Cancelled through lack of interest

[Justinslow]

For me the attraction was riding in a large group of "like minded" cyclists something I normally don't do as I usually ride solo.

 

[vickster]

I shall do Ride 100 next year (having been forced to pull out this year due to injury). The primary appeal is the closed roads around London which are usually clogged with traffic and secondly the route itself. I would never pay to ride on roads with both traffic and a load of other cyclists

 

[Accy cyclist]

These moaning gits wont have helped!

"This year’s event, held on July 20, also came under fire by farmers and residents who said necessary road closures would harm tourism and disrupt haymaking after it was moved from October to the first week of the summer holidays."

"“It’s extremely bad for the businesses because it brings 2,000 people to the area, some of which are here for three days, so all the accommodation fills up. It’s the farmers that are complaining about it because for one day of the year they cannot trunk around in their tractors.”

 

[Gravity Aided]

Make hay whilst the sun shines.
Can't imagine the hoteliers agree with the farmers in their views. Nor the shopkeepers.

 

[Dogtrousers]

When the TdF came, farmers around Reeth were alarmed that hordes of people would come and trample their hay, dismantle their dry stone walls, and generally get in the way, and it was undeniably a Bad Thing for farmers (apart from those farmers who had a bit of flat land by a road, on which they could put a couple of portaloos, and call it a campsite, for whom it was a Nice Little Earner).

Edit: Actually, having read the article, it seems that the organisers have pulled the plug, and I'd guess that the reason for this is very probably simply it isn't profitable for them. I doubt the complaints of farmers (or pleas from the local B&Bs/ bike shops etc) played that big a part (just guessing, mind). After all they are a business, so if it isn't making money they'll go and do something else somewhere else.

 

[Beebo]

well run, sensibly priced events will be fine.
The Kentish Killer 2015 in February costs less than £30 and 1,000 places sold out within a week.
It's run by a local cycle club on a non profit basis

 

[Venod]

well run, sensibly priced events will be fine.
The Kentish Killer 2015 in February costs less than £30 and 1,000 places sold out within a week.
It's run by a local cycle club on a non profit basis

What do you get for your " less than £30 ", it still sounds expensive to me.

 

[Dogtrousers]

well run, sensibly priced events will be fine.
The Kentish Killer 2015 in February costs less than £30 and 1,000 places sold out within a week.
It's run by a local cycle club on a non profit basis

My mate did that last year and said it was great fun, and very well organised, if slightly painful at times. We were going to do it this year, but weren't fast enough applying. And yes, we do regularly ride all the roads of the KK routes for free anyway so why bother ... etc etc.

 

[Beebo]

What do you get for your £30, it still sounds expensive to me.

I did it a few years ago, it's consistently voted one of the best sportive's around
The ride is based at Brands hatch, so you get full access to Brands hatch and use of their facilities. It would be nice if you got to do a lap of the track, but I guess track hire would add to the cost.
You get chip timing, 2 feed stops, a hot meal at the end, mechanics at the stops, mobile motorbike mechanics, a broom wagon, proper WC's and showers plus plenty of easy access parking.

 

[Venod]

I did it a few years ago, it's conistently voted one of the best sportive's around
The ride is based at Brands hatch, so you get full access to Brands hatch and use of their facilities. It would be nice if you got to do a lap of the track, but I guess track hire would add to the cost.
You get chip timing, 2 feed stops, a hot meal at the end, mechanics at the stops, mobile motorbike mechanics, a broom wagon, proper WC's and showers plus plenty of easy access parking.

Fair enough.

I think I am just a tight stereotypical Yorkshireman.

 

[Beebo]

My mate did that last year and said it was great fun, and very well organised, if slightly painful at times. We were going to do it this year, but weren't fast enough applying. And yes, we do regularly ride all the roads of the KK routes for free anyway so why bother ... etc etc.

Row-Dow hill after 65 miles of hilly riding was tough.
And as you say, the sat nav route is free to down load off the web site, so anyone can ride the route whenever they like.

 

[Beebo]

Fair enough.

I think I am just a tight stereotypical Yorkshireman.

I think the fact that the start is 5 minutes from the M25 is also a major factor in it's popularity. There are plenty of MAMIL's with £30 to waste down in the Home Counties.

 

[Dogtrousers]

Row-Dow hill after 65 miles of hilly riding was tough.
And as you say, the sat nav route is free to down load off the web site, so anyone can ride the route whenever they like.

Row Dow is tough after considerably less than 65 miles!

PS. They also have a photographer, so you can get photos of yourself looking just like an older, fatter, slower, less well equipped and less competent version of your racing heroes, surrounded by other older, fatter ... etc (If that's what you want)

 

[Justinslow]

The cycle swarm event I did was £16 for 100 miles with three well organised rest stops with as many bananas, sweets and drinks you could eat/drink good value pasta meals at the lunchtime stop and a free masseur on hand at the end. No complaints from me.
I don't think I would have paid the £60 quoted for this sportive though being a tight git.

It's all very well saying you could just buy a map and head off on your own with your mates but if you haven't got many mates into cycling and even if you have, trying to get everyone to set a date just doesn't happen in my view. So for me, at the moment as I don't belong to a club it's my only way to ride in a large group. And I rather liked it!
By the way I've completed rides up to 70 miles on my own and am not afraid to just head out and follow my nose.

 

[Justinslow]

And I raised £317 for cancer research through sponsorship, got a little cheap medal and a small cheaply printed certificate!

Ain't I a hero!