Sportives vs Reliability Trials

The divergent paths taken by two London clubs' early-season events embody a broader shift from the DIY ethic of reliability riding to the lick, feature-packed world of today's sportives

There are two annual organised rides two weeks apart in February that are promoted by two old South London cycling clubs over almost identical courses starting from adjacent Kent villages.

One of them costs £5 to enter, which you pay when you turn up at Knockholt village hall. For your fiver, you receive an Audax-style route card and a friendly word of warning.

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