Audax rides

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  • Good to know - fits with my plans to extend this east a little to add in 50-75km

    https://ridewithgps.com/routes/32973510

  • Nice, I don't know many of those roads. Presuming you were on a slightly bigger tyre setup?

    I kind of prefer solo DIYs a lot of the time, there's the massively reduced faff risk and you can be ruthless (unless you have a rock solid regular riding partner) but slight added danger of your brain telling you to pull the pin when it gets tough and no one to talk you out of it.

  • I did my first DIY on saturday. Was 200km - longest I've done in nearly a year so took some wireless headphones with me. Found that music and podcasts really distracted me from hitting the wall at times. I did make sure I could still hear traffic and did regular shoulder checks.

    I find on calendar events, due to being fairly new to audaxes/longer distances, that seeing others leave me for dust soon after leaving Controls/cafe stops which can get quite demotivating. So will keep earphones in my bag for times when I need a distraction/get through a 30-60min low spell.

    Agree with the lack of faff though - was great to just get out and go, much shorter stops which made it quicker/easy to keep a rhythm.

  • This past weekend I rode this DIY 400 with a friend. Having had local lockdown in Aberdeen and work this was the first proper bike ride since my 200 perm at the beginning of August. Body didn't appreciate the big jump in effort and time in the saddle.

    After ~250km we stopped at my mate's house for a pasta dinner before heading out on the section down the Coast and through the Angus and Aberdeenshire Mearns, the chilly weather made this energy sapping and gave me thought to get my 600 done soon for my SR.

    https://ridewithgps.com/trips/55639546

  • Presuming you were on a slightly bigger tyre setup?

    I kind of prefer solo DIYs a lot of the time

    I actually put smaller tyres on, not for good reasons, just I needed to swap wheels and that was what I had, so I was on 25mm Schwalbe Ones, so basically no grip on slippery off-road sections!

    Psychologically, it was interesting. My first all day ride for a year, and I really got into it once I'd done about 200km. Had a wobble around 140 when lots of things were hurting and the sunk cost wasn't too great. At about 300km I was only about 30km from home so recognised beforehand that was a danger point, but there was no way I was quitting then. And I wasn't looking forward to it getting dark when I was still on the lanes. But I really enjoyed it, much more looking back than at the time, of course!

    I love tubeless. On the second last big climb in the dark lanes, I had just realised that I was in danger of running out of battery power for lights and GPS (it was ok), then I heard the rush of air from a puncture. I just said to myself, 'fuck that - no way am I getting off to sort that out - I'll let it seal at whatever pressure it wants to and just ride on it, 20psi or whatever'. It would have been really horrible to have to get off then and have to change a tube.

  • That was my club's event, but I did the 200 on the day which shares the last bit. That hill out of Tring (can't remember the name) is quite a steep one.

  • This is my plan for tomorrow.
    Unfortunately it's going to be a lot chillier up there than here, but shouldn't rain, much.

    https://ridewithgps.com/routes/33977738

  • Route not public, can't access.

  • Ah yeah, I have a single stereo earphone (I think it's One Good Earbud, though don't know if they make them any more) for that kind of thing - leaves one ear free for the ambient noises.

  • Ah interesting.

    I've swerved tubeless as I ride in the dark / middle of nowhere a lot and just can't face the prospect of a major fail in those conditions. Passed someone on the BCM in Wales scooping goop out of their tyre at the roadside and that clinched it for me. I know it's unlikely but I like the certain uncertainty of tubes (apols for bringing tubeless chat into the audax thread)

  • Sorry, fixed.

    I made it round, but did have to think about the time limits, and walk a little bit on hardknott

    https://strava.app.link/e1sBoi2TI9

  • Did a 200Km at the weekend still on year 4 of the RRTY. Also offroad on the Chiltern Way which was unexpected. lucky for me it was dry weather and the walking was not to hard to do. Found a new cafe too on route which was great for a coffee!

    https://ridewithgps.com/routes/34101088

  • year 4 of the RRTY

    😳

  • Just put the year 3 claim in lol completely forgot to do that.

  • Haha, misread that as month 4, wow!

    I remember the off road bit you will have done, grassy lane, then across a field and over the road which led to a gravelly bit. The lane was wet chalk a couple of weeks ago, should be better when completely dry. The gravel was a bit loose.

  • Yep that was the bit. Nearly got run over at the road as it's a blind bend. The other side of the road went down the hill and in to some odd buildings. Lots of trespassing signs up. Had to walk the hill as 23mm tyers didn't feel good on the loss tar.

  • I'm planning my 300 tomorrow: should be a nice sunny day to go to the seaside. Aiming for an early start so I get back for dinner

    https://ridewithgps.com/routes/34152619

  • Monsal Trail at night was incredible though, mile-long rail tunnels in pitch darkness full of bats.

    Passed another rider in there at about 10pm which completely freaked me out, like.

    lol yep - sounds like the experience I had last year.

    The fens totally broke me (Thank goodness for BBC Radio 6, which kept me going)

    Incredible amount of variety on that ride. Did you stop at the 24hr McDs?

  • Aye, the fens were so incredibly tough. A mix of the scenery not changing for what was nearing 200km, the lack of hedgerows and then occasional gravel stretches, which got on my nerves. I was riding relatively quick given the flatness, but it psychologically felt like I was standing still.

    I rode to Gent last year for the 6 day, and the terrain reminded me a lot of that bit of Northern Belgium. Getting excited about a slight left turn, 70km ahead

    The 24 hour McDs - was that the one on Ollerton roundabout? Yep, that properly saved me after a Travel Lodge vending machine breakfast.

  • I'm fancying either a 400 or 600 in the coming weeks, nothing too difficult, leaving SE London and not using trains to get to / from the start but I'm running out of motivation for routes. I feel like I've ridden every Kent road about least three times (probably not true), and would prefer not to have to cross London, but could be persuaded for something decent. I'm not going to the Fens, that broke me on Fenland Friends a couple of years ago. Anyone have any suggestions? I've not done Oasts and Coast. Maybe that?

  • @plasticniki I did O & C a few weeks ago, from SE London direct to the route it nets out at about 350km, so you could easily bolt an extra 50km on to that for a 400km... lovely route if you've not done it too!

    Faffers 400
    could be made into a 600 from London, lovely lanes, though the Welsh borders do get quite challenging. Enjoyed that one.

    Or what about 'London Orbital but increase the radius so it's a 400km / 600km'? I've seen a few people do rides like that, which look fun...

    I'm toying with Bristol and back for a 400 as I seem to have been sucked in to doing an SR, accidentally given they've extended the season to Oct 31.

  • paddington express 400 is good.

  • Completely forgot about that one, cheers.

    also a Bristol and back route that's not on the usual roads, which is a plus

  • Is it acceptable to run a DIY of a calendar event if so is there a general code of conduct for doing so, like contacting the original organiser to ask if they're happy with it or send them a small amount for the use of their planning? Wouldn't run it on a day of planned calendar and would look to try and ride things that are unlikely to be going ahead this year. Have seen this discussed previously but things may have changed.

  • If it's not down as a perm then don't see an issue. Just submit the gpx as a DIY and that's it. I've done this for some events I've missed.

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Audax rides

Posted by Avatar for Fixedwheelnut @Fixedwheelnut

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