Audaxes the new sportives?

danowat

Last week saw the first winter audax of the season for me, the Norfolk Nips, last year it was a very intimate affair with around 60(ish) riders, no queues at sign on etc.

This year was a completely different story, over 170 riders signed up in advance, and more on the day, maybe close to 200 riders all told, long queue to sign on etc etc, "best year ever by a long shot" was the phrase I heard.

Not only that, but I saw a much wider range of equipment this time round,a good showing of full on carbon race bikes mixing it with the steel audax bikes and tandems.

Could this point to Audaxes becoming a cheaper alternative to sportives?, or just more people riding bikes and wanting to do organised events in the winter?

prawny

Bit of both? I've been looking at audaxes more and more, I think the fact that they're generally run by local riders is appealing, route selection is generally better than nationally organised sportives like wiggle/evans et al.

The number of people with garmin's was surprising at the last sportive I did, maybe more people can get guided around the route and therefore can treat it more like a sportive and not worry about signing?

Stedman

To me the argument is quite simple. Audaxes are simply run by people who know what their objective is and know achieve this through a well managed structure and model. In contrast sportives can be chaotic because of the inexperience of many organisers who are poorly resourced and take on more than they can reasonably deliver.

Resources required to run an audax are low, however with a sportive these are very high because of additional administration, arranging starts and finishes, signage requirements (which should also be periodically be checked throughout the event as these walk), the manning of feed stations etc. Additionally many sportives also take on broom wagons, marshals, timing chips, photographers, goody bags, medals etc.

I think that the message is that sportives are good value for well run, top end events such as the Etape Caledonian, however for most other events there is nothing wrong with the old audax model, i.e. keep it simple and easy to organise.

Unfortunately events organisers don’t like the audax or even a simple sportive model as there is no real money to be made from these :!:

SecretBurningThread

I think Sportives have had their time.

They have done marvellous things for encouraging a huge range of people to get cycling. Forking out £25 every weekend or fortnight can get expensive and you can see why cyclists are being drawn to Audax.

With improvements in GPS, the need for signed routes isn't such a problem and you know that your saving the money on feedstops and timing.

There's no commercial element to Audax either, just enthusiasts enjoying putting on a decent ride. The joy of them is actually hooking up with other people and getting round the course.

I'm sure Sportives won't disappear, in fact some will get even better, but it does sound like the times they are a changing?

Stedman

Over the last six years I have been entering a serious 310k audax where I have noticed the numbers creeping up from 40 to 60 however this year it suddenly jumped to over 100 with the organisers closing the on-line entry early. :shock:

These days many of the feed stops have tended to shift from cafes to village halls so the gap between the two disciplines are getting closer.

I think that the message for sportive riders in 2012, is to try out audaxes before they all get fully booked up!

JohnCleland

I’m new to cycling with only 2yrs experience. In this time I have probably completed around six to eight sportive.

I entered and completed my first audax last weekend.

Although I have little audax experience to date, my opinion is that if you want to spend £20-£50 to ride "faster type roads", have a goody bag and your name on the result sheets of a higher profile event, then a sportive may be for you.

If you want to pay £4 - £7 to meet a small group of friendly folk who couldn’t care what bike you ride, don’t care if you wear Lidle/Aldi clothing (like me), ride rougher sections of roads, meet on-route, have a chat, work together and have fantastic food at the finish and then another natter, then maybe audax is the way to go. It’s the hardest event I’ve done so far, really challenging and I feel chuffed I completed it.

Don’t get me wrong; I still plan to do a couple of sportive next year with a few more audaxes thrown in.

dead sheep

Rather like sportives, even audaxes come in different shapes, sizes and quality. Unlike a poorly run sportive, with a poorly run audax then you only stand to loose a few quid. It would be foolish to state that all audaxes are superb events but unlike sportives, Audax UK has a reputation for whipping poorly performing organisers that make a hash of their events - plus organisers are vetted through an approval process.

