Has anyone done one before if so what are they like?
Will i need to take my own supplies or are there feed stations where i can top up the water bottles, grab a gel/banana etc?
Did you use a camelbak (other brands are available) for carrying spares etc or just stuff what you could get in your jersey pockets?
I've entered the 60km one at Duncton, West Sussex on 10th March and just wonder what i have let myself in for 
Cheers
Did the Woodcote one last year and doing it again in a couple of weeks.
Yes there are feedstations so you can top up water bottles - I wouldn't rely on there being too much food at them though so carry some.
I used a small rucksack to carry spares but used a water bottle rather than a camelback.
Just go for it! There wasn't anything technical on the Woodcote cx route - it was just a slog at times. At least it should be warmer this year.
according to the website there's a feed-station en route so you might be able to top-up on food there, if there's any left, take some food with you though just in case
unless you like the feeling of something banging into the back of your helmet on every descent you shouldn't need a Camelbak, tools in a small saddlebag, inner-tubes, energy bars, extra layers in rear pockets
Ooooh, CX sportives... tell me more please. How do I sign up?
Here you go. Just using it as something to keep me focused on weight loss & training till i start the 12 hour solo races in the summer.
Cheers for the above advice guys. Fairly much as i thought but just wanted to check 
Thanks! That looks quite fun but we may not make it that far south. Do you know of any up north?
Now they sound great
Um... I've got a really good cyclo-cross route, east of Manchester, that would make a superb CX sportive.
It's about 45 miles, 3-4 of which is on tarmac, but there is very little in the way of shops or support on it without a detour.
I used it as 3 Peaks distance training...
If anyone is interested, maybe we could have some kind of day out on it?
Haven't heard of that many but was interested i doing one when i couldn't get in to HONC this year 
Just so happens the Duncton one is only about 30 miles from where i live and was around the time of year i was looking to do one.
Being a bit of a big biffer I'll be fitting a rear cassette with a great spread of gears so i don't end up walking all the hills. 
Does anyone know what the biggest rear cassette you can get on the back without changing the current 105 short cage rear mech?
Hi Bigsi
The CX Sportives are run by us; we also run Trail Break MTB and Southern Sportive road events.
Yes, there will be feed and support points along the way; we usually supply fruit, flapjack, cake, malt loaf - sort of stuff to keep your energy up. There will be drums of water and energy drink too.
How much you carry and how you carry it is up to your riding preference really. We provide support and contact numbers, but we always recommend you are equipped for basic self sufficiency. If you have problems, depending where you are on the course it may take time to get help to you.
Feel free to email me if you have any other questions about the event - email's in my profile.
You'll be wanting to ride there & back as well I'd have thought Si?
Hi Crikey,
We're east of Manchester (in the Calder Valley). I do quite a lot of riding on and around the Pennine Bridleway and was thinking of doing the Mary Towneley loop (48 miles) on the 'cross bike as Tour of Flanders training* but would be v interested in other CX loops.
I'd be up for an outing!
B
*Training is a fairly loose term in this case, more a three month process of convincing myself I can do it...
I did the ToF last year, largely on a diet of riding my road bike over less than suitable roads. I'd be happy to show you around it, or better, send you the Google maps link.
The Duncton CX Sportive is about 5 miles from my house - so I s'pose I gotta do it! 
I and two mates did the Saxon CX Sportive last year which was our first. We all really enjoyed it.
The route was a great course and was clearly waymarked. Although I must say the proportion of offroad seemed much more than was advertised.
At the Saxon there was only 1 feed station from what I recall. Take your own drinks, bars/gels etc. Take twice as many inner tubes as you think you'll need too - I used up five(!) and had to beg, borrow and steal as I'd only taken two.
I rode the Woodcote one and and the Ridgeway one last year. I missed the Saxon one , but did hear about lots of punctures! As always with Trailbreaks events they both were very well organised, with good signage. A real mix of bikes on the course, everything from SS CX bikes to large travel mtbs. For both events I just took a small undersaddle bag with some spares and stuffed my pockets with food.
I have entered the Shackleford Trail ride for this Saturday, and will probably ride my CX bike as I can see the trails being too technical and probably a bit more interesting on the cross bike.
Digger90 - The Saxon did end up favouring the MTB crowd a bit more, particularly in the early stages of the course. I think ground conditions had lot to do with it too. We'll probably tweak the first quarter a little next year to balance it up. The Woodcote event in a couple of weeks certainly comes back much more in favour of CX. The final Duncton course isn't fixed yet, but we'll be shooting for an entertaining balance again!
Jason - Remember Charlie? Chap from down Devils Dyke with the impressive beard? He used his crosser on most of our trail ride routes at one time or another. Talk at the finish was generally along the lines of "How fast did the guy with the beard on the 'crosser go past you, then?" I think Shackleford should be fine for it at the weekend. We've had word that conditions are pretty good out there at the moment.
Whoops meant to say "I can't see the trails being too technical".
Martin, I think I know who you mean. I doubt I will speeding past too many people on Saturday, maybe on the road bits but I will be mincing down any rooty decents. I rode around there two weeks ago and it wasn't too wet, it hasn't rained much since then so it should be very dry, hopefully not too dry as the sand can get a bit deep.
Cheers Martin. Looking forward to it.
How much climbing are you planning for the 60kn route? Just wondering if i will need a slightly bigger cassette range
Does anyone know what the biggest rear cassette you can get on the back without changing the current 105 short cage rear mech?
I went from a 26 (recommended biggest) to a 32 for an event, without changing the mech. I seem to think 28 was the biggest recommended. It was touch noisier, but absolutely fine. I'm not the only one to have done this. You need to bang in the B tension screw all the way to push the top jockey away from the cassette in the biggest cogs.
I've since read that you can take the B tension screw out and put it back in from the other side to give it a bit more clearance.
Poor pic of the mech here. I think it's actually a medium cage 105, which I expect is what you'll have.
http://www.flickr.com/photos/steverile/6041355026/sizes/l/in/photostream/
Blatent Plug Alert... (I'm the organiser).
New CX Sportive in the Scottish Borders - 22nd July 2012. Have a look at http://www.southerncrosscx.co.uk
60km (with a couple of shorter bail-out options), mainly on ancient drove roads, tracks and paths, with a bit of singletrack thrown in for good measure. Plenty climbing, plenty descending. Ride on CX or MTB - choice is yours.Entry fee includes on-site camping and ceilidh (night before). Race HQ is a pub - not too bad, huh?.
Cheers
Paul
Crikey & Clover
Count me in for a Northern CX Sportive. Always fancied doing the Mary Towneley route on cx. Sounds ideal
Hey, I think I've died and gone to CX heaven! The Southern Cross sounds ace.
Email me at info at makepiece dot co dot uk for Northern CX sportives. Around some weekends and some Mondays and Tuesdays for routes and outings (hope I'm not woefully slow, not sure, much of my CX riding has been on my own).
Weather's looking good so we're planning to do the MT tomorrow from Todmorden at 10am.... providing I get the right new brake pads for bf's bike in a couple of minutes. Might be a bit short notice DD?
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