Sportives and Gatecrashing
Discussion
I reckon making use of any of their facilities, be it portaloos, food from feed stations, finishers' medals or even just the marshalls' time would be at best morally wrong and at worst theft, and should be treated as such.
If someone wants to turn up and just ride the route without making any use of the organisers' facilities, however, the event is on public roads, so that's up to them, and nobody can tell them they can't do it.
Personally, if I ever did one, I'd want to make use of the services and would pay for the event, though.
It would be interesting to know if the above changes for something like Ride London? If the roads are closed for the event, are they legally closed to everyone except registered entrants, or just closed to motorised traffic?
If someone wants to turn up and just ride the route without making any use of the organisers' facilities, however, the event is on public roads, so that's up to them, and nobody can tell them they can't do it.
Personally, if I ever did one, I'd want to make use of the services and would pay for the event, though.
It would be interesting to know if the above changes for something like Ride London? If the roads are closed for the event, are they legally closed to everyone except registered entrants, or just closed to motorised traffic?
hora said:
You haven't paid a penny. Its only 20 quid FFS.
Except most of them are £40-50 down here now!IMO it would be disgusting to use the rides facilities, food, toilets and claim a goodie bag/medal but riding the route- seems abit stupid but you're not hurting anyone.
For a closed road event like Ride London you'd need to be a prize bellend frankly to gatecrash.
FWIW, 18months ago I was out cycling locally and surprised to see loads of riders with numbers heading towards my home town, I was going that way and followed. Turns out it was a Triathlon and a really upset a marshal by not going into Transition and start running, had to stop and reassure him I wasn't part of the event :-)
hora said:
On forums every so often I see 'why shouldn't I' threads or comments.
Its similar to gate crashing a party, wedding or other event.
You haven't entered into the spirit of the event, you haven't contributed anything in any shape or form yet you want the shared-benefits, namely someone has gone out and marked the route out after planning it, being part of an event and group and paying.
You haven't paid a penny. Its only 20 quid FFS.
I think you make a good analogy, but you actually prove the opposite of the point you wanted to make with it in my view.Its similar to gate crashing a party, wedding or other event.
You haven't entered into the spirit of the event, you haven't contributed anything in any shape or form yet you want the shared-benefits, namely someone has gone out and marked the route out after planning it, being part of an event and group and paying.
You haven't paid a penny. Its only 20 quid FFS.
If people have a party or other event, they generally hire a private venue or have it in their home. At that point, it would indeed be completely wrong to gatecrash it.
If they choose to have a party in the local pub, though, they can hardly complain if other customers use the pub as well! Fine, they could get the hump if other customers started helping themselves to their food and drink, but if you want your party to be completely private, then hire a private venue.
Kermit power said:
If they choose to have a party in the local pub, though, they can hardly complain if other customers use the pub as well! Fine, they could get the hump if other customers started helping themselves to their food and drink, but if you want your party to be completely private, then hire a private venue.
What if a load of people decide to go to a normally quiet pub because they know that someone is throwing a party there that day?Mr Will said:
Kermit power said:
If they choose to have a party in the local pub, though, they can hardly complain if other customers use the pub as well! Fine, they could get the hump if other customers started helping themselves to their food and drink, but if you want your party to be completely private, then hire a private venue.
What if a load of people decide to go to a normally quiet public house because they know that someone is throwing a party there that day?Mr Will said:
Kermit power said:
If they choose to have a party in the local pub, though, they can hardly complain if other customers use the pub as well! Fine, they could get the hump if other customers started helping themselves to their food and drink, but if you want your party to be completely private, then hire a private venue.
What if a load of people decide to go to a normally quiet pub because they know that someone is throwing a party there that day?
Kermit power said:
Mr Will said:
Kermit power said:
If they choose to have a party in the local pub, though, they can hardly complain if other customers use the pub as well! Fine, they could get the hump if other customers started helping themselves to their food and drink, but if you want your party to be completely private, then hire a private venue.
What if a load of people decide to go to a normally quiet pub because they know that someone is throwing a party there that day?Greenish said:
But therein lies the answer.
