Long distance - how old is too old?

[Ian H]

Regarding the question of how old is too old: counting up in an idle moment (or several), I see that, with a couple this year, I have completed at least 58 brevets of 600k and above over the last 25 years. I rode the first one aged 40. I don't intend stopping just yet.

 

[Heltor Chasca]

Regarding the question of how old is too old: counting up in an idle moment (or several), I see that, with a couple this year, I have completed at least 58 brevets of 600k and above over the last 25 years. I rode the first one aged 40. I don't intend stopping just yet.

Respect! I am very new to Audax. I think I have done less than a dozen, and by the time I reach my first 'anniversary' ride in October this year I would have (hopefully) done 2 x 200s. I think I'm ready to give a 300 a crack next year. I am 43.

One thing I have quickly learned about Audax is that one shouldn't be too quick to underestimate the old men and the women on these rides. Hard as nails, unassuming and very keen to enthuse us newbies. For this reason, I have completely embraced the Audax scene. Bug. Bitten.

 

[Ian H]

...one shouldn't be too quick to underestimate the old men and the women on these rides...

I don't!

 

[r04DiE]

Regarding the question of how old is too old: counting up in an idle moment (or several), I see that, with a couple this year, I have completed at least 58 brevets of 600k and above over the last 25 years. I rode the first one aged 40. I don't intend stopping just yet.

Great stuff, good for you and the more people that tell me about these sorts of achievements, the better Thanks.

 

[r04DiE]

One thing I have quickly learned about Audax is that one shouldn't be too quick to underestimate the old men and the women on these rides. Hard as nails, unassuming and very keen to enthuse us newbies. For this reason, I have completely embraced the Audax scene. Bug. Bitten.

I'm sure you're right and these people are the main reason for me to try Audax. Really looking forward to meeting some of these people and learning new things!

 

[r04DiE]

Re charge tank, I currently use one of these http://www.pny.eu/en/consumer/explore-all-products/powerpacks/745-the-outdoor-charger

I've used others and they're all much of a muchness. The only drawback with the PNY is it has a built in torch that is operated by a button. Of course, the button can accidentally get pressed and you find that it has been illuminating the inside of your rucksack/saddlebag and wasting charge. Otherwise I'm very happy with it.

Many thanks, you caught me just after returning from Maplin where I bought a 5,200mAh Power Bank for £16.99. Just charging it before checking out all these things:

Is there space to plug in the connector while it is mounted? Will it still navigate while charging? What happens when you unplug the charging cable? Does it warn you and then shut down? Does it just crash?* And if it has powered off can it resume navigating the course or does it point you in utterly random directions?* Or does it maybe decide that the previous course is now 0km long?* Does it allow you to continue with previous ride distance/stats or does it insist on resetting and starting again?

 

[themosquitoking]

Many thanks, you caught me just after returning from Maplin where I bought a 5,200mAh Power Bank for £16.99. Just charging it before checking out all these things:

I used a battery to top up my garmins charge during ride london, it turned itself off when i unplugged it and i had to turn it back on. Didn't lose ride data but it did fark up my segments on box hill.

 

[swansonj]

On different ways of route finding:

If I'm cycling on my own on roads I don't already know, I will have studied a paper map (OS, naturally) in advance so much that, even though the map will be in my (single) pannier, or possibly these days a printed-out A4 sheet folded up in a pocket, I will have a pretty good mental picture of where I am on it and where I'm heading next. Part of the satisfaction is looking around me and seeing what I have planned from the map unfolding around me for real.

But one of the several things the Fridays have introduced me to is the pleasure of cycling without having a clue where I am. I have found it unexpectedly liberating to be cycling on a road, in darkness, in ignorance of what may be around me or what's coming next, but just knowing that someone else will tell me what to do next.

 

[themosquitoking]

The thing I don't like about my Edge Touring is that if it gets switched off for whatever reason during a ride, then on restarting it presents two options regarding the already gathered data: Save or Discard. No option to continue riding. Both options reset the trip meter to zero. Maybe I've got an setting set to something wrong, or maybe I'm just stupid (well, there's no "maybe" there - but maybe I'm being more stupid than usual) but this seems daft to me.

Now, sometimes it just switches itself off completely after you give it a bit of extra charge. No warning, no countdown, it just shuts down. I find this to be a really ill mannered and ungrateful thing to do. I have just given it some nice charge, and this is how it repays me! Oh, how sharper than a serpent's tooth ...

Don't save or discard just press the play button again. It treated it like I had paused for a cafe stop.

 

[ianrauk]

Don't save or discard just press the play button again. It treated it like I had paused for a cafe stop.

^^^ This
I was also confused by the discard/save screen. When all you have to do to carry on a ride is press start again and continues where it left off.

 

[r04DiE]

I used a battery to top up my garmins charge during ride london, it turned itself off when i unplugged it and i had to turn it back on. Didn't lose ride data but it did fark up my segments on box hill.

Well, I plugged the thing into the Garmin (which was already on) and it started charging. I pulled it out at 100% and nothing happened so I will see if I can try it out on the road tomorrow, whilst properly navigating, when I ride home. I'll let you guys know...

 

[r04DiE]

@themosquitoking @ianrauk thanks. I am indeed being more stupid than usual

Its defo not obvious and I found it by accident and I am certainly not stupid. OK, that's a lie - I am stupid. There. I've said it.
Anyway, its not obvious.

 

[ianrauk]

Thanks - no M in the codes but the info sheet does say they are required if it is wet or has been redcently. I won't sweat it.

Yeah. Not even worth a worry.
No one cares.

 

[themosquitoking]

Its defo not obvious and I found it by accident and I am certainly not stupid. OK, that's a lie - I am stupid. There. I've said it.
Anyway, its not obvious.

Not obvious, except in retrospect, but i was 70ish miles into my first ever 100 mile ride so there was no way i was pressing one of those options. Pressed play out of a lack of other options to try.

 

[ianrauk]

Not obvious, except in retrospect, but i was 70ish miles into my first ever 100 mile ride so there was no way i was pressing one of those options. Pressed play out of a lack of other options to try.

HA.. near exactly my predicament and on the fly solution.