Is it ok to party crash a sportive?

2

Comments

  • Pross
    Pross Posts: 43,701
    I've been riding the roads around my neck of the wood long before sportives became popular so I will ride them when there is a sportive on. If the organisers don't like it they can pay for a road closure or go elsewhere. On the other hand I wouldn't travel to other areas of the country just to ride free on the route of a sportive.
  • Mikey23
    Mikey23 Posts: 5,306
    Yup, its open roads and you are entitled to be there...my own personal opinion is that it is a little ignorant. If it is the Cornish one for which I paid 30 quid, come and have a chat and I will be happy to voice my opinion!
  • Pross
    Pross Posts: 43,701
    Why do some people think that paying some money to a commercial organisation who have only got involved in cycling as a business opportunity gives them some sort of priority over use of the roads? I don't mind paying a sensible sum to ride a sportive and use the facilities they provide (feed stations, timing, medal etc.) but if someone else wants to ride the same roads without using those facilities and without paying at the same time that's fine with me. It's not as if sportive organisers have come up with routes that local cyclists haven't been riding for donkey's years.
  • ianspeare
    ianspeare Posts: 110
    The Cheshire Cat runs right past my house. I couldn't make the original date. Asked if there were any spaces for the re-arranged and they said it was full. If I go for a ride on this day, will I get attacked by a big Cheshire Cat for riding on the roads I ride on everyday?
    www.saddlesaw101.com
  • topcattim
    topcattim Posts: 766
    Pross wrote:
    Why do some people think that paying some money to a commercial organisation who have only got involved in cycling as a business opportunity gives them some sort of priority over use of the roads? I don't mind paying a sensible sum to ride a sportive and use the facilities they provide (feed stations, timing, medal etc.) but if someone else wants to ride the same roads without using those facilities and without paying at the same time that's fine with me. It's not as if sportive organisers have come up with routes that local cyclists haven't been riding for donkey's years.
    Well, I don't think that non-sportive riders have to stay off their local roads. I haven't noticed anyone arguing that in this thread. My view is that if I hadn't paid to join the sportive event, then I wouldn't ride along the route of the sportive in order to join in with the event. If your regular ride takes you along similar roads to a sportive, go for it. Its for each person to make the judgement about the degree to which their ride that day is designed to mimic the sportive route - and if it does, that wouldn't be a choice that I - or I think a few others on this thread - would make.
  • Mikey23
    Mikey23 Posts: 5,306
    I blame thatcher...
  • LittlePlums
    LittlePlums Posts: 139
    It's quite obviously the Exmoor Beauty. Do I win a prize for getting the answer correct?

    I injured my ribs last week and am a bit touch and go for this event, but may see you out on the course on Sunday. For the record, gatecrashing has never occurred to me, I have always paid - and think I always would. That might make me a mug, I don't know. I don't have any concerns about others riding along if they want to though. Live and let live
    Pride and joy: Bianchi Sempre
    Commuting hack: Cube Nature
  • hipshot
    hipshot Posts: 371
    Last year the organisers of the Cheshire Cat put up a Rogues Gallery on their Facebook page. It contained images their photographers had captured of cyclists riding the route without registration numbers and tags , presumably to try to shame them.

    Of course they took it down pretty swiftly after I and others complained it was an invasion of privacy, after all these riders may just have been out for a ride, but it's a good indication of the mindset of the organisers of some (profit making) sportives. Their main concern is maximising profits, not providing a service, so there doesn't need to be any moral question at all in riding open roads while they are on. Charity rides staffed of volunteers are a different matter, but it's still a personal choice.

