Sportive Punch Up at "The Dragon Fiasco"

[Philip Whiteman]

Perhaps I am a sad and sick individual by gloating, but is'nt it amusing to watch a verbal punch up about a disasterious sportive just to remind you why the commercialisation of cycle events is a bad idea.  

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To Those Who Cut Into The Dragon Queue... | Sportives/Audaxes/Training Rides | Road | Forums - BikeRadar

Dragon Ride-UCI Golden Bike World Series Status Not Deserved | Sportives/Audaxes/Training Rides | Road | Forums - BikeRadar

I just feel sorry for the poor sods that coughed up a wodge to enter this event amongst others.

[Exit Stage Left]

I'm loving this comment on Bike Radar.

Sure, the route wasn't terribly exciting but I'm not sure many in Britain would be. It's hard to expect something akin to a European sportive given the terrain here.

[Rapples]

To Those Who Cut Into The Dragon Queue... | Sportives/Audaxes/Training Rides | Road | Forums - BikeRadar

Bet they were the f'in Audaxers

[TimO]

I can't be bothered to go through all of those threads (the second is very long), but what I've read of it wouldn't exact encourage me to participate, and indeed, after reading all that, I'd avoid it like the plague!

I've done a smattering of large rides, but mostly things like the London Freewheel (The Sky-whatever these days), otherwise I've only done rides which top at just over one hundred riders (the FNRttCs).  That many people, some of who clearly aren't behaving that well, and what doesn't sound like appropriate organisation for an event of that scale, makes me think that there's little reason to get involved in Sportives in general, and that specific event in particular.

[Exit Stage Left]

We need a 'Boutique Sportive' movement, with small fields which can use our extensive network of small roads without creating a fuss. It would chime well with aspects of the retrobike culture. Maybe we could even get Rapha involved.

[Philip Whiteman]

We need a 'Boutique Sportive' movement, with small fields which can use our extensive network of small roads without creating a fuss. It would chime well with aspects of the retrobike culture. Maybe we could even get Rapha involved.

Hmmm and what could we call this type of event I wonder. Any suggestions?

[Exit Stage Left]

We need a 'Boutique Sportive' movement, with small fields which can use our extensive network of small roads without creating a fuss. It would chime well with aspects of the retrobike culture. Maybe we could even get Rapha involved.

Hmmm and what could we call this type of event I wonder. Any suggestions?

'Sportique'; like an Audax but 10 times the price.
I'll sell you a 'Sportique' bike if you want, it 's got a Carradice Barley with carbon fibre and Titianium fittings as standard, there are even some carbon fibre cable ties included, and a carbon fibre toestrap with a ti buckle holding the spare tyre on.

[clarion]

  I think you shouldn't talk about it too much, ESL - someone will nick your idea and be off planning such an exclusive event already.  In fact, I think I can hear the hype being stoked up right now!

[Exit Stage Left]

I'd best patent it. Sportique tm.
Although to be fair Rapha did have a go with 'The Continental'
Rapha Continental | Rapha

[Majorbloodnok]

To Those Who Cut Into The Dragon Queue... | Sportives/Audaxes/Training Rides | Road | Forums - BikeRadar

Bet they were the f'in Audaxers

Second post is: "I expect they were the same considerate folk who dropped gel wrappers all over the place..."

Can't be audaxers then, those tight bastards wouldn't fork-out on Gels, besides, they make your beard all sticky 

[Greenbank]

I'd best patent it. Sportique tm.
Although to be fair Rapha did have a go with 'The Continental'
Rapha Continental | Rapha

Time to repost this then: Jahvahaah - Not enough cool to go around

[Banjo]

I rode it and enjoyed it. Each to his own.

I am doing an Audax on Saturday ,will cost me double ethe Dragon price with fuel to get there cafe stops etc but what price is a good day out?

The Dragon organizers certainly need to have a rethink but with 4000 entrants from 37 countries it obviously has appeal.  It sold out in 22 hours this year.

[Exit Stage Left]

To Those Who Cut Into The Dragon Queue... | Sportives/Audaxes/Training Rides | Road | Forums - BikeRadar

Bet they were the f'in Audaxers

Second post is: "I expect they were the same considerate folk who dropped gel wrappers all over the place..."

Can't be audaxers then, those tight bastards wouldn't fork-out on Gels, besides, they make your beard all sticky  

True Audaxers tuck their gel wrappers under their shorts legs for proper disposal later. Even when they're indulging in the very rare competitive Audaxing, as at 5mins.45sec in this film.
<a href="http://www.youtube.com/v/jW4o2ppA9Dw&rel=1" target="_blank">http://www.youtube.com/v/jW4o2ppA9Dw&rel=1</a>

[Greenbank]

I am doing an Audax on Saturday ,will cost me double ethe Dragon price with fuel to get there cafe stops etc but what price is a good day out?

