A wet sportive...

Daveyraveygravey wrote:

bikeboy76 wrote:

Thank you Matt Eaton for saying what I have always though. Sportives ARE races, they are a mass time trial event open to the public, there are always going to be people trying to go as fast as possible including me. This is what is so attractive about closed road events. I am sick of hearing this 'its not a race' rubbish. True you don't need to be a Dick (channeling Adam Hills) but people will be going fast.

I am 37 years old, I weight 90kg and my hip bone is two inches lower than other guys my height; I have spent a large part of my life playing tennis and white water kayaking; I will NEVER be as fast or naturally talented at cycling as I want to be, or you might be. This Cat 4, 'find yourself a race' bollocks is bollocks.* Not everyone can take part in even the lowest level of competitive cycling.
Sportives are there to cater to exactly the type of knobs/people you are complaining about. There are tens of thousands of keen amateur cyclists looking for an occasional challenge who can only do a couple of events a year because they are real people with jobs and families and lives to live. I have not enough time to cycle as I want because I have to live the rest of my life and I don't have the time or money or equipment or fitness or time or money to pretend that I am some semi-pro. So I do these things a couple of times a year and moan on the internet about how I want to be better and will overshoes help or not because I know I have very little talent but try my best.

My definition of going my fastest 5 hours for Sunday could well be slower than someone capable cruising around in 4; if Lee Dixon cut me up I might be fuming whilst he wonders what I am complaining about because he is not exerting himself. The only grounds for complaint you have is with the organisers for not being more rigourous in their start waves; but how can they be with 20,000+ to start, most or which wouldn't mind a slot as early as possible.

In summary SPORTIVES ARE RACES. If you have paid to enter a timed event from point A to point B and you don't think you are in a race, you have made a mistake. If you want to blow hard Glynr36 please post your Cat4 results.

*Swearing; if its good enough for Stephen Fry, its good enough for you. - Me.

Well said! I hate the elitist attitude among many racers (and club riders) that you aren't a real cyclist if you don't compete in the evening TT down the bypass or zoom along the lanes in your peleton all in the same jersey every Sunday.
I pushed myself on RideLondon, really pleased with the time I got. Was I racing? Not sure, I wasn't racing any particular person, but I wasn't bimbling along either and was very conscious of my time/progress. I'd love to spend £5k on a bike and spend all week riding it, but I don't have the time or the money.

Well I don't think it's elitist to say that a sporting event under a codified set of rules which matches riders of similar ability in a race is not the same a mass charity ride my friend. If you think these are the same sort of thing then that is delusional. Not bimbling along and completing the course is admirable. I am huge supporter of Ride London. But it's not a race. The race was in the afternnoon. It was a different thing entirely and I really enjoyed that as well.

realdeal wrote:

Allow me to put it into simpler terms for you.

Your comment reads like this.. You're not a dick for trying in a safe manner to achieve your best possible time, but you are a dick for trying to win a non competitive event.

So what I'm saying to you is, what happens if your best time wins the event? Are you a dick or not?

It depends on whether you were trying to 'win' a non-competitive event or not. That's the key here. Because you can't *win* a non-competitive event. If you think you can, that's the problem. It's like Strava KoMs. You really can't compare against people in different conditions at different times. And if you do try to, you really need to take a look at yourself.

realdeal wrote:

"Not everyone is competing against the clock"

Well they kind of are Andy, everyone in that event was timed, whether they care about it or not, they were still timed. They were all competing against the clock but of course the level of competitiveness will vary.

I see. So, in a way, me going for lunch before my colleagues makes me the 'winner', because we all have clocks and are therefore timed, even though some of them weren't *trying* to go to lunch first.

Superb. Eat my dust, losers. King of the lunch Mountain. I rule. Must put a LunchViewer signature on my posts from now on.

oozaveared wrote:

deblemund wrote:

Why's everyone getting so cross? Chill out and go for a bike ride or something!

