Sportives - are they out of control?

[VamP]

Enjoyment.
Is that a crime.
And it's not a flaming race.
If it was a race would we all be stopping at the food stops, having a chat, looking at the elevation profile. No we'd only stop if need be, and then the stop would be as fast a possible. Would groups stop at the top of steep hills, to cheer others on, Hell no we'd be charging on, don't want others catching up.

The only conclusion I can draw is that you are entering races, whereas I am entering sportives (which are not races ffs).

The only conclusion I can draw is that you have trouble comprehending the written word and conducting polite discourse.

 

[Leodis]

Enjoyment.
Is that a crime.
And it's not a flaming race.
If it was a race would we all be stopping at the food stops, having a chat, looking at the elevation profile. No we'd only stop if need be, and then the stop would be as fast a possible. Would groups stop at the top of steep hills, to cheer others on, Hell no we'd be charging on, don't want others catching up.

The only conclusion I can draw is that you are entering races, whereas I am entering sportives (which are not races ffs).

I can understand your attitude been from the New Forest with the yokels around there.

 

[PK99]

Enjoyment.
Is that a crime.
And it's not a flaming race.
If it was a race would we all be stopping at the food stops, having a chat, looking at the elevation profile. No we'd only stop if need be, and then the stop would be as fast a possible. Would groups stop at the top of steep hills, to cheer others on, Hell no we'd be charging on, don't want others catching up.

The only conclusion I can draw is that you are entering races, whereas I am entering sportives (which are not races ffs).

The point being made is that some people do regard sportives as a race, not all, some. It is the behaviour of that sub set that risks damaging the enjoyment of the rest.

 

[Dusty Bin]

Calm down everyone - they're not races - they're actually long distance time trials..

 

[lukesdad]

Calm down everyone - they're not races - they're actually long distance time trials..

A long distance ride timed and the times published, you're right I believe CTT run something similar !

 

[Dmcd33]

Clarifying what sportives are misses the point I think? If you want to race then so be it. If you want to take it easy then you can. They do disrupt certain areas of the county and not everyone plays by the rules (sound familiar to anyone- red light jumping, cars going at 75 in a 60 zone etc...) they could be reduced in numbers, but I suppose the point is the organisation that suits some people, along with the fact that it is a lot easier to meet up with people from around the country, who you wouldn't necessarily get to a Sunday ride with you without the pull of an organised event.

I think if you choose to race (I would call it push yourself) then you have a responsibility like anyone else. This includes doing 80 in the outside lane. It illegal, but everyone does it when safe to do so.

 

[Rob3rt]

Clarifying what sportives are misses the point I think? If you want to race then so be it. If you want to take it easy then you can. They do disrupt certain areas of the county and not everyone plays by the rules (sound familiar to anyone- red light jumping, cars going at 75 in a 60 zone etc...) they could be reduced in numbers, but I suppose the point is the organisation that suits some people, along with the fact that it is a lot easier to meet up with people from around the country, who you wouldn't necessarily get to a Sunday ride with you without the pull of an organised event.

I think if you choose to race (I would call it push yourself) then you have a responsibility like anyone else. This includes doing 80 in the outside lane. It illegal, but everyone does it when safe to do so.

Does it? I don't think it does. I think clarifying what they are is necessary in order to regulate them appropriately.

 

[Dmcd33]

Does it? I don't think it does. I think clarifying what they are is necessary in order to regulate them appropriately.

What I meant was the practicalities involved in stopping people racing in sportives. The only things that are possible to remove are the timing chips and list times at the end. Otherwise it would be impossible to stop people going over a certain speed or riding three or four abrest, therefore leaving the problems that people often complain of.

I think they have a place in cycling, but would agree that there has been an explosion of them recently, which has led to less clarity on what the are, who they are for etc..

 

[Hill Wimp]

Commercialisation of them has not helped with the image of them but has helped some of the charities such as Macmillan with the Cyclettas. That cannot be bad.I also like the fact with the Cyclettas that they run a Scooterthon for children at the same time. I don't have kids myself but it's a great idea to enable mum to cycle in her bit and the kids to do theirs plus it encourages a healthy lifestyle.

I have no doubt they will blow themselves out in 2-3 years and we can go back to the bigger Randonees etc that some of the bigger clubs have always run for anyone to enter. In a few years time there will be a thread on here "Does anyone remember the sportives?"

 

[Dusty Bin]

A long distance ride timed and the times published, you're right I believe CTT run something similar !

Except a time trial is a competitive speed event - which is where your theory kind of falls a bit flat.

 

[jowwy]

riding/racing/pushing yourself. timing chips, start times within in a sportive is just like owning a ferrari/porsche/lamburghini etc etc

your not supposed to race or break the rules - but many many many many people do - its called life, you live by the rules or you break the rules

which one you stand by is entirelly upto the individual performing the task

 

[jowwy]

We do have laws to govern what constitutes acceptable behaviours in many areas of life and racing on public highways is one of them.

correct we do - doesn't stop people breaking those laws though does it - sportives also have rules, in which it states "this is not a race" - Job done

 

[Dusty Bin]

riding/racing/pushing yourself. timing chips, start times within in a sportive is just like owning a ferrari/porsche/lamburghini etc etc

your not supposed to race or break the rules - but many many many many people do - its called life, you live by the rules or you break the rules

which one you stand by is entirelly upto the individual performing the task

Very noble, but missing the point. The issue is not with riders thinking they are races - it is with organisers making them look like races and doing nothing to discourage it.

 

[dellzeqq]

I'm with DCLane and 400bhp on this.

The Wiggle Dragon Ride is inherently unsafe. What's on the risk assessment, heaven alone knows. Recceing for the South Wales FNRttC we found one junction that was so unsafe I had to re-think the route - and that was for 50 riders, none of whom were in a hurry who would have been told to signal to each other and give the people in front some room (and would have been told the error of their ways had they got it wrong). Sure enough - come the Dragon ride there was a pile-up at the junction, and, according to somebody who rode away without looking back, horrifying screams. Equally...descending over cattle grids at high speed on slick tyres is a dumbass thing to do, and yet they piled over (and, in at least one case, had a serious off), at thirty miles an hour.

One of these fine days somebody (or somebody's relatives) will take Human Race (the organisers) apart in the courts.

 

[jowwy]

Very noble, but missing the point. The issue is not with riders thinking they are races - it is with organisers making them look like races and doing nothing to discourage it.

what can they do - let the riders tyres down, remove the computers, gps what???? people will race whether its within the confines of the rules or not - its called life