Sportive Check List

Out and about on the bike recently, I got chatting with a rider who was busy preparing for his first sportive.  We got chatting about some of the things to think about in readiness as a kind of checklist of the day, there's a lot to consider in advance, here's a list of some of the things you could consider: -

Bike Checks

• Tyre Quality - look for the small holes in the tyres which indicate wear, replace if well worn.
• Tyre Pressure - should be at manufacturer recommended PSI.
• Has the chain been oiled?
• Have you tightened all your allen keys on key contact points, use a torque wrench if possible.
• Brake pads - ensure that they are in good condition and fully functioning.
• Ensure that your wheels are sitting correctly by loosening your skewers and putting pressure on either the saddle (back wheel) or bars (front wheel) before re-tightening.
• Gears - have you got the right rear cassette?  If it's a hilly route and you're a new rider, you might want to invest in a different rear cassette.  More about gears here.

Food and Accessories Check

• Spare inner tube (carry two if you have room).
• Pump or CO2 inflator plus tyre levers.
• Gels/Energy bars to give you around 50g - 60g of carbohydrate per hour.
• Have you charged your Garmin?
• Have you got some cash with you in case you need to buy any additional drinks/food?
• Is your phone fully charged?
• Do you have the event organisers information in the event of incident?

Route Check

• Have you put the route in your Garmin/GPS?
• Where are the hills?  
• Where are the stops?
• How should you effectively use your energy relative to the profile of the route?

Clothing Check

• Check the weather forecast.
• If hot - take suncream!  
• If wet - Wet weather kit (waterproof jacket, gloves, overshoes).
• If changeable.  Think about configuring your clothing with shorts plus leg warmers to remove, short sleeved top with arm warmers.