What would attract you to a sportive?

[jpembroke]

Having done a few I have to say I don't really get the attraction. You pay £30 odd quid to ride around roads with the mate you usually go riding with anyway; occasionally chatting to someone else. The climbs are so steep that no one can keep together in a decent size group (see Jimboalee's initial comment) so you end up either a) waiting for people, b ) trying to catch up, or c) riding a long way on your own.

I can do all these things on my local Cotswold/Malvern/Forest of Dean roads for free.

 

[col1888]

Greg
I have only entered 2 sportives and as far as i was aware they were not races. Maybe personal races against a clock yes, but not races as such. I thought they were fun events of varying distances, for all abilities to have a good days cycling and complete their own personal challenge. So perhaps the people who treat them as races are the problem then ! If they want to be racing then surely an organised race is what they should be entering. Or does it make them feel good to go whistling past these "noobs" as you call them. I totally agree with your point that everyone should ride safely, but i doubt some of the riders with lesser ability mean any harm. Lets face it we all have to start somewhere !!

 

[walker]

Sportive's should really be aimed at inexperinced and beginner riders, anyone outside of that should know better. I've only ever done one as I wanted something to do on the off season and felt that some riders were trying to work outside their capabilities and would blow out their ar$e when they couldn't hold onto the speed when it was their turn on the front.
I probably wouldn't do one again, those that want to race get a licence and get to your nearest curcuit

 

[jimboalee]

Sportive's should really be aimed at inexperinced and beginner riders, anyone outside of that should know better. I've only ever done one as I wanted something to do on the off season and felt that some riders were trying to work outside their capabilities and would blow out their ar$e when they couldn't hold onto the speed when it was their turn on the front.
I probably wouldn't do one again, those that want to race get a licence and get to your nearest curcuit

I disagree with this.

Sportives are an event for the lucky 'Wanabees' who get their application in early enough. These riders are YES, inexperienced and it is their chance to 'pretend' to be in a race. Group riding, pacelines, showoffs going on lone breakaways etc.

Riding in a pack requires some experience. Those who cannot even hold their bike in a constant line when grabbing for their bottle are bloody dangerous. Some even ride with wheels overlapped. WTF.

When a rider ahead signals there is an obstruction to the left, some riders think he's scratching his back and try to overtake on the curbside.

Some riders don't even know the difference between "Car up!" and "Car down!"

And I once saw one dimwit throw his empty bottle over the hedge.

 

[gaz]

Shorter routes? i like to go as fast! long distances mean i can't

 

[walker]

And I once saw one dimwit throw his empty bottle over the hedge.

Oh this is hilarious, I've even seen this in Amatuer racing, Some of the newbies thing they are riding Pro and throw their bottles to one side. 'oi dcikhead, wheres the team car to bring you another one?' and this is on cat 4's, your only doing 30 miles and its mainly flat, how much weight will they save ha ha.
Any true cyclist will try to not litter the countryside, that's what we get eastern europeans for.

 

[e-rider]

Organised rides are always overpriced these days (I'd think a fair price to pay would be £10 max)

The route would have to NOT include dual carriageways or tracks.

Other than that I'm happy to ride.

 

[mark barker]

I disagree with this.

Sportives are an event for the lucky 'Wanabees' who get their application in early enough. These riders are YES, inexperienced and it is their chance to 'pretend' to be in a race. Group riding, pacelines, showoffs going on lone breakaways etc.

Riding in a pack requires some experience. Those who cannot even hold their bike in a constant line when grabbing for their bottle are bloody dangerous. Some even ride with wheels overlapped. WTF.

When a rider ahead signals there is an obstruction to the left, some riders think he's scratching his back and try to overtake on the curbside.

Some riders don't even know the difference between "Car up!" and "Car down!"

And I once saw one dimwit throw his empty bottle over the hedge.

Just out of interest, if these "novice" riders shouldn't take part until they're experienced, where are they meant to go to get the experience?

