New Forest 100 mile sportive 2020 - how are these events run?

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Hello.

First post here. Three months back I borrowed a bike for a boozy bike ride from Bristol to Bath with work pals. I enjoyed the cycle so much within a week I had bought a road bike and started commuting into work.

My Strava count is now showing 650 miles and to say I’ve caught the bug is an understatement. Last week I did my first 50 mile ride from Bristol to Cheddar and back.

I’m now looking at routes using Komoot and have stumbled across the New Forest 100 mile sportive.
I would like to sign up but I’m not sure how these events are run.

Do I literally just show up on the day and follow the route?
Should I look at a smaller event to get to grasps with how these are run?
Any advice you guys don’t mind giving?

Thanks

Grantley
 
Hello.

First post here. Three months back I borrowed a bike for a boozy bike ride from Bristol to Bath with work pals. I enjoyed the cycle so much within a week I had bought a road bike and started commuting into work.

My Strava count is now showing 650 miles and to say I’ve caught the bug is an understatement. Last week I did my first 50 mile ride from Bristol to Cheddar and back.

I’m now looking at routes using Komoot and have stumbled across the New Forest 100 mile sportive.
I would like to sign up but I’m not sure how these events are run.

Do I literally just show up on the day and follow the route?
Should I look at a smaller event to get to grasps with how these are run?
Any advice you guys don’t mind giving?

Thanks

Grantley

You'd have time to get the training in for doing 100 miles. Ive heard it sells out, so register if you fancy doing it. Food/drink would be included etc, so if you're signed up, you pretty much just turn up. No reason to overthink it.
They're on public roads, so even if you didn't register, there is nothing to stop you following the route on the day - but obviously the support (food,mechanical,...) would be for registered people.
https://www.cyclechat.net/threads/new-forest-ride-100.253316/
 
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BrumJim

Forum Stalwart (won't take the hint and leave...)
Firstly, Brilliant. Congratulations on finding a new interest, and one that will make you fitter, healthier, and get you to places you didn't know existed.

Secondly, Sportives. I would write a load of nonsense about them, but our Forum Chief has already penned what needs to be known here:
What is a Sportive?

So, in summary, you sign-up, wait for the e-mails, then turn up on the day. You will be met by a crowd of people, most of them looking like they know what they are doing, but many in the same position as you, just looking a lot more confident.

You will go to sign-on where you get your number (for photo identification and confirmation that you have paid your entry fee), cable ties for attaching it, chip so that your time gets recorded automatically, and route map. Possibly other stuff as well.

Then you start in what are usually informal waves, with a safety briefing before you go. On the way you will make friends and usually find someone to ride with. At the end, regardless of how far you have ridden, you will get a tremendous feeling of relief when you reach the end. Then you get a medal and a chance to recover.

Very popular at the moment, but don't ignore Audaxes, which are much cheaper but less well supported.
 

EltonFrog

Legendary Member
The New Forest Sportive will probably go up Blissford Hill, which is very short but incredibly steep, I have seen folks on sportives topple over on this, in fact last time they had marshalls on the hill to catch people. You’ll need to practice getting up hills if you don’t want to walk it.
Anyway once you’ve signed up and paid you usually turn up, get your number and set off in groups and follow the signs until you get to the finish. Enjoy.
 

icowden

Veteran
Location
Surrey
That's what I thought. It's a hill that doesn't look like a hill. A stealth hill, if you will. The road before it is flat, but ever so slightly up hill. You get to a point where your legs are going "this feels like a hill. This is exhausting" and your brain is going "this is ridiculous, the road is flat. Look flat as a pancake. This makes NO SENSE". Then you get to the bit where it starts going uphill. Thankfully there is a nice down hill after it.

There are also some very looooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooong roads that go on forever once you are in the New Forest proper. They run it twice, once in April and once in September. It's a lovely cycle with good opportunities to see all kinds of wildlife (ponies, cows, rabbits, goats etc). Another thing to watch for is that the feed stations aren't evenly placed. The 1st feed station is about 20 miles in but the second is only 10 miles from the end. I did the standard 59 mile route, so not sure if there is an additional station on the 100 mile route.

My other tip is GET THERE EARLY. Seriously. Much earlier than you need to be there. We were given a 9:00 time for leaving with registration opening at 8.50. We arrived at 8.30 by which point there were about 200 people in a long and winding queue. Getting numbers was fairly quick, but then you queue again to set off. It was almost 10:00 by the time we actually set off.

It's a really fun event though. Just watch out for cattle grids.I had numb hands for 2 weeks afterwards...:wacko:
 

Pale Rider

Legendary Member
Riding in a group is a little different to riding on your own, but many of us like doing it.

If nothing else it adds some variety to your cycling.

The previously mentioned hill is far from the only one on the course, so it's not an easy ride.

You seem to have taken well to cycling and ought to be able to do it with some training, which doesn't amount to lot more than continuing to do what you are already doing.

Looks like there's a discount for signing up early which I think will bring the price down to £32.

That's good value for an organised sportive, so you may as well buy now and have something to look forward to.

https://www.ukcyclingevents.co.uk/events/new-forest-100-sportive/#buying
 
You can book it, or pay on the day. It usually starts from just outside Ringwood. I do ride the route, but not as part of the sportive. Usually some of the locals en route, get a bit ‘pitchforky’ and the motorists really don’t like it, but if you keep your wits about you, it’s quite a good laugh normally.
 
Have signed up for this and it looks like both the Saturday and the Sunday events are completely sold out, which is a bit of fun.

Really looking forward to it, and to a (somewhat) mass participation event that you can still easily distance in.
 

icowden

Veteran
Location
Surrey
No paying on the day this year. It's been sold out for a while.
Checked the route and it doesn't go near Blissford Hill. Short route goes via the Gorleys to Fordingbridge, the standard and epic goes via Godshill to fordingbridge.

Looks like it's going ahead at the moment...
 
Does anyone know how many gels/bars etc are available at the aid stations? Should I aim to have gels to cover me for the whole ride or rely a little more on the aid stations?
 

icowden

Veteran
Location
Surrey
Last time I did it the aid stations were kitted out with Gels. I think they are operating slightly differently this year for social distancing. I read that they will essentially be walk through with people encouraged to eat whilst riding.
 

si_c

Guru
Location
Wirral
Does anyone know how many gels/bars etc are available at the aid stations? Should I aim to have gels to cover me for the whole ride or rely a little more on the aid stations?
Ensuring you have sufficient nutrition to complete the ride is your responsibility, don't rely on aid stations being stocked
I've heard of them being cleaned out by the faster riders before now.
 

icowden

Veteran
Location
Surrey
True. It's probably not going to be as nice in these Covid times. Last year there were also informal "feed" stops at pubs etc with people making the most out of possible passing trade. And many cakes. That's probably not going to happen this year.
 
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