On other threads we all seem to very critical of the idiots in cars that think they are on a race track when they are just on their way to work. Their objective is to win, to not be overtaken, to get past obstructions as fast as they can. The fact that they think they are in a race all the time even when mostly everyone else is just travelling makes them a menace. They are bad drivers psychologically unsuited to driving. I expect if they were taking the bus or the train they'd be shoving in the queue and treating other passengers as competitors pushing their way past more polite people on their way to win the race to an aisle seat. Just because they are on a bike doesn't make them less of an annoying juvenile w**ker. I dare say some of the other people on the bus or train likewise think that if these areseholes are so keen on pushing and shoving to win something why don't they join a Rugby club. I expect it's the same problem. They like to push and shove to win when nobody else thinks its a rugger match but they're careful to avoid being on a real rugby field with real rugby players.

Since I am very critical of drivers that think the road is their racetrack, likewise I am critical of fellow cyclists that think a charity bike ride is the one day classic.

I agree with you totally on this, even in racing, there's no justification for dangerous behaviour, especially at entry level. However, we are drifting onto a different topic. We're not talking about a charity bike ride, we are talking about sportives. The 'sport' part of the title is the big clue. Charity rides don't (or certainly shouldn't) have the hallmarks or a race whereas sportives always do. The things I'm talking about include timing chips, the publishing of results, feed stations (especially when full of race-day nutrition products) and, in this exmple in particular, following the route of a pro race.

I'm very critical of sportives for replacing charity rides. This has forced charity riders into the sportive scene and I'd like to see more charity rides, devoid of timing chips and energy gells; and with more tea and cake or even a pub stop half way round.

Matt eaton wrote:

Let's not beat around the bush, sportives are races. There are people at every sportive who want to get the best time and 'win' the sportive. In the origonal Gran Fondo format prizes were even given. Sportive organisers carefully avoid race status, but folks are definately racing. Just like marathon running a lot of people do it as a personal challenge and don't really consider themselves as racers, but its still a race.

Very true. The lads I usually ride with, despite us all putting down identical estimated times, had different start times but we all went out with every intention of smashing it if we could.

We had trained hard for this ride. We felt strong and wanted to take advantage of the closed roads. We weren't out for a Sunday bimble.

We all took it easy in places for safeties sake but we were, not to put to fine a point on it, racing each other.

Not big, not clever but true nevertheless.

I can go for a countryside spin anytime, but closed road riding? Rarer than a rare thing in this country.

Before anyone says "go Crit racing", it simply isn't the same.

andyp wrote:

I see. So, in a way, me going for lunch before my colleagues makes me the 'winner', because we all have clocks and are therefore timed, even though some of them weren't *trying* to go to lunch first.

Superb. Eat my dust, losers. King of the lunch Mountain. I rule. Must put a LunchViewer signature on my posts from now on.

Be careful about going down this route, my work day is 8:30 till 5 but apparently pissing off at half three wasn't actually "setting a personal best" but potentially a disciplinary matter.

Work also failed to agree that coming in at 9:30 was "giving my colleagues a head start".

Puny humans.

Quote:

Well said! I hate the elitist attitude among many racers (and club riders) that you aren't a real cyclist if you don't compete in the evening TT down the bypass or zoom along the lanes in your peleton all in the same jersey every Sunday.
I pushed myself on RideLondon, really pleased with the time I got. Was I racing? Not sure, I wasn't racing any particular person, but I wasn't bimbling along either and was very conscious of my time/progress. I'd love to spend £5k on a bike and spend all week riding it, but I don't have the time or the money.

Well I don't think it's elitist to say that a sporting event under a codified set of rules which matches riders of similar ability in a race is not the same a mass charity ride my friend. If you think these are the same sort of thing then that is delusional. Not bimbling along and completing the course is admirable. I am huge supporter of Ride London. But it's not a race. The race was in the afternnoon. It was a different thing entirely and I really enjoyed that as well.[/quote]

Did you read what I wrote, my friend? I'm talking about the elitist and arrogant attitude among many club riders and racers I meet who look down their noses at cyclists who don't partake in those activities. I didn't say anything about sportives, so wasn't making any "delusional" comparison.

