Reflections on first audax

[Richard Goodman]

Did my first audax today, 105k in not much over 4hrs, which I suppose wasn't
too bad, although towards the end I was fading! Things I learnt:

- things which don't seem uncomfortable in 40 minute
commutes, can get very uncomfortable after a few hard
hours in the saddle (like packing my camelback to the
gills with 'may be useful' bits and pieces which quickly
add up to a lot of weight on the shoulders)
- those electrolytic energy powders that you can mix with
water really do have a whole lot more zip than plain water
or even fruit juice
- my close ratio 11-21 cassette, which is fine around the
places I go in London, doesn't really get me low enough
for lumpy bits in the countryside. And I'm not fit even
for modest little lumpy bits (it was an officially 'flat'
course), despite the fact that I was 'faster' up them than
most of the peleton (where were they anyway?).
- despite the above, it was satisfying find myself able
to keep up 30kph+ much of the time, including up
slight inclines.
- 100k is enough! I don't want to even think about a 200
anytime soon! Hats off to the urc'ers that are doing them!

Anyway, all in all a nice little Sunday ride, although
perhaps if I'd ridden it at 'touring' pace I might not be so
knackered now!

Rich

 

[Richard Bates]

On Sun, 11 Jul 2004 18:00:26 +0100, in
<[email protected]>, "Richard Goodman"
<[email protected]> wrote:

>Did my first audax today, 105k in not much over 4hrs, which
>I suppose wasn't too bad, although towards the end I was
>fading! Things I learnt:

Well done. Audax is one of those things over which I keep
thinking, "Shall I? Shan't I?"

--
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appears in my inbox is mine to do what I like with. Anything
which is sent to me (whether intended or not) may, if I so
desire, form a legal and binding contract.

 

[Mseries]

Richard Bates wrote:
> On Sun, 11 Jul 2004 18:00:26 +0100, in
> <[email protected]>, "Richard
> Goodman" <[email protected]> wrote:
>
>> Did my first audax today, 105k in not much over 4hrs,
>> which I suppose wasn't too bad, although towards the end
>> I was fading! Things I learnt:
>
> Well done. Audax is one of those things over which I keep
> thinking, "Shall I? Shan't I?"

I have been in that situation recently so far haven't
bothered. I need someone to do one with first, to show me
the ropes and look after me. Instead I just go out and ride
200 clicks[*] on my own - like today. Carlisle to home, 9
hours and 50 minutes including stops.

[*] Military term for kilometres

 

[Msa]

In article <[email protected]>,
[email protected] says...

>
> [*] Military term for kilometres
>
>

I've always called k's clicks but never knew where the term
came from. Thanks for that! Any idea of the full story
behind it?

--
Mark (MSA) This post is packaged by intellectual weight, not
volume. Some settling of contents may have occurred during
transmission

 

[wheelsgoround]

Well done Rich. I hope you go on to the longer distances. 200k may seem out of reach but if you set the right pace and make sure you eat and drink enough it's not as hard as it might seem.

Mseries, you are obviously fit enough so just get stuck in ! There isn't really that much to learn; you just ride your bike at a pace you are comfortable with, make sure you can navigate using the route sheet (and maybe with the help of a map), make sure you get your card stamped at the controls and .. that's it. There will be other riders there who will be happy to help you.

If you have any questions I will be happy to answer them (if I can )


Ian

 

[Helen Deborah V]

"MSeries" <[email protected]>typed

> Richard Bates wrote:
> > On Sun, 11 Jul 2004 18:00:26 +0100, in
> > <[email protected]>, "Richard
> > Goodman" <[email protected]> wrote:
> >
> >> Did my first audax today, 105k in not much over 4hrs,
> >> which I suppose wasn't too bad, although towards the
> >> end I was fading! Things I learnt:
> >
> > Well done. Audax is one of those things over which I
> > keep thinking, "Shall I? Shan't I?"

> I have been in that situation recently so far haven't
> bothered. I need someone to do one with first, to show me
> the ropes and look after me. Instead I just go out and
> ride 200 clicks[*] on my own - like today. Carlisle to
> home, 9 hours and 50 minutes including stops.

