What constitutes an "audax" bike?

[Cyclopathic]

...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]

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

 

[fossala]

Anything that is comfy all day, but still nippy.

 

[StuAff]

Don't forget the Carradice....

 

[edindave]

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]

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?

 

[middleagecyclist]

...and it should be red. They are a tad faster I believe.

 

[mcshroom]

That must be where I'm going wrong - mine's blue

 

[steve52]

any bike you ride in an audax event ?

 

[middleagecyclist]

That must be where I'm going wrong - mine's blue

Blue's a good choice too. Just a tad slower than red everything else being equal.

 

[TheDoctor]

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]

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]

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!!

 

[middleagecyclist]

...I tour on Open Pro with 25mm tyres and an alloy frame with carbon forks. Which Ribble sell as a winter/Audax frame...

Is it red though?

 

[boydj]

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.