LEL 2022is coming soon

[Always Cross]

If LEL is going to go ahead in 2022 do you think the next one would be 2025 or 2026?

[Ajax Bay]

Almost certainly

[Geriatricdolan]

Like many other things, it will depend on vaccine efficacy and distribution.

[Karla]

Read the question GD.

[LMT]

2025

[Geriatricdolan]

Read the question GD.

yes, noted. It will still depend upon vaccine efficacy, we all assume 2022 will be different, but there is no guarantee that will be the case. It might well be that LEL won't go ahead until who knows when.
It's not just what happens in the UK, but worldwide, this is an event which attracts riders from all over the world.
Bear in mind, the very nature of LEL makes it the ideal "super spreader", with riders sharing sleeping arrangements, toilets etc...

[MikeFromLFE]

The question also needs to be directed at the potential volunteer pool.

There may be a significant number of previous volunteers who will be unable to help the following time around (age, illness other) , and there may be some unwilling to expose themselves to what they perceive as a health risk.

[Geriatricdolan]

The question also needs to be directed at the potential volunteer pool.

There may be a significant number of previous volunteers who will be unable to help the following time around (age, illness other) , and there may be some unwilling to expose themselves to what they perceive as a health risk.

True, I am due to help, but that was based on 2021 and I am not sure I will in 2022, it depends on so many factors. The problem is that everything is so volatile, that I don't feel like committing into anything right now.

[bairn again]

The current organising team have taken the event to an exceptionally high standard, which is no doubt a significant undertaking.   

There will come a point when the key folk involved wont want to do it any more at which point there is no guarantee that there will be people willing to step into their shoes.   

If I were keen on riding LEL Id be doing everything to ride the one that's planned in 2022 and assume nothing about the LEL-after-next.     

More generally, and very sadly, big cycling events with international fields (LEL, PBP and to a lesser extent Sem Fed) in their pre pandemic guises may be last to return post pandemic, if at all. 

 

[alwyn]

If LEL is going to go ahead in 2022 do you think the next one would be 2025 or 2026?

2025

[LateStarter]

The current organising team have taken the event to an exceptionally high standard, which is no doubt a significant undertaking.   

There will come a point when the key folk involved wont want to do it any more at which point there is no guarantee that there will be people willing to step into their shoes.   

If I were keen on riding LEL Id be doing everything to ride the one that's planned in 2022 and assume nothing about the LEL-after-next.     

More generally, and very sadly, big cycling events with international fields (LEL, PBP and to a lesser extent Sem Fed) in their pre pandemic guises may be last to return post pandemic, if at all.

This happened with the Australian Audax Alpine Classic, after 30+ years the main organisers couldn't be replaced, the event was passed on to a commercial organiser but was cancelled last year due to bush fires and COVID this has it in doubt, at least the numbers are going to be well down, always too much hills for me.

My main worry is PBP 2023, I guess ACP serious planning should be starting soon, mine has already

[Always Cross]

Ok thanks alwyn may volunteer in 2022 and dream of riding in 2025.  2026 would have been better for me it would of been a retirement present to myself. 

[mzjo]

Ok thanks alwyn may volunteer in 2022 and dream of riding in 2025.  2026 would have been better for me it would of been a retirement present to myself.

I'm up for volunteering in 2022 and nothing to do with retirement (which should come this year) or riding it later. I just want to (completely selfish I know)

[The Family Cyclist]

I'm still likely to volunteer again. Do have two forms of earnt entry LEL 2017 and WCW er 2019 I think but have not the time or quite frankly the inclination to put in the effort to get close to being able to ride it

[Always Cross]

I would use volunteering to see how the riders experience LEL not just to get a place on the next one.  Also 2025 LEL will be used as incentive to get out and ride more the farthest audax I’ve done is 100km BP full value rider.  So I need to get faster so I can ride farther.  I started riding at 7 and haven’t stopped since just not very fast.  So you see what I mean of dreaming of doing it.

[LiamFitz]

I had the best time volunteering in 2017 - knackering but really enjoyable.

[Bikeabilityman]

I had the best time volunteering in 2017 - knackering but really enjoyable.

So you didn’t just hide in the side/computer room, chatting to passers by! 

[Fidgetbuzz]

The Boss says 2025 .. and I am sure that is right in calendar terms ... but the key question will be is The Boss going to be up for doing what would then be his 4th LEL. The two + years work in advance of the ride date ..mean that there is very little time off , so that LEL occupies quite a large part of your free  time .. especially if you are still in gainful employment ( which he is ).

Having been with Danial for both events so far and all being well the next 20 months to the 2022 event ..and  remembering that I said I would be unlikely to do 2021  .. age gets to us all .. at the moment I find it difficult to imagine that I will be doing 2025 .. but maybe  the rejuvenation pills will work .. or I am a reincarnation of Peter Pan.    Both very unlikely in reality

Not difficult to replace me .. but replacing Danial if it was needed ..  his knowledge and total commitment and dedication to the event .. and the huge time demand .. that will be a hell of a task.

[Ivo]

There have been serveral main organisers of LEL over the years, each gave a special twist to it but the general outline always has been improving the quality, increasing the amount of riders but not too fast and an international outlook. It's quite normal that the same person can't do this for many years.

