Sportive "races"

[Baggy]

I'm pretty new to this but I've found some old footy mates who I discovered do a bit of cycling so I'm giving up the sportive thing for the time being as I enjoy going out with them and on me todd.

Susan Hall beat your time, didn't she?

 

[JonnyBlade]

How can you race it if it's a sportive ? (you just think your racing

Same in audax. Its a audax. Not a race.


Difference between audax and sportive though, audax has competitiveness with club affiliation.

Sportives serve no purpose as they don't have any club affiliation only profit from private organisations unlike club TT and audax

What's in a name? If a marathon is classed as a race why do some walk? You can race against the clock it's as simple as that. The time is only important, or not, to the individual rider.
I don't suppose you are one of those club snobs I've heard about are you Only joking

but I do believe you can make any bike ride into whatever you wish. The club scene is not for everyone. In my running days I raced often to a decent standard although I resisted joining running clubs because I felt it removed my spontaneous outlook. I still spent many days and nights racing against the clock.

 

[Little yellow Brompton]

I play team squash and in the league we play in is almost exclusively blokes. Very occasionally the other team has a female in their team. No-one wants to play the girl - if they do, and lose, they're walking home and will have the piss taken out of them forever.

Invariably these ladies are very competitive and in squash you may know about lets and strokes etc and the ladies really do push the boundaries of fair play. The aim when you play them is to beat them, but do it "nicely". In the 5 years I've been playing competitively I've only played a girl once - I won thank God but it's customary for the loser to buy the winner a drink. Anyway, she was in her early 20's and a big shot in regional female squash circles - didn't take kindly to being whipped by a middle aged crap squash keep fit fanatic and my tactic of keeping the rallies going forever pissed her right off. She saw her arse and buzzed off without getting me a drink ( but I did get a lift home

)

Women, without exception are not gentlemen!

 

[YahudaMoon]

This is my favourite thread at the moment

 

[YahudaMoon]

What's in a name? If a marathon is classed as a race why do some walk? You can race against the clock it's as simple as that. The time is only important, or not, to the individual rider.
I don't suppose you are one of those club snobs I've heard about are you Only joking

but I do believe you can make any bike ride into whatever you wish. The club scene is not for everyone. In my running days I raced often to a decent standard although I resisted joining running clubs because I felt it removed my spontaneous outlook. I still spent many days and nights racing against the clock.

Yes I am LOL

 

[brokenflipflop]

[QUOTE 1603693"]
Yeah, and at the same time don't spout a load of Lord of the Rings bollox as you did with me 'For Sale' thread regarding my Ultegra chainset.

People thought they were dealing with some nutjob with a life size cut out of Tolkien in their living room who masturbates in a Smegel outfit. As a result you scared away any prospective buyers, and the chainset still has not been sold and I'm pissed off to say the least.
[/quote]

That was Goldmember, not Smegel.

How does itssshhhh Gooooold scare away prospective buyers ?

If the people on here get their knickers in a twist when I say the word "bird" then I'm pretty sure they would ignore me when I come out with itsshhhh goooold. Face it dude, noone wants a gold chainset

And before anyone googles a posh descriptive word that describes someone who makes fun of gold chainsets then don't, because I actually like gold chainsets.

 

[John the Monkey]

If the people on here get their knickers in a twist when I say the word "bird" then I'm pretty sure they would ignore me when I come out with itsshhhh goooold. Face it dude, noone wants a gold chainset

I don't think I have trouble with my underwear when I hear it, it's more that I briefly think I'm in the 1970s again, possibly dressed in brown velour.

Like a less stylish Sam Tyler, or something. "Am I mad? Dreaming? Or just in one of Brokenflipflops threads?"

 

[VamP]

OK, here's a question for you all: How many sportive riders don't check where they ended up in the timesheets? Not many I would wager. It is definitely a 'competition' and I do not believe anyone who signs up to a sportive approaches it just as they would a Sunday bimble. Otherwise why pay ££?

I don't have a problem with sportives BTW. I have done a few myself, and am sure to do more in the future. And I totally set myself a goal for the time I want to ride them in.

But I think that racing is easy enough to get into, and more people should try it. It's a more 'real', more grassroots kind of an activity, and one which is core to the sport of cycling. And a lot of fun

 

[VamP]

I think you're correct in that they do promote a race atmosphere. The difference though in ability between sportivs and road races is apparent. I do wonder sometimes why some can't leave others be? If you want to 'race' it then why not. It's up to the rider as to whether you make it a 'race' or not. A sportiv is surely there for all to do whatever they please?If I pay my money it's up to me how I tackle the ride. I can either bimble along with the masses or 'race' against the clock.
For me, all that's important is for rides to continue to attend these events no matter how you plan to ride it. Makes a nice change from hours of solo miles IMO

Yep. Can't disagree with any of that.

 

[VamP]

But it is. You have to be a member of a club and a member of British cycling and you have to know your category and if you're female I really don't know what you have to do.

A sportive you can turn up and do. No club membership, no categories, no complications.

You don't have to be a member of a club, you can be unattached. Cyclocross races you can just turn up and get a day licence, same with many time trials. If you join BC you automatically become Cat 4. Easy. If you are female - dunno, I'm not

 

[John the Monkey]

OK, here's a question for you all: How many sportive riders don't check where they ended up in the timesheets? Not many I would wager. It is definitely a 'competition' and I do not believe anyone who signs up to a sportive approaches it just as they would a Sunday bimble. Otherwise why pay ££?

I didn't for last year's Tour Ride - I had my bike computer on, so I knew what time I'd ridden. Why ride it? Well, different routes to my normal ones, and decent signposting, so no need to focus on navigation as well.

We had a look this time around, just to see if we'd spent less time chatting at the feeds (we had - RESULT!)

But I think that racing is easy enough to get into, and more people should try it. It's a more 'real', more grassroots kind of an activity, and one which is core to the sport of cycling. And a lot of fun

Not my bag, personally.

 

[lukesdad]

How can you race it if it's a sportive ? (you just think your racing

Same in audax. Its a audax. Not a race.


Difference between audax and sportive though, audax has competitiveness with club affiliation.

Sportives serve no purpose as they don't have any club affiliation only profit from private organisations unlike club TT and audax

You really need to get your facts straight before you post. Many clubs and charities organize sportives. The proceeds of ours are split between club and local charities. Our sportive subsidises our street races by the way. If the sportive riders did nt come, the races would nt take place.

Off the top of my head i can think of 6 sportives in SW wales that are organized this way and only 2 that are not.

The reason riders may choose to do sportives instead of racing is, because of attitudes similar to yours.

 

[freecyclist]

So is it a race or isn't it ?

Half the people on here are chuffed at their "placing" in a sportive while the other half have been blissfully unaware they were in a race or testing themselves.

I need to know for next time so I can nip in front of the old geezer on the finish line and come in second to last instead of last.

It isnt technically a race but has a strong competeive element.
Nice Pussy btw.

 

[rich p]

Sportives, or sportifs, started on the continent and are most definitely raced over there. Some ex-pros make a decent income out of them too, but that doesn't stop the vast majority of participants doing them either as a personal challenge or a day out.

Think London Marathon. Paula Radcliffe racing everyone, me racing myself and the bloke dressed as a baboon having a day out.

 

[Fnaar]

I'm not the least bit interested in racing myself (I like watching cycle races though) as I know my own limitations... however, I set myself distance and average speed targets, and in a sportive I like to see how quickly I can do it, but allow myself sensible stoppage time. Suits me fine