Audax

Buck said:

Who here does Audax rides, I am seriously considering joining up and
doing a number of rides this year and would like to hear people
experiences.

Me for one. A splendid time has, in the main, been had every time, although
sitting atop a windswept piece of Hampshire in the pissing rain wondering
why one has suddenly been afflicted with a bagful of non-functioning inner
tubes can try the patience a little.

There are now four new ones sitting on my desk.

Having the business end of one's pump fall off somewhere in the darkened
countryside can be a confounded nuisance too, but fortunately the duff tube
stayed up long enough to get me back to the finish.

There is now a new one sitting on my desk.

Be advised that if lying down in a three-revolving-wheels kind of way, your
right front wheel will often be travelling in the grass / mud / gravel /
cack which collects in the centre of the narrow lanes much beloved of Audax
Organisators, so sturdier than standard tyres may be a good idea. Also,
mudguards notwithstanding, your right arm /will/ get covered in cack, and
quite possibly the left one as well.

On these roads it is also possible to get stuck behind those upright
contraptions, which are, like /really/ bad at descending. This is a Bad
Thing, as it prevents the buildup of momentum which may profitably used to
ascend the other side.

If carrying one's route sheet in an Ortleib document pouch strung round
one's neck, ensure that it does not hide under the kitchen table as you
attempt to leave the house.

--
Dave Larrington - <http://www.legslarry.beerdrinkers.co.uk/>
Every establishment needs an opposition.

On 06/08/2005 12:27:45 'Dave Larrington said:

Buck wrote:

Quoted message said:

Quoted message said:

Who here does Audax rides, I am seriously considering joining up and
doing a number of rides this year and would like to hear people
experiences.

Quoted message said:

Me for one. A splendid time has, in the main, been had every time,
although sitting atop a windswept piece of Hampshire in the pissing rain
wondering why one has suddenly been afflicted with a bagful of
non-functioning inner tubes can try the patience a little.

Quoted message said:

There are now four new ones sitting on my desk.

Quoted message said:

Having the business end of one's pump fall off somewhere in the darkened
countryside can be a confounded nuisance too, but fortunately the duff
tube stayed up long enough to get me back to the finish.

Quoted message said:

There is now a new one sitting on my desk.

Quoted message said:

Be advised that if lying down in a three-revolving-wheels kind of way,
your right front wheel will often be travelling in the grass / mud /
gravel / cack which collects in the centre of the narrow lanes much
beloved of Audax Organisators, so sturdier than standard tyres may be a
good idea. Also, mudguards notwithstanding, your right arm /will/ get
covered in cack, and quite possibly the left one as well.

Quoted message said:

On these roads it is also possible to get stuck behind those upright
contraptions, which are, like /really/ bad at descending. This is a Bad
Thing, as it prevents the buildup of momentum which may profitably used to
ascend the other side.

Quoted message said:

If carrying one's route sheet in an Ortleib document pouch strung round
one's neck, ensure that it does not hide under the kitchen table as you
attempt to leave the house.

Sounds par for the course. Especially with you involved Dave.

--
Buck

I would rather be out on my Catrike

http://www.catrike.co.uk

Buck said:

Who here does Audax rides, I am seriously considering joining up and doing a number of rides this year and would like to hear people experiences.

Have a look at the audax mailing list (on Yahoo groups). I'm doing my
first this saturday (only a 113K) and it looks pretty good so far. Bit
of a strange route for the first part which isn't the most direct, nor
the one I would have chosen.

...d

Buck <[email hidden]> wrote:
: Who here does Audax rides, I am seriously considering joining up and doing a number of rides this year and would like to hear people experiences.

I do a few each year (one or two) and the odd sportif as well.

It's fun, though I stick to the 200km or shorter ones myself.

Arthur

--
Arthur Clune PGP/GPG Key: http://www.clune.org/pubkey.txt
The struggle of people against power is the struggle
of memory against forgetting - Milan Kundera

You don't need to join up, just pay the extra quid for insurance.

Where you based, which ones you thinking of doing?

in message <[email hidden]>, Buck

(') said:

Who here does Audax rides, I am seriously considering joining up and
doing a number of rides this year and would like to hear people
experiences.

