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Sportives

In preparation for stepping to a HIM next year I was thinking about sportives to get some distance training. Two questions:

>Do you need to affiliated with a cycling club?
>Will they let you use aero bars?


Cheers,

Lex

Comments

  • Jack HughesJack Hughes Posts: 1,262
    Lex wrote:
    In preparation for stepping to a HIM next year I was thinking about sportives to get some distance training. Two questions:

    >Do you need to affiliated with a cycling club?
    >Will they let you use aero bars?


    Cheers,

    Lex
    Oh! You've just reminded me that I need to enter the "Tour of The Peak", end of October! 96 or 64 miles of Autumn rain, hurricane winds, and torturous climbs.

    But, no, you do not need to be affiliated!

    Most of them are designed to be Challenging. This usually means hills + distance. This usually means that you want a bike which is comfortable for 7+ hours, has a good range of gears (a compact), and manoeuvrable (you will be riding in a group - if you can keep up!), so need to be able to safely control the machine in those conditions.

    A TT bike tends to be less comfortable - the same low position for, at most, a few hours. They tend to have high gears, with close ratios to optimising banging out the power on flat roads, and, because of the aerobars, less manoeuvrable - so not so good for group riding.

    A bike has to be roadworthy - depending on the event you may _NOT_ be allowed to use aerobars. I've just noticed on the Tour of the Peak website:

    "No bicycle, tandem or other machine, conventional or otherwise, is permitted to have unconventional handlebars including triathlon bars, aero bars, clip-ons, prayer bars, and cow bars. Neither is Spinachi type bars permitted. However, ATB bar ends are permitted on mountain bikes."

    It's never occurred to me to use Tri bars before!
  • LexLex Posts: 65
    Jack,

    Cheers mate. I've got a regular road bike with clips ons but wondered whether at a timed event I would be asked to remove them. Happy to do so if required, though if Im going to be racing a longer distance event with them it would be good to be able to get used to riding aero for prolonged periods.

    They sound like a good way of building up some off season endurance, which is exactly what Im after.

    Lex
  • deeessdeeess Posts: 150
    you may have this already but if not it is a helpful list of sportives happening throughout the country http://www.cyclosport.org/events2009.aspx
  • LexLex Posts: 65
    deess,

    Cheers mate, just what I was after.

    Lex
  • I'm going to hijack this thread.

    Are there any women on here who do sportives? I'm really keen to give it a go as I adore road cycling and unfortunately outstrip my husband, which means that if we ride long distances together I get frustrated and he gets demoralised.

    I'm not interested in joining a club (unless someone can find me a women-only or a 50/50 club in Sussex) but would love to do regular sportives. I am concerned however about the macho factor. Do women cyclists do sportives? If so, what's the percentage? Is there any intimidation? I've looked at some of the rides listed on the link provided in this thread (many thanks for that) and they all seem well within my ability and are the sorts of rides, in terms of distance and elevation, that I tackle at weekends or on holiday.

    Any thoughts?

    thanks in advance

    blurredgirl
  • Jack HughesJack Hughes Posts: 1,262
    Well, looking at the entrants list for the Sportive that I have just entered (Tour of the Peak), judging on first names, there are about 16 women to 211 men.

    So women are somewhat under-represented.

    Godluvsatrier, who seems to have disappeared from this forum has been doing one or two sportives this year. And, as far as I can tell, has thoroughly enjoyed them... friendly, good camaraderie.

    Yes, at the end of the field there will be the hot headed young turks keen to emulate Bradley Wiggins, but further down the field, people will be having a good time - probably not too dissimilar to a club run.

    Just pick one you fancy, and get entered!

    I will only be competitive with myself - just trying to complete the damn thing!
  • jacjac Posts: 452
    Jack - I may be joining you on that one! Just need to sort out the necessary pass from the missus!

    Generally speaking I've found the field 3/4 male. And as Jack says there's a whole range from the uber competitive to competitive, to touring to picnic lunch.

    Get signed up!
  • Hi Blurredgirl - i have done a couple of sportives (both SWRC ones) and no, there aren't many women but hey! the last one I did in prep for my HIM was the may flyer and on the longer distance there were I think 5/6 women out of maybe 80 or so men (and three of those was me, my sister, and our friend!). it was absolutely fine though, there were a few macho men (ignore those) and i ended up cycling with with a couple of guys, so no I wouldn't worry about it at all. there were all sorts of people there and all sorts of speeds.

    and in answer to the original question, i left my tri bars on (and there were a few other people with tri bars) and that seemed fine as well!
  • Thanks people - very encouraging.

    I'll find somehting near me (Sussex, Surrey, Hampshire) and sign up!

    blurredgirl
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