Audax rides

If you do, leave some beer for us slower riders :p

@Greenbank I think that the thing that puts me off most is the late afternoon start. If it started in the morning I don't think that I would be so bothered by it. I probably will end up doing it. People yesterday seemed to think that the riding on our Welsh ride was harder than that encountered on PBP so maybe all would be well.

@hippy, I think I am too swayed by the cake at the stops. I almost never don't stop for half an hour or so. I also couldn't have ridden yesterday's hills any quicker. For the first time yesterday I was coming up a hill with both thighs cramping wondering exactly how the rest of the day was going to pan out. I almost never get cramp.

I also fear I may be getting AAA points under false pretences :-) My Garmin reckons I did 7500ish metres of climbing yesterday, but I think the course is 9.5 AAA points, though I also reckon I followed the suggested route.

It's wrong that it was the beer that made me think about riding it, isn't it?

France != Wales though. The stuff in France isn't steep.

Isn't there a 84h Randonneur group that starts the next day? Obviously less time to ride, but potentially cutting out the first overnighter.

France != Wales though. The stuff in France isn't steep.

Yep, I am almost certainly in. I am already forgetting yesterday's pain.

There is, but I have read horror stories that there is no cake left by the time that group starts. Up with that I cannot put.

Good. What made me decide I might like PBP and ditch a holiday in the Alps was actually the Asparagus and Strawberries. Epic Barton Mills control at midnight and bumping into riders left right and centre even in the later stages and the pint before 8am.

Ask 20 Garmins how much climbing there was on a ride and you'll get 20 different answers (including 0 because one Garmin didn't work for the entire ride). I rode one 200 many years ago with 2 other riders, never straying off the route and we had figures of 1400m, 1800m and 2200m climbing.

My Garmin always under-reads on long rides, despite logging at a point per second (not the 'smart logging').

France != Wales though. The stuff in France isn't steep.

Yup. Nothing even had me considering walking on PBP and I was on 67" fixed, even with tired legs on the later days.

It's not just the controls on PBP that are good, it's the villages and small towns along the way that stay up all day/night. Bars/cafes open 24 hours and happy to serve food plus the locals who serve coffee/cake/etc outside their houses.

Strained my right arm so no SDW next weekend as I can't grip the bars off road:( Considering first audax on the 27th a 200k from Beechill south of Reading.

Plan is to do it on my MTB with slicks. I'm used to riding it for 10-13hrs. I've heard people use mountain bikes occasionally?

Someone was going the Flatlands 600 on a Pashley

There's a PBP meet-up thingie tonight
https://yacf.co.uk/forum/index.php?topic=91059.0
Wibbas Down Inn, 6-12 Gladstone Rd, Wimbledon, London SW19 1QT, UK

I think that's 'Wobbly' from yacf.

@AdsH plenty of mountain bike usage up to and including 200ks, I think

Plan is to do it on my MTB with slicks. I'm used to riding it for 10-13hrs. I've heard people use mountain bikes occasionally?

Yep, use whatever is comfortable. MTB with slicks is good, just remember to lock out the suspension if it has it.

I rode bits of 2009 London-Edinburgh-London (1400km Audax) with someone on a MTB (but it was Ausilia Vistarini, European SS MTB Champion and World MTB Champion).

^^ PBP "training" in the pub for me tonight, will be there ~8pm as I'm playing 5-a-side in SE1 until 7pm.

I might have to bail. @31trum has just popped up alive and well in his old stomping ground and I haven't seen the git bag for ages. Can you take notes? :D

I can't go but am slightly gutted.

Zambuca at 19.00h. Awesome start.

Anyone riding the Leighton Buzzard this weekend?

Hummers is a law unto himself. I left him drinking brandy.

Any on the faires 300 on Sunday?

@arup is doing it. I am doing the 100k with my wife as her first Audax so might see you about.

have you received any emails from the organizer?