Audax rides

Did it two or three years ago, remember it being cold but not too hard. But then I was faster back then. I never really fail to make the time limits, I just used to have more time for leisurely food stops, which is pretty much the point...

I didn't get any sort of email confirmation beyond the PayPal receipt. Did anyone else get anything yet?

I'm not sure I did. I got the email doing it had been rescheduled after it was snowed off

Do I need to take some sort of lock for the checkpoints? I wasn't planning on stopping for any longer than generally buying cake and eating it

Depends on the checkpoints, how visible the bike is, how paranoid you are, etc.

I do sometimes and don't at other times.

I suppose its peace of mind, maybe go with the cable tie option

Do you have a small cafe lock? 100-200g for piece of mind if a control looks dodgy or there's a chance your bike will be out of sight for a bit. Also if it's a Cal vs. DIY/Perm there will be other riders and bikes which can help but is no guarantee.

Its quite a popular event so every stop will be very busy, 2 of the stops are in the middle of nowhere but the last is a popular pub stop which would be my biggest concern

Back from the London Oxford London. But I only did the 100km so I could get home early, so out and back to Quainton.
Not a bad day, got a puncture, rode most of it on my own as all the faster people do the 200. Chatted to a guy who did TCR last year and had to pack with shermers

Shermer's is no excuse! ;)

I did the steam ride 200... think I was the slowest one but made up for it with quick cake stops. Nice to get out in the Chilterns - quite a pretty part of the UK and close to London.

Also did steam ride 200. Went relatively painlessly, though the later middle section dragged somewhat - grey skies, grey fields... My overall memory of the ride is predominantly of grey. Weirdly enjoyed it more once it started to get darker and wetter and the combination of wanting to get out of High Wycombe plus knowing it was near enough to the end to not need to conserve energy anymore made me speed up a bit.

That massive descent before Chinnor (I think) was great as well.

I think I've done too much riding in Scotland, Wales, etc, to fully appreciate SE England's scenery...

Anyone riding "The Shark" Easter Monday?
Start is good and close to home!

Oh yeah, that was in my calendar but it was hiding in April.. hmm...

gutted to miss it :(

AAA points and ACH event!

Yes.

Bit hilly for me, kind of dreading it tbqh

Is there beer at the end of this one?

I've been slowly collecting AAA points (trying to get 100 after someone mentioned it) but seem to have got fucking bored of doing Chiltern DIYs so I didn't do anything except a bit of turbo this weekend. Bit sad really.

Maybe I should do this one, since it's also a London route and I've not ridden it before.Might make for a nice change of scenery.

You got a Compact and a big cassette?

What's the steepest gradient on the Shark?

Aye.

It's local me too so I am familiar with the climbs, I'm just slow and bad at climbing.

Steepest is probably Cudham test hill, but that's only very steep for a tiny bit? Idk.

Hogtrough is awful .. Sundridge is slightly less steep tops out at 17% at one point ..

slow and bad at climbing

Perfect for audaxing then :)

Seriously though, climbing is how you get better at climbing.

I guess it depends on your acceptable fun vs. chore ratio.

https://veloviewer.com/segment/671309/Cudham+Test+Hill 27.6%

pukes

Big fan of the first few hundred metres of Hogtrough at the end of a long ride. Big, big fan.

Hogtrough is awful .

This. Been resurfaced in those tiny stones too. Went down it yesterday at about the same speed as going up.

I don't get out of bed for less than 30%...

Went up that yesterday on my way to the Ashdown. Not as bad as Hogstrough!