Ride London 2018 Ballot

[gl20]

For anyone on this Thread who, like me, is new to this event I can confirm what others have said about getting local accomodation for the Saturday evening. I booked last night and all the closest places like the Premier Inn at Stratford shoppIng centre are fully booked already. Found a Travel Lodge in Docklands which will work out fine (checked they are ok with having the bike in the room) but lots of places like this which are just a bit further out are showing limited availability already and/or high prices.

[okgo]

AndStilliRise said:

100miles Sub5 hours is a challenge. I have done 4:45 twice as solo, breaking 4:30 is impossible without a group.

Of course it isn't. You'd need to be half decent, but not impossible. Never having to slow or stop helps averages hugely.

[mattb46]

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!

Thanks very much for that, signed up with Oxfam too now

[russy01]

gl20 said:

For anyone on this Thread who, like me, is new to this event I can confirm what others have said about getting local accomodation for the Saturday evening. I booked last night and all the closest places like the Premier Inn at Stratford shoppIng centre are fully booked already. Found a Travel Lodge in Docklands which will work out fine (checked they are ok with having the bike in the room) but lots of places like this which are just a bit further out are showing limited availability already and/or high prices.

With so many places offering free cancellation via sites like booking.com, you'll find that most places were booked up months ago. When I looked in the week booking.com was quoting 80% booked for London on the Saturday night.

[BMWBen]

Entered every year, failed to get a place every year

If you take a charity place do you get to choose your start time? I've got no interest in weaving through 1000's of mamils for 100 miles...

[okgo]

Just go into the front pen, nobody is really checking.

[Daveyraveygravey]

okgo said:

Just go into the front pen, nobody is really checking.

They were the first two years...

[Marcellus]

Daveyraveygravey said:

okgo said:

Just go into the front pen, nobody is really checking.

They were the first two years...

they have been for the past two years as well!

[okgo]

I know many people who just barged into the front group this year, many riding other peoples names, a whole club riding the same number colour photocopied (about 15 of them). Its pretty lax if you're not a too obvious with it.

[rs4al]

mattb46 said:

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!

Thanks very much for that, signed up with Oxfam too now

+2 seems a bit too cheap, is it because of the extra curricular activities of some of the Oxfam staff 😂

[bakerstreet]

okgo said:

I know many people who just barged into the front group this year, many riding other peoples names, a whole club riding the same number colour photocopied (about 15 of them). Its pretty lax if you're not a too obvious with it.

So they cheated the system. Can't say I'm pressed with that. Makes a mockery of the ballot. Suppose they separated them selves out to make it less obvious.
.

[okgo]

bakerstreet said:

So they cheated the system. Can't say I'm pressed with that. Makes a mockery of the ballot. Suppose they separated them selves out to make it less obvious.
.

I saw plenty more join it too around Richmond Park way. The system is sadly flawed for when people are let go, sadly most of this is because everyone thinks they'll do it in 4 hours, so the first pen is full of people who will do it in 5!

I don't agree with people barging in, or doing it unofficially, but it happens, like all things, rules get broken. There's no way I'd have wanted to be be off in one of the later groups, thankfully being a 'team' entry meant we legit got front pen.

[Marcellus]

I suspect reality is that a very small percentage of the 20,000 riders were free loading or barging into the wrong pen etc etc etc.

I also suspect/hope that if someones number is photographed going through the same photo point more than once then they will never get in through a ballot again, or even better sent a bill afterward.... at a couple of points last year I did see people without numbers being pulled over by the organisers with the police in their presence....

[bakerstreet]

okgo said:

I saw plenty more join it too around Richmond Park way. The system is sadly flawed for when people are let go, sadly most of this is because everyone thinks they'll do it in 4 hours, so the first pen is full of people who will do it in 5!

I don't agree with people barging in, or doing it unofficially, but it happens, like all things, rules get broken. There's no way I'd have wanted to be be off in one of the later groups, thankfully being a 'team' entry meant we legit got front pen.

