Audax rides

Sounds brilliant, Akin!

Right, what doesn't sound so brilliant is that I will have to scratch from the Meopham 100 planned for next Sunday. Many apologies, Pascal and Niamh. I'm afraid I aggravated the elbow again on Friday, which meant I had to miss all the planned riding on the week-end and I just have to be sensible and give it more of a rest. :( I would have loved to do this one with you guys. I'd done all the planning and was just about to post my entry.

I think I might finally have to invest in a turbo!

goes off to check with my Events Secretary

No can do the 9th, but I'm clear for the 8th so I'm booked in to do the Taste Of The Test 200 from north of Basingstoke. Means getting up for a 6am train. Ugh.

Will take the geared bike as I want to see what the PowerTap data is like for a ride like that. :)

Oliver, no worries ... better to heal than to make things worse by overreaching ... I have some rollers that you could borrow if you fancy?

Google is failing me - can anyone explain the difference between an intermediate control and a non-intermediate control, if there is one? Ideally in the next half an hour...

In what context?

Intermediate control might imply one that isn't the start or the finish. Then there are information controls (hope you haven't got confused on the terminology). An info control is one where you collect a unique piece of information from a specific location to prove your passage but it isn't timed, like a normal control.

http://www.derbymercury.org.uk/audax-events.html

This might answer your question, kind of. It uses the term intermediate to describe a control that is on the route rather than at the finish.

Probably better to just refer to them as controls and the start and finish as such.

oh, THAT's why it wasn't making any sense. Cheers, I think I wrote some stuff down wrong, I meant information control.

Yep. Information controls are usually put in to make sure that a route meets a certain distance but isn't worth manning (i.e) it's close enough to a proper control but is used to eliminate a short cut that would make the ride under distance.

Oliver, no worries ... better to heal than to make things worse by overreaching ... I have some rollers that you could borrow if you fancy?

Thanks, Pascal--I'm afraid I can't ride on rollers and I'd prefer a turbo. The problem is that I'm not sure I want to get one. When my neighbours' washing machine goes into spin cycle, the whole house shakes. :)

I need to make a decision fairly soon, though. I'm getting more and more impatient for riding, even if it's only on a turbo!

Get one with a laptop thingy, and you can ride Col Du Galbier and all that free handed. Might be pricy though. Too pricey for me anyways.

Hi Guys,

I was thinking of doing a DIY to Brighton Saturday the 21st .
Anybody upfor it?
Would anyone recommend a route to sum up the 100K ?

Hi Guys,

I was thinking of doing a DIY to Brighton Saturday the 21st .
Anybody upfor it?
Would anyone recommend a route to sum up the 100K ?

My usual route is:-

London (I use Putney or Clapham Common depending on who I'm cycling with).
Royal Tunbridge Wells (petrol station)
Lindfield (shop)
Brighton (ATM by station)

Out through The Croydon of Despair, then along the B269 past Sanderstead, Warlingham, Weeeeeeeeeee down Titsey Hill, Limpsfield, Crockham Hill, Four Elms, Penshurst, Bidborough and then RTW.

Out of RTW on the A264, Fir Tree Road (it's a cycle path access off the A264), High Rocks Lane, Groombridge, B2110, Colemans Hatch, Wych Cross, Horstead Keynes, Lindfield

Wivelsfield, Ditchling, Gnnnnnnrrgh, over the A27 and down into Brighton to the station.

Sort of this route: [ame]http://www.bikely.com/maps/bike-path/360977[/ame

But I avoided Hayward's Heath and took Slugwash Lane after Lindfield IIRC.

110km and plenty of hills.

The way back was relatively flat unless you count climbing Box Hill from Betchworth. ;)

Thanks Greenbank, I think I will go through Horsham. That should do some 104K from Bow shortest route with some 800m elevation. I am planning on cruising at some 25-28 Km/h so 68'' will do the trick.

getting in touch with the organiser

Great! Organised and entered.

sem, which one? The 100? Wanna meet us in south London as well?

hey i've messaged oliver about it - just waiting still to see if they will accept late entries...... :/ ill let you know tomorrow!

arghh ... I am so pissed off ... I have a bad cold. AGAIN!!!!
This is exactly what happened last time when I wanted to ride an audax.

Down with fever and snot output similar to the oil spill that's in the news right now. Will have to bail I'm afraid.

If it helps, tell them you're taking my place :(

Did Taste Of The Test 200km Audax on Saturday. Not on fixed as I wanted the PowerTap data.

Not enough preparation and took 12 hours to plod round. Nice route for fixed (the biggest grimps are in the first 50km including Watership Down).

Snowdon and Coast 400 is next on June 12th. Might even get in good enough shape to do it on fixed.

Getting worried about the BCM. I was rather hoping that it may be a bit warmer before next weekend but it doesn't look like it will. Hopefully not too wet though. Target time is 37 hours.

Taste of the test sounds good I will put it in my calendar for next year..

What is a reasonable time for a 100K on fixed?
It takes me normally around 6 hours including an half way 30 minutes stop.

No real speed difference for me. I'm as fast/slow on fixed as with gears. For really hilly rides I'm slightly faster on gears, this is probably from being able to rest on long descents.

I've taken anything from 7h05min for the 100km London Sightseer (it's a slow ride as it's a tour of London, the routesheet it 4 sides of A4!) down to 4h45 for a 106km straight blat up to Cambridge.

Moving average goes from 19.14kph (Elenith in 2009 on fixed) to 25.53 (DIY 200 Putney to Cambridge and back on fixed). One outlier was the 2008 Dean in horrendous weather where my moving average was only 17.79kph.

Add in at least 1h stopping per 100km. Closer to 1.5h/100km if you want to be sociable.

Thanks greenbank, so I am pretty slow... Damn! :)

Done the DIY to Brighton through Horsham and Henfield today in 6hrs 5 minutes.It ended up being 114 Km and with a load of hills as I took back roads the all way. However, the country lanes were absolutely stunning.

Is any body going to do the Flitchbikes 100 on the 5/6 or the Stevenage Bike week 115 on the 20/6.

I want to organise a ECE but I don't really fancy doing it by myself. Anybody up for it?

Does anybody have a .gpx for the flitchbikes 100?
Just got an etrex and I am dying to use it in an audax ride!

Having talked a great season, I have actually ridden precious little. Work has at last calmed down to the point where I can ride again...

two quick gear questions...

bar bag with clear top for the routesheets -- recommendations?
trunk-style pack (the sort that can be mounted on top of a rear rack, nice and big) -- ditto?

road frame has arrived, groupset paid for and awaited...gears will be trialled and perhaps used. Will buy the son dynamo hub and build it up when funds permit. Loving the long rides, even if 100k on my own isn't 'long' by the standards of some of yous...

@Wannabe: Same here, didn't do any more audaxes apart from no1 because I fell sick BOTH FRICKIN TIMES! The surrey sunday sessions kindo make up for it, but don't give me any brevet goodness :(

A bar bag would be good, even though I HATE the click in systems and would love to have something that's easier to get rid off when you're NOT riding an audax. Any idea?

A cheap strap on.

bag that is, a strap on bag.