Matt eaton wrote:

oozaveared wrote:

glynr36 wrote:

The problem with sportives is a huge majority treat them like a race, and therefore ride like dicks, as thats what they think is needed.
The fact that I saw on twitter RL allegedly had a podium sums it all up, and many cynical tweets with a 'finish line' shot of a sprint titled, 'number one sportive-ist' too.
The sooner people treat a sportive for what it is, which is a bike ride with a few thousand other people where someone else has planned your ride, signed it all for you, and provided feeds so you don't need to worry about anything but riding the route the better.

And to be absolutely fair whilst the organisers state that they are not a race (for legal reasons) They don't stop people racing. They encourage it.

Very different to a club run.

Ride London aside I am in two minds about sportives. It's great that people want to be out on their bikes and people do like the sportive format. On the other hand its a "for profit" cycle event the proponderence of which in Surrey has got the council speaking of regulating all such events including the trad club run. It would probably be better if people joined their local cycling club and the money used to organise rides that way and then at least the money would stay in the sport not get siphoned off by carpetbaggers that may or may not be involved in the sport but are involved in making a profit.

Let's not beat around the bush, sportives are races. There are people at every sportive who want to get the best time and 'win' the sportive. In the origonal Gran Fondo format prizes were even given. Sportive organisers carefully avoid race status, but folks are definately racing. Just like marathon running a lot of people do it as a personal challenge and don't really consider themselves as racers, but its still a race.

As far as the merits of sportives go, my view has softened a little. Having someone mark out a nice route and provide food and drink at suitable intervals along the way is probably worth £20.

I think that any local authority trying to regulate club runs is going to get into difficulty so I wouldn't worry too much about that. After all its just a bunch of friends that have decided to go for a bike ride together; perhaps a regular occurance but not an organised 'event'. Unless they outlaw cycling altogether I don't see how they can stop people going for bike rides.

Well yes that's the problem. They are not legally allowed to be a race. So there is a bit of legal shennanigans with the way that results are published. ie not in time order and no winner is declared. But in every other respect they are treated like races by both the organiser and by participants. But they have none of the regulations that an actual race would have to have in place. Even the local TT on the A31 tonight has a restriction on numbers and start times along with a raft of regulations from RTTC and has to have permission from the police who impose their own caveats based on their risk assessments.

But Sportives by declaring legally that they are not a race do not require such regulation. By not having much if any marshalling but having a virtual race they are now in danger of being regulated but not by the sport itself but by proposals from people who are anti-cycling.

If you want to race a bike why not man/woman up and join a club and do it properly.

oozaveared wrote:

If you want to race a bike why not man/woman up and join a club and do it properly.

Because around here there is no closed road racing. None. Zero. Zip. Nowt.

Some racing on some MoD land 6 times through the early summer but limited places, 50% of which are reserved for the local RC, 25% are invitation only and the rest spread between everyone else including vets and jnrs.

Despite belonging to a club I've yet to manage to get a spot and to join the local RC you must A) attend at least 5 club rides B) be sponsored by a member C) be seconded by a member D) voted in by the committee.

S13SFC wrote:

oozaveared wrote:

If you want to race a bike why not man/woman up and join a club and do it properly.

Because around here there is no closed road racing. None. Zero. Zip. Nowt.

Some racing on some MoD land 6 times through the early summer but limited places, 50% of which are reserved for the local RC, 25% are invitation only and the rest spread between everyone else including vets and jnrs.

Despite belonging to a club I've yet to manage to get a spot and to join the local RC you must A) attend at least 5 club rides B) be sponsored by a member C) be seconded by a member D) voted in by the committee.

There's a very good reason why the club wants to see you ride extensively before they let you race alongside them. They have nice bikes too and want to keep them intact. That's why races are regulated and graded so that equal abilities compete and novices get a chance to learn the ropes before getting in at the deep end.

That's also why sportives are not races and shouldn't be treated as races because they are too mixed. Some people entered a charity ride on a shopping bike only to find that someone else thinks the number they are wearing means it's a full on race and that she's fair game for a close pass.