    (I was fully paid up on the CC by the way.)
  • ddraver
    ddraver Posts: 26,745
    If there is a space on the sportive then perhaps it is a little naughty, but given that so many now sell out in days, they can't complain if locals ride on the same road as the sportive. As someone else said, if they want that then they should pay for closed roads
    We're in danger of confusing passion with incompetence
    - @ddraver
  • roger_merriman
    roger_merriman Posts: 6,165
    Clearly as others have said it's a open road so I'd not avoid the route if I had planned to be on the route any way, but equally I wouldn't chose to be on the route just to be part of the sportive.
  • de_sisti
    de_sisti Posts: 1,283
    Even if it's a "closed road" event, the organisers can't legally stop an individual who hasn't paid
    to enter the event to ride on that particular route during the event.
  • TKF
    TKF Posts: 279
    Do you also stand in WHSmiths and read the magazines at lunchtime?

    Or stand outside your neighbour's window and watch their TV?

    And live in a caravan?
  • sloppyschleckonds
    sloppyschleckonds Posts: 8,019
    TKF wrote:
    Do you also stand in WHSmiths and read the magazines at lunchtime?

    Or stand outside your neighbour's window and watch their TV?

    And live in a caravan?

    Someone stolen your Daily Mail?
    I'm sorry you don't believe in miracles
  • Strith
    Strith Posts: 541
    TKF wrote:
    Do you also stand in WHSmiths and read the magazines at lunchtime?

    Lol, yeah I do.
  • DavidJB
    DavidJB Posts: 2,019
    As long as you don't eat the food who cares.
  • Pross
    Pross Posts: 43,701
    TKF wrote:
    Do you also stand in WHSmiths and read the magazines at lunchtime?

    Or stand outside your neighbour's window and watch their TV?

    And live in a caravan?

    In what way is that remotely similar? WH Smith is private property and the magazines are their property until you buy them. The roads used on sportives are public highway and if you aren't using the feed stations or timing systems I'm at a loss to see what you are using that you haven't paid for. I'm happy to pay a sensible entry fee to ride a sportive and use the facilities they provide but as I said above if someone just wants to ride the same roads as me without the fringe benefits it doesn't bother me in the slightest.
  • careful
    careful Posts: 720
    essentially by riding the route in this way, you are taking for free something that has cost somebody some effort and that others are paying for

    Just like the organisers are benefitting from free use of the roads that we all pay for.
  • jermas
    jermas Posts: 484
    De Sisti wrote:
    Even if it's a "closed road" event, the organisers can't legally stop an individual who hasn't paid
    to enter the event to ride on that particular route during the event.

    So If I gatecrash the London marathon, no one can stop me- great! Hang about- maybe I'll tag along in the TDF.
  • danlikesbikes
    danlikesbikes Posts: 3,898
    careful wrote:
    essentially by riding the route in this way, you are taking for free something that has cost somebody some effort and that others are paying for

    Just like the organisers are benefitting from free use of the roads that we all pay for.

    No not really.

    If you meant the roads are free to use as we all contribute to them & therefore just get out and ride on them I'd agree. But in the case of the organisers of these events how have gone beyond our normal human means to get out and ride on the open road and organised a route etc which people are paying for when they enter.
    Pain hurts much less if its topped off with beating your mates to top of a climb.
  • imposter2.0
    imposter2.0 Posts: 12,028
    De Sisti wrote:
    Even if it's a "closed road" event, the organisers can't legally stop an individual who hasn't paid
    to enter the event to ride on that particular route during the event.

    Bit misleading. If the road is 'legally' closed (there are various regulations under which roads can be closed), then riding on it without permission is effectively in breach of whatever TROs are in place at the time.
  • ManOfKent
    ManOfKent Posts: 392
    Fitness allowing, I plan to ride the Dragon Ride route on the day, with a couple of clubmates who are part of the official event. I tried to enter and would have willingly paid the £45 or whatever but missed out in the ballot; as it is I will go anyway for the craic and sort out my own food/water. Actually it cost me £1.11 to try to enter so maybe I should have some of the organised water. :)
  • marylogic
    marylogic Posts: 355
    I never pay for sportives! :wink:

    Actually I've only entered two - the first I got a free ticket from one of the sponsors and the second was cancelled.

