Tail End Charlie
Well, write it down boy ......
- Location
- In green and pleasant hills.
Does anyone actually enter either type on the basis of what they're called? Who cares?
Difference between audax and sportives summed up
- Thread starter Ming the Merciless
- Start date
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I like Skol
A Minging Manc...
- Location
- Sunny Ashton-under-Lyne
OP
OP
Ming the Merciless
There is no mercy
- Location
- Inside my skull
Don’t know what audaxes you organised , but all the ones I’ve done have a cutoff, not just some. Again you are missing the point, deliberately this time, that’s it wasn’t a comment on the difficulty per say, but the hyperbole of the sportive titles for what they were.
OP
OP
Ming the Merciless
There is no mercy
- Location
- Inside my skull
That just reflects the understated nature of audax and the marketing machines behind sportives. If you’re competitive jump into sportives all you like, if you are more into the social aspect and something lower key, volunteer led with great routes and the personal touch, audax will better suit.
Which audaxes did you organise and why did you stop?
Late 80ies early 90ies 7 different ones West coast of Scotland. 400 km down to a rough stuff one. Mostly racing /ctc riders very few Audax members, ran them for Glasgow Ctc. Quite a few racing clubs also tried running an Audax, andwhy would they do more if they are not supported by Audax riders.
Juan Kog
permanently grumpy
OK why do you still use panniers ?
.Sounds like we have a similar approach to our cycling . Apart from our choice of bags , I’m more of a rack bag or Carradice saddle bag cyclist.
Gwylan
Veteran
- Location
- All at sea⛵
OP
OP
Ming the Merciless
There is no mercy
- Location
- Inside my skull
Owners must have got annoyed at all the riders knocking on their door to ask their cat’s name.
Fab Foodie
hanging-on in quiet desperation ...
- Location
- Kirton, Devon.
Regardless of what type of cycling event, or name, if it doesn't feature a beer stop, it's not for me....
OP
OP
Ming the Merciless
There is no mercy
- Location
- Inside my skull
Tribansman
Veteran
Yep, LEL was great. Point still stands from my original post though: I generally prefer solo riding - did LEJOG on my own and preferred that overall.
Wasn't the volume of equipment, it was the 'old school' panniers that seemed to attract disdain.
Tribansman
Veteran
OK why do you still use panniers ?
Sounds like we have a similar approach to our cycling . Apart from our choice of bags , I’m more of a rack bag or Carradice saddle bag cyclist.
I could def get along with a saddlebag and actually was looking for one for my single speed where fitting a rack is a bit of a bodge job.
Ajax Bay
Guru
- Location
- East Devon
My LEL 2017 was punctuated by a beer stop in the little village of Rothwell, SW of Caistor and south of the Humber Bridge, after a good soaking.
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Dogtrousers
Kilometre nibbler
Do you think that's a bad thing? I think it's rather fun.
Take my favourite sportive (that I'm not doing this year because I forgot to enter) - The Hell of The Ashdown
Originally this was a club reliability ride, before my time as a cyclist, and probably pretty low key. Now it has a tongue in cheek name and a flashy website https://helloftheashdown.cc/ Among other silliness it lists the "Col de Groombridge" as a "Cat 2 climb". Col de Groombridge is in fact Bird in Hand Street, a fairly steep but not terribly remarkable little road in Kent*. I think it's rather nice to give it a fancy name for the day.
I did a similar-ish Audax with the non-hyperbolic name of "Hills and Mills" that shared some of the area that HOTA covers. They were roughly the same length (100km) and roughly the same amount of climbing (just shy of 2,000m)
Both enjoyable in their own ways.
* or possibly Sussex, I'm not sure
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