What constitutes an "audax" bike?

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Cyclopathic

Veteran
Location
Leicester.
...and what differentiates it from a touring bike? Is there any clear difference or is it more of a grey area where one mans touring bike is another womans audax?
 

400bhp

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

edindave

Über Member
Location
Auld Reeker
I only have one road bike - carbon Scott CR1 Team. I've done a 200km audax and am sure I'm good for up to 300km on it. Beyond that I'd want some sort of luggage but I'm sure a seat-post mounted bag would be sufficient, or that and a bar-bag.
 

GrumpyGregry

Here for rides.
TMN has got it covered.

You can ride anything to an audax more or less, these days, now the compusory mudguards rule of yore is largely gone. But a bike that is built for audax/fast touring/credit card touring will probably have...

geometry and ride more forgiving than road race?
riding position slightly less full on head down 'arris up?
ability and clearances to take a rack and mudguards?
ability to take 28 or larger tyres with 'guards?
some load carrying ability "fast tourer" but not as much as a full-on camping tourer?
facility to fit dyno lights?
 

steve52

I'm back! Yippeee
any bike you ride in an audax event ?
 

TheDoctor

Noble and true, with a heart of steel
Moderator
Location
The TerrorVortex
It's all getting a bit blurry, but FWIW I'd say:
Road bike - no provision for guards or rack, responsive and twitchy handling, arse up in air.
Audax bike - will take rack and guards, pretty quick handling, comes with added beard.
Tourer - ability to carry kitchen sink and brace of baby elephants, stable handling, Trangia.
Oh, and Sportif bike - like road bike but with stem pointing up.
 

SS Retro

Well-Known Member
Location
South Lakes
Audax bikes tend to have a more relaxed geometry over full on road bikes more comfortable over longer distances but still capable of maintaining a good average mph. Audax uses calliper brakes over a tourers cantilevers????
 

TheDoctor

Noble and true, with a heart of steel
Moderator
Location
The TerrorVortex
Now we might be getting down to it. A tourer will have room for 32mm tyres or wider, and you're pushing your luck with dual-pivot brakes there. And tourers are steel.
Except that I tour on Open Pro with 25mm tyres and an alloy frame with carbon forks. Which Ribble sell as a winter/Audax frame.
Blowed if I know!!
 

boydj

Legendary Member
Location
Paisley
Audax bikes tend to have a more relaxed geometry over full on road bikes more comfortable over longer distances but still capable of maintaining a good average mph. Audax uses calliper brakes over a tourers cantilevers????
Brake type is a good indicator, as is the absence / presence of fittings for a front rack.
 
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