what is an audax?
- Thread starter the_bing
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wafflycat
New Member
- Location
- middle of Norfolk
Audax - long distance cycling event organised under the auspices of AudaxUK.
http://www.aukweb.net/index2.htm
All sorts of abilities catered for from say doing 50km upwards - a lot upwards. They are not races but they are to be completed within specific time frames. You are also self-supporting on the event. It's up to you to get to the start - up to you to ride and get to the finish. If you drop out, it's up to you to get yourself home. They can be immense fun to do, rewarding & challenging.
I pronounce it as "Or-dax"
http://www.aukweb.net/index2.htm
All sorts of abilities catered for from say doing 50km upwards - a lot upwards. They are not races but they are to be completed within specific time frames. You are also self-supporting on the event. It's up to you to get to the start - up to you to ride and get to the finish. If you drop out, it's up to you to get yourself home. They can be immense fun to do, rewarding & challenging.
I pronounce it as "Or-dax"
Another good reference here
The audax purists reckon that 'real' audax starts at 200km - so I've got a bit to go ...
The main thing is that you go at your own pace:
- fast and you can stop for longer,
- slow and you just keep going,
so you work out your pace and go with it. It's not a race and there are laid down speeds for the various distances. It's more about endurance than outright speed.
The next London/Edinburgh/London is in 2012, I believe, to start just after the Olympics. That gives you loads of time to prepare ....
The audax purists reckon that 'real' audax starts at 200km - so I've got a bit to go ...
The main thing is that you go at your own pace:
- fast and you can stop for longer,
- slow and you just keep going,
so you work out your pace and go with it. It's not a race and there are laid down speeds for the various distances. It's more about endurance than outright speed.
The next London/Edinburgh/London is in 2012, I believe, to start just after the Olympics. That gives you loads of time to prepare ....
On the other hand, a SPORTIVE is an organised ride, over a marked route, usually with feed stations, a 'broom wagon' (to pick you up if you are too slow ), often tech assistance, a goodie bag and a T-shirt. They cost a lot more than an Audax. Audax usually £2.50-5, a Sportive £25 upwards.
The Etape Caledonia is a unique sportive, as it is run on closed roads in the UK, based at Pitlochry in Perthshire. Most sportives take place on normal, albeit quieter, roads, so traffic can be there.
The differences in a nutshell:
Audax is cheap, self-supporting, you are given the route (advisory, not compulsory), there are time limits (usually pretty generous) but it is not a race (allegedly).
Sportive is more expensive, route is signposted, back-up is available (food, water, tech), often timed, sometimes sponsored, considered a race by some.
Both have their place and both can be great (or horrible), depending on the usual things - organisation, fellow riders, weather etc etc.
), often tech assistance, a goodie bag and a T-shirt. They cost a lot more than an Audax. Audax usually £2.50-5, a Sportive £25 upwards.The Etape Caledonia is a unique sportive, as it is run on closed roads in the UK, based at Pitlochry in Perthshire. Most sportives take place on normal, albeit quieter, roads, so traffic can be there.
The differences in a nutshell:
Audax is cheap, self-supporting, you are given the route (advisory, not compulsory), there are time limits (usually pretty generous) but it is not a race (allegedly
).Sportive is more expensive, route is signposted, back-up is available (food, water, tech), often timed, sometimes sponsored, considered a race by some.
Both have their place and both can be great (or horrible), depending on the usual things - organisation, fellow riders, weather etc etc.
Ian H
Ancient randonneur
Audax UK events aren't actually audaxes, but randonnees (just to add to the confusion) with a 30kph max speed. There are populaire events of less than 200k. Some short events are very hilly, known as grimpeurs. Points (and prizes) start at 200k, up to 600k and far beyond.
Sportives are generally less than 200k (125 miles) and without the maximum speed restriction.
Sportives are generally less than 200k (125 miles) and without the maximum speed restriction.
ACS
Legendary Member
- Location
- Just below the snow line
"In sportives people pretend they are racing. - In Audax they pretend they aren't."
