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Anybody ride sportives or similar?
JimK:
http://www.paris-brest-paris.org/pbp2011/index-en.php
This stuff looks totally incredible to me... but people do it! I gather you can take a nap or two along the way!
Endurance, they call it!
Fred A-M:
Ref PBP - that's pretty much the Zenith of Audax - if I recall rightly, think Fredered was training to do it, this year I think, as it's only ever help once every few (4?) years.
cake:
The minimum average speed on most events is 15 kph (9.4 mph), so you get 6 2/3 hours for every 100kms (62.5 miles). This sounds quite low, but is an average so it includes stops at controls, rests and on the longer events, sleep!
So you are allowed 40 hours to ride a 600km event. 40 hours to ride an event like the Bryan Chapman Memorial (a ride around Wales, along with its weather and 8500m of climbing) is certainly a challenge!
I started off riding them (last year) because i'm no racer. I entered a 200 as my first event, crapped myself thinking about the distance, so did a 100 the week before, which helped calm my nerves.
I recently rode to a 200km event and home again which totalled 306km, in 17 hours, so i know i can do that now.
It's a good, and very addictive, way of challenging yourself at a pace of progression distance wise that you are comfortable with.
neil_p:
--- Quote from: cake on May 23, 2011, 04:23:52 pm ---The minimum average speed on most events is 15 kph (9.4 mph), so you get 6 2/3 hours for every 100kms (62.5 miles). This sounds quite low, but is an average so it includes stops at controls, rests and on the longer events, sleep!
So you are allowed 40 hours to ride a 600km event. 40 hours to ride an event like the Bryan Chapman Memorial (a ride around Wales, along with its weather and 8500m of climbing) is certainly a challenge!
I started off riding them (last year) because i'm no racer. I entered a 200 as my first event, crapped myself thinking about the distance, so did a 100 the week before, which helped calm my nerves.
I recently rode to a 200km event and home again which totalled 306km, in 17 hours, so i know i can do that now.
It's a good, and very addictive, way of challenging yourself at a pace of progression distance wise that you are comfortable with.
--- End quote ---
When I do a sportive I guzzle energy gels, as it is quite an intensive 4-5hr ride. What is the approach on very long audax rides? Stopping for meals.... gels on the go? I guess it depends how hardcore you are.
On the 17hr+ events... are people putting up tents to sleep in? B&Bs? I'm just struggling to get my head round them!?!? :) I've seen videos of 24hr MTB rides... and there are normally camper vans/marquees etc for the riders to grab naps in.... but that's a bit different because the ride is on a circuit.
Paulson:
Last year I got into road sportives... which I have really enjoyed. The ones I have ridden are not always the most friendly of events... although the fact I'm on a Thorn with 26" wheels does seem to rub people up the wrong way!
Anyone else found this? Any alternatives to Sportives for competitve and friendly people?
Neil, I agree with your initial comments re hostility at sportives. I did a 100 miler last year on my Audax Mk 3 with fellow forum member Crudson on his RST, we both got sick of the 'roadie' attitude early on. Which basically seemed to be summed up as 'I am riding a carbon bike and even the washers are made of titanium, and I wouldn't dirty my Rapha togs and white carbon shoes on your muddy, oily old wreck of a bike, so get out of my way and let me impress the rest of the club members with my record time'.
Jeez, it's all coming back now; the sneering glances, saying 'morning' to them as they pass and being blanked; the sea of offensive red, white and black with the big italic logos all over everything.......hey! Calm down! It's just a dream!!!
A few times though, after being haughtily overtaken by them with that familiar 'why are you taking up the road, you oiks?' kind of attitude, we would then pass them by the side of the road as they hunched over their skinny, punctured tyres whilst our robust machines rolled on oblivious.
The repeated experience made me end up rather fundamentalist in that lycra is not evident in my cycling wardrobe, indeed cycling is done in a scruffy pair of Tudor Sports shorts or longs, any old t-shirt and my old thermals and a plain windproof jacket if it's cold. My stealth black Thorn frame is a no-logo zone. And I ALWAYS wave and say hello, even to the lycra brigade [though responses vary!]
Phew, I'm off to lie down!
PS, not motivated myself to do an Audax ride, but I understand the above definitely does NOT apply and that they are friendly, well organised events for people like us.....
Finally, suggest you read this thread by FreddeRed which somebody mentioned earlier on - yes, all 9 odd pages!!! http://www.thorncycles.co.uk/forums/index.php?topic=1282.0
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