    I accidentally crashed a sportive last year - we had already planned the route and turned up to discover a "family" sportive taking place. We didn't use the feed stations, but at the end the organisers gave our kids a chocolate and certificate anyway, even though we explained we hadn't entered. Did the decent thing and donated the £10 entry fee to the cot death trust which was their chosen charity.

    I expect I'm re-opening a can of worms but sportives are really expensive.

    I've used the £30 refunded from the cancelled sportive for a years audax membership for me and my husband and the entry fee to a 200K audax.
  • Grill
    Grill Posts: 5,610
    marylogic wrote:
    I've used the £30 refunded from the cancelled sportive for a years audax membership for me and my husband and the entry fee to a 200K audax.

    This makes me happy. Good on ya!
    English Cycles V3 | Cervelo P5 | Cervelo T4 | Trek Domane Koppenberg
  • cyclingsheep
    cyclingsheep Posts: 640
    ddraver wrote:
    topcattim wrote:
    Raymondo60 wrote:
    A 'one-off' situation, like 'I wish I had remembered to enter that sportive but I'll ride it anyway' could be forgiven under most circumstances.
    I'm not moralising (at least I hope I'm not! :D ) and I'm not claiming to be perfect, but I'm interested by the logic here. Is there something distinct about sportive riding in this sense? Could we say in a restaurant, "I wish I'd remembered to bring my money, and I'm a regular customer and will come here some time again in the future, but today I'll eat for free"?

    Not if you ate their food and drank their wine. If you just sat on the pavement outside the door (ie in a public place) then yes... (why you would want to do this is a different question)

    Personally i have no particular need for yet another crap bidon or rubbish t-shirt and I have a stack of out of date energy bars and gels anyway. If there was one outside my door or on roads i rode usually, then I'd hop on yes. ( I would nt travel anywhere for one mind, think that's a bit rich...)

    Personally i'd draw the line at a race, so thinhs like MTB 24hr races or Merida (or whoever it is now) would be out)

    Ddraver, I'm the exact opposite. If it was on my own doorstep then I probably wouldn't bother doing a Sportive (unless it was on closed roads), but I find going to another part of the country (or another country for that matter) to do ride that I've paid for and is organised for me really appeals. Each to their own and long may that continue
  • cyclingsheep
    cyclingsheep Posts: 640
    verylonglegs wrote:
    I can't help but feel that aside from all the supposed wrongs and rights of it what is being over-looked is that you are a local. I dare anyone to suggest that because an organised event is in town you are meant to avoid any contact with it for fear of being accused of not playing fair or being a freeloader because that is nonsense imo. Get out there and ride it if you want I say, you aren't taking advantage of anyone's effort in signposting the route because you probably already know more about the area than them anyway.

    Have to say that happened to me yesterday. Found that the route I'd fed into my Garmin was following a sportive, never saw a feed stop but plenty of arrows and the odd person with a number on. Felt a little odd being on the same route but hey they're my roads too.
  • ddraver
    ddraver Posts: 26,745
    cyclingsheep wrote:
    ddraver wrote:
    topcattim wrote:
    Raymondo60 wrote:
    A 'one-off' situation, like 'I wish I had remembered to enter that sportive but I'll ride it anyway' could be forgiven under most circumstances.
    I'm not moralising (at least I hope I'm not! :D ) and I'm not claiming to be perfect, but I'm interested by the logic here. Is there something distinct about sportive riding in this sense? Could we say in a restaurant, "I wish I'd remembered to bring my money, and I'm a regular customer and will come here some time again in the future, but today I'll eat for free"?

    Not if you ate their food and drank their wine. If you just sat on the pavement outside the door (ie in a public place) then yes... (why you would want to do this is a different question)

    Personally i have no particular need for yet another crap bidon or rubbish t-shirt and I have a stack of out of date energy bars and gels anyway. If there was one outside my door or on roads i rode usually, then I'd hop on yes. ( I would nt travel anywhere for one mind, think that's a bit rich...)

