Audax rides

Hello.
Remember me?
I'm the prat who got 100AAA points on a fixie wearing SPD sandals in 2018 before my whole world crashed before my feet and the wheels literally fell off.
So after the most tumultuous of years, things have finally settled and my head's in a place where I wanna get back in the saddle.
I'm still dosed up on the happy pills, but I've made a lot of progress over the last few months. A side affect of some weight gain and the pills means I have high blood pressure now, so what better excuse to ride?
Was umming and arring about getting a geared bike to ease back in after my hiatus, but I've decided to stay fixed.
Payday Friday, so am treating myself to a set of spa cycles fixed wheels.
Watch this space guys.
I'm not quite ready for Wessex, and I'm Kent based now so my route base has changed somewhat. Luckily, the Shark and AWE are easy to get to should my desire to ride up silly inclines in a stupid gear returns fully. Until then I can see myself jumping on the Gravesend ferry and exploring Essex. My new girlfriend is in Essex so that sort of makes sense.
I'm not quite back yet, but if all goes well I should be on some of the flatter rides later in the season.

Hi @J_a_m_e_s__

Good to hear you’re able to start riding again. I’m based in not Th London so probably see you at me of the Essex audaxes some time!

Good to see you back here. I hope things continue to improve for you.

Good to hear you're on the upward, dude. I was thinking about you the other day and wondered if anyone knew how you were doing. You sure you don't want some gears? ;)

Remember that Easter Arrow last year when we had a couple of teams down for it? Anyone wanna do the summer version on June 19th?

http://www.aukweb.net/events/detail/20-YARO/
https://yacf.co.uk/forum/index.php?topic=114836.0

I've somehow managed to blag my place on the back of a tandem trike for the Easter Arrow this year.

Great to have you back, hopefully see you on the Shark at some point

I'm torn.
I've found a good entry level bike with clearance for 37c with mudguards, but it's got flat bars.
I suppose I could go through the rigamarole of converting to drops, but I do have an infatuation with grinding up 15% at 30rpm 😂

I've ridden a tandem trike before over a tandem weekend thing in Essex with Mark Brooking. Bloody weird contraption... and so was the trike :)

You move the opposite way to a bike - inside foot down and lean in and the pedals are linked so you're kinda controlled. Quickly get used to what's going on though and become more of a "team" unit.

None of this helps me get an Arrow done though. Poor no-friends hippy :(

Aidan is looking for more for our team. He has a regular trike you could try!

I dread to think what I'd do to my knees riding like you. :P
Got the power but also got a lot of weight to move and I've always been more at the spinny end of the spectrum ever for a big guy so I really like my MTB cassettes these days. #lazypedalin

Does it have to be a trike team?

Wait, this is for Easter? I'm in Girona at Easter so can't do that. I'm looking for a summer arrow ride.

Well we did have a route sorted. 🤷🏼‍♂️
I plan on jumping straight in at the deepend and attempting Oasts and Coasts on 25th April.
If I finish that, I should be good for an arrow..
Bear in mind, I rode less than 300km last year though, but if I do get gears, it'll be easy right?

That's true, there's a route somewhere from last year.

I rode too much last year. I came back from Spain hating riding in the UK (the contrast between UK and Spanish drivers is stark) so I'm doing a lot of turbo training and helping the missus ride a 200k a month for RRTY is about it for my outside riding (for now).

Anyway, we only need to do the bare minimum ~360k w/ two other people but see how you're feeling heading towards June. I've posted a comment on the YACF summer arrow thread to see if anyone is looking but I guess everyone is thinking about the Easter Arrow not summer.

I think most of us who rode Easter Arrow last year were thinking about a Summer Arrow this year. Mostly single speed/fixed though. Here’s last years Arrow route and the types of handsome chaps you could find yourself with.

@cgg @Ruserius @Ecobeard @inappropriate_bike ??

https://ridewithgps.com/routes/29740399

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And we'll be in summer setups and loads of light,so we should smash it.
I reckon I've definitely got a 200in me now, so a few months of steady build up should be fine.
I'll keep you posted.
I'll be lurking about here now anyway.

Good to have you back. Let me know if I can help with anything, like adding more gears ;)

If you don't have a full team, let me know. I wouldn't trust my fixed but I could slick up the Inbred and roll on that (or turn the Shiv or Tarmac into an SS! :D).

If not I reckon I could convince my missus to roll a 400k with me in summer but then I'd still need another victim rider bare min.

How did that route go? I notice you have a warning sign for a road?

One slight cock-up in route planning just after the Sleaford stop (about 158 miles in) and the road with the warning would have been sludgy had it been wet but on the day was ace as it had been so dry.

We took the bike path at DISCO CLASSICS which was a bit rutty and in hindsight would have been better diverting around.

We stopped at the Six Bells for dinner about halfway at 135ish miles and we all left happy.

Was a really good route and I wanna come back for more :)

Drums here

That was lots of fun and I would happily do it again, dates and travel depending etc

Well if you find yourselves one hairy dude short on numbers let me know.

Realise 19 June is Solstice weekend so I might do some kind of hippy robes kind of ride like overnight to Avebury again, but if not I'd be up for the Arrow

Easter Arrow was ace, would be back for Summer Arrow though I'd like to try a different route if so. Might stay geared depending on things go.

(I'm vocals)