It's always the food issue that concerns me....i know how easily i can bonk, so i always try and take lots of food rather than relying on finding places along the way.
I assume with an audax people find out where more food can be bought along the way rather than taking it with them?
Oh yes, particularly on longer rides (400k+) where you are likely to be riding through the night. But even in daylight you have to really discipline yourself. If you're rolling ata cracking pace but starting to feel a little hungry, you check the map for a suitable shopping place. Better to lose pace for a couple of minutes here than to crack just beyond and grovel to the next spot. In the over night sections planning is pretty important. I always do a bit of checking on where 24 hour garages are along the way and carry enough food to get between them. It takes a bit of experienced google work but it's better to know and not need than vice versa.
Part of hunger and bonking is psychology. I've seen riders crack to a less than 15kph pace because they swear they've bonked only to perk right up after only a cup of tea and then go on for ages. They started feeling a bit hungry and I reckon they hit a bit of a vicious circle, not because they've properly bonked but because after a certain distance/time, the body will do some pretty cruel things to make you take a rest. Stomach says peckish, brain says exhausted and close to full physical collapse. Brain says tired, body says all nessecary muscles have been stolen by aliens etc.
Oh yes, particularly on longer rides (400k+) where you are likely to be riding through the night. But even in daylight you have to really discipline yourself. If you're rolling ata cracking pace but starting to feel a little hungry, you check the map for a suitable shopping place. Better to lose pace for a couple of minutes here than to crack just beyond and grovel to the next spot. In the over night sections planning is pretty important. I always do a bit of checking on where 24 hour garages are along the way and carry enough food to get between them. It takes a bit of experienced google work but it's better to know and not need than vice versa.
Part of hunger and bonking is psychology. I've seen riders crack to a less than 15kph pace because they swear they've bonked only to perk right up after only a cup of tea and then go on for ages. They started feeling a bit hungry and I reckon they hit a bit of a vicious circle, not because they've properly bonked but because after a certain distance/time, the body will do some pretty cruel things to make you take a rest. Stomach says peckish, brain says exhausted and close to full physical collapse. Brain says tired, body says all nessecary muscles have been stolen by aliens etc.