The annualRide London kick in the face.

pruaga wrote:

Just thinking out loud here, but...

As I understand it, the whole course is on public roads that are closed for the day. There would be nothing to stop a large enough group just turning up to the 'start' on any old Sunday morning to do it themselves? I know a lot of the roads are not usually nice cycling routes, but if there were enough people a critical mass could form giving safety in numbers.

This.

I know a number of people who have turned up and just rode sportive routes on the same day.

Daveyraveygravey wrote:

Leodis wrote:

Oh well thats another ride full of MAMIL's who have no idea of group riding I will miss.. Not bitter at all

...or condescending...

The lady doth protest too much methinks

glynr36 wrote:

pruaga wrote:

Just thinking out loud here, but...

As I understand it, the whole course is on public roads that are closed for the day. There would be nothing to stop a large enough group just turning up to the 'start' on any old Sunday morning to do it themselves? I know a lot of the roads are not usually nice cycling routes, but if there were enough people a critical mass could form giving safety in numbers.

This.

I know a number of people who have turned up and just rode sportive routes on the same day.

I wish you all the very best of luck riding down the A12 (A102M) and later out along the A4 when the road isn't closed.

Riding on 'open' roads when there's an event on by coincidence is fine by me; riding on closed roads where people have paid for the organisation etc is very bad form IMO.

I wasn't suggesting riding the closed roads, that would end up as chaos if everyone just turned up, and I haven't studied the route in detail. Like I said, just thinking out loud.

I accidentally ended up on the course of a BHF ride last year. Rode for a while, chatted to a few people and then confused the marshalls at a junction when I turned to head home and everyone else kept going!

I don't think I'd go out of my way to turn up to sportive start intentionally to tag along though, seems a bit rude.

chokofingrz wrote:

Kick in face received and graciously accepted but I do not recall asking them to send me a shit-filled glossy magazine which has gone straight into the recycling box.

+1

I'd rather they just sent me a simple letter and then donated the printing cost of the magazine to some of the charities the event supports.

Half the content was about preparing for the "big day" too, so a little ill-judged in my view.

Leodis wrote:

Oh well thats another ride full of MAMIL's who have no idea of group riding I will miss.. Not bitter at all

why did you apply?

pruaga wrote:

Just thinking out loud here, but...

As I understand it, the whole course is on public roads that are closed for the day. There would be nothing to stop a large enough group just turning up to the 'start' on any old Sunday morning to do it themselves? I know a lot of the roads are not usually nice cycling routes, but if there were enough people a critical mass could form giving safety in numbers.

Whilst I can't argue with your point, I did ride part of the route from Surrey into London before last years event and the difference was night & day, especially in Kingston!

Dropped wrote:

Not from round your way so just wondered if you can just ride the course? would the Police stop you if you just turned up and rode?

You mean on the day of the event itself or some other random time?
Some other time it'd be a rubbish ride and a lot of it simply wouldn't be doable due to one way systems, dual carriageway etc.

On the day of the event...
They were pretty damn strict last year about checking; loads of marshals, lots of barriers. And besides, it's really not the done thing, its very poor form even in an open road sportive, I imagine you'd get no end of grief even from other riders.

cidermart wrote:

I'm sorry but no way am I going to try and gadge money out of my friends for something I love doing.

Why not? I did that last year & raised £1,000 for DiabetesUK and had a good time doing it! I did put a time that I was aiming to beat on my justgiving page so it didn't come across as a pootle around London.

+1