Audax rides

Thanks once again for your suggestions.

Inspiration I've got - it's gumption and money I'm lacking.

Anyway ... planning to do something weekend of 22/23 March. Torn between Man of Kent (like the look of the route, less keen on paying for the delights of staying in a Travelodge in Maidstone) or the Rose to Wrags from Alfreton (further to get to, can stay at my mum's and ride to start, less excited about route). Anyone done either?

I like the man of kent route :)

Quite easy on the whole as well, bar a few climbs. The latter stages are very flat.

I've never been down to the coast but you can quite easily make a detour at sandwich and especially hythe. You do see it though

Are you thinking of doing the Dean KT? Just signed up and a few from ACH are doing it as well

No - birthday plans that day. Not sure I'm ready for a 300km at this point in the season. Have been doing lots of rowing but very little riding.

I think I will do Man of Kent. Any takers?

I really need a job that actually close on Sunday.

Weather is perfect for audax and I'm aching.

KT, the Denmead series is very well recommended as an alternative to the Old Man of Kent and accessible by train in the morning on Saturday.

Route is here http://www.mapmyride.com/gb/waterlooville-eng/3-12-03-denmead-sr-series-200-route-26536428

Oooh - good tip, thank you. Hadn't clicked that that went through the New Forest. #fickle

Are you thinking of doing the Dean KT? Just signed up and a few from ACH are doing it as well

Signed up.

Will see you there! Have to send out an ACH email about accomodation

That would be most marvellous.

Typical audax bike;

owner is a bit of a liability.

BJ are old school.

BJ world tour has clearance for days.

The latest in a line of posts where I mither the audax crowd, does anyone have any frames to add to my longlist? The criteria are steel, horizontal(ish) TT, caliper brake, audax friendly geo and under £400ish:

Surly Pacer
Salsa Casseroll (discontinued?)
All City Mr. Pink
something from Soma (hard to find UK dealers?)
Thorn Audax (yuck slopey TT)
Genesis Equilibrium 20 (yuck slopey TT)
Spa Audax (yuck slopey TT)
Something second hand

Can I perhaps just defer all life decisions to the board?

TFG wide open? http://www.kinokocycles.com/wide-open-2012.html
Highly discounted in some sizes.

I think the Pearson is a Hewitt Chiltern. Great value if so.

They're all the same rebadged frames as imported by Autostrada. You can go direct to them (somehow, never done it myself) for even cheaper.

I have one in the guise of an Aravis Audax (purchased from Byercycles). It's for sale at £600 as a complete bike (with Campag Centaur 10sp triple) if you're ~5'9" (30" inside leg).

http://www.greenbank.org/misc/aravis_sale/IMG_4215.JPG (although no saddle). PM for more info.

It's very comfy, I've done a few 200s and 300s on it myself (Elenith, Midlander Super Grimpeur) and it's also done London-Edinburgh-London as I leant it to someone who found a crack in their frame two days before the event.

To be honest, having looked at my list quite extensively (yes, there's a spreadsheet) I'm settling on either The Surly Pacer or Spa Steel Audax, heavily favoring the latter, due to their geo and my bikefit results from last year.

I did consider the Wide Open but it's £400 in my size w/o fork and the geo's a bit off or me.

What size do you need?

58-59cm TT and various other considerations around ST angle...

if you are worried about the wide open availability i'd give them a call; the web shop doesent always reflect their warehouse stock

Wide open is like £250, unless they don't have your size in stock.

The 2012 model is marked down to 260 but is not in my size and I assume they won't be getting any more in.

The 2014 model is available in all sizes at £400.

However, even though it's no doubt a lovely frame, the geo is not right for what my bike fit recommended (too steep a ST-angle) and the price is a little higher than I'd like to pay for a frame only. The St angle actually seems to get steeper as you go up the sizing.

Anyone on the Shaftesbury rides tomorrow?

Is this a meerkat?

No it's me, I'm quite hairy.

I rode the Cheltenham New Flyer Brevet today. I got 'hunted' by a Red Kite.

I feel honoured!