Best value British Sportives

[jimboalee]

Earlier, Philip Whiteman posted a message about 'The Mad March Hare' Sportive. It enthused me so I went on the website to enter.

My question to Philip was implying "Will it be a pseudo race between local clubs?" My immediate thoughts of the event.

I now realise it probably will be. A season opener for club riders who will be competing in pukka races later in the year.

The 300 places have been filled with five months remaining.

The organisers would not ask the entrant "Do you race for a club? In which case, Sportives are aimed at non cycle club members who would like to ride against the clock".

Nah, they grab the money.


Yours faithfully,

Disgruntled.

 

[jimboalee]

At least its only identity theft, "Threelinesbrian" i'm suffering name abuse i ain't no snorter.

Apparently, I'm now jamboalee.


Could I ask a couple of questions about Sportives?

What is the purpose of a Sportive?
What are the moral and ethical responsibilities of a Sportive organiser?

 

[PpPete]

Not a Sportive, nor an Audax, but I'm hoping Chris Walker Challenge runs again this year.

• Stunning Scenery (arguably best in England)
• Choice of way-marked routes (long one is like a slightly cut-down Fred Whitton)
• Friendly low-key organisation
• Food stops Audax-style rather than Sportive (tea, bananas, cake - not a gel in sight)
• Broom wagon (which was happy to wait around however slow you were)

Entry fee last year £0 - bucket on line for donations to Chris Walker Trust

 

[Jerry Atrik]

The purpose of a sportive ? Horses for courses . For me , someone who hadnt ridden for 30 years and was at rock bottom at the begining of the year . Someone got me a bike for motivational purposes and i reluctantly began to ride it . I then noticed the Dartmoor Classic in my local paper and decided to enter it . On getting the course details i decided to try and climb up Tremblebeare Down on my first training session and must of stopped at least 10 times and vommited twice , but persevered . I finished the event in just over 6 hours and have entered again for next year but my point being its not all about value or times or goody bags . I would have paid the earth to feel how i did when i crossed the finish line on that day and since then i have done a c2c , 2 mini tours and now seen my local moors over 4 seasons from a bike . Priceless ..

 

[jimboalee]

The purpose of a sportive ? Horses for courses . For me , someone who hadnt ridden for 30 years and was at rock bottom at the begining of the year . Someone got me a bike for motivational purposes and i reluctantly began to ride it . I then noticed the Dartmoor Classic in my local paper and decided to enter it . On getting the course details i decided to try and climb up Tremblebeare Down on my first training session and must of stopped at least 10 times and vommited twice , but persevered . I finished the event in just over 6 hours and have entered again for next year but my point being its not all about value or times or goody bags . I would have paid the earth to feel how i did when i crossed the finish line on that day and since then i have done a c2c , 2 mini tours and now seen my local moors over 4 seasons from a bike . Priceless ..

You have answered my question almost perfectly.

A sportive is an opportunity for a novice, newbie or a cyclist who is NOT a competitive member of a cycle club to get the challenge and feel of riding a bike in a pack of riders against the clock.

My frustration yesterday was born by the 'ultra quick' filling of the Mad March Hare. My suspicions were that the entrants are 'friends and club colleagues' of the organisers, who got the information about the ride months before the first day of on-line entry.



This one I would like to shame, as it appears to me to reek of 'insider information'.


I would bet some money ( the entry fee ) that most of the riders signed up to the Mad March Hare are competitive club riders from local clubs, aiming to use the event as a reliability trial.



This brings my second question to bear. The moral responsibility of the organiser.

They are the people who decide who rides and who doesn't. They have ( I am sure ) given warning to their muckers to 'get in early' or "we will have proles on old tatty bikes with us."

 

[Philip Whiteman]

My question to Philip was implying "Will it be a pseudo race between local clubs?" My immediate thoughts of the event.

I now realise it probably will be. A season opener for club riders who will be competing in pukka races later in the year.

Not at all. The Comic published a review last year that is worth reading:
https://www.cultraci...ticle_page1.jpg

There are a lot of members from the various local clubs but that is only to be expected in an area where there is high degree of club activey. They can frequently be seen at local sportives and audaxes but I never recall those events being treated as races. Any self respecting racing cyclists will gain their reputation via timed and leagued BC/LVRC events and not via the half-baked timing systems provided by sportives. The nearest they may come to racing on a sportive is treat the event as a reliability ride, which is quite probable in March and only limited to a couple of dozen individuals.

The riders I saw on the MMH treat it as a good early season ride and not a race. It was more of an audax with nobs on (not to be misquoted!).

Rather like you, I have missed the entry for 2011 too . But that is okay, I want to ride at least three randonees that month in any case.

 

[jimboalee]

Not at all. The Comic published a review last year that is worth reading:
https://www.cultraci...ticle_page1.jpg

There are a lot of members from the various local clubs but that is only to be expected in an area where there is high degree of club activey. They can frequently be seen at local sportives and audaxes but I never recall those events being treated as races. Any self respecting racing cyclists will gain their reputation via timed and leagued BC/LVRC events and not via the half-baked timing systems provided by sportives. The nearest they may come to racing on a sportive is treat the event as a reliability ride, which is quite probable in March and only limited to a couple of dozen individuals.

