Audax rides

So how do the drop bags work? do you have to give them to organisers and tell them where you want them left or do you sort it yourself?

So how do the drop bags work? do you have to give them to organisers and tell them where you want them left or do you sort it yourself?

For LEL you give them to the organisers on Saturday when you register (ride starts Sunday). They'll take them to where you've booked them (we got one free one at Dalkeith, and then bag drops at other controls could be purchased for £5)

They then get driven back to the start when that control closes, so they should be there for you when you finish. I'm using two panniers for my bag drops (Thorne and Dalkeith) with fresh kit for each day, plus some spares for the bike. This also means that I can just attach them to the bike after finishing and cycle home, very slowly, to Putney.

Most other Audaxes don't have bag drops at all, you just have to carry everything yourself.

Some 600s do provide bag drops, but it's rare. The Bryan Chapman has a bag drop for Dolgellau Youth Hostel which you visit at 200km and 400km. Useful for a few spares or a change of kit (I didn't bother). Some other long Audaxes get aronud this by running it as a set of loops from a central control. The New Forest 1000 did a first day of 430km, then a 350km day, then a final 220km. Most people pitched tents at the start to sleep in between each loop. I'd love to ride this one if it is ever put on again. Missed out last time.

The utterly bonkers Mille Cymru 1000 planned for next year does this too, using Aberystwyth as a base for each day after starting from Shrewsbury:

Day 1 - North: Shrewsbury - Vyrnwy - Bala - Penmachno - Betws y Coed - Llanberis - Beddgelert - Barmouth - Tywyn - Machynlleth - ABERYSTWYTH
Day 2 - West: Aber - Carmarthen - Laugharne - Saundersfoot - Tenby - Pembroke - Broadhaven - St Davids - Fishguard - Cardigan - ABERYSTWYTH
Day 3 - Mid: Aber - Tregaron - Llyn Brianne - Llandovery - Brecon - Crickhowell - Gospel Pass - Hay - Kington - Rhayader - Elan Valley - Devils Bridge - ABERYSTWYTH
Day 4 - Home: Aber - Llanidloes - Newtown - Shrewsbury.

Luckily I'm busy next year...

So will you be carrying stuff inbetween your bag drops? if so, what in? i assume you just take what you need out of the pannier at each drop so you only carry the panniers on your way home from the finish?

In general, it's not about comfort. At the end of a 350km day I can sleep on cold sharp gravel. By the end of the fourth day I can sleep on cold sharp icy gravel.

If anything, sleeping in a proper comfy bed will more than likely make you want to stay there and abandon the ride. I know plenty of people who've got 400km round a 600km ride, stayed in a Travelodge for a few hours and then "accidentally" overslept.

42 hours in the same shorts/jersey/socks/etc including multiple soakings and sweating gallons? Not a problem. Then you've got days 3, 4 and 5 to go. :)

42 hours in the same shorts/jersey/socks/etc including multiple soakings and sweating gallons? Not a problem.

You say it as if that's not normal behaviour. :)

Paris-Brest-Paris 1200km in 2011

Yup, that's in my sights, too. I'm starting to build up for that now.

I don't plan to do that many ultra-distance audaxes, but I want to do PBP and LEL at least once. If, once I've done them, I then get addicted, so be it.

You say it as if that's not normal behaviour. :)

He needs to HTFU badly. ;)

So will you be carrying stuff inbetween your bag drops? if so, what in? i assume you just take what you need out of the pannier at each drop so you only carry the panniers on your way home from the finish?

I'll be using a Creek2Peak rackpack.

http://www.greenbank.org/misc/le13.jpg

That's taken at the top of the last of the Moorfoot hills on the B709 North of Innerleithen. The two lumps on horizon (on the right) are Arthur's Seat and Edinburgh Castle Hill. Nearing the end of a 3 day 750km ride up to North Berwick from Putney.

I was carrying more stuff on that ride than I will on LEL as I didn't have any bag drops to rely on. It wasn't exactly the same as I stayed in a Travelodge (Thorne), a B&B (Alston), Travelodge (Edinburgh) before getting the train home on day 4.

