[Leviathan]

After a wave of negativity in the news, did anyone have a good ride at VB? How did it stack up against Ride London. Well organised? Good weather? (just about as late as a ‘summer’ event could be. I got a reminder for next year as I expressed an interest, wondering if I should check it out. I hope they had the route pinned down before you set off.

Topic

[Zebulebu]

luiandlui wrote:

Does anyone have any idea how to get in touch with the Velo organisers now the ride is over ?  (I’ve tried the email address and Facebook page but just get automated replies). I had to rush off on Sunday so didn’t have time to pickqueue to get into the hall and pick up the bag I dropped off on Saturday. There isn’t anything of any massive value in there but I’d still quite like to get it back !!

Still responding to twitter – tweet them (someone else tweeted the exact same thing yesterday)

[luiandlui]

Does anyone have any idea how

Does anyone have any idea how to get in touch with the Velo organisers now the ride is over ?  (I’ve tried the email address and Facebook page but just get automated replies). I had to rush off on Sunday so didn’t have time to pickqueue to get into the hall and pick up the bag I dropped off on Saturday. There isn’t anything of any massive value in there but I’d still quite like to get it back !!

[Awavey]

Jetmans Dad wrote:

Jetmans Dad wrote:

And the support on the route … brilliant, hand sore from high fives by the end and having people by the roadside cheering you by name was amazing (whoever thought up putting your first name on your handlebar number deserves a medal of their own). 

Ive seen it done before on well organised half marathons, and yeah its slightly weird at first to have random roadside people shouting your name out encouraging you,or even fellow runners as they pass you, probably harder to do on a bike at speed, but certainly a good idea to copy for closed road sportives like this.

[theironduck]

By way of comparison, here

By way of comparison, here are this year’s RideLondon and Birmingham Vélo medals.  The London one is clearly chunkier and fancier but the Birmingham one has the advantage of not featuring a massive cock…

[theironduck]

barongreenback, sorry you had

wknight, sorry you had to put up with arsey drivers.  You have earned the gratitude of 11000 cyclists.  I hope that makes up for it in part.  Thank you!

+ 1 billion kudos 

[Judge dreadful]

wknight wrote:

The roads were cleared of tacs and oil as quick as possible. Several of the motorcyclists got tacs in their tyres. It’s not easy to change the route which is why they try to keep it open. Safety is paramount. There was also a long piece of wood stretched across the road. Some of the motorists were very abuisve to the marshalls, and then you wonder why they are short of marshalls. Who wants to stand all day, no access to a loo, only the food they give you and you are just a volunteer. 

 

Please spare a thought for all the support staff, I started at 0500 and never got home until 2030 a very long day and was yelled at by many motorists. 

Thanks for your ( and all the other volunteers) efforts, in making it work. I’m sure I speak for the vast majority of the riders in saying we appreciated it greatly. Top job, one and all.

[barongreenback]

My first sportive and really

My first sportive and really enjoyed it although I was in one of the earlier groups and finished in just over 6 hours so I didn’t experience the later carnage at feed stations.  I carried enough anyway as I’ve read countless sportive reviews that moan about the food on offer. Running out of water though is unforgivable. Support on the route was great and more than made up for the passive aggressive farmers who chose to trim hedges onto the roads. Special mention to the people of Bewdley who were utterly amazing. 

Personalised numbers were a great idea and put a smile on my face when people cheered me on.

Even thinned out there were still a few roads that felt a little too narrow for the amount of entrants, especially with a few of the ‘on your right’ mob who thought that every stretch was a TdF sprint finish. 

Final hills were tough with 75 miles already in the legs and the downhill back into Brum was a relief.  If the organisers are reading, a few suggestions:

– More of a party atmosphere in the other pens rather than just being able to hear music a mile up front at the start line.  

– More loos by the pens and easier access rather than having to vault barriers  

– Finale back on the NIA was a bit of a damp squib. Free beer was good (thanks Purity) but the hall was  bit empty.  Needed a few more stalls/exhibitors etc. to keep people hanging around.  Alternatively use Centenary Square for an open air party.

I think they did ok for a first attempt and I hope they learn from the experience for next year.  And I hope that Bewdley is on the route again!

 

 

[wknight]

The roads were cleared of

The roads were cleared of tacs and oil as quick as possible. Several of the motorcyclists got tacs in their tyres. It’s not easy to change the route which is why they try to keep it open. Safety is paramount. There was also a long piece of wood stretched across the road. Some of the motorists were very abuisve to the marshalls, and then you wonder why they are short of marshalls. Who wants to stand all day, no access to a loo, only the food they give you and you are just a volunteer. 

