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I am keen to do 200km audax soon. Unfortunately there are no convenient calendar events (jealous of the snow roaders!) so I would do a DIY event. Anyone interested in joining me?
My preferred dates are 22nd/23rd June, followed by 15/16 June. As for the route, well I am very open to ideas. One option is an extended St Abbs route, or we could venture north of the bridge - or even venture west.
Have you seen last years Snow Roads on the Adventure Show? I watched it again lastnight. Dougie Vipond falls appart slowly over the course ;0)
Amir, You can ride the Erit Lass as a Perm, just pm Cyclops. The reverse The Saltire my also be available. If I'm free I could join you.
http://www.aukweb.net/perms/detail/MF01/
This is the Saltire 200 link. I should be free the 21st June. The week before is too soon after the Deeside Lass. I don't fancy the Erit Lass as I'll have ridden it in the 2nd 3rd of the Deeside Lass and I would like to do it later in the year.
You would certainly be welcome. It would be nice to do a new route - and, based on today's weather, to include an ice cream stop (BTW ice cream is not recommended as an energy food).
Yep - I saw the Adventure Show last year - hope you have a great ride!
There is also a 200 in the Yorkshire Moors
http://balancingontwowheels.blogspot.co.uk/2013/05/checking-out-ralph-cross-200km-audax.html?m=1
Which looks good.
Yes, I saw The Adventure Show (after I'd entered). I'm anticipating a similar experience...
My preferred dates are 22nd/23rd June
There's a choice of 100, 200 and 300k events that weekend, starting from Portmahomack (on the Cromarty Firth, in the Highlands).
I'm doing the Cromarty Cruise 200:
I thought about Portmahomack too but its a wee bit too far away as I'd have to take the family with me too if I went away for the weekend. Are you getting the train north and cycling to the event crowriver?
The Cromarty Cruise 200 does sound attractive but it's a long way to go....
Aye, train and bike. I'll be camping in the organiser's garden! I would have just crashed in the hall but it's not available on the Sunday night. Given I'm likely to be a 'full value' rider I'll have missed the train south by the time I finish...
Ach well it's a chance to check out how the Dawes performs as a light tourer: will fix a lightweight rack on the back to take panniers with camping gear, and a bar bag on the front to balance the load. All these bits will come off prior to the actual ride to rest in the tent. Carradice only for the event...
I've no doubt I'll have to do penance at some future date for taking the weekend away...
@amir: the 300 and 100 are on the second longest day of the year. Up north I doubt it will even get properly dark at night, so the 300 would be a twilight run in the wee small hours...
Oh, I did a DIY 200 yesterday, my modified 'easy' version of the Forth & Tay route. A really pleasant ride. My main problem was the sticky, humid heat: it was well over 20 degrees centigrade for most of the run after Dollar. Glad I was in shorts and a short sleeved jersey!
Despite prophesies of heavy rain and thuderstorms, and very threatening looking clouds, I seem to have dodged most of it. I only encountered some light drizzle in Ladybank, and some slightly heavier proper rain later on, after Kinross and again on the way home from Forth bridge. I did however ride through a few places that had clearly experienced a recent downpour shortly before I arrived. To be honest I could have done with some refreshing rain earlier on to cool me down a bit.
On the stretch between Ladybank and Kinross I really struggled despite the mostly flat terrain. I put this down to 'the bonk' at first but then realised when I stopped in Kinross my rear brake was internittently dragging on the rim, so the bike hardly moved when pushed by hand. Maybe the dodgy back roads had knocked my rim slightly out of true: anyhow a quick adjustment and suddenly I was going much faster!
Yeh I did wonder if you were out Audaxing when I saw you yesterday.
Regarding my earlier noted problem with the rear brake, it started happening again as I took the bike to store in the garage. So I checked it over thoroughly, couldn't find the issue, until I was cleaning the wheel rim and the rear wheel started moving from side to side with a clunk!
Further wiggling revealed nearly an inch of play! I worried if it was the hub coming to bits, but no. The cause? My QR skewer had somehow worked it's way loose. Three turns of the skewer nut and it was fine again, perfectly aligned.
I was taken aback to think I had ridden probably 60 or 70 km with a back wheel progressively working it's way loose! I'll certainly be checking the QR skewers very carefully indeed at controls on my next Audax ride (which will be A Fne Cowal at the start of June).
Apparently there may be a little snow on the SNOW ROADS Audax on Saturday??
;o)
I hope not...
I know it's pretty much all about the Audax in this thread but for those of us who do sportives, is anyone doing the Bethany this year on June 1st?
I suffered through it last year (the 100 miler) due to lack of early season training and fear the same might happen again with the recent weather we've had! It's a lovely route for the most part though. Like last year, I'll leave it till the last minute before committing to sign up, just to be sure I feel ready.
