Audax rides

Tentative 'woo hoo'. Will go fixed if you are, then.

People laugh at me for running MTB tyres.

If they laugh at you, tell them to shave off.

Is that some kind of bearded audaxer reference?

You catch on fast.

That's a gift from my days as a wheelsucking sprinter.

This is probably not necessary but I'd just posted a thread for a series of Audax's being organised on the 9th March by one of the ACH riders!

http://www.lfgss.com/thread119619.html

That NW passage route looks pretty awesome, not a huge deal of climbing on paper but the elevation profile/maps looks like it has long climbs/descents through some lovely scenery?

The last section from Longridge is very tiring but thats not the problem its the weather! It's held on what for some reason usually turns out to be one of the coldest miserable days of the year (but don't let that put you of!)
In the past you've been able to enter on the day so if you're local then you can decide on the day, or even ride the 100.
I normally ride the 200 as a DIY a couple of times a year when the weathers better, then it's a cracking ride

After intending to enter an audax for most of the last year, I've finally signed up for my first, A Mere Century at the end of January. Thinking about the North West Passage too, might see if I can get a bunch of Manchester riders out for it.

The last section from Longridge is very tiring but thats not the problem its the weather! It's held on what for some reason usually turns out to be one of the coldest miserable days of the year (but don't let that put you of!)
In the past you've been able to enter on the day so if you're local then you can decide on the day, or even ride the 100.
I normally ride the 200 as a DIY a couple of times a year when the weathers better, then it's a cracking ride

The real problem with the North West Passage is the route sheet. Despite being offered a fully updated routesheet in a fairly standard audax format, the organising club seem keen to stick with the original sheet which is now out of date and likely to cause some misdirection to new users. There will likely be a thread raised on YACF where you might be able to beg the new version there as the author is on there.

After intending to enter an audax for most of the last year, I've finally signed up for my first, A Mere Century at the end of January. Thinking about the North West Passage too, might see if I can get a bunch of Manchester riders out for it.

I'm likely to be over for the Mere 200. A few sharpish climbs but definitely doable on fixed.

Now my elbow is getting to the point I think I can ride fixed again and I'm planning on qualifying and completing the PBP 2015, a few questions may arise.

In regards to differences between a fixed that'll be comfy for 100 miles to one that'll be comfy for +300km audax'?

On my last fixed I used either risers or bullhorns and found bullhorns to be comfy on 100 milers.

For example would an on one pompino be good enough for audaxing or an out and out no no?

I did some audaxes on my track bike once, the furthest I went was a 300.

Afterwards my knee hurt rather a lot and I had a bike fit, which I should have had beforehand, obviously.

I didn't feel that my '80 steel track bike was the limiting factor, I felt I was the limiting factor. Ultimately you can do an audax on anything, but if I was going to do a 300 fixed again I would prefer to do it on a fixed bike with geometry closer to a road bike than a track bike, personally.

I don't really know the geometry of a Pompino but I imagine it is sensible and it definitely takes mudguards and has a full set of bottle bosses (something sadly lacking from my track bike) so seems sensible.

Personally if I'm doing distance fixed I want road drops for the variety of positions available which help deal with fatigue and many hours with your hands on the bars, they seem the obvious choice but I guess bullhorns would be fine if they work for you.

I think I've seen a few Pompino's out on audaxes so should be a goer. I use a Spesh Tricross which is nice relaxed CX geometry so soaks up some of the damage. Justin Jones of ACH uses a steel Rourke which he describes as being very forgiving on rough roads. I reckon if you're comfy for 100 miles then 300k is just a matter of toughening up your arse a bit

I don't really know the geometry of a Pompino but I imagine it is sensible and it definitely takes mudguards and has a full set of bottle bosses (something sadly lacking from my track bike) so seems sensible.

Pompino is pretty much a classic road geometry (73.5/73 angle with 45mm rake fork).

Personally if I'm doing distance fixed I want road drops for the variety of positions available which help deal with fatigue and many hours with your hands on the bars, they seem the obvious choice but I guess bullhorns would be fine if they work for you.

Don't forget the rear brakes, extremely important.

I'm sure there are people who can do 300k with just the front*, but it's definitely easier with both brakes.

*someone ON HERE did the 1400k LEL on a black Langster with bullhorn bar, baby blue velocity deep v rear wheel, single front brake and the LFGSS jersey.

*someone ON HERE did the 1400k LEL on a black Langster with bullhorn bar, baby blue velocity deep v rear wheel, single front brake and the LFGSS jersey.

Hero :')

who is he??

Nobody fucking know, and he was wearing that jersey at Yad Moss when I passed him screaming "DO A SKID" from the top of my lung.

To be fair, he was stationary.

Hero :')

who is he??

This is the guy, Manchester based - http://www.lfgss.com/member18066.html

Nice one!

@Bothwell
Yes, I agree Watership Down (and Up) is really beautiful. Should have mentioned that. Especially the view from Coombe Gibbet on a clear day. And I remember loving the descent from Watership Down on this tiny gated farm roads.

also @KT I'm on fixed too. Would be nice to roll with you two if possible. Ed will be riding gears on his funny mountain bike thing I expect.

I now have room for one more person if anyone wants to swerve the train for Watership Down. You'd have to put up with me & Ed mind.

I might take that seat, if Bothwell hasn't got in first. In return I am very happy to reward you with my wheezy company round the route.

Oh, I was just going to chance el autobus anyway, so feel free. I've ordered a new freewheel to put me on a rather more sensible 64gi instead of the 72 i've been running in anger for the last year so I might have a chance of getting a little further up some of the hills this time :/

72! brave lass you are.

I didn't realise how hard it was going to be! I wore out my 42t chainring and needed to replace it, but the smallest one I could find for the kind of money I wanted to pay was 44t so I just thought "oh, it'll be FIIIIIIIIINE, what could possibly go wrong". Wow, much regret, very knees, no cadence.

Wow, much regret, very knees, no cadence.

:')

Right, it appears I've just joined AUK and AC Hackney so will hopefully have something to contribute to this thread in future.