Velo Birmingham

[loudlashadjuster]

OK, their launch was a bit (OK, a lot) of a shambles and the cost is eye watering but I'm signed up for next year. The lure of closed roads is too strong

Anyone else get a place?

[G321]

I've signed up too. I managed to enter before the site went down yesterday morning. I am expecting an amazing event considering the cost! it's local to me and I know the route but I was also lured on the closed roads thing

[Herman Toothrot]

A friend of mine asked me to do it as a team I said yes until I got to payment details, £115 having a laugh. I changed my mind not doing it.

[jamesbilluk]

All signed up as well, Should leave enough time to train hopefully.....

[loudlashadjuster]

Herman Toothrot said:

A friend of mine asked me to do it as a team I said yes until I got to payment details, £115 having a laugh. I changed my mind not doing it.

Yes, the fast track entry is a complete piss-take. £75 is just about bearable but is already much more than RideLondon which includes postage of race pack and has start time determined from your estimated finishing time - much more sensible.

Why not just do a 'normal' entry?

[Marcellus]

I'm in.... did the British Cycling entry the day before the fun kicked off!

As for the cost even at £75 it's still cheaper than the total cost of Ride London and Velothon £60 when you take in to account hotels!

[SixPotBelly]

Not doing planning to enter myself, but if I understood correctly the fast track saves you having to go up/down/across the day before to pick up your race pack. £40 extra but you don't have to pay for dinner and a hotel. Or spend all weekend in Birmingham. (Sorry Birmingham, I don't love you, it's not you it's me etc...)

[loudlashadjuster]

SixPotBelly said:

Not doing planning to enter myself, but if I understood correctly the fast track saves you having to go up/down/across the day before to pick up your race pack. £40 extra but you don't have to pay for dinner and a hotel. Or spend all weekend in Birmingham. (Sorry Birmingham, I don't love you, it's not you it's me etc...)

Bugger, you're right. I'd forgotten about the trip to ExCeL for RideLondon.

[Bungleaio]

I've signed up too. I've never done anything like it, my personal best milage is only 31 but there's plenty of time to train and I'm looking forward to the challenge.

[rs4al]

Signed up too :-). At least us mid 40's mamils get a chance of doing this, no hope with the RL ballot.

[AndStilliRise]

How do i signup?

Love Birmingham!

[SteveO...]

Thanks for the heads up. I'm now signed up.

I've just got back into cycling in order to loose weight and get healthier. This will give me a fantastic target to aim for. It's also a chance to raise some money in memory of my 'old-man' who lost his fight with cancer last Christmas.

Much of my current cycling is on the roads in the Martley area, to the West of Worcester, so I know what a lovely part of England this is. It looks a good route.

[Amateurish]

Great, just signed up

[numtumfutunch]

Marcellus said:

I'm in.... did the British Cycling entry the day before the fun kicked off!

As for the cost even at £75 it's still cheaper than the total cost of Ride London and Velothon £60 when you take in to account hotels!

But for £75 you need to be in Birmingham the day before and so also pay for a hotel and a curry with negative family brownie points for the time away

If I could have entered and just got up at 5AM to drive/ride to the start Id have signed up happily

[dantournay]

It's local to me so I've signed up too.

Haven't even got a bike and the longest ride I've done is about 20 miles 20 years ago. That said my midlife crisis is strong and I have a year to prepare.

Edited by dantournay on Saturday 1st October 00:11

[Marcellus]

numtumfutunch said:

But for £75 you need to be in Birmingham the day before and so also pay for a hotel and a curry with negative family brownie points for the time away

If I could have entered and just got up at 5AM to drive/ride to the start Id have signed up happily

For me I live half an hour from the start point of the Velo so can pop in on Saturday, stay at home Saturday night and get home Sunday after the ride, for Ride London that's not feasible.

[AndyWoodall]

There was a group of us planning to do it but £75 gets you a few bike parts or cake and pies so I'm out.

Edited by AndyWoodall on Monday 3rd October 10:54

[wobert]

AndyWoodall said:

There was a group of us planning to do it but £75 gets you a few bike parts of cake and pies so I'm out.

I live in N Wales but my office is based nr Spaghetti Junction.

All the lads in the office had signed up on the "pre-entry" including myself.

They all entered via BC the day before. whilst I suffered the issues with the website.

Once I saw the pricing I gave up - as others have said, £75 buys a lot of "other cycling" related things during the rest of the year (I've done 3 Sportives this year at less than £20 a pop) so think this one is over-priced for what it is.

Closed road would be good, but I think the premium for this one is too high.....

[Gruffy]

Price includes 'free' photos, which on events like this are normally priced at a piss-taking £35. I was all set to enter but I'm only interested if I can start near the front and the fast track premium felt too cheeky to reward, so I abandoned the idea. Shame really as it's nice to have a closed-road event later in the year. Just not £115 nice.

[AlfaPapa]

I've signed up with some friends. We'll be starting at the back and hoping to finish.

Cycling has been the only exercise I was able to do during the first 18 months after smashing my knee to pieces, still struggling with anything that involves using my left leg, so training starts now. A £75 commitment to cycle 100 miles on closed roads in 12 months time seemed like perfect motivation to train harder.