Riding your first cycle sportive this summer? Here’s the gear you’ll need…
You don’t need to become a tech-boffin in order to enjoy cycle sportives, but you do need to spend your money wisely.
Sportive Bike
Let’s start with the bike. Unless you want to make life hard, you’ll need a road bike, rather than a mountain bike or even a hybrid. They don’t come cheap though. Spend above £500 and you’ll get something comfortable and reliable. Spend £1000 and it’ll be light and fast too. Above this price point, the benefits rapidly diminish per pound you spend.
Borrowing or hiring a bike is another option, but whatever you do, be beware of the importance of good bike fitting. You wouldn’t run a marathon in someone else’s ill-fitting shoes, right? The same applies to cycling. For this reason, seek an independent bike fitting (at a reputable shop) or at least spend time researching how to measure it yourself. Don’t let a shop sell or hire you a bike that doesn’t fit you, just because it’s the last one they have in stock. It happens.
Your bike must also have the appropriate gearing for the terrain you wish to cycle on. This is dictated by the number of teeth you have on your sprockets (connected to your rear wheel) and chainrings (near your pedals). It’ll be expensive to have these changed later, so ask your shop for advice and help in the first instance.
If you do decide to buy a bike, do your homework first. Magazines like Cycling Plus and websites such as BikeRadar.com have hundreds of up to date reviews and comparisons to help you seek out the best value for money.