Putting aside the huge variation of distances involved in audaxes (anything from 50km to 2,000km), it is possible to class 200-600km audaxes:

1. Gold. Fully manned controls, control stops with food (sometimes free), excellent route cards, gpx downloads with route card haters, interesting routes, limited back up en-route (e.g a controller with emergency repair kit), large numbers of riders, big HQ with sleeping and changing facilities. (£5-£15). For long randonees such as 600 km, a youth hostel may be incorporate high way for recuperation and sleep. Eg. Cotswolds Expedition, Bryan Chapman.

2. Silver. Partially manned controls. Controls use pre-organised stops such as cafes. Food to purchase at the HQ. Sometimes GPS is provided. (£4-£7). Reasonable route cards. E.g. Denmead audaxes, Elenith, Cheltenham Flyer, San Faries audaxes, Black Sheep CC or Peak Audax events.

3. Economy. Operates out of car park, riders pick up receipts at control locations, route card provided. Sometimes GPS is available. No food provided. E.g, The Poor Student, The Dean.

The in addition to the above are the audax oddities for Billy No-Mates such as DIYs or Permanent audaxes that can be ridden at anytime the rider desires. I suppose that there is also a platinum option if you count the Paris-Brest-Paris or London-Edinburgh-London ultra-randonees.

My finest audax this year was the Kidderminster Killer but it would not be suitable for sportive riders seeking fast times - it is more of an endurance ride and probably one of the UK's toughest 200s. The Killer is a gruelling event requiring a high degree of staminer - more than usually required for a sportive. It will be interesting to see what happens to this event once the mighty Beacon assume stewardship in 2012.

Unlike the Kidderminster Killer, there are plenty of other audax events that easy comparators to sportives, which use a good array of feed stops (village halls, cafes, etc) with large numbers of riders. Barry's Bristol Ball Bash in late March is to be commended, plenty of hills, plenty of fast bits and with over 400 riders participating on a 150 or 200km route. For the early bird seeking a ride in February, Phil Whiteman's Snowdrop and Sunrise Express is worth consideration. It is a no nonsense event that attracts a huge number of riders from the Midlands. It always sells out, it only costs £5-£7, is supported by a useful website, gps downloads, usual audax route cards and is free of gimmicks.

The audax movement could probably do a lot more to help itself and improve its image with regard to sportives. Firstly, if could probably dispense with some of its over-complex rules and regulations, and improve the Brevet Card system which is an anochronism.

One particular aspect of audaxes that is far superior to sportives is set standards. Routes have to conform to classes of distance and ascent making them comparable. Riders are also able to compete for points throughout the year which leads to some super human performances, such as gaining 'altitude award points' or riding x number of events every month throughout the year. AUK also validate the rides and event organisers are vetted.

SecretBurningThread

Great post dead sheep - I quite like the idea of entering one of their points based competitions whilst still enjoying riding the events with lots of other enthusiasts. You've made up my mind 2012 is going to be Audax year for me, until I head out to the Alps in the summer.

danowat

Some great posts.

Whichever way you slice it, its nice to see an uptake in events, whatever they are, and I really hope that Audaxes can completely lose their "beard and sandals" stereotype that they seem to have.

The ones we do locally are £7 (infact, the Norfolk Nips series is 3 rides, and if you enter the first 2, you get the third free, so £14 for 3 rides), for that you get routesheet, GPX download, manned checkpoints and fully stocked feed station en-route and a fully stocked feed station at the end, value for money is EXTREMELY good, especially when you start comparing it to the overpriced sportives.

And don't go thinking that audaxers are slow, the speed that some of these veteren audaxes can go at, on steel audax bikes is seriously impressive!.

mrushton

the crossover has been happening for a while now. As people have got into cycling, the word of mouth about Audax has grown helped by the piece Rapha published about the BCM. Here was a tough event that had no fripperies, where one rider got his bike rewelded and still finished within time, where self-sufficiency and grit are required and it doesn't matter what bike kit you have as it's about comfort and reliability. Certain audaxes have become so popular that last year some were duplicated to run over 2 weekends. Very rarely do they get cancelled and bad weather only emphasises the toughness (or stupidity). Early events like Hopey New Year and NW Passage give you a good workout for v.little money.

