Anyone Audax

menthel
menthel Posts: 2,484
edited May 2014 in Commuting chat
I have just signed up for my first (and second!) Audax. The first will be the winchelsea Tea and Cake 100. Anyone else Audax amongst the commuters?
RIP commute...
Sometimes seen bimbling around on a purple Fratello Disc or black and red Aprire Vincenza.
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Comments

  • thistle_
    thistle_ Posts: 7,218
    Always wanted to. There used to be a decent one near me but it seems to have been shelved a few years ago.
  • rubertoe
    rubertoe Posts: 3,994
    Only one i can ever find near me is the Herts wheelers one - I would like to do a few, its finding the time though
    "If you always do what you've always done, you'll always get what you've always got."

    PX Kaffenback 2 = Work Horse
    B-Twin Alur 700 = Sundays and Hills
  • menthel
    menthel Posts: 2,484
    The AUK website calender is quite good for narrowing down and finding local(ish!) ones.

    http://www.aukweb.net/events/?From=07%2 ... a=&Region=
    RIP commute...
    Sometimes seen bimbling around on a purple Fratello Disc or black and red Aprire Vincenza.
  • mrc1
    mrc1 Posts: 852
    http://www.aukweb.net/events/detail/13-548/

    I just browsed local ones to our house and found this! GULP
    http://www.ledomestiquetours.co.uk

    Le Domestique Tours - Bespoke cycling experiences with unrivalled supported riding, knowledge and expertise.

    Ciocc Extro - FCN 1
  • menthel
    menthel Posts: 2,484
    It's supposed to be rather flat! ;)
    RIP commute...
    Sometimes seen bimbling around on a purple Fratello Disc or black and red Aprire Vincenza.
  • SteppenHerring
    SteppenHerring Posts: 720
    A friend does. It looks quite attractive - when compared to what you get for the price of a sportive. You don't even have to have mudguards and a beard now - although SPD sandals might still be mandatory.
  • mrc1
    mrc1 Posts: 852
    menthel wrote:
    It's supposed to be rather flat! ;)

    Piece of pish.
    http://www.ledomestiquetours.co.uk

    Le Domestique Tours - Bespoke cycling experiences with unrivalled supported riding, knowledge and expertise.

    Ciocc Extro - FCN 1
  • mmuk
    mmuk Posts: 398
    I do! And you should too. A great way to see bits of countryside you'd never otherwise get to!
  • menthel
    menthel Posts: 2,484
    I am looking forward to these, have also got an entry for the winter warmer in feb as well. I like cycling in the winter!
    RIP commute...
    Sometimes seen bimbling around on a purple Fratello Disc or black and red Aprire Vincenza.
  • the_fuggler
    the_fuggler Posts: 1,228
    Got my eye on a couple around Oxford for the new year - I do like the opportunity to explore somewhere different and have a record of the ride. Beard should be fully formed by April too.
    FCN 3 / 4
  • rubertoe
    rubertoe Posts: 3,994
    menthel wrote:
    I am looking forward to these, have also got an entry for the winter warmer in feb as well. I like cycling in the winter!

    Where is your starting point for these menthel?

    Although i doubt i'll be able to get out much other than for the commute in february.
    "If you always do what you've always done, you'll always get what you've always got."

    PX Kaffenback 2 = Work Horse
    B-Twin Alur 700 = Sundays and Hills
  • menthel
    menthel Posts: 2,484
    rubertoe wrote:
    menthel wrote:
    I am looking forward to these, have also got an entry for the winter warmer in feb as well. I like cycling in the winter!

    Where is your starting point for these menthel?

    Although i doubt i'll be able to get out much other than for the commute in february.

    The first 2 are in Sussex, so an easyish drive down for a 9am start. I am doing one from Maidenhead as well.

    http://www.aukweb.net/events/detail/14-102/

    Very few start in London but there are loads that go from the home counties and in easy reach.
    RIP commute...
    Sometimes seen bimbling around on a purple Fratello Disc or black and red Aprire Vincenza.
  • pangolin
    pangolin Posts: 6,660
    I've done a few. Ditchling Devil 200k is a good one from Kingston in June. Also done a 400 (Severn Across) from Slough and and a 600 (Bryan Chapman) from Chepstow. Really recommend these next year if you are still enjoying doing them.

    Norfolk Nips series is good over winter if Norwich is in any way convenient for you. My parents live there so took my Dad on a 100 which he enjoyed a lot.
    - Genesis Croix de Fer
    - Dolan Tuono
  • menthel
    menthel Posts: 2,484
    pangolin wrote:
    I've done a few. Ditchling Devil 200k is a good one from Kingston in June. Also done a 400 (Severn Across) from Slough and and a 600 (Bryan Chapman) from Chepstow. Really recommend these next year if you are still enjoying doing them.

    Norfolk Nips series is good over winter if Norwich is in any way convenient for you. My parents live there so took my Dad on a 100 which he enjoyed a lot.