If you have an off and the marshall's tend to you the onus is on them to recognise who they are dealing with. Any sportive will have untold random riders running through their route.
bIf you have an off and the marshall's tend to you the onus is on them to recognise who they are dealing with. Any sportive will have untold random riders running through their route.
ks. Do you expect a medic will first look to find a fallen riders number before helping medically? Do you expect that they would ignore anyone who is there without a number? Of course they won't. But you would be intruding on their hospitality by putting them in that position.On the more general point about riding around, using the medics/food stations etc I think what you've identified is that theft of services is sometimes very easy. Doesn't make it right.
The Circuit Breaker comes through our village (twice) and generally follows my training route so last year my younger son and I joined in for a bit and rode about 30 miles chatting to the riders as we went. We didn't go to the start or the finish, just did the middle and we ignored the stops. We enjoyed ourselves so this year I entered a different event not too far away and enjoyed it. Saying that, I rode past our village on that sportive and my son joined our group for the last 15 miles back to MK and he kicked our arses, he did also have a few jelly babies at the last feed stop but I told the organisers and they were all cool about it.
We were busy racing during this years Circuit Breaker so didn't get tempted again!
We were busy racing during this years Circuit Breaker so didn't get tempted again!
I wonder will sportive fatigue ever set in so that no one will be arsed forking over £20 most weekends to ride the public highway and get the "free" sandwaich and T-shirt that you've paid for.
Or are there enough noobs coming through the system so that the sportive industry will continue to thrive.
In either case, it's not really cricket to tag along and take advantage of any of the things that have a cost value to them.
Or are there enough noobs coming through the system so that the sportive industry will continue to thrive.
In either case, it's not really cricket to tag along and take advantage of any of the things that have a cost value to them.
Interesting question, I thought sportive fatigue would set in a year or two ago but they seem to be as popular as ever, i think this is largely because the companies who sorted themselves out early with good routes, good organisation and the like will survive and prosper. The Longleat Lionheart is a shambles compared to the UKCE events which cost roughly the same. The small charity one-off local events will probably also continue but there are a few events which will drop off the radar, especially in the South East where there appears to be a different sportive every weekend. The new UKCE/OS series is predominantly spread across the South East/East of the Country so I guess thats where they see the market? I'm also guessing closed road events will be the next big change in the market and more organisers are trying to arrange these.
I'm not surprised that the multi-activity.challenge events like Tough Mudder and Sparan challenge are still going well, you can see what your entry fee goes towards at those events with so many obstacles etc on the course, maybe sportives need to be more of a challenge, 100 miles just doesnt seem much once you have done them for a few years? As I've said before, Audax UK need to be far more prominent in attracting sportiverists away from £50 events to their £5 events, ditch route cards (oh the heresy!) and hand out GPX files...
It will be interesting to see how many more race licenses BC issue this year comapred to last too....
I'm not surprised that the multi-activity.challenge events like Tough Mudder and Sparan challenge are still going well, you can see what your entry fee goes towards at those events with so many obstacles etc on the course, maybe sportives need to be more of a challenge, 100 miles just doesnt seem much once you have done them for a few years? As I've said before, Audax UK need to be far more prominent in attracting sportiverists away from £50 events to their £5 events, ditch route cards (oh the heresy!) and hand out GPX files...
It will be interesting to see how many more race licenses BC issue this year comapred to last too....
pablo said:
I'm not surprised that the multi-activity.challenge events like Tough Mudder and Sparan challenge are still going well, you can see what your entry fee goes towards at those events with so many obstacles etc on the course...
They are just sportives for the cross-fit crowd. Not sure they are any better value either, £120 to enter in advance or £140 to enter on the day, £10 just to park your car in the massive empty field (miles from any public transport) plus another £10 per person for any spectators you want to bring along. It makes £30 for some cake and signs on a bike-ride round the countryside seem quite reasonable!
pablo said:
Interesting question, I thought sportive fatigue would set in a year or two ago but they seem to be as popular as ever, i think this is largely because the companies who sorted themselves out early with good routes, good organisation and the like will survive and prosper. The Longleat Lionheart is a shambles compared to the UKCE events which cost roughly the same. The small charity one-off local events will probably also continue but there are a few events which will drop off the radar, especially in the South East where there appears to be a different sportive every weekend. The new UKCE/OS series is predominantly spread across the South East/East of the Country so I guess thats where they see the market? I'm also guessing closed road events will be the next big change in the market and more organisers are trying to arrange these.
