Million Pound Bike ride (BBC one NOW)

[Cubist]

They all seemed to put a bit of effort in except the very unfunny Jimmy Carr who was a waste of a rider.

What a great programme that was. Hats off to all, except of course that little nobber Jimmy Carr.

 

[andylaw79]

Thought they did themselves proud, very well done indeed. As others have said Patrick turned out to be a bit of a dark horse. Hats of to Davina for her solo night stint and also to David for his stint on Honister Pass, I hate that road even in the car!

 

[Fnaar]

Davina in lycra? What's not to like?
Hats off to all of them (including Jimmy Carr, a bit)
And Eddie Izzard's running feat was really quite astounding!

 

[summerdays]

Here is the point ... just one bike name blurred out - all the others showing...

Makes you wonder if he had modified it in some way.

 

[Browser]

Daft thing is you can still clearly see the word 'Dolan' on the crossbar

Must watch this when I get a spare hour. Why did they take the Honister pass, was this for the publicity to make it a tougher challenge?

 

[Sysagent]

Aye good on them and a brilliant effort!

Anyone know what model of the Dolan they were riding, they seemed quite "sat up" on them didn't they?

 

[mickle]

I am inclined to agree with the suggestion of an earlier poster that the programme reinforced the notion that cycling is enormously challenging. Well done on the million pounds for chariday and all that, but it didn't do anything to promote cycling.

 

[Fnaar]

I am inclined to agree with the suggestion of an earlier poster that the programme reinforced the notion that cycling is enormously challenging. Well done on the million pounds for chariday and all that, but it didn't do anything to promote cycling.

Well, for those who don't do it regularly, it is challenging! Folk at work are often astounded when I cycle 17 miles or so into work, and realise that I'll have to go home again too. In the rain. In the dark...etc.
Running is challenging for those who don't do it regularly. So is walking up mountains. So is...er...anything you don't do regularly. But you COULD say that seeing that Miranda woman having a really good go (even though she's clearly not athletic, much like the majority of Johnny Public) might inspire some people. OK, it's wasn't connected with what might be more realistic for many people (short-ish commutes, utility cycling etc) but it's surely better than nowt?

 

[darthpaul]

Cyclists did great but I agree Eddie Izzard was beyond them all. I also think the Beeb have underexposed it by sticking the 3 programmes on BBC3 at 10.30pm! He does 6 marathons a week for 6 weeks and gets a crap TV slot like that. The whole thing just didnt seem right to me!

 

[Alien8]

Cyclists did great but I agree Eddie Izzard was beyond them all. I also think the Beeb have underexposed it by sticking the 3 programmes on BBC3 at 10.30pm! He does 6 marathons a week for 6 weeks and gets a crap TV slot like that. The whole thing just didnt seem right to me!

Yep, I find that a bit odd.

I guess Walliams has more clout with the Beeb but Eddie is definitely the man.

 

[Saddle bum]

They all did very well. However.........

This is the second time the Beeb has connived to get inexperienced people to take on an endurance cycling event. The other was a few years ago when some erk wanted to join the RAF team in the Race Across America. It was embarrassing. There were many complaints pointing out the cycling is an activity that takes practice and fore-knowledge. Now they have done it again.

It was perhaps fortunate that no one was hurt or had a coronary. Riding a race bike on subzero roads covered in ice is something most of us would jib at. Also the timing was less than appropriate - the hardest winter for years was still in full swing. I don't really accept that it put the pastime in a favorable light.

From what I can see, David Walliams is a natural athlete, but riding at night in temperatures reported to be minus 15 is way off the scale of stupidity. He was lucky not to get severe frostbite. Davina is a gutsy bird, but they were all lambs to the slaughter.

Nevertheless, Chapeau!!

 

[Fnaar]

There was also the Shearer/Chiles Newcastle-London thing in 2008

 

[Hilldodger]

There was a thread on this theme recently when Sky taped over the names on a bike Hilldodger had made for Sky to present to a disabled girl.
It's a complex world when you mix with the money people.

It was actually the Sun.

With regard to product placement/advertising - the BBC are running a series at the moment all about the John Lewis company.

 

[Over The Hill]

You can quite easily put in a bit of training (and surely it is advised) so that you could do 27 miles in a couple of hours without difficulty. But would it have made such good tv if it was easy for them all?

Instead of the Olympic pacemakers they should have had a couple of the 80 year old blokes that regularly go out on a local ride.

Moaning aside it was good to see. At least some cool people were associated with bikes and they raised lots of dosh.

 

[Vidor06]

Wasn't the Dallaglio 6 Nations challenge also for Sports Relief. That was some feat he did as well. Rome, Paris, London, Cardiff, Dublin and finished in Edinburgh. Add to that the fact that the guy weighs about 18 stones. The BBC have also pretty much ignored the Blue Peter girl who kayaked up the Amazon. It may well have been covered on childrens bbc but she broke all kinds of records and has received almost no coverage. Fair play to the cyclists all the same.

I wonder what crazy challenge they will come up with next. A pedalo across the Atlantic or a sled across the Arctic?