Downland Cycles Spring Sportive
KentPuncheur
Posts: 246
Did anyone else participate in the Downland Cycles Spring Sportive this Sunday?
What did you make of the route? I thought some of the lanes chosen were pretty dangerous considering their surface quality. You do expect some less travelled lanes to have a lot of gravel in the middle of the road, but some of these were simply gravel tracks! Throw into the mix potholes down the "rideable" sides of the road and you have yourself some pretty hazardous descents and climbs. I felt I would have been better off with a mountain bike on some of the course, and my friend had to abandon with a sliced tyre, and I suffered a couple of flint-induced punctures (I don't think I've seen so many other sportive riders repairing punctures before).
I understand the organisers cannot control the quality of raod surfaces, and they want to put as many climbs and descents in as possible, but there must have been alternative roads that were relatively clear of gravel and less pothole-ridden.
I must also point out, that aside from these parts of the course, Downlands put on another superbly organised event.
What did you make of the route? I thought some of the lanes chosen were pretty dangerous considering their surface quality. You do expect some less travelled lanes to have a lot of gravel in the middle of the road, but some of these were simply gravel tracks! Throw into the mix potholes down the "rideable" sides of the road and you have yourself some pretty hazardous descents and climbs. I felt I would have been better off with a mountain bike on some of the course, and my friend had to abandon with a sliced tyre, and I suffered a couple of flint-induced punctures (I don't think I've seen so many other sportive riders repairing punctures before).
I understand the organisers cannot control the quality of raod surfaces, and they want to put as many climbs and descents in as possible, but there must have been alternative roads that were relatively clear of gravel and less pothole-ridden.
I must also point out, that aside from these parts of the course, Downlands put on another superbly organised event.
2011 Trek Madone 3.1c
2012 Ribble 7005 Winter Trainer
Dolor transit, gloria aeterna est.
2012 Ribble 7005 Winter Trainer
Dolor transit, gloria aeterna est.
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Comments
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The route was a very tough one with about 2,300m of climbing, which is fine, no issues with a tough course. Signage was among the best I have seen, the use of the arrows on the roads was a great help. The cakes at the finish and the general organisation were up to the usual Downland very high standard!
However, I'd have to agree on your comments re the road conditions, some of the descents were dangerous and if we had wet/damp conditions they would have been lethal. Haven't done any mountainbiking but I suspect that going downhill on the brakes and standing on the pedals is more akin to that arm of the sport.0 -
Agreed...on both paragraphs!
I have no issue with a tough course (the tougher, the better sense of acheivement) and there were some great >20% hills to get your teeth into. Downlands always put on a great organised day and certainly the chalked road markings helped a usuallly hapless 'sense of direction' cyclist like myself!
I did the Autumn ride last year which had pretty wet conditions which also went over some gravelly stretches, but they seemed passable. However some of those descents were too hazardous. I'm looking at a big job picking out all the flint from, and repairing, my tyres now!2011 Trek Madone 3.1c
2012 Ribble 7005 Winter Trainer
Dolor transit, gloria aeterna est.0
