Advice for newbies to sportives

[Sellyb]

I have entered my first more serious sportive, and I was wondering if someone could give me some advice for the day. These may sound like real novice questions, but I like to be prepared.
a) How do the timing chips work assuming that's what people are usually given? Do you just wear them around your neck and they beep on and off at the start and finish, or is manual intervention required?
b) How does a woman usually answer the call of nature if travelling on the bike alone e.g. where to leave the bike at feed station (if that's where the loo is)? Maybe it's possible with the exercise that a call of nature is not always required? Please don't laugh, women worry about these things! :-)
c) Re feed stations, I'm guessing you have to pay for food, or not? Can you fill up your fluids here too? d) Also to complete in a good time, do people not usually stop at all the feed stations?
If there is any other etiquette to note, this would be appreciated e.g over-taking, joining group correctly etc.
Thank you in anticipation. For info if it helps, I'm aiming for 65 miles to begin with, which is probably peanuts to a lot of you, but I only took up cycling again in March, so hopefully one day I will be up for the challenge of more.

 

[DCLane]

To answer from my (limited) experience; an Evans Ride It! and the Cheshire Cat plus a local one:

a) It usually straps round your ankle. That's if it's not a stick-on one a la Cheshire Cat
b) If the feed stations have loos then the map/plan will show it. Alternatively, a Shewee?
c) The food at the feed stations is usually free along with fluids. Stopping at the feed station is your choice; I do stop at some, but only briefly.

Which sportive is it? Then someone who's done this could comment specifically.

 

[Sellyb]

It's the Tour de Weald, Burgess Hill on 17/6, thank you for your help.

 

[Scilly Suffolk]

Download this training guide, there's some useful general advice as well as a training plan.

a) You just need to wear it/attach it to the bike.
b) There will be plenty of people around, so you needn't worry about your bike being pinched; I do find that the call of nature does tend to coincide with the opportunity, i.e. I'm rarely caught short in the middle of nowhere.
c) There is no hard and fast rule, but sportives usually include food & drink: contact the organiser for a definitive answer.
d) It's not compulsory to stop just because there is a feed station, it's entirely up to you and your requirements. I would concentrate on finishing rather than what your time is.

As for etiquette, just use your common sense: be aware of who is around you and don't make sudden manoeuvres. Call out if you are joining the back of a group or overtaking a large one. The usual rules of the road still apply.

 

[the_mikey]

a) Most of the time the timing chip is either attached to the bike, sometimes it's like a sticky label that sticks to the side of your helmet, I've also once had a wrist band, and on another occasion it went around my ankle.

b) I usually use the loos at the start and don't often need to go again, I will be caught out one day.

c) The feed station usually comes as part of the sportive, so there's no money changing hands on the day, but some feed stations are better than others. The best feed stations have had tea, sandwiches, cake, biscuits, fruit. The worst just a barrel of mystery drink that you put into your bottle, although this has only happened once. I make sure I carry some food that I'm familiar with.

 

[MattHB]

The wiggle sportive that I rode last weekend had timing transponders that were simply a sticker on your helmet.

After doing my first, my tips would be to ride your own ride, don't get caught up trying to keep up with 'faster' riders. There were lots of 'faster' riders on my ride on the side of the road after 30 miles.

Study the route before hand, work out where the big climbs are and rest before hand on the bike if you can. If you find yourself in a tailwind having an easy time don't try to race away, use it to recover as chances are it'll turn into a headwind not far along the route.

Over all though, have a lot of fun can be good to talk to people as you go too! Makes the miles less work for some reason.

Also, don't stop too long, and don't eat too much when you do. I took gels which I used, stopped once at a feed station and had a bit of cake and a banana just for something in my stomach.

 

[Sellyb]

Thanks guys this really helps.

 

[BrumJim]

I'd say take advantage of feed stations, if only to cram a banana down your throat and top up the water bottle, particularly if it is a hot day. You will probably use up something like twice the water in the second half compared to the first. Which probably indicates that you didn't hydrate enough in the first half.

Don't worry about leaving your bike unattended. In a Sportive the chances are that there are many more tasty bikes than yours around.

Take some jelly babies in a pocket to nibble on the way round.

 

[Peteaud]

Really good topic this as i have been looking a longer rides and maybe a sportive.

 

[tiswas-steve]

Jelly babies are a def, for me they work perfectly for that little sugar boost. Timing chips normally once they are attached to you or the bike automatically log ur start and finish.As for the road rules it's just common sense, best bit of advice I've ever been given is whenever ur overtaking/avoiding a pothole is simply look twice over ur appropriate shoulder before doing ur manouve.

65 miles nice distance for ur first sportive .... Good luck Selly

 

[PaulSecteur]

If you are not used to doing the distance in one go then certinly stop at each feed station, even if you dont feel like it at the time. Once you have done a few and built up your mileage and knowledge you can make a judgement call on stopping or not, but for the first ones then definalty stop.

Also, always smile when going up the steep hills. Not only is it good for the soul, but thats where the photographers usually are. You dont want to be gurning when you show your friends the photos!

 

[Scilly Suffolk]

Also, always smile when going up the steep hills. Not only is it good for the soul, but thats where the photographers usually are. You dont want to be gurning when you show your friends the photos!

That's good advice!

 

[CopperCyclist]

Useful thread - I'm doing my first sportive soon on the 27th May! Looking forward to it, just hoping I'll have a road bike by then if not the cyclocross should do the trick!

 

[Marky-boy]

Really good advice here, thanks for bring it up. I,m in the same situation, doing a 50 mile charity ride in 4 weeks then the 65 mile Wiggle Wight in July so thanks for the good advice and good luck to Selly !!!

 

[Sellyb]

I'm glad there are others in the same boat as me. Thanks Marky, and I wish you all the best too!