And the best Sportive in the UK is...

Robspedding

...and why?

robert074

ryedale rumble is a phenomenal ride and gets my vote. its the perfect challenge in every way,the severity of the route is unreal with the majority of the climbs and theres lots of them are mostly 20% gradient up over.the scenery of the route from start to finish is absoloutely spectacular and literally the whole route is on very quiet country roads and lanes and takes in loads of beautiful villages along the way. the best day out i have ever had on a bike. AWESOME.

singlespeedexplosif

I'd vote for Pain in the Pennines, only it's not being run this year. I hope that's not a permanent thing.

ColinJ

My vote is that there isn't such a thing as 'the best'. Is there really one that you must do, and all the others don't matter?

Some sportives are great because they are tough. Some might be easier, but equally scenic and then you have more chance to enjoy the scenery.

All of the sportives that I've done have been hard Pennine events and I'd actually quite like to do an easier one for a change.

If I was fit enough, I'd love to have a go at the FWC, but to be honest, the scramble for places every year puts me off. I'd rather do something more low key like The Pendle Pedal. That's very tough, very scenic, under-subscribed, and much easier for me to get to. That would be up on my list of top events.

Brian B

A tough question as each sportive is as individual as the riders who take part. Different riders on the same sportive can have varying views as to what they enjoyed.

If being the best equals the most famous, one of the hardest and the most discussed on Forums then the Fred Whitton Challenge should be the winner. Done it twice now and with Hardknott at 100miles everybody feels the tension when they approach it and the overall speed in a group slows and idle banter stops.

Its more than just Hardknott as its also a great part of the country side to be in and its one of the more friendly sportives and superbly run. Anybody who rides sportive want to do the FWC at least once and if they can do it without walking then its an added bonus.

Anonymous

Impossible to answer most likely....it depends on the riders own personal experience I suppose...weather,fitness,feeds,roads....

But for me the best sportive should be at the correct time of year for the effort involved,it should be well signposted, it would have great feeds which are placed at the correct points throughout the route, and it should be well balanced with effort and scenery...and it should incorporate some UK famous Roads (e.g legendary Climbs), also cost of the event is important.

So for me...although the FWC is already a legend I feel its far too tough a sportive for early May...and I HATE the A66 section from Matterdale to Keswick...I feel at £40 its a bit expensive now considering the other brilliant events out there which cost so much less.Its a great event but I reckon theres better.

I can only speak of my own experiences in sportives, but for me the 2008 edition of the Devil Ride ticked all the boxes, it was very tough, but not mad, it was 98% cracking wee backroads, it featured a legendary piece of road (the Abergwesyn Pass...The Devils Staircase etc), it was brilliantly signposted and the feeds were very good....but the best thing about it was the actual route....it was beautiful....

The route for the Devil Ride has changed for 2009, and although its supposedly still very good I honestly beleive it will not be as good as 2008 as for me that was splendid...

I reckon theres maybe even better....The Ryedale Rumble.....I did the 2008 Reccy, a 85 mile version, and I know the 30miles I never did are lovely aswell....

For me this is exceptional....It is in August which is great as it will be one of the very toughest of sportives but you should be at your fittest around then...it cost £26 which is brilliant for this 116mile killer, you get 3 stunning feeds which will be at the highest quality (due to the usual benchmark standards by BC Yorkshire and White Rose Fame), it will be brilliantly signposted, it includes 3 mighty peices of legenday road...Boltby Bank, Blakey Bank and the one and only Rosedale Chimney Bank, 115miles of the 116mile route is on well surfaced backroads....and the scenery of the NY Moors is unique...So I reckon this could be the best.

This is only based upon my own personal experiences.

Ken Night

Quiet roads
Route flows seamlessly
Great scenery, and location
History
Atmosphere (ie looming menace of Hardknott at 100m, or the downhill finish in the EDD)
Good feedstops
Supportive local atmosphere
Good and knowledgeable riders
Well organised-easy access and good parking-timer in the post was good

I think this years Dartmoor Classic meets very many of these criteria

One very much underestimated ride is the Iron Mountain at Abergavenny-meets many of these criteria-easy to get to for riders from the South East too

My top picks

EDD
FWC
Dragon

cakewalk

Tour of the Black Mountains.

Superb scenery.
Killer hills
Great Weather

Ken Night

cakewalk wrote:

Tour of the Black Mountains.

Superb scenery.
Killer hills
Great Weather

Yes, on my list to do

JamesB

It`s a bit like asking what`s your favourite colour! Each has their own personal aspect on sportives, the scenery, the difficultness, the organisation, the food stops, the weather all play a part; so my voteS go to: TOBM scenery and difficulty ; GFC for the dreadful weather and Cumberland Challenge for the fedstop at Brampton and depths of Kielder and organisation

Eat My Dust

The Highclere Challenge in June is a killer at 126 miles. Can't really say I enjoyed it. I remember someone asking how it was and I said "not bad, but the last 80 miles were murder" Saying that I'm going to do it again this year becuase I'm a mug for the pain!

