More sportives than ever before

We know that thousands of people are taking up cycling right now, and many of those people are using their bikes as a form of transport. However, there are others for whom cycling is more about sport than simply getting around, and it's not surprise that there's an increase in this type of cycling too.

The UK sportive scene is exploding right now. There are 68 percent more sportives this year, rising from 110 last year to 180 events in 2010. These events are a testament to the explosion in cycling that Bristol and the surrounding areas are witnessing.

But you might be asking just what is a sportive? Sportives are non-competitive rides that combine elements of road riding and long distance bicycle touring. They're often timed and riders normally carry a number (as the rider on the right shows). The rides attract a wide range of riders, from dedicated racing cyclists to leisure cyclists wanting a challenging ride. We've ridden a couple and we know they're great fun because give us a chance to test our fitness against other riders without having to commit to joining a cycling club.

Below we've highlighted 21 of the closest sportives to Bristol for you - but don't forget about the other types of rides in and around Bristol this year, including Bristol's Biggest Bike Ride (June 20), Ashton Court Bike Fest (5-6th June) and the other weekly rides organised by local cycling clubs and audaxes.

We'll be at a couple of these - will we see you there?!

White Horse Challenge (Sunday, April 25)

• Shrivenham, Wiltshire
• 150km, £22
• Feed stop(s), timed, affiliated to a charity

Forest of Dean Spring Classic (Sunday, May 2)

• Chippenham Fields, Monmouth
• 85 miles, £25
• Changing facilities, feed stop(s), timed

The Preseli Angel Sportive (Sunday, May 2)

• Festival Centre, Newport
• 80 miles/45 miles, £20/£15
• Changing facilities, feed stop(s), entry on the line

Black Rat Challenge (Sunday, May 16)

• Backwell School, Backwell, Bristol
• 100 miles/100 km,£24
• Feed stop(s), timed

Cheddar Gorge Killer Climbs Road Sportive (Sunday, May 16)

• Cheddar, Somerset
• 160km/100 km/48km,£20 (entry on the line £25)
• Changing facilities, feed stop(s), timed, affiliated to a charity

Tour of Wessex (Saturday, May 29 - Monday, May 31)

• Somerton Sports Club, Somerton, Somerset
• 325 miles (117 miles/106 miles/102 miles) (or 73 miles/18 miles), £70 (or £25/£21/£10)
• Changing facilities, feed stop(s), timed

The Great Western Sportive (Sunday, June 13)

• Swindon, Wiltshire
• 162km/125km/75km,£25/£24/£23
• Changing facilities, feed stop(s), timed, affiliated to a charity

Ride for Precious Lives (Friday, June 2)

• Three day ride from St Austell, Cornwall to Bristol
• £240 miles, £100 entrance (with a sponsorship target of £500)

Gore Bike Wear Round 1 - Builth Wells (Sunday, July 4)

• White House Farm, Builth Wells, Wales
• 80-100 miles/40-50 miles, £25
• Changing facilities, timed, entry on the line

The Merlin Ride (Sunday, July 4)

• National Botanic Gardens of Wales
• 112/70/50 miles, £25
• Changing facilities, feed stop(s), entry on the line, affiliated to a charity

The Wyre Forest Stinger (Sunday, July 4)

• Stourport Sports centre, Worcestershire
• 170km/100km, £15/£25
• Changing facilities, feed stop(s), timed, entry on the line

Iron Mountain Sportive (Saturday, July 10)

• Abergavenny
• 100 miles/50 miles/25 miles, £25/£20/£10
• Changing facilities, times, entry on the line

The Devil Ride (Sunday, July 11)

• Brecon Leisure centre, Brecon
• 100 miles/50 miles, £26 (entry on the line £36)
• Changing facilities, feed stop(s)

Tour of the Black Mountains (Saturday, July 24)

• Pen Y Dre Farm, Lanvihangel, Abergavenny
• 120 miles/101 miles/63 miles, £30/£25/£18
• Changing facilities, feed stop(s), timed

Action Medical Research - Brecons 100 (Sunday, August 8)

• Newport, Wales
• 100 miles, £25 (and £25 sponsorship suggested)
• Changing facilities, feed stop(s), entry on the line, affiliated to a charity

Action Medical Research - Action 100 Bristol/Bath-London (Sunday, August 29)

• Bristol/Bath to London Kingston-on-Thames
• 110+ miles, £25 (and £25 sponsorship suggested)
• Changing facilities, feed stop(s), entry on the line, affiliated to a charity

Wessex 100 (Sunday, September 12)

• Ralph Allen School, Bath
• 50 miles/100 miles, £16
• Changing facilities, feed stop(s)

Cheddar Cyclo-sportive (Sunday, September 19)

• Details TBC - see www.cheddarcyclestore.co.uk for more information

Tour of Dartmoor (Sunday, September 25)

• River Dart Country Park
• 170km/136km, £27/£21
• Changing facilities, feed stop(s), timed, entry on the line, GPS maps available

Autumn Epic (Sunday, October 3)

• Knighton Community Centre, Knighton
• 100 miles/50 miles, £26 (£35 entry on the line)
• Changing facilities, feed stop(s)

The Exmoor Beast (Sunday November 7)

• Wimbleball Lake, Dulverton, Somerset
• 100 miles/100km, £27
• Changing facilities, feed stop(s), timed

You can find more information about sportives on the cyclosport.org website. Other types of organised rides include audax rides, randonnes or brevets, and time trials. Details about competitive cycling events can be found on the British Cycling's events calender.