The main bit of the rackpack took my usual long distance stuff (spare tubes, tyre, toolkit, bonk rations, map, spare layers, etc). The expanding bit at the top took the 2 extra days worth of clothes.

And yes, I'll be topping it up with whatever I need from the panniers. I've got a plastic bag of fresh kit for every day. Some nights (like at Thorne at the end of day 1) I'll be sleeping at the conrol where I have a bag drop, that makes it easy. Other days I'll need to stash the extra days clothes in the rackpack as I won't be stopping where my bag drops are. When I do see a bag drop again I can drop off the dirty clothes and swap them for another spare set of fresh clean clothes.

For the Dun Run (and back) I used a Carradice Barley on an SQR mount. 7 litres is usually enough space for a 400km ride. For longer rides the extra space is needed for changes of kit (which are bulky but not heavy). I don't carry any extra spares (tools, tubes, tyres, etc) on a 600 that I wouldn't on a 400. I tend to carry lots of stuff in the hope I wouldn't use it. In terms of what I've ever actually needed, I could do almost all of the rides with a seatpack the size of a gnat's chuff, but self-sufficiency is the key, there's no guarantee there'll be anyone to help you out at 3am at the top of Yad Moss in the freezing rain.

So will you be carrying stuff inbetween your bag drops? if so, what in? i assume you just take what you need out of the pannier at each drop so you only carry the panniers on your way home from the finish?

Not sure if you saw the Carradice I was carrying on the DD but that's at the lower end of the average size of bag that audaxers tend to carry on rides 400k+. Some do it in saddle backs, some do rack top bags, some panniers and some a combination including handlebar bags. Basically it's at least 10+ litres of carrying capacity, which is enough for a well chosen set of tools, bike spares, personal effects (wallet, phone etc) waterproofs (variable depending on forecast) extra clothes, emergency rations etc. I get commented on for running on potentially the minimum of kit although this is more because I'm OK with not completing a ride due to catastrophic mechanical failure than most. I'm also fairly resiliant to variations in environmental conditions but otherwise an endurance weakling compared to many other riders (I'm 34 and still get schooled around a 200k course by people twice my age carrying twice as much as I do).

My logic on the kit is that on any other 400-600k made up of commuting and weekend riding is pretty uneventful as long as you keep an eye on stuff, so why would an audax be any different. Once you're out past the first 50k mark you should have enough spare time to fix a difficult puncture or bodge a repair on anything else. If I start riding fixed, that will be even less stuff to go wrong. Wouldn't even need to carry gear cables.

In terms of what I've ever actually needed, I could do almost all of the rides with a seatpack the size of a gnat's chuff, but self-sufficiency is the key, there's no guarantee there'll be anyone to help you out at 3am at the top of Yad Moss in the freezing rain.

+1

The 400 and 600 that I've done this year have had no mechanicals and I could even have run on a single water bottle.

You have me on the 3am situation. The gf has always been on hand for ride ending events to come and collect me in the van (albeit with potentially a couple of hours of waiting). On the 600 she parked up at Blyth services and I slept for three hours on a nice comfy mattress and issued instructions that I was to be turfed out into the rain immediately thereafter no matter how much I gremlined. In the end I motivated myself enough to spare myself this cruelty. I'm fairly certain ithose three hours made the difference between finishing and falling into a drain on the northern fens though.

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?

sorry for asking so many questions by the way, but i've always wanted to do more really long rides and it's only recently that i've got round to actually doing it.

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?

You just plan where, and when, you want to stop in advance for the really long rides. On a 100 or 200, there's really not much of a problem, anyway.

I tend to take too much food, as I'm vegan and can't rely on finding food along the way. Having said that, recently I've always found vegan food on long rides, so maybe the situation is changing a little. I always take food to share, though, too, as you so often meet people who haven't brought enough.

I've also been dropping my gear size lately. My regular street gear on my Brooklyn when it was brakeless was 48 x 18...i switched to 46 x 18 for the 3 dunwiches the other week....but i'm actually gonna go a touch lower still to 45 x 18 now for a slightly easier spin as my knees are a bit shit these days. :)

For LEL I'll be carrying:-

2 spare tubes
Puncture Repair Kit
Tyre boot
Spare folding tyre (GP 4 Season in 25mm, same as fitted)
Tool kit

• multi-tool with screwdrivers, allen keys, etc
  
• Leatherman Mini (mini pliers, knife and cutters)
  
• Zip ties (small and large)
  
• Insulating tape.
  
