Advice for Cycling Event

[smooth]

Hey

i'm looking for some advice please

it looks very likely that Glasgow will host the Free Wheel cycling event in the city centre sometime in August. our company has been asked to organise the event

I understand the premise is to encourage people to get on the bikes and there was 12,000 cycling through the streets when the event was held in London

Can i get suggestions on what would make the event (and has made other cycling events) a success. I really want this to work so thought i'd go straight to those who'll know

Any ideas will be greatly appreciated

thanks in advance

 

[DJ]

don't know anything about organising these events, but I know you will have to get the streets closed off for about 8 hours!

Can your company do that?

 

[smooth]

yes and have done so already

 

[magnatom]

Smooth,

I don't know anything about this, do you have any details of the event? I'm in Glasgow.

 

[TimO]

I'm not that far North, so I can't attend such an event in Glasgow, but I've been to the two Freewheels in London, and been a volunteer marshal on both occasions.

On the first one there were quite a lot of stands and such like, things to look at and walk around in the centre, so once you had completed your cycle there was something else to do. On the second one they had reduced the number, and I thought the event was poorer for it, so I'd say that it's important to have things in the centre that people can peer at, chat to people etc.

This could be commercial organisations, shops like Evans, possibly local shops, but also relevant organisations like the CTC, Sustrans, whatever local equivalent of the LCC in London there may be in Glasgow.

Actually, I enjoyed doing the marshalling more than the ride, since I cycle >100 miles every week on my commute, and often doing quite long rides at weekends, so whilst it's nice to be able to cycle around a totally closed off loop of road, it's hardly much of an effort. Of course, events like this are meant to encourage cyclists who don't normally cycle, they not so much for the like of people on here who are likely already fairly committed cyclists, but it would be good if you had things targeted at providing something of interest to as many groups as possible eg Young Children (face painting, clowns etc), non-keen adult cyclists (stalls, and not necessarily cycling related ones), and enthusiastic cycling adults (cycling organisation, cycling related stalls).

 

[magnatom]

Aye, I could run a stall. Throw rotten veg at magnatom. I'd make a packet!

Seriously though, I'd be interested in helping if I could.

 

[dellzeqq]

1. the first priority is.........Fix the weather. Not easy in Glasgow. Good luck
2. Make the day great. You may not get all the people the first time, but you want them to come back next year, and to bring their friends. To that end...
3. Seek to eradicate pinch points on the route. Both 'Freewheels' have had stretches which should really be described as 'Stuckwheels'
4. Don't overelaborate. The LCC feeder routes were nuts. People will get there by the most sensible way.
5. Refreshments and toilets. Plenty of both.
I'm intrigued about the route. There are some fantastically steep hills in the centre of Glasgow. Can you avoid them all?

 

[magnatom]

I'm intrigued about the route. There are some fantastically steep hills in the centre of Glasgow. Can you avoid them all?

West to east (or east to west) would avoid most of them following the track of the river (I assume that will be the route?)

 

[HJ]

1. the first priority is.........Fix the weather. Not easy in Glasgow. Good luck

The best way to do that would be to move the whole event to the east, somewhere like Edinburgh this would have the added advantage that the neds over here are far more civilised

 

[magnatom]

The best way to do that would be to move the whole event to the east, somewhere like Edinburgh this would have the added advantage that the neds over here are far more civilised

Aye right! You'll have had your Buckie, then?

 

[smooth]

cheers for all the thoughts and ideas guys - keep them coming

Magnatom - the event has literally just landed on our laps, no press, marketing etc has even been put together so you will not have heard about it.

The route is still up for discussion as are pretty much all aspects so we're just looking at the bsics just now.

Like the idea of the LBS's etc having their stalls etc around the route - will look into that.