Audax rides

whow, 200 ... good on ya mate. Anyway, I hope we cross paths. Also doing it geared. If you spot a nodder with his brand new enigma, that'll be me.

If I see someone fitting your description I will be sure to say hello. I will be riding a black and silver mercian. If you dont hear from me after the ride Im probably nursing a bruised ego somewhere.

I will probably lose my job for this but I wish Audax UK's ride organisers would shift their payment processes into this century, or even the latter part of last century. I have no idea where my chequebook is and I can't remember the last time I posted a non-work related letter. And two weeks before the event? I've never done anything two weeks before ANYTHING. I am well up for a 300 but my laziness when it comes to stuff like that means it will probably never happen.

(I know if you're a member you can pay online for some of them but never the ones I want to do.)

I have to admit that I love Audax for this. All these new-fangled inventions just don't do it for me. :)

Finally found my cheque book. Needed some life coaching in order to write one. First time for everything I guess.
What's the score about helmets and stuff?

AntoCuc, akin, who do I have to look out for to spot the two of you?

What's the score about helmets and stuff?

Entirely personal choice.

It'll probably be 50:50 mix of helmets and not helmets on a 100km Audax.

On longer riders you tend to see fewer people wearing helmets.

Which is a bit odd as you're more likely to conduct a horizontal verge inspection.

I am a bit in peril with the helmet thing. At the moment I am having a couple of posture issues, and my glasses, which keep slipping down make me turn up my neck more. Add the helmet, and it somehow gets worse. So while I usually would wear one, at the moment I am not.

I never wear a helmet unless I have to (e.g. riding at Herne Hill). It wouldn't ever cross my mind to wear one on a long ride especially.

Oliver, let's not going to turn this into another helmet thread accidentally. As the general opinion on it is split, so is mine. Let's leave it there.

All I wanted to know what the regulations are. Cheers guys.

[edit]
Just re-read this, and it could be read as patronizing, which it wasn't meant as.
What I wanted to say is "Let's not bore everyone else by talking about helmets once more, and I didn't mean to short-sightedly lure you into discussing them ..."

Get to an opticians and get the glasses sorted out first. Quite often new nose pads and a quick frame tweak will usually stop them from slipping. After that, get a good helmet, with good adjustment that fits your noggin. Mine isn't some super fancy expensive version, just a bulk rate Bell Avanti from Halfords (I'm onto my third one). The important thing is that it sits on my head comfortably and doesn't wiggle around.

well, my glasses are plasticy and not ideal for riding, I know, but my prescription is quite strong and glasses are costly.
I am still trying to sort out contacts so I can wear shades ...

I'd also really like to have some prescription Oakley lenses, but AFAIK they just go up to +3.5 and I need +4

Ta. Some babies have a special blanket, my daughter has a favourite 15mm ring spanner: http://www.greenbank.org/misc/DSCN3004_medium.JPG

She's very cute. Congratulations. I've a 10 week old daughter myself so can understand you planning less on the Audax front this year. :-)

She's very cute. Congratulations. I've a 10 week old daughter myself so can understand you planning less on the Audax front this year. :-)

Congrats andyp!

Pascalo, I had the same neck problems, and plastic rimmed glasses which slipped due to being so old and bent. Opticians can usually heat them and alter the shape slightly which helped me. Most places are usually willing to do it for free. Despite the fact I use them everyday I can just never justify spending the money on new glasses.

Hi Guys!

AntoCuc, akin, who do I have to look out for to spot the two of you?

Hi Pascalo,

Well, I am going to be there like one hour and a half early.
Taking a train from either London Liverpool street or stratford at 8 or something.

My bike is a blue fixie, racing classic Raleigh, without stickers.

I am actually contemplating riding back to London...is just 33 miles... :)

I need to get a train as well ... I am pretty sure I won't ride it back. Part of that is that crossing into the m25 is just so garstly.

Anyway, if you want to we can meet up and take the train together. I'll pm you my mobile.

That's the first audax of the season done with. A good route but horrible weather. There were fixed ranging from 62 to 75 GI but even the guy on 62 had to get off and walk at one point. I ended up plastered up to the knees in muck and soaked feet most of the ride. Hopefully the Dean won't be nearly as bad.

A word to those new to this, rides will go on regardless of the weather.

Nice one TSK, which one were you doing? I chickened out of my Sunday morning ride, just as well; 100kph+ gusts = no fun at all. Glad you made it round safe and well.

I was on the Kennet Valley Run. It's reasonably sheltered most of the way around so no high winds but The Ridgeway and the Salisbury Plains act as a bit of a weather trap so once you're in the rain, you won't get out of it too quick. A fair amount of flooding on the fields and the edges of the roads.