There is already discussion on www.yacf.co.uk about the 1000km Mille Alba that may happen in Scotland. There was a Mille Cymru this year that the entrants rated as one of the best audaxes they had ever ridden in terms of route and support.

mr pumpy

Riders new to audax need to understand that the whole thing runs on goodwill. That doesn't just refer to the unpaid organisers, or the unpaid volunteers dishing out your food in a village hall at 2am in mid Wales, it also refers to the riders themselves. You are paying for a route-sheet, validation of a completed ride, and hire of any halls used. Anything else is a bonus and if the ride goes tits up for you, you have to sort yourself out (unless of course you arelucky enough to enjoy a further dose of goodwill from the organiser)

Audax is great, but part of what is great about it is the lack if any commercial element.

Philip Whiteman

Dead Sheep - thank you for your kind reference to the Snowdrop. Have you entered as I cannot find a Mr D Sheep on my list?

Mr Pumpy - Some good points there. Anyone thinking about treating an audax as a commercial event, will receive a bat up their night dress in the small hours, to quote Basil Fawlty.






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skinsey

Nice thread. I've been trying to convince my sportive-riding buddies of the merits of audax, but without too much success so far. The two things I like most about audax:

- the routes: they seem to be put together to showcase the local area (and avoid traffic) rather than just showboat with hills (though some are undoubtedly lumpy)

- the lack of snobbery and competition: no-one gives a monkeys what bike you're riding or kit you've got, and you tend not to get wannabees doing daft things on narrow lanes, in my experience at least.

And one last thing - I did the Eureka event out of Cheadle on Sunday, and the group I was in for the first half of the ride was just as fast as any you'd find in a sportive.

thegreatdivide

So Sportive are full of snobs and Audaxs aren't? Hmm...not sure about that tbh. Isn't saying Audaxs are snob free snobby? 'What about that Sportive lot eh? Full of fat dentists in Assos on £5k carbon'.

Badly run Sportives should and probably will die off soon, but as previously mentioned, events like the Etape Caledonia which can sell 5000 places in a week will probably just keep running and running as more and more people take up road cycling.

Bobbinogs

Some sportives are good, some audaxes are good, sometimes club rides are good, sometimes I just like to go out for a ride on my own. Actually, right now I would settle for anything that gets me off the blinking turbo

I have noticed that even just over the last 2 years that audaxes have become more and more popular with a broader appeal although some folks still don't get the idea (I spent the last 5 miles of a ride near Oxford trying the explain to the chap next to me why I wasn't interested in sprinting against him in the last 100yds to see who got first :roll: ). Also, I still find it surprising just how many folks turn up on an audax without a route sheet, gps computer or map (yes, I have mentioned this before so may be surprised is the wrong word) which I am not convinced is a simple overspill issue from sportives, more a case that some folks turn up on any organised ride and expect to just ride, thus missing half the fun and sense of achievement in completing an audax.

It is a real shame that there is still a divide in some of the cyclists who do either audaxes or sportives. I do sometimes get some barbed comments about "trying too hard" when doing an audax and one still hears cr*p spoken on sportives about audaxes being "an easier option for the old timers". Anyway, it's all cycling to me and I will continue to do lot's of audaxes and the odd selected sportive, with regular club/training/enjoyment rides thrown in, or at least I will in the new year (just watch me go when I release my back wheel from the Tacx!!).

rodgers73

Why do people think that sportives have had their day? There are more of them than ever with more people wanting to take part in them than ever too.

Could the increased interest in audax just reflect the general increased interest in cycling nationally? Not wanting to stir it up, but could people be turning to audax because sportives fill up so quickly??

DaveMoss

I admit to be a surprised at the way both the numer of sportives and the number of riders taking part have increased so dramatically over recent years. I have also noticed and increased expectation of spot on signage at every turn and extra back up during sportives, together with a huge increase in relativly easy routes and distances. This tells me that the this lack of self sufficency and difficulty in modern sportives is very appealling and encourageing to new cyclists.

