The Sportive Effect

DLaing

This may have been asked before, so forgive me if it has.

Today I rode 85 miles in the Chilterns, alone, total climbing 7,200 ft at an average speed of 14.5 mph.

I'm riding the Chiltern 100 in June on many of the same roads, so the question is: roughly how much of an effect, all other things being equal, does actually riding an event have on average speed, taking into account drafting, adrenaline and the urge to compete?

Brian B

I average around the same pace as yourself on runs of similar length and total climbing etc. I can add at least 2-3mph more when doing sportives and keep it going well over the 100mile mark. Its like your a different cyclist for a day - well its is for me anyway and think its down to the rush of adrenalin you get by semi-competing against others.

After a while I seem to see the same people over and over again as sometimes I will drop them on the climbs and they catch up on the flat or vice versa etc. Its like everybody is playing catch up with each other.

I do 30-40 mile training runs with a much higher speeds than what I would do if I was going for a big 80-100 mile run but during sportives I seem to be able to maintain this pace for the entire event. Its all so strange.

Tom Butcher

A lot depends on whether you get into a group - get in group going at the right speed and you can get a tow - get into one going too fast for you and it's a question of do you use some extra energy in order to get the tow or do you let them go - though on sportives very often there'll be a hill along in a minute that will make that decision for you.

Bronzie

Only thing with a course like the Chiltern 100 is that it's up and down all day. It's unlikely you'll stay in the same group for long as you will probably climb at a different speed to others (faster or slower).

That said, there'll always be wheels to follow, just different ones every few miles as the climbs shake things up.

Riding into a wind, even a small group will travel 2-3mph quicker than a solo rider providing people share the workload and don't sit on all day long.

You'll certainly use less energy riding in a group, although it may not turn out that much quicker.

pjm-84

I never seem to find a group.