Audax rides

My mudguard was zip-tied on for most of its life. #csb

This is becoming quite funny now. Maybe Google the 7 Ps before entering your next event.

It's appalling, isn't it? People volunteering to organise and run these events in their spare time. Creating these incredibly awkward rules which are impossible to overcome.

this has totally done me

So by audax rules saying it's respectful to use mudguards

As has been explained more than once, that's not the reason.

they are saying I am not welcome

You'd be welcome, even with this shitty attitude.

Wait until they realise PBP is in France, and they have to get their own bike over there.

...and the new start/finish is now 58km from the centre of Paris.

There's a bike check? Any Frenchman tries to check my bike I swear I'll do time

Might cross paths then.

I'd probably just stick with a frame bag if it was me.

This has to be one of the greatest posts the forum has ever seen, definitely one for the book.

I can start a hour later so that's something. To be fair I have have enjoyed the audaxes so far and the people have been great (guards have not come up even on one of Tom's audax earlier this year) Transporting my bike with guards though is my problem. I can't really and not every audax is on the doorstep. So this weekend it going to be approx 700km which is fine if I get in early. I probably won't though.

Using the camper is out. Putting the bike inside is slowly damaging the kitchen and all the rear racks I have looked don't hold the bike very securely. I had to zip tie and lock it to the rack. I had a bike nicked off the back of my camper in France so not getting another rear rack that can't secure the bike well.

So if you don't have a van or big car how do you get your bike to an audax. chopping mine in for an estate seems a bit extreme to go for a bike ride since I don't drive much.

I can understand your frustration, 2 cars and a camper van and still no ideal way of getting to an Audax with a bike fitted with mudguards. It sometimes makes me wonder why God invented rain at all.

You could drive to the end the night before, and then do it in reverse without mudguards. Take that, Tom!

Or put the bike in the car, the mudguards in the car, fit the mudguards when you’re there...

Trains and railcard? Youth Hostel Association or Warm Showers for cheap accommodation near the start? Using the Auduax UK site to look at the calendar and signing up for future events hat you can actually get to? DIY or Perm rides? Being London based with no car I’m not sure what the problem is tbh other than a bit of planning and lateral thinking.

Guards don't make the bike much longer. You can't take the front wheel off and sit it on an angle or something? Obviously the best bet is to ride or train but if you have to drive, remember, everything fits into everything else given enough force.

@hippy thanks for tip, I'll try it in the bedroom tonight and blame you if something goes wrong .

It's problem solving skills like this that get you through the audaxes you do.

I am calmer now, bike ready for the weekend (possible over reaction earlier - I think so). Good luck to all who are doing the flatlands and the other 600km this weekend. As I am starting late, I probably wont see you.

this will be the furthest I have ridden by some margin.

The very best of luck

Good luck. I can’t even imagine doing anything over 200km!

Bryan Chapman this weekend and I'm sicky. Well enough to do it but it's gonna be flipping awful.

So if you don't have a van or big car how do you get your bike to an audax.

Trains or ride. I've never driven to an Audax (although I have had a lift to a few from others). As others have said this often requires going a day early and staying somewhere locally (many a night spent in a Travelodge or Premier Inn). For a 600 I'd often stay the night somewhere afterwards too as I'd never finish early enough to get a train home.

For the MR24 I took my bike in my tiny Citreon Saxo along with all the stuff I needed to do the ride unsupported, plus a workstand. The bike still had mudguards on at that point too, I took them off when getting the bike ready for the ride the night before (and still haven't refitted them 3 years on).

When I did a triathlon in my brother's village I managed to fit my wife, my 7yo daughter, my bike, my daughter's bike (she did the mini-triathlon), myself and a bag load of stuff in said 3 door Citroen Saxo.

Good luck with the ride.

https://janheine.wordpress.com/2015/12/17/rinko-parts-useful-not-only-for-train-travel/amp/?usqp=mq331AQCKAE%3D

Your local framebuilder should be able to help you out making and fitting some Rinko mudguards.

Bryan Chapman this weekend and I'm sicky. Well enough to do it but it's gonna be flipping awful

That's the worst.
You'll feel a fraud of you DNS, but it'll be shit/less enjoyable of you do it.
But do ittt

How's the weather looking?