exmoor beast

[Lance Substrong]

The best I've ridden in the hours of daylight is a tad over 400k; approx 30k ride out to the start of a 12 hour time trial, 340k + in the event and 30k back home. But I think it's more about the climbing demands of the route, rather than distance, that determine how serious an event is. In this respect the Exmoor Beast is a good example so why not give it a go. With only six days left before entries close and approaching 1300 places already filled, this is again going to be the biggest end-of-season sportive. I'm aiming to put the final serious miles in this week and then start tapering off in the week before the ride. The long term weather forecast suggests cold but dry with westerly winds improving the temperature by the day of the ride. Hope to see you there for another memorable riding experience.

 

[Ian H]

The best I've ridden in the hours of daylight is a tad over 400k; approx 30k ride out to the start of a 12 hour time trial, 340k + in the event and 30k back home. But I think it's more about the climbing demands of the route, rather than distance, that determine how serious an event is. In this respect the Exmoor Beast is a good example so why not give it a go. With only six days left before entries close and approaching 1300 places already filled, this is again going to be the biggest end-of-season sportive. I'm aiming to put the final serious miles in this week and then start tapering off in the week before the ride. The long term weather forecast suggests cold but dry with westerly winds improving the temperature by the day of the ride. Hope to see you there for another memorable riding experience.

I'm sure it's a really fun ride, but I couldn't take a sportif that seriously. Anyway, I have a previous engagement with the Dartmoor Devil - when I should earn my "666", at which point, according to Vorsprung, the world will end.

And next year, of course, is another Paris-Brest-Paris.

 

[Marcus Di-Vincenzo]

Hi Guys

Are sportives sposed to be as crazy as 400km? Those events are real life time challenges and a sportive is designed just to get riders on the road.

So question, I was talking to someone today about the UCI now about to classify Sportives. The Beat has everything but the weather, the question is

What is the definition of a Cyclo Sportive?

I don't think anyone really has made that definition yet and for the good of the survival maybe we should. What do you think. ?

Marcus

 

[Ian H]

Most people I know do them as light relief from racing.

Some think there's potentially a problem in that cycle racing on the public highway is regulated by law in the UK. It could be argued that sportifs, by publishing finish times, breach those laws. This is only likely to be tested if there's a serious incident during an event. There is also concern that sportifs attract cyclists with little in the way of group riding skills, some of whom think they are in a race.

The positives are that they're a great day out on the bike with a pre-planned route and no self-sufficiency required.

 

[Nasawing]

Most people I know do them as light relief from racing.

'Light relief'???' Lol! Excuse me for saying so, but you're sounding rather sniffy! And how many of the rest of us mere mortals know people who regularly race? There aren't that many full on races in the UK calendar open to ordinary people for precisely the reasons you illustrate. Besides, I'm uncomfortable with that kind of elitism. Excuse me for making my point as a total newb, but it seems to me that cycling as an inclusive sport can only benefit from events which are more about the personal challenges presented by a course. The people I've spoken to regarding The Beast and other sportives are doing them to beat geography and to meet challenges they've set themselves. Thats 'winning' - its not the principal of finishing ahead of Johnny X Y or Z.

As for posting event times - next 'the some' your refer to will be telling me that uncle Bob can't boast to uncle Frank that he managed to get down the A420 in 1 hour without some nameless bureaucrat telling him that his insurance is void as it was obvious he was 'racing'. The people I know who've ridden sportives look at the times do it to rate their performance against the targets THEY set themselves.

Like I say, I'm the newb, but I'd say horses for courses. Have your races - let the rest have their sportives. I think we should concentrate on the positives.

 

[Threelionsbrian]

 Not light relief for all of us, but a more relaxed point and pedal ride day with gear selection the only quandry. Sometimes the elements are a challenge like last year on the beat,best,beast whatever it's called: which in itself makes times irrelevant. A challenge to a newb they certainly would be especially the 100 milers. Unfortunately to a large proportion of riders (wannabe racers) they are perceived as races which has knock on effects. Anyway entries will close soon and our PR friend  will update us shortly on how manys entered. 

 

[Ian H]

'Light relief'???' Lol! Excuse me for saying so, but you're sounding rather sniffy!

Not at all.

As for posting event times - next 'the some' your refer to will be telling me that uncle Bob can't boast to uncle Frank that he managed to get down the A420 in 1 hour without some nameless bureaucrat telling him that his insurance is void...

I don't wish to get into an argument, however there is the question of what legally constitutes a road race - and sportifs are sailing a bit close to the wind. Try it yourself by listing the differences between the two. I don't want to ban sportifs - they're fun to ride - but equally I don't want an incident that blows up in our faces and results in a clampdown on all forms of cycling.

 

[Nasawing]

Sure thing Ian - I couldn't agree more. Any sport relies on a degree of self regulation from its participants. That's why I think its best to opt for a sportive with an established record and a high degree of responsibility on behalf of the organisers. I did a bit of shopping around before I found this one. I'd urge anyone else thinking of riding one to do exactly the same.

