Novice looking for advice please

[Goldenretriever]

Hi just returned to the forum and have more time on my hands due to change of circumstances.
So I have joined Audax UK and hope to have a go sometime in the next few months.
The advice I would like from you hardened audaxers is about comfort, I'm happy riding 100 miles
but am worried going to 300-400kms.
I run 25mm Gator hardshells on my best bike which goes around 10.5kgs
On my second bike I can fit 28-32mm tyres but 14kgs
Both are comfortable up to 100 but I have never ridden further and would be gratefull for any advice.
Thanks in advance

 

[Racing roadkill]

Hi just returned to the forum and have more time on my hands due to change of circumstances.
So I have joined Audax UK and hope to have a go sometime in the next few months.
The advice I would like from you hardened audaxers is about comfort, I'm happy riding 100 miles
but am worried going to 300-400kms.
I run 25mm Gator hardshells on my best bike which goes around 10.5kgs
On my second bike I can fit 28-32mm tyres but 14kgs
Both are comfortable up to 100 but I have never ridden further and would be gratefull for any advice.
Thanks in advance

The further you go, the less comfortable you’ll be. There’s not much you can to to stop any discomfort at all, but you can reduce it by getting a proper bike fit done, and trialing things like different shorts / bibs and saddle / other kit like pedals and shoes etc. combinations. There isn’t a ‘one size fits all’ answer. You’ll have to put the miles in, and tweak various bits of bike and clothing, until you find a combination that works for you. “One man’s meat, is another man’s poison” is never truer than when applied to doing long rides.

 

[Goldenretriever]

Interesting that all makes sense to me, just wondered if the consensus would be for bigger tyres with less pressure.
But as your say we are all different

 

[Heltor Chasca]

Welcome back @Goldenretriever

I am a newbie to the joy of Audax with only two seasons under my belt and my longest single ride has been 300km. I have done two lots of back to back 200s as well. I love it. I also love wider tyres. I run 32s in this 5 minutes. I have also spent all Christmas break testing 3 different Selle SMP saddles. Comfort and reliability is everything to me as a slower rider (20-22kph on hilly 200km+)

The resident Audax gurus that I can think of are @Ajax Bay , @YukonBoy , @Ian H and @Banjo . They could perhaps chime in.

 

[Goldenretriever]

Hi, HC thanks for the reply. I guess the second worry is if I use my second bike with wider tyres is the weight difference.
There's almost 4kgs between them, doesn't seem to matter to much in Norfolk but might do further afield

 

[Goldenretriever]

Hi, HC thanks for the reply. I guess the second worry is if I use my second bike with wider tyres is the weight difference.
There's almost 4kgs between them, doesn't seem to matter to much in Norfolk but might do further afield

 

[Heltor Chasca]

Hi, HC thanks for the reply. I guess the second worry is if I use my second bike with wider tyres is the weight difference.
There's almost 4kgs between them, doesn't seem to matter to much in Norfolk but might do further afield

Wait till you see the beautiful, real, steel bikes on Audax events. They might be heavier, but they are comfortable and usually, the owners have finished and are already home with a cuppa and some rice pudding long before the youngsters on carbon super bikes are back.

 

[Goldenretriever]

Heavy bike is a second hand van nic amazon frame I bought last year. DT Swiss wheels with a dynamo and
tiagra triple. Its a heinz 57! Definately feels solid

 

[Heltor Chasca]

Nowt wrong with Ti. Or a Dynamo. Or triples. Sounds like you have an ideal bike.

 

[Racing roadkill]

I use an alloy bike with a 9 speed triple for the longest multi day rides I do. It’s cheaper and easier to fix if it goes wrong. You might need a bobble hat and a wool jersey if you’re doing ‘Audaxes’ though.

 

[Ming the Merciless]

Anything up to 300km and in the warmer months you can travel fairly light with just a puncture repair kit and a gilet. What tends to happen as you go further is that your form goes as you fatigue. This can lead to what was comfortable becoming uncomfortable. You lean on the bars more, you get out the saddle less, you shift position less.

You will find every type of bike in Audax , from pure race bikes to Fat Bikes. Yes a 1200km brevet in India was completed on a fat bike.

So I would say try both bikes on some 200km events you fancy and see how you get on. The heavier bike will likely be fine unless you are already a slow rider. I use different bikes on different audaxes. When I started I ran 23mm tyres and that took me to London Edinburgh London at 1400km. I currently run 30mm tyres or 35mm if on my recumbent. The weight of the bike does not really matter as much as you think.

 

[Ming the Merciless]

I use an alloy bike with a 9 speed triple for the longest multi day rides I do. It’s cheaper and easier to fix if it goes wrong. You might need a bobble hat and a wool jersey if you’re doing ‘Audaxes’ though.

Don't knock merino makes a great material for a jersey. Great thing about Audax is anyone is accepted and we don't get snobbish about what people ride or wear. So if you want to wear a bobble hat on a winter Audax or a Santa hat and beard go ahead.

 

[Ming the Merciless]

Nowt wrong with Ti. Or a Dynamo. Or triples. Sounds like you have an ideal bike.

View attachment 445658

Groovy saddle

 

[Heltor Chasca]

Groovy saddle

Enough of your jesting, poking and joshing. Test saddle. It’s a test saddle. I’m a serious cyclist and it was hard, so hard to ride with this monstrosity attached to my very serious bike.

 

[Ming the Merciless]

Enough of your jesting, poking and joshing. Test saddle. It’s a test saddle. I’m a serious cyclist and it was hard, so hard to ride with this monstrosity attached to my very serious bike.

Of course it will need to be orange to match rest of colour scheme. My road bike has a blue scheme going at the moment.