Author Topic: Velo Birmingham 2017  (Read 15339 times)

Velo Birmingham 2017
« on: 24 September, 2016, 12:13:32 pm »
A new event with 100 miles of traffic free roads next September along similar lines as Ride London


Re: Velo Birmingham 2017
« Reply #2 on: 24 September, 2016, 01:19:07 pm »
I'll e-mail them to ask if helmets must be worn in order to take part!

hello@velobirmingham.com

robgul

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Re: Velo Birmingham 2017
« Reply #3 on: 24 September, 2016, 02:39:00 pm »
http://road.cc/content/news/205505-details-released-100-mile-v%C3%A9lo-birmingham-sportive-coming-september-2017

http://www.velobirmingham.com/


Conspicuous failure to mention the entry fees...

I would venture to suggest that many of the alleged "tens of thousands" of registrants will make a sharp intake of breath and go no further with the process when the price is announced.

Rob

UPDATE - a "begging email" from the charity groups that will benefit suggests that the entry fee will be £40 . .  . and that if you are unsuccessful in the general entry process there are are the usual "golden places" available at a cost of £400 in guaranteed sponsorship/donation + £40 entry fee.

Re: Velo Birmingham 2017
« Reply #4 on: 27 September, 2016, 06:55:38 pm »
I'll e-mail them to ask if helmets must be worn in order to take part!

hello@velobirmingham.com

And the answer was:

"Thank you for your email.

Helmets are a requirement, yes"

Kim

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Re: Velo Birmingham 2017
« Reply #5 on: 27 September, 2016, 06:57:32 pm »
That prices it out of 'reasonable' then, I suppose.  *shrugs*

Si

Re: Velo Birmingham 2017
« Reply #6 on: 28 September, 2016, 11:21:28 am »
£75!!!!!!!!!!

Even if I'd not been put off by having to share the roads with loads of wanna be racers, I can't see me spending more on one ride than I normally do on a bike!

I've heard quite a few BBB Orange bike winners saying that they'd love to spend the year training and getting fit for this.....I think when they see the entry many will need scraping up off the floor.

And yet another event, as someone recently said, where you are allowed to ride through all the motor traffic to get there bare headed, but need to put a plastic hat on once you start the ride on the 'safe' motor-traffic free roads.

robgul

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Re: Velo Birmingham 2017
« Reply #7 on: 28 September, 2016, 04:38:38 pm »
£75!!!!!!!!!!

Even if I'd not been put off by having to share the roads with loads of wanna be racers, I can't see me spending more on one ride than I normally do on a bike!

I've heard quite a few BBB Orange bike winners saying that they'd love to spend the year training and getting fit for this.....I think when they see the entry many will need scraping up off the floor.

And yet another event, as someone recently said, where you are allowed to ride through all the motor traffic to get there bare headed, but need to put a plastic hat on once you start the ride on the 'safe' motor-traffic free roads.

Not sure where you got the £75 from the QE charity email said £40 per my post.

AND the helmets on traffic-free roads are to afford protection from the countless idiots that will be riding like lunatics and causing "chutes" as they say in le Tour.

Rob

Si

Re: Velo Birmingham 2017
« Reply #8 on: 28 September, 2016, 04:56:41 pm »
https://register.canbook.me/e/view/10232

£40 is if you also raise £400 in sponsorship I have been told.  £75 (£78.50 in reality) is if  you just want to ride without chugging all your friends and relations.  Or if you want fast track entry you can pay them £120.

robgul

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Re: Velo Birmingham 2017
« Reply #9 on: 28 September, 2016, 05:08:58 pm »
https://register.canbook.me/e/view/10232

£40 is if you also raise £400 in sponsorship I have been told.  £75 (£78.50 in reality) is if  you just want to ride without chugging all your friends and relations.  Or if you want fast track entry you can pay them £120.

Ah - so the "personal email" I received was actually wrong - saying I could enter for £40 - the £400 + 40 was for a guaranteed place.

One would guess that the pre-registrant conversion rate will be very low.

Rob

Si

Re: Velo Birmingham 2017
« Reply #10 on: 28 September, 2016, 05:34:27 pm »
I'm fairly sure they'll fill it up.  But not with the sort of people who were at the bike fest getting excited about it.  Plus, no doubt, there will be plenty of corporate entries.

Re: Velo Birmingham 2017
« Reply #11 on: 29 September, 2016, 09:22:25 am »
Sound like it sold out in record time!

essexian

Re: Velo Birmingham 2017
« Reply #12 on: 29 September, 2016, 09:44:31 am »
Sound like it sold out in record time!

Just had an email stating that the site is down and that they still have 15 000 places left.

Looks like they messed this up big time if that's true.


Re: Velo Birmingham 2017
« Reply #13 on: 29 September, 2016, 09:53:13 am »
 ::-) Wow! that's a huge error....

Si

Re: Velo Birmingham 2017
« Reply #14 on: 30 September, 2016, 04:00:57 pm »
Lots more complaints about the fact that you have to come along on Saturday to get your race number goody bag.  Apparently, although it pointed this out on the website, lots of people didn't see it, so now they are faced with having to spend the night in Birmingham!  Not something I'd wish on anyone.  Although you can pay the extra £40 for fast track in which case you spend the minimum amount of time in Birmingham and can turn up on Sunday.