I did it and made a lot of new friends.

Audax rides are lots cheaper than Bike Events day rides too.

--
Helen D. Vecht: [email protected] Edgware.

 

[Helen Deborah V]

"Richard Goodman" <[email protected]>typed

> Did my first audax today, 105k in not much over 4hrs,
> which I suppose wasn't too bad, although towards the end I
> was fading! Things I learnt:

> - things which don't seem uncomfortable in 40 minute
> commutes, can get very uncomfortable after a few hard
> hours in the saddle

Attend to every minor discomfort before it becomes a major
discomfort or right pain!

> (like packing my camelback to the gills with 'may be
> useful' bits and pieces which quickly add up to a lot of
> weight on the shoulders)

I could never tolerate as much as a brevet card on my person
& put everything into panniers.

> - those electrolytic energy powders that you can mix with
> water really do have a whole lot more zip than plain
> water or even fruit juice

You can also buy Lucozade Sport from garages. Some of these
powders contain quite a lot of caffeine, which will give you
zip but need some caution to prevent overdoing it.

> - my close ratio 11-21 cassette, which is fine around the
> places I go in London, doesn't really get me low enough
> for lumpy bits in the countryside.

I think my block was a sedate 13-28...

> And I'm not fit even for modest little lumpy bits (it was
> an officially 'flat' course), despite the fact that I was
> 'faster' up them than most of the peleton (where were they
> anyway?).

You *don't* have to keep up with the fast boys. You could
just enjoy the scenery...

> - despite the above, it was satisfying find myself able to
> keep up 30kph+ much of the time, including up slight
> inclines.
> - 100k is enough! I don't want to even think about a
> 200 anytime soon! Hats off to the urc'ers that are
> doing them!

I think you might have gone a bit too fast for any sustained
effort. 200km is easy if you don't burn yourself out!

My first Audax was a (flat) 300km ride. I never bettered my
time for that distance.

> Anyway, all in all a nice little Sunday ride, although
> perhaps if I'd ridden it at 'touring' pace I might not be
> so knackered now!

I'm sure that's true. I didn't feel as if I'd done more than
an ordinary Sunday clubrun when I finished my first Audax.
Finishing at 4pm helped, I suppose.

If you go at a speed which you really can sustain, you can
almost go on forever, so long as you eat, drink and rest (a
bit) regularly. I was the slowest cyclist in AUK but still
went on to do rides up to 1000km...

--
Helen D. Vecht: [email protected] Edgware.

 

[Simonb]

Richard Goodman wrote:
> Did my first audax today, 105k in not much over 4hrs,
> which I suppose wasn't too bad, although towards the end I
> was fading! Things I learnt:
>
> - things which don't seem uncomfortable in 40 minute
> commutes, can get very uncomfortable after a few hard
> hours in the saddle (like packing my camelback to the
> gills with 'may be useful' bits and pieces which quickly
> add up to a lot of weight on the shoulders)
> - those electrolytic energy powders that you can mix with
> water really do have a whole lot more zip than plain
> water or even fruit juice - my close ratio 11-21
> cassette, which is fine around the places I go in
> London, doesn't really get me low enough for lumpy bits
> in the countryside. And I'm not fit even for modest
> little lumpy bits (it was an officially 'flat' course),
> despite the fact that I was 'faster' up them than most
> of the peleton (where were they anyway?). - despite the
> above, it was satisfying find myself able to keep up
> 30kph+ much of the time, including up slight inclines.
> - 100k is enough! I don't want to even think about a
> 200 anytime soon! Hats off to the urc'ers that are
> doing them!

200 is not a great deal more difficult than 100 -- so
long as you don't go mad. Saturdays are better than
Sundays as you get more time to recover before work. At
the mo, with 2 young kids, 300 is my limit. I'm looking
now at doing shorter rides (100-200) with more climbing
-- one in Wales in 2 weeks (Bala). Climbing is where I'm
weakest (I could blast along on the flat all day long)
and really want to improve.

