Audax rides

I'm doing the Asparagus & Strawberries on the 11th otherwise would be keen.

Ves - yeah I'm sure I can just handle 200 fixed, but I want to work on more regular 100s to start doing them a tiny bit faster. My 'progress' into longer distances is intentionally slow, I am old and creaky, no rush. 300s fixed by 2015 ...

Ahh okay, sounds like good sense!

Can't find the Meridian Hills on the Audax UK site.

http://www.aukweb.net/perms/detail/WW11/

I think I'll give that a miss, I got a 416k on the 11th, probably either brave, or extremely foolish to jump into a 200k the next day.

I think I'll give that a miss, I got a 416k on the 11th, probably either brave, or extremely foolish to jump into a 200k the next day.

'Good practice'

I love this thread.

Just booked on the Hop Garden ride on the 12th of May starting from Meopham.

This audaxy Caygill frame is up on le Bay again:

http://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/Caygill-Steel-Road-Bike-Frame-/321117302163?pt=LH_DefaultDomain_3&hash=item4ac4152d93

EE9s2ufET!BRfkJ3k!z!~~60_12.JPG)

It varies, some have a great selection, some are mediocre.

Amazing. Mediocre buffet > no buffet I reckon.

Miss, Scoble is talking bollocks again Miss...

Some audaxs have buffets, many do not. Some have full on food supplies at every control **and **it's included in the price. The best food I have ever seen on an audax was on the Worthing Winter Warmer, organised by Mick Irons, which was a Skully tip I think, and the food (and buffet) on that is AMAZING. I have never eaten so much delicious, all-inclusive homemade cake in one day.

Mick also makes a point of talking to everyone who goes to check they're having fun, which is lovely. The terms to look for are 'fully supported' or 'El Supremo' controls after an audaxer called Dave Hudson, aka El Supremo. This was one of the WWW controls last year:

I think this one was being run out of a car boot, not a warm business when it was -10 that morning and the water froze in our bottles!

You then get audaxes like Witham on Sunday where there's a mix of provided and commercial controls, so Bicknacre at the start and end was provided, with the commercial control at Sisted in the middle. That's quite common because it means they can only set up in one place.

It's worth noting that provided doesn't mean all-inclusive - sometimes there is good homemade food but you'll be asked to pay reasonable prices (the Shaftesbury Spring audaxes do that, for example).

You then get the other end of the scale, which are 'X-rated' events, which are completely unsupported. May well start in a cark park, commercial controls only (e.g. at garages/supermarkets), getting receipts from cashpoints as controls etc.

Amazing :')

What constitutes an "audaxy" frame?

I'm lazily looking around for one but the boundaries seem a bit blurred.

As far as I can tell it's:

• Mudguard clearances
  
• "Slightly more relaxed that a road frame" geometry (I have no idea what this means)
  
• Often made of steel (for comfort) but sometimes carbon
  
• Mounts for racks and bottles
  
• Not as long wheelbase as a tourer
  

Buffet as in brunch of food to choose from?

If not, what's the difference?

Mick also makes a point of talking to everyone who goes to check they're having fun, which is lovely. The terms to look for are 'fully supported' or 'El Supremo' controls after an audaxer called Dave Hudson, aka El Supremo. This was one of the WWW controls last year:

You then get the other end of the scale, which are 'X-rated' events, which are completely unsupported. May well start in a cark park, commercial controls only (e.g. at garages/supermarkets), getting receipts from cashpoints as controls etc.

I'd like to echo the earlier mention of "i love this thread" or words to that effect.

These X rated audaxes are the ones where people spend literally of their weekend cycling up dark hills, stopping only occassionally to have a little weep in a MacDonalds toilet, right?

you don't need an audax to do that.

I'll be honest, you did spring to mind when I was imagining X rated audaxes.

http://www.simplon.com/typo3temp/pics/a518763952.jpg

Simplon Kiaro.

6.5kg without Ortlieb and Race Blades.

What constitutes an "audaxy" frame?

I'm lazily looking around for one but the boundaries seem a bit blurred.

As far as I can tell it's:

• Mudguard clearances
  
• "Slightly more relaxed that a road frame" geometry (I have no idea what this means)
  
• Often made of steel (for comfort) but sometimes carbon
  
• Mounts for racks and bottles
  
• Not as long wheelbase as a tourer
  

What constitutes an "audaxy" frame?

I'm lazily looking around for one but the boundaries seem a bit blurred.

