Not sure why I can't pass the Ditchling Devil? I'd rather not ride through suburbs, I like the rural starts of the brevets I've done. Ware has three distances for me to choose from too.

Don't get me wrong - I'm not suggesting that other rides on sunday wouldnt be nice, I just think that one of the less accessible parts of audaxing are the trains/hotels/50 mi extra on top of the physical test.

For instance, after the bcm I got stuck in Gloucester for 7 hours because a jobsworth wouldnt let me take my bike on the train. Despite finishing in the early afternoon and being a 1.5hr train ride home, I ended up getting to bed after 1am.

I just think it's novel to be able to roll 5 or 7 miles from breakfast to the departe and finish in a beautiful part of London, with the extra comradeship that comes with that shared experience, including a pint in the sun to finish the day.

Lord knows there are enough shit things about being a cyclist in london. Its nice to celebrate some of the good. .?

...that Pendle 600...

What gets me is that the route takes riders through so many national parks. It ticks off the North York Moors, the Pennines, the Dales and the Lakes, all of which are first class places to take a bike. So many spectacular places, so much road porn, so many memorable climbs, and so little time.

Try as I might, I can't jettison enough common sense to book this trip. I'm already paid up on something else, otherwise I'd be there with sodding bells on. It's really rather gutting... its also increasingly likely that I'll try to head out on my own at some point before LEL.

Sign yourself up Zanda, it'll knock your socks off.

in more ways than one.

reasons not to:

1. Dont have a triple
   
2. Dont actually have a functioning geared bike of any kind at the moment.
   
   

Any idea what the time limit is?

Do you need a triple? I don't think it's necessary nowadays as a wider range cassette or/and a compact is plentiful.

Don't get me wrong - I'm not suggesting that other rides on sunday wouldnt be nice, I just think that one of the less accessible parts of audaxing are the trains/hotels/50 mi extra on top of the physical test.

For instance, after the bcm I got stuck in Gloucester for 7 hours because a jobsworth wouldnt let me take my bike on the train. Despite finishing in the early afternoon and being a 1.5hr train ride home, I ended up getting to bed after 1am.

I just think it's novel to be able to roll 5 or 7 miles from breakfast to the departe and finish in a beautiful part of London, with the extra comradeship that comes with that shared experience, including a pint in the sun to finish the day.

Lord knows there are enough shit things about being a cyclist in london. Its nice to celebrate some of the good. .?

Well, I take your point ... And it makes me wonder something ... is there any reason why almost no Audax does start in London?

I think the real reason why I don't want to do Ditchling is a) the hill in the name and b)not really sure I fancy a 200 right now.

Friday yes that Pendle does sound Epic, all that beauty in one ride! However 600k can f right off in my book >>>>>>> Wouldn't mind nicking the route and doing it in a week with a tent!

Do you need a triple? I don't think it's necessary nowadays as a wider range cassette or/and a compact is plentiful.

Hardknott:
http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-tA4Gdpkcs-g/TchBv0Y82nI/AAAAAAAAAFA/aICJOHhScHE/s1600/1_1281985694_13_hardknott-pass-richtung-wasdale-head.jpg
Plus

http://cdn.mos.bikeradar.com/images/blogs/1305728141640-iuv678gjwmni-670-70.jpg

http://www.planetfear.com/includes/images/uploaded/1720085151517324M0D2495.jpg

^ Slevless, so to be expected really.

Hardknott:
http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-tA4Gdpkcs-g/TchBv0Y82nI/AAAAAAAAAFA/aICJOHhScHE/s1600/1_1281985694_13_hardknott-pass-richtung-wasdale-head.jpg

I know, even that is fine on compact.

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Yeah. Fair play.

I'm not worried about one individual, more so the succession of them.

Maybe a repost. Bryan Chapman "Old Joy"

Old Joy on Vimeo

Nice one. Thanks for that hippy.

That video was shot by Milltag's Pete K. Really nice guy, and quite a strong rider.

I rode with him for quite a bit on that BCM - so the video features several nice shots of my lycra clad glutes+tackle

nothing like seeing yourself at the edge of fish eye lense shots to make you feel fat

I'm just entering into another Audax later in the year;

The Old 240 (http://www.aukweb.net/events/detail/13-933/)

a "406km cycling event starting from Sowerby Bridge, West Yorkshire. Controls at SETTLE, DENT, ALSTON, SCOTCH CORNER and GARGRAVE... One of AUK's toughest and most scenic events, climbing its way through classic Pennine landscapes"

The route has been plotted here - http://www.bikely.com/maps/bike-path/The-Old-240

I just booked train tickets from Kings Cross to Halifax, 14:48 Friday, 12:13 return Sunday - £24.50.