 

Please spare a thought for all the support staff, I started at 0500 and never got home until 2030 a very long day and was yelled at by many motorists. 

[Judge dreadful]

I started in the second to

I started in the second to last wave, but put the hammer down early on and cleared the ( inevitable ) ‘compression’ caused by less experienced / less quick, riders paying more for an earlier start. Fortunately, the route was flat to downhill on the first 20 mile stretch, and I got it done in just under 1  hour. I had one incident of a ‘Billy big bollox / all the gear no idea’ merchant riding like a complete cock, and nearly wiping a few riders out, but one out of 11000 odd riders, isn’t bad odds ( in a Sportive) TBF. I’m not entirely surprised that 3500 odd riders went AWOL, as I’d heard through various channels that a few people “couldn’t be arsed” with the registration processes, and extrapolation of the numbers, probably leads to the conclusion proved by the data. I’ll give it a go next year, as ( has been previously said, up thread) the PRLS 100, has become a risky 100 mile TT / chopper fest. I really don’t do ‘Sportives’ as they are fake / unlicensed races, in all but name, but the crowd support alone, on this event, made it well worthwhile.

[Jetmans Dad]

Don’t really have a lot to

Don’t really have a lot to add to these comments, bar agreeing with some of the cons quoted … lack of food at the 55 mile stop and the generally chaotic atmosphere at them being in the last but one wave to depart. I had gels to get me to the end but was crying out for half a banana or something a little more solid. 

Also … wine gums? Maybe it is just me, or the part of the country I hail from, but jelly babies are so far superior, being easier to eat on the move due to the softer, less chewy texture. Guess the packets are just not set up for something like that. 

Also agree much harder ride than London (never done 2000m of climbing on a ride before Sunday – still not quite ready to say I enjoyed that but very pleased to have completed it). 

As far as practicalities go, staying at the Broadway Plaza Travelodge and having a 3 minute gentle ride to the start knocks driving 45 minutes from Barnet to Grosvenor Hill and then cycling a further 45 minutes to the Olympic Park into a cocked hat. 

And the support on the route … brilliant, hand sore from high fives by the end and having people by the roadside cheering you by name was amazing (whoever thought up putting your first name on your handlebar number deserves a medal of their own). 

[theironduck]

mikepridmorewood wrote:

Just thought of another thing to add. How about closing the roads where the tacks were thrown and the oil poured until an investigation into who did is is concluded and the road made safe again?

I don’t think collective punishment of communities that were kind enough to host an event such as this is either fair or conducive to good future relations.  That said, I’d be happy to see the moron sabateurs publicly blamed for any disruption caused to locals due to the clear up operation.  Some hay and cones were enough to make the road safe for the duration of the event but I suspect clearing up the spilt oil afterwards was a bigger task.

[mikewood]

Just thought of another thing

Just thought of another thing to add. How about closing the roads where the tacks were thrown and the oil poured until an investigation into who did is is concluded and the road made safe again?

[dave atkinson]

Duncann wrote:

I hope the organisers are reading these comments!

I’ve pointed them at this thread.

Interesting to hear that it was crowded in the pack, though not surprising given the numbers. I went off in the very first group and then there was a half-hour delay, i think, while they sorted out the oil and the tacks (they’d covered the oil with straw when we rode over it but i’m guessing they wanted to clean it up properly). the upshot of that was that it thinned out very quickly and we rode it as a 2-up for about half of the 55 miles to the second feed stop. we were never in a group of more than about 10. perks of being at the front i guess.

[Dnnnnnn]

I hope the organisers are

I hope the organisers are reading these comments!

[mikewood]

I thought it was a brilliant

I thought it was a brilliant day out. 

Not ideal with the delayed start which we were actually informed of and had expected it anyway.

Feed stop at 55 miles was busy but again expected.

The route was pretty tough and in some respects harder than the White Rose Classic and definately much harder than London which is now turning into a 100 mile TT

The best bit though was the roadside support we got. Bewdley felt like it was Bergen! we did see some signs of complaints outside the houses but these were outnumbered by at least 1000/1 with people embracing the day and making the most out of it.

When we arrived at the finish we were also told there was about a 1/2 wait to get in but stuck it out as the rest of our club were already inside. It took less than 10 minutes to get in and the atmosphere was great.

All in all a good first run at such a massive event and it will improve. The NIA was at capacity really so how about starting at the NEC in conjunction with the Cycle Show and make it a mega weekend long event? Much more space for everything too and could still take in the City centre on the way out, a bit like London does.

[Author]

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