So yes if you want to race with people that want to race properly join a club. Clubs have rules. I doubt any club will stop someone joining that wants to and will find proposers and seconders within minutes and the committee will nod you through. Clubs like members they pay subs. Before you get involved in the cut and thrust of racing though they'll be interested to see how disciplined and competent a rider you are on a few club runs.

Looks to me like a bunch of lame excuses from someone that likes to race to people that aren't actually racing but is shy when it comes to the real thing.

BTW most sportives are not on closed roads so TTs are a way to get time for a set distance on a set course. A proper standardised named numbered and measured course same conditions for everyone on the day. Of course there's no excuses and all the others are racing too. What's not to like for you?

oozaveared wrote:

S13SFC wrote:

oozaveared wrote:

If you want to race a bike why not man/woman up and join a club and do it properly.

Because around here there is no closed road racing. None. Zero. Zip. Nowt.

Some racing on some MoD land 6 times through the early summer but limited places, 50% of which are reserved for the local RC, 25% are invitation only and the rest spread between everyone else including vets and jnrs.

Despite belonging to a club I've yet to manage to get a spot and to join the local RC you must A) attend at least 5 club rides B) be sponsored by a member C) be seconded by a member D) voted in by the committee.

There's a very good reason why the club wants to see you ride extensively before they let you race alongside them. They have nice bikes too and want to keep them intact. That's why races are regulated and graded so that equal abilities compete and novices get a chance to learn the ropes before getting in at the deep end.

That's also why sportives are not races and shouldn't be treated as races because they are too mixed. Some people entered a charity ride on a shopping bike only to find that someone else thinks the number they are wearing means it's a full on race and that she's fair game for a close pass.

So yes if you want to race with people that want to race properly join a club. Clubs have rules. I doubt any club will stop someone joining that wants to and will find proposers and seconders within minutes and the committee will nod you through. Clubs like members they pay subs. Before you get involved in the cut and thrust of racing though they'll be interested to see how disciplined and competent a rider you are on a few club runs.

Looks to me like a bunch of lame excuses from someone that likes to race to people that aren't actually racing but is shy when it comes to the real thing.

BTW most sportives are not on closed roads so TTs are a way to get time for a set distance on a set course. A proper standardised named numbered and measured course same conditions for everyone on the day. Of course there's no excuses and all the others are racing too. What's not to like for you?

Take your head for a shit you pompous twat. I already belong to a club and have raced at their meets and will be again later in the year although they are now 200miles away.

I don't want to have to join another RC and have it as my 1st claim to get a place and jump through hoops to do it. In addition, their races aren't graded on ability, it's all comers but vets/jnrs get a 4min head start.

Done TTs but it just doesn't do anything for me but I've been invited to try team TT which has more appeal.

S13SFC wrote:

oozaveared wrote:

S13SFC wrote:

oozaveared wrote:

If you want to race a bike why not man/woman up and join a club and do it properly.

Because around here there is no closed road racing. None. Zero. Zip. Nowt.

Some racing on some MoD land 6 times through the early summer but limited places, 50% of which are reserved for the local RC, 25% are invitation only and the rest spread between everyone else including vets and jnrs.

Despite belonging to a club I've yet to manage to get a spot and to join the local RC you must A) attend at least 5 club rides B) be sponsored by a member C) be seconded by a member D) voted in by the committee.

There's a very good reason why the club wants to see you ride extensively before they let you race alongside them. They have nice bikes too and want to keep them intact. That's why races are regulated and graded so that equal abilities compete and novices get a chance to learn the ropes before getting in at the deep end.

That's also why sportives are not races and shouldn't be treated as races because they are too mixed. Some people entered a charity ride on a shopping bike only to find that someone else thinks the number they are wearing means it's a full on race and that she's fair game for a close pass.

So yes if you want to race with people that want to race properly join a club. Clubs have rules. I doubt any club will stop someone joining that wants to and will find proposers and seconders within minutes and the committee will nod you through. Clubs like members they pay subs. Before you get involved in the cut and thrust of racing though they'll be interested to see how disciplined and competent a rider you are on a few club runs.

Looks to me like a bunch of lame excuses from someone that likes to race to people that aren't actually racing but is shy when it comes to the real thing.

