Audax Specific Bikes

[PpPete]

Quite right mcshroom & Scoosh
Pleased with myself I am (as 300 was my longest until this season)...., but it's time I got rid of that line now.
RRTY is still ongoing .. and the LEL build up is really the target now.

 

[pkeenan]

mcshroom + scoosh - thanks! I already knew the rides were the events making up his SR. But I didn't realise each ride was named - that's pretty cool!

 

[pkeenan]

Quite right mcshroom & Scoosh
Pleased with myself I am (as 300 was my longest until this season)...., but it's time I got rid of that line now.
RRTY is still ongoing .. and the LEL build up is really the target now.

Well, congratulations on your Super Randonneur!
Lots of hard work, I can only imagine... I'm hoping to do work toward a SR probably next season.

 

[yello]

In fact anything slower than a TT or Category race
and less "loaded" than touring with full camping kit

I'm going to go all hip and trendy and say 'my god, I'm loving that definition'. Because I reckon it is just about perfect.

I did my first audax (the Chilly Hilterns 100, god rest its soul) on my mtb. Ok, I locked the suspension forks out but I was thankful for the gearing.

 

[PpPete]

I suppose I should say my better half completed the SR on a 531 framed Dawes Galaxy tourer A bike which would certainly stand full load touring...

 

[pkeenan]

Having read people's opinions, I think I've come to the decision to just stick to the Allez.
If I do do any spending, I'll probably just get a new wheelset for the purpose.

I'm quite bad for convincing myself that I need a new bike, when in actual fact what I have will do the job fine!

 

[Ian H]

Nice to hear both are up to the needs of your cycling! Impressive stuff, riding SRs and PBP on a fixed gear...

I think I was trying to say something like "It's not about the bike", as some American said, whose name I've forgotten.

 

[pkeenan]

I think I was trying to say something like "It's not about the bike", as some American said, whose name I've forgotten.

I'm usually quite perceptive in my reading, but I missed that - sorry!
As my previous post probably indicates, I've come to a similar conclusion.

 

[User16625]

My preference:
The 'geomerty' of the bike ( I found a road bike was okay upto and including 300k rides, but anything beyoand that and I preferred 'audax/touring geometry - I do not know the technical bits) needs to be comfortable for long rides
Triple chain ring (50-39-30)
Large cassette (13-29 or likewise)
Gel wrap on handlebars
Bombproof wheels (heavy clumpers not required but they need to be able to withstand some considerable degree of punishment)
A saddle that you are comfortable with (ignore anyone telling you that you 'must' buy a brookes)
Mudguards (for your own comfort, minimising cleaning/damage of expensive bits, and so you don't splash people behind you or piss off cafe owners with your wet arse)
Cannae think of anything else specific just now, but may later...

I have a carbon fibre road bike with 53/39 front and 11/25 rear. 105 everything and 700/23 tyres. So would this make audaxing really unpractical?

 

[zigzag]

I have a carbon fibre road bike with 53/39 front and 11/25 rear. 105 everything and 700/23 tyres. So would this make audaxing really unpractical?

if you enter audax with steep hills (wessex, devon, cornwall, wales etc) i'm sure you'll decide to get lower gears after that. otherwise, the bike is fine...

 

[mcshroom]

One esteemed rider rides over 80" fixed on most of his rides (I think he does 'flat' audaxes with a gear over 90")

 

[StuAff]

One esteemed rider rides over 80" fixed on most of his rides (I think he does 'flat' audaxes with a gear over 90")

One of my fellow riders on the last one I did (with 8k feet of climbing over the 200km) was on fixed. And the fastest, I think.

 

[Noodley]

I have a carbon fibre road bike with 53/39 front and 11/25 rear. 105 everything and 700/23 tyres. So would this make audaxing really unpractical?

Not at all, tis what I ride most of the time now. The list I gave was what my preference would be. It's not a "right" or "wrong" list, just what I would prefer.

 

[Shut Up Legs]

Just skimmed through this thread, so hope I don't duplicate anyone's post!

I've been using a Vivente World Randonneur tourer for 3.75 years now, and have almost done 50,000km on it. It did need some tweaking, as they all do: handlebar angle & height, seat position, etc., but I find it comfortable enough. I can't claim to be a real Audax-style cyclist, though, as my longest ride is still only 250km, with no multi-day Audax rides.

I use a 50-39-30 triple on the front and an 11-34 cluster on the rear, so enough gears for all occasions. My tyres are Schwalbe Marathon Plus 700x28C always pumped up to about 100psi. I use SPD pedals, as SPD-style cleats are easier to walk on (although I don't try to walk long distances in them).

I also use a Son-20R dynamo hub with Schmidt Edeluxe front and (I forget the brand) rear light, backed up with some USB-rechargeable lights. My brakes are cantilever rim brakes, which is sometimes a nuisance, as the continual hill-climbing I do (roughly 5.5 to 6km vertical / week) wears out the brake pads (and wheel rims) way too fast. My previous rims (just replaced a week ago) only lasted 6 months.

Not trying to sell anyone on the above combination, by the way, just offering one of the options.