Which sportive (sportif) do you recommend?

[nammynake]

I took part in the Fred Whitton on Sunday and thoroughly enjoyed it. This was only my 2nd sportive (first was Lakeland Loop, which was used as a trial run for the Fred) but I'd like to do a few more.

What are the other big events around the country that I should be considering (including those that I may have missed this year already, or missed the cut-off date) ?

[andySC]

If you enjoyed The Fred then how about The Ryedale Rumble? It's a 110miler around the lumps and bumps of the North York Moors. You'll savour Boltby & Blakey ridges, Glaisdale Head (Caper Hill) & with about 90 miles in your legs it's Rosedale Chimney time....a ridiculous wall of a climb that's so steep in parts it's almost funny :-))

It's a British Cycling event & very well run, Bob H & his team do a great job & it's well worth riding.

[itsnotarace]

First of all I should preface this post with a disclaimer, I haven't actually ridden any of these sportives so I can't comment on the general organisation or value for money. However, I have been a sportive photographer for 5 years now and have done a lot of recce's on the courses and obviously spent time chatting to the riders - these are the ones I would most like to do myself if I wasn't shooting

Wiggle Cheshire Cat. Really good route, stunning scenery. Mow Cop! http://www.kilotogo.com/index.php?option=event_det...

Wiggle Dragon Ride. Another really great route, should be even better this year with different organisers. http://www.wiggledragonride.com/

Bath AMR 100. Good if you like hills, great scenery. Riders always enjoy themselves on this one and it shows in the photos. http://www.action.org.uk/bath_100

White Horse Challenge. Local one to me, stunning scenery and great low-traffic route. http://www.whitehorsechallenge.com/

Bristol Black Rat. http://www.blackratcycle.co.uk/ Another superb route, beautiful scenery - takes in Cheddar Gorge.

Wiggle Jurassic Beast. Another great route http://www.ukcyclingevents.co.uk/events/wiggle-jur...

Longleat Lionheart. Early season opener. Brilliant route, final descent into the park this year was epic. Riders loved it. http://www.thelionheart.co.uk/

Wiggle New Forest. Beautiful scenery within the forest, light traffic. Very popular with the riders

http://www.ukcyclingevents.co.uk/events/wiggle-new...

AMR Castle Ride. Pretty good route, takes in the best of the weald of Kent. Always popular with riders http://www.action.org.uk/castle_ride_100

[anonymous-user]

the action medical research ones are very well organised, good comms before the ride, signposts are clear and there are signs all along the route at every junction regardless of how obvious the route is. the lunch stops are epic, pasta, cake, fruit, cake, pies, cake.....the feed stations on route are great too and best of all they do two types of entry. one is about £25 quid and has a minimum spoonsorship committment, the other is £50 and has no minimum sponsorship, yes i know an Audax is £3 but in all honestry I think its £50 well spent for a day riding with mates and £25 goes to charity whcih makes me feel warm and fluffy. there is a 100km route and a 100 mile route on most of the events too.

doing some of the wiggle ones this year so i'll let you know what they are like....

[murray]

Dartmoor Classic, long route, reasonably challenging and in a lovely part of the world. Sold out a while back but easy to get a re-sale on their Facebook page but needs to be done before the end of the month.

[nammynake]

andySC said:

If you enjoyed The Fred then how about The Ryedale Rumble? It's a 110miler around the lumps and bumps of the North York Moors. You'll savour Boltby & Blakey ridges, Glaisdale Head (Caper Hill) & with about 90 miles in your legs it's Rosedale Chimney time....a ridiculous wall of a climb that's so steep in parts it's almost funny :-))

It's a British Cycling event & very well run, Bob H & his team do a great job & it's well worth riding.

I've heard some good (bad?) things about Rosedale Chimney. I have a strange liking for steep hills so this sounds perfect !

[andySC]

nammynake said:

andySC said:

If you enjoyed The Fred then how about The Ryedale Rumble? It's a 110miler around the lumps and bumps of the North York Moors. You'll savour Boltby & Blakey ridges, Glaisdale Head (Caper Hill) & with about 90 miles in your legs it's Rosedale Chimney time....a ridiculous wall of a climb that's so steep in parts it's almost funny :-))

It's a British Cycling event & very well run, Bob H & his team do a great job & it's well worth riding.

I've heard some good (bad?) things about Rosedale Chimney. I have a strange liking for steep hills so this sounds perfect !

It's a brute of a climb for sure. It's steep all the way up but the apexes of the corners are ridiculous so it's best to ride over to the other side of the road to get around them. Probably the worst on the ride is Caper Hill. It's 30% in parts, cattle grid half way up, overgrown with grass in the middle so you pick a side & ride up, no zig zagging or short cuts on the corners. It's very tough. Usually adrenalin will get you over The Chimney :-)) & there's a great food stop in Hutton Le Hole at the other side of the climb.