Ride London 2026?

[NaePasaran]

I know this is asking people to predict the future, but after this years cancellation, which they had to refund people for so they were obviously originally expecting it to go ahead, do we think it will make a come back or we thinking that's it done?

I noticed they're talking about a new concept, i'm taking that is a new route after bowing to anti-cycle pro-car lobbyists?

It's a toss-up between Ride London and Etape Loch Ness next year. I'd need to heavily train for both but the former will need plans, trains and hotels booked while the Highlands could be done in a day hence it would be good to know.

(PS i know i could message them but don't think they'd be forthcoming with information if nothing official yet, hence wondering what peoples thoughts are on here

[outnumbered]

I can't see it restarting in the original form. It was originally an Olympic legacy thing, but we're well past that now, and cycling isn't as popular as it was a few years ago. So the goodwill required for all the disruption it causes isn't really there.

[S100HP]

Surely this is a no brainer? A potential ride around London....boring....or Loch Ness with the majestic views and wide open countryside in the rolling Highlands. I know which I'd choose!

(I'm aware ride London goes out to the Surrey hills but still....)

[troc]

S100HP said:

Surely this is a no brainer? A potential ride around London....boring....or Loch Ness with the majestic views and wide open countryside in the rolling Highlands. I know which I'd choose!

(I'm aware ride London goes out to the Surrey hills but still....)

Hasn’t been to Surrey for years, last few events have been around Essex. Still fairly pretty to be fair.

Would be a shame if it died away as it was a great day out with 18,000 other cyclists.

(Reminds me I need to do the serpentine swim to get my London classics medal)

[BunkMoreland]

troc said:

Hasn’t been to Surrey for years, last few events have been around Essex. Still fairly pretty to be fair.

Would be a shame if it died away as it was a great day out with 18,000 other cyclists.

(Reminds me I need to do the serpentine swim to get my London classics medal)

I got an email about Swim Serpentine this week saying Entries open. (I did it in 2017) It did occur to me that with no RideLondon anymore, why would non swimmers bother to do it if they cant get the enormous (and satisfyingly weighty) Classics medal


EDIT
Part of the reason of the demise of RL100 was the organisers (London Marathon Events) making it a ballot with the view that this would push people to do charity places. So they could then crow on about how much money they've made for charity. Inevitably people didn't want to commit to raising a grand so they just didn't bother. Then the stupid organisers allowed wky e-bikes to be used to try and fill the places of people that decided not to do it.

Its exactly what they did to the Marathon when Hugh Brasher (son of founder Chris) took over and changed the mindset from "performance" to "charity fundraiser"

The other issue was that they didn't change the route. So do it once why do it again? I always thought they missed a trick by not having a North (ot to Herts and back), East (Essex), South (surrey) and West (Berkshire) routes so it encouraged people to do it at least 4 times. And to minimise road closures (which irked many people) rotate those 4 routes annually.

Also having roads that are not fully closed but segregated with barriers keeps locals onside. (as we see with in places on London to Brighton) They could fully close some roads completely such as the bigger hills. (Newlands, Box and Leith)

They always banged on that it wasn't a race, (thought if you ever saw the guys at the sharp end it patently was!) so having places where the bikes need to stop briefly to allow the nimby's of this country to go about their lives might have kept them on side. But to keep the speedy guys happy. Only introduce those stop points (with marshals) after 9am

Edited by BunkMoreland on Saturday 24th May 12:41

[gl20]

Some of the comments on here are probably based on the pre-Covid Surrey event. When it moved to Essex you could get places fairly easily without going through any ballot or needing to take a charity place. It was perhaps a sign of where things were heading, when tickets for 2025 went on sale immediately after the 2024 event. Smacked of desperation.

I’ did the Surrey and Essex routes once each. The Surrey one was far more interesting - the route taking you right through London, rather than straight out of it, and then much more variety once you get to the home county section. Also, I’m not sure if this is down to a general rise in social media, but complaints from Essex residents seemed much greater (FWIW I live in Essex and don’t encounter much bother on my local rides).

I can’t see it happening again any time soon, if ever. Different times financially unfortunately and, as commented on above, we seem to be over a cycling peak.

OP - one of my cycling buddies just did the Loch event and had a good time. Even if RL was still going, I’d give that a go.

[Salted_Peanut]

gl20 said:

Different times financially unfortunately and, as commented on above, we seem to be over a cycling peak.

We're undoubtedly in different times for various reasons.

I can't help feeling that reduced TV and media coverage doesn't help. The Giro d'Italia barely gets mentioned, even when a British rider, Josh Tarling, claimed his first Grand Tour stage win. And how much of the Tour de France will be free to view on TV despite the race starting in Edinburgh?

[emicen]

NaePasaran said:

I know this is asking people to predict the future, but after this years cancellation, which they had to refund people for so they were obviously originally expecting it to go ahead, do we think it will make a come back or we thinking that's it done?

I noticed they're talking about a new concept, i'm taking that is a new route after bowing to anti-cycle pro-car lobbyists?

