[Closed] Ride London 2017, who's in?

I didn't get in 🙁
Have a few friends to tap up for a place but otherwise I'll focus on other things.

Nope, that weekend I shall mostly be riding with Eddy Merkcx, near Verona. 😉

I'm out too. I get the feeling they're only interested if you're going to raise funds.

I got in last year so I'm trying Velo Birmingham as a target event this year. Same idea but a bit hillier!

Expecting my try again magazine to be sat waiting for me when I get home. 🙂

aP - Member
Nope, that weekend I shall mostly be riding with Eddy Merkcx, near Verona.

Well at least you're ahead of the curve this year! 😆

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

POSTED 2 YEARS AGO #

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

POSTED 12 MONTHS AGO #

Well at least you're ahead of the curve this year!

I had to defer last year's ballot place, so should have one this year.

I got in last year so I'm trying Velo Birmingham as a target event this year.

Same here

Same idea but a bit hillier!

Wait, what? 😯

5 years, never got a place, done 3 times for charity and to be honest, i wouldn't do it again, it is fun to ride around London for last 8 miles on closed roads, but other than that there are just to many people doing it now, struggled to get up hills due to people walking and then on downhills as people ride as a group spanning whole road. Saw a ridiculous number of accidents last year purely through people riding it, who don't really have very much experience of riding in a group, let alone surrounded by 1000's of people.

Charities seem to putting up the amount they want you to raise too, started at £400-500, now it is £800-1000.

Applied every year, never got in. That's got to be a record?!

Looks like I'm sharing the honour with you there!
Strangely, everyone I know who got in for the first year has been successful every year since.

Saw a ridiculous number of accidents last year purely through people riding it, who don't really have very much experience of riding in a group, let alone surrounded by 1000's of people.

TBH it's a real British problem in sportives in general. I don't have as much of an issue with beginners as some people (providing they have even basic road sense) but there's a lot of sunday heroes out to smash it who act like ****s in general, living out their TdF fantasies even if it means putting others at risk. If they were THAT good they'd be with the 4-hour finishers 🙂

I tend to bimble down descents if there's a chance of someone ending up in my way. I'm in for a good time but a few seconds difference is better than a trip in an ambulance (even the party ambulance posted on here the other day).

Boom!!

I'm in....again 🙂

(and will thoroughly enjoy living out my fantasies)

TBH it's a real British problem in sportives in general. I don't have as much of an issue with beginners as some people (providing they have even basic road sense) but there's a lot of sunday heroes out to smash it who act like **** in general

You are right, i found it was just amplified due to the sheer number or people, riding up Leith Hill (at my not very quick pace) and there was a sheer wall of people walking ahead of me, looked at me when i asked if they'd mind moving so i could actually ride my bike up as if i was being rude.

I fairly rarely do sportives these days, but something like the Dragon Ride is great, still got a decent number taking part, but long beautiful climbs, and you can really go for it on the descents.

5 out of 5 rejections 😥

Just got my "tough shit" consolation magazine. Again. Applied every year, never got in. That's got to be a record?!

I'm out too. I get the feeling they're only interested if you're going to raise funds.

Applied every year, never got in. That's got to be a record?!

my brother in law has got in every year on the ballot.

You are right, i found it was just amplified due to the sheer number or people, riding up Leith Hill (at my not very quick pace) and there was a sheer wall of people walking ahead of me, looked at me when i asked if they'd mind moving so i could actually ride my bike up as if i was being rude.

I got in an early-ish wave when I did it and didn't stop at a feed station until Westcott and even then only for long enough to refill my bottles. Leith was still a bit of a shit show but nowhere near as bad as for those even 30 mins behind. My biggest issue was the descent from Leith Hill... people sitting on top tubes pro-style, people dragging their brakes because they were nervous, people suddenly stopping to wait for mates etc. It's a nice descent if you're not with loads of people but a nightmare with such a mixed bag.

In this year, after four years of trying.

Did the 46 last year, and like zilog would thoroughly recommend it for a nice wee, pretty much stress free, tour through London.

