Audax rides

I think I'll do it.
I booked a hotel room when I entered as they were only £40 and that gives me a bit of a barrier against DNSing, and I get a lie in until 5:30am.
Shouldn't be too much rain but plenty of wind. I've been checking to see if the Severn bridge is open and it looks like it is. I did it in similar weather four years ago and the bridge was fine, although I lost my sunglasses over the side!

I might not do the whole distance as I'm experimenting with an ism saddle and haven't got the position just right yet. Saddle is comfortable, esp in aerobars (which is the idea) but have had some knee niggles probably from going too low. Furthest I've ridden it is 70km so far, so if knee kicks off after 100km I'll find a train.

Re wind, west wind suits the route as much more sheltered on the way out, exposed coming back.

Also in for the Pork Pie tomorrow.

0628 from Liverpool street

Packed up car, about to set off and battery was flat. That's what happens when I don't use it for 2 months.
On charger, maybe it will work in an hour...

I'll be doing my first ever Audax on Sunday - 'Carmarthenshire Stopper' 100km, that starts & finishes from our clubhouse. Looking forward to it.

Would it be wrong to turn up on a plastic beic?

I haven't really, no. I've asked friends and they say everything looks in order but who knows, and usually when I ride distance it's alone
Things to look out for though, thanks

I'm out. Physically not great, mentally fucking borderline. Welcome to the flat battery club. Have a good one.

No. I've ridden most audaxes on a carbon TT bike.

Thanks for the offer. Definitely driving now due to lots of little reasons. I’ll be on a blue Canyon.

Good decision.
I've just got home. Did about 70km, to the other side of the cotswolds where the route goes flat then came back.
I'm not looking for pbp qual and don't care about audax points but I wanted to have a decent ride with lots of time in the aerobars to test my position.
It's just a bit too windy to be able to ride properly. Was a bit scary on a few descents and often couldn't use the aerobars. Forecast was for the wind to get stronger at end of day and for rain. I just didn't fancy being out in those conditions, wind, rain and dark, so I'd already decided I'd ride to Newent and turn back. But when I got to the flat section I found I couldn't ride on the aerobars for the wind. No point sitting on the hoods for 40km, so I turned back then, which gave me about 140km.
That gave me a decent ride (longest since June) and I learned a bit from it.
Was interesting to do some of the route the other way round. The climb up cleve hill was bloody steep, felt like 20%. And Winchcombe hill was steep as well. I got blown off going back up there and had to walk some of it as too windy.

Good effort with this wind today ...

Doesn’t sound fun.
Hopefully tomorrow will be a bit calmer.
I’m also testing out new 32s and frame bag.

I got up and did a 2x20 then put the bike back together. Bloody gears aren't happy though and I've got sick of trying to adjust it - guessing something's bent.
I was right to not head out. Still sore and 300k isn't going to add anything to my fitness but could certainly tip me over the edge. Good to hear you got some done.

What's tomorrow's forecast like I wonder..

Carbon it is then - at least it won't rust in this crappy weather.

You say that but my carbon bike has rust on it.

Everything that's not carbon is either rusted or covered in aluminium oxide :)

Mamil ti bikes for the win*.

*Mine has a rusty FD cage.

Currently on the train home from Cambridge porkpie. The hardest 200k I’ve/we’ve ridden.

“There was so much wind...”

Good effort, some serious wind today!

I was suffering bad enough with gears, I don’t know how @cagimaha managed it fixed... almost got blown over a couple of times, proper leaning-at-30-degrees stuff.

“There was so much wind...”

Soooooo much wind. Still, first Audax done and dusted. Thanks for all the advice all.

Was the cake up to spec?

Proudly never owned a ti bike. It would definitely rust if I did own one.

@danstuff

Nice day for an audax... today :)

Like you, was considering DNS but had a hotel booked. I thought maybe the weather would change and I'd be annoyed I hadn't started. Got the train home at Chepstow, which I was pleased with given that from about 60km I was thinking of stopping at Newent. the section from Stow to Newent has to be the longest 55km I've ever ridden, hated every minute of it! Couldn't face another 150km of cross winds. A friend completed in 14 hours (very experienced rider) but he said the section past the white horses was "heinous" but there were a few "magic bits" on the way back. He got rained on for 2 hours so I'd have been looking at 5-7 hours of rain. I was totally miserable apart from through the Forest of Dean which was beautiful, and a welcome distraction. My arms hurt almost as much as my legs today.

the section from Stow to Newent has to be the longest 55km I've ever ridden, hated every minute of it!

+1
Actually Newent-Chepstow was even worse - felt like one continuos hill with a very strong headwind. If I had passed a train station I would've gone home. At the Tesco I chatted to a guy who has been doing the ride every year since 2007 - said it was easier from there. A couple of krispy kremes and that piece of info helped me to push on. The rain wasn't pleasant, but at least there was some tailwind... Feel like I've been hit by a bus today though.

Well done to everyone who managed to finish yesterday. I finished in the pub in Melton, my first audax was a complete failure.

Loved the event, people and the style of riding. Will definitely be back.

Oh and nice talking to the guys that were 'on ere' outside the pork pie shop.