GavH

Eat My Dust wrote:

The Highclere Challenge in June is a killer at 126 miles. Can't really say I enjoyed it. I remember someone asking how it was and I said "not bad, but the last 80 miles were murder" Saying that I'm going to do it again this year becuase I'm a mug for the pain!

That was on my to do list this year as I live only down the A34 at Winchester. Foolishly sent off my cheque this weekend to enter the Polka Dot/Spud Riley Memorial which I then realised is on the SAME DAY!
Which is the better of the two to do? I know the area around here well obviously so the Highclere would have been ideal for my first long sportive, but on the other hand the Polka Dot is probably going to be the more scenic and I really fancy pitting myself against the hills up there.

Eat My Dust

Like I said the Highclere Challenge is murder. Its probably the only sportive that still has places left with a few days left to go. That should tell you something......it's hard! Scenery wise it's really good, some amazing views. I'm not sure where they find the hills, I always thought it was fairly flat around there but there's a (claimed) 30% climb in there along with a couple of 20% (ish) ones as well.

roger_merriman

cakewalk wrote:

Tour of the Black Mountains.

Superb scenery.
Killer hills
Great Weather

i'm seriously thinking about it, (born in Abergavenny folks still live not far) can't get a link to the info pack though. since one is supposed to read it before signing up....

curlyrobert

Devil Ride for me, It hailed in the first half while going up the staircase and it was living hell, the next valley was bliss and the whole experience was great, the second 50 miles felt like had the wind on your back pushing you along. People did not work together but the scenery was out of this world, the hills were a pain in the @ss and the feeling at the end were those of pure joy and achievement.

2009 route looks different but I am sure the great organisation will continue and the route will put a smile on the face.

wors

i'd second the pendle pedal, tough climbs & stunning scenery

Brian B

curlyrobert wrote:

Devil Ride for me, It hailed in the first half while going up the staircase and it was living hell, the next valley was bliss and the whole experience was great, the second 50 miles felt like had the wind on your back pushing you along. People did not work together but the scenery was out of this world, the hills were a pain in the @ss and the feeling at the end were those of pure joy and achievement.

2009 route looks different but I am sure the great organisation will continue and the route will put a smile on the face.

It was halistones and rain when I reached the top of the staircase too. Scenery and road surfaces were good. It was one of my favourite sportives last year.

softlad

Robspedding wrote:

...and why?

I do hope this kind of bland generalisation does not reflect C+ editorial policy. You will only get a series of individual favourites by asking questions like that - not a consensus...

skavanagh.bikeradar

The Fred Whitton Challenge is spectacular in terms of scenery and difficulty - especially at 100 miles when you hit Hardknott and Wrynose. However entry is such a faff and so oversubscribed that it is a victim of it's own success at the moment.

I'd agree with an earlier post about the Highclere being hard - it is. The last 10 miles were purgatory. But it is a good route with good feed stops, good organisation and a real 'festival' feel. I'll be back, but not this year.

I really like my local Sportive - the Circuit of the Cotswolds it's a lovely route, great scenery, good and improving feed stops, some tough challenges like 'Cleeve' Hill (Bushcombe Lane).

The White Horse Challenge is a good early one too with a good balance of scenery, difficulty and distance.

If you want an event that makes you sick in the stomach with fear try the Chiltern 100. Me and 2 ride buddies all feel similarly about it and can't talk of it I tells ye. If I'm riding a tough alpine sportive like the Marmotte or Etape I'll do it as it will test legs and brain but it isn't fun.

terongi

softlad wrote:

Robspedding wrote:

...and why?

I do hope this kind of bland generalisation does not reflect C+ editorial policy. You will only get a series of individual favourites by asking questions like that - not a consensus...

Who wants a consensus? That sounds very bland. I think it's good journalism to take a sample of different subjective views.

I like the Circuit of the Cotswolds and Hampshire Hilly Hundred. Both got good testing hills, beautiful countryside, well organised (arrows and water/feed stops) and friendly atmosphere.

As someone with small children and a limited budget, I favour sportifs I can drive to from London on a Sunday morning without having to leave at 4 am or stay overnight. I am sure the Pennines, Lake District, North Wales and Scotland are all great, but those rides are not really feasible for me at the moment. I wonder if the same considerations affect other people's choice of sportifs?

By the way, I am surprised no-one has mentioned the Dragon as it's supposed to be the grand-daddy of them all. i've not tried it. I am thinking of making an exception to my distance-from-London limit to do that one this year.

skavanagh.bikeradar

I'm in a similar boat this year with a new baby recently arrived - it isn't possible to cycle as much as I did last year for instance and it certainly isn't feasible to require days off work and weekends away to fit in a sportive. Time, money and responsibility all mean a compromise somewhere and cycling 100 miles and eating up most of a weekend day is that compromise. I'll probably only do a couple of local ones this year to keep it all within reason.

I don't earn money from cycling, I spend money on it and currently this is at the bottom of the priority list!

I'd agree that the Hampshire Hilly Hundred is a good 'un. I've done it 3 times and last years route was harder and better than previously.

I've done the Dragon twice, but not on the new course. I enjoyed it, but it isn't as good as the hype in my opinion. I'd rather do a local one.