    Personally i'd draw the line at a race, so thinhs like MTB 24hr races or Merida (or whoever it is now) would be out)

    Ddraver, I'm the exact opposite. If it was on my own doorstep then I probably wouldn't bother doing a Sportive (unless it was on closed roads), but I find going to another part of the country (or another country for that matter) to do ride that I've paid for and is organised for me really appeals. Each to their own and long may that continue

    Hmm, well I ve only ever done sportives in NL where the price is almost certain to be under 10Eus so in that case then I don't mind coughing up (usually it goes directly to the club organising it too, if you want a crappy t-shirt then you can pay for one)

    The appeal if it was local is just to ride the route with a bunch of people, makes a change basically...
    We're in danger of confusing passion with incompetence
    - @ddraver
  • cyclingsheep
    cyclingsheep Posts: 640
    ddraver wrote:
    cyclingsheep wrote:
    ddraver wrote:
    topcattim wrote:
    Raymondo60 wrote:
    A 'one-off' situation, like 'I wish I had remembered to enter that sportive but I'll ride it anyway' could be forgiven under most circumstances.
    I'm not moralising (at least I hope I'm not! :D ) and I'm not claiming to be perfect, but I'm interested by the logic here. Is there something distinct about sportive riding in this sense? Could we say in a restaurant, "I wish I'd remembered to bring my money, and I'm a regular customer and will come here some time again in the future, but today I'll eat for free"?

    Not if you ate their food and drank their wine. If you just sat on the pavement outside the door (ie in a public place) then yes... (why you would want to do this is a different question)

    Personally i have no particular need for yet another crap bidon or rubbish t-shirt and I have a stack of out of date energy bars and gels anyway. If there was one outside my door or on roads i rode usually, then I'd hop on yes. ( I would nt travel anywhere for one mind, think that's a bit rich...)

    Personally i'd draw the line at a race, so thinhs like MTB 24hr races or Merida (or whoever it is now) would be out)

    Ddraver, I'm the exact opposite. If it was on my own doorstep then I probably wouldn't bother doing a Sportive (unless it was on closed roads), but I find going to another part of the country (or another country for that matter) to do ride that I've paid for and is organised for me really appeals. Each to their own and long may that continue

    Hmm, well I ve only ever done sportives in NL where the price is almost certain to be under 10Eus so in that case then I don't mind coughing up (usually it goes directly to the club organising it too, if you want a crappy t-shirt then you can pay for one)

    The appeal if it was local is just to ride the route with a bunch of people, makes a change basically...

    As someone said earlier, if I want to ride a local route with other people I join a club (go Twickenham CC). It's the idea of a challenging route on roads I don't know and don't have to map out that causes me to do the odd far away sportive. Last year it was Etape du Tour Act2 and this year it's the Dragon ride. As I said it's each to their own and clearly sportive s appeal to some people or they wouldn't exist
  • cyclingsheep
    cyclingsheep Posts: 640
    Saying that I did do our local club run sportive this year which cost a whole £14 but for that in freezing conditions we got smiley faced marshals who understood our suffering :)
  • Mikey23
    Mikey23 Posts: 5,306
    So it's ok to crash sportives because the organisers are big and bad and make exorbitant profits out of us poor plebs ... Blah, blah, blah, yawn...

    Of course, you could stop being such a rissole and help out by volunteering to be a Marshall or summat and helping the community and ride the course at a different time than the 4 or 5 hours that it is on
  • hipshot
    hipshot Posts: 371
    Mikey23 wrote:
    So it's ok to crash sportives because the organisers are big and bad and make exorbitant profits out of us poor plebs ... Blah, blah, blah, yawn...

    Of course, you could stop being such a rissole and help out by volunteering to be a Marshall or summat and helping the community and ride the course at a different time than the 4 or 5 hours that it is on

    :roll:

    People are quite reasonably asking if its morally OK to ride on open roads while a sportive is on. I'd say that's being considerate.

    Why don't you 'help the community' by being a little less uptight.

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