Audax , whats it all about ?

[jefmcg]

I'm thinking of doing The Ditchling Devil this year, probably ride the few miles to the start too.
The only other audax I've done had plentiful food and drink at the stops.

Last year Paul gathered extra entrants in Richmond park, so an hour before they were going to start arriving at the control, we found there were actually going to be twice as many people there. Cue run to village shop for more bacon and eggs. There was enough food, but more queueing than there would be in a perfect world

 

[Cuchilo]

I'm thinking of doing The Ditchling Devil this year, probably ride the few miles to the start too.
The only other audax I've done had plentiful food and drink at the stops.

But you have toured Brittany , ive been to box hill and wanted to get home to put a chicken in the oven and have a few beers
I was thinking of riding to the start myself . I will see what I can do this weekend .

 

[Mark Grant]

I've not done any long rides for a while, I won't be speedy!

 

[Cuchilo]

@Cuchilo you can do it yourself, or as a calendar ride

http://www.aukweb.net/perms/detail/PST01/

£3.50 + £2 insurance, do it on your own time.

I like that ! Cycling for grumpy b'stards

 

[Donger]

It doesn't have to be over 100 miles, and you do not have to be a permanent member. Take a look at the Audax UK official website, where there is a calendar of events. Many of them are 100Km, and there are a handful of 50Km ones thrown in too - along with some real beasts of 200km, 400km or even 600km. I do the 100km Windrush Winter Warm-up from near Cirencester every February. Brrrrr! It's always a cold one.This year the weather was warmer than usual , but we all ended up cycling with our pedals under water for over 100 yards in one flood. Always feels like a statement of intent at the start of another year's cycling.

I've also done the 110km 3 Counties Cloverleaf audax from near Evesham, and next week I'm going to be doing the "Silk Run" from Tewkesbury. In my (limited) experience, I agree that they are always friendly and well run events. By paying to enter, you will be insured and there'll be plenty of cheap tea and cakes. It is not a race, and it really doesn't matter whether you ride solo or as part of a group. I have enjoyed both.

If you enter one, then I really would advise you to sort out your route sheet how you like it before turning up, though. I always convert mine from km to miles, and measure out each stage separately so that I can reset my computer at 0.0 for the start of each stage. That way, if you go wrong (the instructions can be confusing at first) you will not have to do mental arithmetic all the way round to follow the distance instructions. I've just been spending about an hour changing my route sheet for next week, and I'll be photocopying and enlarging it for clarity before the event.

 

[Pikey]

It doesn't have to be over 100 miles, and you do not have to be a permanent member. Take a look at the Audax UK official website, where there is a calendar of events. Many of them are 100Km, and there are a handful of 50Km ones thrown in too - along with some real beasts of 200km, 400km or even 600km. I do the 100km Windrush Winter Warm-up from near Cirencester every February. Brrrrr! It's always a cold one.This year the weather was warmer than usual , but we all ended up cycling with our pedals under water for over 100 yards in one flood. Always feels like a statement of intent at the start of another year's cycling.

I've also done the 110km 3 Counties Cloverleaf audax from near Evesham, and next week I'm going to be doing the "Silk Run" from Tewkesbury. In my (limited) experience, I agree that they are always friendly and well run events. By paying to enter, you will be insured and there'll be plenty of cheap tea and cakes. It is not a race, and it really doesn't matter whether you ride solo or as part of a group. I have enjoyed both.

If you enter one, then I really would advise you to sort out your route sheet how you like it before turning up, though. I always convert mine from km to miles, and measure out each stage separately so that I can reset my computer at 0.0 for the start of each stage. That way, if you go wrong (the instructions can be confusing at first) you will not have to do mental arithmetic all the way round to follow the distance instructions. I've just been spending about an hour changing my route sheet for next week, and I'll be photocopying and enlarging it for clarity before the event.

See you at the silk run matey! Better get sorting my route sheet and the gpx too.

To the OP, just join auk, sign up to a few rides and only regret that you haven't done them sooner, they are a quality day out with ur bike.

 

[coffeejo]

Each one is different.

Some send out .gpx files as well as the route sheet. Some don't.
Some have "secret" controls or questions. Some don't.
Some provide free drinks/food en route. Some don't.

 

[Cuchilo]

Ive just been looking at the photo gallery on the AUK site . There seems to be a lot of steel and luggage racks and not a lot of carbon .

 

[ianrauk]

Ive just been looking at the photo gallery on the AUK site . There seems to be a lot of steel and luggage racks and not a lot of carbon .

Then you would be very wrong if you think it's all like that.

 

[Cuchilo]

Then you would be very wrong if you think it's all like that.

The photos on the site are all like that . Maybe because the only ones that hang around to have their photo taken have steel and luggage racks ? I don't know . That's why im asking questions .

 

[ianrauk]

The photos on the site are all like that . Maybe because the only ones that hang around to have their photo taken have steel and luggage racks ? I don't know . That's why im asking questions .

Anyway.. you are really over thinking this.
Do an Audax, on what ever bike, meet other like minded cyclists on the day or go out on your own. For the money it can't be beat.

Remember. Audax is for cyclists pretending not to race, Sportives are for cyclists pretending to race.

 

[GrumpyGregry]

The photos on the site are all like that . Maybe because the only ones that hang around to have their photo taken have steel and luggage racks ? I don't know . That's why im asking questions .

The photo's only rperesent a tiny proportion of Audax events. The folk in the photos only represent a tiny proportion of the participants in those events. I've seen plenty of carbon and the other extreme too, on the few I've done.

Now admittedly my Audax bike is, as of last week, steel. But it doesn't have a rack.

 

[Cuchilo]

The photo's only rperesent a tiny proportion of Audax events. The folk in the photos only represent a tiny proportion of the participants in those events. I've seen plenty of carbon and the other extreme too, on the few I've done.

Now admittedly my Audax bike is, as of last week, steel. But it doesn't have a rack.

I wasn't questioning the steel and luggage I was more questioning my self . I was thinking , carbon bike , a kitkat and a banana .

 

[Donger]

See you at the silk run matey! Better get sorting my route sheet and the gpx too.
.

Might see you there, Pikey. I'll be the huge bloke in the "Fat Lad at the Back" shirt ... near the back.

 

[DiddlyDodds]

Think of the joys of cycling in 1950 and your half way there.