Considering first sportiv

SME

Where to start?

Last year I done a charity ride London to Brighton - my first ride of any considerable distance. This year for a 'season opener' I done another charity ride London to Reading, and I'm doing London to Brighton and back in September.

But...
They've all been charity rides. My son and a few friends have accompanied me, and my son will be doing L2B and back with me. They've all been quite well supported and a lot of fun.

But I've never done a sportiv just for 'the hell of it'!
Loads of riders of all ages and abilities seem to do charity rides, and I don't feel... 'out of place (?)'... if I lag behind a bit (although I never have).

But somehow a sportiv seems daunting to me. I get the impression that almost all the riders will be 20 years younger and extremely fit, seasoned participants, and 'little ole' me' will be wheezing on the uphills wishing that my braces would get caught in some cars wing mirror!!!

So... What are they really like, what should/can I expect? Are riders segregated into groups/abilities?
Never done one before, so any info would be gratefully received.
Thanks,
Steve

sniper68

I've done quite a few Sportives and I'm 48.Our club does two a year and I ride one and Marshall the other.There's plenty of riders 40+ on these events,at least the ones I've ridden.They tend to be a real mixed bag of male and female 18-60+.
You just set off in a group and ride at your own pace.Most have feed stations and a broom wagon and are very well organised.Some are marshalled some aren't.
They're not a race but some riders treat them as if they are but most just enjoy the day.
I suppose you could just ride the routes on your own but I like to be part of an event every now and then.

mcstumpy

I rode my first sportive last year and had same misgivings, but as observed above it was a real mixed bag. A few racing snakes and a couple of chain gangs but mostly just people enjoying a day out on the bike.

rick_chasey

SME wrote:

But somehow a sportiv seems daunting to me. I get the impression that almost all the riders will be 20 years younger and extremely fit, seasoned participants, and 'little ole' me' will be wheezing on the uphills wishing that my braces would get caught in some cars wing mirror!!!
,
Steve

Really wouldn't worry about that. I'd say the mode average is definitely middle aged....

Broadly speaking the quality of riding is very mixed.

You'll be fine. Just do it. It's just riding a bike!!

apreading

Look also at Audax - more into distance rather than speed and a much higher average age. you would have to grow a beard and put panniers on your bike though...

jgsi

Sportives attract a large range of abilities. They are a good introduction into some form of group riding especially when you start off - so just read a little up on the basics - hand signals.. road obstruction calling .. just google this.
After a while, the ride tends to be self selecting... have quick look at sportive photos.. the vast majority are riders solo or in 2s.3s maybe with yards of gaps between them. you dont get bunch/close quarter riding for 99% of participants... any quick lads have formed up early doors and gone up the road so you wont see them ever.

Sportives are personal challenges, and should be confused with any manner of wanting to prove oneself better than the other person, but you will get the minority of deadheads , full pro kit w ankers , call 'em what you like who will treat it like a race but essentially don't have the wherewithal to actually go and pin a number on properly.
Some of the best are actually organised by local cycling clubs in the summer, a lot cheaper than the mainstream.
Rider HQ has a calendar of events, so check it out.

Frank Wilson

With the exception of a closed road event I can't understand why someone would want to pay for a bike ride.

arthur_scrimshaw

apreading wrote:

Look also at Audax - more into distance rather than speed and a much higher average age. you would have to grow a beard and put panniers on your bike though...

I thought it was beard, sandals and carradice saddle bags. Although I've only managed the carradice so far..

SME

Thanks all for your replies. I was considering this...

https://www.evanscycles.com/evans-cycle ... 6-EV264214

... which I am definitely going to go for now after the re-assurances above. My son's away camping but has expressed an interest too - I'll 'coerce' him when he gets back!

Looking forward to it now, and thanks again for all the replies,
Steve

apreading

The Evans Sportives are the best, in my opinion - not too big (they limit to 3-400 riders), great orgsanisation, great feed stops, really friendly guys running it and really friendly riders - doesnt seem to attract the poseurs in the same way as some others. They give you loads of High5 freebies too - I havent bought a gel or energy drink in years as I get so many free from Evans.

By comparison, I did a Wiggle sportive a couple of years ago with over 3000 riders - it was really unpleasant as roads were swamped and a complete mix of club riders drafting and bunching real close with total newbies who were unsettled by this (as was I) and really shouldnt have been on the same piece of road together. Made me understand why locals are unhappy with sportives in places like the New Forest if they are like this. Much more competitive vibe on this and quite unpleasant really.

SME

apreading wrote:

The Evans Sportives are the best, in my opinion - not too big (they limit to 3-400 riders), great orgsanisation, great feed stops, really friendly guys running it and really friendly riders - doesnt seem to attract the poseurs in the same way as some others. They give you loads of High5 freebies too - I havent bought a gel or energy drink in years as I get so many free from Evans.

