Ride London 2018 Ballot

[flight147z]

No for me

[Rich_W]

No
Another mate also got a No (and he's run the London Marathon and Swum Serpentine so wanted the ENORMOUS "Classics" medal)
I'll see a couple of people at work tomorrow to find out how they got on

Its 2 weeks after another event I have planned. So I was going for the social aspect, not the time. But still a little disappointed. I must be on VLM's "never allow to access our events" list



What gets me is that the London Marathon is 40K odd places. And they leave the ballot open for a week (roughly 250-300K entries) And it's HUGELY popular. Though a friend had been given a place last year and this, through his employer.

RideLondon is approx. 25K entrants. But they had to leave the ballot open for MONTHS (was getting reminder emails) to get to the 80K cut off. Indicating its not as popular, so just take the first 25K who resigster! (We all registered day it opened)

Edited by Rich_W on Wednesday 7th February 22:55

[Marcellus]

sod it..... I do enjoy the ride and was actually a little disappointed for not getting a place so bought one through Oxfam for £100, that's only £42? more than a ballot entry!

[yellowjack]

idiotgap said:

And again a commiserations mailer for me. I've lost count now, I wonder if I'll ever get a go.

I didn't bother signing up this year, just deleted all the spam emails reminding me about cut-off dates, etc.

I'd registered every year up to this year, and been "unlucky" every time. Yet there are people who manage to get accepted EVERY year. There needs to be some adjustment of the selection criteria really, perhaps where acceptance one year leads to a weighting against you the next year. It wouldn't guarantee first timers getting accepted, nor would it guarantee last year's entrants getting rejected, but it might help "spread the luck" about a bit more equitably.

I've jumped onto the 'meat' of the route a couple of times, later in the day after the riders have passed through. I couldn't last year (otherwise engaged), but I'm starting to come around to the idea of gatecrashing it while it's still running this time around. Or maybe i'll just do like before, and join the route just after the roads reopen to the public and just follow the trail of litter and discarded inner tubes around the (previously) beautiful leafy Surrey lanes...

[z4RRSchris]

just gatecrash.

if you are a regular mamil cyclist / weekend racer who lives in london you have almost zero change of a ballot place. and no one in their right mind would sponsor me to do 100m

[idiotgap]

rossw46 said:

It's a no for me...gutted, really enjoyed it last year...never mind, just have to find something else great to ride, any recommendations? 100 miles, nicer on closed roads, not to bothered on location but nearer London ideally.

You could try the Tonbridge castle ride https://www.action.org.uk/castle-ride-100
I'm signed up for the epic 124 mile distance this year. It's not closed road but in the past has been a really good route on quieter lanes.

[Daveyraveygravey]

I'd love to know how the "ballot" works. I've entered it for five straight years, not got in on the ballot once. I did do it for charity the first two years, and waived my fee another couple of years thinking it would increase my chances, but no.

It wouldn't be too complicated to block people who have had a ballot place in the past so more first timers" could have a go, would it?

[bakerstreet]

Failed to get in, but got a good deal on a charity place via cycling club, so not too bad. Its an excellent event and it will give me something to train for.

I will of course keep trying. Ridden it once and that is in four applications.

[Marcellus]

Daveyraveygravey said:

I'd love to know how the "ballot" works. I've entered it for five straight years, not got in on the ballot once. I did do it for charity the first two years, and waived my fee another couple of years thinking it would increase my chances, but no.

It wouldn't be too complicated to block people who have had a ballot place in the past so more first timers" could have a go, would it?

I picture some massive type national lottery machine, everyone who applies has their name written on a ping pong ball, then with an independent adjudicator with a clipboard watching they pull out the first 20,000 lucky balls!

[D1bram]

Damn forgot the ballot this year!

I did it via charity 3 years back and loved it.

[Rich_W]

Marcellus said:

sod it..... I do enjoy the ride and was actually a little disappointed for not getting a place so bought one through Oxfam for £100, that's only £42? more than a ballot entry!

Much as I want to ride. I'm not sure I want to ride for Oxfam!

Anyone seen another charity in the £2-300 range?

[snobetter]

Post finally reached the Westcountry, no for me.

[bakerstreet]

Marcellus said:

sod it..... I do enjoy the ride and was actually a little disappointed for not getting a place so bought one through Oxfam for £100, that's only £42? more than a ballot entry!

and you will have to raise £500 in sponsorship.

[bakerstreet]

Rich_W said:

Much as I want to ride. I'm not sure I want to ride for Oxfam!

Anyone seen another charity in the £2-300 range?

I've never seen a charity place that advertises £2-300. However, I have heard of cases where people commit to £500 and they have only managed £300 an they are still allowed to ride the event.

I'm doing it with a Cycling Club and they have a negotiated a decent deal where we all have to raise £250, which is £200 as you have to pay £50 in registration if you get in Ride London anyway.

[Marcellus]

bakerstreet said:

and you will have to raise £500 in sponsorship.

Nope £50 registration and then a minimum of £50 sponsorship...... £10 by 11th June, £25 by 23rd July and £50 by 29th August!

[Marcellus]

Rich_W said:

Much as I want to ride. I'm not sure I want to ride for Oxfam!

Anyone seen another charity in the £2-300 range?

Looking through the back fo the commiserations magazine;
- The British Forces foundation £299
- Depaul £350
- Streetsoflondon £395
- Victa £475

and those are the few that have published the min donation there are 20+ others who haven't!

[Dr Murdoch]

There is lots of info on the website about getting 'to' the event, but very little about travelling home.

Ideally I would get the chartered service from Richmond, but where does that leave me at the end when i'm far from an overground station?

Similarly, If I drove and parked, the finish will be a decent distance from the car park?

In a nut shell, "whats the best way of getting to and from (which doesn't drag other people into it)?"

[Marcellus]

The logistical issue is that the start is in the East very early and finish in Central London!

The ride back to Richmond is quite an easy one and they're good at taking any kit/bags from the start to the finish so if you can get to the start on your own then it would be quite easy to ride home.

The other thing is having to be at the Excel on the Saturday (or Thursday to Saturday) so for those that don't live anywhere near London it gets tricky..... what I do is book a hotel at the Blackwall tunnel for both Saturday and Sunday nights.

[SR7492]

Commiserations book for the 5th year in a row!

[Dr Murdoch]

Marcellus said:

The logistical issue is that the start is in the East very early and finish in Central London!

The ride back to Richmond is quite an easy one and they're good at taking any kit/bags from the start to the finish so if you can get to the start on your own then it would be quite easy to ride home.

The other thing is having to be at the Excel on the Saturday (or Thursday to Saturday) so for those that don't live anywhere near London it gets tricky..... what I do is book a hotel at the Blackwall tunnel for both Saturday and Sunday nights.

Thanks, I was just about to edit my post, as I stumbled across this link: https://www.prudentialridelondon.co.uk/events/100/...

Is it possible (what with road closures etc) to get back to Waterloo Station? Is it that a mare / crowded with fellow cyclists? I live in Hampton, so I can get a train direct home if I can get to the station and then on a train.