As I say, I'm just the newb here, but it seems to me that this sort of conflict arises in every sport - I used to kite buggy, and we had exactly the same arguments and debates between the official racers and the people who wanted to participate in sporting events which had an element of challenge. Again, the 'serious' racers felt threatened by the 'hoi poloi' mucking things up for them - but at the same time, the success and growth of the sport was actually about the ordinary riders, not the relatively small numbers of highly competitive speedsters with all the state of the art kit. The supreme irony in that sport was that the 'serious incident' which messed things up for everyone when it finally happened, occurred at a proper organised and official race event, when a woman was killed by a land yacht at Lytham St Annes. Don't forget Ian, it might just as easily happen that way round in cycling too.

ANYWAY, all of this contention and doom out of the way - personally, I'm looking forward to a cracking event!

 

[Ian H]

...The supreme irony in that sport was that the 'serious incident' which messed things up for everyone when it finally happened, occurred at a proper organised and official race event, when a woman was killed by a land yacht at Lytham St Annes. Don't forget Ian, it might just as easily happen that way round in cycling too.

A brief response: there are serious accidents most years in cycle racing. But by 'legal' I mean the 1968 act of parliament, not a few cycling officials.

But, as you say:-

ANYWAY, all of this contention and doom out of the way - personally, I'm looking forward to a cracking event!

I hope the weather's kind to you (not least because I'll be on Dartmoor the same day ). Living locally I've been on both moors in some wonderfully atrocious conditions.

 

[oldroadman]

Sure thing Ian - I couldn't agree more. Any sport relies on a degree of self regulation from its participants. That's why I think its best to opt for a sportive with an established record and a high degree of responsibility on behalf of the organisers. I did a bit of shopping around before I found this one. I'd urge anyone else thinking of riding one to do exactly the same.

As I say, I'm just the newb here, but it seems to me that this sort of conflict arises in every sport - I used to kite buggy, and we had exactly the same arguments and debates between the official racers and the people who wanted to participate in sporting events which had an element of challenge. Again, the 'serious' racers felt threatened by the 'hoi poloi' mucking things up for them - but at the same time, the success and growth of the sport was actually about the ordinary riders, not the relatively small numbers of highly competitive speedsters with all the state of the art kit. The supreme irony in that sport was that the 'serious incident' which messed things up for everyone when it finally happened, occurred at a proper organised and official race event, when a woman was killed by a land yacht at Lytham St Annes. Don't forget Ian, it might just as easily happen that way round in cycling too.

ANYWAY, all of this contention and doom out of the way - personally, I'm looking forward to a cracking event!

Indeed you are right, and along with this goes the same degree of responsibility by the riders. There are quite a few sportives who actually refer to their event as a race on their website...so what do the newer riders think? You guess. An example, stopping to help a couple of people who had tangled in a narrow lane who had tangled and fallen during a sportif, round the corner come a group of about 20 going flat out, then as they are slightly slowed, getting the "get out of the f-ing way you.....we're racing".
Not the best thing to do when the old soldier was on his moto and knew exactly where they were going! This is precisely the sort of incident to alienate a kind member of the public who may have been me..
So juts let's please enjoy, accept events for what they are, and behave in a way that brings credit to the sport. Enough misguided people already go on about "lycra louts", no need to confirm it!

 

[young dog]

I don't wish to sound as though I am going against the flow. I have looked at the Exmoor Beast and can see that it is very tough, but certainly not the toughest.
For those of you that like a challenge then next years Le terrier has a 102 mile route- namely Le terrier HC. HC standing for beyond categorisation.
Is it a challenge or a step to far?

 

[Lance Substrong]

I don't wish to sound as though I am going against the flow. I have looked at the Exmoor Beast and can see that it is very tough, but certainly not the toughest.
For those of you that like a challenge then next years Le terrier has a 102 mile route- namely Le terrier HC. HC standing for beyond categorisation.
Is it a challenge or a step to far?

No event is a step too far if you've properly prepared for it; if you haven't then you shouldn't enter. 'The Beast' doesn't claim to be the toughest but, you do need to be fairly fit if you're going to get round without being too distressed.

Answers to two postings above:

Numbers of riders entered for 'The Beast' now nearly 1300.

Defenition of a sportive (not mine) voiced by others "An event which delivers the professional racing experience - without the racing."

 

[Ian H]

You just know that quote didn't come from anyone who's actually raced.

 

[Nasawing]

Why the supercilious tone? You have your races - go enjoy them. Why have a downer on a form of event which suits us poor 'lesser' beings? (ie. the ones without a small mortgages worth of equipment, or who are the wrong size shape or age to ever aspire to fast times or the 'joy' of beating others). If sportives are of no interest to you, go find a thread or forum which caters for your more exclusive tastes.

Elitism which transcends into snobbery is the enemy of any inclusive sport. Expressed like that, its also in danger of sounding rude.

 

[Ian H]

Why the supercilious tone? You have your races - go enjoy them. Why have a downer on a form of event which suits us poor 'lesser' beings? (ie. the ones without a small mortgages worth of equipment, or who are the wrong size shape or age to ever aspire to fast times or the 'joy' of beating others). If sportives are of no interest to you, go find a thread or forum which caters for your more exclusive tastes.

Elitism which transcends into snobbery is the enemy of any inclusive sport. Expressed like that, its also in danger of sounding rude.

You misunderstand. I don't 'have a downer' on sportifs. I do have a problem with people who treat them as races and ride aggressively and dangerously. If you want to race, then do it properly. If you want to ride a sportif, or any other event on the public highway, then ride considerately and according to the normal rules of the road.