Ian H
Ancient randonneur
Proper Audax is ridden in groups each with a captain. What we commonly call audax is actually Allure Libre, or 'ride at your own pace'. It date back to a dispute in France early last century, when Audax Club Parisien lost the right to run audax events and invented its own style.
Ian H said:
Yeah but... in the UK, the term audax is used. Don't go deliberately confusing people
Pronunciation; some people say ow-dax though or-dax is probably more common.
Sportives and audax; different beasts. Enjoy both/either/neither to their own merits and don't think you have to decide which is better. There's sometimes a silly heated debate that springs up, with dyed-in-the-wool audaxers taking pop-shots at sportives, when it's all rather unnecessary. I do both. They offer different tests. The biggest difference, for me, is pace. A sportive is about riding as fast as you can, finishing in the best possible time. An audax is more relaxed and you just aim to finish within time.
ACS
Legendary Member
- Location
- Just below the snow line
yello said:Yeah but... in the UK, the term audax is used. Don't go deliberately confusing people
Pronunciation; some people say ow-dax though or-dax is probably more common.
Sportives and audax; different beasts. Enjoy both/either/neither to their own merits and don't think you have to decide which is better. There's sometimes a silly heated debate that springs up, with dyed-in-the-wool audaxers taking pop-shots at sportives, when it's all rather unnecessary. I do both. They offer different tests. The biggest difference, for me, is pace. A sportive is about riding as fast as you can, finishing in the best possible time. An audax is more relaxed and you just aim to finish within time.
Even this can be a challange for some (me - cr@p navigation skills)
Philip Whiteman
Über Member
- Location
- Worcestershire
To elaborate what is said earlier, audax events follow defined routes where the rider follows a route card and/or GPX to navigate their way around. To ensure they pass given points, known as controls, they have a little booklet, known as a Brevet Card, stamped. They may also be asked to complete an answer to question in the Card to prove their location.
Unlike sportives, audaxes have no route signage and all riders are expected to be self sufficient. Like some sportives, the HQs may provide food and there is an equal amount of camaraderie between riders.
There are of course audax rides that are not events. Permanents can be ridden at any time like a normal audax along a defined route but still need proof of passage to enter into the Brevet Card. DIYS are routes submitted with proof of passage with and Brevet Card to Audax UK - in other words the rider makes up their own route. There are also Permanent DIYS which have defined destinations but the rider designs their own route in between.
Whilst audaxes do not publish rider's times like sportives, riders can collect points such as AAA points (for altitude climbed) throughout the year.
Like sportives, audaxes can vary in difficulty. Most sportives probably rate at less than a 200km audax but some audaxes can be ridden at ease by sportivers, e.g. the Beacon RCC's Cotswolds Expedition. Equally, some audaxes such as the Kidderminster Killer are simply downright more challenging difficult but fun, or longer randonees such as 300k, 400k, 600k, events, etc.
Unlike sportives, audaxes have no route signage and all riders are expected to be self sufficient. Like some sportives, the HQs may provide food and there is an equal amount of camaraderie between riders.
There are of course audax rides that are not events. Permanents can be ridden at any time like a normal audax along a defined route but still need proof of passage to enter into the Brevet Card. DIYS are routes submitted with proof of passage with and Brevet Card to Audax UK - in other words the rider makes up their own route. There are also Permanent DIYS which have defined destinations but the rider designs their own route in between.
Whilst audaxes do not publish rider's times like sportives, riders can collect points such as AAA points (for altitude climbed) throughout the year.
Like sportives, audaxes can vary in difficulty. Most sportives probably rate at less than a 200km audax but some audaxes can be ridden at ease by sportivers, e.g. the Beacon RCC's Cotswolds Expedition. Equally, some audaxes such as the Kidderminster Killer are simply downright more challenging difficult but fun, or longer randonees such as 300k, 400k, 600k, events, etc.
livestrong10_02
New Member
scoosh said:The next London/Edinburgh/London is in 2012, I believe, to start just after the Olympics. That gives you loads of time to prepare ....
Isn't LEL every 4 years ? or have they brought it forward a year ?