  • Spoke key
    
• Chain tool pared down to minimum (allen key from multi-tool will drive it)
  
• Spare links of chain + snap links
  Spare SPD cleats (been known to need them on a long ride!)
  Spare brake blocks
  Arm/Leg warmers (Endura Thermolite with roubaix backing)
  Skull cap (Endura Thermolite again)
  Waterproof jacket (Gore Alp-X)
  Headtorch (useful for repairs in the dark and for reading routesheet/cycle computer/GPS)
  Drugs (Nurofen Express, generic Ibuprofen/cuprofen, pro-plus, immodium)
  Very basic First aid kit (plasters and anti-septic wipes)
  Baby wipes (keep arse area fresh and clean)
  Earplugs (for helping sleep at controls)
  Suncream (travel sized tube)
  Sunglasses case (for the pair I'm not wearing, I wear glasses and have prescription sunglasses from Optilabs)
  Toothbrush and travel sized toothpaste
  Two torq energy drink singles (ready sized portions) (emergency only)
  Four Torq energy gels with Guararananarana (emergency only)
  Space blanket (35g so why not) (emergency only, banned from use within controls due to the noise they make).
  Nuun hydration/electrolyte tablets to add to bidons of water
  Spare batteries for lights, GPS, headtorch
  Smart Superflash rear light as a spare (normal rear light is a battery powered B&M D'Toplight on the rack)
  Front lights are two battery powered B&M Ixons (second one is a spare and for tricky descents at night).
  Battery pack thingy for charging phone (4 AA batteries and USB output).
  mp3 player with FM radio on it (for the dull bits)
  
  

About 6kg of stuff, including the rackpack itself. Not too bad.

In a Tri-bag just behind the stem I'll carry:-

• Brevet card
  
• Wallet
  
• Camera phone
  
• Bonk rations (flapjack)
  
  

I'll also sometimes need to grab one or two spare days worth of kit (jersey, pants, socks) if I'm not going to be sleeping at Thorne or Dalkeith. LEL jersey will be stuffed in my Thorne bag drop so that I can pull it out to wear on the final day.

yeah, i have a dairy allergy, so it's not always as easy to get food as for some people...especially when you're riding right through the nights.

i was gonna ask for a list of what you carry too :)

Space blanket (35g so why not) (emergency only, banned from use within controls due to the noise they make).

Er oops? Can you explain why that's so objectionable?

cos it disturbs sleepytime i guess? :)

Correct. Too much rustling.

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?

The controls normally feed you (either with soup/sandwiches) or because they're at a commercial cafe or petrol station, otherwise you'll get to know what there is and isn't about. I always carry some food with me, but often get through to the end of the ride without eating it.

Also, the more long distance stuff you do the better your fat metabolism gets. When I first started getting back into cycling I couldn't do more than 30km without feeling starving. I can now do 150km on an empty stomach (albeit not very fast) before I need to be concerned about food. Eating little and often whilst on the move is the sage advice.

I did find that the SIS energy gels worked very well for me....seemed to give me energy very well, didn't upset my digestion, and are dairy free....although the flask full of hot beans and sausages tasted VERY good on the dunwiches. :)

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.

I did find that the SIS energy gels worked very well for me....seemed to give me energy very well, didn't upset my digestion, and are dairy free....although the flask full of hot beans and sausages tasted VERY good on the dunwiches. :)

Carried an energy gel on the 600. Was amazed at just how far I was prepared to push myself to not actually eat it. I truly hate those things, they're my equivalent of dwarf bread.

Carried an energy gel on the 600. Was amazed at just how far I was prepared to push myself to not actually eat it. I truly hate those things, they're my equivalent of dwarf bread.

I hate gels too....except the SIS ones...they taste so good to me....so much more 'liquid' than the other brands of sticky, syrupy gels.
The blackcurrant ones just taste like melted ice lollies to me. :)