Wiggle New Forest Spring Sportive (Saturday)

Rated Event: 82.222%

BobKinsella wrote:

The event, I thought, was pretty well thought out, with a good venue and facilities (portaloos were plenty and clean), excellent staff, reasonable freebie/goodies, and great support (including medical).

What really let it down for me was the lack of anything savoury to eat at the stops and the lack of post-ride food caterers. There simply was not enough choice at the stops (fig rolls, Oreos, flap jacks and jelly beans; in addition to gels this was so much sugar my teeth where practically falling out of my mouth at the end) and the ONE hot food caterer at the finish had completely run out of food by the time we got there - which was around 4pm.

I would do a Wiggle event again but if the food situation doesn't improve you'll lose me as a customer.

Rated Event: 97.778%

DavidNeeson wrote:

First time I have ridden in this event and can't praise the organization enough superb venue and will certainly book early for next year

Rated Event: 100.000%

KeithBurley wrote:

A fantatsic day due almost entirely to the professional manner in which the event was organised and marshalled.

Unfortunately there were a couple of cyclists who just threw their litter away on the side of the road and were aggressive when i pointed out what they had done!

the ponies, donkeys and particularly the bullochs were all intresting obsticles not normally encountered on my usual cycles rides.

Anyone thinking of doing a spotive should look to a wiggle event!

Rated Event: 25.556%

Ken Yates wrote:

disapointing - hosting venue was like a mud bath car had to be pushed out,feed stations busy not enough toilets.event has too many entrants in my opinion.

Rated Event: 97.778%

wrote:

Nasty weather, a real test in those conditions... so much rain... but good fun

Rated Event: 87.778%

DavidWILLIS wrote:

Apart from a few sad protestors, this ride was unspoilt by the weather. Mind you, if it had been raining like that at the start, I might have been recorded as a DNS !!!

Rated Event: 64.444%

LiquiGaz wrote:

Big is not always better, and that has never been truer than for the New Forest Spring Sportive. This was my 3rd consecutive year at this event, and the previous 2 had made it my favourite; but it was smaller then, based at Brockenhurst College. In an attempt to cater for vast numbers of riders (2000), the event moved up the road to New Park. What a disaster. It took 20 minutes to get into the car park (field) from the Lyndhurst road, from which it was half a mile over rough ground to the Registration tent - not good for road bikes or cleated shoes! There were no changing rooms, no showers, and just a single standpipe at a horse-trough to fill your bottles! The course was much tougher than previous years, taking in over 3000ft of climbing on the Standard route according to Garmin - more than advertised and some going in the New Forest! I could have done without the foot-deep ford we had to negotiate, though. With so many riders, the feed stations were chaotic, and I can understand the locals getting grumpy, as there were endless streams of riders everywhere causing mayhem with the traffic. On my return (before 15:00), there were no bike wash facilities left and no hot food due to a generator failure. Cold, wet and utterly miserable, I made my way back to the car, taking a shortcut through the Start/Finish gate, which replaced my actual finish time! By this time, the car park had turned into a paddy field, and literally every vehicle was being pushed or towed out. Carnage. My favourite event ruined, I'm afraid I won't return next year - unless the venue goes back to the College, with proper facilities and reasonable, manageable rider numbers.

Rated Event: 93.333%

Marcusw wrote:

Great day out, too big for me really as traffic getting in was terrible.

Rated Event: 97.778%

AlexGregory wrote:

I did the MTB Epic course, this was my first ever bike event (I'm a runner) and I absolutely loved it. I felt that it was well organised from the parking stewards and registration staff to starters and finishers with great signposting and feed stations in between, if it hadn't been for the lure of flapjack we would have made it in a gold time but they were worth it!
The only bits I've scored a bit lower were because of the busy roads but I guess this is unavoidable and on course stewards or outriders because we didn't see any but this didn't detract from the experience. It was a nasty day but that added to the fun in my opinion, getting covered in mud is part of the deal on a mountain bike isn't it?
I will definately do a Wiggle event again, probably the Autumn MTB one and I might have a bash at a road one aswell if I'm feeling brave.
Great stuff, well done.

Rated Event: 97.778%

GrahamRatcliffe wrote:

Thoroughly enjoyable ride!

Rated Event: 92.222%

andyjenkins wrote:

Although this event page seems to be aimed at the road sportive, there was also a mountain bike route which I did on this occasions. The facilites at the start and end however were the same so I am rating here. Overall a very good event, well organised, friendly, good route markings, great feed stops (the MTB ones were well spaced). My only critisism is that the event was supposed to open at 0715, we arrived just after this, literally 2 or 3 minutes, yet the car park was nearly full so I suspect the gates opened sooner. Toilets were a little thin on the ground, at least the marked ones which meant a 10 minute queue, nothing unusual to every other sportive I have ever done but still a little frustrating. Again, a good even, the MTB route was fantastic through the forest, the weather was wet and cold but it didnt bother me in the slightest. Would definately ride this again and will probably do the road course in the autumn.

Rated Event: 98.889%

wrote:

Fantastic event with a great event centre and well signposted route. I thought the feed stations were perfect and there were toilets at the second station. It's the best sportive I've done and thanks to all the very friendly volunteers who were at the event centre and the feed stations.

Rated Event: 100.000%

RichardScott wrote:

As usual an excellent and well organised event...u boys rock !!

Rated Event: 95.556%

PeterHolgate wrote:

My only critisism was that some of the roads were busier with cars faster and closer than the end of summer 100 mile route. I had my son and his friends riding the 50 mile route and there were moments of concern for them.

Rated Event: 95.556%

novac1981 wrote:

There were a few of the moorland sections seemed like they could feel pretty lonely cycling on your own, however as a lone rider I managed to cycle with someone else during these sections. There were a few killer hills in the first 40 miles, real leg tremblers, makes me glad I'm from Scotland and all my training routes have steep hills on them.

Really good fun, I was broken on the Sunday though.

Rated Event: 87.778%

JenniferT wrote:

Nice well-organised event, shame about the miserable weather. Agree first food stop seemed a little late, and would have been nice if there were toilet facilities too.

Rated Event: 100.000%

netclectic wrote:

I didn't use the feed stations but there seemed to be plenty of them and thankfully I didn't need the Sag Wagon. All-in-all an excellent event, although you'll need to try harder with the weather for next year. I get enough of that cold, wind and rain up here in Scotland already!

Rated Event: 91.111%

Vélodan68 wrote:

Really enjoyed the ride. The route was great and I will definitely give it a crack next year.

Rated Event: 93.333%

BarryJeeves wrote:

My first Wiggle event and I was very pleased. An excellent event, well organised. The only small negative for me was that the first feed stop could have been a little earlier.

I also found the entry a little confusing as I was not expecting to be redirected to Wiggle and some of the steps were not that clear.

Rated Event: 94.444%

SeonaidBaird wrote:

Wet and windy day but a great course and very well sign posted. Only complaint would be that 34.5 miles seemed a bit too far for the first feed stop on a 57 mile route. Was out of water a while before that.