Are hybrids allowed in sportives?

Citizen Smith
Citizen Smith Posts: 336
edited June 2009 in Commuting chat
At the risk of opening a can of worms....

I don't want a philosophical debate on this one but until I make my planned road bike purchase at the end of this year, I want to enter some sportives....my Q is...in the entry pre-reqs...is it road bike (drops) only?
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Comments

  • cjcp
    cjcp Posts: 13,345
    I've seen them.
    FCN 2-4.

    "What happens when the hammer goes down, kids?"
    "It stays down, Daddy."
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  • jonginge
    jonginge Posts: 5,945
    Someone (or two) rode the dragon on a unicycle. So I guess hybrids are allowed too ;)
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  • roger_merriman
    roger_merriman Posts: 6,165
    most sportives seem to be relaxed about the bike, a number make you wear a helmet. but i think most require just a road worthy bike so recrumbent or any other slightly odd bikes would be fine, but check the sportive you want to ride in. can't imagine there would be a problem.
  • nasahapley
    nasahapley Posts: 717
    I think you can ride pretty much what you like as long as it hasn't got tri-bars on, and notwithstanding any mild p**s-taking that goes on on the forum, nobody will give a monkey's what you ride. I saw quite a few hybrids and mtbs on the Fred Whitton this year, including one bloke that went past me and my mate like we were standing still (and we weren't exactly slow).
  • il_principe
    il_principe Posts: 9,155
    Well the Dragon certainly allows them, I saw a few - going rather slowly I might add.
  • Pokerface
    Pokerface Posts: 7,960
    You can ride anything in a sportive. They will tell you NOT to use tri-bars - but I've even seen people using those.


    And yes, I've also seen folks on unicycles in sportives!
  • tardington
    tardington Posts: 1,379
    Why don't they let you use tri-bars? Is it a safety thing? Or an aero-dynamic-cheating thing?
  • Deadeye Duck
    Deadeye Duck Posts: 419
    tardy, that sig is fantastic! :lol:
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  • roger_merriman
    roger_merriman Posts: 6,165
    tardington wrote:
    Why don't they let you use tri-bars? Is it a safety thing? Or an aero-dynamic-cheating thing?

    safety in a group as your steering etc is compromised, this said i can't see anything in the tour of the black mountains info pack about tri bars
  • Rich158
    Rich158 Posts: 2,348
    I haven't seen any restrictions on any of the Sportives I've done. I've seen loads of tri-bars, hybrids, mountain bikes & tandems, although I've yet to see a uni-cyle or a recumbant.

    If you're confident you can do the distance go for it :lol::lol::lol:
    pain is temporary, the glory of beating your mates to the top of the hill lasts forever.....................

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  • il_principe
    il_principe Posts: 9,155
    Deadeye Duck wrote:
    tardy, that sig is fantastic! :lol:

    +1 :lol:
  • Aguila
    Aguila Posts: 622
    There was a bloke who did the C+ sportive on a brompton folding bike! No slouch either I can report. A Hybrid will be fine.
    www.bikehike.co.uk/mapview.php?id=6277
  • Pokerface
    Pokerface Posts: 7,960
    tardington wrote:
    Why don't they let you use tri-bars? Is it a safety thing? Or an aero-dynamic-cheating thing?

    As tri bars 'stick out' - they can be 'dangerous' in groups where they could catch another rider causing them to fall, etc.
  • Roastie
    Roastie Posts: 1,968
    I can't see why not. I rode the Cape Argus on my MTB once (ok, different country but the biggest sportive in the world).

    By the by, a few months back Cycling Plus recommended the Ridgeback Flight as a good flatbar for the occasional sportive...
    David
    Engineered Bicycles
  • il_principe
    il_principe Posts: 9,155
    Roastie wrote:
    I can't see why not. I rode the Cape Argus on my MTB once (ok, different country but the biggest sportive in the world).

    By the by, a few months back Cycling Plus recommended the Ridgeback Flight as a good flatbar for the occasional sportive...

    Making work for yourself though, esp if it's windy. I'd hate not having my drops.
  • Kieran_Burns
    Kieran_Burns Posts: 9,757
    Yeah but hybrids shouldn't be allowed on the ROAD, so why the hell are people letting them into Sportives????







    Oh, crap. :shock:


    Wrong thread! Sorry..... :oops: godamnblastedbloodyscreenrefreshf5key
    Chunky Cyclists need your love too! :-)
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  • Aguila
    Aguila Posts: 622
    Kieran_Burns wrote:
    Yeah but hybrids shouldn't be allowed on the ROAD, so why the hell are people letting them into Sportives????







    Oh, crap. :shock:


    Wrong thread! Sorry..... :oops: godamnblastedbloodyscreenrefreshf5key


    Yawn.
    www.bikehike.co.uk/mapview.php?id=6277
  • bigmat
    bigmat Posts: 5,134
    I did the Dunwich Dynamo on a 35lb steel mountain bike, that was an overnight century. Was in a group of roadies and didn't have any trouble keeping up. I think as long as its fairly flat you'd be fine on a hybrid, but you might struggle with the extra mass when you get to the hills.
    http://www.flickr.com/photos/41991871@N ... otostream/
  • Gussio
    Gussio Posts: 2,452
    No reason why not. Plough your own furrow...
  • girv73
    girv73 Posts: 842
    I did a 100Km sportive last Sunday and there were all types there. Wilier and Cervelo road bikes to full-sus MTBs and tandems. One of my group did the ride on a hybrid in fact, but he was way slower than the rest of us.

    Check the entry requirements for the sportive you're looking at to be sure though.
    Today is a good day to ride

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