"Audax chat" thread

[DrMekon]

No cleats in hall!

Mumble mumble entry fees.
Grumble grumble info controls.
Sigh huff route sheets.

From
http://bearbonesbikepacking.co.uk/phpBB ... 160#p70271

Doing Mille Pennines next year. Easter Fleches, the BCM, and Mr Pickwick are also on the calendar,

[Blackhound]

I have done a 200km ride a month since February (actually two in March) and aiming to do one in 12 consecutive months. October is a bit of a problem with the BB200 and two weeks away but hopefully will manage a mid week one.

[Dyffers]

Doing Mille Pennines next year. Easter Fleches, the BCM, and Mr Pickwick are also on the calendar,

I've a pretty low DNF rate in audaxes, except for Easter Fleches in which I'm 1 finshed from 3 started . However, if you fancy putting a BearBones team together next year give me a shout!

Hvaing done the BCM 4 times I'm hoping to do a different (couple of) 600s next year...but the BCM is sooo good it keeps calling me back, so never say never. Wales is just so much more interesting than England for 400k+ rides (and Scotland is too far away )

[DrMekon]

Doing Mille Pennines next year. Easter Fleches, the BCM, and Mr Pickwick are also on the calendar,

I've a pretty low DNF rate in audaxes, except for Easter Fleches in which I'm 1 finshed from 3 started . However, if you fancy putting a BearBones team together next year give me a shout!

Hvaing done the BCM 4 times I'm hoping to do a different (couple of) 600s next year...but the BCM is sooo good it keeps calling me back, so never say never. Wales is just so much more interesting than England for 400k+ rides (and Scotland is too far away )

I've only done a YACF group DIY 600 in Wales and a couple of the Macclesfield rides. Tom W (1st back on BB200 last year) is up for a Easter Fleche. BCM will be new for me, and needs ticking off. Mr Pickwick is a tough choice against the Tan Hill 600, but I've done a bunch of Andy Cs rides and it'll be nice to go somewhere new.

[slarge]

Never done an audax, but quite like the ethos of them. Are they the sort of event you can enter the week before, or do you need to plan months in advance (which gets a bit tricky sometimes....). A BearBones team would be a great idea.

[chris n]

I haven't ridden an audax since April, and nothing further than a 100 since 2013.

Nothing definite planned for next year, but I do want to ride LEL in 2017 so really ought to ride an SR in 2016 as prep. Like Dyffers, I've ridden the Chapman 4 times so something else might be good (like the Pickwick 600), but the BCM is sooo good it's worth riding again. Bearbones Arrow might be fun, but no guarantee I'll have done enough miles to ride it by Easter.

[Bearbonesnorm]

Just out of interest, do you need to be a member of Audax UK to enter / ride?

[Dyffers]

Never done an audax, but quite like the ethos of them. Are they the sort of event you can enter the week before, or do you need to plan months in advance (which gets a bit tricky sometimes....). A BearBones team would be a great idea.

Typically audaxes can be entered by PayPal up to a week or so before if they've not reached their Max rider entries. Something more 'famous' like the Bryan Chapman will fill up early.

Just out of interest, do you need to be a member of Audax UK to enter / ride?

Nope. They chuck an extra quid or two on the entry cost for non members to cover insurance.

[chris n]

No, but you'll have to pay a little extra for insurance (unless you're in the CTC in which case you're also covered).

[DrMekon]

Do any of you know how to organise an arrow team? I've never done one. Definitely up for it the easter one is to York, right? Goal is 400km+?

[napalmgram]

Another audaxer here

Mae pickwick is a tough ride, day 2 was the worst. Looking at the tan hill for next year and potentially Mille Pennine.

Easter arrows aren't too bad to organise, the new docs on the site are actually useful http://aukweb.net/events/arrows/ and the org will normally point out any problems. You'll end up phoning some random Yorkshire petrol station to check their opening times.

Just be warned its an early Easter next year, last arrow I did that early in the year we had snow and ice over night, built some character that did

[chris n]

I did organize an Arrow back in 2010 (I think), and it got validated (eventually), but I do remember some to-ing and fro-ing with the late John Radford regarding the receipts/stamps after the event. I have a feeling he wasn't best pleased that we finished in under 24 hours too. If I was to do it again I'd just hang around in the pub in York until the 24 hours was up, then get the stamp - eg plan for the 22 hour control to be at Selby or Market Weighton then ride into York for the finish.

[Dyffers]

Thread resurrection now the longer distances audax 'season' is in full swing.

For the 7th time I shall be riding the Brevet Cymru 400km (next Saturday 30th April). Anyone else joining in? I'll be in a Wessex RC jersey (although likely to be under a jacket at 6am) on my carbon disc road bike (with 'guards natch) and a Revelate tanglebag; say hello

[Chew]

My first 100 a few weeks back and a 200 this weekend starting in Halifax.

Slowly working my way up to the 3 Coasts 600 later in the year.

[atk]

^^ looks like i am heading up to the Cairngorms so BC400 will have to wait until next year...

Hoping to try and squeeze in 40 points this year (50@50 might be pushing it...!). Entered the Westmoreland Spartans 300, thinking of switching to the 200 though as it looks a little more scenic and should leave enough in the legs to ride home the next day to save a few ££. Perm card turned up for the Old 240 too, might give that a go if any Hebden-ish folk fancy a little jaunt around Yorkshire one weekend...

