Audax navigation?

[Gritstone]

Hi, I did a couple of 100 BP’s back in 2016 but I’ve not done any since! However, I’m really looking to start again this year with a couple of 100-200km events.

Back in 2016 I had an annotated map & notes clipped to my handle bars, like a future London taxi driver learning the knowledge when you see them on their scooters. If I recall correctly even back in 2016 some riders were using gps only or at least gps with a map shoved in a bag as backup.

10 years on has nearly everyone switched to gps navigation? Will I stick out like a sore thumb with my analog method? I shouldn’t care but a little part of me does.

 

[YMFB]

What happens when it rains ?

 

[lazybloke]

What happens when it rains ?

It's when air temperature falls to a point where moisture condenses
Put the paper in a plastic pouch?

 

[Ming the Merciless]

Route sheets are in the minority but still used. If you are happy continuing as you are, then crack on. No one on your Audax events will pay any mind to how you are navigating.

 

[ianrauk]

Still see riders with maps. As what Ming says. Crack on.

 

[DCLane]

Do whatever works for you.

I used to have routes but have used a GPS device for the last 10 years with a printout of the instructions as an emergency.

 

[steveindenmark]

I use a Wahoo V1, which is now looked at at as antique 😁 I also have Hammerhead Karoo. All my route planning is done with Ridewithgps and so printing out custom route cards is easy. Plus the route is also on my phone.

 

[Dogtrousers]

In the past I've done route sheets printed onto a number of small pages in a plastic thingy on my handlebars. It's very satisfying when you complete each page. But mostly I rely on My GPS.

When I see people with maps I feel a bit envious that they've actually made the effort. GPS is the lazy option.

Not that I've actually completed an audax since before covid. But I have started a couple and my failure to complete was not navigation related.

 

[Gritstone]

What happens when it rains ?

It was a dry day but these were laminated with sticky back plastic for good measure.
These days I’ve upgraded to a Carradice handlebar bag with a map pouch on the top.

 

[Gritstone]

Thanks all, I’ll try out the map & route sheet method first and see how I get on.

My concern with GPS back then was phone battery life & cost, so I ditched the phone and used a Garmin Edge 200 as cycle computer and for gps (tracking but not navigating). Obviously things have come on a lot since then.

 

[ianrauk]

Thanks all, I’ll try out the map & route sheet method first and see how I get on.

My concern with GPS back then was phone battery life & cost, so I ditched the phone and used a Garmin Edge 200 as cycle computer and for gps (tracking but not navigating). Obviously things have come on a lot since then.

The Edge 200 was/is a wholly reliable little machine. Once you have mastered the bread crumb trail it worked well for navigating. It also had a fairly good battery life.
Garmins and other GPS computers have come a long way since then. Some good some not so.
My latest Garmin, an Edge Explore 2 is without doubt the very best of the bunch I have had. Great mapping and superb all day long battery life. There's not many out there better. Perfect for all day long rides and Audax.

 

[Dogtrousers]

Thanks all, I’ll try out the map & route sheet method first and see how I get on.

My concern with GPS back then was phone battery life & cost, so I ditched the phone and used a Garmin Edge 200 as cycle computer and for gps (tracking but not navigating). Obviously things have come on a lot since then.

They have indeed. GPS battery life has taken huge leaps in the past 10 years. I used to have a charger and would be searching for mains sockets at controls for a quick blast to keep my Garmin alive, even on a 200. But my latest (admittedly very expensive) Garmin can keep going way longer than my legs can.

 

[Ming the Merciless]

When I see people with maps I feel a bit envious that they've actually made the effort. GPS is the lazy option.

As an organiser I’m still engaged with route sheets as I produce them for all my events. I tend to produce them to be printed A4 and fold to A6 for use. At A6 they fit in the plastic bags supplied for brevet cards. On the route checks I get a helper to check the route sheet. I have the turns on auto pilot for my own events and a missed instruction I wouldn’t pick up. Never check your own work, have someone else do it. It’s always a pleasure to see riders using only my route sheets, return back to the Arrivee.

 

[Ajax Bay]

A key element which really applies to any rider who's actually going to navigate on a ride is to exercise due diligence as part of ride preparation. The OP clearly does this, though I suggest carrying one's brevet per OP image is inviting a "Hummer's Fen Hazard" iykyk (LEL 2017).
(Following the little blue/pink/whatever line on their Garmin (or whatever) is not "navigating", it's obediently negotiating the route: zero decisions.)
This route prep is informed by the provided route sheets or uploaded gpx onto RwGPS (or whatever): go along the route, noting the village and town names en route, and also spotting where the turns are that might be missed. As an aside/bonus, rehearsing the route at 'lights out' a night or two before is a great way of falling asleep.
I construct a simply list of locations and their kilometrages - both as an aide memoire, how far is it to the next control, and as a positive progress feedback. I may display this (transparent top of bag) or it may slip into my back pocket. Paper map either strip or full road atlas page carried. My gps is for in the moment (data) entertainment and simple map viz, and post ride reference.
Like Ming I'm engaged with routesheets:

 

[ianrauk]

A key element which really applies to any rider who's actually going to navigate on a ride is to exercise due diligence as part of ride preparation. The OP clearly does this, though I suggest carrying one's brevet per OP image is inviting a "Hummer's Fen Hazard" iykyk (LEL 2017).
(Following the little blue/pink/whatever line on their Garmin (or whatever) is not "navigating", it's obediently negotiating the route: zero decisions.)
This route prep is informed by the provided route sheets or uploaded gpx onto RwGPS (or whatever): go along the route, noting the village and town names en route, and also spotting where the turns are that might be missed. As an aside/bonus, rehearsing the route at 'lights out' a night or two before is a great way of falling asleep.
I construct a simply list of locations and their kilometrages - both as an aide memoire, how far is it to the next control, and as a positive progress feedback. I may display this (transparent top of bag) or it may slip into my back pocket. Paper map either strip or full road atlas page carried. My gps is for in the moment (data) entertainment and simple map viz, and post ride reference.
Like Ming I'm engaged with routesheets:
View attachment 798851

That's a good one for Grass Triangle.
Come across a lot of those on Audax and it's usually just a L, R or SO etc

Nothing for Bollards