road bike terminology for newbie

spondonchris

apologies before I start, but can you please tell me what the following are:

FCN numbers
"sportives"

thanks in advance

biondino

FCN (Food Chain Number) is related to the Silly Commuting Racing thread on the Commuting forum. SCR is basically trying to overtake and drop riders higher up a virtual foodchain from you; for example, if you're riding a mountain bike and you take and drop a roadie, you have gained a scalp, but if you're on a roadie too it doesn't count.

As there are a lot of variables involved - clipless pedals, panniers, shaved legs, beards - a complex system has been devised which lets you calculate your FCN so you can figure out whether the guy you're about to overtake is a worthy scalp or just someone you would be expected to dominate.

Here's the page that allows you to calculate your FCN, as well as that of your enemies:

http://www.citrusskies.co.uk/fcn

Bugly

Sportive an organised endurance ride open to the public (registration required) over a set course (usually very hilly).

SPortive bike - bike designed for such event more relaxed angles, compliant ride less twitchy then a racing bke but still designed for high speed riding.

chuckcork

Bugly wrote:

SPortive bike - bike designed for such event more relaxed angles, compliant ride less twitchy then a racing bke but still designed for high speed riding.

Audax bike would be another name for it. Mine goes just as fast as my road bike but is slightly less responsive with the steering tube angle a bit more relaxed. Steel frame makes it take the bumps rather better too, which is a benefit on a long ride, though it does start to feel a bit 'dead' after a while. Still only weighs as much as my aluminium framed racer however so I know its in the mind.

spondonchris

thanks for the info. Have had a look at the FCN thing - think I'll give that a miss !! as for the sportive rides, how long are these organised rides and would a newbie like me be able to do such an event? are they waymarked etc? where are they advertised?

thanks for helping a road newbie out.

Bugly

sorry fast was the wrong term more stable? more foregiving and less responsive?

chuckcork

spondonchris wrote:

thanks for the info. Have had a look at the FCN thing - think I'll give that a miss !! as for the sportive rides, how long are these organised rides and would a newbie like me be able to do such an event? are they waymarked etc? where are they advertised?

thanks for helping a road newbie out.

There are plenty listed in the CTC magazine and on their website: http://www.ctc.org.uk/desktopdefault.aspx?tabid=3379

or you could look at what is listed in one the standard cycling magazines like Cycling Weekly or perhaps if you wanted to Audax UK website http://www.aukweb.net/index2.htm

which should just about cover it. I'm sure there are more places around like British Cycling etc and clubs local to you are likely to hold events as well.

I'm not sure where you'd find details of charity events like the London to Brighton if that is your kind of thing but I wouldn't personally some of them Sportives.

The L-B one, with a mere 28,000 entrants riding what at times are single track roads, is too short and congested to be one really, though I wouldn't mind doing it again, of course this time I think I'd ride back as well rather than take the bus home.

By comparison the Ring of Kerry at 170km is on open roads and doesn't attract that many entrants and can be ridden quite hard if you wanted to.

Re waymarking, the Audax would probably not have it as it would be against the ethos, but having only done in Ireland one I'm quite happy to be corrected.

As to distance it would be noted on the details of the ride.