Featured Distinguished Gentlemans Ride 2018

Just go with Tweed!

 

Registered for the Doncaster ride.

 

I'm in for the Bury St Edmunds ride. Last years was brilliant!

 

I’ll probably look more extinguished than distinguished and well out of place on the speedie but we can’t all own/rent an old bike/outfit but whatever, it’s the taking part and fund raising that’s the important bit right?

 

All my outfits have come from eBay or a charity shop.

 

So we have one in Amsterdam on the 30th september. Do I onderstand correctly that my model of bike (2005 speed triple) is not welcome? Seeing as it's for charity I would think that odd.

 

So we have one in Amsterdam on the 30th september. Do I understand correctly that my model of bike (2005 speed triple) is not welcome? Seeing as it's for charity I would think that odd.

 

@Dave Caddy what do you disagree with? Rules for bikes or that I think it's odd ?

 

Cheers, I think I'll do just that!

 

Sadly, that devalues the event. The regs for the event are clear on the website

 

I believe the idea came from an image of actor Jon Hamm in the series Mad Men, wearing a suit and sat on an Ariel bike. That's what it is and that's the point, smart dressed people on a certain style of bike.

If it was full of BMW GS 1200s with riders in full Twat suits for example, then it wouldn't be the DGR.

 

If that’s the case I probably won’t bother, the sponsor money is safe whether I ride or not.

 

unless my bike shop owning pal has summat old in the back that will run long enough to get me round

 

I think you're missing the point - (but I do accept that there are some hipsters who take it a little too seriously) - it's not about excluding people, its about being different enough to attract attention. There are probably hundreds if not thousands of charity bike rides organised world wide and whilst they must all be applauded for their effort, they probably make little money and attract even less attention.

If you want to stand out from the crowd you need to grab peoples attention (I refuse to use the term USP but there you go). By doing that and establishing a brand, if you like then you will attract big sponsors, media attention and celebrities - then you start to earn big money - it's how charities survive and get into the big league. ( you can tell the missus works in marketing and has worked for charities!)

So, that is what the DGR set out to become and it has succeeded over the last 6 years in becoming a globally recognised event. If any style of bike were allowed and people turned up in full race leathers, no matter how much they are prepared to donate, then it dilutes the brand and the image and it becomes "just another charity run".

 

I'll just go and wax my moustache and adjust my "manbun" in that case!

 

Stick on man bun

 

I'm not sure that they are losing that much money to be honest.
Last year the event raised $4.85M with 94,000 riders taking place in 581 cities in 92 countries. In it's first year it only raised $277,00.00.
Would you get that many people interested if it was "just another" charity bike ride?

 

Yeah, but you have to market a worldwide event and make it stand out - that's all they're doing. Maybe if it was the "Scruffy Arseholes Ride" it would be different?

 

i don't even own a suit or tweed. Black jeans, black leather jacket to go with my black Bonnie. Oh, forgot, black budgie smugglers. Clean ones as my dear old Mum used to say, just in case you have an accident.