new to Sportives

beckenham

Family and work commitments means that cycling tends to get put off to just a couple of hours every week and I need a reason to snatch back more cycling time. With this in mind I'd quite like to enter some sportives this year but don't want to embarise myself :?

Any advice on what the standards are like on these events? I don't want to get left miles behind anyone else :oops:

The Chilterns 100 looks quite good and is fairly close to home.

Any advice gratefully received

SteveR_100Milers

They will be hard work on only 2 hours a week. Why not try entering some audax's? Unfashionable maybe, but they tend not to be quite so challenging in their terrain, and cost a lot less (you'll have to bring your own flapjacks though).

dbg

Standards vary, but don't worry sportives aren't treated as races on the whole, and I doubt you'll be last, even on 2 hours a week - although that really is absolute minimum! Rather than a 100 miler try a shorter distance, most sportives have a long & short route, see how you fare and if you're still alive at the end of it then try for a longer one next time.

beckenham

dbg wrote:

Standards vary, but don't worry sportives aren't treated as races on the whole, and I doubt you'll be last, even on 2 hours a week - although that really is absolute minimum! Rather than a 100 miler try a shorter distance, most sportives have a long & short route, see how you fare and if you're still alive at the end of it then try for a longer one next time.

The Chiltern Hundred has a 50 mile route. I think I'll sign up for that and see how it goes. At least I'll have a reason to get some training in

clanton

I rode a few sportives last year as training rides for the Etape and found them great fun and excellent for keeping motivation up. There are loads of mere mortals (like me!) riding them in addition to the whippets.

andyp

Go for it. It should be a challenge, a lot of fun and give you a target to use to motivate yourself.

dennisn

I'd go for a 50 miler before attemping 100. 100 miles is a long long ride for just about
anyone. If you don't get in a good mileage base beforehand it could take you six or seven
hours or more. Even with a 50 you will be out there maybe 4 hours, taking into account
a food and water stop or 2. Even really fit cyclists are ready to call it a day after a 100
miler. It takes it out of you.

Dennis Noward

campagchris

Once you do one they become addictive.The advice has been spot on as usual on here,the northern rock cyclone has 3 different rides so something for everyone.A lot of the sportives, well all the ones Ive ridden are very hilly so you will struggle on 2 hours a week training.Can you not get a turbo trainer to help you out a little bit.Good luck and enjoy which ever one you choose.

hugo15

The beauty of sportives for me is that you don't have to be that good to enter. I do a few each year and I am rubbish! I did the White Rose Classic last year in a pathetic 11 hrs 22 mins ......... but I managed to get round and complete the longest ride I have ever done (and I wasn't last!). I was doing a couple of short rides during the week and then 40-60 mile hilly ride on a weekend to fit in with family/work. The jump up to 115 miles was probably too big a jump. This year I have entered the 80 mile option as I want to see the scenery around Malham (I was too knackered to see it last year) and enjoy it a bit more.

Other bit of advice is to get your entry in now for which ever distance you go for as I find that this acts as a great motivator to get out training.

oldwelshman

Try posting in the rides/sprotive section for a start
I am not far from the chilterns also and ride them regulr.
The only thing I would say is that with only a couple of hours I would go for shorter one.
You do not say how heavy you are or standard of climbing? The only thing about the Chilterns ride is it is not like some others that have some nice flowing climbs, this route just sort of loops to get all the hills in so its up one, down another, back round for next climb, up down again :-) The route never really goes far from the start But the hills are generally short and some very steep so it saps your enegry more than some of the rides.
You will definately need a compact or tripple thats for sure, unless your a 7 stone bilygoat.

beckenham

Thanks for all the advice. As usual all sound stuff The entry for the Chiltern Hundred opens on 1st Feb. It's in my diary to enter the 50 mile route and am really looking forward to it. It even motivated me to get on the shiney new turbo trainer last night

By way of background I am mid forties and weigh in at around 13-14 stone. Have always done sport of some kind or other, used to play a lot of squash but found it increaslingly difficult to find the time on a regular basis. I still play 5-aside once a week. I got into cycling last year by taking part in the London to Brighton. It took me ages (6 hours :? ) but that was partially due to the amount of people in front of us, we didn't start until around 8am, and the fact that the pal I did it with hadn't done any training. Additionaly I was on my old MTB. I now have my cayo expert to help pull me along

I might even keep off the beer for a bit :shock: On second thoughts maybe that's a step too far

Mettan

beckenham wrote:

and weigh in at around 13-14 stone

I was 14 stone 5 months ago (bulked weightlifting/eating) - now am 13 stone through cycling and eating less - hoping to get down to 12.5 stone before the first Sportive or TT of the year - well worth it weight-wise in terms of getting up hills after you've got 30 or more miles in your legs - I'd prefer to stay around 14 stone ideally but have realised that dropping to 12-12.5 will really pay off on the hills

beckenham

Mettan wrote:

beckenham wrote:

and weigh in at around 13-14 stone

I was 14 stone 5 months ago (bulked weightlifting/eating) - now am 13 stone through cycling and eating less - hoping to get down to 12.5 stone before the first Sportive or TT of the year - well worth it weight-wise in terms of getting up hills after you've got 30 or more miles in your legs - I'd prefer to stay around 14 stone ideally but have realised that dropping to 12-12.5 will really pay off on the hills

12.5 stone :shock: I'd need a whole new wardrobe of work suits :? That's money that could be better spent on an even better bike. I've got my eye on a Cervelo R3 8)