Cycling in 2019

[13 rider]

this looks good although its quite far out. i think i will attempt the ones closer to me first before i look for this. When you did this i take it you stayed the night before somewhere local?

@Supersuperleeds hasn't done it but is aware of it because I have . It's a 500 mile trip from Leicester so I stayed up for a long weekend . 5000 riders do it the town was full of bikes and cyclists the night before . It is a full closed roads event so traffic free riding

 

[bruce1530]

The two I did last year - and the only two organised events I’ve ever done - were the “Round Stra’ven 50” (50 miles, starting in Strathaven - several hundred riders, good grub!) and the Ayrshire Explorer (just over 100k, starting and finishing in Troon, part of the Ayrshire Cycle festival, around 50 riders). Both recommended.

 

[Sunny Portrush]

I love closed roads events - I mean, I don`t actually pay to do the event but will ride along with the other cyclists for a good few miles before turning for home again lol

 

[bruce1530]

Neither of the 2 I did were closed roads - but the number of cars and vans I saw was tiny

 

[Fauj270]

thanks all for the comments - how have people found open road vs closed road events? Ive only ever done closed road events, does anyone have any advice in relation to open road events?

 

[Slick]

Thanks Slick, the Tour de Forth one looks good as well, although i cant seem to find the route for this, will do some more investigating

No worries, sorry I can't help with the route but I thought that the link to British Cycling would interest you as well if you were looking for organised rides.

 

[Edwardoka]

thanks all for the comments - how have people found open road vs closed road events? Ive only ever done closed road events, does anyone have any advice in relation to open road events?

I've never done a fully closed road event, the closest would be the Bealach events where the road from Tornapress to Applecross is closed.

Almost every event I've done is extremely well signposted and advertised weeks in advance so most drivers know to avoid the route.
Can't think of any specific altercations in my years of events, the only issue that springs to mind is that the last 10 miles of the Trossachs Ton is along the Kippen flats which is both busy and fast on a Sunday afternoon.

 

[the snail]

thanks all for the comments - how have people found open road vs closed road events? Ive only ever done closed road events, does anyone have any advice in relation to open road events?

IME the biggest danger on these events is other cyclists - there are always a few idiots. Hopefully on an open route, the organisers will have picked a sensible route for you, and there's safety in numbers.

 

[HLaB]

The open road sportive I've done in Scotland (the majority of events I've done) have all been on roads where its not a problem and wouldn't matter.

 

[HLaB]

I've never done a fully closed road event, the closest would be the Bealach events where the road from Tornapress to Applecross is closed.

Almost every event I've done is extremely well signposted and advertised weeks in advance so most drivers know to avoid the route.
Can't think of any specific altercations in my years of events, the only issue that springs to mind is that the last 10 miles of the Trossachs Ton is along the Kippen flats which is both busy and fast on a Sunday afternoon.

Have they changed the TTon route? When I did it (it was nearly 10 years back) it finished on the back road from the Carron Valley reservoir wasn't a car in sight but the surface was cr@p.