Boudicca
06-10-09, 09:13 PM
Anyone else doing the Toronto ride this weekend?
Eastern Canada - Ride to Conquer Cancer
Bikeforums.net is a forum about nothing but bikes. Our community can help you find information about hard-to-find and localized information like bicycle tours, specialties like where in your area to have your recumbent bike serviced, or what are the best bicycle tires and seats for the activities you use your bike for.View Full Version : Ride to Conquer Cancer
Jurgen
06-12-09, 09:37 AM
Yes.
jdon
06-17-09, 03:09 PM
Did it! Well organized and fun event. Will do the M200 next year.
Boudicca
06-18-09, 07:58 AM
Great ride, great organization, but I suspect I won't do it again. People were hugely generous this year -- I raised over $7k -- but I'm not sure I want to go back and ask them again.
I also don't like the idea of a two-tier ride with that M200 option at all. For me, the beauty of this ride was the fact that it attracted so many different sorts of riders, not to mention the cancer survivors' yellow flags that served as a moving reminder why we were there in the first place. There were people with mountain bikes, comfort bikes, hybrids, as well as the paceline roadies. (I'm a roadie, but not a paceline one). I think adding a longer option will change the nature of the ride, and not necessarily for the better.
But the organizers have their reasons -- they say the fast riders (presumably including you, jdon?) complain that the ride is too short and that they get to camp too early. It's their call.
But I wish you well if you do the longer route next year.
I also don't like the idea of a two-tier ride with that M200 option at all. For me, the beauty of this ride was the fact that it attracted so many different sorts of riders, not to mention the cancer survivors' yellow flags that served as a moving reminder why we were there in the first place. There were people with mountain bikes, comfort bikes, hybrids, as well as the paceline roadies. (I'm a roadie, but not a paceline one). I think adding a longer option will change the nature of the ride, and not necessarily for the better.
But the organizers have their reasons -- they say the fast riders (presumably including you, jdon?) complain that the ride is too short and that they get to camp too early. It's their call.
But I wish you well if you do the longer route next year.
jdon
06-18-09, 08:47 AM
I agree with your comments Boudicca. I raised just over 9k but like you, wonder how my donors may react in just 6 months time or so. I think there are two types of riders, the ones who are there to fund raise and those who are there to ride.
I am not fast, but not slow either. I don't ride the pacelines as I prefer the social aspect of the ride. I did however complete day 2 in <3 hours. I certainly didn't ask for a longer ride but it is being offered so I will take advantage of that.
Personally, I think keeping day one to 100 km, then offering a 60 k afterburn satisfies the need for the 100m folks. Day 2 could then be split (100k/100m)to finish at similar times. I also think providing 3 groups based on riding speeds to stagger the start would be good. Let the elite group go then stagger the slower groups by 10 minutes. This would minimize mixing the vast speed differences and riding abilities and would give the police better opportunity to move vehicle traffic.
All in all, it was a great event and I hope you change your mind on next year.
I am not fast, but not slow either. I don't ride the pacelines as I prefer the social aspect of the ride. I did however complete day 2 in <3 hours. I certainly didn't ask for a longer ride but it is being offered so I will take advantage of that.
Personally, I think keeping day one to 100 km, then offering a 60 k afterburn satisfies the need for the 100m folks. Day 2 could then be split (100k/100m)to finish at similar times. I also think providing 3 groups based on riding speeds to stagger the start would be good. Let the elite group go then stagger the slower groups by 10 minutes. This would minimize mixing the vast speed differences and riding abilities and would give the police better opportunity to move vehicle traffic.
All in all, it was a great event and I hope you change your mind on next year.