Good on you -- hope you do more. Audaxes are nearly always
great rides. Damn cheap to do.

 

[Davek]

MSeries:
> Instead I just go out and ride 200 clicks[*] on my own -
> like today. Carlisle to home, 9 hours and 50 minutes
> including stops.

That's about the same pace I did my first 200 a few weeks
ago - shame I'm right down the other end of the country or
I'd happily 'show you the ropes' (aka help each other to
interpret the route sheet and not get lost...)

d.

 

[Davek]

Richard Goodman:
> Did my first audax today, 105k in not much over 4hrs,
> which I suppose
wasn't
> too bad, although towards the end I was fading!

That's fair progress. Broadly speaking, Audaxers seem to
split into two camps - those who try to complete the course
as quickly as possible and those who like to harp on about
how it's not a race...

> - my close ratio 11-21 cassette, which is fine around the
> places I go in London, doesn't really get me low enough
> for lumpy bits in the
countryside.

You shouldn't very often need lower than 21, as long as you
are prepared to ride at a slower pace overall and save your
energy for the tougher bits. I have an 11-28 cassette, with
18, 21, 24 and 28 at the bottom end. I try to avoid using
either the 24 or the 28 and find that these days I can
manage most small hills with the 21 (with a 42 chainring) -
it's all about practise, I think.

Still, it's nice to have the 28 for those occasions when I
really need it.

> - 100k is enough! I don't want to even think about a 200
> anytime soon!
Hats
> off to the urc'ers that are doing them!

If you can do 100 at that pace, you'll manage a 200 easily -
as long as you slow down and conserve your energy, and make
sure you eat, drink and rest properly.

d.

 

[Martinm]

"Simonb" <[email protected]> wrote in message news:<[email protected]>...
> Richard Goodman wrote:
> > Did my first audax today, 105k in not much over 4hrs,
> > which I suppose wasn't too bad, although towards the end
> > I was fading! Things I learnt:
> >
> > - things which don't seem uncomfortable in 40 minute
> > commutes, can get very uncomfortable after a few hard
> > hours in the saddle (like packing my camelback to the
> > gills with 'may be useful' bits and pieces which
> > quickly add up to a lot of weight on the shoulders)
> > - those electrolytic energy powders that you can mix
> > with water really do have a whole lot more zip than
> > plain water or even fruit juice - my close ratio 11-21
> > cassette, which is fine around the places I go in
> > London, doesn't really get me low enough for lumpy
> > bits in the countryside. And I'm not fit even for
> > modest little lumpy bits (it was an officially 'flat'
> > course), despite the fact that I was 'faster' up them
> > than most of the peleton (where were they anyway?). -
> > despite the above, it was satisfying find myself able
> > to keep up 30kph+ much of the time, including up
> > slight inclines.
> > - 100k is enough! I don't want to even think about a 200
> > anytime soon! Hats off to the urc'ers that are doing
> > them!
>
> 200 is not a great deal more difficult than 100 -- so long
> as you don't go mad. Saturdays are better than Sundays as
> you get more time to recover before work. At the mo, with
> 2 young kids, 300 is my limit.

I would go along with that, I'm completely wiped out after
the 400, glad I'm not doing another one for a year. I would
do a few more 100's before you go for a 200, perhaps get a
few 100's this year than think about 2's next year. There
are a few 150's as well.

 

[MSeries]

Originally posted by Msa
In article <[email protected]>,
[email protected] says...

>
> [*] Military term for kilometres
>
>

I've always called k's clicks but never knew where the term
came from. Thanks for that! Any idea of the full story
behind it?

--
Mark (MSA) This post is packaged by intellectual weight, not
volume. Some settling of contents may have occurred during
transmission

No idea, my cycling mate who is in the RAF always calls them clicks, thats where I got it from.

 

[MSeries]

Originally posted by Davek
MSeries:
> Instead I just go out and ride 200 clicks[*] on my own -
> like today. Carlisle to home, 9 hours and 50 minutes
> including stops.

