Sportive Debate – How far would you travel for a Sportive?

KidsCan

On the plus side for ours, we're not too far from Macclesfield train station which is very easy to get to from Manchester or even London for that matter!

We tried to go for a location which was a good start and end location so people who were coming from afar could get there on public transport if they didn't have a car.

Hopefully that's worked in our favour!

thegreatdivide

To the posters considering the Etape Caledonia - do it! Closed roads, 5000 riders, some of the most beautiful scenery in the country, Mavic support bikes and cars, loads of food and ZipVit products at every feed station - it's IMO a no brainer. I never got to do it this year due to a crash but I still went up to Pitlochry the day before with my training mates so they could register and the place was buzzing. Folk come from all over the UK to do it and we met a guy in the bike shop who'd come over from Switzerland to ride it again!

KidsCan

Griffsters wrote:

KidsCan wrote:

Thank you all for the fantastic feedback.

From our perspective, I hope that £20 (With Ride end BBQ and Feedstations) is enough to make people come from a reasonable distance.

Mind you, The Macc Monster is 100km, rather than 100miles.

I suppose that is also important when considering how far you are willing to travel!

I've not been Road Cycling long but have been weighing up which Sportives to do when I have some miles (and hills!) in my legs. I live just on the outskirts of Rochdale and the Macc Monster is one I have on my list to do next year - not quite ready for it now. I reckon its probably about an hours drive away so think that is around my max.

Hi Griffsters!

We have PEAK 100 in April which takes in some parts of the Macc Monster course too if that's any good!
Hope to see you next October if not before!

ugo.santalucia

It depends on the event...
I am travelling to Tuscany for the Eroica, but the atmosphere, the settings and the all event is simply amazing... I went to Belgium for the Tour of Flanders, similar story and to France for the Paris Roubaix...

Now, most UK sportives start in a car park amond fields of potatoes, or just outside Tesco (or rape in bloom if lucky), they run on anonymous roads, offer gels and bars at feed stations in the outskirts of ugly villages and terminate in the same field of potatoes... why would I be bothered to travel more than, saying 20 miles? And that adds up to the cost involved as mentioned by others...
Of course there are notable exceptions, but most sportives are just anonymous events on anonymous roads

Bobbinogs

That Eroica really does look to be amazing. I have a bike the right age so it is tempting but, jeez, those roads look to be a real pig. Not sure I could put my favourite steed through that.

Wirral_paul

I tend to ride sportives with a couple of mates so we take 1 car and split the fuel bill.

As with many others - i dont see the point of riding a sportive on roads that i already know so wouldnt consider one generally at less than 30 - 50 miles away without good reason (Eureka Cafe - famous cyclists cafe being an upcoming exception with their sportive in September).

50 - 100 miles away seems about right to me. That gives me North/Central Wales, Peak District, S & W Yorkshire or the Lake District to choose from. A hardship i know!!

ugo.santalucia

Bobbinogs wrote:

That Eroica really does look to be amazing. I have a bike the right age so it is tempting but, jeez, those roads look to be a real pig. Not sure I could put my favourite steed through that.

They are dusty or a bit muddy if it's wet, but the surface is pretty good and certainly it won't damage your favourite. You have to be careful in the descents and that's all

FransJacques

Do you *have* to do it on an old bike? I hope it's not frowned upon to show up on something carbon. That kind of reverse snobbery would be too silly in our little tiny niche sport?

I'm keen but my 1986 Team Miyata is at my mom's house.