Which are the best sportives in the UK

mabarbie

There is a thread with the worst /crapiest sportives, but I was wondering which are the best for those of us who don't get a chance to do too many each year. Subjective as always, but the best road conditions, route, and route management would be above whether there are McVities biscuits or home baked cakes on route, although not enough of anything would be problematic.

To kick off I did 3 this year, the etape caledonia, flat out in the fens and 1066 Burgess Hill. Etape wins, but flat out in the fens runs it a close second. Burgess Hill was just awful, with rubbish signage, which completely spoiled it.

So best Sportives in UK?

Philip Whiteman

1. Cumberland Challenge

Well organised
Good feed stations
Good en-route back-up
Good route
and the MONEY goes to a cycling club and not a commercial outfit.

2. Rockingham Roller (only held for one year in 2008 sadly)

Same as above. The route out of Corby was surprisingly pleasant and as indicated by the title, the route was a roller coaster.

3. Not a sportive - but I would list The Elenith, 300km audax.

Buckled_Rims

I've only been on 3 this year.

The Richmond 3 Dales was also good. The only fault was failing to give a good clear signage on a left hand junction straight after a fast descent. A passing postman flagged me down and as I was returning other riders zoomed passed me as well. Good food stop and great scenery.

Northern Rock Cyclone. Huge event, car parking was very bad. Food stations had ran out of many things. Too many other riders meant overtaking was the normal and sometimes dangerous on bends and hills. But scenery and route was good.

The Ryedale Rumble only held last weekend. The sign posting was clear on a fairly complicated route, loads of grub, great surroundings, seemed to have help in the right places. Best so far. Can't really find a fault.

I hope to go on the Cumberland Challenge but family commitments mean I might not be going.

friso

Hi

I can only tell you my personal favorites from the ones i have done, top three

1st) Autumn Epic, great scenic route, low traffic flow, hard but doable, great feed stops, back up, and hot meal at finish with instant timing check

2nd) Lakeland Loop, the best scenery in the UK, well organised, but knowing you have Hardnott and Wynrose towards the end is scary but fantastic

3rd) Dunwich Dynamo, unorganised, free, night time riding, variety of riders, comaradrie and spirt of riders and the sunrise at Dunwich, not to mention the fry-up at 3am on the beech

nickwill

There can only be two as far as I'm concerned.
The Fred Whitton and the Etape du Dales have challenging routes, are well organised and no other event has the sense of occasion and atmosphere as these two.
There may be other events which are as well organised and maybe some with more beautiful landscapes but these two have that indefinable something.

FransJacques

This was covered this less that a couple weeks ago. In fact on the next page are the top crap sportives, i.e. do the opposite.

Learn to use the search function.

MrZ

FransJacques wrote:

This was covered this less that a couple weeks ago. In fact on the next page are the top crap sportives, i.e. do the opposite.

Learn to use the search function.

That told him, are you a school teacher by any chance?

For me:

Lakeland Loop
Dartmoor Classic
Fred Whitton
Tour Ride
Brian Robinson
Polka Dott


In no particular order.....

mabarbie

Thanks all for your comments, especially FJ who is as helpful as always

It's good to see some of the same rides mentioned by different people.

mroli

Mate - to be fair to the Burgess Hill - they suffered from people removing their signs. I have ridden 3 of their events before and they are well organised, decent food, good timing, good foodstops etc. You can't legislate for dickheads.

mabarbie

mroli wrote:

Mate - to be fair to the Burgess Hill - they suffered from people removing their signs. I have ridden 3 of their events before and they are well organised, decent food, good timing, good foodstops etc. You can't legislate for dickheads.

Absolutely agree that the event was good, apart from the signage. That is a major part of the whole ride, knowing where to ride and not getting lost and having to rely on a GPS to get back to base. It wasn't just me it was whole groups. Pity, cos the route was good, very good!

clanton

Of the ones I've done:

1. Gore Builth Wells Sportive

2. Tour of the Black Mountains

3. Wrynose or Bust.

Gazzaputt

Looking forward to the Circuit of Kent in a couple of weeks.

Great organisation, food stops good, route fast, well marshaled and great food at the end.