Ride London 2018

funnights74

I see that the online ballot/entry opened for this today. You are informed in February if you have a place. £69 fee and if you don't get a spot you can still donate it to a nominated charity!! Would like to do it but it seems a bit "Ring of Kerry". If I pay and I'm not picked I want a refund, I will chose any charity donations off my own bat.

Eamonnator

If you choose to donate to the designated charities and you don't get a spot, you're entered into another ballot.
It's their gig, and like RoK, they make the rules.
If you don't like it, don't enter.
I'm pretty sure, it'll sell out one way or the other.

funnights74

funnights74 wrote: »

I see that the online ballot/entry opened for this today. You are informed in February if you have a place. £69 fee and if you don't get a spot you can still donate it to a nominated charity!! Would like to do it but it seems a bit "Ring of Kerry". If I pay and I'm not picked I want a refund, I will chose any charity donations off my own bat.

£96 for an overseas entry, which seems to give you a better chance of getting a place for whatever reason

Fireball XL5

funnights74 wrote: »

I see that the online ballot/entry opened for this today. You are informed in February if you have a place. £69 fee and if you don't get a spot you can still donate it to a nominated charity!! Would like to do it but it seems a bit "Ring of Kerry". If I pay and I'm not picked I want a refund, I will chose any charity donations off my own bat.

Strange - I just registered and it didn't cost me a penny to register - even got my registration fro the ballot confirmation e mail. Not quite sure where you are getting 69 euro figure from - or am i missing something?

funnights74

I went right through the process and a payment page wanting credit card details came up. There were options regarding charities or a good quality rain cape if you don't get a spot.

Boscoirl

I registered as an overseas applicant, they didn't ask for any money yet

ratracer

Cheers OP, hadn't been aware of the ballot, but I'm in for it now.

Here's hoping!!

funnights74

Sorted now, I hadn't seen the overseas applicant option. Here's hoping.

Has anyone here done it this year? I know they had serious numbers in the region of 28k this year but how many did the 160km course?

Just curious if the numbers participating were an issue ? Very tempted to do it next year and make a holiday of it. Only a few weeks after our 1st 100km one here but would be a real goal to work towards for us.

GabbaTheHutt

You dont have to pay up front - you can pay if/when you get a place.

I didn't do it this year but did the previous 3 years. Basically anyone I know with an overseas address got an entry. 3 UK friends from London used a relatives address in Paris and all got in too! With the overseas entries costing a lot more they are on a nice moneymaker.

Big mix of abilities has become the biggest problem with this event. Mixing club, charity, experienced and novice cyclists was starting to get scary over the past few years even though they did try to get people to estimate times. I heard people complaining that slower cyclists were estimating faster times so that they would get an earlier start time and vice versa with faster cyclists claiming slower speeds so they didnt have to be at the start so early. If you keep your wits about you you will be fine. Be particularly careful at the point where the 46mile route rejoins the 100mile route about 20 km before the finish - its a very fast stretch and all of a sudden there are hybrids and mountain bikes appearing all around you

It's a great event, the crowds and support along the route is fantastic - its my second favourite event after the Etape. Finishing on The Mall in front of the palace is cool:)

gaffmaster

I've done it the last three years, and have started at progressively earlier start times each year as I got fitter/faster.

This year, starting in the second wave, the standard of riding generally quite high, owing to the vast number of club cyclists in the early waves. The roads were also much clearer. But the downside to that was getting out of bed at 3am for this pleasure!

Be honest with your predicted finish times, as it's the best scenario for all to be placed with similarly paced cyclists.

When the weather is kind, this is a brilliant event. The roads were very wet setting off this year, with localized flooding in places. But it was still a great day out.

The pro race afterwards gives you something to look forward to when you're finished too.