1st Audax Bike - specific or not?

Xommul

Hi folks,

Can I pick your brains please? I'm looking for a new challenge/focus for the rest of the year and the future. I have read quite s bit about Audaxs' and that self reliant dig deep and push the limits effort is where I would like to try.

I have a carbon road bike that I put plastic mud guards on in the winter. Is there anyone out there who uses the same kind of set up or am I deluding myself in thinking of using my current bike or should I be thinking of a heavier specific disc brake bike with pannier/guard eyelets and wider wheels.

Any resources I can look at? Advice I can get into?

Thanks

marcusjb

You do not need a special bike.

Start with what you have and see if it meets the most important criteria - it is comfy?

Most people can certainly ride a 200 on whatever they have. When you start to get up to the longer stuff, that's when comfort becomes paramount; both in terms of your fit on the bike and how the bike soaks up the road surface (typically audax riders are on 25-28mm tyres).

These days, especially as discs and bigger clearances come along, there are more and more carbon bikes for sure. The days of the traditional steel light tourer are, whilst not numbered, they will certainly not be as common as they are these days.

I rode a 600 last weekend and was up at the sharp end for the outbound leg (courtesy of my club mate primarily, I was hanging on for dear life, but we wanted to get to the 400km sleep stop before the rain properly hit) and was surrounded by carbon bikes - S-Works, Looks, several Canyons etc.

But, for the first season, as long as you are pretty comfy on your existing bike(s) for a long day ride, then use that and work it all out if you choose to go up the distances.

Xommul

Hi there,

Thanks for the sage advice, I just got through reading your blogs and tweets, you know of what you speak. Your advice makes perfect sense, guess I fell foul of the "need a new bike" idea.

I'm in the process of mending after a knee op and have too much internet time on my hands and dream of the outdoors.

Will try my own bike out and see where I'm at.

Good luck with your riding!

cycleclinic

You dont need a new bike but I was doing a 600km audax I would not want be using clip on guards and I would probably want a rack with a rack bag to keep a spare tyre, many tubes, jacket e.t.c and a couple of tools just in case. That lends it self to a more audax orientated bike but you certainly dont need one either.

vorsprung

My best bike for audax is a plastic bike with clipon (crud road race) mudguards

I did PBP on this bike in 2011

I've also done 200km+ audaxes on an Aluminium Orbea,am old SJS tourer, a Ti Setavento, a heavy steel Cotic Roadrat and an even heavier 29er with 2" tyres