What constitutes an "audax" bike?

[TheDoctor]

Is it red though?

Midnight blue with black forks. It looks not unlike this.

The sign is not an integral part of it, obviously!

 

[Ian H]

Pretty much anything will do. I know someone who rides a rapid 600 on a carbon road frame with minimal luggage taped to the seat tube and another who will do the same event rather slower on a Dawes Galaxy with panniers.
Personally, I go for the light touring option, though a road bike is fine for 200 or less.

 

[Banjo]

,It depends on how long the ride, is on 100 km audax rides you see mountain bikes, tourers, folders , carbon racers in fact about the only thing I haven't seen is a unicycle(no doubt it will have been done ) . I have done several 200 s on an ally Scot racer. Generally light and comfortable with the emphasis on comfort seems to be the way.

 

[middleagecyclist]

And the jokes about beards and sandals are just unimaginative, repetitive, and boring.

Leave my beardy bike alone!

 

[GrumpyGregry]

I've toured on a Brompton. Does that make a Brompton a touring bike?
I've TT'ed a rigid MTB does that make a rigid MTB a TT bike?
I've ridden a CX bike off-road down a mountain does that make a CX bike an MTB?
et cetera
et cetera.

None of the above bikes were red.

I think you'll find matt black is faster anyway

 

[Herbie]

Midway between a road bike and a full-on tourer? I've just bought a Thorn Audax and I'm very happy with it. It's heavier and comfier than my road bike, with mtb-style low gears - and because I know I'll never go touring carrying everything but the kitchen sink I didn't want/need a full tourer. I wanted it for a bit of touring, where I travel light, and I do FNRs and occasional audaxes on either one, audax bike or road bike.

As I understand it the main differences are that the Audax is lighter than a full touring bike, though still a steel frame, a bit more sprightly but not as much as a road bike, will carry light-to-medium weights of luggage, and usually runs on narrower tyres than a touring bike. I'm sure someone more knowledgeable than me will be along soon to take issue with some of that though.

one thing they have in common is they both fit on to roads

 

[tyred]

Surely any bike you want to use.

Didn't Jimbo, late of this parish complete on on a Raleigh 20? There is a thread about it somewhere.

 

[PpPete]

For a detailed discussion of what constitutes a bike designed for audax, (as opposed to a bike that happens to be used for audax) and how it might be different to a bike designed for touring or for sportives this article by Paul Smith, occasionally to be seen on these pages, is very informative.

 

[carolonabike]

They come with a stick on beard and size 10 sandals.

Oh dear, I didn't know about the beard or the size 10 feet. Are they compulsory? I've just bought a Specialized Tricross with the intention of using it for light touring. But my feet are only size 5's and a beard would be a really bad look on me.