Closed road obsession

Page may contain affiliate links. Please see terms for details.

doonhaemer

Well-Known Member
I don't understand the apparent obsession with closed roads sportives. ( the likes of ride London excepted, i get that.). The closed roads events seems to attract riders in their thousands, often on unspectacular routes, and at great expense. Yet take the etape Caledonia; ride the route any weekend in the year and you can probably count the number of cars you encounter on your fingers, so why pay £80 or whatever it is these days to be crowded out with thousands of other bikes? Yes it's good to be in an event sometimes, but there are now loads of other sportives on great routes for less than half the entry fee. So what is attraction? can someone explain?

I have been in the crowd at big rugby games, or major velodrome events, and I understand the feeling of being involved in a big event; but then the event is big because the ones your'e watching are the top of the game, it means something. A closed road sportive is only a big event because it's a big event, there is no logic to it as i can see. It's not as if the distance or route is anything special, what is it?
 
OP
OP
doonhaemer

doonhaemer

Well-Known Member
oops, :ohmy:closed road obviously, the road is what I rode on !
 
I don't do Sportives ( except the PRLS ). However, if I did, closed roads are preferable because the risks from vehicular traffic is removed, which just leaves the risk from the poor riding standards to deal with.
 
I have ridden both closed road and open road events. Big events carry a certain kudos, and that must help motivate individuals to train, go the extra mile to achieve a personal goal, which when given their finishers medal validates their effort and gives a very real sense of worth that riding the event, on your own on the Tuesday before or after just would not give, a "I was there and did that " feeling.

Sportives in the UK do seem a little on the expensive side, but I am no expert in the cost of running these events and ultimately if you think the event is over hyped and over priced best ride the route on the Tuesday before and use the route signage and save the cash.
 
I have ridden both closed road and open road events. Big events carry a certain kudos, and that must help motivate individuals to train, go the extra mile to achieve a personal goal, which when given their finishers medal validates their effort and gives a very real sense of worth that riding the event, on your own on the Tuesday before or after just would not give, a "I was there and did that " feeling.

Sportives in the UK do seem a little on the expensive side, but I am no expert in the cost of running these events and ultimately if you think the event is over hyped and over priced best ride the route on the Tuesday before and use the route signage and save the cash.
Or even ride it on the day with everyone else (without using any of the food stops, obviously).
 

screenman

Legendary Member
If anybody thinks there is money to be made organsing Sportives then why not try doing it? Having run quite a few small events 70 or so riders in the past and feeding them all I can say it is not something I would like to do again.
 

screenman

Legendary Member
Or even ride it on the day with everyone else (without using any of the food stops, obviously).

The police agree to an event being run and often limit numbers, adding unregistered riders into an event can cause problems.
 

Tin Pot

Guru
So what is attraction? can someone explain?

You can race hard as your skill and training allows.

I cannot see the value in non-closed road sportives, you may as well ride - as you suggested - any day of the week.

Others are attracted because they are scared of cars, generally.

Why would you pay for a non-closed road sportive?
 

Milzy

Guru
Ride London. Too many idiots thinking they're riding for Team Sky and BMC half wheeling each other at high speed. Then there's usually a few horrible crashes so you get held up, Strava is ticking away then they change/shorten the route. When I do VLM I do 26.2 every time. I told my pal he didn't actually do Ride London the time they chopped 20 miles off. I won't enter as crashes are likely to happen again and cause chaos.
 

Milzy

Guru
You can race hard as your skill and training allows.

I cannot see the value in non-closed road sportives, you may as well ride - as you suggested - any day of the week.

Others are attracted because they are scared of cars, generally.

Why would you pay for a non-closed road sportive?
I'm doing Hull 108. It's not closed roads but it's only £11 and there's great feed stations and support. Also it's for charity. Why not come along and pirate the event?
 
Top Bottom