It's a toss-up between Ride London and Etape Loch Ness next year. I'd need to heavily train for both but the former will need plans, trains and hotels booked while the Highlands could be done in a day hence it would be good to know.

(PS i know i could message them but don't think they'd be forthcoming with information if nothing official yet, hence wondering what peoples thoughts are on here

Nothing to add on the Ride London front but unless you’re pretty local, Loch Ness can’t really be done in a day. You have to attend in person on the Saturday to collect your timing chip etc, so you would need an overnight and the hotels book up fast.

It’s about the only negative about the Loch Ness event, done it twice and it’s a great run.

[Master Bean]

There's the World Naked Bike Ride on the 14th June.

[Gareth79]

One other problem about the Surrey event was that apparently if you got allocated a later start time you'd end up riding behind people with little riding experience, and I heard stories of people having to walk up hills because there wasn't physically room to pass other walking riders.

[Siao]

S100HP said:

Surely this is a no brainer? A potential ride around London....boring....or Loch Ness with the majestic views and wide open countryside in the rolling Highlands. I know which I'd choose!

(I'm aware ride London goes out to the Surrey hills but still....)

I disagree, rides around London can be great.

I have done the night-rider a couple of times in the past, that was full of adventure for a Sat night. From drunks hurling bottles to us to an SUV deliberately steering into some cyclists in a traffic light...

Fun times, I need to do that again if it is still a thing.

[Master Bean]

Siao said:

S100HP said:

Surely this is a no brainer? A potential ride around London....boring....or Loch Ness with the majestic views and wide open countryside in the rolling Highlands. I know which I'd choose!

(I'm aware ride London goes out to the Surrey hills but still....)

I disagree, rides around London can be great.

I have done the night-rider a couple of times in the past, that was full of adventure for a Sat night. From drunks hurling bottles to us to an SUV deliberately steering into some cyclists in a traffic light...

Fun times, I need to do that again if it is still a thing.

BHF stopped doing the night ride. They're might be another charity who do one. I did it 3 times including the year we started at Tower Bridge.

[BunkMoreland]

Gareth79 said:

One other problem about the Surrey event was that apparently if you got allocated a later start time you'd end up riding behind people with little riding experience, and I heard stories of people having to walk up hills because there wasn't physically room to pass other walking riders.

Yep. The "problem" is that as its (was) a ballot they asked people what time they expected to finish in and a lot of the less experienced riders massively over estimated their ability. LME do the same with the London Marathon Ballot. But they never ask for any proof as to WHY you think that time is plausible.

The year I did it, I and at least 1/3rd of our corral snuck into the corrals ahead. From memory I was meant to be in "H" but started in E or D. Just to try and give ourselves a chance with the traffic .I would estimate that still put us in the front 40%ish. By Leith Hill it was becoming a dodgem event. Though I didn't have to stop for those walking.

[z4RRSchris]

i did 2022. Was in B "pen" right at the front, took 18 mins at 300w on my mates wheel to get to the front behind the car. From then it was a 500 man road race through central london with road furniture everywhere. Every 30 seconds you heard a shout / scream and someone else hitting the deck.

looking up down epping new road and seeing the road for about 100m FULL of riders was pretty nuts.

There was a crash before the top crosswind section which split things up, was caught on wrong side so that was race over.

i would never ever do anything like that ever again.

[Siao]

Master Bean said:

Siao said:

S100HP said:

Surely this is a no brainer? A potential ride around London....boring....or Loch Ness with the majestic views and wide open countryside in the rolling Highlands. I know which I'd choose!

(I'm aware ride London goes out to the Surrey hills but still....)

I disagree, rides around London can be great.

I have done the night-rider a couple of times in the past, that was full of adventure for a Sat night. From drunks hurling bottles to us to an SUV deliberately steering into some cyclists in a traffic light...

Fun times, I need to do that again if it is still a thing.

BHF stopped doing the night ride. They're might be another charity who do one. I did it 3 times including the year we started at Tower Bridge.

Ah, I didn't know. I've moved from London, so I haven't kept tabs. I did it twice, best one was the start/finish from Ally Pally, having a sausage bun and looking at the sunrise in the end, glorious.

Thank you for your reply!

[BunkMoreland]

z4RRSchris said:

i did 2022. Was in B "pen" right at the front, took 18 mins at 300w on my mates wheel to get to the front behind the car. From then it was a 500 man road race through central london with road furniture everywhere. Every 30 seconds you heard a shout / scream and someone else hitting the deck.

I spectated for a couple friends in 2019. First in Richmond Park (Sawyers hill) and then towards the top of Wimbledon Hill. Hell of a convoluted route to drive from one to the other

Like you say, guys at the front were hammering it. (though no crashes that I saw)

[z4RRSchris]

back in 17 or 16 our very own OKGO was off the front all the way to the line with Yanto and the old Aussie doper.

There is a video on youtube of Alex percival somewhere winning it also.