Southampton Skyride

[PBancroft]

Probably not best suited to Commuting, but I can't really think of anywhere better.

So... anyone going to Southampton Skyride on Sunday? Am in two minds about going, partly because I have a late night the previous day, but then I feel I should make an effort...

 

[mark barker]

Think skyride haven't thought too much about the dates for these rides... Southampton & Bath on the same day is a bit daft given the locations.

 

[PBancroft]

Think skyride haven't thought too much about the dates for these rides... Southampton & Bath on the same day is a bit daft given the locations.

I dunno - Bath is a fair travel away from Southampton. Maybe not in terms of miles, but its fairly windy roads, so about a two hour drive.

There's something to be said for skyride being held on the same day everywhere of course.

 

[summerdays]

I'm contemplating the Bath one... if the weather is OK and I can be bothered to cycle across from Bristol. (Lazy so and so aren't I

).

 

[mark barker]

I dunno - Bath is a fair travel away from Southampton. Maybe not in terms of miles, but its fairly windy roads, so about a two hour drive.

There's something to be said for skyride being held on the same day everywhere of course.

True, but for folks that live inbetween it means making the choice. Holding one "up north" and one "down south" would've made more sense to me, allowing folks to attend both "local" events if they wanted to.

I'll be at the Bath one, dragging a trailer around with my youngest two daughters in it (the eldest can ride just fine!)

 

[Hilldodger]

But it wasn't down to Sky when the events were or in which cities.

There are only a limited number of weekends to run the rides and the dates had to fit around other events in each city.

 

[downfader]

Probably not best suited to Commuting, but I can't really think of anywhere better.

So... anyone going to Southampton Skyride on Sunday? Am in two minds about going, partly because I have a late night the previous day, but then I feel I should make an effort...

I felt similar. But then I saw the route and its pretty naff. Its around Hoglands park and a) the road suface is c*** all around that area (I ride past there everyday). I kind of get the feeling they might have well just said "lets hold it in the park and put down some cones". I hear Pendleton aint coming now, and they've drafted in some TV chef (not that one, dont worry). Oh and you're supposed to have registered a week in advance. Lasty there was supposed to be a 20 mile sportif... its gone deadly quiet on that one.

I'm not that impressed tbh and now thinking I'll give it a miss. I ride everyday as it is, at best they've pandered to a few wimps.

 

[PBancroft]

I felt similar. But then I saw the route and its pretty naff. Its around Hoglands park and a) the road suface is c*** all around that area (I ride past there everyday). I kind of get the feeling they might have well just said "lets hold it in the park and put down some cones". I hear Pendleton aint coming now, and they've drafted in some TV chef (not that one, dont worry). Oh and you're supposed to have registered a week in advance. Lasty there was supposed to be a 20 mile sportif... its gone deadly quiet on that one.

I'm not that impressed tbh and now thinking I'll give it a miss. I ride everyday as it is, at best they've pandered to a few wimps.

Oh. I don't think I'll bother then.

Which chef (and why not that one? He's a local)?

 

[downfader]

Oh. I don't think I'll bother then.

Which chef (and why not that one? He's a local)?

Cant remember... its on the Daily Echo website. I think they thought James Martin might try and run a few people over.

 

[Bollo]

I'm on me hols in Fnaarland, but I'm not sure I would have bothered.

I've said elsewhere that I'm slightly uncomfortable with the Skyride concept, partly because of the overt corporate sponsorship and partly because it promotes cycling as somehow in need of special events to make it happen. Dawkins forbid that someone should just get their bike and ride the thing. I could just about be talked into the London one because of the iconic sites (although I don't know the route - it could just circle the Stratford one-way for all I know) but, much as I'm fond of Scum, it's lacking in the icon department.

 

[Arfcollins]

I'm not that impressed tbh and now thinking I'll give it a miss. I ride everyday as it is, at best they've pandered to a few wimps.

That's a bit unfair. This ride isn't aimed at the regular commuter, but it may encourage a few people to drag that unused bike out of the shed and ride in company. I'm doing the Southampton one on the 29th as I want to drag the old lady and her bike out of the shed. Also sounds a pretty ride.

 

[PBancroft]

Cant remember... its on the Daily Echo website. I think they thought James Martin might try and run a few people over.

I should have included a with that post. Oh, and its Jean-Christophe Novelli apparently. Interesting choice, a chef from France who lives in Los Angeles.

 

[3tyretrackterry]

you keep the old lady in the shed braver man than me

 

[slugonabike]

Mr Slug and I are planning on doing this. It will be my first experience of riding with a crowd so would like to give it a go, if we don't like it we won't bother with another one.

 

[Hilldodger]

SkyRides aren't just about a one day event. It's about all the local rides going on and the council making a commitment to put a not insignificant amount of money into cycling at a time when money is tight. Sky are not funding all of the events, they are co-ordinating and marketing.

They are about creating a buzz and getting familes, new and returning cyclists out on their bikes.

We're doing our second event in Leicester and are expecting up to 20,000 people to attend. Such was the success of last year that Cyclemagic has been given the money to organise a cycling festival as part of it. But it's a Cyclmagic festival with funding from Sky and not a Sky festival organised by Cyclemagic.

Give these events time - there's a three year programme and how can turning a city over to cycling and giving tens of thousands of people a positive image of cycling be a bad thing?

In the lead up to and just after last year's Leicester SkyRide we had to take on more staff to cope with the demand for people wanting new or refurbished bikes or having their old bike serviced. And a lot of those people have continued cycling at weekends or even going to work.