L'eroica 2015 - prices doubled!

[mjray]

Re: Retrorides, insurance and requirements for modern equipment

I'm happy to split this first part out into its own thread if you feel I should:

4) A widely accepted risk reduction measure is to insist that ride participants wear suitable helmets.

Ah, the deadly left hand of British Cycling maiming cycling, while its right hand Chris Boardman says that helmets are "not in the top ten things that you can do to keep safe."

Helmet rules are widely accepted but don't have a good basis in evidence. I've asked BC what evidence they use to support this insistance on some rides (charity fun rides) but not others (SkyRides). I asked by email on 26 January but I've had no reply yet, so I'd encourage you to do the same - as the rep of an affiliated club, you probably have more clout than an excluded rider like me.

I imagine that finding a company willing to underwrite an event where the wearing of helmets is not among the listed risk reduction measure is more difficult and more expensive.

While there isn't good evidence that helmet-wearing reduces risk, there is some evidence that it reduces numbers of people riding (for example, studies of rider numbers in countries with helmet laws, or even just this thread), so it is obviously in the interests of insurers to require it where you pay a flat fee for a variable number of riders.

CTC is insured by Royal and Sun Alliance and don't insist on helmets. I think affiliating to CTC at £60 in order to use their insurance would be cheaper than BC, although it would have other drawbacks... but if you're happy as you are, fine and good luck to you, but daj didn't seem happy with the low turnouts.

Returning to the topic, LEB clearly have some insurers who don't insist on it too. Anyone know who they use?

 

[mydadscondor]

According to their e-mail it's a company called Bikmo.

 

[mjray]

https://bikmoplus.com/ shows their retail policies "provided by Butterworth Spengler Facilities Ltd and underwritten by Hiscox Underwriting Ltd". I'm sure I've seen Butterworth Spengler on CTC things before.