Discussion
I need some more motivation to get out on the bike. I used to do an occasional Sportive, but am looking at doing a few Audax events. Other than the checkpoints and following navigation, rather than following a signposted route,they look pretty much the same other than being over longer distances.
Any Audax riders here?
Any Audax riders here?
I do a few audax throughout the year, they're essentially as you've described. Turn-by-turn paper routesheet and a GPX file for the modern rider, controls to ensure you've actually followed the route and not cut corners (things like noting a particular distance on a road sign) and then a stamp on your card at a cafe at mid-point.
And cake, there's always cake at the finish. Sheffield CTC excels at the cake selection, minimum of 5 different types!
And cake, there's always cake at the finish. Sheffield CTC excels at the cake selection, minimum of 5 different types!
I joke with a colleague who does a couple a year about it being the weirdy beardy world of Audax, and that I'm not old enough yet, but I'm gaining interest.
As I work hard to negotiate time away from the family to compete in a proper long distance event, like Gruffy last year, I am going to increasingly spend more time within the Audax world.
Everything I've read and talked about so far sounds pretty good, with a sense of community and helping others that it's simply not possible to get in the Sportive world.
Not sure that I'm keen on growing a beard and buying a touring bike yet though.
As I work hard to negotiate time away from the family to compete in a proper long distance event, like Gruffy last year, I am going to increasingly spend more time within the Audax world.
Everything I've read and talked about so far sounds pretty good, with a sense of community and helping others that it's simply not possible to get in the Sportive world.
Not sure that I'm keen on growing a beard and buying a touring bike yet though.
I dipped a toe last year and wrote an audax blog entry about it.
The routes are typically great and it does away with a lot of the nonsense that comes with sportives. I've still not fallen in love with the need to get a card stamped, the 'information controls' ("what did it say on x signpost" etc) and the hoop-jumping around awards qualifications, but if you dodge all of that you still get a well thought-out route with good food options and no pretentiousness.
I'm still filling my calendar but I'll be riding London-Wales-London (unofficially) at the end of April and London-Edinburgh-London (officially) at the end of July. I may also be riding the Heart of England 300km over Easter, depending on family commitments. I'm sure there'll be others too.
The routes are typically great and it does away with a lot of the nonsense that comes with sportives. I've still not fallen in love with the need to get a card stamped, the 'information controls' ("what did it say on x signpost" etc) and the hoop-jumping around awards qualifications, but if you dodge all of that you still get a well thought-out route with good food options and no pretentiousness.
I'm still filling my calendar but I'll be riding London-Wales-London (unofficially) at the end of April and London-Edinburgh-London (officially) at the end of July. I may also be riding the Heart of England 300km over Easter, depending on family commitments. I'm sure there'll be others too.
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