News! (including price)

[mmmmartin]

It mostly works for airlines.

and for orienteering and fell running events

[Ray 6701]

Fungus, you can enter up until the end of May. We might have closed entries by then. In fact I hope we will have long before then. But we will always make room and special provision for volunteers from the previous event.

Excellent!  Many thanks 

[Exit Stage Left]

Easy to solve. Assuming there's some flexibility wrt to numbers (just in case), overbook the event by 15%, or whatever the DNS rate was last time. It mostly works for airlines.

That was done last time. 500 were envisaged, 600 booked and 520 or so rode. The slight problem was that it was still necessary to cater for 600 at the remote Alston control, as resupply would deplete volunteer numbers and there was no information sent upline of actual start numbers. It's a bit difficult to spare someone to go for more food because you're overwhelmed. That's how we ended up with a lot of surplus tins, the perishables got used first, it did prevent waste though. With volunteers a lot of the preparation has to be done in spare time running up to the event.

[Fidgetbuzz]

Significantly better organised this time - so the Alston problem will be easier but still exist - because food purchase/ preparation etc - will start before we know actual number that leave London - but i am sure you will get this number asap after start closes. I assume that we will have some full payment entries that do not start - but not a lot - $219 down the drain for a change of mind is not cheap.

Getting the "right" number of actual riders is a mental exercise that is nice to contemplate in the abstract -- but we have  to organise the system to handle withdrawals and non starters effectively-- lets  get it right - and then hope there are enough entries that we need the system.

[jefmcg]

I honestly think you won't have a problem with numbers. I was working at a London merchant bank, and on the chat group there, a Japanese banker asked for details of the race.  A lot of us haven't heard of it (including me) but I reckon at least 10 will sign up now.  I'm planning to sign up in January, and if things don't go well in my training, drop out.  Compared to a week off work, £219 is not a lot of money.   And £44 pounds (if I drop out) will be a lot less than the new chain, cassette and base layers (at least) that I will need if I do it.  And my first road bike was £800, and I know a lot of people who spent a lot more than that.

Get the word out to the Mamil brigade early, and you'll have plenty of takers.

[Tynan]

if someone hated their training so much they dropped out, would volunteering at that point get them a full refund?

just asking

[Fidgetbuzz]

Team has not considered slightly obscure variations on "standard" patterns so far.

Personal guess - it might depend on what the finances look like - healthy and you might be in with a chance, provided we actually needed more help - loss making and possibly a different answer. Too many imponderables to give a definite answer now, in my view.

I suggest - entering and making the effort needed to complete the ride -----  resulting in great personal satisfaction.

[Tynan]

indeed, sorry, I have a tendency to tug things around

[frankly frankie]

Easy to solve. Assuming there's some flexibility wrt to numbers (just in case), overbook the event by 15%, or whatever the DNS rate was last time. It mostly works for airlines.

That was done last time. 500 were envisaged, 600 booked and 520 or so rode.

Youre right, overbooking was done last time, just as Chris suggests.  Unfortunately someone at the sharp end just didn't "get it". 
So (a) controls were warned (incorrectly) to plan for up to 600 riders, and (b) as entrants dropped out, bringing the actual numbers down to the planned 500 or fewer, some fool started filling-in from a waiting list ...

[arvid]

I'm thinking I could leave some A4 size "poster-style" sheets at our local gym. 

I was just looking for something like this, and I cannot find this on the LEL website. Do you already have something and are you willing to share it? I'm lazy and rather reuse something than create myself. I want to put up a list of my own rides at the notice board of the cafe where my own rides start, I might as well advertise LEL while I'm at it.

[mattc]

This doesn't really answer the question, but I've been meaning to mention it:

Last week Keef had some lovely flyers with him. Think they were A5 double-sided? Someone said they were produced for PBP2011, so they lacked a few more recent details* - but I thought they looked the business. If these are available (or can be reprinted) I think they are great publicity.