No plans for accomodation yet, though I'm sure Halifax has a Travelodge.

Anyone else interested?

When I did some of them a few years back I managed it over the Wrynose but got a banana out just before the bottom of the Hardknott and started scoffing. By the time I realised just how steep it was and started to pay attention I was barely moving. I was soon off.

The other thing I found with the Lakeland passes is they are quite narrow and at weekends busy and with you wobbling all over the place trying to struggle up, you get cut up quite a lot - a couple of times I had to put my feet down and found it impossible to restart.

I notice that too, especially when the front end lifting when you tried to start, a rearranging the saddle bag onto the handlebar helped slightly.

The Passes actually made me reassist what bicycle I want and that's an audax with a handlebar bag rather than the saddlebag as previously aiming for.

Somebody help me!

I don't seem to be able to enter via pay with Paypal, since I'm not an AUK member (I have ctc membership and the insurances that brings, so I have never bothered). Am I doing it wrong? Somebody told me I can enter online without membership, but i can't see how...

Your help is gratefully recieved....

Ah. No, it's not possible.

Think I'll have to wait til new year to join, membership is from December 31st.

Just gonna put this here...

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Ah. No, it's not possible.

Think I'll have to wait til new year to join, membership is from December 31st.

I'm pretty sure you can join anytime, though you only pay for that 'season', so enter now and your years membership runs out at the end of October!

I notice that too, especially when the front end lifting when you tried to start, a rearranging the saddle bag onto the handlebar helped slightly.

The Passes actually made me reassist what bicycle I want and that's an audax with a handlebar bag rather than the saddlebag as previously aiming for.

Ed - are you going to enter?

I'm pretty sure you can join anytime, though you only pay for that 'season', so enter now and your years membership runs out at the end of October!

Yeah, that's what I meant- waste of half a year's membership cash.

I have CTC insurance so it's really not necessary. Turns out the guy running the Ware brevets this Sunday, who I rang after posting that^..^ is happy to allow me to enter on the line.

Yeah, that's what I meant- waste of half a year's membership cash.

I have CTC insurance so it's really not necessary. Turns out the guy running the Ware brevets this Sunday, who I rang after posting that^..^ is happy to allow me to enter on the line.

Fair enough, if you can enter, and are not bothered about not being able to list all the rides, and accumalate the points on the AUK website then it is not really worth it.

I personally quite like have the list of rides completed, as a palmares, though obviously thats a bit sad and the reality of actually cycling in great places shouldn't be superseded by collecting points.

I'd noticed a few times you had posted about weighing up whether or not to enter slightly longer rides, I'm not sure whether the question was about being able to do it or not - in which case my advice is just do it, if you can ride 160km without needing to call an ambulance then you could easily cover 200km/ 300km given that Audax is quite low intensity, just eat loads!

just eat loads!

dude you're in a rare company when it comes to eating.
I've seen you maul a cold Ginsters Pasty.

That's the sort of skill that only an established and practised audaxer can foster over many deprived calorie deficient outings.

Ed - are you going to enter?

Which one? a lots of my weekend is now in the mercy of a bicycle shop whom yet again, hire me for part fucking time.

#neverhadafulltimejobbefore

Fair enough, if you can enter, and are not bothered about not being able to list all the rides, and accumalate the points on the AUK website then it is not really worth it.

I personally quite like have the list of rides completed, as a palmares, though obviously thats a bit sad and the reality of actually cycling in great places shouldn't be superseded by collecting points.

I'd noticed a few times you had posted about weighing up whether or not to enter slightly longer rides, I'm not sure whether the question was about being able to do it or not - in which case my advice is just do it, if you can ride 160km without needing to call an ambulance then you could easily cover 200km/ 300km given that Audax is quite low intensity, just eat loads!

Yossarian
I'm not riding in order to have a season's achievements recorded, I like audax because it allows me to ride in this beautiful land without really having to find a route. For me, taking part in shorter brevets is an end initself, though I'm definitely interested in 200 or 300 in the future. Rode 165 or so recently, almost all of it alone (which is another brilliant aspect to audax), and I felt like million dolars at the end, could have made 200 or 250 that day with any suffering.

Thanks for your encouragement. It's appreciated. I'm only doing the Ware 100 tomorrow as I want to ride with a great friend who I don't see enough, who is really not able to ride further right now, but is def' the right temperament for Audax. I'm hoping we can ride longer together one day.

I think I'd have done another 150 if I was alone, I want to do a few til I feel I really know that distance well. Though 200 is already a distance I've done fixed, if only on Dunwich.

My tip for the top is mini pork pies. Amazing.

The ware audax is a good ride. Did the 200 a couple of years ago and highly recommend it, just injured and had family commitments on today so couldn't enter. Have a good ride skully