Ride with Brad - New date - 11th August 2013

[Mr Haematocrit]

Cool shirt but the statement is flawed and makes no sense at all. The Chicken lays an egg in a pig sty and when it hatches its not a pig due to its genetics.
Going by the same assumption I could be a doctor as I was born in a hospital. It is my genetics which determine that I am male, not the location of my birth.

Nobody is suggesting that if Wiggo was born in a stable his genetics would change and he could enter the grand national The place you are born does however dictate the nation you are associated with as much as your family history, as much as I like Wiggo I feel Belgium has the right to celebrate as we do.
The fact remains he is as much Belgian as he is English, not that it matters one bit.

 

[PaulB]

Cool shirt but the statement is flawed and makes no sense at all. The Chicken lays an egg in a pig sty and when it hatches its not a pig due to its genetics.
Going by the same assumption I could be a doctor as I was born in a hospital. It is my genetics which determine that I am male, not the location of my birth.

Nobody is suggesting that if Wiggo was born in a stable his genetics would change and he could enter the grand national The place you are born does however dictate the nation you are associated with as much as your family history, as much as I like Wiggo I feel Belgium has the right to celebrate as we do.
The fact remains he is as much Belgian as he is English, not that it matters one bit.

I'd agree with you there but then there'd be two of us wrong so forgive me if I don't join you on that one.

 

[DiddlyDodds]

Try telling Rod Stewart he's not Scottish ....

 

[DiddlyDodds]

Anyway up , just registered so all ready for the morning , bring on the rain

 

[PaulB]

I've just been over to collect my numbers. 845 for me tomorrow. And I'll be wanting to get out the blocks as soon as possible so looking for a 7-7:10 KO.

 

[DiddlyDodds]

I have plumed for the 60miler this time , so its a lie in with a 8am start ...

 

[jdtate101]

Early doors for me....Up at 3.30am, then a 2hr+ drive up to Lancashire.......Good thing I do well on few hrs sleep.....

 

[jdtate101]

Well that was bloody hard work. Endless steep hills mixed in with a constant 20mph wind and just a dash of rain and hail. 11300ft of climbing in total over 160Km. I finished in a shade under 7hrs, and am now totally shattered.

Lesson 1 - Don't try and ride this on a 53/39!!!
Lesson 2 - Take more gels (nearly bonked 10miles from finish)
Lesson 3 - Take indestructible tyres as the roads surfaces round there are terrible. Luckily my Vittoria Evo CX stood up well and didn't puncture, but I saw loads who did.
Lesson 4 - Don't ride deep rims when the forecast says 20mph winds with stronger gusts (I was on 24mm rims, but saw a bloke literally blown over into the hedge.

I'm sure others will add other lessons soon......

 

[EltonFrog]

Well that was bloody hard work. Endless steep hills mixed in with a constant 20mph wind and just a dash of rain and hail. 11300ft of climbing in total over 160Km. I finished in a shade under 7hrs, and am now totally shattered.

Lesson 1 - Don't try and ride this on a 53/39!!!
Lesson 2 - Take more gels (nearly bonked 10miles from finish)
Lesson 3 - Take indestructible tyres as the roads surfaces round there are terrible. Luckily my Vittoria Evo CX stood up well and didn't puncture, but I saw loads who did.
Lesson 4 - Don't ride deep rims when the forecast says 20mph winds with stronger gusts (I was on 24mm rims, but saw a bloke literally blown over into the hedge.

I'm sure others will add other lessons soon......

Didn't Brad give you a push?

 

[jdtate101]

No, he only did the 100K route as he had to race on Monday, or so he said....actually that's about all he said. I know he's a bit of an odd bugger, but all we got was about 4 sentences, before he hooted the start horn. I'd expected more given that this was his charity we were supporting. I think the Wiggle girls also turned up after the 160K ride had already gone, so I didn't see them either.

 

[Peteaud]

Back from RWB, bloody knackered after the drive back.

Few things, although i had a great time :-

Pennine Events

Car parking, its no good directing cars up a dead end then standing about looking thick.

The jobsworth imbecile at the barrier who made me (and others) walk all the way round the outside of the park instead of letting us through the barrier, you know what i feel about you and your lack if brain cells, again P.E dont employ these plankton brained twonks.

Thanks for the great signs on the dual carriage way - not


In praise, well the registration was good, most of the marshalls did a brilliant job

The first aid tent was well stocked (My left elbow looks like its been savaged by a werewolf)


All in all, had a great weekend, got a few good pics but let down by the weather and organisation (in parts)

 

[PaulB]

That was tough. I've done it many times before (it's been run for years before Brad attached his name to it) but today, I heard one of the most profane outbursts of swearing my delicate Scouse ears have ever been subjected to! A female rider, of, I'd guess, Eastern European descent, referred to the organisers for 'burying' the third feed-station way off the route in Wild-Boar fell park, as 'de zilly zossages'! I thought I was going to cry.

 

[DiddlyDodds]

I did the 100km and apart from hearing they were all at the front of the queue for a photo call never saw or heard of them again.
When we got back I think they were sat away from the great unwashed in the VIP tents.

I was so disappointed with the whole "Brad" thing I sent this email, doubt I will get a response worth reading


After riding the 100km sportive today I just had to write and give my thoughts.

We arrived at the requested time and joining hundreds of others for the 8am start. Whoever was on the mic on stage did mention Bradley was on the start line, (50 or so metres in front of where we were in the queue) and that was the last we heard or saw of him for the entire day.
We set off in the 3rd group of 40 riders and he was nowhere to be seen, so we were hoping the "Wiggle ladies" would be out and we might catch a glimpse of them only to be disappointed yet again. We did the whole 100km and saw no one other than the other riders (none of which we were there to see). We stopped in the feeding stations to see if they were there and alas not. Upon finishing we thought they would be at the Start/Finish line, oh how foolish were we.
We walked around the field looking at the overpriced fast food stalls for over an hour and not one glimpse of any of Brad or anyone that mattered, at this point a cat in a Bradley hat would have at least cheered us up. We left to go home and have no idea Brad or wiggle Honda where even at the event.

So to sum up the whole experience

Pennine Events - terrible web site for signing up.
Parking and Marshalling around the Village - Good (very little on route, but well signed)
The route , very demanding - Good
The goody bag, Oh how we laughed at the freebie give away tat, all emptied into the bin as the bag itself was the only thing that was any good.
The journey home - Annoyed at paying £40 to do a sportive worth £20 at most, due to the "Come and Ride with Brad and Wiggle Honda" being a complete joke

Will I be doing it next year, not unless something very unusual happens between now and then , and to be honest waking up with my face sown to the carpet would be less of a surprise than signing up again next year.

Yours Pete

 

[EltonFrog]

......Will I be doing it next year, not unless something very unusual happens between now and then , and to be honest waking up with my face sown to the carpet would be less of a surprise than signing up again next year.

Yours Pete

Very funny.

I'm sorry you had a disappointing time.

 

[DiddlyDodds]

Very funny.

I'm sorry you had a disappointing time.

We did actually enjoy the ride , its was the rest that let it down.