    I will sign up for the Ditching Devil as it starts just up the road from me, so is easily doable. I may leave some of the longer distances until I get a feel for it. I know I can do 200k but I am not sure about longer! ;)
    RIP commute...
    Sometimes seen bimbling around on a purple Fratello Disc or black and red Aprire Vincenza.
  • menthel
    menthel Posts: 2,484
    Winchelsea Tea and Cake is this Sunday, looking forward to it! Have also booked on a couple more through the winter to keep the interest up and the legs going round (apart from the daily commute through town).
    RIP commute...
    Sometimes seen bimbling around on a purple Fratello Disc or black and red Aprire Vincenza.
  • Mikey23
    Mikey23 Posts: 5,306
    Did my first this year as it was based in my home town. I did it with a couple of mates and we had an excellent time. Cheap as chips and free coffee and cake at the end. Liked the problem solving element to it and got to ride some lovely roads around north cornwall. Rather hilly but but only 100k and we got in just inside the time limit. Less competitive than your average sportive and great fun...
  • the_fuggler
    the_fuggler Posts: 1,228
    Which one was that Mikey? We're (hopefully) moving down to Cornwall in the next few months, so it would be good to get a few events lined up for the next year.
    FCN 3 / 4
  • rolf_f
    rolf_f Posts: 16,015
    Did my first at the weekend - a hilly 100km out of Hebden Bridge and over to Pendle; Season of the Mists. It was excellent. Tea and biscuits at the start, mass start at 9am, mostly well described route card, good checkpoint cafes (though we had a cafe stop elsewhere), excellent food at the end (inc an apparently legendary homemade rice pudding) plus having your brevet card taken away to be processed and posted back to you all for the huge cost of £4. Makes the Sportive prices look positively obscene - £25 extra for route marking and a free bottle and energy bar seems a poor deal to me!).
    Great mix of riders too - from the racked, Carradiced and Brooks'd steel tourers to high end carbon. People navigating with GPS or route cards rolled onto their wrists (just as effective as the GPS fwiw!).

    If you've not Audax'd before, give it a go. Certainly more atmosphere than the average Sportive.
    Faster than a tent.......
  • essex-commuter
    essex-commuter Posts: 2,188
    menthel wrote:
    Winchelsea Tea and Cake is this Sunday, looking forward to it! Have also booked on a couple more through the winter to keep the interest up and the legs going round (apart from the daily commute through town).

    Are you going to have milk in the tea? :wink:
  • craker
    craker Posts: 1,739
    one of the other forums is big on audaxing

    https://yacf.co.uk/forum/index.php

    I do more audaxes than sportives these days. Generally a low key, friendly way of doing a longer ride. Did anyone mention the price?

    Over Bristol way we have the LVIS audax http://audax.lvis.org.uk/, organised by a friend and on the way to becoming a big local event. It's always sold out and this year there are two different short routes in an attempt to increase capacity. Go LVIS!
  • menthel
    menthel Posts: 2,484
    essex-commuter wrote:
    menthel wrote:
    Winchelsea Tea and Cake is this Sunday, looking forward to it! Have also booked on a couple more through the winter to keep the interest up and the legs going round (apart from the daily commute through town).

    Are you going to have milk in the tea? :wink:

    I doubt it will be single estate darjeeling flown over and carefully brewed with water at the correct temperature and then served in china of the correct thickness and quality. So I probably will have milk! ;)
    RIP commute...
    Sometimes seen bimbling around on a purple Fratello Disc or black and red Aprire Vincenza.
  • porlyworly
    porlyworly Posts: 441
    Have done one before, was in Feb with snow on the ground and it was strong winds and rained solid all the way around. Never again (in February!) was truly soul destroying.

    Did the wiggle long one sportive since then which was twice as far but in nice summery conditions :)
    First love - Genesis Equilibrium 20
    Dirty - Forme Calver CX Sport
    Quickie - Scott CR1 SL HMX
    Notable ex's - Kinesis Crosslight, Specialized Tricross
  • Mikey23
    Mikey23 Posts: 5,306
    @F... Which bit are you hoping to move to? I'm launceston and the audax went around port Isaac, tintagel and boscastle. There is a nice wiggle / kilo to go spring sportive starting at lanhydrock. Then there's the lands end 100 which I did last weekend from marazion. If you are in the east you will have easy access to dartmoor and all the sportives. There's a nice one I like to do starting in Biddeford in July. Expect everything down here to be hilly!
  • the_fuggler
    the_fuggler Posts: 1,228
    Cheers Mikey - probably just west of Truro. I rode the Lands End 100 last year, so I know the form a little! Good friends with the guys in Cycle Logic down in Helston. They've seen a lot of my disposable income over the last few years!

    Hope to ride some of those events next year. Launceston would be about an hour up the road, so that shouldn't be a problem. Fingers crossed....
    FCN 3 / 4
  • Mikey23
    Mikey23 Posts: 5,306
    Excellent... Hope you make it! Started at marazion this year but just as good. I think there's an audax on the old tramlines sometime in July. Love Truro, has a nice vibe about it
  • menthel
    menthel Posts: 2,484
    Tea and Cake done. Wet and wild ride with a few (but not too many hills). I only emptied out the water from my shoes once and quite frankly the even it wonderfully run!

    200 in december next- but only if it isn't raining.
    RIP commute...
    Sometimes seen bimbling around on a purple Fratello Disc or black and red Aprire Vincenza.
  • Mikey23
    Mikey23 Posts: 5,306
    Excellent, well done!
  • SmellTheGlove
    SmellTheGlove Posts: 697
    rubertoe wrote:
    Only one i can ever find near me is the Herts wheelers one - I would like to do a few, its finding the time though

    This one isn't too much further to travel http://www.aukweb.net/events/detail/13-447/ last year there was great organisation and it attracts hundreds. Still time to sign up online or even by post.
    "Consider the grebe..."
  • menthel
    menthel Posts: 2,484
    Mikey23 wrote:
    Excellent, well done!

    Thanks, the whole event had a nice feel. Friendly and everyone was out for a good ride and not to race etc.
    RIP commute...
    Sometimes seen bimbling around on a purple Fratello Disc or black and red Aprire Vincenza.
  • rubertoe
    rubertoe Posts: 3,994
    New Year new Goals and a bit of Club promotion....

    "The Great Escape"

    200km out into Essex and back to ths start finish at LMNH.
    "If you always do what you've always done, you'll always get what you've always got."

    PX Kaffenback 2 = Work Horse
    B-Twin Alur 700 = Sundays and Hills

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