Sportive?? Whats that?? Is that like a Bling Audax? where you sleep in hotels instead of bus shelters and hedgerows?
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Strong winds and wintry weather are causing problems on some high level roads and causing some ferry services to be cancelled.
The Met Office has warned walkers and climbers to expect "very challenging" conditions in Scotland's hills and mountains.
Pictures from The Lecht and surrounding area.
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@ DaveC
No, it's where i get up at 4 or 5am and ride in the dark to the start of the sportive, ride over 100 miles and ride back home from it again.
I know you're being light-hearted but you actually illustrate the problem between the perception of sportive versus audax.
Sportives: Expensive; molly-coddled by the inclusion of organised feed stations; everyone relaxing in hotels from the night before, and ridden by shaved leg MAMILs.
Audax: Old-fashioned; clunky bikes with mandatory mudguards big old roll-up saddle bags or panniers; sitting at some random cafe for a break, and ridden by 60 year-old beardy types with questionable dress sense.
Now the truth, as I see it, is that much of that doesn't apply and much of the rest applies to both disciplines. As an example, I know that mudguards are no longer mandatory in audax but the image still persists. And interesting to note that audax is to harness sportive popularity so part of the difference is set to blur.
I can admit to feeling the need to be more educated as to what modern audax is. I like the organised feeling of a sportive and knowing there is mechanical back-up and a broom wagon should I ever need them. Having to be self-sufficient on roads you don't know can be more daunting if you find yourself outside of a chain-gang, some distance from the nearest settlement or bike shop (if open).
The lower price certainly appeals (and it's hard to have sportive facilities at audax prices, I understand that) and I might be willing to try a short audax to see what it's like before going for a longer length.
Both disciplines seem cliquey to those who haven't tried the other one so anything that can be done to dispel those views is to be welcomed.
Unfortunately I am away in Korea so can't do the Bethany sportive this year but I'd recommend it.
@ Focus,
I should try a Sportive but I'm happy and comfortable riding Audaxes and your right the difference in price is off putting for me. You're welcome to ride round an Audax with me to chat about the differences though. Amir is thinking of a DIY Audax on 15th June. I suggested the Saltire 200. Musselburgh - Duns - Innerleithen - North Berwick - Musselburgh. Start will be around 8 - 9am and should take around 12 hours including stops.
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SimonJFagan (@simonjfagan)
23/05/2013 21:52
#SnowRoads audax Saturday wall to wall sunshine forecast. May see snow though! Last min purchases overshoes, fingerless gloves, painkillers
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Thanks for the offer Dave :-)
I may or may not take you up on that one, depending how I feel after Bethany (or if I even do it!) and on my other commitments (which can get in the way at short notice). But if not, I'll know who to ask if they've got a suitable run planned.
I take it this is the route? It's a little longer than my usual sportive of 110-120 miles (around 180km) but with about twice as much time to do it! So my challenge could be my muscles tying up if I'm stopped for too long ;-)
Cheers :-)
Aye thats the fella! Its ~127miles?? You shouldn't have much to worry about, seizing up, we take it easy when we set off for 10mins until we have warmed up. I was told you can always manage roughly double your longest comfortable ride. I did a 400km 4 weeks after the Port Navigation 200km doubling my longest distance to date. Daily commutes to Embre really condision you for Audaxing. I was fine even on the Lang Wang 22 hours into it! You'll be fine! I'm sure.
Dreamed about the Snow Roads last night. This is not good. However DaveC's " you can always manage roughly double your longest comfortable ride" is a bit more encouraging... as is the weather forecast...
I am going to think about routes this weekend. I'd prefer not to do the Erit Lass / Saltire as this a regular calendar event.
My prefer weekend is 22/23 June rather than 15/16 as I am not cycling 1 June to 8 June. But I will go with the popular vote (currently consisting of DaveC and me!).
Well we could ride the Forth n Tay as a Perm after Fimm and I failed due to snowage? I will speak to Cyclops tomorrow about it.
Update, Forth N Tay isn't a perm. We could do it anyway as a DIY, I assume we're all Audax members? I have a few DIY cards spare so if you wanted to ride it as an Audax for the points, just let me know. I'll get a route sorted and we can submit to the Scotland Organiser Alex Patterson. I'm well versed in sorting out DIYs now.
Just wanted to wish good luck to all forumites riding the Snow Roads audax tomorrow -fimm and DaveC, if I recall.
Weather looks good and hopefully the snow will have cleared from the top of the Lecht!
I've riden all these climbs in recent years - but not all in one go. Beautiful part of the world. It's on my to-do-list, one day.
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