Fortunately my cables and chainset are already up for renewal ahead of the 300 next month.

Hi tsk,

well done for the first audax of the season and thank you for the advice. Very useful to tweak what to take next Sat.

Btw sorry for the weather, I hope the ride was enjoyable anyway..

TSK, what's the preferred way to carry stuff? U think a lightly packed ortlieb will do?
Also I probably will have to fit some bottle cages. How much water/drink to you recommend per distance?

There's not really a preferred way to carry stuff, I've even seen people on a 400k loaded down with hefty backpacks. I would advise against this and unless you are an active courier, I would advise against a messenger bag. They put a lot of strain on your back, shoulders, neck and arms for a very long time and this can lead to a lot of discomfort and even injury. However, that said, the first and foremost consideration is that you use something that is comfortable to you, not just for carrying but also for general accessing and so on.

The general preferences almost in order of popularity are saddlebags, handlebar bags, racktop bags, pannier bags.

For 200k or 300k, when I'm carrying less kit, I favour a saddle tool bag (has a light attachment loop and the same tool bag that I use for all my bikes). On the front I have a handle bar bag from Decathlon (Don't laugh, it is pretty good when in use and I've had it for about seven years). All the tools are kept in the tool bag (get smaller tools or a bigger bag if yours don't fit). All the other stuff (phone, wallet, waterproofs) that I may want to access quickly get loaded in that. I have one waterbottle in a cage and a pump attached to the seat tube (Topeak Roadmorph G).

On longer rides when I expect to be riding through the night and therefore less options to pick up food and water I will move the pump and toolbag into a larger saddle bag (a Carradice because they are lovely) and install another water bottle. The saddle bag can also carry extra layers, more food and water etc.

On the subject of water. This is tricky and at the end of the day you should always work out your own needs. I'm a fairly sweaty and thirsty individual and have to drink accordingly. I'm always careful to hydrate well before that start of a ride so I can get through the first section without having to carry too much. A 750ml bottle will easily see me through 75k. The means I can carry less, make better time and create a nice comfortable buffer zone. After that I usually put away at least one bottle for every 50k, often more in warmer weather. I'll even put away a bottle of Powerade on most rides (crap for power, great for stacking up electrolytes which you will have depleted). Rather than carry it all around myself I rely on an assortment of services to get hold of more. I do a fair amount of route scouting (use google maps) so I know where the places are that I can get more and what my water levels need to be to trigger a top up. It's all done on guesstimation but it serves me pretty well. At the end of the day I know how far I can push myself with nothing and what it will do to me.

My 100+kph gusts guesstimate was way off. 175kph at the top of the eiffel tower! Damn. This morning was lovely though, and I rode 100km, the furthest I've ever ridden in one go. It was ok. Stopped at 33 and 66 km for some cake, apple puree things, and dried apricots. The latter item won't be making another appearance on a long ride. Flirted with cramps at 55k, need to get some tablets to help get some salts back into me. At 85k a big chaingang went past, and I managed to tag onto the back. 39kph uphill, into the wind. They were flying. They dropped me after less than 4k :(

Total time = 3.30hrs riding, and I think 4 in total (speedo stops the clock when the wheels stop moving), which is an average I'm happy with.

I now have a moderately sore neck, which I hate having. Don't know how much I can do about that, to be frank, my riding position is ok (certainly couldn't go more upright). Might ditch the helmet, the wind resistance must do something.

Legs fine. Feet fine. Lost sensation in the tip of my left-hand ring finger. Most odd. Drank a litre of water on the way round, and another one in the first 45 minutes I spent at home. I now have a better idea of what the 200k I've entered at the end of the month will be like. Hard work, would be the two-word summary.

175kph at the top of the Eiffel Tower means nothing. Ground windspeed is almost always much lower.

Wouldn't bother ditching the helmet for wind resistance. It really won't do much. That which you lose on profile will partly be made up for in turbulence unless you have a shiny head.

4 hours is OK for 100k although cramps would indicate that you're overdoing it to keep that up for 200k. Sod the tablets, eat real food, you'll enjoy it much more.

TSK, Thanks for the advice. I mean a lightly packed ortlieb pannier of course, didn't even occur to me they made rucksacks and bags as well. Doh!

Apart from the multitools, tubes, pump and all that I'll take one water bottle and an extra powerrade and chocolate in the panniers, in case I start bonking.
As far as I gather there's a feeding station before and mid way through the ride, so hopefully I won't be.
That hopefully should see me through the day.

Not sure if I should bother with a heavy lock?