I'm not surprised that the multi-activity.challenge events like Tough Mudder and Sparan challenge are still going well, you can see what your entry fee goes towards at those events with so many obstacles etc on the course, maybe sportives need to be more of a challenge, 100 miles just doesnt seem much once you have done them for a few years? As I've said before, Audax UK need to be far more prominent in attracting sportiverists away from £50 events to their £5 events, ditch route cards (oh the heresy!) and hand out GPX files...
It will be interesting to see how many more race licenses BC issue this year comapred to last too....
I've done an Audax a month since Feb and all of them the organisers have posted a GPX file.I'm not surprised that the multi-activity.challenge events like Tough Mudder and Sparan challenge are still going well, you can see what your entry fee goes towards at those events with so many obstacles etc on the course, maybe sportives need to be more of a challenge, 100 miles just doesnt seem much once you have done them for a few years? As I've said before, Audax UK need to be far more prominent in attracting sportiverists away from £50 events to their £5 events, ditch route cards (oh the heresy!) and hand out GPX files...
It will be interesting to see how many more race licenses BC issue this year comapred to last too....
By crikey, the last time I did a multi activity race it was £40 and that was a run/kayak/run/bike/run thing in Grizedale forest.... £120 is insane but its a lot about the marketing, same for Ironman events, slap that brand on it and they can charge what they want and still sell out events....
Mr Will said:
They are just sportives for the cross-fit crowd.
Not sure they are any better value either, £120 to enter in advance or £140 to enter on the day, £10 just to park your car in the massive empty field (miles from any public transport) plus another £10 per person for any spectators you want to bring along. It makes £30 for some cake and signs on a bike-ride round the countryside seem quite reasonable!
Wow! £120/£140 ????Not sure they are any better value either, £120 to enter in advance or £140 to enter on the day, £10 just to park your car in the massive empty field (miles from any public transport) plus another £10 per person for any spectators you want to bring along. It makes £30 for some cake and signs on a bike-ride round the countryside seem quite reasonable!
I've been looking at entering a MTB race for the first time. I was thinking £22 for a two hour race was a bit steep, to be fair. Maybe I'll just go along as a spectator on the day, crib the route, then go back and 'Strava myself to death' on it for free in my own time...? That way I'll not be using their loos, food, or marshals and first aid...
hora said:
On forums every so often I see 'why shouldn't I' threads or comments.
Its similar to gate crashing a party, wedding or other event.
You haven't entered into the spirit of the event, you haven't contributed anything in any shape or form yet you want the shared-benefits, namely someone has gone out and marked the route out after planning it, being part of an event and group and paying.
You haven't paid a penny. Its only 20 quid FFS.
Some people take the same view with car tax and insurance - which is way it's so expensive for the rest of us.Its similar to gate crashing a party, wedding or other event.
You haven't entered into the spirit of the event, you haven't contributed anything in any shape or form yet you want the shared-benefits, namely someone has gone out and marked the route out after planning it, being part of an event and group and paying.
You haven't paid a penny. Its only 20 quid FFS.
yellowjack said:
Mr Will said:
They are just sportives for the cross-fit crowd.
Not sure they are any better value either, £120 to enter in advance or £140 to enter on the day, £10 just to park your car in the massive empty field (miles from any public transport) plus another £10 per person for any spectators you want to bring along. It makes £30 for some cake and signs on a bike-ride round the countryside seem quite reasonable!
Wow! £120/£140 ????Not sure they are any better value either, £120 to enter in advance or £140 to enter on the day, £10 just to park your car in the massive empty field (miles from any public transport) plus another £10 per person for any spectators you want to bring along. It makes £30 for some cake and signs on a bike-ride round the countryside seem quite reasonable!
Don't get me wrong, it was a great day out with a bunch of mates but I'm not in a hurry to pay full price for another one!
(that's Tough Mudder, but I assume the others are similar)
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