I have done, ride reports here:
<URL:http://www.jasmine.org.uk/dogfood/story/article_7.html>

and here:
<URL:http://www.jasmine.org.uk/dogfood/story/article_25.html>

I shall do more.

--
[email hidden] (Simon Brooke) http://www.jasmine.org.uk/~simon/

;; when in the [censored], the wise man plants courgettes

Buck said:

Who here does Audax rides, I am seriously considering joining up and doing a number of rides this year and would like to hear people experiences.

--
Buck

I would rather be out on my Catrike

http://www.catrike.co.uk

Yup I am an Audaxer. Did my first last year but didn't enjoy it because
I entered on my own and no one was very sociable. Done several this
year and all have been good, I don't think they are as sociable as folk
make out. Sure people will talk to you generally but I find that I have
to break the ice, if you get dropped from your bunch for any reason
don't expect anyone to wait for you, if they do its a bonus. I have
done 200s, 300s and 400s this year as well as a 60 and 100. I prefer
the longer rides, they seem less competetive, maybe its just because I
have got fitter and more used to the events and familiar with some of
the other riders. That's probably it, I have done several local events
now and have become a familar face myself. Events themselves vary, some
have good catering afterwards, most have good route sheets though.

Let us know which ones you are planning on doing. YOu'll never know
until you try though.

"Buck" <[email hidden]> wrote in message
news:[email hidden]...

Quoted message said:

Who here does Audax rides, I am seriously considering joining up and doing
a number of rides this year and would like to hear people experiences.

--
Buck

I did my first one last month, it was great fun and I've entered for a few
more this year.

Simon Brooke said:

in message <[email hidden]>, Buck

(') said:

Who here does Audax rides, I am seriously considering joining up and
doing a number of rides this year and would like to hear people
experiences.

I have done, ride reports here:
<URL:http://www.jasmine.org.uk/dogfood/story/article_7.html>

and here:
<URL:http://www.jasmine.org.uk/dogfood/story/article_25.html>

I shall do more.

And here are 2 of mine posted to this group.

<http://tinyurl.co.uk/7cal>
<http://tinyurl.co.uk/jhi6>

Full urls for the above:

<http://groups-beta.google.com/group/uk.rec.cycling/msg/d24d4bd51a9b407d?dmode=source&hl=en>
<http://groups-beta.google.com/group/uk.rec.cycling/msg/bc2ddae69d9186a2?dmode=source&hl=en>

I'm still intending to write up my failed attempt at the Brimstone but
it's hard to find the time ATM. I'm down for the Kernow and South-west
600 this week. The psycho-buzzard is apparently active again and dive
bombing cyclists. Maybe I should wear a lid for this one.

--
Dave...

My first one is this coming Sunday (100km)

after reading some of those reports I am seriously under equipped in the
puncture repair department. One inner tube is not going to cut it is it!

JB
"LSMike" <[email hidden]> wrote in message
news:[email hidden]...

Quoted message said:

"Buck" <[email hidden]> wrote in message
news:[email hidden]...

Quoted message said:

Who here does Audax rides, I am seriously considering joining up and
doing a number of rides this year and would like to hear people
experiences.

--
Buck

I did my first one last month, it was great fun and I've entered for a few
more this year.

On 06/08/2005 14:51:04 'iakobski said:

You don't need to join up, just pay the extra quid for insurance.

Quoted message said:

Where you based, which ones you thinking of doing?

I am in Kent, I am seriously thinking of doing the PBP in 2007 and thought the best route may be via Audax, plus the rides will be a good test to how my training regime is working.

--
Buck

I would rather be out on my Catrike

http://www.catrike.co.uk

Quoted message said:

Who here does Audax rides, I am seriously considering joining up and
doing a number of rides this year and would like to hear people
experiences.

Done a couple of short 150km-ish ones. All good fun. No training needed
for such a "short" (ha-ha) ride, although I did cheat by being young and
vaguely fit). That would change if I wanted to actually keep up with
people tho. Everyone very friendly but newbies do need to make the effort
to break the ice (this probably won't apply to you on your catrike).

Paying an extra pound gets you in without having to pay AUK membership
fees, so there's no risk. Many of the rides seem to have fairly generous
minimum speeds so a 150-200km is almost certainly doable for regular
cyclists. Only got two tips. If you're fed up it means you need to eat,
and if you've not acclimatised your eyes to the sight of a room full of
people in full dayglo cyclist getup you'd best take a pair of sunglasses.

