A wet sportive…

Simon E wrote:Yes, it can be

Simon E wrote:

Yes, it can be a challenge and it’s up to each individual to decide what taking part means to them. If Joe Slow and his wife/mate/colleague want to pootle round on a tandem or town bikes, stopping to admire the view in places, have a snack and chat on a pub bench they are still taking part in the same event as the couple who got married, the chap on a Boris Bike and the keen ones with expensive race bikes & deep section wheels who tag onto a fast group doing through-and-off and go Strava segment-hunting on the climbs.

These are worthy examples of how sportives offer something for a wide range of cyclists but they don’t actually demonstrate your view that sportives are not races. At most mass-participation running races (like marathons) you will see people in silly costumes and often ramblers, who intend only to walk the course. These folks don’t have any intention of winning; they may not care whatsoever about their finishing time. Nonetheless they are participating in a race.

Most folks who enter any type of cycle race have no designs on actually winning. They want to challenge themselves and put in a good performance. For some this might mean completing the course, for others it might mean acheiving a time in the top 10%. It’s no different from a TT; everyone has their own ambitions. Sportives are a type of race that offers this on a mass scale.

andyp wrote:You need to get

andyp wrote:

You need to get yourself in an earlier start pen, and stay clear of the work broom wagon (HR).

I’ve already been in for a race strategy meeting with them after I smashed one of the IT lads in the face with a water bottle I was throwing away after drinking it.

This company simply isn’t providing the lead out train my talents deserve.

andyp wrote:I see. So, in a

andyp wrote:

I see. So, in a way, me going for lunch before my colleagues makes me the ‘winner’, because we all have clocks and are therefore timed, even though some of them weren’t *trying* to go to lunch first.

Superb. Eat my dust, losers. King of the lunch Mountain. I rule. Must put a LunchViewer signature on my posts from now on.

Be careful about going down this route, my work day is 8:30 till 5 but apparently pissing off at half three wasn’t actually “setting a personal best” but potentially a disciplinary matter.

Work also failed to agree that coming in at 9:30 was “giving my colleagues a head start”.

Puny humans.

S13SFC wrote:oozaveared

S13SFC wrote:

oozaveared wrote:

S13SFC wrote:

oozaveared wrote:

S13SFC wrote:

oozaveared wrote:

If you want to race a bike why not man/woman up and join a club and do it properly.

Because around here there is no closed road racing. None. Zero. Zip. Nowt.

Some racing on some MoD land 6 times through the early summer but limited places, 50% of which are reserved for the local RC, 25% are invitation only and the rest spread between everyone else including vets and jnrs.

Despite belonging to a club I’ve yet to manage to get a spot and to join the local RC you must A) attend at least 5 club rides B) be sponsored by a member C) be seconded by a member D) voted in by the committee.

There’s a very good reason why the club wants to see you ride extensively before they let you race alongside them. They have nice bikes too and want to keep them intact. That’s why races are regulated and graded so that equal abilities compete and novices get a chance to learn the ropes before getting in at the deep end.

That’s also why sportives are not races and shouldn’t be treated as races because they are too mixed. Some people entered a charity ride on a shopping bike only to find that someone else thinks the number they are wearing means it’s a full on race and that she’s fair game for a close pass.

So yes if you want to race with people that want to race properly join a club. Clubs have rules. I doubt any club will stop someone joining that wants to and will find proposers and seconders within minutes and the committee will nod you through. Clubs like members they pay subs. Before you get involved in the cut and thrust of racing though they’ll be interested to see how disciplined and competent a rider you are on a few club runs.

Looks to me like a bunch of lame excuses from someone that likes to race to people that aren’t actually racing but is shy when it comes to the real thing.

BTW most sportives are not on closed roads so TTs are a way to get time for a set distance on a set course. A proper standardised named numbered and measured course same conditions for everyone on the day. Of course there’s no excuses and all the others are racing too. What’s not to like for you?

Take your head for a shit you pompous twat. I already belong to a club and have raced at their meets and will be again later in the year although they are now 200miles away.

I don’t want to have to join another RC and have it as my 1st claim to get a place and jump through hoops to do it. In addition, their races aren’t graded on ability, it’s all comers but vets/jnrs get a 4min head start.