What did people think of the Christmas Cracker ooop North? I've got my eye on it in case I can wangle it as a weekend away with the family/friends this year (Dec 09).

guv001

My personal favourite is the Dragon Ride, the most friendly bunch of riders I ever done a long ride with. A decent route, good food and an organiser that listens and improves the event year on year. Like has already been said though its only my opinion that its the best.

andy_wrx

For me, my favourite is Cumberland Challenge.
I did it twice, both times in horrible weather for the first half the course, improving for the second.
The course was challenging - not stupidly horribly hard so it was an ordeal, just hard enough to be seriously challenging and a good day out.
The scenery is stunning and the route feels like it's taking you through it on a journey, not some mickey-mouse route just linking every hard hill the organisers could find on the map.
It also has a fast blast in to the finish.
The organisation is great, and the HQ school facilities, particularly canteen at the end.
Mainly though it's friendly - the organisers are down-to-Earth friendly Northerners, there's a feedstop at a village hall staffed by friendly down-to-Earth locals, there are some farms & houses en route out in the middle of nowhere where the kids were out cheering rather than jeering.
And the riders are friendly and the standard of riding generally very good, better than other sportives I've done further South : it's way up on the Scottish border, hard to get to from the South, almost all the riders in club strips are from Northern clubs, I don't know if this is some North/South thing, but...

Other have mentioned the Pendle Pedal above and this impressed me too, but it's been more at the arduous end of difficult for me, just a bit too hard (and too hot !) to be enjoyable - it was one of those which is better to look back on afterwards, rather than when suffering up Pendle Nick ! Certainly it's a notch harder than the White Rose, although that's another good one.

The Autumn Epic on the other hand I've found disappointing.
It always gets rave reviews in the magazines, sells out months early, but to me it's very ordinary and nothing special at all.

skavanagh.bikeradar

Thanks for the info about the Cumberland Challenge Andy. It's an event I've wanted to do for the last 3 years but it's been a stretch too far. My wife grew up in Brampton so the area is somewhere we've got a feel for and it is a perfect excuse for a weekend in the North. Maybe this year.......

Campervan27

Devil Ride was superb.... It rained then... it dried up.... then .....it rained...then there was a 25% gradient hill.....then it dried up.... then it rained.... then there was another hill..... then... well, you get the picture...


:twisted:

Scott08

The Autumn Epic on the other hand I've found disappointing.
It always gets rave reviews in the magazines, sells out months early, but to me it's very ordinary and nothing special at all.

What an odd view (but consistent I guess with your avatar) - of the 10 I rode in 2008 the Autumn Epic was tops for me (as in previous years).

Lovely scenery (but perhaps not the most spectacular - that would be the FWC).
Easily challenging enough for the end of a long season, but not too macho.
Super quiet roads.
The best atmosphere of the lot, by far. Which is what lifts it from the rest.
Great cross section of riders.
Best value for money by miles, as the organisation and support are both the best out there.

What is not to like?!

Second was the Devil Ride. By the same team too.

Anonymous

Scott08 wrote:

The Autumn Epic on the other hand I've found disappointing.
It always gets rave reviews in the magazines, sells out months early, but to me it's very ordinary and nothing special at all.

Lovely scenery (but perhaps not the most spectacular - that would be the FWC).
quote]

Tut, Tut....although the Freds in a lovely place of the world....the most spectacular must go to the Bealach na ba Challenge....have you been up there....mind boggling scenery!

shakey88

I think the Puncheur is the best spotive in the uk.
The "mountaintop" finish up to ditchling beacon is unique and a real test.
By the way,it's the only sportive i've done so far so i am slightly biased.

andy_wrx

Scott08 wrote:

The Autumn Epic on the other hand I've found disappointing.
It always gets rave reviews in the magazines, sells out months early, but to me it's very ordinary and nothing special at all.

What an odd view (but consistent I guess with your avatar) - of the 10 I rode in 2008 the Autumn Epic was tops for me (as in previous years)

...
...
...

Second was the Devil Ride. By the same team too.

Why do you see it as odd - because it's not the same as your view ?

I certainly wouldn't describe it as poor, but like I said, I found it very ordinary and nothing special at all, I won't rush to do it again.

The Devil on the other hand I've not done and might think about trying this year.

Rich158

shakey88 wrote:

I think the Puncheur is the best spotive in the uk.
The "mountaintop" finish up to ditchling beacon is unique and a real test.
By the way,it's the only sportive i've done so far so i am slightly biased.

The Puncheur was good, some of the best riding I've had so far this year. Didn't find the Beacon as hard as I remember though, or maybe it's just having a decent bike that helps. The 12%er just befoore the feed station was amusing though as I'd stopped for a pee at the bottom and couldn't get clipped back so rode it pretty much one footed :shock:

I've got quite a few lined up this year including the Fred and the Tour of Pembrokeshire so I'll pass comment on them when I've done them.

For the time being my favourite so far has been the South Downs Challenge, but that's out of total of three completed.

stjohnswell

Highclere because it's local, well organised, the weather turned out nice and it almost broke me.