Cycling UK Forum

I think that's what they're called?

Anyway, what do you take with you/wear?

Clothes
Cycling jersey
Lycra shorts/tights
Helmet
Decent socks
SPD Shoes

Food/Drink
One or two bottles?
Some kind of energy bar

Tools etc.
Multitool
Tyre leavers
Patches
1 spare tube
Do I need to get a spare link?

Imagine a Domestique in the pro peleton, and add a Puncture Repair Kit.

Don't Sportives provide food and drink at the stops? Isn't that why they charge so much money for entry fee?

I would add armwarmers (if your jersey is short-sleeved) and a gilet (unless it's the height of summer, but still useful on a chilly descent) and 2 spare tubes, plus a light waterproof if rain is forecast.

could take a spare link,not heavy,but you dont want to be bulked down with to much tat.

id go for two bottles,lightweight rain jacket,just take it with you in car and watch the weather,maybe nice for just shorts.

& don't forget a bike!

Leave your brai behind like the sportive rider i saw today doing u-turns on a roundabout cos he'd over shot the exit... clearly just to go all the way around was too dificult to compute!

By patches I meant those little self adhesive puncture repair kits. They do provide food but I vaguely remember someone telling me to put a bar in my back pocket in case I "crash" (not literally I hope!).

I don't own any arm warmers. Are they recommended enough to be worth buying some. I have a short sleeve jersey and a waterproof cycling jacket. And don't worry I won't forget the bike.

Where do you keep all the stuff by the way? Should I get a bigger saddle bag. I can only fit one tube into mine.

Alex L wrote:By patches I meant those little self adhesive puncture repair kits. They do provide food but I vaguely remember someone telling me to put a bar in my back pocket in case I "crash" (not literally I hope!).

I don't own any arm warmers. Are they recommended enough to be worth buying some. I have a short sleeve jersey and a waterproof cycling jacket. And don't worry I won't forget the bike.

Where do you keep all the stuff by the way? Should I get a bigger saddle bag. I can only fit one tube into mine.

Your drinks bottle is in a cage on the downtube. Everything else is stuffed in your jersey back pockets. This is a 'Sportive', not a CTC Sunday ride.

A sportive is an opportunity for all-and-sundry to experience the thrills of a mass start race. The riders can form peletons, pace lines and even chase down a lone breakaway show-off.
The idea is to get round at a 'reasonable' speed, not have a 'nice time'....

Obviously I keep my bottles in cages. By saddle bag, I mean this:

http://www.jejamescycles.co.uk/speciali ... 68866.html

I usually have multi-tool, 1 inner tube, tyre leavers, puncture repair kit in there. Don't know why, I just don't like the idea of having the inner tube in my pocket. Don't know why.

My 'PRK' is a spare inner, tyre levers, TipTop puncture outfit, multitool, paper tissues, surgical gloves, small sheet of 120 grit and a hand-freshner from KFC wrapped up in a plastic bag held intact with multi-coloured elastic hair bands fron Claire's Accessories. My mini-pump is held to the package with the hair bands. It goes nicely in my LH rear pocket.

A zip-up neoprene pencil case contains mobile phone, wallet, pen, pencil, some elastic bands and a tea spoon. This goes in my CTR rear pocket.

House keys and loose change go in my RH rear pocket. There is enough room in my RH rear pocket to stash my TomTom Urban Rider when I go into the cafe.

Arm warmers are worth having. It can start off chilly in the morning and warm up later. Arm warmers can then be removed and put in jersey pockets. You can get then for £7.99 a pair at Aldi (if they have any left).

I've done the Dragon Ride a couple of times, it was just a bike ride where somebody tells you at the end how long you took and you can show your 'verified' time on the ride website if there are any doubters. Just take what you would normally take for the weather on the day and carry it in whatever suits you, saddlepack, bumbag, rackpack etc. If you've paid to enter your proof of this will get you all the food and drink you desire at the feeding points which are seldom more than 20 miles apart.

Most important is to understand the grade of ride and make sure you are fit enough not to have to walk the hills, [bad for the ego] though I did the Wild Edric a few years back and 2/3rds of the field walked up Asterton Bank on the way to the top of the Long Mynd.

RichardPH wrote:I've done the Dragon Ride a couple of times, it was just a bike ride where somebody tells you at the end how long you took and you can show your 'verified' time on the ride website if there are any doubters. Just take what you would normally take for the weather on the day and carry it in whatever suits you, saddlepack, bumbag, rackpack etc. If you've paid to enter your proof of this will get you all the food and drink you desire at the feeding points which are seldom more than 20 miles apart.

Most important is to understand the grade of ride and make sure you are fit enough not to have to walk the hills, [bad for the ego] though I did the Wild Edric a few years back and 2/3rds of the field walked up Asterton Bank on the way to the top of the Long Mynd.

I'm not worried about hills, just general speed. The course is fairly flat near to my home town. I'm currently in Bristol so used to plodding up and down hills!

I don't know what they have for sportives but my list to take with me which you can decide when you get there what to carry or leave behind would be:

Lightweight waterproof jacket
Long fingered & short fingered gloves
jersey long & short
Shorts & trousers - this time of year I'd be inclined to wear longs unless you know your body will be okay with legs uncovered at 12-15C(air temp, factor in windchill) for long periods uncovered. If it is forecast heavy rain then consider waterproof over trousers or chaps
A hat for when/if it rains or headband if it is going to be chilly/windy
UV400 Sunglasses with replaceable lenses if possible, if overcast orange or yellow, if sunny irridecent or smoke

Food/drink - this depends on what is going to be provided but generally take two bottles full of whatever you like to drink then you should be fine in between stops. If it's hot then you can easily put ice cubes in the drink before you leave home to keep it nicely chilled. Food wise if none provided then some cereal/nutty bars or better still home made flapjack with nuts in it. Don't forget you need to intake some extra salt so sausage rolls are excellent. I always pack some wine gums/fruit pastilles as I like them and they are easy enough to reach into a pocket for on the go. Basically think about your nutritional needs and what is available on the day, I always take something for me as a treat.

Tools/Misc
chain delinker/spare quick link set
2 inner tubes of correct size and a tyre boot/repair patch just in case. Forget puncture repair kit, the glue wont have time enough to go off that you could inflate any decent amount of air into the tubes.
If your frame allows it take a frame fitting pump, these are far and away easier to get plenty of air into your tyres in the event of a puncture, if not a tried & tested mini pump (as in test how well/high it inflates BEFORE the day) pumps are not made equal by a long stretch!
3 tyre levers
2 latex/rubber gloves, a micro cloth to wipe hands/parts with.
A sealed santizer wipe or 2 and a couple of plasters
Waterproof bag to put wallet & phone in

Mobile phone in case of problems and you need to call the backup number.

Change of clothes / something to warm you up when you finish. Flask of tea and something to eat when you finish. Camera to take piccies on the route.