Flanders Sportive Advice

I rode it last year on 25s and wouldn't go smaller than that. I used Michelin Endurance. 

It's a good ride but bar the cobbles not very taxing but the cobbles are tough and last year, in the wet, they were really tough.

Forget getting up the Koppenberg, it's far too busy with folk just unclipping in the middle. We went back on the Sunday morning and rode it.

Patterberg was similar with an Italian going to ground right in front of me causing me to unclip.

I wouldn't rush back to do the cobbles although I ride in Flanders a few times a year. Our Spring Classic in 2016 is the Amstel Gold.

I rode it with vittoria pave 27mm last year, a great event well organised although the rain made a few of the climbs difficult. I had to walk part of the Patterberg after chap in front of me fell off it was very slippy. The weather was a complete contrast to the sunday when the pros had the sunshine. A great weekend i will probably go back next year. Me in the blue suffering lol..

Its really ace.  Its reasonably challenging but great fun.  I used Pave 25mm and it was fine.   Make sure everything is in good knick.  My advice is to look at the route and work out where the bike shops and support areas are in case you break anything.  I would use Shimano as Campag wheels and rear mechs were a pain to sort out.   Get a new chain and a nice new cassette - my chain was jumping up the Kopenburg on my 25 and it was a bit hairy.  Get a 28 or higher and enjoy the hills - loads of riders had dinner plates and were flying up them.  

Ridden the RvV a few times in all conditions from warm, spring conditions  to driving rain and cold winds. The problem with skinny tyres is they can get trapped between the rougher stones and rip the sidewalls so suggest the fattest tyres you can fit and don't pump them up rock-hard. Chances of riding the Koppenberg 'clean' are slim, particularly if rainy as it gets smeared in mud - if you are at the front of the long-route you catch all the slow riders from the shorter routes. 

I did it last year on Conti gp4s's 28mm. I'd fit the widest tyres your frame can fit. Agree Start early the guy I did it with was a lot slower than me and later on got mixed up with the people who were doing the long one and it got very crowded. I had to dismount on both the Koppenberg and the Patterberg due to the number of riders, that's my reason and I'm sticking to it. The most difficult bits I thought were the descents on the wet and very greasy cobbles. Quite scary. Brilliant event.

I personally rode it with 25mm tyres, now I'd use Open Pave 27mm as they're fast and grippy. The only really squeeze point was the Koppenberg, that's because it's narrow and riders dismount in your path. Feed stops do get busy especially the last few, the one that's inside a barn had big queues.

Also, start early.