sportives

[Falwheeler]

Audax is the way to go. I've ridden many up to 200km and organised some, great atmosphere. I wouldn't bother with sportives at £25-£30 a time but did ride the Dartmoor Classic this year and will again next year but that was a personal challenge after recovering from long term illness.

 

[the_mikey]

Audax, some of them even allow you to register online and take payment via paypal these days!

 

[DCLane]

I think it depends on the sportive;

The Evans King of the Pennines was good value; breakfast, lots of gels/bars/etc, goodie bag meal at the end. They did a bike check-over and free repair for me all at a cost of £25. I worked out I took away about £30 of stuff from it.

Evans events generally are good value for £10 or so. As was the Richmond event - Colomba Chemo Classic at £15 with food provided.

At the other end of the scale I paid £61 for the Etape Pennines, receiving a small water bottle and a few gels/bars en route. Yes, the entry fee helped pay for marshals to manage road closures but it wasn't good value.

For me, I'm entering less sportives next year (entered 10 this year) - the Cheshire Cat long route and the Wiggle Dragon Ride gran fondo.

However, sportive prices pale into comparison alongside triathlon pricing; £40 for the Skipton sprint tri and £65 for the Yorkshire tri

 

[gary in derby]

could always ask if anyone fancies a ride out on here? i would be interested.

 

[Hacienda71]

I thoroughly enjoyed the Great Manchester Cycle. It was a bit different to most sportives being a closed road event including riding up and the Mancunian Way and through Media City and past/through lots of other iconic parts of the city.

 

[Rob3rt]

I don't really bother with sportives, I don't find them all that enjoyable and also feel the VFM is generally very poor! I would rather enter a 100 mile TT or something like that where I am challenging myself and actually get a result that counts for something at the end.

I can see why some people like them though, up to them what they spend their money on and if they enjoy it, great! I pay £20 a year for club membership and ride in a group 2-4 times a week for between 40-80 mile at a time, so a sportive to me is generally the same thing, but with other people getting in the way (especially on the hills when people start slowing to a crawl, weaving all over, falling off and dismounting and walking around in the road instead of getting the fark out of the way) and my wallet £20-25 lighter.

I am also not a fan of Audax, for different reasons, I did one recently, enjoyed the day out with my club mates, the banter etc and the organisation and VFM were good, but it is just not for me, too much time sat in the saddle just paddling on at a steady pace.

 

[black'n'yellow]

They did a bike check-over and free repair for me all at a cost of £25.

ermmm....hello..??

 

[BrumJim]

For me this is a thread that has degenerated from sensible advice to Sportive Vs Audax argument. I have done both, and both have their place.
However, 30miles is not a long way. To most people , it may seem like it. To me, it is just a quick morning ride, and I'm no super-fit cycling nut. To the OP, I'd say "Find some friends, find a group, find a ride that does 30 miles. Try it a couple of times until it is no longer a challenge, then go for a Sportive or Audax." And hills? 30 miles without hills is a waste of a morning. Try a few, take them gently, and when you can get up them without stopping, that is enough. Hills give you something to talk about at the end.

 

[Banjo]

Dragon Sportive is demanding an eyewatering £45 or £55 for a guaranteed place.As long as people keep paying it they will keep charging it.

 

[HLaB]

Its not too expensive as sportives go and its only a little longer (40miles) but its probably too far away to be practical, the Kentish Killer and when I do it it'll be the KKK, Kn0b on the Kentish Killer.

 

[Rob3rt]

£45-55 is a joke! They ought to give you cocaine contained in easy to consume packaging instead of energy gel's for that sort of price!

 

[gavroche]

I appreciate all your comments and have given more thoughts about sportives. I have decided it is not for me. Basically, I much prefer riding on my own, at my own pace, do my own routes and choose when and where I want to ride. I occasionally meet other riders and enjoy a chat with them but I know now I prefer solo rides. If I was 20 to 30 years younger, then I may have a different attitude but not now.

 

[Sittingduck]

Only tried one. £12.50 and I had a hard time figuring out if was worth it or not. I certainly could not justify double that amount and the loony tune cost of the Dragon ride makes me wonder if people know the value of money. Obviously if the organisers get the numbers then they will keep on charging these sums. I can understand the attraction and a little bit of escapism and phoney racing is not a bad thing, if one is so inclined. I don't know of any in the Stoke area but if you are going to try one - perhaps Evans would be a good place to start (half the cost of the others).

 

[e-rider]

Sportives can be quite good fun but not at 35 miles. I do them mainly as a challenge to cycle 100 miles, which is a distance I wouldn't (and never have) done on my own. Paying £20+ for such a short distance would be crazy!

 

[Noodley]

35 miles! FFS. Seriously.? Why pay money for that? I despair of people sometimes.