First Sportive and Flapping

[Bluebell72]

Hello All,

It's just 7 weeks to my first Sportive and I am a bag of nerves and excitedness.
Not about the distance or route, as I know the area where I'm going to be riding from childhood.

I've been looking at cycling tutorials on YouTube, and advice on another board about cycling etiquette when in a big event.
I'm flapping that I'm going to knock someone off by overtaking in the wrong position - there are photos of riders pointing behind to indicate a turn in the route/potholes, stories of people 'riding on the wheel' and injuring others. I don't want that to be me.

How do I overtake?

How do I signal that I'm stopping?

Should I take a lock with me (heavy and annoying) or do people just lean their bike against something at the start and finish, while they're getting registered/toilets/drinks etc, and is it safe?

Sorry if all this seems trivial, but I don't want to do the wrong things and be dangerous, or not have something obvious with me.
Thankyou!

 

[ColinJ]

Assume that everyone else will do the unpredictable, and make sure that you don't!

Some riders will stop suddenly, or pull in/out without looking.

If you stand up on a climb, your bike will slow down suddenly so if you have someone just behind you - watch out, and don't get right behind anybody else on a hill for the same reason.

Usually, riders get spread out on the road pretty quickly unless it is a huge event with thousands of riders like London-Brighton or Manchester-Blackpool.

Don't rely on other people to tell you when it is safe. Idiots jump red lights on busy roads, and dive for tiny gaps in traffic. Let them risk their own lives, you look after your own!

It definitely is a good idea to point out significant problems such as potholes and glass.

I wonder about locks too. Ideally, you'd ride with at least one other person so you could take it in turns to watch the bikes. If you are alone, it might be safer to take a lock.

Make sure you eat and drink enough. Getting light-headed halfway through the event from hunger or thirst affects your judgement and enjoyment.

Don't go flat out early on, or you'll pay later. You can always speed up in the second half if you still feel frisky.

Don't take the event too seriously. It's supposed to be fun!

 

[kennyb]

Excerlent advice there...

 

[Bluebell72]

Ok, thankyou.

At the event I am going to, riders can start between 8 and 9am, which i hope will make it less of a mash up, as at marathons and halves, there is such a crowd, and people are coralled into 1 hour, sub 1 hour etc, when the starter gun goes, people are just shuffling forwards for ages, (most nervous time!) and that's when there can be a bit of pushing and shoving (accidental) but it would be much worse on a bike.

 

[zacklaws]

Regarding your lock problem, the two ways I do it is, either leave your bike in the car, register, cup of tea etc, and then leisurely go back to your car and get ready, and then on to the start line.

or:-

Take a lock with you, lock your bike up as usual, then when you are ready to ride, just fasten your lock round a lamp post, railings or cycle stand or anything available and leave it, that way you only need to carry the key, then when you return, just find your lock and jobs done.If anyone was to nick your lock, then it was not much use anyway

 

[vorsprung]

How do I signal that I'm stopping?

Shout "Stopping!". Try and give people a few seconds to react if possible.

 

[BrumJim]

Did my second Sportive last weekend.

Not quite as scary as it may seem. I have never taken a lock, but there again, my bike isn't exactly the poshest in the paddock - aluminium Specialized Allez, so not BSO either.

Don't ride too close on someone's left or right, give yourself as much room as you need, and careful with the wheel overlaps - don't ride just to the side and slightly in front of the rear wheel of the person ahead.

You'll pick up how to point out potholes and hazards to L or R as you ride along. There is a shout of "Car Up" or "Car Down" if there as a car approaching from behind or ahead. Not many people are too sure which is which, but if the person at the back shouts, then it is likely to be from behind, and vice-versa.

Enjoy yourself. There will be a group to keep you company for large parts of the course, but don't worry if you find yourself on your own for a while. Some riders are more sociable than others.

Don't pass any opportunity to fuel with food and water. If you don't, you'll feel it later. Keep jelly babies in your pockets for small energy boosts.

And as above, don't start too fast. I think rule of thumb is don't push it too hard for the first 5 minutes (or is it 5 miles?). It will seem very slow to start with, but good times are not found at the start.

 

[paraffinlamps]

Depending on the sportive, the start will be nothing like a running race start .I`ve done a few sportives,including Bike Blenheim ,and none have had the congestion you find at a running race start .You will find that most of the riders set of in groups between the start times .Best thing is to wait until you see a group going and tag on with them if you are on your own .Don`t worry too much about the mysterious hand signals ,you will soon pick them up.

 

[Bluebell72]

Thankyou, sound advice as always...especially about the lock.

It wouldn't be the best start to nip to the registration desk and come back to find a seat post and no saddle!

 

[vorsprung]

You'll pick up how to point out potholes and hazards to L or R as you ride along. There is a shout of "Car Up" or "Car Down" if there as a car approaching from behind or ahead. Not many people are too sure which is which, but if the person at the back shouts, then it is likely to be from behind, and vice-versa.

Car up is behind
Car down is ahead

 

[Camgreen]

Just being nosey here Bluebell, but which Sportive are you planning to do?

 

[lukesdad]

One tip make sure you re on the right chainring for a climb when you ve someone behind you. Dropping a chainring on a climb could have someone following you hitting you re back wheel. Happens all the time on our club runs

 

[Tynan]

eat and drink a little at regular intervals, less is more

I wouldn't bother with a lock, on every ride I've ever done, any stop is either seething with other riders/bikes or so bloody remote and middle of nowhere that it's fine, it not liek you're going that far for that long, a lock is dead weight imho

riding with other people of the same pace makes things massively easier, especially someone to chat with

make sure the bike is sound, brakes/tyres/gears all good, spare tube(s)/pump/multi tool

 

[Bluebell72]

Just being nosey here Bluebell, but which Sportive are you planning to do?

Ladies only at Leeds (Otley) in June 80km, to get me ready for the Beverley Big G 100km in July.

 

[Banjo]

I did my first sportive last year and it was a mass start several hundred all setting off down the same country road together.

I had the same worries as you but it all turned out ok. just pootle along in the group until it spreads out a bit then its your choice wether to join in a group or plod along on your own.

On steep uphills you wont benefit from being close to other riders so try and get yourself a bit of space. The first big hill seems to spread everyone out anyway.On the flat you can benefit a lot from riding in a group,give it a go if your not happy just let them go. Good Luck