Great Notts Bike Ride - newbie advice

[phoenix]

Problems with timing, Short route for the 100 miler, off road sections, mixing the family ride with the other rides etc, etc this looks to me like the sort of errors/ lack of thought you would expect from a new event and is a really poor show for an event that has been running for many years. At this rate I don't think I will bother riding it again unless improvements are made.

I sent feedback on Tuesday to the orgainiser but as yet have not received a reply (what a surprise).

One thing that did make me laugh whilst riding round was on the way back after the off road bit on some residential roads there where a couple of youths (I will be polite) who were cycling in the opposite direction and as they went past me they shouted ' for the environment'. firstly they obviously had no idea about the event (no suprise there) and secondly parked at home I have 18 cylinders and 10 litres of fuel burning metal. Perfect timing and thanks for the laugh lads, it made me smile all the way back and gave me a bit more energy for the last few miles.

 

[Joe24]

Did you see the smack head riding the wrong way down the ring road We had to move for him aswell.
I didnt get a time because what the organisers didnt write clear/at all is that the timing chip needs to be within 1 foot from the floor. Mine was on the seatpost, i even had one person from the event help me to mount it. I was in a rush and didnt read the booklet, and couldnt be bothered to remove the sqewer to put the tag on.
I think they should of closed off some section in town and taken us for a lap through town. That would of been fun.

 

[phoenix]

Part of my feedback to the organisers what that I thought the information pack was a waste of time. They should have put it all on a dedicated website which would have been far more environmentally friendly than all of those thousands of information packs (from previous post in this thread you will know I am not a greeney eco watsit but prefer to take a common sense, logical view) Having a dedicated website, if done properly, would also help us to sell the event to potential sponsors.

I had a conversation before the start of the 50 miler with a few other newbies. None of us knew whether the big number should go on the front or rear of the jersey, how to mount the timing chip or where to put the little white plastic number plate. None of this was included in the information pack and would have been useful to know beforehand.

The only reason I knew how to fit the timing chip correctly was that due to the lack of information provided by the organisers I had a search on the internet.

Again, very simple, basic info that should have been available from the organisers.

If the positioning of these timing chips was so critical it should be made very clear, or have a few people at the start area checking/refitting them before allowing people to enter the start area.

It's not a good advert for an event that has been running for many years.

 

[Joe24]

I agree. The 100mile one started late, and there was a guy on a microphone that we couldnt really here who never said anything about it. There will be a few people who wont be happy about the chip problem because some put it in their jersey pocket or bag instead of attaching it to the frame.
The big number i put on my back like i would do in a TT. Number plate i was going to put on the seat post but thought i had better stick it on the bars so they knew i was on the ride when i was at the front.

 

[Big T]

Whilst the ride has been running for many years, it's the first time they have run the 100 miler, first time they've had numbers or timing chips, so not surprised they had a few teething problems.

In previous years, everyone doing the 18 miler had a number 18 and everyone doing the 50 miler had a number 50, just to show which ride you were in. Looks like they are trying to turn it into more of a sportive ride now by having proper numbers and timing chips. I bet they've doubled the entry fee as well (used to cost £7 for the 50 miler, much of which went to charity).