As far as I can tell it's:

• Mudguard clearances
  
• "Slightly more relaxed that a road frame" geometry (I have no idea what this means)
  
• Often made of steel (for comfort) but sometimes carbon
  
• Mounts for racks and bottles
  
• Not as long wheelbase as a tourer
  
  

It can mean different things for different people, but what you say is pretty much it for me.

Apart from wheelbase/geometry etc, I have no idea with that.

But provision for full length mudguards and at least 28c tyres, two bottles of water, and lightweight luggage carrying capacity is the key criteria for me.

All about being comfortable and enjoying the ride, at an alright (not necessarily fast pace) and being dry and warm is a big factor in that for me.

You then get the other end of the scale, which are 'X-rated' events, which are completely unsupported. May well start in a cark park, commercial controls only (e.g. at garages/supermarkets), getting receipts from cashpoints as controls etc.

The best controls are the quiz questions, "how old is the school house in such and such a village", "What is the name of the Pub on the B11233" etc. You have to go there find the building/sign or something with the answer on it to prove you completed the route.

What constitutes an "audaxy" frame?

On a related note, I'd like to see a few more people taking the plunge and having BQ / Heine approved randonneur / constructeur bikes built.

Mainly so I could test ride a couple to see if they are all that. They seem to be gaining popularity in America and I am intrigued about the fabled ride quality.

As far as I can see, Heine advocates relaxed geo with fork rake set up specifically for a front mounted bag and wide 650 / 42ish tyres with very supple casings as the sweet spot for comfort but witthout sacrificing speed.

Other than Ed's, I haven't seen any on here, and very few out and about. Does anyone have one?

Can someone tell me what "relaxed geometry" specifically is?

What are the threshold seat tube and head tube angles on the track/road/audax/touring continuum?

The best controls are the quiz questions

False

Can someone tell me what "relaxed geometry" specifically is?

It can mean different things for different people

Basically consider a continuum between pursuit frame and recumbent and you've pretty much got the idea

Can someone tell me what "relaxed geometry" specifically is?

No idea, but I don't think it necessary mean says, a headtube of 71 degrees.

My audax have a standard 73/73 triangle with the fork offset for a handlebar bag, handle very well with precision.

British audax frame are basically road geo that have been altered to accept slightly larger tyres, mudguard and rack (Bob Jackson standard Audax come to mind);

Alex Dowsett overtook me at approximately six times my speed going up North Hill :l

528mph? On bread and water? No way.

As far as I can see, Heine advocates relaxed geo with fork rake set up specifically for a front mounted bag and wide 650 / 42ish tyres with very supple casings as the sweet spot for comfort but witthout sacrificing speed.

I would not says it have a magical ride quality, but different to a typical British audax bicycle.

The main advantage of the 650B lark is that they use less metal (394g 650B rims vs. 430g 700c rims) and rubber (290g for a 650B 38mm vs. 290g for a 700c 32mm), so it's not heavy as it look, quite the contrary (the Oak is 10.8kg with handlebar bag and pump).

Being able to run bigger tyres without sacrificing the geometry to make it fit, says 700c with 32mm tyres and mudguard (e.g. longer chainstay, slacker HT, lower BB, etc.), I can get away with having a very short 53cm top tube while maintaining a 73 degree headtube.

That I think the main appeal for me, the French front end geometry is more of a preference than it's being better, I liked having a handlebar bag as I can access my content easily instead of using a similar sized saddlebag, I liked being able to get out of the saddle without feeling the "tail wagging" of a rear load, the bike handle better with more weight on the front, and descending/ascending was very comfortable having a bit of weight in front for more tyre contact.

Saying that, I wouldn't says the geometry is relaxed, especially when mine was 73/73, biggest difference is the fork rake and offset, I can able to corner with precision and dodge potholes as I would on the Cannondale CAAD10.

*Pacenti PL23 rims.

**Pacenti tyres & Grand Bois tyres.

the French front end geometry is more of a preference than it's being better, I liked having a handlebar bag as I can access my content easily instead of using a similar sized saddlebag, I liked being able to get out of the saddle without feeling the extra weight on the rear, the bike handle better with more weight on the front, and descending/ascending was very comfortable having a bit of weight in front for more tyre contact.

Ed, do you think that it is the fork rake that is significant or that the weight of the bar bag is lower down? I've ridden plenty of miles with a carradice bar bag, but am intrigued by how mounting to a small nitto rack that places the weight through mounting points or the canti bolts of the fork changes the feel. I have been toying recently with changing my fork so I can have this type of arrangement.