Audaxes (not interested in getting my card stamped in a bus shelter somewhere) and sportives (**** right off)
Don't see much difference between sportives, audaxes and what you're proposing, just levels of organisation.
Don't see much difference between sportives, audaxes and what you're proposing, just levels of organisation.
What I'm proposing is free, doesn't have any rules, is an overnight ride, doesn't require registration, brevet cards or numbers, ends with a swim in the North Sea...
I realise it won't appeal to all, but I think it's worth putting it out there.
how do we get back ?
It does sound like pretty much an audax though.
Only difference is an audax has to have the distance measured and verified, and there's cake. The timing 'rules' for an audax just make it easy to stick in groups.
So in terms of on the day stuff, you've gotten rid of the cake. This is why your idea won't catch on.
Although see DrP twice biannual Brighton to Brighton via London, that's September's sorted. And look up reliability trials, a lot of clubs run them, kinda like a cross between a TT and an Audax.
is an overnight ride
Whilst a novelty once in a while, it means a day ride ends up taking 3, because you can't really work all Friday (you'll want a lie in then need to drive to the start), then Saturday is wiped out sleeping and Sunday spent grumpy and getting your body clock sorted again.
Although see DrP twice biannual Brighton to Brighton via London
He talked about a cafe stop. It's an audax 😉
This is why your idea won't catch on.
Dunwich Dynamo = approx. 2000 riders
RTTC = approx. 800 riders registered this year
Exmouth Exodus = 100-300 riders (not bad considering the location and it's a more challenging ride)
It's caught on!
Whilst a novelty once in a while, it means a day ride ends up taking 3, because you can't really work all Friday (you'll want a lie in then need to drive to the start), then Saturday is wiped out sleeping and Sunday spent grumpy and getting your body clock sorted again.
Dude don't come 😀
how do we get back ?
You get the train. Or you ride back. Or you do what I do, and set your better half up in a hotel at the finish, then crawl in there at 6am for coffee, sexual intercourse, brunch, sightseeing and a lift home (roughly in that order):-)
If there was demand, it wouldn't be the end of world to sort out a coach or two. That's what the RTTC and the Exmouth Exodus do. The DD has grown over the years into a fleet of coaches and lorries.
Dude don't come
I was already put off by the lack of cake, even sportives as abominable as they are realize that cake is a fundamental requirement 😛
[quote> http://fridaynightridetothecoast.blogspot.co.uk/
Please come along! I'm doing London-Brighton this Friday and Cardiff-Swansea the following week. The rides are all done at a very civilized pace, with waymarking and a mid-ride café stop. We finish at the seaside for breakfast.
Exmouth Exodus in August. I'm trying it as an alternative to the Dynamo.
It's a great ride! I've done it the last three years but unfortunately I can't make it this time.
Whilst a novelty once in a while, it means a day ride ends up taking 3
Eh? The Friday night rides start at midnight, so there's no problem with working all day Friday - for the London rides I take the 2030 train from Bristol. I find that an early afternoon nap on the Saturday (on the train home after a couple of pints) plus a full night's sleep sees me right for the Sunday.
Always thought about doing something similar running from Cambridge (easy to get to by train and huge cyclist population) out to one of the lovely coastal beaches in North Norfolk near me, such as Wells next the Sea or Holkham, simple AA route planner search makes it 75 miles by car, but taking the quiter back roads and adding in places of interest would be 100 miles easily, plus then it isn't that far back to Kings Lynn for a train or a bit further on to Norwich.
+ points- good beer, cider yard, beautiful beach and cafe.
- points- not really an event for the climbers...
I was already put off by the lack of cake
My friend, if you come, I will personally ensure that my partner and kids run a cake-and-tea stall at the half way point, just for you 🙂
Always thought about doing something similar running from Cambridge (easy to get to by train and huge cyclist population) out to one of the lovely coastal beaches in North Norfolk near me, such as Wells next the Sea or Holkham, simple AA route planner search makes it 75 miles by car, but taking the quiter back roads and adding in places of interest would be 100 miles easily, plus then it isn't that far back to Kings Lynn for a train or a bit further on to Norwich.+ points- good beer, cider yard, beautiful beach and cafe.
- points- not really an event for the climbers...
If you could get it to over 100 miles, sounds great. I'd definitely come.
Let me get my planning head on.
Having a Field of Dreams "build it and they will come" moment.
Don't see much difference between sportives, audaxes
I've got to assume you've either never done either, or only ever done one kind, as they are like chalk and cheese both in organisation and execution.
Exmouth Exodus in August. I'm trying it as an alternative to the Dynamo.
It is ace! good route, good atmosphere, good cake, good company (if you want it).
I like the idea, the difficulty is though that a lot of local clubs will already do this kind of thing (I know ours does), so not only might you be competing with them, you've also got the added issue of gettign people to travel when there is a local alternative. But I love the idea of using something like this to go and ride new places with new people and on a route that's already been 'pre-checked' so to speak to make sure it's at least a ice route.
I think what's being discussed here goes under the technical niche name of "A Group Ride".
"A Group Ride"
Yes.
Don't see much difference between sportives, audaxes
Spordax... 😉