The riders I saw on the MMH treat it as a good early season ride and not a race. It was more of an audax with nobs on (not to be misquoted!).

Rather like you, I have missed the entry for 2011 too . But that is okay, I want to ride at least three randonees that month in any case.

At a guess.... Mr Pickwick's, Cheltenham Flyer and The Cambrian.

Good luck for the Cambrian, weather wise. AA4 ????

 

[Garz]

You have answered my question almost perfectly.

A sportive is an opportunity for a novice, newbie or a cyclist who is NOT a competitive member of a cycle club to get the challenge and feel of riding a bike in a pack of riders against the clock.

My frustration yesterday was born by the 'ultra quick' filling of the Mad March Hare. My suspicions were that the entrants are 'friends and club colleagues' of the organisers, who got the information about the ride months before the first day of on-line entry.



This one I would like to shame, as it appears to me to reek of 'insider information'.


I would bet some money ( the entry fee ) that most of the riders signed up to the Mad March Hare are competitive club riders from local clubs, aiming to use the event as a reliability trial.

Some of your posts are Jimmer-Jabber, but this is quite a sound observation. Whilst I have no problem with club riders doing the sportives, it kind of mars the event to an extent where your novice rider or person aiming to get into cycling could be seeing them as overbearing.

 

[Will1985]

My frustration yesterday was born by the 'ultra quick' filling of the Mad March Hare. My suspicions were that the entrants are 'friends and club colleagues' of the organisers, who got the information about the ride months before the first day of on-line entry.

You would have known about it earlier if you followed the facebook and twitter feeds. The fact is that many people who rode it this year want to ride next year. FWIW I think that the 2010 route was more challenging than 2011.

The speed at which the places filled up is testament to the experience that people had. It works because of the small numbers and simple organisation.


By the way, 1h30 for the No 11...? That would be extremely bad luck at traffic lights and with punctures surely.

 

[jimboalee]

Garz.
By throwing in 'Jimmer-jabber', it brings out the best in the others, like yourself.

Will.
1hr 30 round the No. 11. Been done. Needs some lightning acceleration and good hills speed. I would rather think of it as 'fartlek on a bike'.

 

[Will1985]

I've done it plenty of times - best being 1h04, slowest being 1h12 - very good training course. All Sunday mornings - any other time is stupid these days.

 

[jimboalee]

I've done it plenty of times - best being 1h04, slowest being 1h12 - very good training course. All Sunday mornings - any other time is stupid these days.

Oh come on???? Any idiot can get round in those times on a SUNDAY MORNING,,,,

All the Brummies are still drunk in bed. There's no-one out except the Vicar going to unlock the chapel.

Go round on Friday Afternoon when the locals are shopping.

That's when I most enjoy the ride.

 

[jimboalee]

For the exorbitant price of £0.00, members of CycleChat are invited to ride the “Jimbo’s No. 11” one Sunday next summer.



I am prepared to sit around with a clipboard and stopwatch for 2 ½ hours in the sunshine while my friends whack their hearts out.



Headquarters will be at Clay Lane Crematorium. The entrance is at the junction of Stockfield Road and Yardley Road.



Unfortunately, there will not be any food, but the headquarters can provide a nice hot shower.

 

[Philip Whiteman]

Done.

Is it the compulsory Solihull vs Beacon vs Halesowen vs Wolves vs Bromsgrove vs Evesham vs Red Kite ?

Do any Concorde and Glendale riders turn up?

There will be a team of one Palo Alto ( Western Wheelers ) rider there next year.

After reading the entry list, I now see what you are getting at! It does read like an inter club race. In terms of the Beacon, all I can say is that the entrants concerned are not likely to be racing around the route. They will treat it as a club ride.

 

[andy_wrx]

My frustration yesterday was born by the 'ultra quick' filling of the Mad March Hare. My suspicions were that the entrants are 'friends and club colleagues' of the organisers, who got the information about the ride months before the first day of on-line entry.

This one I would like to shame, as it appears to me to reek of 'insider information'.

I would bet some money ( the entry fee ) that most of the riders signed up to the Mad March Hare are competitive club riders from local clubs, aiming to use the event as a reliability trial.

This brings my second question to bear. The moral responsibility of the organiser.

They are the people who decide who rides and who doesn't. They have ( I am sure ) given warning to their muckers to 'get in early' or "we will have proles on old tatty bikes with us."

The 'organiser's mates' are obviously the entire readership of the BikeRadar forum, where he posted-up on 17th October that the website was up and open for entries, then on 24th & 26th Oct saying it was getting full so get in there quick.
http://www.bikeradar....php?t=12736341

He's now saying that whilst it's full he's trying to organise extra parking and will reopen for more entries if he can manage it.