BTW most sportives are not on closed roads so TTs are a way to get time for a set distance on a set course. A proper standardised named numbered and measured course same conditions for everyone on the day. Of course there's no excuses and all the others are racing too. What's not to like for you?

Take your head for a shit you pompous twat. I already belong to a club and have raced at their meets and will be again later in the year although they are now 200miles away.

I don't want to have to join another RC and have it as my 1st claim to get a place and jump through hoops to do it. In addition, their races aren't graded on ability, it's all comers but vets/jnrs get a 4min head start.

Done TTs but it just doesn't do anything for me but I've been invited to try team TT which has more appeal.

So you prefer events that you can win because most of the other participants aren't racing and are a mixture of kids, novices, people on a charity ride, leisure cyclists and everything in between on a variety of shopping bikes, hybrids, mtbs, tourers and recumbants, and you claim you're an "experienced" road racer.

That's what does it for you is it?

See someone about that won't you?

oozaveared wrote:

S13SFC wrote:

oozaveared wrote:

S13SFC wrote:

oozaveared wrote:

If you want to race a bike why not man/woman up and join a club and do it properly.

Because around here there is no closed road racing. None. Zero. Zip. Nowt.

Some racing on some MoD land 6 times through the early summer but limited places, 50% of which are reserved for the local RC, 25% are invitation only and the rest spread between everyone else including vets and jnrs.

Despite belonging to a club I've yet to manage to get a spot and to join the local RC you must A) attend at least 5 club rides B) be sponsored by a member C) be seconded by a member D) voted in by the committee.

There's a very good reason why the club wants to see you ride extensively before they let you race alongside them. They have nice bikes too and want to keep them intact. That's why races are regulated and graded so that equal abilities compete and novices get a chance to learn the ropes before getting in at the deep end.

That's also why sportives are not races and shouldn't be treated as races because they are too mixed. Some people entered a charity ride on a shopping bike only to find that someone else thinks the number they are wearing means it's a full on race and that she's fair game for a close pass.

So yes if you want to race with people that want to race properly join a club. Clubs have rules. I doubt any club will stop someone joining that wants to and will find proposers and seconders within minutes and the committee will nod you through. Clubs like members they pay subs. Before you get involved in the cut and thrust of racing though they'll be interested to see how disciplined and competent a rider you are on a few club runs.

Looks to me like a bunch of lame excuses from someone that likes to race to people that aren't actually racing but is shy when it comes to the real thing.

BTW most sportives are not on closed roads so TTs are a way to get time for a set distance on a set course. A proper standardised named numbered and measured course same conditions for everyone on the day. Of course there's no excuses and all the others are racing too. What's not to like for you?

Take your head for a shit you pompous twat. I already belong to a club and have raced at their meets and will be again later in the year although they are now 200miles away.

I don't want to have to join another RC and have it as my 1st claim to get a place and jump through hoops to do it. In addition, their races aren't graded on ability, it's all comers but vets/jnrs get a 4min head start.

Done TTs but it just doesn't do anything for me but I've been invited to try team TT which has more appeal.

So you prefer events that you can win because most of the other participants aren't racing and are a mixture of kids, novices, people on a charity ride, leisure cyclists and everything in between on a variety of shopping bikes, hybrids, mtbs, tourers and recumbants, and you claim you're an "experienced" road racer.

That's what does it for you is it?

See someone about that won't you?

You're certainly not the brightest bulb.

S13SFC wrote:

oozaveared wrote:

S13SFC wrote:

oozaveared wrote:

S13SFC wrote:

oozaveared wrote:

If you want to race a bike why not man/woman up and join a club and do it properly.

Because around here there is no closed road racing. None. Zero. Zip. Nowt.

Some racing on some MoD land 6 times through the early summer but limited places, 50% of which are reserved for the local RC, 25% are invitation only and the rest spread between everyone else including vets and jnrs.

Despite belonging to a club I've yet to manage to get a spot and to join the local RC you must A) attend at least 5 club rides B) be sponsored by a member C) be seconded by a member D) voted in by the committee.

