Sportives, i just dont get it.

Philip Whiteman

Nickwill wrote:

I'm not sure about this hierarchy business. I reckon that a hard ridden Fred Whitton or Etape du Dales is a harder, more satisfying and more challenging event than a bog standard 10 mile time trial on a flat course.
I know which gives me more satisfaction!

And what is wrong with ploughing along a busy dual carriageway at some unearthly hour in the morning?

markos1963

Nickwill wrote:

I'm not sure about this hierarchy business. I reckon that a hard ridden Fred Whitton or Etape du Dales is a harder, more satisfying and more challenging event than a bog standard 10 mile time trial on a flat course.
I know which gives me more satisfaction!

I suppose cracking 20 mins for a ten is too easy for you then? I know what I would rather achieve. Any reasonable cyclist could ride the Fred or any other sportive given enough time and low enough gearing, different thing cracking 20 mins on a TT.

phreak

markos1963 wrote:

Nickwill wrote:

I'm not sure about this hierarchy business. I reckon that a hard ridden Fred Whitton or Etape du Dales is a harder, more satisfying and more challenging event than a bog standard 10 mile time trial on a flat course.
I know which gives me more satisfaction!

I suppose cracking 20 mins for a ten is too easy for you then? I know what I would rather achieve. Any reasonable cyclist could ride the Fred or any other sportive given enough time and low enough gearing, different thing cracking 20 mins on a TT.

The key word is 'hard'. That's like saying any person could ride a 10 mile TT. I don't suppose many on here potter about on a sportive spinning in the granny ring.

amaferanga

markos1963 wrote:

Nickwill wrote:

I'm not sure about this hierarchy business. I reckon that a hard ridden Fred Whitton or Etape du Dales is a harder, more satisfying and more challenging event than a bog standard 10 mile time trial on a flat course.
I know which gives me more satisfaction!

I suppose cracking 20 mins for a ten is too easy for you then? I know what I would rather achieve. Any reasonable cyclist could ride the Fred or any other sportive given enough time and low enough gearing, different thing cracking 20 mins on a TT.

Could any reasonable cyclist ride the Fred in under 6 hours?

Fred Whitton in under 6 hours or 20 minute 10 mile TT - I know what I'd rather achieve....

markos1963

amaferanga wrote:

markos1963 wrote:

Nickwill wrote:

I'm not sure about this hierarchy business. I reckon that a hard ridden Fred Whitton or Etape du Dales is a harder, more satisfying and more challenging event than a bog standard 10 mile time trial on a flat course.
I know which gives me more satisfaction!

I suppose cracking 20 mins for a ten is too easy for you then? I know what I would rather achieve. Any reasonable cyclist could ride the Fred or any other sportive given enough time and low enough gearing, different thing cracking 20 mins on a TT.

Could any reasonable cyclist ride the Fred in under 6 hours?

Fred Whitton in under 6 hours or 20 minute 10 mile TT - I know what I'd rather achieve....

Fair enough but the poster did say ' a bog standard 10TT'

vs

Each to their own.

markos1963 - Location: Norfolk - Probably going to favour time trialling
vs - Location: Exmoor - favours very hilly terrain; in the UK this usually means sportives

nickwill

markos1963 wrote:

amaferanga wrote:

markos1963 wrote:

Nickwill wrote:

I'm not sure about this hierarchy business. I reckon that a hard ridden Fred Whitton or Etape du Dales is a harder, more satisfying and more challenging event than a bog standard 10 mile time trial on a flat course.
I know which gives me more satisfaction!

I suppose cracking 20 mins for a ten is too easy for you then? I know what I would rather achieve. Any reasonable cyclist could ride the Fred or any other sportive given enough time and low enough gearing, different thing cracking 20 mins on a TT.

Could any reasonable cyclist ride the Fred in under 6 hours?

Fred Whitton in under 6 hours or 20 minute 10 mile TT - I know what I'd rather achieve....

Fair enough but the poster did say ' a bog standard 10TT'

So you are agreeing with me. You can ride a sportive hard and you can ride a fast 10 mile time trial. As long as you are burying yourself to achieve your chosen goal, they are equally valid to the individual concerned. I'm 54 this year, and my motivation to get out and train comes from riding in great landscapes and setting myself times to achieve when riding sportives.

markos1963

I am in a way Nickwill, what i don't get with sportives though is if i want a good time over 100miles I would go and do a 100TT and if I want a fun social ride I would go out with my club. But as others have said and I did with my first post, whatever cycling you do just go out and do it.

Brian B

I love sportives - different parts of the country, meeting some new faces(and old) on the road. Its great to see people of all abilities/ages try their hand at a challenging course. Even if your fit you just go harder and suffer the same as the rest.

I reckon I am an average sportive rider but take cycling and my training quite seriously as much as family/work life can allow. I'm not good enough to enter races or care who beats me in the times department but just like to come away with the fact I have went as well as I could.

I reckon most people are the same and just want to have some fun but can take away that they have had a hard day out and have the sore legs next day to prove it. I talk about my sportives to people at work but not about times/how hard etc but where I was in the country and how nice it was.

