Author Topic: VeloBirmingham?  (Read 39412 times)

essexian

Re: VeloBirmingham?
« Reply #25 on: 09 February, 2018, 08:30:24 am »
Looks like Birmingham has moved a bit.....

https://www.velosouth.com/



Re: VeloBirmingham?
« Reply #26 on: 09 February, 2018, 12:55:04 pm »
More importantly, what happened last night at the Worcester County Council meeting where it was due to be discussed?

Re: VeloBirmingham?
« Reply #27 on: 09 February, 2018, 01:05:48 pm »
More importantly, what happened last night at the Worcester County Council meeting where it was due to be discussed?

Ah, taken off the agenda as no need to discuss it because it is not happening. Crafty way of ducking decision and leaving it to hopefully go away and not resurface if new route avoids that area.

Re: VeloBirmingham?
« Reply #28 on: 09 February, 2018, 06:28:04 pm »
Looks like Birmingham has moved a bit.....

https://www.velosouth.com/

Nothing exciting about that at all! it's not UCI sanctioned so you can't use it to qualify for the worlds. There are audaxes that covers the same area for far less £££ and a much better route to boot!


Re: VeloBirmingham?
« Reply #29 on: 04 October, 2018, 09:30:05 am »
Entries now open for this again for 2019.  Anyone else entering?

Kim

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Re: VeloBirmingham?
« Reply #30 on: 01 February, 2019, 12:01:24 pm »
They've announced a 42-miler:

https://www.velobirmingham.com/42-mile-route/

Sounds like a good idea, but they're still banning recumbents, tricycles, etc, so fuck that.

Re: VeloBirmingham?
« Reply #31 on: 01 February, 2019, 12:18:55 pm »
Quote
Please note this is a point-to-point ride and participants are responsible for arranging their own way home after they’ve finished in Coventry.
:-\

Re: VeloBirmingham?
« Reply #32 on: 01 February, 2019, 02:22:36 pm »
£50 (after fees) to ride from Birmingham to Coventry, plus you have to turn up the afternoon before to register if you don't want to pay another £5 to get your pack posted.

Fuck that.

Quote
There are regular direct trains from Coventry to Birmingham New Street – please check with the train providers regarding their bike policy.

I'm guessing no one from the event will have spoken to the train companies about this, and they'll respond by banning bikes completely for the day?

Kim

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Re: VeloBirmingham?
« Reply #33 on: 01 February, 2019, 02:27:08 pm »
Quote
There are regular direct trains from Coventry to Birmingham New Street – please check with the train providers regarding their bike policy.

I'm guessing no one from the event will have spoken to the train companies about this, and they'll respond by banning bikes completely for the day?

I expect Virgin will continue as normal - their strict reservations-only policy means this sort of thing isn't a problem for them.

London Midland London Northwestern Railway are traditionally quite laid-back about fitting bikes in wherever they'll go, and standing in a vestibule form Coventry to Brum shouldn't be too challenging for most riders.  They've certainly allowed large numbers of bikes on for the respective SkyRides (or whatever they're called these days).

But given the demographic who are inclined to pay £50 to enter a sportive, I expect a lot of people will be riding back, or have an accomplice with a car.

whosatthewheel

Re: VeloBirmingham?
« Reply #34 on: 01 February, 2019, 04:00:41 pm »
These events always struggle to turn a profit and it might well be that the extra 3,000 for the short distance represent the profit margin...

I am torn between wanting to volunteer at the event, but being profoundly against these for-profit rides...

... maybe I'll just spread tacks on the roads like everybody else...  ;D

Re: VeloBirmingham?
« Reply #35 on: 01 February, 2019, 04:07:22 pm »
These events always struggle to turn a profit and it might well be that the extra 3,000 for the short distance represent the profit margin...

I am torn between wanting to volunteer at the event, but being profoundly against these for-profit rides...

... maybe I'll just spread tacks on the roads like everybody else...  ;D

That would be mean - hand out flyers for your Audax instead!

Phil W

Re: VeloBirmingham?
« Reply #36 on: 01 February, 2019, 04:15:10 pm »
£50 (after fees) to ride from Birmingham to Coventry, plus you have to turn up the afternoon before to register if you don't want to pay another £5 to get your pack posted.

Fuck that.

Quote
There are regular direct trains from Coventry to Birmingham New Street – please check with the train providers regarding their bike policy.

I'm guessing no one from the event will have spoken to the train companies about this, and they'll respond by banning bikes completely for the day?

X,000 extra bikes on the trains. Yep that will work. No doubt locals will complain about the car gridlock of which x,000 of the cars will be those of riders

essexian

Re: VeloBirmingham?
« Reply #37 on: 01 February, 2019, 05:36:12 pm »
I suppose if I was to do the shorter ride I would be tempted to ride the additional 10 miles or so to Nuneaton and get a train from there.

I enjoyed Ride London last year....apart from the rain and the visits so...... :-\

whosatthewheel

Re: VeloBirmingham?
« Reply #38 on: 01 February, 2019, 05:50:33 pm »

That would be mean - hand out flyers for your Audax instead!

Waste of time, it's sold out since late October...  :P

Re: VeloBirmingham?
« Reply #39 on: 01 February, 2019, 06:03:33 pm »
Why would anyone do these rides when there is an awesome series of audaxes running out of Shenstone that day???

