Cancelled through lack of interest

[Pale Rider]

I see the Etape du Pennines sportive has been cancelled through 'lack of interest'.

Seems to me the cycling boom of the last few years is largely illusory.

Yes, lots turn out for the Olympics and the Tour, but a lot of them are event spectators, not cyclists.

Nothing wrong with attending something just for the event - done it meself - but I don't think the numbers of people cycling regularly (outside London) have increased very much.

http://www.thenorthernecho.co.uk/ne..._that_takes_in_Teesdale_and_Weardale_is_axed/

 

[Fab Foodie]

Leisure cycling in particular around Oxfordshire has, and continues, to grow at a noticeable rate.
Maybe it's because the lust for Sportives amongst the MAMIL fraternity is waning ....

 

[Thomk]

Don't think it's lack of interest from cyclists.

 

[Justinslow]

I see the Etape du Pennines sportive has been cancelled through 'lack of interest'.

Seems to me the cycling boom of the last few years is largely illusory.

Yes, lots turn out for the Olympics and the Tour, but a lot of them are event spectators, not cyclists.

Nothing wrong with attending something just for the event - done it meself - but I don't think the numbers of people cycling regularly (outside London) have increased very much.

http://www.thenorthernecho.co.uk/ne..._that_takes_in_Teesdale_and_Weardale_is_axed/

Maybe we're all just fair weather riders, and are waiting to see the weather forecast just before the event and then turn up on the day? I know that's what some of my mates do.
The sportive I attended back in October was very well attended with maybe 600-700 riders, with a large proportion signing up on the day. I suppose it's hard to gauge how successful an event will be if you allow signing on on the day.
Edit- it sounds in this case that there are other factors in play here, not just rider numbers.

 

[User6179]

Over priced maybe .

http://www.theguardian.com/environment/bike-blog/2012/jun/20/charity-bike-ride

 

[Justinslow]

Good point, but rider numbers have been high in the past, it doesn't look like people were put off?

 

[jefmcg]

Maybe this is a good thing
The 'charity' bike ride where no money goes to charity

 

[Mo1959]

Agree with the overpriced comment. Some of the sportives around here are £60 to £70. Sorry, I ain't paying that for a bike ride.

As far as cyclist numbers go, I would say I am definitely seeing more out and about though.

 

[400bhp]

So, from one cancelled event which, if you read between tge lines, is unclear whether its been cancelled through lack of interest, the organisers having enough or both, cycling outside london is in decline.

It could also be othet factors, such as over supply or poor advertising too.


It isnt declining around manchester nor cheshire or lancashire. Its growing.

 

[zizou]

The Etape Pennines suffered a bit for the first few years because it was late on in the season (October) it was then brought forward to July but in doing so was shortened by 20 miles.

A 60 mile sportive is short particularly for the money being asked so that is going to put off some (the reason i didnt do it this year) but at the same time as this the route is quite lumpy so i suspect that also had the impact of putting off novices for whom 60 miles would be a good challenge.

 

[Venod]

I have been going on various club runs now & again all my Iife, I do about 6 a year on average, on Sunday I have never seen as many groups of cyclist out, the weather was dry but it wasn't pleasant, I see a big increase in cycling numbers here in Yorkshire.

I won't pay silly prices for riding the roads I can ride for free.

 

[DCLane]

I did it in 2012 - it was over-priced for what it was. At 20 miles shorter I'm not surprised there wasn't much interest, particularly as there are other better (and cheaper) events locally.

 

[nickyboy]

I've said previously that supply/demand regarding sportives will follow the normal life cycle (hah!) that other products follow.

1) Early days, little demand and just a few sportives of a specialist nature
2) Getting going, demand increasing rapidly. Sportive supply not keeping up. They're all booked out
3) Maturing phase. Demand still increasing but not quite so fast. Sportive supply has caught up and there are loads out there but still pretty well booked out
4) Mature phase. Demand growing slowly. Sportives become oversupplied. The weaker sportives fail to attract enough participants and fold

We're in 3/4 now. You don't need to travel crazy distances to find a nice sportive if you like that sort of thing. So expensive ones, at times of the year with poor weather and in remote places will be the first to struggle. Hence this example

It'll all balance out eventually. The crap sportives will fold (they're ok for now as demand growth has been strong) and the good ones will go from strength to strength

 

[Ganymede]

That link put up by Eddy and by Ganymede is really shocking - maybe people are finally seeing through the sportive con.

Agree (though 'twas not me wot posted it...)

 

[Globalti]

Riding a couple of sportiffs is part of the growing-up process for new road cyclists. If most of them follow the same pattern they will grow in confidence and independence and realise that you don't need to pay money to somebody to do a satisfying ride through lovely country; for the price of an OS map you can organise your own and spend the rest of the money on coffee and cakes and bike maintenance.