My first audax - tips?
RallyBiker
Posts: 378
I've put my name down for the north Wales based Sych it and Sea audax. I've never done one before, but the £5 entry fee seemed so inviting, well what can you do, but do it?! It's 210km with 2850m elevation. Fitness wise I'm on it, but audax experience is nil. I've only done 100+mile sportives (Etape Eryri, Dragon, Cheshire Cat etc.) so any tips from audaxer would be most welcome.
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Am also doing this Auduax and it is my first. Longest ride to date is similar. I think it's just more of the same. Eat well, pace properly. Keep on keeping on.0
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Enjoy it! That's the main thing.
I don't know this one in particular, but most rides have stages of 50-80km between controls (cafes or village halls etc.), so it's only ever a series of 3ish hour rides punctuated by a cup of tea!
If you've ridden 100 miles, you'll be absolutely fine with 125.
If you are not a GPS user, make sure you have a way of mounting your routesheet on your bars - there are purpose-made map-traps, but a bit of stiff plastic board (the stuff estate agents use to make their boards (Corex?) is ideal with a couple of cable ties and a bull-dog clip or elastic bands - put the route sheet in a plastic bag).
Beyond that, just carry what you normally would on a long day out (tools, tubes, pump etc.) and clothing to deal with anticipated conditions. A pencil in case there are any info questions (to prove you have passed a certain point there may be a question on the brevet card to ask something like "when is the last post collected on a Tuesday at the junction of X and Y?") - though many of us just take a photo of the answer on our phones and fill in the card at the end.
Beyond the route finding and having to be a bit more self-sufficient, there's little difference to the approach you've had on previous sportives.
Enjoy it!
Edited to add - we're moving towards the time of the year where fuller-value riders (as those who take towards the maximum time allowed are affectionately known!) will have to start to think about lights towards the tail-end of events (a 200km starting at 8am will have until (roughly) 9:40pm completion).0 -
Audaxes are great!
These are some general hints from Audax Uk
http://www.aukweb.net/hints/ride/
The event will probably differ in a number of ways to a sportif. It will probably be more relaxed. The controls are open for a specific period if you arrive to late or early they will have closed or not have opened yet. But there is a huge window so unless you turn up late and ride very slowly you should be fine. No one will run into a control point stuff cake into their mouth and then jump back on to their bike cyclo-cross style whilst splutter on inhaled cake crumbs in order to achieve their time. Whilst taking part talk to some other riders and the people at the controls. The tea and cake at the finish is usually very good.
Have a great ride.0 -
Thanks, sounds very civilised. 8)whoof wrote:Audaxes are great!
These are some general hints from Audax Uk
http://www.aukweb.net/hints/ride/
The event will probably differ in a number of ways to a sportif. It will probably be more relaxed. The controls are open for a specific period if you arrive to late or early they will have closed or not have opened yet. But there is a huge window so unless you turn up late and ride very slowly you should be fine. No one will run into a control point stuff cake into their mouth and then jump back on to their bike cyclo-cross style whilst splutter on inhaled cake crumbs in order to achieve their time. Whilst taking part talk to some other riders and the people at the controls. The tea and cake at the finish is usually very good.
Have a great ride.0 -
top tips: 1) grow a beard 2) put either a rack top bag or carradice saddle bag on your bike 3) get ready for a much more friendly ride than most sportives, with plenty of cake, beans on toast and real food rather than gels & energy drink!
Beard is optional but there seem to be alot of riders with them on Audaxes!0 -
Anyone got the gpx file for the route the link on the homepage is down. I tried mapping it into strava route planner from the route sheet but got abit lost trying to follow it all.
http://audaxbangor.weebly.com/uploads/1 ... _route.pdf
Might have a beard ready in time.0 -
http://we.tl/2MiUYEDsJ4 is the GPX from the email.
The route has changed slightly from the one on the AUK website according to it.0 -
apreading wrote:
Beard is optional but there seem to be alot of riders with them on Audaxes!
Only optional for ladies although the majority opt for one
Joking aside, audaxes are great but don't think that all those turning up will be chuggers; there can be a very good turnout with a wide range of riders. The self sufficiency thing is important: make sure the bike and tyres are in good nick, take at least a couple of spare tubes, some patches, multi-tool, etc. I also find a couple of cable ties invaluable for the odd repair. I usually also pull out a few pertinent map pages from a large scale road atlas and stuff em in my back pocket. I also read through the routecard and anything I am unsure about then I use google street view (probably not necessary with a Garmin but I have run across chaps with Garmins that have died and they were completely lost...and no real idea of what to do without the technology). Failing that, enjoy the ride and get good value for your fiver (there are no medals for course records
). 0 -
Well, I completed it today. Great bunch of people! However I'm mystified about the benefits of wearing Jesus sandals for cycling, especially as some of the lanes had been used by the local farmers to transport slurry onto their fields! Also what is carried in those huge saddle bags that's so important! :-/0
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Guy had SPD sandals. It's quite evident that Audaxers are a different breed. Too much time alone with their thoughts!0
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RallyBiker wrote:Also what is carried in those huge saddle bags that's so important! :-/
We can only tell you that once you become a Super Randonneur.0 -
RallyBiker wrote:Well, I completed it today. Great bunch of people! However I'm mystified about the benefits of wearing Jesus sandals for cycling, especially as some of the lanes had been used by the local farmers to transport slurry onto their fields! Also what is carried in those huge saddle bags that's so important! :-/
I used to know someone who rode carrying two of these (they are 30 cm long), a crank extractor and a large adjustable spanner for all those occasions you need to pop your bottom bracket out at the roadside.
http://www.evanscycles.com/products/cyc ... lsrc=aw.ds
I suppose for every one of these people there will be someone riding with no pump, tubes and tyre levers.0 -
I enjoyed it so much that I'm going to enter the Clwyd Gate down in Corwen in October, on my old Trek SLR triple to blend in a bit better
http://www.aukweb.net/events/detail/14-267/0
