Recommend a first audax

fontmoss

Rode my first imperial century this year by doing the 3 pistes in May. Brutal but has made me think of riding further (perhaps not faster though!). Live in London and thinking about September or October, recommendations welcomed! Thanks

apreading

Just find the nearest on a day that suits: http://www.aukweb.net/events/?From=22%2 ... =southeast

fontmoss

Ta!

ugo.santalucia

Choose one with no AAA points. You should progress to the 200 km fairly easily... if you want a challenge maybe you can look into the Amebury Amble next April... that's a 300 km starting from Raynes Park, bearing in mind that will involve having lights.
Check that the event you enter does not have an M (mudguards) or if it does, that you do have mudguards to fit to your bike

Brakeless

Have a look at the anfractious events out of Chalfont on 14th october. There's a hilly and a not so hilly option. Good, friendly well run events.

fontmoss

Thanks guys, had to look up why to go for one without AAA points!

Another stupid question- if plug gpx into something like elemnt bolt will it normally give turn by turn? Or would I need to modify it? Thanks

ugo.santalucia

fontmoss wrote:

Thanks guys, had to look up why to go for one without AAA points!

Another stupid question- if plug gpx into something like elemnt bolt will it normally give turn by turn? Or would I need to modify it? Thanks

Modern GPS paired with a TCX files should give you turn by turn, but to be honest you don't need it... a basic crumb trace is plenty.

apreading

I would also look at the route instructions beforehand and memorise where the control points (where you get a sticker or someone stamps your card) and particularly the info control points (where you have to note down a distance on a sign post or the name of a church or something) are - either convert the KM distance they should crop up to miles and memorise this or set your computer to km for the ride. Otherwise you will probably go sailing past them without realising!

Brakeless

I wouldn't worry too much about distances and control points. When you set off have a look at your brevet card for the first stop. Once you've ticked the first stop check the distance to the second one and so on. You can make things as simple or as complicated as you want but I've turned up at plenty of Audaxes having downloaded a GPX into my Garmin the night before and picked up my card and got on with it. I nearly always print the route sheet and put it in a sandwich bag in my pocket incase my Garmin plays up but I think I've used a routesheet twice and I must have done 60 odd Audaxes now. Just go and do one and then see what works for you.

stevie63

fontmoss wrote:

Thanks guys, had to look up why to go for one without AAA points!

Another stupid question- if plug gpx into something like elemnt bolt will it normally give turn by turn? Or would I need to modify it? Thanks

It depends on how the org has created the file. If they have created the route from scratch in ridewithgps and then shared that link then you will get a cue sheet with TBT. However if they have just imported a GPX file into ridewithgps or are just sharing a GPX file then you won't get TBT. However I usually like to create my own route because quite often the file has some errors such as off road portions. It also allows you to put in custom cues for Controls and such like.

apreading

Brakeless wrote:

I wouldn't worry too much about distances and control points. When you set off have a look at your brevet card for the first stop. Once you've ticked the first stop check the distance to the second one and so on. You can make things as simple or as complicated as you want but I've turned up at plenty of Audaxes having downloaded a GPX into my Garmin the night before and picked up my card and got on with it. I nearly always print the route sheet and put it in a sandwich bag in my pocket incase my Garmin plays up but I think I've used a routesheet twice and I must have done 60 odd Audaxes now. Just go and do one and then see what works for you.

The point was that this is all good and well if your garmin is set to KM. Otherwise, you check the card and it tells you how far to the next control point in KM and you have to guess how many miles that is...

fontmoss

Cheers guys!