And Whosatthewheel... volunteer to help a company make a profit? A company that bans recumbents, trikes or in other words any machine that might help disabled riders for ‘health and safety reasons’? No, no, no!!!

I’m not a fan in case you hadn’t noticed!

Kim

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Re: VeloBirmingham?
« Reply #40 on: 01 February, 2019, 06:29:45 pm »
Why would anyone do these rides when there is an awesome series of audaxes running out of Shenstone that day???

No trains to Shenstone until after they've started...

Re: VeloBirmingham?
« Reply #41 on: 01 February, 2019, 07:08:51 pm »
Why would anyone do these rides when there is an awesome series of audaxes running out of Shenstone that day???

No trains to Shenstone until after they've started...

You can use that 50 quid to get a taxi!!!

Re: VeloBirmingham?
« Reply #42 on: 01 February, 2019, 07:21:38 pm »
Why would anyone do these rides when there is an awesome series of audaxes running out of Shenstone that day???

No trains to Shenstone until after they've started...

You can use that 50 quid to get a taxi!!!

Good point.

Or cycle there?  It is 20k from New Street.  Not sure what the roads are like but I'm guessing that earlyish on a Sunday morning is as good as it gets.

Kim

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Re: VeloBirmingham?
« Reply #43 on: 01 February, 2019, 07:28:48 pm »
Yeah, I've done that before.  Crossing the centre of Birmingham is rarely fun, but Sunday morning's certainly the best time to do it.

whosatthewheel

Re: VeloBirmingham?
« Reply #44 on: 02 February, 2019, 07:03:25 am »

And Whosatthewheel... volunteer to help a company make a profit? A company that bans recumbents, trikes or in other words any machine that might help disabled riders for ‘health and safety reasons’? No, no, no!!!

I’m not a fan in case you hadn’t noticed!

Agree, although an event pushing 20K riders on the roads is more likely to have enough momentum to help improve cycling infrastructure in Birmingham. In this respect, Audax is invisible.

That said, I can't be bothered to help them... but I will help Roy instead, just in the June brevets from Lichfield rather than the May ones from Shenstone

Re: VeloBirmingham?
« Reply #45 on: 13 February, 2019, 12:44:14 pm »
Strangely, they have opened up entries to a shorter event which terminates in Coventry.   Riders will be faced with either cycling back along congested urban roads to Birmingham City Centre or attempting to squeeze their bikes onto trains with limited cycle capacity. 

This sudden decision to release additional places has all the hallmarks of CSM attempting to yield further incoming for a potentially loss making venture.
Organiser of Droitwich Cycling Club audaxes.  https://www.droitwichcyclingclub.co.uk/audax/

Si

Re: VeloBirmingham?
« Reply #46 on: 05 March, 2019, 03:14:06 pm »

Quote
Agree, although an event pushing 20K riders on the roads is more likely to have enough momentum to help improve cycling infrastructure in Birmingham.

I think that the HSBC BC Let's Ride city ride (or whatever it's called) is much better for this as it gets real people(TM) and lots of kids out on bikes in the city centre: several BCC Councillors, BC brass and HSBC peeps there last year.   I believe that last year's had over 10,000 there - mostly people from Birmingham itself rather than 1000s of people driving miles to get a high speed, fleeting glance at the city.

Having said that I appear to have entered the Velo, although only because I've been given a free VIP ticket!  the Velo isn't really my thing but I think that before criticising it too much I ought to at least give it a go.  Disappointed that it's the same day as Shenstone as I would have liked to use the new won Velo fitness to do Shenstone again.

Re: VeloBirmingham?
« Reply #47 on: 16 April, 2019, 06:04:58 pm »
As the OP stated there's the "right way to organise" and then there's this way.
I entered "Etape Loch Ness" after confirming that it was OK to be riding a recumbent trike, when they released the "Ride Rules" via email, after the cut-off date for refund or exchange/transfer of rider.
Their policy is now NO recumbent bicycles/fixed gear...etc.
No mention of Trikes. :demon:
Even down to the type of handlebars you're allowed NO "unconventional" handlebars (whatever that means?) ???

Basically UCI compliant!
Even though it's NOT a race you MUST maintain a minimum speed of 13mph!!!
I'd like to see anyone apart from a Tour de France professional rider maintain that speed up that hill (start at around 50m to 393m in 4.8miles)
If you're unable to do this you WILL be stopped and removed from the event!!!

I have suggested to Macmillan cancer that they switch support to "Pedal for Scotland" instead as they WELCOME recumbents and only ADVISE the wearing of helmets.


Re: VeloBirmingham?
« Reply #48 on: 04 July, 2019, 08:19:21 pm »
Velo North on 1 Sept is cancelled

Hooray!!!

Was planned to cause massive disruption in the Durham Dales and consequent antagonism towards cyclists in general

Smaller events without closed roads are welcome.

Re: VeloBirmingham?
« Reply #49 on: 05 July, 2019, 09:50:00 pm »
 Velo29North
Another sportive has been hurriedly organised by Velo 29 to replace the cancelled Velo North on 1 Sept.
Not closed roads, but a lot less expensive!