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CityCyclingEdinburgh was launched on the 27th of October 2009 as "an experiment".

IT’S TRUE!
CCE is 15years old!
Well done to ALL posters


It soon became useful and entertaining. There are regular posters, people who add useful info occasionally and plenty more who drop by to watch. That's fine. If you want to add news/comments it's easy to register and become a member.

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CityCyclingEdinburgh Forum » Events, rides etc.

1. Dave
   Member

   Many of you will be surprised if not outright nonplussed to learn that this is a Paris-Brest-Paris year!

   This quadrennial 1200km nonstop festival of pain is widely regarded as the pinnacle of Earth-based amateur cycling, a fact which is probably about as relevant to most readers as the knowledge that today is National Pharmacist day in the USA.

   However, what it does mean is that rather a lot of more accessible audax rides have been laid on as qualifiers over the next few months. The Tour of East Lothian populaire (100k) has already had some mention here, but I wonder how much interest there might be in attempting one or two of the full qualifiers as a kind of DIY "epic" with a CCE posse?

   There are three rides out of Forfar on the 12-13th March, which are 150/100km (option) and 100km respectively. The 150km ride would be a nice step up for anyone who'd tackled their metric century and wanted an imperial one (with a modest detour at the end to bring it up to 160k.) Hopefully I'll be going up with my better half and we could concievably offer a lift to a couple of likely souls.

   I'm also down to ride a couple of 200km (130 mile) rides that start right here in the burgh - one on the 6th February that loops around the Forth via Perth, one on the 6th March that is a tour of the hilly bits around Borders reservoirs like Talla and St. Mary's Loch. These are a bit more 'epic' but I did start out on this business by just turning up to ride a 200km on little prior experience, so it's quite possible.

   Any thoughts? Audax rides prominently feature coffee and cake (or even beer!) stops so might appeal well to the forum mindset...

   Posted 13 years ago #

2. LaidBack
   Member

   ...how long are you prepared to hang around while I finish? ;-)

   Could be a interested but think I'd have to do some more training runs.

   Posted 13 years ago #

3. Dave
   Member

   I need to finish within time to qualify on the 200s. But for the 100/150 it doesn't matter.

   10mph for 62.5 miles isn't as fast as our round the Forth trip, I don't think. Ridden at 14mph you'd have almost half an hour to rest after each hour on the road, too. :)

   Posted 13 years ago #

4. kaputnik
   Moderator

   I'm also down to ride a couple of 200km (130 mile) rides that start right here in the burgh

   Is that the one that starts at Tesco Corstorphine? "Nippy Sweety" I think it's called. I was looking at that and was really tempted but couldn't make my mind up if I'd be ready for it by the 6th. The Tour of East Lothian is going to be my first "big" ride since November and was going to be my introduction to and warm up for Audaxes.

   However I am definitely keen to do some this year, I'm a bit put off the "charity sportive" circuit, I don't begrudge the higher entry fees for charity, but they hound and hound you for more and more sponsorship and unfortunately once I've put the cap round my friends, family and colleagues once for a bike ride, they're not going to cough up again for another of the same a month later.

   So, yes, put me down for some things around the 100 mile mark. Always useful to have company on longer rides, I pretty much did the Trossachs Ton and Xborder100 on my own which got a bit boring in places.

   Posted 13 years ago #

5. Dave
   Member

   The Nippy Sweetie indeed. I did this ride at the end of 2009 and it was my fastest 200k to date - not a bad introduction to audax at all (unfortunately it's the week before ToEL which is a bit cart before...)

   The ride map is (click for large):

   

   And the elevation (total climb 5100 feet) is:

   

   Posted 13 years ago #

6. Smudge
   Member

   Will see how I go on the Mussleburgh run.
   I had my first *proper* session on the turbo tonight, *ouch* I'm unfit :-/

   Posted 13 years ago #

7. Dave
   Member

   Have you seen http://www.thesufferfest.com/ ?

   I was a bit dubious but ended up grabbing The Hunted for a laugh really. Turns out it's amongst the best things I've bought this year... a well put together workout that you can really motivate yourself for.

   This time of year is supposed to be long slow rides, but in the end I figured that I'd get plenty of that on actual audaxes, and should spend my indoor snow and ice time doing hard efforts to contrast.

   Posted 13 years ago #

8. Smudge
   Member

   Interesting... I may have to have a look at those...

   Posted 13 years ago #

9. amir
   Member

   I have always been tempted by the Rosewell one , partly cos it starts close to home. But it is early in the year. I'll see how I get on in the ToEL.

   The Galashiels audaxes on 27 March may be more realistic for me as my wife is away!

   One thing that I don't like about audaxing is the navigating. Normally I love this, but not on a bike for some reason. I just like to get on with it and not worry.

   Posted 13 years ago #

10. chdot
    Admin

    "One thing that I don't like about audaxing is the navigating."

    Pre-loaded GPS device?

