forum short sportive

knedlicky

On another cycling forum at which I occasionally look (I’m not a member and don’t contribute), one of the regulars tried to organise a forum 'race' last June, as a sort-of get-together-cum-race. About 30 forum members registered interest but in the end only 6 turned up to ride and another 2-3 to help (one car to be feeding station along route, another car as broom wagon).

The 6 active participants rode about 80 miles, comprising 35-40 miles warm-up, 25 miles race and 15 miles return to start. Then a few beers/coffees and a meal together. Total climbing was over 4800 ft and speeds were about 17 mph average, with about 20.5 mph during the race. Despite the relatively poor turn-out, the get-together was judged positive, just the race route perhaps too hilly to attract others.

The forum hope to do a repeat on the second weekend of October, but with an easier race route. Again about 30 have registered interest, so it’ll be interesting to see how many turn out this time.

Does anyone here think something similar is worth trying? Or is it better to have an Internet forum where everyone remains slightly anonymous?

PS. I don’t intend to arrange anything! I might join in, if someone else sets it up, no more.

hopper1

Not a bad idea knedlicky.
I'm not bothered about anonimity, and would be up for meeting others from here in an event of some kind.
I think maybe a long ride out, whereby you look after your own food/drink, rather than putting upon others, similar to a club runmight prove more popular. Less organisation, therefore less hassle, and hopefully more interest.
I spend a lot of time working away from home, so would not be able to arrange such like, but I could possibly help!

nasahapley

I'd definitely be interested in something like this. There's a running forum I occasionally post on that organised a pre-xmas outing last year which turned out to be a right laugh, about 25 people turned up for the run and post-outing curry/beers/dancing. Agree with Hopper that it shouldn't be a race though; I think the best thing to do would be for the 'organiser' to figure out a route and then either post a route map on the forum or hand out paper copies on the day so that, if that's what people want to do, different groups could go at different speeds. Otherwise just have it as a big club run type affair; either way there wouldn't be much hassle involved at all. I'd even do it myself if it were decided to do it in the Dales!

Crapaud

knedlicky wrote:

... Does anyone here think something similar is worth trying? ...

Yip, it's worth trying. In fact it's been done before when it was the old C+ forum.

I've been contemplating one up here, but it wouldn't be 'til next spring / summer. No racing or anything, but a wee day out.

The route I'm thinking of would be 139.4km but with only 1713m climbing.

knedlicky wrote:

... Or is it better to have an Internet forum where everyone remains slightly anonymous? ...

That'd be up to the individual - if you want to keep your anonymity don't register for the ride!

scapaslow

I've been contemplating one up here, but it wouldn't be 'til next spring / summer. No racing or anything, but a wee day out.

The route I'm thinking of would be 139.4km but with only 1713m climbing

I'd be up for that one Crapaud. What's the route your thinking of?

Crapaud

I've actually got a few plotted and planned. I was thinking of the one above because it's not too long to put folk off, but would still be a challenge:

RABT - Hells Glen loop

pneumatic

Aye, Crapaud, that route o' yirs is a belter!

Trouble is, if I signed up, everyone would see for themselves that only one half of my signature motto is true and my avatar is a bit dodgy, too!

Crapaud

pneumatic: I try not to dwell on the 'bulbous' part of your sig - it's... um...unsettling where lycra shorts are involved. :twisted:

It is a goodie though, isn't it? You'd have all winter to train up for it and get the summer off to a flyer. I might even be able to provide a - sort of - broom wagon. Go on pneumatic, you know you want to.


Go on, go on, go on!

If there's enough interest I'll start another, dedicated, thread.

pneumatic

Well, Mrs Doyle, when you put it like that, how could a man refuse.

You don't have bad dreams about the bulbous - I'm no budgie smuggler, more of a michelin man.

OK, that's too much information and I've got the long cold dark winter containing Christmas and hogmanay to lose those "few" surplus kilos! Ha!

nwallace

Looks a good route, but I woudl be left for dead by Dumbarton Central.