2013-07-07 - Rapha Women's 100 - Herne Bay

The Rapha Women's 100 Ride... 'never suggested it would be completely exclusive, sorry if that's the impression you got'... umm? What!

Definitely a let down by Rapha. I went on the LBK Eccentrics ride and most of the marshalls were women, I can't imagine it would have been that much of a hard task to find some capable ladies.

Awesome ride with you ladies, still miffed made it that far! Here's little pic from the end: http://instagram.com/p/beuTUfFn7B/

And yer definitely shame on Rapha... guess our stickers got lost in the post!

Actually, I've got the stickers, which Senor Bear sent extremely promptly with instructions on how to get more if needed, but I couldn't make the ride so didn't hand them out.

I apologise for also letting everybody down.

Actually, I've got the stickers, which Senor Bear sent extremely promptly with instructions on how to get more if needed, but I couldn't make the ride so didn't hand them out.

I apologise for also letting everybody down.

nah worries - they would have probably melted off in the heat anyway!!

Actually, I've got the stickers, which Senor Bear sent extremely promptly with instructions on how to get more if needed, but I couldn't make the ride so didn't hand them out.

I apologise for also letting everybody down.

Instructions eh?? That is nice, good to have guidance from a man on these things.

(Only kidding Dov...)

Poots and Dr Cake repped. I doubt this is a swizz but I do get the impression the event was a bit of an afterthought for Rapha, and therefore, rightly or wrongly, the message I'm hearing is that so are amateur women cyclists.

Hopefully next time they'll have pulled their (summer city riding) socks up.

I am broken at the moment, so unfortunately off the bike so could not ride.

I heard there were almost 100 ladies turning up for the official Rapha one which is bloody amazing and something that should be commended. A few years ago this would have been unheard of.

Let's celebrate this and not moan about it. So what if there were guys who were leading it. I know first hand, from running our ladies track sessions, that it is not always possible to have all women running it and we rely on men heavily to put it on.

Surely better having men leading the ride than no ride at all?

As a brand the women's 100 has been a huge success and must of got thousands of women riding round the world - as well as women'c cycling in the more mainstream press. I have thought that Rapha have not done enough for women's cycling in the past but surely this is not seeing women as an after thought but taking a step in the right direction?

you are right Wi of there were 11000 men and only 600 women riding l'etape of these 600 a hundred were the rapha women, chapeaux. If this is not encouraging women to ride bikes, what is it? I know a girl that in May didn't even know how to change gears and she bloody did it!! And yes a man helped her a lot and gave her encouragement when she needed it. I can't really see a problem with that and he was amazing at doing that.

Happy to stand corrected! I'm probably just annoyed I couldn't do the Etape myself this year :)

in case anyone is interested :)
http://thenorthrace.co.uk/2013/07/rapha-womens-100/

^nice write-up! You definitely should come on more rides.

So poots - this year?

What the heck, why not - will start a new fred for it, and have a think about routes.

Any ideas, hit me with the hee. I think this year, we'll go for something that includes train out of London to avoid stressful starts...

Maybe ride to Cambridge starting at Chingford?

Or ride to Oxford starting at Ruislip?

Or 10 laps of Richmond Park?

I may be touring but keen if not. Have a few route suggestions (not all A roads) :)

I did a nice route from Ashford International along some lovely lanes in Kent - its in the lost lanes book. Very pretty, super flat and it goes to the beach!

I did that ride a few weeks ago! Brutal headwinds around Dungeoness and then eating a big portion of fish and chips in Rye just before the only two/three significant climbs wasn't the smartest of moves either : /

But yeah, great idea/good thinking batwoman!

I did exactly the same thing, seemed like a good idea at the time...

Idea for this year: women's 100 (miles)
Who's in?

Yep.

Yep

Yep. Can we make a sacrifice to the rain god to stay away this time please?

Just realised I confused this proposed ride with the Rapha women's 100. The sacrifice applies though :-).

is there a ladies forum ride for the rapha women's 100 this year actually?

there is talk here http://www.lfgss.com/conversations/267605/#comment12299217 @lucyh