    Posted 13 years ago #

11. amir
    Member

    Yes I have a GPS device. But you do have to set it up and then pay attention to it. One of the good things about sportives is the signing; though this is not always failsafe - I remember taking a wrong turn on the Drumlanrig event a few years ago (along with nearly everyone else).

    Posted 13 years ago #

12. kaputnik
    Moderator

    One thing that I don't like about audaxing is the navigating

    I'm liking the idea of it even more :)

    Posted 13 years ago #

13. amir
    Member

    
    I'm liking the idea of it even more :)

    Well I guess the best strategy for folk like me is to follow someone like you

    Posted 13 years ago #

14. chdot
    Admin

    "Well I guess the best strategy for folk like me is to follow someone like you"

    Be like rally driving - driver + navigator!

    Posted 13 years ago #

15. kaputnik
    Moderator

    Well I guess the best strategy for folk like me is to follow someone like you

    You assume that because I enjoy navigating by the direction the crows are flying and the position of the sun relative to the moon it means I'm any good at it :)

    Posted 13 years ago #

16. chdot
    Admin

    Must admit I hadn't really thought about navigating (for audaxes) had assumed it would be like the St. Andrews Ride where there was usually someone else in sight.

    Though these days with beeping GPS/phones it shouldn't be too much of a problem.

    Don't think I'm really up for megadistances.

    THOUGH

    I'm temped by this - http://southwarkcyclists.org.uk/content/dunwich-dynamo

    Both my children did it last year.

    Posted 13 years ago #

17. steveo
    Member

    Well I guess the best strategy for folk like me is to follow someone like you

    Tandem?

    Posted 13 years ago #

18. chdot
    Admin

    "Tandem?"

    Danger of back seat driving.

    Posted 13 years ago #

19. ravenbait
    Member

    There's always the Dumb Run, folks.

    Sam

    Posted 13 years ago #

20. chdot
    Admin

    Dumb Run V

    Saturday 18 June 2011, 8pm Dumbarton Castle, Dumbarton.

    Ride through the night to St Andrews.

    Posted 13 years ago #

21. DaveC
    Member

    I fancy the Gala Audax, the 100 that is. I've hear about one from Crossgates to Forfar return? Have i misherd this? as I don't see it on the Audax Calender

    Posted 13 years ago #

22. kaputnik
    Moderator

    I think I know what I'm doing on Saturday 18th - that looks awesome!

    Posted 13 years ago #

23. recombodna
    Member

    "I think I know what I'm doing on Saturday 18th - that looks awesome!"

    Yeah me too.

    Posted 13 years ago #

24. Dave
    Member

    In the UK, audaxes are "allure libre" which is pretentious-speak for "the route is only a recommendation".

    All you actually have to do is visit each control point within the allocated times. So, for example, the Nippy Sweetie mapped out above has a controls at Comrie, Stirling, then Edinburgh. Usually the provided route will be the best option but it's often possible to do an alternative (such as ride on the A72 side of the Tweed around Peebles instead of on the minor track on the other side).

    This is why you get strange controls like the top of Redstone Rigg on the TOEL. The restriction on visiting controls means that forces people to do the climb, even though it doesn't actually force them to ride on any given road.

    In fact, with the wisdom of hindsight as far as the road surface goes, I might turn around at the top next year and ride to Dunbar descending the ascent route. Longer but probably much quicker for me (I had to ride the brakes a lot coming off the moor).

    Posted 13 years ago #

25. kaputnik
    Moderator

    I really enjoyed my first Audax. Come to the realisation that for longer events my road bike is probably "too road" and my touring bike is probably "too touring" and I think I can do something inbetween as an audax bike by harvesting parts off of my old road bike combined with a second hand steel audax frame and another Brooks saddle. Secretly I'm just trying to justify myself a new bike without it actually being a "new bike" :)

    I didn't realise that the route was so flexible, although I never like riding out and back the same way if it can be avoided so didn't mind coming round the moor that way. Even if I shaved a few mm of rubber off the blocks.

    Certainly learned a few lessons and glad I did a "short one" first to see what it's all about. Looking forward to the challenge of the Rolf Harris Memorial and Mull it Over.

    Posted 13 years ago #

26. Smudge
    Member

    Was that your first audax?!? I assumed you were a hardened veteran being nice to the newb!!

    Posted 13 years ago #

27. amir
    Member

    Anyone up for one of the Galashiels audaxes on 27 March? I'd be happy to offer a lift (for bike short enough to go in my car), especially if this encourages me to do the 200km.

    Posted 13 years ago #

28. kaputnik
    Moderator

    @amir potentially!

    Posted 13 years ago #

29. ruggtomcat
    Member

    the 100 or the 200?

    Posted 13 years ago #

30. Dave
    Member

    I'm riding the Moffat Toffee on the 27th. Unfortunately my bike won't go inside anyone's car (unless the seats go down, which defeats the purpose).

    I'm not sure whether I'm going to have our car, or ride back up (!!). Part of the deal of my getting so much road time this year is that I won't ambush the car every weekend just so I can ride...

    Posted 13 years ago #

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