Kick out 2/3 of the riders and maybe those people are capable for a four hour ride, but like L2B, Ride London can get very congested and at times your speed is limited to how much traffic there is on that bit of road you are cycling on. Also, accidents do happen and that then forces you to stop.

Think I was stationary for about 50 minutes when I did it and if memory serves that person barrelled into a barrier at speed and broke his leg and had to be air lifted to hospital. The bike was a mess too. Think the forks had snapped clean off the frame.

[Benmac]

gl20 said:

For anyone on this Thread who, like me, is new to this event I can confirm what others have said about getting local accomodation for the Saturday evening. I booked last night and all the closest places like the Premier Inn at Stratford shoppIng centre are fully booked already. Found a Travel Lodge in Docklands which will work out fine (checked they are ok with having the bike in the room) but lots of places like this which are just a bit further out are showing limited availability already and/or high prices.

Stay in town near the finish. Place I usually stay when I'm in London is in Bayswater so I go there (have done PRL every year but will most likely give it a miss this time). I've never understood wanting to stay near the start as that part of London is hardly nice and after the finish you then have a 10-15 mile slog through traffic to get back there. I'd prefer to ride that distance on fresh legs than once knackered.

Staying in the centre you only have a short hop back to the hotel. Yes, it means you have a 10 mile ride to get to the start but it's a nice warm up and is a doddle as it's signed, there are more and more people on bikes heading there as you get closer and the roads are quiet. In a weird way it's been one of the most enjoyable parts of the whole thing for me. The first year in particular was great as nobody quite knew what it was going to be like.

[Rich_W]

rs4al said:

mattb46 said:

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!

Thanks very much for that, signed up with Oxfam too now

+2 seems a bit too cheap, is it because of the extra curricular activities of some of the Oxfam staff ??

Friend of mine has also signed up with them. He says he didn't want a few bad apples to ruin the good work Oxfam do. Not clear if paying actually guarantees you a slot though. Hes having to wait.


I'm still trying to decide what charity to do it for. Whilst I have various relatives die of Cancer or Heart Attacks/Strokes. Those Charites are fairly well subscribed in general, so thinking I might choose a slightly less "obvious" choice. Shelter/CentrePoint or maybe Help for Hero's? Would like a target of up to £500ish

Any suggestions out there? Who have people ridden for before?

[Marcellus]

Rich_W said:

Friend of mine has also signed up with them. He says he didn't want a few bad apples to ruin the good work Oxfam do. Not clear if paying actually guarantees you a slot though. Hes having to wait.

It was a bit unclear but as I read it if you paid your £50 to register with them then you were in, provided you then paid the further £50 in their stated installments.

I was still wondering if we'd then have to pay further £ to Ride London when we actually got to register but just had the link to register with them and you don't!

[G321]

Managed to get a place in the ballot for the first time. Typically I can't actually make it this time so I thought I would defer the place to next year. Reading the rules on this they expect me to pay for this year and next! I think I'll give it a miss....

[lufbramatt]

Rich_W said:

Friend of mine has also signed up with them. He says he didn't want a few bad apples to ruin the good work Oxfam do. Not clear if paying actually guarantees you a slot though. Hes having to wait.


I'm still trying to decide what charity to do it for. Whilst I have various relatives die of Cancer or Heart Attacks/Strokes. Those Charites are fairly well subscribed in general, so thinking I might choose a slightly less "obvious" choice. Shelter/CentrePoint or maybe Help for Hero's? Would like a target of up to £500ish

Any suggestions out there? Who have people ridden for before?

could I suggest the MS Trust? £425 target.

https://www.mstrust.org.uk/event/ridelondon-surrey...

My 30 year old sister was diagnosed a couple of years ago after 4 years of doctors not knowing what they were looking at and it's slowly taking her life away. Awful for a young mum. The MS Trust have been very supportive.

[ALawson]

Or ride for Tommy's all money goes toward miscarriage and still births which effects loads of people. I think they are doing free entry and want £400.