Its optional to enter sportives obviously as to you have to pay for them but mostly you get your moneys worth. Ken Laidlaw and Cumberland challenge sportives I reckon I got more that my moneys worth - the best money I spent in 2010 without doubt.

nickwill

markos1963 wrote:

I am in a way Nickwill, what i don't get with sportives though is if i want a good time over 100miles I would go and do a 100TT and if I want a fun social ride I would go out with my club. But as others have said and I did with my first post, whatever cycling you do just go out and do it.

Fair point! One of the things for me, is that I hate riding on the flat, which perhaps is a good thing, living in Cumbria. The hillier the route, the better for me, so The Fred Whitton, or the Etape du Dales fit the bill, in that I can set myself a personal goal to get round in a specific time. The challenge is about battling with the terrain and getting round as fast as I can.
I also love being out in wild landscapes and I go for sportives that offer me that. I fail to see the point of some newer sportives in the less hilly parts of the country. If the terrain doesn't provide a challenge, I would rather be out on a social ride. I think if I lived a long way from the hills, I would be more inclined to find my challenges in doing more time trials.

vs

Agree with the above absolutely.

If there is a 100 mile TT over a 'Fred" type course I would do it but the ones I've seen involve using flat dual carriageways and going round and round, and round and round the circuit - just doesn't float my boat...that's all.

markos1963

Nickwill wrote:

Fair point! One of the things for me, is that I hate riding on the flat, which perhaps is a good thing, living in Cumbria. The hillier the route, the better for me, so The Fred Whitton, or the Etape du Dales fit the bill, in that I can set myself a personal goal to get round in a specific time. The challenge is about battling with the terrain and getting round as fast as I can.
I also love being out in wild landscapes and I go for sportives that offer me that. I fail to see the point of some newer sportives in the less hilly parts of the country. If the terrain doesn't provide a challenge, I would rather be out on a social ride. I think if I lived a long way from the hills, I would be more inclined to find my challenges in doing more time trials.

Interesting point Nickwill about the sportives in less challenging areas, do you think this is indicative of the money making side of the market coming through? It could be why I don't find sportives that fullfilling as we don't get that many around here that interest me. The only one I might do next year is the Flat out in the Fens, only because of its massive distance(150 miles)

vs

only because of its massive distance(150 miles)

and as already pointed out there are plenty of audexs which are far longer than this (and obviously hillier).

markos1963

vs wrote:

only because of its massive distance(150 miles)

and as already pointed out there are plenty of audexs which are far longer than this (and obviously hillier).

It will seem like 300 miles if we get the usual NE wind blowing across the Fens

vs

and no downhill, freewheeling bits...

nickwill

markos1963 wrote:

Nickwill wrote:

Fair point! One of the things for me, is that I hate riding on the flat, which perhaps is a good thing, living in Cumbria. The hillier the route, the better for me, so The Fred Whitton, or the Etape du Dales fit the bill, in that I can set myself a personal goal to get round in a specific time. The challenge is about battling with the terrain and getting round as fast as I can.
I also love being out in wild landscapes and I go for sportives that offer me that. I fail to see the point of some newer sportives in the less hilly parts of the country. If the terrain doesn't provide a challenge, I would rather be out on a social ride. I think if I lived a long way from the hills, I would be more inclined to find my challenges in doing more time trials.

Interesting point Nickwill about the sportives in less challenging areas, do you think this is indicative of the money making side of the market coming through? It could be why I don't find sportives that fullfilling as we don't get that many around here that interest me. The only one I might do next year is the Flat out in the Fens, only because of its massive distance(150 miles)

I think its probably down to demand. If you live a long way from the hills, I suppose the idea of a local event might appeal. Just not to me! There are flat sportives on the continent as well though. I know there's a popular one in Picardy.

etapechamp

if its ultra distance you guys are looking for , then take the high road and head for next years paris - brest - paris 1200kms of delight.

sub55

etapechamp wrote:

if its ultra distance you guys are looking for , then take the high road and head for next years paris - brest - paris 1200kms of delight.

Now do you really think your average sportive rider are going to manage that.
They would`nt even make the qualifying distances. Most would baulk at 300k , never mind a 400/ 600s.

bompington

sub55 wrote:

etapechamp wrote:

if its ultra distance you guys are looking for , then take the high road and head for next years paris - brest - paris 1200kms of delight.

Now do you really think your average sportive rider are going to manage that.
They would`nt even make the qualifying distances. Most would baulk at 300k , never mind a 400/ 600s.

I refer you to my previous comment about feeling superior...

Brian B

Most sportives that I have entered have been run by a local club and a lot of the club cycle on the day. Its obvious that not all people who say they race, TT, participate in audaxe or are part of club and say they race are any better than the average spotive rider based on the people I see and their efforts on the day.

The last 130m sportive I was on I met a guy who told me he usually participates in 12hr or 24hrs events and this course was really easy training for him. I had finished, showered, had something to eat, loaded my car and was driving home when I saw him struggling home. I stopped and shouted some encouragement and he shouted back that there was too many hills for him!

Chiggy

You 'don't get' sportives?

You don't have to.

If you are getting dissillusioned with them, don't do them and let someone else have your place.