It is no surprise that this bugeoning of sportives is now leading to increased interest in audaxes(for some) and road races(for the more combative). Long may the trend continue, and all facets of the sport flourish.

Eventually i forsee a lot of the commercially run events being squeezed out as their one time customers themselves get together and become event organisers.

Caer caradoc

The comments in this thread are interesting and a pleasant departure from the usual polemic of 'dentists on Pinarellos' versus 'mud guards' drivel argued by those that wish dismiss another's activity.

I continue to ride the odd few sportives that are enjoyable to ride but I have made a significant switch towards audaxes. There are numerous reasons behind this transition:

Firstly, because of the high inconsistency of standards in sportives, lack of comparability and no means to gain recognition, I felt that I was not actually progressing any where. By riding audaxes, at least I get some recognition in terms of reaching standards and award within a given year. Saying that, I recognose that this will not be a prime motivation for all cyclists. I am sure that the same must apply to cyclists that wish to road race events - for they may consider BC and club organised race events.

Secondly, there is a glass ceiling with sportives as the vast majority are geared for the daytime and a particular clientele. With audaxes, I have been able to progress and challenge myself by progressing up the scale of longer and more challenging events. This year I rode my first 300s and 400, next year I shall attempt a few 600s and in 2013, the London-Edinburgh-London. In all cases, I have ridden with individuals participating in some form of competition such as RRTY or distance awards listed by AUK.

Thirdly, the level of endurance required for an audax can be significantly greater, and for an endurance athlete that is an important consideration. Nonetheless, there are plenty of shorter and easier events in the 'Brevet Populaire' category that will meet the requirements of audax newbies, and they provide a great introduction as they did for me.

Fourthly, the level experience of audax participants means that they are less risky ventures in terms of safety. This is important to anyone that does not wish to ride with dangerous wannabees. Ironically, some audax routes are possibly more hazardous than sportive or charity event routes, as they may often require technical cycling abilities akin to downhilling! (I exagerate). On an audax, you cannot always expect ride sweeping roads with fast and easy descents.

So all in all, there are plenty of generic issues that will attract cyclists to ride either sportives or audaxes but we must recognise that they are not exactly the same . As Dave Moss rightly indicates above, it is no surprise that this burgeoning of sportives is now leading to increased interest in audaxes(for some) and road races(for the more combative). Long may the trend continue, and all facets of the sport flourish.

Stedman

Although I do both types of events and I am completely sold on the idea of doing audaxes, I am somewhat surprised by the enthusiasm now being shown for this aspect of our sport.

If this continues, it looks as though I am going to have to get all next year’s audax entries in early.

For regular sportive riders, my recommendation next year is replace at least one of your rides with an audax and see if your experience is as good or better!

vorsprung

mrushton wrote:

There is already discussion on http://www.yacf.co.uk about the 1000km Mille Alba that may happen in Scotland. There was a Mille Cymru this year that the entrants rated as one of the best audaxes they had ever ridden in terms of route and support.

Just to clarify, the Mille Cymru was in 2010 and yes it was great. The Mille Alba is happening 2012 but sadly if you want to enter, it's already full

Hugh A

When I got into cycling a few years ago, I tried some local challenge rides (embarrassingly short on reflection), then some longer charity rides. Looking around, Audaxes were about the only other option and I did quite a few of those, mostly BP's. I even persuaded some friends to have a go and before we knew it we were riding them as preparation for the etape.

Not long afterwards the uk sportive scene started to get going and we have ridden a fair few over the years, as they appealed to the competitive nature of some, but my personal preference has always been for audaxes even though I hardly ever tavkle one over 200km. Generally the routes are quieter and more scenic, the rides more friendly, and the self-reliance is quite appealing too, as well as being cheaper. I even like 'Arrivee' - the brilliant somewhat eccentric magazine of an organization with the same qualities. It is also quite a good cure for insomnia. Something must be catching as this year I've even grown a beard. Soon riding 600km or longer may not seem as daft as it used to either!

Audaxes are the old Sportives!