That's about the same pace I did my first 200 a few weeks
ago - shame I'm right down the other end of the country or
I'd happily 'show you the ropes' (aka help each other to
interpret the route sheet and not get lost...)

d.

Thanks for the offer. Its not so much the practicalities of the event, more a motivational thing. I would be more comfortable too if I know the route beforehand so I can study it on my maps. If I was to do an Audax I would almost certainly have to drive to the start and home afterwards. I rarely do this, I prefer to ride from or to home, usually from and back to home. So I just need a mate to talk me into doing something different, my incentive will be to have some company during the ride, otherwise I feel I might as well do what I did this weekend, that is get a train 200km away and ride home - alone.

 

[Simonb]

MartinM wrote:

> I would go along with that, I'm completely wiped out
> after the 400, glad I'm not doing another one for a year.
> I would do a few more 100's before you go for a 200,
> perhaps get a few 100's this year than think about 2's
> next year. There are a few 150's as well.

How was the 400? I found that I hadn't shaken off the
shingles I had about 2 weeks ago, so didn't enter (again).

Hope you enjoyed it -- despite the extreme knackeration.

 

[Arthur Clune]

davek <[email protected]> wrote:
: avoid using either the 24 or the 28 and find that these
: days I can manage most small hills with the 21 (with a 42
: chainring) - it's all about practise, I think.

Those are big gears. Most people road race these days
on 39x23 or 39x25. Though you don't tend to use the
little gears (or indeed the little ring!) that often in
a road race.

I suggest a minium 39x26 bottom gear for Audax (assuming a
double and lack of cash/wish to change that). 39x28 would be
better for longer events for most people.

Arthur

--
Arthur Clune http://www.clune.org "Technolibertarians make a
philosophy out of a personality defect"
- Paulina Borsook

 

[Simonb]

davek wrote:

> You shouldn't very often need lower than 21, as long as
> you are prepared to ride at a slower pace overall and save
> your energy for the tougher bits.

No hills round your way? I use 39x27 for the hilly ones.

 

[Simonb]

MSeries wrote:

> I would be more comfortable too if I know the route
> beforehand so I can study it on my maps.

This is the case with Audaxes: you enter and they send you a
route sheet.

> If I was to do an Audax I would almost certainly have to
> drive to the start and home afterwards.

Why not get the train? There are loads of Audaxes each
weekend -- you'll often find they start in or near a
railway station.

 

[Arthur Clune]

Simonb <[email protected]> wrote:

: No hills round your way? I use 39x27 for the hilly ones.

You want to ride the Dales Grimpeur mate Then you'll want
lower still.

I did it one year on 39x26 but there was a lot of zig-
zagging involved. 34x26 this year was a lot better.

Arthur (back on 38x23)

--
Arthur Clune http://www.clune.org "Technolibertarians make a
philosophy out of a personality defect"
- Paulina Borsook

 

[wheelsgoround]

Originally posted by MSeries
Its not so much the practicalities of the event, more a motivational thing. I would be more comfortable too if I know the route beforehand so I can study it on my maps. If I was to do an Audax I would almost certainly have to drive to the start and home afterwards. I rarely do this, I prefer to ride from or to home, usually from and back to home. So I just need a mate to talk me into doing something different, my incentive will be to have some company during the ride, otherwise I feel I might as well do what I did this weekend, that is get a train 200km away and ride home - alone.

Mseries, ignore my previous patronising comments; I understand what you are saying now. I must confess to driving to/from events unless they are less than about 30k away, in which case I ride. I would like to use the train more but the thought of negotiating Britain's rail system at the end of a long ride isn't terribly appealing. Also having some company on the ride makes the whole thing more enjoyable. I travel to events on my own but have always found people to ride round with.

Ian

 

[Johnb]

Simonb wrote:
>
> MSeries wrote:

> > If I was to do an Audax I would almost certainly have to
> > drive to the start and home afterwards.
>
> Why not get the train? There are loads of Audaxes each
> weekend -- you'll often find they start in or near a
> railway station.

I'd ride more if the starts were more convenient for train
times. Quite often the start time is before the first train
leaves home, especially for Sunday events :-(

John B