Done TTs but it just doesn’t do anything for me but I’ve been invited to try team TT which has more appeal.

So you prefer events that you can win because most of the other participants aren’t racing and are a mixture of kids, novices, people on a charity ride, leisure cyclists and everything in between on a variety of shopping bikes, hybrids, mtbs, tourers and recumbants, and you claim you’re an “experienced” road racer.

That’s what does it for you is it?

See someone about that won’t you?

You’re certainly not the brightest bulb.

Pride my friend, there’s no substitute for it. Even some violent criminals have enough of it to regard it as beneath them to knock over a granny and steal her purse. Though I agree that some would take pride in the fact that it was complete walkover and they came out on top.

oozaveared wrote:S13SFC

oozaveared wrote:

S13SFC wrote:

oozaveared wrote:

S13SFC wrote:

oozaveared wrote:

If you want to race a bike why not man/woman up and join a club and do it properly.

Because around here there is no closed road racing. None. Zero. Zip. Nowt.

Some racing on some MoD land 6 times through the early summer but limited places, 50% of which are reserved for the local RC, 25% are invitation only and the rest spread between everyone else including vets and jnrs.

Despite belonging to a club I’ve yet to manage to get a spot and to join the local RC you must A) attend at least 5 club rides B) be sponsored by a member C) be seconded by a member D) voted in by the committee.

There’s a very good reason why the club wants to see you ride extensively before they let you race alongside them. They have nice bikes too and want to keep them intact. That’s why races are regulated and graded so that equal abilities compete and novices get a chance to learn the ropes before getting in at the deep end.

That’s also why sportives are not races and shouldn’t be treated as races because they are too mixed. Some people entered a charity ride on a shopping bike only to find that someone else thinks the number they are wearing means it’s a full on race and that she’s fair game for a close pass.

So yes if you want to race with people that want to race properly join a club. Clubs have rules. I doubt any club will stop someone joining that wants to and will find proposers and seconders within minutes and the committee will nod you through. Clubs like members they pay subs. Before you get involved in the cut and thrust of racing though they’ll be interested to see how disciplined and competent a rider you are on a few club runs.

Looks to me like a bunch of lame excuses from someone that likes to race to people that aren’t actually racing but is shy when it comes to the real thing.

BTW most sportives are not on closed roads so TTs are a way to get time for a set distance on a set course. A proper standardised named numbered and measured course same conditions for everyone on the day. Of course there’s no excuses and all the others are racing too. What’s not to like for you?

Take your head for a shit you pompous twat. I already belong to a club and have raced at their meets and will be again later in the year although they are now 200miles away.

I don’t want to have to join another RC and have it as my 1st claim to get a place and jump through hoops to do it. In addition, their races aren’t graded on ability, it’s all comers but vets/jnrs get a 4min head start.

Done TTs but it just doesn’t do anything for me but I’ve been invited to try team TT which has more appeal.

So you prefer events that you can win because most of the other participants aren’t racing and are a mixture of kids, novices, people on a charity ride, leisure cyclists and everything in between on a variety of shopping bikes, hybrids, mtbs, tourers and recumbants, and you claim you’re an “experienced” road racer.

That’s what does it for you is it?

See someone about that won’t you?

You’re certainly not the brightest bulb.

S13SFC wrote:oozaveared

S13SFC wrote:

oozaveared wrote:

S13SFC wrote:

oozaveared wrote:

If you want to race a bike why not man/woman up and join a club and do it properly.

Because around here there is no closed road racing. None. Zero. Zip. Nowt.

Some racing on some MoD land 6 times through the early summer but limited places, 50% of which are reserved for the local RC, 25% are invitation only and the rest spread between everyone else including vets and jnrs.

Despite belonging to a club I’ve yet to manage to get a spot and to join the local RC you must A) attend at least 5 club rides B) be sponsored by a member C) be seconded by a member D) voted in by the committee.

There’s a very good reason why the club wants to see you ride extensively before they let you race alongside them. They have nice bikes too and want to keep them intact. That’s why races are regulated and graded so that equal abilities compete and novices get a chance to learn the ropes before getting in at the deep end.

