Leisure Sportives - Beginner

Regatta12

Hi all,

Can anyone recommend any leisure ones on this year. I am not ready for the Orwell or anything just yet!.

Thanks

bazermc

Where are you based or looking to cycle.

Most sportives have different route lenghts - except Orwell which is more of a race anyway


i.e. the Skoda cycle series tour of wicklow last week had a 45k and a 100K route.

The cycling Ireland leisure calendar is the best place to start.

xebec

The An Post series are also very accessible, big crowds and multiple different lengths. Definite +1 for these from me.

https://www.anpost.ie/AnPost/IrishCyclingSeries/Home/

roosterman71

Are Sportives classed as races? i.e. noobs should stay away?
I'm only at this cycling business on and off, and wouldn't mind taking part in a few cycles, but not if they are races. It's very hard to tell on the calender. I'd only be going 26/27km/h so wouldn't want to be dropped by the participants

lizzylad84

Regatta12 wrote: »

Hi all,

Can anyone recommend any leisure ones on this year. I am not ready for the Orwell or anything just yet!.

Thanks

We (Cuchulainn CC)in Dundalk have our annual sportive, the Tour of Louth coming up in a few weeks time.
It's on on the Sunday of the June Bank Holiday weekend, and has 2 routes, a 55km and 105km route.
55km is ideal for someone's first sportive, as it is relatively flat the whole way round.
All entrants will get a finishers medal on completion of either route, which is always a nice momentous of your first sportive.
For the more experienced cyclist the 105km route takes in Jenkinstown hill and passes through Omesth and Carlingford en route back to Dundalk.
If your looking for a good, well attended sportive why not come along on the day.
As we finalise the last few details ill be posting event sign on location etc on here.
Hope to see you at the start line.

Raam

roosterman71 wrote: »

Are Sportives classed as races? i.e. noobs should stay away?
I'm only at this cycling business on and off, and wouldn't mind taking part in a few cycles, but not if they are races. It's very hard to tell on the calender. I'd only be going 26/27km/h so wouldn't want to be dropped by the participants

Nope, they are not races. That's not to say that you won't find some fast folk at them, but they are meant to be leisurely... usually.

bazermc

Raam wrote: »

Nope, they are not races. That's not to say that you won't find some fast folk at them, but they are meant to be leisurely... usually.

Non competitive would be a more accurate description. Most of them are not leisurely, except the likes of the ring of Kerry.

roosterman71

So I'd probably be at nothing turning up and only hitting 26/27 average on the spin! Good to know. Thanks

WhatsGoingOn2

happyhappy wrote: »

http://irishsportives.ie

http://www.cyclingireland.ie/page/events/leisure-events-calendar2

I look at these two sites to plan my events.

Also check out the skoda cycle series which has sportives of various distances around the country during the summer.

Be careful, the Irish Sportives site appears to have been hacked

happyhappy

WhatsGoingOn2 wrote: »

Be careful, the Irish Sportives site appears to have been hacked

I deleted the original post and link just in case. Maybe the copy and paste went wrong!

nak

roosterman71 wrote: »

So I'd probably be at nothing turning up and only hitting 26/27 average on the spin! Good to know. Thanks

That's not a slow pace. Don't let other people put you off, just give it a go and you might surprise yourself. Sportives are meant to be fun (tough but fun).

I have heard epic tales from people who don't cycle on a regular basis saying they did the Wicklow 200 in 6 hours etc and I know they're at it.

Buzwaldo

roosterman71 wrote: »

So I'd probably be at nothing turning up and only hitting 26/27 average on the spin! Good to know. Thanks

Definitely not true. For sure the lead group in many sportives will be pretty fast, but most will separate into groups at various paces and 26/27 average is plenty respectable. It's good to get used to cycling in a group - may be useful to join a club, but either way you can cycle in a group at a sportive.
At bigger events there will be plenty of groups to fall in with, but smaller events, you can spend most of the time on your own depending on pace / numbers on the day.
If you cycle 40k regularly on your own, aim for a 70-80 k event. If doing 60-70 on your own, aim for a 100k event.

http://www.boards.ie/vbulletin/showthread.php?p=77357107#post77357107

gambeta_fc

roosterman71 wrote: »

So I'd probably be at nothing turning up and only hitting 26/27 average on the spin! Good to know. Thanks

I'd recommend giving one a go, no harm done if it's not for you.

Those speeds are perfectly reasonable and if you can tip along like that on solo spins you'll manage rightly in a group. Average speed will vary with events anyway depending on weather/climbing/distance, best not to get too caught up on the numbers and just give one a try. I'm definitely no speed merchant and if I do drop off one group it's no big deal, there's always another coming along to fall in with and you naturally find one at the right level for you on the day.

I used to mainly do solo spins, would also have been a bit unsure about signing up for my first group event but once I gave it a go it definitely increased my interest and enjoyment from cycling.

DaveR1000

The Peatlands Tour 2015 is on in Daingean Co. Offaly on May 16th - my local club - 22k 26k and 28k groups in both distances

kerry4sam

Regatta12 wrote: »

Hi all,

Can anyone recommend any leisure ones on this year. I am not ready for the Orwell or anything just yet!.

Thanks

You have to start somewhere. My 1st was a real local sportive; circa 200cyclists. So damn enthusiastic I was one of the 1st to register that morning. It was a case of register and if you want to head off; off with you. They tell you the 'official' start-time with the pace-car to get everyone going etc, but it was up to each individual as they registered.

Those of us who arrived and registered early were en route back as more were just starting off.
Never forget phoning my now Late Loving Dad with the excitement after having done my 1st Sportive. The adrenaline was pumping I told Dad I could nearly go again until he told me to hop in the car and just get yourself home safely

Anywhoo, look out for your real local sportives. The 1st time I done the Rebel Tour (An Post) 85km there were so many newbies like me, it was leisurely and fun. The last-time seemed too focused and serious and not as enjoyable as people were going hell for leather in comparison to my leisurely cycling. Cycling has seriously picked up in Ireland in comparison to when I started out at sportives a few years back. People are getting more serious and competitive at sportives, the environment is slightly changing.

~ Could you find a local cycling group that cater for new & intermediate cyclists? They will pull you on leaps & bounds also.
~ Can you drive? Can you pop your bike in a car and head off somewhere for a cycle? You will find you will start challenging yourself; heading off here, there & everywhere taking in new surroundings & new distances.

I hope you'll like it. All sportives can all be leisure sportives if you want them that way. Don't get deterred by all around you. Formulate a game-plan for yourself and focus on what you can do <- make the day far more enjoyable on the bike.

Hope that helps you,
Try and make it fun for yourself; life has enough ways to make you tired & miserable!

Safe n Happy Peddling,
kerry4sam