Am I Britain's largest audaxer?

[Donger]

I've recently finished my 5th >100km audax in 5 years- all well within the time limits. Climbed my first Alp (at snail's pace) last year too. At 6'5" and >20 stone, I've not encountered anyone bigger than me doing this stuff, but would love to hear from anyone with similar experiences. Don't really know what my limits are, but would love to hear what more is possible for someone of my build. Was seriously motivated by Lawrence Dallaglio and Andrew Flintoff's Mount Olympus to London challenge in 2012, and now I'm loving making it real. Any other big fellas doing the London to Brighton overnighter this year?

 

[Moodyman]

Not sure of their exact weights but Vernon and McShroom are big lads and do Audaxes. I think McShroom did London-edinburgh-London last year.

 

[mcshroom]

I only managed London Thirsk actually before getting zapped by dehydration

Yep I'm about 19st and 5'11" so pretty big. I've found I go through more water than some of the smaller guys, and I'm not the quickest, but I can manage rides up to 400km if I really put my mind to it. If you are looking at London-Brighton. I really recommend having a look at the Friday's rides (http://fnrttc.blogspot.com). Organised by Dellzeqq of this forum these are overnight rides to the coast, usually starting from London and are a great way of getting used to riding longer distances, and riding in the dark in a friendly group.

I'm not sure what experiences you are looking for, but I'm happy to answer any questions if I can

 

[Donger]

Not sure of their exact weights but Vernon and McShroom are big lads and do Audaxes. I think McShroom did London-edinburgh-London last year.

Hell's teeth! I've got some way to go to match that.Or was that by the East Coast Main Line?

 

[mcshroom]

No LEL is the longest audax in the UK. 1418km in 116 hours and 40 mins. I'm intending to have another go at it in 2017 but I messed this year up by not accounting properly for the 30+ degree heat and only made it 400km to Thirsk before calling it a day (then went and helped at a control for the next two days)

Longer is, in many ways, easier than faster, but rides over about 200km require quite a bit of mental strength to keep going.

A couple years back there was a BBC program about the 'Snow Roads 300' audax up in Scotland. Its a very hilly route, and they made far to much of the suffering involved, but it's a decent watch. I've got an edited copy here: -

View: http://youtu.be/iW9RbrV7PNE

 

[Roadrider48]

Magnus bakstedt is a big lad and he won Paris/Roubaix!

 

[Banjo]

Ive seen some pretty large Audaxers on 200 km rides and their usually sat in the pub on their second pint by the time I finish.

If you are comfortably doing 100s you wont have problems on a 200.
Phil in Merthyr is a very large guy and completed a 100 mile sportive in a quick time last year.
http://www.cyclechat.net/threads/overweight.147500/post-2936051.

 

[mmmmartin]

At 6'5" and >20 stone, I've not encountered anyone bigger than me doing this stuff

At 6 ft 5 ins you will, I guess, have enormously long legs and that is a help because of the angles. Ensure your bike fits, and have a go. You'll never know until you try, You might find you dislike hills but I would think once you got shifting you could really go. @mcshroom is a fast lad on a bike when he wants to be. If it's any help, a 200k audax is a completely different animal from a 100k, because a 200k means an earlier start and about 14 hours on the bike through all weathers. That's why people do it: it's not the same only longer, it's very different. And LEL isn't like riding 14 audaxes of 100k, it feels different. It is, I should say, about a million times more fun. If you want a pleasant summer's day on a bike with friends, enter a 100k. If you want to get down and dirty and stare into your own soul and really get to know yourself, struggle with the world all on your own and emerge triumphant at the other end: go longer. It's better.

 

[JoeyB]

At 6 ft 5 ins you will, I guess, have enormously long legs and that is a help because of the angles. Ensure your bike fits, and have a go. You'll never know until you try, You might find you dislike hills but I would think once you got shifting you could really go. @mcshroom is a fast lad on a bike when he wants to be. If it's any help, a 200k audax is a completely different animal from a 100k, because a 200k means an earlier start and about 14 hours on the bike through all weathers. That's why people do it: it's not the same only longer, it's very different. And LEL isn't like riding 14 audaxes of 100k, it feels different. It is, I should say, about a million times more fun. If you want a pleasant summer's day on a bike with friends, enter a 100k. If you want to get down and dirty and stare into your own soul and really get to know yourself, struggle with the world all on your own and emerge triumphant at the other end: go longer. It's better.

This ^^^
I've never seen it encapsulated so well in words until now....a 100km ride (when you are bike fit) is an enjoyable blat with mates. A 200km ride is a whole different kettle of fish. I failed my first one because I wasn't mentally prepared. I was successful on my second one partly because I was mentally ready that time!

I've only ever done solo Audax rides but i should imagine a decent size crowd including people going at your pace would be a massive boost. I don't think I would try anything longer than a 200km on my own, at least not until I had a few under my belt.

 

[Pro Tour Punditry]

No LEL is the longest audax in the UK.

There are 3 Perms which are longer:
Eightsome Reel 1500
Round the Coast 2260
Scottish Star 2600

 

[Pale Rider]

If you want to get down and dirty and stare into your own soul and really get to know yourself, struggle with the world all on your own and emerge triumphant at the other end: go longer. It's better.

I was a control volunteer on London Edinburgh London, which was also my first contact with long distance cycling.

That there is so much to the mental side was a revelation to me - I had no idea.

@mmmmartin has summed up very well what I gathered from speaking to and observing the riders.

 

[maltloaf]

Just out of interest, what sort of averages do 100k riders do ? I'd love a go at some longer rides but would have to go really steady to have any chances of making it, and what about stops ? Are there any usually and for how long ?

I have a 100k planned on paper running from Gloucester to Bristol then over the Severn bridge and loop up round via the Forest of Dean back home but it's around double the distance of one of my normal rides and I'm wanting a decent day weather wise to tackle it.

 

[mcshroom]

100km rides can be slower, but in general the minimum speed is around 15km/h (9.3 mph) for most audaxes. That's total time from start to finish. Usually there will be at least one cafe stop in a 100km, and maybe more, plus some food at the start finish

Obviously the clock is ticking while you are in the cafe, so you choose how long you stay there, but as long as you get round in 6h40 (for a 100km at 15km/h) then you will be fine.

 

[Pikey]

Just out of interest, what sort of averages do 100k riders do ? I'd love a go at some longer rides but would have to go really steady to have any chances of making it, and what about stops ? Are there any usually and for how long ?

I have a 100k planned on paper running from Gloucester to Bristol then over the Severn bridge and loop up round via the Forest of Dean back home but it's around double the distance of one of my normal rides and I'm wanting a decent day weather wise to tackle it.

I've only just started doing 100K audaxes on my tod, so I am by no means the oracle on this, but I've been trying to keep up above 14mph for the ride, and that seems comfortable for me. I was overtaken by quite a few hardened road clubs and did my fair share of overtaking.

Think its fair to say that there seems to be a massive range of paces on lots of different machines and I wouldn't be worried about finding someone of a similar pace within the mixed bag.

I think there are some audaxes going out from Bristol / Bath area in the summer around 100K, give me a shout if you enter and want some company.

 

[maltloaf]

Is there a list / calendar anywhere ? I average 17.x on my usual roughly every other day 40k rides so I was thinking 14/15 would be sustainable but it's unknown territory for me until I try !

Thanks both for the replies.