So if you put an ultrafast estimate and a first wave you’re clearly much more likely to get a place than if you put a middling finish time and a later start time.

I’ve always specified that every time I applied and it didn’t seem to make any difference.
I actually thought they wanted to aim more for the “family” market, the hobbyist rather than the out and out wannabe racers. Same reason why women get proportionally far more places, they’re trying to balance it out and not just make it one massive testosterone fuelled smashfest.

might try putting a really slow time next time then!

crazy-legs – Member
I’ve always specified that every time I applied and it didn’t seem to make any difference.

That’s interesting – I have no inside knowledge, just making an assumption on distribution curve of entrants and what I assume makes up a smaller proportion of entrants’ responses to the entry form.

I put myself as an experience club rider looking for six hour ish on the basis that thats true and also I thought from the organisers perspective I would be a safe bet.

Out
got in the draw last year and had a blast , till the road closures.
Might get an entry in the club ‘ballot’ , might not.
Was thinking of a cheeky 0500 wang around closed roads then bug out after Box Hill

Just read on another forum the tip to put yourself down as a foreigner since part of the event remit is to promote tourism. An Aussie couple (who live in London) said they used their Aus address and had got a place every single year. That was backed up by a guy who lives in Luxembourg (but works every other week in London) who said he’d had the same.

Guess next year there’ll be a spike in the number of entries from continental Europe. 😉

Yeah I’ve read that about nationalities too. And women. Harder to blag that one.

I’ve put a fast time every year and it’s made no difference!

Well hello Nickola..

Might be a problem when you collect your number and goody bag
But shirly anyone can with the correct paperwork as I dont recall them needing photo ID

Haha, yeah maybe next year I’ll give it a go! sign in with my helmet and sunglasses on, maybe it’ll work!

Being French is probably easier!

Oui
Mon ami habité Geneva , avec mon Francais nom de famille = sorted!

Out again, 100% fail rate over the past few years. Considering going for a charity place this year but I kind of feel bad about asking my friends for money for something I’d like to do for fun anyway.

Yep that’s always my issue. It’s something I want to do for fun, it’s not a challenge, I feel cheeky asking for sponsorship.

Re the fundraising, what happens if you don’t meet the minimum pledge? I mean, I’ve just seen an advert on my Facebook for a charity place, you pay £10 and pledge to raise a minimum of £450. But presumably they have no way of forcing that? Fundraising could conceivably continue for a while after the event so if it got to the day and you’d only got £100, you could always claim post-event fundraising as well.

Ethically, I’d consider it very wrong to play the game like that – get an entry then just not raise anything (or not meet the minimum) but surely it happens?

As njee20 says ^^ no-one is going to sponsor me to ride 100 miles as it’s not exactly a challenge for me, it’s just a fun day out.

5/5 not in again. Bugger – was hoping to get in, but not sure I’ll bother applying again. Over subscription and the inevitable crashes means I think I’m pretty much paying to stand on a hill in Surrey unless I get very lucky!!

Why do they even bother with the mag, post and sheer waste of it all – an email with a PDF copy of the mag …..

Good point.

Considering going for a charity place this year but I kind of feel bad about asking my friends for money for something I’d like to do for fun anyway.

that plus the charity places are total BS if you understand how they work, I would be too embarrassed to ask anyone to contribute. Like those numptys who try to get you to pay for their “charity” trekking holiday in the Himalayas.

I’m guessing it’s because a ‘commiserations’ email would go straight in the trash whereas the magazine has been sat there ever since goading me into doing it for charity 😀

I’m not though- I’m rubbish at fund raising.

It is a cracking event though. The sheer scale of it is mind blowing. One of my best days in 2016.

Just read on another forum the tip to put yourself down as a foreigner since part of the event remit is to promote tourism. An Aussie couple (who live in London) …….

I know which forum you’re talking about

I failed again 5/5, but today I received confirmation of a place in the Brompton world champs. Unfortunately I’m now scheduled for a new hip at the start of July. Maybe next year.

that plus the charity places are total BS if you understand how they work,

Well, in 2015 I raised just over a grand for Shelter via a RideLondon charity place, and in 2016 did the same for Unicef. I assume that’s cash they wouldn’t have had if I hadn’t done it, so it’s all good, right?