By comparison, I did a Wiggle sportive a couple of years ago with over 3000 riders - it was really unpleasant as roads were swamped and a complete mix of club riders drafting and bunching real close with total newbies who were unsettled by this (as was I) and really shouldnt have been on the same piece of road together. Made me understand why locals are unhappy with sportives in places like the New Forest if they are like this. Much more competitive vibe on this and quite unpleasant really.

Thanks for the 'heads up'. Just filled in the application, and looking forward to my first group event (outside the charity runs, that is!).

kajjal

Just enjoy it and collect as many freebies as you can carry!!!!!

bflk

JGSI wrote:

Sportives attract a large range of abilities. They are a good introduction into some form of group riding especially when you start off - so just read a little up on the basics - hand signals.. road obstruction calling .. just google this.
After a while, the ride tends to be self selecting... have quick look at sportive photos.. the vast majority are riders solo or in 2s.3s maybe with yards of gaps between them. you dont get bunch/close quarter riding for 99% of participants... any quick lads have formed up early doors and gone up the road so you wont see them ever.

Sportives are personal challenges, and should be confused with any manner of wanting to prove oneself better than the other person, but you will get the minority of deadheads , full pro kit w ankers , call 'em what you like who will treat it like a race but essentially don't have the wherewithal to actually go and pin a number on properly.
Some of the best are actually organised by local cycling clubs in the summer, a lot cheaper than the mainstream.
Rider HQ has a calendar of events, so check it out.

Presumably there are a few up front who do 'proper' racing too though? Been following the Etape Caledonia online this am as its one I'd like to do one day. 'Winner' was

https://www.strava.com/activities/569154143/overview

who appears to be a Cat4 racer.

imposter2.0

Nobody 'wins' a sportive in the UK*

(* yes I know foreign sportifs and GFs are also races)

step83

apreading wrote:

The Evans Sportives are the best, in my opinion - not too big (they limit to 3-400 riders), great orgsanisation, great feed stops, really friendly guys running it and really friendly riders - doesnt seem to attract the poseurs in the same way as some others. They give you loads of High5 freebies too - I havent bought a gel or energy drink in years as I get so many free from Evans.

By comparison, I did a Wiggle sportive a couple of years ago with over 3000 riders - it was really unpleasant as roads were swamped and a complete mix of club riders drafting and bunching real close with total newbies who were unsettled by this (as was I) and really shouldnt have been on the same piece of road together. Made me understand why locals are unhappy with sportives in places like the New Forest if they are like this. Much more competitive vibe on this and quite unpleasant really.

Have to agree on that, Did an Evans on earlier this year really well organised. Did a Wiggle one to which was a nightmare ended up going into a village last year loads of us stuck behind a slow group going 2-3 abreast blocking the road.

Also someone said about the local ones. Did one yesterday actually. Really good about 300 people turned up 50 miles loads of signs well placed stops an marshals only where they were needed.

craker

Frank Wilson wrote:

With the exception of a closed road event I can't understand why someone would want to pay for a bike ride.

I haven't done a sportive in ages... I tend to ride 3-4 audaxes a year, the cost is peanuts (£6-8 or so) yet why pay it when it's on public roads?

Riding with other people on an event is great fun and very sociable.

Getting all your mates together, putting a date in the diary and talking up the 'big ride' in advance, getting team cycling jerseys made, going out whatever the weather has in store...

Having a complex social diary (= children) that means you can't just go out on the bike. It has to be in the calendar or it wont happen. Welcome to middle age ;-)

Spending cash on events is usually excellent value for money. I balked at doing the Velothon Wales at £80 a pop though.

bungalballs

I think the Action Medical Ride100 series are really good, plus a portion of what you pay goes to enter goes to charity.

Based on the Evans one you are entering, I'm assuming you are somewhere in the Essex area. The Essex Ride100 is a fantastic sportive; relaxed atmosphere, very mixed rider abilities, relatively flat, and its worth doing just for the feed stops...

If you enjoy the Evans ride, have a look as its a nice way to wrap up a summer of cycling as it isn't until September.

apreading

Not done the Essex one but did the action100 Bristol to London for years before they stopped doing it and I would agree they are the best charity rides I have ever done and my first imperial century was on one of those! Doing the Warwickshire one this year if my broken collarbone is healed enough by then.

StillGoing

Done them and see little point unless as someone posted, it is a closed road event or raising money for charity either via the organiser or yourself. You may have the benefit of feed stations, broom wagons, mechanical services, marshalls, photographers etc but why pay to ride public roads if not raising money for charity is my view? They tend to be the same age groups and abilities so why pay just to ride.

homers_double

There's quite a lot of reading on the BC webiste ---> https://www.britishcycling.org.uk/sportives

apreading

philthy3 wrote:

Done them and see little point unless as someone posted, it is a closed road event or raising money for charity either via the organiser or yourself. You may have the benefit of feed stations, broom wagons, mechanical services, marshalls, photographers etc but why pay to ride public roads if not raising money for charity is my view? They tend to be the same age groups and abilities so why pay just to ride.

