Riders at the 2015 Prudential RideLondon Surrey 100 enjoy some blue sky and open countryPrudential RideLondon
Satisfaction is pretty much guaranteed from this well organised, great fun sportive through the city streetsPrudential RideLondon
RideLondon participants passed through the historic town of Kingston twice on the coursePrudential RideLondon
The Trek Emonda ALR6 is a great bike with an aluminium frame and good specBikeRadar / Immediate Media
A saddle pack is the ideal way to store all your essential gear – this is Lezyne’s Road Caddy, which can fit a tube, two tyre levers, multi tool and patchesTom Ballard / Immediate Media
Clipless pedals offer an instant performance advantage. This is a pair of well-loved Time Xpresso 2s, the cheapest in the rangeTom Ballard / Immediate Media
Tyre levers like these Park Tools TL1C are certainly essential in case of punctureTom Ballard / Immediate Media
A new tube is a must – make sure the valve is longer than the depth of your wheel rimsTom Ballard / Immediate Media
A tiny multi tool like this Lifeline model gives peace of mind as much as usefulnessTom Ballard / Immediate Media
You can’t beat Park Tools’ Super Patches for fast puncture fixesTom Ballard / Immediate Media
A mini pump is essential – make sure it can get up to a decent pressureTom Ballard / Immediate Media
Bottles come in various sizes. On the left is Camelbak’s Podium Big Chill, which keeps drinks cold. Specialized’s Purist Hydroflo on the right is easy to glug fromTom Ballard / Immediate Media
A top-tube mounted fuel bag can save unnecessary rummaging in your back pocketTom Ballard / Immediate Media
This Elite Custom Race cage has seen a lot of use but is still going strongTom Ballard / Immediate Media
Madison’s Mission sunglasses are a good value optionBikeRadar / Immediate Media
Dhb shorts are a good starting point for many ridersBikeRadar / Immediate Media
The Limar 778 is extremely light for the priceDavid Rome / Immediate Media
Shimano’s pedals offer good value and durabilityDavid Rome / Immediate Media
You’ve just signed up for your first sportive – maybe you’ve been inspired by the recent Prudential RideLondon-Surrey 100 (entries for 2016’s event are now open, by the way) and have committed to ride a full century.
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You’ll need to do a lot of (perhaps fear-induced) training, but your fitness can quickly be scuppered by mechanical issues. So how can you ensure the ‘best of mechanical luck’ on the big day? By checking out our sportive essentials of course!
Bike
The trek emonda alr6 is a great bike with an aluminium frame and good spec: the trek emonda alr6 is a great bike with an aluminium frame and good spec
Yes, it’s obvious, you’ll need a bike to tackle your sportive, no matter the distance. You might already have a trusty steed or perhaps you’re borrowing one. In either case, get the bike serviced by a local bike shop to sort any niggles before they become real problems. Replacing frayed cables, a worn chain and thinned-out tyres is a must.
If you’re thinking of buying a new bike, there’s never been a better time to do so as technology that was the reserve of professionals only a decade ago is now available at much friendlier prices. Do your research.