 

[HJ]

Any true cyclist will try to not litter the countryside, that's what we get eastern europeans for.

??

That is what we have English drivers for...

 

[GrumpyGregry]

Riding in a pack requires some experience. Those who cannot even hold their bike in a constant line when grabbing for their bottle are bloody dangerous. Some even ride with wheels overlapped. WTF.

When a rider ahead signals there is an obstruction to the left, some riders think he's scratching his back and try to overtake on the curbside.

Some riders don't even know the difference between "Car up!" and "Car down!"

And I once saw one dimwit throw his empty bottle over the hedge.

I thought it was just me being picky. Overlapped wheel took me out on first one I did. Undertake took him out on the second.
Third time I got lucky rode with a good bunch, even picked up a few tips, until I blew, then twiddled around on me todd or in two's and three's. Then I rediscovered audaxes.

 

[kevin_cambs_uk]

Having those lovely ladies at the end of the ride like on the TDF, that would get me interested !

 

[redddraggon]

Some riders don't even know the difference between "Car up!" and "Car down!"

I still don't. Up and Down is meaningless, that's why the groups I normally ride with always use "Car front" and "car back".

 

[heliphil]

Just out of interest, if these "novice" riders shouldn't take part until they're experienced, where are they meant to go to get the experience?

I rode my first sportive this year ( Orchid 100) and had no problems riding within several groups, I took my turn at the front etc. The only problem was getting dropped a few times when not concentrating and not going too fast on one of the steeper downhill parts.

 

[jimboalee]

There's another thread in this dept 'The Great Shakespeare Ride'. It is a charity driven 'sportive'.



The route, as it happens follows close to a 100km Audax I have recently ridden which was organised by my club Solihull CC.



I submitted a precursor, and then a report on the Audax ride. Within the precursor, I mentioned a part of the route where the riders had an option of taking the 'gentle' way round ( FOR NOVICE RIDERS BECAUSE IT'S A 100 BREVET POPULAIRE ) or the 'hilly' route if the rider considers themselves capable of coping with hills on a busy stretch of road.



The Great Shakespeare Ride, being a 'Sportive' has the route taking the 'hilly' route past Compton Verney. NO CHOICES.



Now this is the difference between a 'Sportive' and an Audax. A 'Sportive' is a ride where the organisers stipulate the route and go out of their way to include some nasty climbs. An Audax, on the other hand, is 'free route' between controls so the rider can choose 'easy' or 'hard'.



I notice on this forum a lot of cyclists enter 'Sportives' blind. The don't do any research about the route. They announce they have entered and then ask questions about gearing. 'The cart before the horse' scenario.



Browsing the web for 'Sportives', the common phrase is 'Challenging'. Let me tell you, some of the strings on Audax's Midlands Mesh are 'challenging'. And if you really WANT 'Challenging', enter an Audax that is labelled 'Grimpeur'. You'll discover what hills are.



If, conversely, you want comradary and the experience of a impromptu peleton, pick an Audax that does not have any altitude points against it. The hills will be less demanding and the impromptu peleton will be able to stay together.





There was a 'Sportive' advertised last year which had a photo of a lycra-clad wannabee in full replica kit climbing a hill ALMOST SIDEWAYS. The guy was well and truly struggling. Is this what 'sportives' are about? A show-off session for the 'all the gear, no idea' brigade?

 

[GrumpyGregry]

Got to start somewhere to get experience of group riding. Yes I agree. The right place is your local cycling club, the wrong place is overlapping another rider.

A total novice, or someone like me re-learning the etiquette after years away from group riding, may well think they have done fine when riding with groups on their first few sportives. Do they ask the other riders what they think? I suspect not. Do the other riders even appreciate or understand the risks they've been subjected to? Again perhaps not.

On a club ride you can say "Look I'm a novice, or, like me, a born-again, and I've not got much idea of group riding" and someone will take you under their wing so you can (re)learn the craft.

There is so much more to it than just taking your stints at the front.