What is a Sportive?

[Heltor Chasca]

Whereas Audax events require you to have mudguards fitted,

No longer the case.

However at least one rider is required to have sandals and a minimum 1% of the field has to be hirsute.

 

[Jimidh]

I avoid the big commercial Sportives as they are generally expensive just to ride on public roads with lots of inexperienced riders but there are lots of good club organised Sportives.

These are normally good social rides but riders are generally fast and experienced, you usually only pay about £20 and often a good pie or bacon roll at the end.

 

[mjr]

Well hats off to you for searching for things to nit pick, but I'm afraid I'm not particularly impressed. Of course I didn't carry a headset press, that's just being silly.

Yes, it's silly, like most sportive rules. I don't know why they bother setting such mad rules. Is it so they can disqualify anyone on a whim if they start asking questions?

As to the donations, that's a matter for the charity directors. If it was just a pound they'd be selling their logos rather cheap.

It wouldn't be the first time a charity let its logo go cheap. Surely it's a matter for all buyers? If you're told a purchase supports some cause, don't you ask how much of the purchase they're getting?

 

[fossyant]

My experience of Sportives, and similar events - full of knobs. Having been a club cyclist for many years, these event's aren't too great TBH. It depends upon what 'group' you get in - it's varied from a great group to some total idiots. The best one was with a group from here !

 

[mjr]

I'm sure you're aware that I was referring to your hyperbole when I used the word "silly", and not to the rule itself. If, after scouring the rules for something to complain about, the best you could come up with was a requirement to be prepared for the event, then that's hardly an indicator of pointless self gratifying bureaucracy out of control.

No scouring required. The rules were dripping with mad stuff. That was just one I don't remember seeing before and found amusing because of the unreasonable wording "any mechanical failure". Any. Not my hyperbole. Theirs. Any. You agreed to ride equipped to deal with any mechanical failure. It's a farking hilarious idea, a sportive of people basically lugging the contents of entire bike workshops around the course.

As to your second question, in a word, no.

That's a shame but I guess it's how those "charity collection bag" businesses keep going.