Timed Century rides

[tv_vt]

I rode the Tour de Kingdom this weekend in northern Vermont. Saturday and Sunday were both centuries, and the organizers offered a timed event, or "race," that most riders took advantage of. You start en masse at the beginning at the designated time and are given finishing times when you roll across the line at the end.

I'm trying to decide if I like this format or not. While I dig getting a time and seeing how well I did against other riders, it also turns the rides into 100 mile time trials and turns the sag stops into NASCAR-like pit stops, as you try to get in and out as fast as you can, or just skip the stop altogether. It's hard to just ignore the fact that the clock is running and just relax.

I understand that Gran Fondos use this format, too. Yet I don't have a sense that the sags are as frantic.

Anybody else do rides like these? Thumbs up or thumbs down?

[firerescuefin]

The reality is that these sort themselves out pretty quickly. Those that think that they're racing disappear into the sunset and leave those that are riding to accomplish/enjoy the ride settle in. It works.

[RonW87]

If you're racing it, why would you stop at the sag stops? If you stop at the sag-stops, why would you be worried about your time?

Ron

[bambam]

Maybe they time them to pressure people to ride faster. Every year at our clubs fundraiser we have open and close times on the Stops but we almost always stay open beyond the posted closing time. On the century route this close time gets extended more and more the later the stops occur. This sometimes puts a lot of burden on volunteers. Just a thought.

[Idris Icabod]

The Tour de Tucson is like this, if you want to get a good time you need to stake your place on the start line at o'myfrackingwhat time (3 AM for a lot of people, ride starts at 7 AM). I've done it a few times and have only ever started as far as the bronze riders (pretty much riders shooting for 7-8 hour times), takes a good 10 minutes to get across the start line. I got comments as I passed people about starting too far back (wasn't my choice it was the highest I could line up), sometimes very rude comments. My best time was 5.03; sub-5 gets you a pass to the platinum section for the next year but I am not prepared to stand around in the cold and dark for 4 hours. All in all I find the Tucson ride to be pretty unpleasant in terms of peoples attitudes. I've done quite a few untimed epic rides such as the Triple Bypass and find the more relaxed atmosphere far more enjoyable.

[CunegoFan]

I am all for it, but I am peeved at normal centuries appropriating the term grand fondo because they think it sounds cooler than century. I think there is a large body of recreational riders out there who pretend to be racers but do not race, have never raced, and never will race. Large mass start events like this are perfect to feed their delusion, and I suspect that they will become very popular. Some riders who get their start in such events will eventually find their way to real racing.

[jr59]

I ride rando events, so I could care less!

[godfrey1112000]

The Tour de Tucson is like this, if you want to get a good time you need to stake your place on the start line at o'myfrackingwhat time (3 AM for a lot of people, ride starts at 7 AM). I've done it a few times and have only ever started as far as the bronze riders (pretty much riders shooting for 7-8 hour times), takes a good 10 minutes to get across the start line. I got comments as I passed people about starting too far back (wasn't my choice it was the highest I could line up), sometimes very rude comments. My best time was 5.03; sub-5 gets you a pass to the platinum section for the next year but I am not prepared to stand around in the cold and dark for 4 hours. All in all I find the Tucson ride to be pretty unpleasant in terms of peoples attitudes. I've done quite a few untimed epic rides such as the Triple Bypass and find the more relaxed atmosphere far more enjoyable.

Yes, I too have done el Tour, my first year was the 4am thing and then after that we lined up at 650am, in most cases it took no more that 5-6 minutes to cross the hot spot, start, and 30 minutes to get through the "pack" of ride for the cure and et al.

El Tour is fun and it is great to see where you rank out of 10k plus riders, I have been happy finishing right at about 1200 range

TBP is a different animal, the clock is running in your head and you try to keep going but getting on top of the passes and then going down you like to take a break to gather your wits and rest the legs. Doing the Double TBP, we will see how good of an idea that is that Sunday, second day, around 3pm
Last year I started at 550am, there were hundreds in front of me

It is all about having fun but remember the only the last 50 feet really count :beer:

[biker72]

The reality is that these sort themselves out pretty quickly. Those that think that they're racing disappear into the sunset and leave those that are riding to accomplish/enjoy the ride settle in. It works.

In virtually all the chairity rallies I've been to there is always a group of riders that want to race the full length of the course. They take off, never stop at a rest stop, and leave the recreational cyclists behind. A timed race would have the same result.

[wasfast]

Having had my fill of supported centuries, I ride the courses at a different date, self-supported. One ride in particular is in May and its ALWAYS raining. The course is excellent, especially in mid summer.
No bunches of riders to navigate and you can ride as fast or slow as you like for time.

[redir]

They call them cookie rides for a reason. I've been racing bikes for over ten years now, a race is totally different. Having said that, I always get sucked into the fast riders at the local centuries. After a while I just let them go choosing to enjoy the rest stops, after all I payed for it. There's one local one that has a lolly pop so I let them go then catch them on the loop. it's fun to try and beat records but on more then one occasion I've seen riders hit the wall because they didn't take advantage of the stops :D

[charlie68]

I think I would like the timed format. I'm a slow rider who enjoys the scenery and could care less about finishing time. The centuries I ride are usually a mix of racers and riders. By having a mass start for the racers, it would seem that they would be long gone after a short time and my ride would be more enjoyable. No pace lines of riders "racing" by other riders. To each his own.

[rugbysecondrow]

I don't like the paceline riders at the rec rides. If they want to ride like that, then they should shove off earlier.