Didn't get in this year. 4th year I've applied and have a 50% success rate.

Based in Kingston so might just join the route early and head round the hills on empty roads and then into London.

Mrs Mcavennie got in, so it's not even as if we can go away for the weekend.

Got a charity place. Need to raise a grand. Really need to crack on with that...

Riding for Anthony Nolan in memory of 29erKeith.

Didn't even bother applying this year, every time I have applied I've had the "commisserations" magazine. Always got my place last minute through a workplace team. Did it in the biblical downpour year (2014??) and 2016.

Last year was fine as I was in the first wave off so we got a blistering pace going.

If something comes up through work or other connections I'll put my name down for it.

First time of applying (as they don't do an MTB one!) & didn't get in. I have entered - non-lottery - the Welsh & Birmingham Velothons though......

Bums. 100% failure record for me.

Dammit, I can't even be the best failure!

Yep, 100% failure for me too now!

Did it in 2014. Got a place in 2015 but couldn't. 2016 and 2017 got commiserated.

Quite fancied it this year. I suppose I could get a charity place but I don't feel comfortable asking for sponsorship to do something I'll really enjoy!

Didn't get in. Thankfully have applied for HONC which clashes so still have somewhere to ride around really slowly for several hours whilst wishing I'd trained.

Just to send home the point I walked in the house to find 2 commiserations magazines.

Can't help but wonder if they sent them out as emails with PDFs they'd save a lot of money, which could reduce entry prices?

Anyway I'm not bitter or anything as I was lucky enough to ride the TOB closed road London stage last year. 🙄

I wonder if any of the information you provide influences the desicion?

i was in last year but really didnt have the motivation so deferred. definitely keen this time around though even if it is a total pain to get to from the far west of cornwall.

A no for me yet again this year..... getting bored of applying!

Your estimated time of completion seems to influence the ballet so they get a spread of people on the course, the marathon works the same way. But as you don't know what everyone else's is putting down so you can't really try and guess whether it better so say 4 hours or 8 .
When I was faster I had a much better hit rate of getting into the London marathon than I have recently (gone from finish time in the top quartile to mid pack and plummeting).
The entry system seems a bit odd as due to basic incompetence I managed to enter twice with the same details, I must have entered when the ballot opened and when I got the reminder that there was 2 days left to enter I entered again having forgotten the first time.

Got in via the ballot in 2015 and 2016 so wasn't surprised to get a rejection this year.
Will apply for a place on the 46 and see what happens..

So a friend is now 5/5 in

and i'm

5/5 out

Wonder just how random their ballots algorithm is because my maths isn't great but it seems lots of 5/5 not in and lots of people get in every year. I'd expect it to be a bit more mixed.

??

It says clearly on their website that it's not a fully random process. They shape it based on estimated completion time and preferred starting time, partly to make it a spread of ability and partly to make logistics easier at the start and the end. 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.

If people really want a place it would appear there's nothing to stop you manipulating your chances based on that information.

I've done it once, in 2015, and as far as I can recall that was the only year I tried for a place. And for the record, it was one of the best times I've ever had on a bike, flawless organisation and a great day all in all.

there were plenty of charities last year who had clearly overbought their places and were passing them on nearer to the date for a suitable entry fee sized donation.

So a friend is now 5/5 in

and i'm

5/5 out

Wonder just how random their ballots algorithm is because my maths isn't great but it seems lots of 5/5 not in and lots of people get in every year. I'd expect it to be a bit more mixed.

??

Its a bit rubbish for sure, but that's how random works.
Go roll a dice 100 times and i'd expect you to get 3 runs where you roll a 4/5/6 5 times in a row.

5/5 out again. May ride for club or charity this year.

I refer you to the coupon collectors problem

Prob place = 1/6 (roughly)
Prob no place = (1-1/6)
Prob never place = (1-1/6)^5
Prob at least one place = 1 - (1-1/6)^5
Prob at least one place = 59.8%

Clearly we five-times rejected just moan more. But we are a 40% minority.

For females, replace 1/6 with 1/2 (possibly 1/3 now).

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.

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?