oldwheels
Legendary Member
- Location
- Isle of Mull
You also have the advantage of creating lots of aggrieved and angry motorists who are hours late for appointments and lorries who have to pull over and park as out of driving time. LOL.
sportives , opinions please
- Thread starter clid61
- Start date
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youngoldbloke
The older I get, the faster I used to be ...
Here's some helpful advice - can't remember where I copied it from, some time ago now .........
How to stay safe around Sportivists. A Guide
We want cyclists to stay safe when cycling near other vehicles, especially larger ones, like sportive riders. The safety advice is simple, “Stay safe, stay away”.
The “Stay safe, stay away” advice applies to cyclists when cycling near to moving Sportive riders or approaching any stationary Sportivists on the road, at junctions, traffic lights, on climbs or at feed stations. It's important to stay out of the risk zone and get into a position where the sportive rider can see you over their Garmin.
Follow our tips below to find out how to protect yourself.
Safety tips
Cycle sensibly and assertively to help yourself. Stay safe, especially at traffic lights, junctions, corners, straight roads, climbs, descents, and anywhere that might be a Strava segment.
* Recognise that sportive riders may not be able to see you, and are often oblivious to your presence.
*Never cycle up the left side of a sportivist riding in the middle of the road.
*Look out for sportive riders wandering left or right for no reason in front of you.
*If a rider comes up behind you, move forward enough merely to ensure you are in the sportivist’s field of vision and in no way to try and drop them.
*In front of a Sportive rider is often the safest place to be. When you need to overtake a large sportivist, do so on the right-hand side at speed, so that the rider can’t keep up with you.
Be Aware
The risk zone area can be the full length and width of the road, with the sportivist unable to see anyone cycling beside them on the left, or the right.
*Both new and experienced cyclists have been hurt in collisions with sportivists. This often happens when a sportive rider veers left to stop on a climb, to look at the view, to take off his gilet, to put on his arm-warmers or turn into a feed zone, hitting innocent cyclists on the nearside.
*Don't assume any large gap between sportivists is safe. When veering across the road for no reason large riders often wobble over to the right before they swing sharply across to the left to stop.
*Don't risk your life by trying to pass sportive riders when they are stopped at junctions, they may simply be confused by the event direction arrows and could suddenly turn either left or right. Wait until they have moved on, and turn the other way.
“Stay safe, stay away” is dedicated to reducing sportivists danger to cyclists through the use of awareness and reliability trials.
- "many a true word is spoken in jest"
How to stay safe around Sportivists. A Guide
We want cyclists to stay safe when cycling near other vehicles, especially larger ones, like sportive riders. The safety advice is simple, “Stay safe, stay away”.
The “Stay safe, stay away” advice applies to cyclists when cycling near to moving Sportive riders or approaching any stationary Sportivists on the road, at junctions, traffic lights, on climbs or at feed stations. It's important to stay out of the risk zone and get into a position where the sportive rider can see you over their Garmin.
Follow our tips below to find out how to protect yourself.
Safety tips
Cycle sensibly and assertively to help yourself. Stay safe, especially at traffic lights, junctions, corners, straight roads, climbs, descents, and anywhere that might be a Strava segment.
* Recognise that sportive riders may not be able to see you, and are often oblivious to your presence.
*Never cycle up the left side of a sportivist riding in the middle of the road.
*Look out for sportive riders wandering left or right for no reason in front of you.
*If a rider comes up behind you, move forward enough merely to ensure you are in the sportivist’s field of vision and in no way to try and drop them.
*In front of a Sportive rider is often the safest place to be. When you need to overtake a large sportivist, do so on the right-hand side at speed, so that the rider can’t keep up with you.
Be Aware
The risk zone area can be the full length and width of the road, with the sportivist unable to see anyone cycling beside them on the left, or the right.
*Both new and experienced cyclists have been hurt in collisions with sportivists. This often happens when a sportive rider veers left to stop on a climb, to look at the view, to take off his gilet, to put on his arm-warmers or turn into a feed zone, hitting innocent cyclists on the nearside.
*Don't assume any large gap between sportivists is safe. When veering across the road for no reason large riders often wobble over to the right before they swing sharply across to the left to stop.
*Don't risk your life by trying to pass sportive riders when they are stopped at junctions, they may simply be confused by the event direction arrows and could suddenly turn either left or right. Wait until they have moved on, and turn the other way.
“Stay safe, stay away” is dedicated to reducing sportivists danger to cyclists through the use of awareness and reliability trials.
- "many a true word is spoken in jest"
They are not for me (for a start they usually have a plastic hat rule) but if they float your boat and get more people out and on bikes cycling then more power to them.
As far as I am concerned, the more cyclists there are on the road the better. Car drivers had just better get used to it.
As far as I am concerned, the more cyclists there are on the road the better. Car drivers had just better get used to it.
Hours late? Really? Bless.
My work commute is extended by around 15 minutes each way due to traffic. That's about 1.5 hours a week as I don't cycle daily. A sportive my add 5-10 minutes to a driver.
MickeyBlueEyes
Eat, Sleep, Ride, Repeat.
- Location
- Derbyshire
Not everyone's cup of tea that's for sure. Have I done one, no, but there's certainly a market for them. Anything that gets more cyclists out and about can only be a good thing. The myth that it's about paying to ride on the public road, no, you're not paying to do that. You're paying for the advertisement of the event, your timing chip, the gels, cake & fruit at the feed station, you're paying for the team to put up way markers. I imagine some could be a decent day out, but, it's more than possible to do that on your own.
Supersuperleeds
Legendary Member
- Location
- Leicester
I must admit the Leicester Castle Sportive was a cracking route, though I did ride it a couple of weeks after the event.
vickster
Squire
None of which sells it to me, sorry, nor the undoubted profits made by the organisers. You are still riding on roads with traffic and paying to do so.
Ride London is clearly different but I still didn't partake of the free gels (indeed I threw the ones given at the end in the bin a couple of weeks ago) or fruit. I don't believe cake was on offer. I took my own snacks and bought my own sandwich lunch. Didn't even fill a water bottle
Dogtrousers
Kilometre nibbler
I've done a couple. For example an Evans Ride it in S. Wales last year was good. Very nice selection of food at the food stop. Nice route. Virtually indistinguishable from an audax really. Except there were some (pretty useless) route signs, and no need to stop to record strange facts about postboxes or church halls. Didn't cost much (I forget how much).
Sometimes it's nice to have an organised event. It's one way to co-ordinate meeting up with friends.
Sometimes it's nice to have an organised event. It's one way to co-ordinate meeting up with friends.
outlash
also available in orange
- Location
- ice station zebra
Not my bag, but my CC held their own Sportive today and numbers were well down from last year and the year before. Might be a bit of a trend occurring what with events being cancelled and organisers going to the wall. Perhaps the cycling bubble has burst or people are 'growing out ' of sportives?
adamangler
Veteran
- Location
- Wakefield
Yes. Breaks up the monotony of riding solo and gives a bit of motivation to hit goals. I.e 100 miles is torture solo and boring as hell. Much more motivating riding with others getting out of the wind and having feed stops.
DiddlyDodds
Random Resident
- Location
- Littleborough
I love them , done loads.
Lee_M
Guru
Isn't an Audax just a sportive but in tweed with added superiority complex?
Shut Up Legs
Down Under Member
Don't get too carried away with your prejudices.
jefmcg
Guru
I've posted this before, and it's not mine..
The difference is that sportive riders pretend they are racing; audax riders pretend they aren't.
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Shut Up Legs
Down Under Member
... and some CC forum members pretend to be inclusive and tolerant.
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