That’s also why sportives are not races and shouldn’t be treated as races because they are too mixed. Some people entered a charity ride on a shopping bike only to find that someone else thinks the number they are wearing means it’s a full on race and that she’s fair game for a close pass.

So yes if you want to race with people that want to race properly join a club. Clubs have rules. I doubt any club will stop someone joining that wants to and will find proposers and seconders within minutes and the committee will nod you through. Clubs like members they pay subs. Before you get involved in the cut and thrust of racing though they’ll be interested to see how disciplined and competent a rider you are on a few club runs.

Looks to me like a bunch of lame excuses from someone that likes to race to people that aren’t actually racing but is shy when it comes to the real thing.

BTW most sportives are not on closed roads so TTs are a way to get time for a set distance on a set course. A proper standardised named numbered and measured course same conditions for everyone on the day. Of course there’s no excuses and all the others are racing too. What’s not to like for you?

Take your head for a shit you pompous twat. I already belong to a club and have raced at their meets and will be again later in the year although they are now 200miles away.

I don’t want to have to join another RC and have it as my 1st claim to get a place and jump through hoops to do it. In addition, their races aren’t graded on ability, it’s all comers but vets/jnrs get a 4min head start.

Done TTs but it just doesn’t do anything for me but I’ve been invited to try team TT which has more appeal.

So you prefer events that you can win because most of the other participants aren’t racing and are a mixture of kids, novices, people on a charity ride, leisure cyclists and everything in between on a variety of shopping bikes, hybrids, mtbs, tourers and recumbants, and you claim you’re an “experienced” road racer.

That’s what does it for you is it?

See someone about that won’t you?

They’re not races, but many
They’re not races, but many people race them.

Who cares, as long they don’t endanger other cyclists and they stick to the law? And who cares if they think they have ‘won’? Or believe they’ve come ‘nth?

If it salves their insecurities or feeds egos, so what?

There’s plenty of room in sportives for other types of cyclist, to push themselves as hard or as easily as they like; and who aren’t and don’t think they’re racing other people.

Though personally, if wanted to race, I’d take part in real one.

oozaveared wrote:S13SFC

oozaveared wrote:

S13SFC wrote:

oozaveared wrote:

If you want to race a bike why not man/woman up and join a club and do it properly.

Because around here there is no closed road racing. None. Zero. Zip. Nowt.

Some racing on some MoD land 6 times through the early summer but limited places, 50% of which are reserved for the local RC, 25% are invitation only and the rest spread between everyone else including vets and jnrs.

Despite belonging to a club I’ve yet to manage to get a spot and to join the local RC you must A) attend at least 5 club rides B) be sponsored by a member C) be seconded by a member D) voted in by the committee.

There’s a very good reason why the club wants to see you ride extensively before they let you race alongside them. They have nice bikes too and want to keep them intact. That’s why races are regulated and graded so that equal abilities compete and novices get a chance to learn the ropes before getting in at the deep end.

That’s also why sportives are not races and shouldn’t be treated as races because they are too mixed. Some people entered a charity ride on a shopping bike only to find that someone else thinks the number they are wearing means it’s a full on race and that she’s fair game for a close pass.

So yes if you want to race with people that want to race properly join a club. Clubs have rules. I doubt any club will stop someone joining that wants to and will find proposers and seconders within minutes and the committee will nod you through. Clubs like members they pay subs. Before you get involved in the cut and thrust of racing though they’ll be interested to see how disciplined and competent a rider you are on a few club runs.

Looks to me like a bunch of lame excuses from someone that likes to race to people that aren’t actually racing but is shy when it comes to the real thing.

BTW most sportives are not on closed roads so TTs are a way to get time for a set distance on a set course. A proper standardised named numbered and measured course same conditions for everyone on the day. Of course there’s no excuses and all the others are racing too. What’s not to like for you?

Take your head for a shit you pompous twat. I already belong to a club and have raced at their meets and will be again later in the year although they are now 200miles away.

I don’t want to have to join another RC and have it as my 1st claim to get a place and jump through hoops to do it. In addition, their races aren’t graded on ability, it’s all comers but vets/jnrs get a 4min head start.

Done TTs but it just doesn’t do anything for me but I’ve been invited to try team TT which has more appeal.