There's a very good reason why the club wants to see you ride extensively before they let you race alongside them. They have nice bikes too and want to keep them intact. That's why races are regulated and graded so that equal abilities compete and novices get a chance to learn the ropes before getting in at the deep end.

That's also why sportives are not races and shouldn't be treated as races because they are too mixed. Some people entered a charity ride on a shopping bike only to find that someone else thinks the number they are wearing means it's a full on race and that she's fair game for a close pass.

So yes if you want to race with people that want to race properly join a club. Clubs have rules. I doubt any club will stop someone joining that wants to and will find proposers and seconders within minutes and the committee will nod you through. Clubs like members they pay subs. Before you get involved in the cut and thrust of racing though they'll be interested to see how disciplined and competent a rider you are on a few club runs.

Looks to me like a bunch of lame excuses from someone that likes to race to people that aren't actually racing but is shy when it comes to the real thing.

BTW most sportives are not on closed roads so TTs are a way to get time for a set distance on a set course. A proper standardised named numbered and measured course same conditions for everyone on the day. Of course there's no excuses and all the others are racing too. What's not to like for you?

Take your head for a shit you pompous twat. I already belong to a club and have raced at their meets and will be again later in the year although they are now 200miles away.

I don't want to have to join another RC and have it as my 1st claim to get a place and jump through hoops to do it. In addition, their races aren't graded on ability, it's all comers but vets/jnrs get a 4min head start.

Done TTs but it just doesn't do anything for me but I've been invited to try team TT which has more appeal.

So you prefer events that you can win because most of the other participants aren't racing and are a mixture of kids, novices, people on a charity ride, leisure cyclists and everything in between on a variety of shopping bikes, hybrids, mtbs, tourers and recumbants, and you claim you're an "experienced" road racer.

That's what does it for you is it?

See someone about that won't you?

You're certainly not the brightest bulb.

Pride my friend, there's no substitute for it. Even some violent criminals have enough of it to regard it as beneath them to knock over a granny and steal her purse. Though I agree that some would take pride in the fact that it was complete walkover and they came out on top.

oozaveared wrote:

S13SFC wrote:

oozaveared wrote:

S13SFC wrote:

oozaveared wrote:

If you want to race a bike why not man/woman up and join a club and do it properly.

Because around here there is no closed road racing. None. Zero. Zip. Nowt.

Some racing on some MoD land 6 times through the early summer but limited places, 50% of which are reserved for the local RC, 25% are invitation only and the rest spread between everyone else including vets and jnrs.

Despite belonging to a club I've yet to manage to get a spot and to join the local RC you must A) attend at least 5 club rides B) be sponsored by a member C) be seconded by a member D) voted in by the committee.

There's a very good reason why the club wants to see you ride extensively before they let you race alongside them. They have nice bikes too and want to keep them intact. That's why races are regulated and graded so that equal abilities compete and novices get a chance to learn the ropes before getting in at the deep end.

That's also why sportives are not races and shouldn't be treated as races because they are too mixed. Some people entered a charity ride on a shopping bike only to find that someone else thinks the number they are wearing means it's a full on race and that she's fair game for a close pass.

So yes if you want to race with people that want to race properly join a club. Clubs have rules. I doubt any club will stop someone joining that wants to and will find proposers and seconders within minutes and the committee will nod you through. Clubs like members they pay subs. Before you get involved in the cut and thrust of racing though they'll be interested to see how disciplined and competent a rider you are on a few club runs.

Looks to me like a bunch of lame excuses from someone that likes to race to people that aren't actually racing but is shy when it comes to the real thing.

BTW most sportives are not on closed roads so TTs are a way to get time for a set distance on a set course. A proper standardised named numbered and measured course same conditions for everyone on the day. Of course there's no excuses and all the others are racing too. What's not to like for you?

Take your head for a shit you pompous twat. I already belong to a club and have raced at their meets and will be again later in the year although they are now 200miles away.

I don't want to have to join another RC and have it as my 1st claim to get a place and jump through hoops to do it. In addition, their races aren't graded on ability, it's all comers but vets/jnrs get a 4min head start.