Goes away to measure back garden...now how many sportive riders can I fit in there in tents at £100 a night?

robgul

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Re: Velo Birmingham 2017
« Reply #15 on: 30 September, 2016, 04:10:28 pm »
As Kim has said elsewhere - the real fun is going to be n thousand cars with bike racks trying to park ... and the potential for chaos on trains with bikes into Brum (both New St & Moor St/Snow Hill routes)

. . . there's a distinct possibility that there may be a REAL & GENUINE 100 mile CHARITY RIDE that day in the Brum area with an entry fee of around £25 ... and better countryside (even if not closed roads - they'll be carefully selected for minimal traffic)

Rob

mattc

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Re: Velo Birmingham 2017
« Reply #16 on: 30 September, 2016, 04:22:57 pm »
Lots more complaints about the fact that you have to come along on Saturday to get your race number goody bag.  Apparently, although it pointed this out on the website, lots of people didn't see it, so now they are faced with having to spend the night in Birmingham!  Not something I'd wish on anyone.  Although you can pay the extra £40 for fast track in which case you spend the minimum amount of time in Birmingham and can turn up on Sunday.

this is beginning to sound like la-la land. They're giving this the status of something like the London Marathon; but it's not even in the top 3 of UK [1-day] Cycling events ... is it?  :-\

Insanity. (and I mean - relative to the insanity that is a regular sportive! )
Has never ridden RAAM
---------
No.11  Because of the great host of those who dislike the least appearance of "swank " when they travel the roads and lanes. - From Kuklos' 39 Articles

Re: Velo Birmingham 2017
« Reply #17 on: 30 September, 2016, 04:30:46 pm »
I don't see how you can possibly expect everyone to all turn up on Sunday to collect goody bags. The well educated person will have realised that two nights minimum will be necessary. Or turn up Saturday, sleep, ride, go home.

robgul

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Re: Velo Birmingham 2017
« Reply #18 on: 30 September, 2016, 04:31:59 pm »
Lots more complaints about the fact that you have to come along on Saturday to get your race number goody bag.  Apparently, although it pointed this out on the website, lots of people didn't see it, so now they are faced with having to spend the night in Birmingham!  Not something I'd wish on anyone.  Although you can pay the extra £40 for fast track in which case you spend the minimum amount of time in Birmingham and can turn up on Sunday.

this is beginning to sound like la-la land. They're giving this the status of something like the London Marathon; but it's not even in the top 3 of UK [1-day] Cycling events ... is it?  :-\

Insanity. (and I mean - relative to the insanity that is a regular sportive! )

It's being organised by Seb Coe's Chime Sports Management company - presumably trying, as you suggest, to emulate the London Marathon with a start-up that seems to have a flat battery!

Rob

Kim

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Re: Velo Birmingham 2017
« Reply #19 on: 30 September, 2016, 04:32:08 pm »
this is beginning to sound like la-la land. They're giving this the status of something like the London Marathon; but it's not even in the top 3 of UK [1-day] Cycling events ... is it?  :-\

Insanity. (and I mean - relative to the insanity that is a regular sportive! )

Commonwealth Games bid, innit.

Si

Re: Velo Birmingham 2017
« Reply #20 on: 30 September, 2016, 05:03:03 pm »
Quote
but it's not even in the top 3 of UK [1-day] Cycling events ... is it?

Well, not even a cycling event yet!  Was meant to run this year but got cancelled.  It's all a bit weird with these things.....loads of hype for this and also for the Bike Fest, but they managed to sneak in the city centre races with out telling hardly anyone!

Other thing to note is that the Birmingham Bikeathon ride is only a couple of weeks before...which, IIRC, was about £25 for 50 miles (but not closed roads).

essexian

Re: Velo Birmingham 2017
« Reply #21 on: 30 September, 2016, 05:10:39 pm »
I had an email from them at lunchtime urging me to sign up soon as they have sold 11 000 of the 15 000 places available.

At £75 a head I'm out. If it had been £40 to £50, then I might have managed to get the ride by the financial controller. However, as CBH stated, that's a night out at the New Alex for us both, rather than just one bicycle ride.

essexian

Re: Velo Birmingham 2017
« Reply #22 on: 03 October, 2016, 01:30:13 pm »
According to today's email from Velo Birmingham, they have only 750 places left for sale to the general public.

Thus, if this is true (and I have no reason to dispute it), they have certainly sold better than I thought they would and will have brought in around £1m in revenue. I wonder how much it will cost to put on the event overall?


robgul

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Re: Velo Birmingham 2017
« Reply #23 on: 03 October, 2016, 01:33:39 pm »
According to today's email from Velo Birmingham, they have only 750 places left for sale to the general public.

Thus, if this is true (and I have no reason to dispute it), they have certainly sold better than I thought they would and will have brought in around £1m in revenue. I wonder how much it will cost to put on the event overall?

The question to ask is how many places have the charities got left for their special deals? a.k.a.  "golden entries"

Rob

Re: Velo Birmingham 2017
« Reply #24 on: 03 October, 2016, 02:54:20 pm »
This rather irritating tweet appeared in the AUK twitter-nest:-
Quote
B&DCC @BandDCC

@AudaxUK nows the time to increase interest in your events a thousandfold... Just post event details using the hashtag #velobirmingham