Sportive saturation?

Im sure that Audax and CTC riders gaze in bewilderment at the sight of a thousand or so cyclists lining up to pay £30 or so to ride around on roads which you can ride on for free.
The sportive is the manifestation of cycling's most recent flowering in popularity. Back in the day, if you weren't racing or on the club run, your only option was an event with one of the aforementioned organisations - my first was the Wild Wales in the mid 90s (he said in desperate attempt to gain some street cred).
In the intervening time the sportive has taken over to such an extent that you can probably take part in one every weekend between March and November.
I dont have anything against the events of course, I just wonder how many of them are driven by commerciality and how many will exist in a few years time.
Obviously, if cycling looses momentum and ends up back where it was a few years ago, there will be fewer events and it'll be the 'Johnny come latelys' which will disappear first.

Look familiar?

Tracking what happens to both the numbers of Sportives and the number of participants over the next few years will provide a good indication of where cycling is at in the national psyche. Should be interesting to see where it goes.

Mad for cycling: my review of @vmcyclone

One of the main reasons I started this blog was because it gave me the opportunity to write about stuff I like as opposed to writing about stuff I'm paid to write about.

So it's really pleasing when you can combine the two.

My working life recently took me into the orbit of the Virgin Money Cyclone: a series of cycling events in and around Newcastle.

You can read my review of it here on the excellent Mad for Cycling blog. It's got a really interesting take on cycling blogs being part review and part cookery tips - a nice mix.

I'd rather be on my bike too!

There should be one or two others appearing here and there in the not too distant.

Enjoy reading...

Manchester sportive weekend

It's quite a big weekend in Manchester for the amateur sportive rider and the charity fund raise with two big cycling events going on. The Manchester 100 and the 55 mile Bruntwood Ellipse both take place tomorrow afternoon.

Route of the Manchester 100

I've never done the Ellipse but I've ridden the whole route in sections on different rides.
I've done the Manchester 100 and it's quite forgiving for a 100 miler. It's pretty flat with just a couple of lumps at Norley and Kelsall as I recall.
Still, these things are all relative.
I've got my miles in today for this weekend as I build my strength after recent enforced lay offs.
So, good luck to everyone taking part in both events, hope it goes well for you!