Done TTs but it just doesn't do anything for me but I've been invited to try team TT which has more appeal.

So you prefer events that you can win because most of the other participants aren't racing and are a mixture of kids, novices, people on a charity ride, leisure cyclists and everything in between on a variety of shopping bikes, hybrids, mtbs, tourers and recumbants, and you claim you're an "experienced" road racer.

That's what does it for you is it?

See someone about that won't you?

You're certainly not the brightest bulb.

oozaveared wrote:

Ride London aside I am in two minds about sportives. It's great that people want to be out on their bikes and people do like the sportive format. On the other hand its a "for profit" cycle event the proponderence of which in Surrey has got the council speaking of regulating all such events including the trad club run. It would probably be better if people joined their local cycling club and the money used to organise rides that way and then at least the money would stay in the sport not get siphoned off by carpetbaggers that may or may not be involved in the sport but are involved in making a profit.

What's wrong with people making a profit from cycling? My LBS makes a profit ... at least I hope it does because I want it to be there next year and the year after that. Bike component manufacturers make a profit too, as do the makers of all those dodgy "sports specific nutrition", etc, etc. Profits enable R&D and make tomorrow's products even better and usually cheaper too.

Sportives are an 'event' and the organising of events is a notoriously risky venture. A lot of work needs to be done (and money put up front) well before they see a return. If the paying public makes the event a success then the organisers are entitled to make a profit. I'm not interested in sportives myself but I applaud the organisers of them who have certainly contributed to making cycling more popular in the UK.

Joeinpoole wrote:

oozaveared wrote:

Ride London aside I am in two minds about sportives. It's great that people want to be out on their bikes and people do like the sportive format. On the other hand its a "for profit" cycle event the proponderence of which in Surrey has got the council speaking of regulating all such events including the trad club run. It would probably be better if people joined their local cycling club and the money used to organise rides that way and then at least the money would stay in the sport not get siphoned off by carpetbaggers that may or may not be involved in the sport but are involved in making a profit.

What's wrong with people making a profit from cycling? My LBS makes a profit ... at least I hope it does because I want it to be there next year and the year after that. Bike component manufacturers make a profit too, as do the makers of all those dodgy "sports specific nutrition", etc, etc. Profits enable R&D and make tomorrow's products even better and usually cheaper too.

Sportives are an 'event' and the organising of events is a notoriously risky venture. A lot of work needs to be done (and money put up front) well before they see a return. If the paying public makes the event a success then the organisers are entitled to make a profit. I'm not interested in sportives myself but I applaud the organisers of them who have certainly contributed to making cycling more popular in the UK.

I didn't say there was anything wrong in making a profit. I certainly do and that's how the world of business goes round. No my friend, profit is good. But "for profit" organisations are in for the profit, not for the sport of cycling and are not regulated by the sport. They may even bring unwarranted consequences for the sport. So what I did say was that I had reservations that they were an unalloyed good in their current form. A large increase in their number and in very specific places and their lack of coordination has had the effect in some places of placing the normal cycling activities of clubs in some jeopardy. When two large sportives (London Cycle Sportive went the opposite direction to the Capital to Coast event) both arrived at one piece of road near Box Hill totally unbeknownst to each other that causes a problem for other road users and that leads to calls for regulation and that in turn has meant that there are in Surrey calls for your run of the mill club runs and any cycling group to get permission for a specific route at a scheduled time. That's not been necessary before.

Whether sportives are responsible for the increased popularity of cycling or are a taking advantage of it is rather moot. I don't mind people making a profit at all. But if their private profit is based on over using the more popular roads and areas and in an uncoordinated fashion and spoiling the situation for cycling clubs then I don't think it's necessarily a cause for celebration. I'd prefer British cycling to regulate it frankly and get sportives to spread more widely not just on the currently fashionable roads. I'd also like provide a route from sportives into club riding. And I'd like to see the money spent by cyclists on events stay mainly within the sport for the most part.

That's a bit more nuanced than simply assuming I had an animus to profit. (which I don't btw)

bikeboy76 wrote:

Sportives ARE races, they are a mass time trial event open to the public, there are always going to be people trying to go as fast as possible including me. This is what is so attractive about closed road events. I am sick of hearing this 'its not a race' rubbish.