Other things entered at the moment - 3 Steps to Severn and the Mille Pennines. Hovering over the "enter" button for the Tan Hill 600 and 3 Coasts...

Hoping legs don't give up on this beforehand!

[Blackhound]

Hoping to do a SR again this year but it may have to be a solo one using perms. I have entered the 2,100km WIld Atlantic Way audax in June so that is my focus. Difficult getting weekends to ride away from Herself particularly adter just returning from two months away.

There is a local 600 but it it two weeks before the WAWA and the only late season one is the Flatlands in September.

[DrMekon]

^^ looks like i am heading up to the Cairngorms so BC400 will have to wait until next year...

Hoping to try and squeeze in 40 points this year (50@50 might be pushing it...!). Entered the Westmoreland Spartans 300, thinking of switching to the 200 though as it looks a little more scenic and should leave enough in the legs to ride home the next day to save a few ££. Perm card turned up for the Old 240 too, might give that a go if any Hebden-ish folk fancy a little jaunt around Yorkshire one weekend...

Other things entered at the moment - 3 Steps to Severn and the Mille Pennines. Hovering over the "enter" button for the Tan Hill 600 and 3 Coasts...

Hoping legs don't give up on this beforehand!

We'll be overlapping a bit then - am doing 3 steps and Mille. I've done the Old 240 (were home just after 1am, before any of the Spurn head lot - it's not as bad as I expected, with the exception of Chris' routing of the last section to his house on the event was brutal). Tan Hill looks mega, but alas my only other audax pass this year is going on the Heartbeat 400.

See you on 3 steps.

[Chew]

200 done and dont feel so bad, although felt like death yesterday night.

Should be up for the Old 240 later in the year. For some reason a 400 sounds harder than a 600.
If its a Chris route, it'll have hills, but plenty of pub stops

[DrMekon]

200 done and dont feel so bad, although felt like death yesterday night.

Should be up for the Old 240 later in the year. For some reason a 400 sounds harder than a 600.
If its a Chris route, it'll have hills, but plenty of pub stops

Old 240 was a funny one. Saw some faces from the previous Pendle 600, got dragged along by Emma from here for a bit, then all of a sudden, me and Tom W (first back on BB2014, not slow) were alone on Hartside, with no-one in sight. I think we saw one other person for the rest of the day, and were home just after 1am. I'd promised Tom W an adventure and found myself apologising. To be fair, the weather could not have been kinder. However, it felt like it has an undeserved rep for toughness. I'm sure with less kind weather it could be brutal, but on this day, it felt like a jaunt - was the quickest 400 I've done.

I like 400s best - for me, 600s are a case of riding through the dozies, or a brief nap and the trudge of getting going. A 300 is just a long day - 400 is condensed adventure. Last years Heartbeat sounded brutal. If this weather doesn't shift, I'll be taking the Domane instead of the Madone.

[atk]

We'll be overlapping a bit then - am doing 3 steps and Mille. I've done the Old 240 (were home just after 1am, before any of the Spurn head lot - it's not as bad as I expected, with the exception of Chris' routing of the last section to his house on the event was brutal). Tan Hill looks mega, but alas my only other audax pass this year is going on the Heartbeat 400.

See you on 3 steps.

Will keep an eye out for you!

[atk]

200 done and dont feel so bad, although felt like death yesterday night.

Should be up for the Old 240 later in the year. For some reason a 400 sounds harder than a 600.
If its a Chris route, it'll have hills, but plenty of pub stops

Sounds good, can't remember if it's on the 240 or the Spurn head but there's supposed to be a place with great calzone early on in the ride...

If I don't get it done beforehand I'll probably try and do the calendar version over the August Bank holiday

[atk]

No CG loop for me this weekend, thinking of entering AndyC's Heartbeat 400 on the 8th May instead. Edit: scratch all this, just realised I'm busy Friday night and unable to get up there in time for the start :(

Heard it was a cold one in the past (-5 overnight...). Don't think I'll be leaving the Primaloft at home just yet...


src: https://twitter.com/nedboulting/status/ ... 7676502016

[Dyffers]

Heard it was a cold one in the past (-5 overnight...). Don't think I'll be leaving the Primaloft at home just yet...

I don't tend to take my array of down / primaloft / etc cold weather clothing when audaxing as I'm either on the bike putting in enough effort to stay warm (fine down to about freezing, -5°C might be pushing it) or indoors eating / snoozing. Don't get me wrong, I take plenty of clothing layers, just thin lightweight - dare I say it - 'roadie' ones.

I've never taken any specific sleeping kit with me, that would just give me the option to stop and sleep when I'm tired! Caffeine pills are lighter

[atk]

Yeah, I usually layer thin wool for almost all riding. Need to check where the controls are and which bits will be ridden in the dark but I'll probably be carrying some sort of insulated gilet for controls/just-in-case and gloves or lobster mitts for the night riding :)

Wasn't planning on taking sleeping kit, possibly light bivvy/survival bag though if conditions don't improve...

[DrMekon]

No CG loop for me this weekend, thinking of entering AndyC's Heartbeat 400 on the 8th May instead. Edit: scratch all this, just realised I'm busy Friday night and unable to get up there in time for the start :(

If you weren't busy, I'm staying at Preston Travelodge, and you are welcome to crash there.

Last year, people got very cold on the heartbeat, but forecast is wet but much kinder temp IIRC