England : Surrey What next?

[PaulSB]

@Heltor Chasca only just spotted your avatar. Love it, really beautiful and a great message.

 

[icowden]

I was looking at Audax, but wasn't sure whether they were too "serious". I am very much doing this for fun, and I am no speed demon (consistent 10mph average, that's me) :-)

 

[ianrauk]

I was looking at Audax, but wasn't sure whether they were too "serious". I am very much doing this for fun, and I am no speed demon (consistent 10mph average, that's me) :-)

Audax is far from serious. Both Audax and Sportives are just bikes rides. As simple as that.

 

[Dogtrousers]

Serious Audaxes are serious. Most Audaxes aren't serious Audaxes.

Same with sportives, there are sportives like La Marmotte and l'Étape du Tour which are a huge challenges and very sport/ racing oriented. There are Audaxes like London Edinburgh London and the Wild Atlantic Way which are similarly huge challenges of an endurance kind.

But outside the mega events audaxes are of various distances and very friendly. As are most sportives (the ones I've done were)

As @ianrauk says, they are just bike rides.

 

[vickster]

I was looking at Audax, but wasn't sure whether they were too "serious". I am very much doing this for fun, and I am no speed demon (consistent 10mph average, that's me) :-)

I’ve only done one Audax, not serious at all really. This one, which starts not too far from you (iirc you’re in Walton), starts in Hampton Hill and 10mph will be fine (105km in 10.5h). Certainly were Brompton riders when I did it
http://www.aukweb.net/events/detail/17-559/

 

[icowden]

Thanks @vickster. I might take a look at that. We (the bro-in-law and meself) are looking at the New Forest 100 a couple of weeks after that.

 

[ColinJ]

hmmm... I'm not quiet fluent on gear-ese yet.
Current bike is 27 gears - 3 rings on the front and 9 on the rear. The specs say:

Crankset: Shimano, 44-32-22T, w/ chainguard
CASSETTE/FREEWHEEL: Shimano, 11-32T, 9 spd

So I presume that 34 / 28 would be close to middle ring on the front and 8th ring on the back?

To be honest I think the main problem is that I haven't done much hill practice and my chassis could do with shedding a couple of stones!

That is a luxuriously low bottom gear. Even carrying a couple of stone of extra weight that ought to enable you to get up most hills less than (say) 15% as long as you pace yourself properly - go at a slow walking pace if you have to.

I don't mean to be insulting, but you are using the 22 at the front and 32 at the back, aren't you? I have known riders who were 'not fluent on gear-ese' who either used the biggest ring or smallest sprocket on climbs and wondered why they were struggling!

 

[icowden]

Yep I scale down through the big ring at the front, drop down to middle and back up 3 or 4 at the back then gradually go down again until I need to drop onto the smallest ring etc.

I'm just not that hill fit. I nearly got up Marley today. Just one last little stretch where I ran out of stamina. I also probably need to pace myself better. I've been focusing on trying to keep my legs going round at their usual speed or a little bit under and dropping the gears as the effort gets harder.

 

[stoatsngroats]

I had similar hill development some years ago, in Arundel, up,to the Southdowns. I couldn’t get up it for the first 3 rides, but gently persevered and finally, managed it. It never bothered me again, and I progressed to 60 mile routes with this hill appearing in the first 5 miles.
I definitely think that stamina and ability increase with repeated effort.
I would spin earlier!

 

[icowden]

YES!! Finally beat the hill! stoatsngroats - you were absolutely on the money. Deliberately made myself do a lot less work at the start than I would usually do, so going up more slowly (which in your brain is counter-intuitive) and spinning gently. Some deep breathing later on and occasional cursing, and I finally got up it without stopping

 

[Nomadski]

I would recommend New Forest, its a fun and often quite scenic ride, when the wind isn't trying to blow you over the many open areas, or you don't encounter wildlife taking on the route.

If you have already done London to Brtighton there is nothing that compares to Ditchling Beacon, and the few hills that are there are short, so your kind of hills.

Just watch out for tacks...

 

[icowden]

Yes - I heard about that. Happily I won't be going fast enough to cause myself injury if I do get a puncture. Me and the BiL are signed up for the standard route. Slowly building toward 100 miles. Just need to get out for a long ride this week . Hopefully tomorrow - might do London Bridge to Walton on Thames.