Sorry chap, but it really isn't a race and it most definitely isn't a time trial. Some participants may TREAT it like a race, and that's fine (safety issues notwithstanding). There are so many external variables that your time, while representative of how long it took you to get from A to B (or back to A) cannot be treated the same way as if you entered a race.

Yes, it can be a challenge and it's up to each individual to decide what taking part means to them. If Joe Slow and his wife/mate/colleague want to pootle round on a tandem or town bikes, stopping to admire the view in places, have a snack and chat on a pub bench they are still taking part in the same event as the couple who got married, the chap on a Boris Bike and the keen ones with expensive race bikes & deep section wheels who tag onto a fast group doing through-and-off and go Strava segment-hunting on the climbs.

Before you take offence, consider that I am not denigrating either the event or the way you wish to approach it. Sportives, charity rides, audax events, road races and time trials all have a place on the cycling spectrum. None is better than the others. The fact that people of hugely varying abilities can ride the same event at the same time is one of the great things about it. It is quite incredible that 20,000 people rode round on a filthy morning.

Simon E wrote:

Yes, it can be a challenge and it's up to each individual to decide what taking part means to them. If Joe Slow and his wife/mate/colleague want to pootle round on a tandem or town bikes, stopping to admire the view in places, have a snack and chat on a pub bench they are still taking part in the same event as the couple who got married, the chap on a Boris Bike and the keen ones with expensive race bikes & deep section wheels who tag onto a fast group doing through-and-off and go Strava segment-hunting on the climbs.

These are worthy examples of how sportives offer something for a wide range of cyclists but they don't actually demonstrate your view that sportives are not races. At most mass-participation running races (like marathons) you will see people in silly costumes and often ramblers, who intend only to walk the course. These folks don't have any intention of winning; they may not care whatsoever about their finishing time. Nonetheless they are participating in a race.

Most folks who enter any type of cycle race have no designs on actually winning. They want to challenge themselves and put in a good performance. For some this might mean completing the course, for others it might mean acheiving a time in the top 10%. It's no different from a TT; everyone has their own ambitions. Sportives are a type of race that offers this on a mass scale.

mudshark wrote:

First puncture I saw was about 1 mile after the start!

Thats as far as I got before I got mine.

I didn't mind the wet, or the wind, for me the final straw was the open sewer pumping overflowing human waste into a massive puddle of sh*t which I rode through.... yuck......

spin sugar wrote:

One more from me (probably...): know it happens all the time but was quite disappointed with the amount of discarded gel packets etc on the roads. Come ON, people. It's still littering, you know.

But it's an essential part of "looking pro"

Glad you got round OK bikeboy76, I guess you have 'unfinished business' with this ride. As for it being "brutal" I guess it's all relative, but it was quite warm. Would have been a different story if the temperatures had been 10º lower and a bitter wind blowing rain in your face on the return leg.

spin sugar wrote:

One more from me (probably...): know it happens all the time but was quite disappointed with the amount of discarded gel packets etc on the roads. Come ON, people. It's still littering, you know.

I was disgusted by that - a few here and there for most of the route, you could say that of 10,000 people (I was about halfway through the times) occasionally someone will drop one. But after the point towards the end - leaving Kingston I think - where volunteers were holding them out, the road was completely littered. Shameful.

I did notice that the same part of the road was clear when the pros came through though, so at least the event organised sweepers.

edit: don't know what everyone else does, but I just slipped my empties inside my jersey. I figured that as I was soaking wet anyway, getting a bit sticky wouldn't make any odds.

Gizmo_ wrote:

Have to ask though - is it normal for wet sportives to be completely littered with punctures? I didn't get one, thankfully, but saw soooo many.

Punctures are more common in the wet. I subscribe to the therory that its because a wet tyre picks up grit/flint/glass etc. which you then roll over mulitple times, rather than just once in dry conditions. The water also acts as a lubricant. it's easier for a sharp wet thing to get through your tyre than a sharp dry thing.