Anyone done the london to brighton bike ride?

[TheWoodenSpoonOfMischief]

I'm considering it this year.

I love cycling but haven't done much of it lately. I'd happily commit to a training schedule but I've heard the event isn't that great.
I've heard that it's not organised brilliantly, there are far too many cyclists so it's overcrowded and there are a few crashes.
This sounds a bit scary to me and is putting me off.
Anyone able to tell me a bit about it?

I did it a couple of years go, it was fine, quite crowded at the start and you go really slowly for the first few miles, but then it opens out a bit and you can get some speed up no problems. The hills are a bit dodgy as quite a few people walk up them, so long as they stick to the left hand side it's okay, but you do get people coming to a stop right in the middle which can cause problems.

Overall a great day, it was my first cycling event and I really enjoyed it.

One of my sons did it last year but he seemed to do it later than everyone else so there weren't crowds. He got his badge. Perhaps he chose to set off after others or something. Anyway it worked well for him and he enjoyed it.

I did it in 1984 - loved it!

So far, that sounds quite pushtu ve but I'd be one of the slower ones walking up the hill!

Positive!

I did - loved it! Killer hill near the end. Take honey salted cashew nuts and loads of water - I couldnt have done it without either! Also, put on sunscree whatever t weather first thing. Left in cold and cloudy weather and got burnt to a crisp by the end of it. Loved it though - was brilliant fun to do with friends!

There's a lot of leisure riders including those who stop for lunch & a pint along the way. The more serious cyclists get an early slot and you meet them cycling home. There's some narrow hills which
get clogged & there's no option but to dismount & walk up. I've seen a few accidents but if you're going steady just keep to the left. Ditchling Beacon is a little treat at the end & imo the best bit. Double echo the need for sunscreen & lots of fluid. And a lift home

Me me, I've done it twice. The first time was way back in 1983 so the first or second year of it running and there was about 8000 people. It was a lovely rude and an ole boy traditional cyclist took me under his wing to do the last hill!!

The next time was 2007 and it was crowded, grid locked due to heavy bike traffic. That said there were lots of things to see and en-route, but the drinking and random cycling in flip flops may explain the crashes.

Is the route closed to road traffic? I was thinking of doing a 100 miler locally but the roads are open to motor traffic which puts me off

Bikes are traffic..

The route isn't closed to alternative modes of traffic, but with literally thousands of bikes they are the danger to you not cars. Half wheeling and the like by other riders etc can have you off the bike in a jiffy.

I only saw motor cars, buses travelling in the opposite direction when I did the the ride in 2007

They close big sections of the route but only for the morning - but afair you're amongst the traffic in both London & Brighton for a short while but I haven't taken part in about 15 years so it might be different now.