Ride London 2017 Ballot

[ALawson]

No place this year cannot complain, done for the last 2 year. There are a few crashed but not that many considering how many people there are, it a good laugh.

[Daveyraveygravey]

S10GTA said:

5th time of trying and got my 1st yes. Not sure I want it now...

I loved both times I did it, even the year of the storm. As someone else said, it can be like TdF and L2b coming together. If you can get in a good bunch and stay with them, you'll be OK, and it should be the quickest ton you'll ever do. Lots of highlights - tanking through East and Central London when everyone is fresh early in the day is fantastic. Crowds cheering you on all along the route is brilliant. I remember struggling somewhere in the suburbs, probably before Newlands, seemed a bit meh but then it gets good again. The last bit from about Kingston and especially Embankment and the Mall is just amazing. Wish I was in!

[JustinF]

5 no's in a row, fk 'em Rad am Ring weekend anyway

[citizenmtb]

Another 'No' here too, Not as bad as some as you though, this was only my 2nd. Would love to take a place if anyone is dropping out!

[yellowjack]

Yay!

My 100% success rate is still intact. If you measure success in "Commiserations" magazines, that is...



Well Fk You Pru!!!!


I'll probably do the bulk of it anyway...

https://www.strava.com/activities/359974339
https://www.strava.com/activities/660170513

[lukefreeman]

Why on earth would you want to do this?

Spend your money on something better, like Etape.

[louiebaby]

The lady who used to live 3 doors down that we collect mail and pass on when we see her didn't get in either...

I did it the first year, and really enjoyed it. But that was with a fairly early start time, (3rd or 4th wave off I think). It's worth doing once, a bit like the London to Brighton is, but there are plenty of other events. (Personal opinion, not trying to change other people's minds, etc.)

[Roastie ITR]

I got in as well this year, so 2 out of the 3 times applying.

Hopefully I can get an eralier start time this year and avoid getting held up in any crashes that happen.

[SixPotBelly]

There's a losers' magazine in my recycling bin too again this year. All those poor trees...

lukefreeman said:

Spend your money on something better, like Etape.

Funnily enough, that's my view of l'Etape having done it last year. Why spend all that money doing that crashfest when there are so many lesser-known cyclosportives in France or lovely Gran Fondos in Italy, a fraction the price to enter, with no ball ache with getting back to the start after, and not full of erratic halfwits (mostly British) trying to take your front wheel out? But, still, it's become a 'thing' and probably worth doing once. A bit like Ride London.

[Gren]

G321 said:

5 years of entering the ballot and 5 years of failure getting in!
I did it last year through a club place and it was probably the most dangerous ride I've ever done. So not too bothered about not getting in this time

Didn't bother this year either.

Got stuck in the carnage last year behind an accident (apparently 4 hours after it happened!) - me and the missus were cycling to watch the Surrey Classic and decided to use a couple of miles of the sportive route as we thought virtually everyone would have passed by and the roads were due to be opened by then anyway. How wrong we were! Cue an hour of walking with the bike and a couple of thousand other people.

Would have loved to ride some of my favourite routes on closed roads but sadly what I saw that day makes me prefer sharing with the normal traffic. Too many people and too much of a spread of abilities.

[Johnny]

I had a spot as I pulled out last year, but forgot to pay up in time to confirm this year's spot

Didn't bother with the ballot again after that.

I did the first year and really enjoyed it.

I know a few people who did it last year for the first time and weren't too impressed.

[Dannbodge]

3rd year entering
3rd year failing to get in, cue all the emails from charities now though.

Don't think I'll bother next year, might just do a 100 miler with my mates instead.

[WolfieBot]

Found my magazine in the bin this morning, girlfriend thought it was junk mail!

It's obviously back in there now though. Try again next year.

[yellowjack]

WolfieBot said:

Found my magazine in the bin this morning, girlfriend thought it was junk mail!

It's obviously back in there now though. Try again next year.

I very nearly found mine in the recycling bin before I'd had chance to scan it too! My wife also thought that it looked suspiciously like 'junk mail'. And to be fair, I think she was probably right!

[R1gtr]

I must admit I quite fancy doing it just to see the sights of London, would be quote happy bimbling around! I have only done one sportive- the Loch Ness Etape (closed roads) and despite costing about 75 pounds it was well worth it, organised perfectly and the route and scenery is stunning, fast with a hell of a climb to test the legs. Will definitely do it every year I can.

[kiethton]

Yep, failed again - never had a successful ballot entry!

Always next year!

[AyBee]

G321 said:

5 years of entering the ballot and 5 years of failure getting in!

Snap!

I only want to do it if I can get a very early start time and be one of the first on the empty roads anyway so not going for a charity place. Too dangerous otherwise.

[BMWBen]

I'm 5 for 5 as well... wkers.

[Cookie338]

Decided to take a charity place, fundraising already well underway

Figure I should do the ride once, and then if it's awful I can spend the next 5 years telling people never to do it

[Stiggolas]

First time entering and got a place. Never done anything like this except London to Brighton in 2009. From Yorkshire so don't get down tot he smoke much. Really looking forward to it. Start number is 2000 ish so hopefully not too late a start time.