(*I didn't spot any out-of-date facts, but there may have been some.)

[Tynan]

is there any need for publicity?

it's going to fill the limit surely?

[LittleWheelsandBig]

is there any need for publicity?

it's going to fill the limit surely?

What makes you think that?

There are places for about 50% more riders than started last LEL. The entries of overseas 1200+ brevets isn't expanding hugely (check out how many started the last 2 Mille Miglia or last 2 PBPs). Most riders tend not to repeat international brevets, tending to look towards riding other international brevets, rather than retracing. The numbers of AUKs doing long brevets hasn't significantly increased in the last decade.

I'm not saying it won't fill up but I certainly don't think it is guaranteed. I suspect that there will have to be a fair amount of publicity to get a full field and most folk would make a decision by the end of winter at the latest about whether to ride.

[Fidgetbuzz]

I am all in favour of as wide spread publicity as we can get. We need the ride to fill up - so that we can carry through our spending plans and deliver a first class experience for the riders. If it comes up short of entrants - then although we do have cut back plans in place - and it will still be a good and enjoyable ride - it will not have the full on experience that we want to offer.

So anyone thinking of publicity - please go ahead, round up your mates and get them to face up to a challenge etc etc

[TOBY]

I am all in favour of as wide spread publicity as we can get. We need the ride to fill up - so that we can carry through our spending plans and deliver a first class experience for the riders. If it comes up short of entrants - then although we do have cut back plans in place - and it will still be a good and enjoyable ride - it will not have the full on experience that we want to offer.

So anyone thinking of publicity - please go ahead, round up your mates and get them to face up to a challenge etc etc

Things that would help me promote LEL to people I know and other Club riders are:

A digital flyer - I could post on the club website/forum/facebook/email
A PDF of the above - I could print to stick up on a wall somewhere + at home to remind me to enter
Maybe a desktop wallpaper with the dates on - something to aspire to while sat at work?
This could be downloadable/linkable from a "promo/press" page on the website.

Facebook Web address thumbnail image thingy - so if i post the URL it puts an image with the link.
this is what currently happens:


a web address with "meta description" is less likely to be clicked on than say:


Maybe even add a short meta description?

i am reluctant to post it while it looks like the above.

I assume this is relatively easy to fix and would make the shared links look more attractive.

[jefmcg]

Facebook just picks up the <img> elements on the front page (I think), and there are no actual IMGs there; must be all done with javascript.

Quick fix, try using http://www.londonedinburghlondon.com/route instead, that gives a nice map thumbnail as the second image choice.

[London Edinburgh London]

Toby, thank you. I'd spotted that before, tried to fix it, failed, got distracted and forgot. I've emailed someone who knows what they're doing.

Also, excellent points for some quick, cheap publicity. Love it. I'm on it and might spend some money on it. (sorry fidgetbuzz)

If anyone would like any leaflets, we have some left. Msg Keeff for the fastest response.

[Tynan]

okeydoke, it was a genuine question, I have tried to enthuse others but got a amazed and incredulous no from all but two who have made non commital maybe noises

despite possible appearances, this entire venture has my full approval and support, hot food and showers and beds are good things

[jogler]

Is there a concessionary rate for Saga folk & the unemployed

[Fidgetbuzz]

Is there a concessionary rate for Saga folk & the unemployed

Optimist!!

[jogler]

Is there a concessionary rate for Saga folk & the unemployed

Optimist!!

 

[cyclone]

On a slightly off topic note, do you have plans for a foriegn riders quota or will it be first come first served? just thinking as most of my fellow countrypeople seem to be either non-commital or don't seem bothered by deadlines....

regards Yan

[London Edinburgh London]

First come first served. There are no country quotas or any of that malarkey.

[Somnolent]

What time on 5 January will it open?
Accessible from an Android phone?
Was planning to be busy on iddu's Poor Student from 8 am on that day !

[LittleWheelsandBig]

It isn't going to fill up in a day!