SecretBurningThread

Watching this thread with great interest. One thing is for sure is that I will be riding some Audaxes in the near future. Hat's off to anyone who rode (and trained) for the Mille Cymru. What an epic that must have been!?

SmellTheGlove

Total road newbie here with I think fully open mind on the sportive/audax distinction. Having done my first 100-miler this year I'm just looking forward to some events of either type next year to test my endurance. The self-reliance aspect of audax appeals to me on the one hand; on the other, because of that little timing chip critter, the sportive tests a different side of us I think. I like mountain biking too so to me, snobbery is just water off a duck's really.

Philip Whiteman

Anyone wishing a taster of an excellent audax event should look no further than LVIS's Barry's Bristol Bash. It is probably the best event in SW England and could rival many others, audax or non-audax. Their website says it all....

http://audax.lvis.org.uk/

I could mention my own events but that would be endulgent.

dabber

The only thing putting me off doing an audax is following the route card. I need reading glasses but don't ride with them. If I was riding on my own I'd need to keep stopping, putting my glasses on in order to check the route. I haven't worked out a way around that yet.

Hugh A

There's always those half-moon glasses which I expect would fit under your regular shades 8) . A lot of people have GPS devices these days which can just have a big arrow telling you when to turn so probably wouldn't need glasses for that. I am quite tempted to invest, despite the cost, as I suspect it could save me a lot of off-route miles over a few years.

Lots of people also enlarge and laminate sections of the route sheet which could work, depending on how bad your long-sightedness is. At the last audax there was a lady there who ingeniously velcroed the resulting cards onto the top tube. If you can be bothered with the preparation, it probably works out lighter than route-sheet holders too, and she said they never came off accidentally.

dabber

Hugh. Thanks for your reply. It's got me thinking and I've ended up doing a bit more research.

There seems to be several possibilities....
* buy purpose made prescription cycling glasses - bifocal -
* buy wrap around safety glasses bifocals - cheap enough - don't seem to look to bad - not Oakleys though. :roll:
* buy stickon magnifying lens to put on current shades - effectively converting them to bifocals.

Link to the last two options (stickons at the bottom of page)
http://www.straightlines.com/safetyspecs/index.php?page=bi-focal_safety_specs

I've no idea how well any of these options would work but I'm tempted to try the stickons as I could put them on whatever shades (current and future) I wanted... but do they work?
Tbh, I should do something about it as apart from the audax route problems I could do with being able to read my cateye computer better. It would also remove the need for me to carry a pair of reading glasses in case of "mechanicals".

Hugh A

Cheers Dabber. The stick-on lenses look like a very clever idea - and not too expensive to try out either. I'm feeling a bit bi-focal myself these days..

eede

I've done the Norfolk Nips the last two years and apart from greater numbers this year (and the lack of fog this year), it seems no different to me to many Audaxes I do. At events such as the Mildenhall rally etc, I often see groups of club racers in a mini peleton sharing route card duties, going as fast as they care to, dropping ones who cant keep up.

For me, an Audax is just a nice ride on some roads I've often never ridden before, where it's acceptable to stop and play on the village swings. I struggle to see how they aren't whatever you as a rider decide it will be. It's you and bike on tarmac.

dabber

Hugh A wrote:

Cheers Dabber. The stick-on lenses look like a very clever idea - and not too expensive to try out either. I'm feeling a bit bi-focal myself these days..

I ended up buying a pair of the wrap around specs with yellow lenses (not the stickons) I received them on Friday and did a 60 mile club run this morning.
First reactions....
I think they look OK, they're not going to suit everyone as they are just black frames, I'm happy with them.
The bifocal area works well and I can now read the small figures on my bike computer. I've put a map on top of the bars to try and simulate an audax type scenario and I can now read the map/route sheet.
The bifocal area is not distracting when just riding looking forward - no interference at all.
The glasses are comfortable and they don't slip down my nose.

Bottom line is that I'll get some with the smoke coloured lenses as well. Time will tell if they wear well

I'll be interested to hear how you get on with the stickons.