Because they are fun!

You get to ride different areas that you dont know without needing to scope them out beforehand, with like minded people who are friendly and happy to chat. The Evans ones are not too expensive, unlike some (although they have risen from £15 to £25 over the last couple of years) and they do a BOGOF most Jan/Febs - I book up for the year so that they are cheaper and also so that they motivate me to get out a do more riding and make it harder for the missus to find jobs for me to do on those days because they are pre-booked. Booking more than 4 weeks in advance you get a couple of boxes of High5 goodies - with the bits they give out on the day too, I usually end up taking £15 worth of stuff home with me. You dont need to carry any food and the feed stations are great.

They give a bit more variety to life, rather than just pounding out the same roads around home all the time...

Whats NOT to like?

(* I am not advocating ALL Sportives here - others I have done cost alot more and werent as much fun but the good ones arent expensive and are more enjoyable than solo riding and provide a good service)

StillGoing

You can ride as far afield as you like. Not everyone restricts themselves to the same roads locally. I get riding with others and the benefit of feed stations etc, but my view is that unless it's raising money for charity, either as a structured ride by the organiser like say Action Medical Research etc or the rider is using an event to raise money for their own personal cause, I don't see the point. Join a club to ride with others and ride the roads for free.

slowbike

philthy3 wrote:

I don't see the point.

Yes - you said that already ...

I can't see much point (for me) in doing a local sportive - although it does give a chance to do some group riding - plus, having signed up to do it (and paid money) it's less tempting to say "ah, can't be arsed" ... and if I were to do one then I'd sign up to a longer route than I'd normally ride - just to make it worth while - either that or I'd have to be accompanying someone else ...

But for events further afield, they can be a great motivator to riding some alternative roads - the alternative being either riding your own, organising a group to go or find a local club and try and join in on their ride....
Did the French revolution year before last - that was quite good - although did end up being just the two of us as nobody else on our route was as fast ...

apreading

philthy3 wrote:

You can ride as far afield as you like. Not everyone restricts themselves to the same roads locally. I get riding with others and the benefit of feed stations etc, but my view is that unless it's raising money for charity, either as a structured ride by the organiser like say Action Medical Research etc or the rider is using an event to raise money for their own personal cause, I don't see the point. Join a club to ride with others and ride the roads for free.

Personally, I cant see the point of joining a club. I would much rather be more of a free spirit than have to stick tightly with a specific group and work to their limited calendar/routes. There seems to be an obsession here over the fact that it costs a few measly quid to avail yourselves of the services. I can afford it, am happy to spend it and actually get more back in goods from the Evans ones than I spend in money. Seems like I do one event a month in any of the half dozen or so counties around where I live, often starting 50 miles away and covering great scenery that I wouldnt otherwise find.

We spend so much on cycling that what is a few quid for a well organised event? And surely your club charge you for membership anyway?

svetty

Clubs aren't for everyone but you do get to meet up with a few like-minded people, some of whom might turn into good mates

SME

Well, it'll be my first.

I'm doing it for the experience, for the social side - a ride and a chat with like minded people*, to see new scenery, and as part of some training for a charity ride I'm doing later in the year,

*On a L2B charity ride last year my son and I got chating to a couple of people, and we still chat and follow each other On Strava, so sometimes it can expand your circle of friends.

Mind you, I only signed up for a 68miler - today I done an 80 mile ride, so maybe I should up the sportive to the 103 miles.

rick_chasey

apreading wrote:

Personally, I cant see the point of joining a club.

L'enfer, c'est les autres.


But ya do go a lot further for the same effort in a group.

rick_chasey

SME wrote:

Mind you, I only signed up for a 68miler - today I done an 80 mile ride, so maybe I should up the sportive to the 103 miles.

Yes. Yes you should. Go do it now.

Can justify your extra piece of cake then.

SME

Hi.

Absolutely loved the ride today. I didn't do the 100 miler - had a knee injury a few weeks back (came off the bike, and then aggravated it with my ice skating), then after that I got 'boy flu' (not quite as bad as man flu but worse than ordinary flu).

Just finished a week of night shifts before the weekend (first rides in weeks were 2 18mile return commutes to work!) and then I chuck myself into a 68 miler that turned out to be 72 1/2 after I missed a sign.

A great ride, nice route, great company/riders, and after yesterdays downpours we had great weather. What more can you ask for? Will do it again.

Thanks to all you guys for the encouragement.
Steve

cremator

Hi I am doing the London prudential 100 at end of this month raised over £2000for prostate cancer only been riding on and off 2yrs

bungalballs

Well done!

I'm not sure what it is, but a lot of people seem to have a bit of a hurdle/struggle around the 60-70mile mark which you have just smashed through... I'm not sure if it might be a confidence/pacing/eating and drinking enough thing. You have already beaten this so keep going to the next challenge, maybe a 100miler before the end of summer!? ;-)