Indeed. Reminds me about a similar conversation I was having during a recent 600km Audax:-

£12 entry fee.
£30 train tickets to/from the start (~300km each way).
£60 hotel on Friday and Sunday nights.
£30 on food during the event (not bad for ~15,000kcal).

= £132

Plus probably £5 of wear and tear on the bike (~£100 a year for 10,000km is about right).

[Exit Stage Left]

I'd best patent it. Sportique tm.
Although to be fair Rapha did have a go with 'The Continental'
Rapha Continental | Rapha

Time to repost this then: Jahvahaah - Not enough cool to go around

I'd not seen that, very funny, and a nod to Jens Voigt, what could be better?

[Simonb]

Time to repost this then: Jahvahaah - Not enough cool to go around

Brilliant. Hadn't seen that!

[Philip Whiteman]

Even when they're indulging in the very rare competitive Audaxing, as at 5mins.45sec in this film.
<a href="http://www.youtube.com/v/jW4o2ppA9Dw&rel=1" target="_blank">http://www.youtube.com/v/jW4o2ppA9Dw&rel=1</a>

I met John at the Barry's Bristol Ball Bash.  He was riding a fixed with an obscene chain ring of 56 or something similar and riding at equally obscene pace.  I take my hat off to him.

[mattc]

Second post is: "I expect they were the same considerate folk who dropped gel wrappers all over the place..."

Can't be audaxers then, those tight bastards wouldn't fork-out on Gels, besides, they make your beard all sticky 


True Audaxers tuck their gel wrappers under their short legs for proper disposal later. Even when they're indulging in the very rare competitive Audaxing, as at 5mins.45sec in this film.
<a href="http://www.youtube.com/v/jW4o2ppA9Dw&rel=1" target="_blank">http://www.youtube.com/v/jW4o2ppA9Dw&rel=1</a>

What a gent.

[Martin]

a clubmate did this ride;

he did the 70km route with 4500 ft (?) of climb;

I can do that from my house for £2.50 and get AAA

[Greenbank]

a clubmate did this ride;

he did the 70km route with 4500 ft (?) of climb;

I can do that from my house for £2.50 and get AAA

You can get to climb Bwlch and Rhigos in a 70km loop from East Sussex?

[Rhys W]

Perhaps I am a sad and sick individual by gloating, but is'nt it amusing to watch a verbal punch up about a disasterious sportive just to remind you why the commercialisation of cycle events is a bad idea.  Viva Audax.

It's this kind of smug, superior attitude that puts me off audax. The Tour de France was started as a stunt to sell newspapers in 1903 FFS.

I rode it with a group of clubmates, many of whom who hadn't done it before. My timing chip didn't appear to work, but I'm not too bothered - it's not a race after all. To me it's a great day out - challenging route, spectacular views, a chance to meet up with old cycling friends from all over the country, and my £32 is well-spent on food & drink when I need it, marshalls & medical cover. I'm not a big sportive fan - this one is the only one I do, because it's such a great event practically on my doorstep.

[mrcharly-YHT]

The organisation sounds utterly sh!t.

They had 4000 competitors and it took 2hours to get started?

I've done the Great North Run a couple of times. That has 54 000 runners, costs SFA to enter and starts on time. Takes maybe 30min for the last people to get past the start line, but that's just a function of how long it takes 54000 people to jog past a point.

[Chris S]

They had 4000 competitors and it took 2hours to get started?

So - about 10x the number of riders of the 2009 LEL; where it took a similar amount of time to register, AFAIA.

[Philip Whiteman]

Can't be audaxers then, those tight bastards wouldn't fork-out on Gels, besides, they make your beard all sticky 

You are almost right but instead the audaxer would simply rub the gel into their beard before starting the event and then suck out all the goodness en-route.

Actually, thinking about that thought makes me feel rather ill.

[Rhys W]

I've done the Great North Run a couple of times. That has 54 000 runners, costs SFA to enter and starts on time. Takes maybe 30min for the last people to get past the start line, but that's just a function of how long it takes 54000 people to jog past a point.

Does the Great North Run have closed roads? Obviously you can't just set off 3,800 cyclists onto open roads in a steady stream - they have to be set off in groups, at short intervals. This year the groups where much smaller for some reason (I suspect simply due to the judgment of the marshall at the start) than the 100+ I've experienced in previous years.