[ElyDave]

I had the best time volunteering in 2017 - knackering but really enjoyable.

So you didn’t just hide in the side/computer room, chatting to passers by! 

No he didn't, he got stuck in, in the kitchen feeding bean stew to all the German veggies.

I thoroughly enjoyed it as well, and had hoped to be able to ride it this time round, but things are so much up in the air and my back is not recovering from an accident, so unlikely for 2022 at least.

[Fidgetbuzz]

You are of course right Ivo .. that there have been a succession of organisers .. but the event has changed enormously since  I rode in 2009 when there were  about 500 entries ...in my biased view it would be fair to say 2009 was the last .. "" Lets wing it and hope event .. after all they are Audax riders and will tolerate almost anything"".  2022 we expect to start 2000 from 55 different countries, with an entry fee about 3 times that of 2009. These entrants expect and are entitled to receive value for money.  Just getting the controls of the size to handle these numbers requires long and complex negotiations. The organisation needed to find 4 times the number of volunteers .. and getting them into the right places at the right times is way way different from the past. Feeding the riders can  no longer be left to each individual controller, in fact menu options have to very carefully worked out. Medical skills have to be increased . Insurance for overseas riders is now a complex problem.    It will be  quite possible to replace Danial, when he reaches the point of saying .. this is my last one ..  but the skill levels and time commitment are substantial .. it is a hell of a job to undertake. It can not be done by bringing in some sort of professional organiser, charging for their time .. the price would then rocket to .. say £1000... so almost certainly it has to be someone with a love of Audax .. with large amounts of available time and high admin skill levels. All being well if and when the time comes .. there will be someone who can step up .. but although the event retains the original concept .. London to Edinburgh and back again.. the admin demands have increased exponentially.

[Genosse Brymbo]

I had the best time volunteering in 2017 - knackering but really enjoyable.

So you didn’t just hide in the side/computer room, chatting to passers by! 

No he didn't, he got stuck in, in the kitchen feeding bean stew to all the German veggies.

I thoroughly enjoyed it as well, and had hoped to be able to ride it this time round, but things are so much up in the air and my back is not recovering from an accident, so unlikely for 2022 at least.

My memory is of Liam manning the commercial-grade diswasher, delivering very lively and witty banter at the same time.  It contributed greatly to my enjoyment of the event.

Like ElyDave I had hoped to ride it this time round.  Fingers crossed for 2022.

[Ivo]

You are of course right Ivo .. that there have been a succession of organisers .. but the event has changed enormously since  I rode in 2009 when there were  about 500 entries ...in my biased view it would be fair to say 2009 was the last .. "" Lets wing it and hope event .. after all they are Audax riders and will tolerate almost anything"".  2022 we expect to start 2000 from 55 different countries, with an entry fee about 3 times that of 2009. These entrants expect and are entitled to receive value for money.  Just getting the controls of the size to handle these numbers requires long and complex negotiations. The organisation needed to find 4 times the number of volunteers .. and getting them into the right places at the right times is way way different from the past. Feeding the riders can  no longer be left to each individual controller, in fact menu options have to very carefully worked out. Medical skills have to be increased . Insurance for overseas riders is now a complex problem.    It will be  quite possible to replace Danial, when he reaches the point of saying .. this is my last one ..  but the skill levels and time commitment are substantial .. it is a hell of a job to undertake. It can not be done by bringing in some sort of professional organiser, charging for their time .. the price would then rocket to .. say £1000... so almost certainly it has to be someone with a love of Audax .. with large amounts of available time and high admin skill levels. All being well if and when the time comes .. there will be someone who can step up .. but although the event retains the original concept .. London to Edinburgh and back again.. the admin demands have increased exponentially.

2009 was already a far cry from my first LEL in 1997. OK, it wasn't X-rated in '97 but only half the controls were staffed and there was a great deal of riding alone. Each new organiser upgraded the event to a next level, anyone succeding Danial would have to upgrade as well (or Danial himself if he stays).

[The French Tandem]

Insurance for overseas riders is now a complex problem.   

Being based in France, we used to ride in Britain while being covered by our home insurance only (a French insurance company). I guess it was similar for all other EU countries residents. Our insurance company told us (well, I asked first) that from January 1st 2021, we were  no longer insured for riding a bicycle in Britain 

[mzjo]

Insurance for overseas riders is now a complex problem.   

Being based in France, we used to ride in Britain while being covered by our home insurance only (a French insurance company). I guess it was similar for all other EU countries residents. Our insurance company told us (well, I asked first) that from January 1st 2021, we were  no longer insured for riding a bicycle in Britain 

I used to ride thinking I was covered on my FFCT membership, until the Federal insurers clearly stated that only rides inscribed in the League (or I think Codep ) calendar were covered by the organising option that (all?) clubs subscribe to. I think we still take a risk assuming that a club ride overseas will be covered but individual rides are clearly not (which gave an enormous amount of grief for cross-border commuters with a home one side and a club the other - think Germany-France for example). It is early days since federal activity was on Covid shutdown before Brexit came into force (and the FFCT has also changed insurers); I would hope that a solution will be found when activity restarts (when?). Somewhere there will be an insurer with a specialist product for riding overseas - although at what price?