A not excessively hilly sportive - suggestions?
dttlincs
Posts: 384
I know they are meant to be difficult but bear with me.
I did the London Canterbury last year , my first and only sportive so far and raised a few quid for the NSPCC at the same time.
My present bike has 52/39 and 12/25 cassette and am saving up for a new bike which will have a compact or triple so don't want to spend upgrading the present one.
I managed the London Canterbury with that gearing but would have struggled if the hills had been steeper(I am not exactly a lightweight!).
What I am looking for has to be a challenge but achievable on my present bike. 200km or so is OK and hilly but not crazy.
Any suggestions of an event in July/August/September which is worth a look?
Again I will be raising money for the NSPCC.
Thanks.
I did the London Canterbury last year , my first and only sportive so far and raised a few quid for the NSPCC at the same time.
My present bike has 52/39 and 12/25 cassette and am saving up for a new bike which will have a compact or triple so don't want to spend upgrading the present one.
I managed the London Canterbury with that gearing but would have struggled if the hills had been steeper(I am not exactly a lightweight!).
What I am looking for has to be a challenge but achievable on my present bike. 200km or so is OK and hilly but not crazy.
Any suggestions of an event in July/August/September which is worth a look?
Again I will be raising money for the NSPCC.
Thanks.
Still thinking!
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I don't think that is the case - there are many very hilly audax rides (Often called 'grimpeurs' or 'challege' events) and lots more routes that are euphamistically referred to as 'scenic' which whilst not deliberately seeking out steep, or very long climbs, are a good work out none the less. It does depend where you live/ride of course - there are certainly plenty of scenic events in Yorkshire, Lancashire and Wales though where it is difficult to avoid hills!
BTW I don't know what you have been reading, but you don't have to bring your own sandwiches on events either. (or, only if you have special dietary requirements, such as gluten free, that are unlikely to be met by the controls)
Those events marked with AA or similar and a figure in brackets in metres are hilly, but that doesn't mean the other events are flat! To be on the safe side, ride events in the flatlands of Essex, Suffolk, Cambs etc!
One of the nominated charities for this event is the NSPCC.
You could certainly manage the 62ml and possibly the 100ml with the gears on your current bike. There are over 500 entries to date so you won't be on your own
Choice of two distances, 50 or 65 miles. Both follow the same route, but the 65 has an extra 15 miles loop before the optional cafe stop.
Starts at our clubroom, situated at the Outdoor Pursuits Centre, Redhill Island, Loughborough Road, Leicester. Route sheet, car parking, toilets, refreshments afterwards.
£3 entry on the line. 65 miles goes at 9.00am, the 50 goes at 9.30am.
Certificate to all finishers.
Bit hilly, certainly not vicious or mountainous, a 14yrs old girl rode last year, stopped at the cafe and still beat the time limit.
Ring 0116 2296015 for more dtls
I have enetered my first one next saturday, so I'm only going on anecdotal evidence. A sportive is mostly designed to be as difficult as possible to try to kill the riders, whereas I dont believe this is the primary objective of an audax event....but you are right, flat TT courses they are not!
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It does depend where you go to ride 'em, I guess. The ones in the UK look pretty brutal, I'd agree. I shall be doing the Nove Colli this year which, though hilly, is in a different league from here - the hills are not as steep so muscle fatigue is less of an issue (it's more about stamina than pure brute strength), with the climbs being a lot longer, which also means you get a proper rest on the descents. Much more sensible and much more fun! Better weather, better food.... need I say more! 8)
To the OP - It's worth investigating what's going on in the UK in, or around National Bike Week (sometime in June). There are usually so many events all over the country (organised by various road clubs, CTC District Associations and many other cycling organisations) that one of 'em's got to be right for you!
it's a hard life if you don't weaken.
Steve - you raise an interesting point about sportives and who they are aimed at and what type of challenge they provide. I do not follow the ethos of some sportives in trying to promote something that is very difficult for most and too difficult for some. In fact I believe that everyone should be able to complete a sportive without getting themselves into severe difficulty. Hence the reason I created 3 routes for the Cyclone Challenge rides all of which can be seen on the website www.northernrockcyclone.co.uk
It would have been very easy for me to create a monster route for the 100ml ride that far exceeded the 2300m of climbing i have put in the event. However i did not because I want to encourage those new to cycling to take part. There are standards for those who want a real challenge within the 100ml ride but my ultimate aim is to get more bums on saddles and for people to enjoy the day out and see the countryside.
I believe these events should reach out and embrace the whole community and not just those already commited to cycling. The more people get out on bikes the safer the roads will become for us all.
Southern Sportive is ideal