On 06/08/2005 16:21:15 Simon Brooke said:

in message <[email hidden]>, Buck
([email hidden]'😉 wrote:

Quoted message said:

Quoted message said:

Who here does Audax rides, I am seriously considering joining up and
doing a number of rides this year and would like to hear people
experiences.

Quoted message said:

I have done, ride reports here:
<URL:http://www.jasmine.org.uk/dogfood/story/article_7.html>

Quoted message said:

and here: <URL:http://www.jasmine.org.uk/dogfood/story/article_25.html>

Quoted message said:

I shall do more.

Thanks Simon, I take back some of the things I say about you.

--
Buck

I would rather be out on my Catrike

http://www.catrike.co.uk

Quoted message said:

I did my first one last month, it was great fun and I've entered for a few
more this year.

Having screwed up my first one by turning up a day early - don't ask - did
the ride anyway - I have bitten the bullet and signed up for one a weekend
for the next five weeks starting with a 100km one at Goole this weekend. I
am confident that it's within my capabilities as I have covered Audax
distances within the allowable time span with full camping gear on my bike.

If the OP is thinking of the PBP ride I think that documentary proof of
completion of some loooo-ong Audax rides in the previous year is needed

vernon levy said:

Quoted message said:

I did my first one last month, it was great fun and I've entered for a few
more this year.

Having screwed up my first one by turning up a day early - don't ask - did
the ride anyway - I have bitten the bullet and signed up for one a weekend
for the next five weeks starting with a 100km one at Goole this weekend. I
am confident that it's within my capabilities as I have covered Audax
distances within the allowable time span with full camping gear on my bike.

If the OP is thinking of the PBP ride I think that documentary proof of
completion of some loooo-ong Audax rides in the previous year is needed

AIUI you have to have completed a Super Randonneur series
_the_same_year as the PBP. An SR series is one each of a 200, 300, 400
and 600km ride. See the AUK website at <http://www.audax.uk.net/> and
follow the PBP link.

Tim

Tim Hall said:

vernon levy said:

Quoted message said:

I did my first one last month, it was great fun and I've entered for a few
more this year.

Having screwed up my first one by turning up a day early - don't ask - did
the ride anyway - I have bitten the bullet and signed up for one a weekend
for the next five weeks starting with a 100km one at Goole this weekend. I
am confident that it's within my capabilities as I have covered Audax
distances within the allowable time span with full camping gear on my bike.

If the OP is thinking of the PBP ride I think that documentary proof of
completion of some loooo-ong Audax rides in the previous year is needed

AIUI you have to have completed a Super Randonneur series

'tis true, but the rides must be BRM whatever that means and completed
before the end of June, roughly one a month. My SR in 2003 would not
have got me into PBP.

Buck; I intend to ride PBP in 07; The next Kent ride (apart from the
400) is Battle and Back which I might do; most of the others have
already been ridden this year; the Mid Sussex Hilly is a nice end of
season ride (shameless plug!)

JB said:

My first one is this coming Sunday (100km)

after reading some of those reports I am seriously under equipped in the
puncture repair department. One inner tube is not going to cut it is it!

Possibly not but I have required none in nearly 2000k of events this
year (although I did need five in one ride last year). The important
ethos of Audax is that you are self sufficient, so make sure you cover
all eventualities, all riders will however ask if you are Ok if you
are stopped by the road. There was a useful thread on here recently
about what sensible extra bits to take on a ride.

Quoted message said:

'tis true, but the rides must be BRM whatever that means and completed
before the end of June, roughly one a month.

Brevet Randoneur Mondiale - ie. 'This ride qualifies for PBP'.

AIUI your brevet card is sent to Paris for verification so your name is
'on the list'.

...d

JB said:

My first one is this coming Sunday (100km)

after reading some of those reports I am seriously under equipped in the
puncture repair department. One inner tube is not going to cut it is it!

Hmm... could prove to be an unfortunate turn of phrase there. I usually
carry 3 spare tubes and a repair kit with both conventional and instant
patches, as well as a spare folding tyre.

--
Dave...