Deloitte Ride Across Britain

[oiljam]

I'm seriously thinking about signing up for the Lands End John O'Groats next year with these in the thread title. September 2014.

Anyone else signed up, it says there'll be 700 in the group. Or used these in the past.
I can't help thinking its cheating a little when its all done for you (bar the pedalling) and maybe a group that size may just be on the large side.
Advice needed.
Join the group for ease or slog it out on my own/with friend?

 

[oiljam]

No one. I can't believe it

 

[mr_cellophane]

Can I sign up some of the Deloitte employees I work with ? Get them out my hair for a week.

 

[MichaelO]

Join the group for ease or slog it out on my own/with friend?

I'd "save" the £1,600 and live a life of luxury doing it on your own/with a friend!!

 

[oiljam]

I'd "save" the £1,600 and live a life of luxury doing it on your own/with a friend!!

Thats what I think. Its a lot of money and in 2014 there will be 750 in the group. Too many I recon to feel like a personal challenge. I've been studying their route and it looks ideal. 9 days is great, not too much time of work and not too long to leave my wife home alone.
Anyone else doing the challenge next year?

 

[Rickshaw Phil]

I wasn't going to comment as doing an end to end is still only an item on my wishlist, however I did go to see the first Ride Across Britain come through as they had set up a feed station close by, and to me it all seemed very well organised.

Yes it's a big number of riders (around 500 on that first one), but by the lunchtime stop they'd all spread out into smaller groups so there didn't seem to be any problems with crowding on the road.

The route was clearly marked so no problems with navigation - I followed the route myself for a bit so as to get pictures as they rode over the Long Mynd (the map on their site shows they aren't going that way this time, which you may be glad to hear).

Is it cheating? I suppose it depends what you want from the experience. You've still got to cover 100 miles or more, 9 days in a row so it's not going to be that easy. Are you happy sorting out accommodation, meals and transporting baggage yourself, or would you rather just concentrate on the ride and have someone else sort all that out?

 

[Dave 123]

A mate of mine did it this year. I think he enjoyed himself, though he buggered his knee during the ride and didn't ride for two months after.
During his organised training rides and the ride itself he made many new friends who he gets together with.
If you can afford it, do it!

 

[Matthew_T]

I didnt actually know you had to pay to do it.
You can find the route online so why not just turn up on the day and join them? Its a free country and I can honestly not see it being worth that amount of money. What would you really gain from paying that?

 

[400bhp]

I didnt actually know you had to pay to do it.
You can find the route online so why not just turn up on the day and join them? Its a free country and I can honestly not see it being worth that amount of money. What would you really gain from paying that?

What, join them for 9 days

 

[srw]

What you pay for isn't the company or the cycling - it's the camping, the food and the baggage transport.

 

[PaulSB]

I have seen the ride twice as it passes quite close to work and yes it gets strung out very quickly. I did experience some poor riding standards as the riders went through Knutsford - I was driving. I think this is can be a characteristic of organised rides.

A friend of mine rode the same basic route this summer. I supported him down the A49 from Preston to Ludlow. For some stretches through Wigan, Warrington etc. my feeling was why chose this route!!! He wanted the shortest so as to minimise the time away. If I was riding LEJOG I'd add a few days extra and make it a decent ride rather than a nine day race.

My friend said his mistake was always having to achieve a target. He'd pre-booked accommodation and had to force himself on even when shattered. A big downside to my mind. The Deloitte thing will be the same.

Surely a big part of the achievement is to do it oneself?

 

[Gary Newton]

Hi , I've done LEJOG before with an organised tour , it was over 12 days, well organised and a great feeling of achievement.
Depends what you want ?- if its teamwork and assistance along the way that's definitely the way to go , but if it's a cost decision then clearly it will be about half price !!

I'm planning to do it again in 2014 - maybe JOGLE, solo or small group and after doing it before - it was a little slow and 9 or 10 days is about right.
If you want to team up let me know I'm defo doing it

 

[nickyboy]

My friend said his mistake was always having to achieve a target. He'd pre-booked accommodation and had to force himself on even when shattered. A big downside to my mind. The Deloitte thing will be the same.

Surely a big part of the achievement is to do it oneself?

I would agree. We all know what a big effect the weather can have on your speed. I would hate to have a massive headwind and have to keep grinding on into the evening.
If I was to do it I would call mrs nickyboy in the afternoon each day when I had a fair idea of where I would be finishing and get her to book me some accommodation. You could sleep in a proper bed. proper shower and nice breakfast for less than the Deloitte price. Luggage is a bit trickier though if you freestyle the accommodation but travelling light ain't so bad

 

[jay clock]

A friend did it a couple of years back and liked it. But not for me. I would not count it as a real ride if I did not carry my own kit! Which would slow me down a bit!

 

[Crankarm]

Only it's not a ride ACROSS Britain is it? It is end to end which is a basic error. Seems to be a race for rich wannabes. I suspect many taking part will treat it much like a race sorry sportive and once underway you could conceivably be riding in a small group anyway or find yourself dropped and riding on your own which you could do yourself anyway with £1500 in your jersey pocket (in a plastic bag to stop it getting wet). Given that Deloittes are a rich accountancy or law firm the price is a bit steep but then that is how they got rich I s'pose ..............

Not my idea of fun.