Maybe we just weren't elitist enough for the ride?

[Ming the Merciless]

Keep an eye on the calendar, although if you're expecting Hi5s en route you might be disappointed.

That is an audax not a sportive.

 

[Andrew_P]

Your question has been answered at least four times.

Who said that?

 

[Cronorider]

I recently rode in an organized event. Extremely well organized, well marked and marshalled route, great food afterwards, some camaraderie, all in all a very good day.

 

[srw]

That is an audax not a sportive.

Well spotted.

But it's a difference of name, not intent. You get to ride on the public roads using a route someone else has invented, you get some refreshments thrown in to your entry free, you get a shiny souvenir. The only difference is that you don't get arrows on poles to tell you where to go if your GPS goes wrong.

Any arguments about paying to ride on the public roads (which is where this thread has been diverted to) apply as much to @smutchin's event as they do a ride labelled as a "sportive" and not involving closed roads.

 

[Ming the Merciless]

Well spotted.

But it's a difference of name, not intent. You get to ride on the public roads using a route someone else has invented, you get some refreshments thrown in to your entry free, you get a shiny souvenir. The only difference is that you don't get arrows on poles to tell you where to go if your GPS goes wrong.

Any arguments about paying to ride on the public roads (which is where this thread has been diverted to) apply as much to @smutchin's event as they do a ride labelled as a "sportive" and not involving closed roads.

Tell me what is this shiny souvenir you get for entering an audax?

 

[Ming the Merciless]

Go to the AUK site and navigate to results and awards /medals and badges.

Hmm, you dont get those in the entry fee though, do you? So what shiny is he referring to that you get for entering?

 

[Ming the Merciless]

Not for entering, for validated completion.

I have only ever got a brevet card back, no metalwork...

 

[smutchin]

That is an audax not a sportive.

As @srw says, the same arguments apply with regard to the matter of paying to ride on public roads. Ignore the stuff about medals, it’s a distraction. The differences between audax and sportives are mainly cosmetic.

 

[smutchin]

Not attitudinal?

Not as much as some people like to think.

 

[Ajax Bay]

The differences between audax and sportives are mainly cosmetic.

I think there are significant attitudinal differences: navigational self-reliance (signs/no signs), self-reliance (mechanicals), self-reliance (feeding). And events are invariably designed to achieve only a small surplus of income over expenditure so entry fees are low. So few riders will feel they're being ripped off, unlike in sportives.

 

[Dogtrousers]

I think there are significant attitudinal differences: navigational self-reliance (signs/no signs), self-reliance (mechanicals), self-reliance (feeding). And events are invariably designed to achieve only a small surplus of income over expenditure so entry fees are low. So few riders will feel they're being ripped off, unlike in sportives.

I'd say the navigational and support differences are cosmetic (but will add to a sportive organiser's overheads).

Audaxes self reliant for feeding? On X rated events maybe, but that's not the norm. For example the Ditchling Devil (200) provides a mountain of doughnuts at the start, a bacon sarnie stop on the outbound leg and a ginormous feast just after half way. Similarly the Kingdom of the East Saxons (400) included breakfast and two full meals.

As to the financial arrangements, the term "sportive" is so ill defined that it's impossible to generalise. It could be anything from a relatively low key club run affair like the Kentish Killer all the way to a monster like Ride London, with something like Evans "Ride It" in the middle.

I did a "Ride It" in S Wales and the differences from an Audax were only cursory. There were arrows on the route, but most people seemed to be navigating by GPS anyway, just as with an Audax. The feed stop at a pub was something of which an AUK org would have been proud with different kinds of cake, flapjacks, sandwiches, nuts, drinks (and, of course, gels). Fast people zoomed off at the start and slower people trundled along behind chatting, just like an Audax. I never had any need for or contact with on-road support so I didn't notice it. (But yes, it was shorter than most Audaxes)

On the other hand I did Velo Wales which was a closed road affair and that was completely un-Audaxy. It was none the worse for it, and was quite an occasion. People were on the streets supporting (although the spreading of tacks on the road wasn't terribly helpful), and it had a great vibe. That was the most expensive ride I've ever paid to enter, at around £60. I didn't feel in the least bit ripped off, even though I didn't touch the food at the food stops as I had a pork pie with me and stopped to buy my own ice-cream and coffee.

If people feel "ripped off" the chances are it's their own fault for not reading the description of what the event is before they pay. Unless of course, they actually are being ripped off, and fobbed off with some unripe bananas and sparse signage and so on. Or an Audax organiser gives hideous cryptic information control questions and then loses the brevet cards.

Do I prefer these to simply setting off on my own for the day armed with nothing but a packed lunch and knowledge of the area? No, they are all different experiences.

 

[GilesM]

You're the one who is arguing black is white.

 

[ianrauk]

You're the one who is arguing black is white.

*Mod hat on*

Right guys. That's enough of the snipping at each other. I've asked you once already. No more ok.

 

[Fab Foodie]

I'd say the navigational and support differences are cosmetic (but will add to a sportive organiser's overheads).

Audaxes self reliant for feeding? On X rated events maybe, but that's not the norm. For example the Ditchling Devil (200) provides a mountain of doughnuts at the start, a bacon sarnie stop on the outbound leg and a ginormous feast just after half way. Similarly the Kingdom of the East Saxons (400) included breakfast and two full meals.

As to the financial arrangements, the term "sportive" is so ill defined that it's impossible to generalise. It could be anything from a relatively low key club run affair like the Kentish Killer all the way to a monster like Ride London, with something like Evans "Ride It" in the middle.

I did a "Ride It" in S Wales and the differences from an Audax were only cursory. There were arrows on the route, but most people seemed to be navigating by GPS anyway, just as with an Audax. The feed stop at a pub was something of which an AUK org would have been proud with different kinds of cake, flapjacks, sandwiches, nuts, drinks (and, of course, gels). Fast people zoomed off at the start and slower people trundled along behind chatting, just like an Audax. I never had any need for or contact with on-road support so I didn't notice it. (But yes, it was shorter than most Audaxes)

On the other hand I did Velo Wales which was a closed road affair and that was completely un-Audaxy. It was none the worse for it, and was quite an occasion. People were on the streets supporting (although the spreading of tacks on the road wasn't terribly helpful), and it had a great vibe. That was the most expensive ride I've ever paid to enter, at around £60. I didn't feel in the least bit ripped off, even though I didn't touch the food at the food stops as I had a pork pie with me and stopped to buy my own ice-cream and coffee.

If people feel "ripped off" the chances are it's their own fault for not reading the description of what the event is before they pay. Unless of course, they actually are being ripped off, and fobbed off with some unripe bananas and sparse signage and so on. Or an Audax organiser gives hideous cryptic information control questions and then loses the brevet cards.

Do I prefer these to simply setting off on my own for the day armed with nothing but a packed lunch and knowledge of the area? No, they are all different experiences.

Inna nutshell ^^^^

 

[Fab Foodie]

Here is a picture of me NOT signing-on for an Evans 'Ride-it' Event which I rode with my buddies (who had helmets and entered).
I have not been smited by the cycling gods for this act of defiance.
It was a great ride, well organised, all kinds of peoples and I wasn't the only Brommie-rider either.
Cycling is a broad-church from grannies riding to the market on their shoppers to full team-kit cyclewankers pretending to be Contador. There is almost something for everybody and if there isn't something for cyclist like you, then don't bitch, go start something yourself.