# First Audax



## Ergates (18 Oct 2010)

I've been commuting in for a few months now (34mile round trip) and am now thinking of taking part in the odd longer distance event for a bit of fun.

I'm considering the Alfreton 110k "To the Races" as a starter as it's: not too long, reasonably close (I live near Wolverhampton), soonish.

I think my bike is pretty suitable (a Crois de Fer with panniers and mudguards)- the only thing that does worry me a little about it is the seat. It's fine for a 17 mile commute, but a 68 mile. Are the any suggested/recomended/generally well regarded seats? It's something I know nothing about and am finding it hard to find info on (searching for "seat" or "saddle" on here turns up pretty much everything *but* what I'm looking for).-------------------------

Also, any general suggestions for a beginner. I'm guessing it'll all be pretty straight forward - turn up, ride for a bit, go home. Is that a fair assessment? (I'm assuming they generally finish at the same place they start from??)


----------



## Peter10 (18 Oct 2010)

I think a lot will recommend a Brooks saddle, which are apparently the best. I've never had one so I can't comment but I am tempted to get one myself off the reviews from people here. I wonder the same about my saddle at times. The longest ride I've been on it is 25 miles and I had no aches or pains, but to do more than double could be an issue.


----------



## rusty bearing (18 Oct 2010)

Saddles are a very personal thing (as you might expect) I love my Selle Pro Link but I think that a good pad in the shorts/longs is equally important as is getting one backside used to being in the saddle for long periods. Try a 40 mile then a 50 first, see how it feels.


----------



## jimboalee (19 Oct 2010)

rusty bearing said:


> Saddles are a very personal thing (as you might expect) I love my Selle Pro Link but I think that a *good pad in the shorts*/longs is equally important as is getting one backside used to being in the saddle for long periods. Try a 40 mile then a 50 first, see how it feels.



True. I wear Lusso ProGel and ride on a variety of saddles with no problems.


----------



## Greenbank (19 Oct 2010)

Your bike setup sounds fine, don't bother worrying about it, just try it on a long ride. If you can do a 34 mile round trip on it it'll almost certainly be fine on a 100km Audax.



Ergates said:


> Also, any general suggestions for a beginner. I'm guessing it'll all be pretty straight forward - turn up, ride for a bit, go home. Is that a fair assessment? (I'm assuming they generally finish at the same place they start from??)



Yep, that's it. Turn up at least half an hour before the start and try and get chatting to some of the others there. Almost all Audaxes finish where they start (if they don't it would have said). Once you enter you'll get a copy of a routesheet sent to you so you'll have an idea where it goes.


----------



## jimboalee (19 Oct 2010)

The shop who supplied the bike probably set the saddle so it is dead level. You are not going to be racing so tip the saddle's nose up one notch on the microjust. This makes your sitbones rest more even for holding the handlebars on the hoods and tops.


----------



## ColinJ (19 Oct 2010)

jimboalee said:


> The shop who supplied the bike probably set the saddle so it is dead level. You are not going to be racing so tip the saddle's nose up one notch on the microjust. This makes your sitbones rest more even for holding the handlebars on the hoods and tops.


And when you get tired of having numb genitals, tip it back to level, and then one more notch until it is pointing _down_ ever-so-slightly!   

Actually, _don't_! Experiment and find whatever is best for_ you_. Just as type of saddle is an individual choice, so is adjustment of that saddle.

Jimbo obviously finds the nose up position comfortable for him but I couldn't ride more than 1 mile with my saddle like that. I rode 6 miles with a _level_ saddle once and I was so numb that you could have castrated me without an anaesthetic and I wouldn't have felt it!  

Apart from anything else, what does _'dead level'_ actually mean? The old Fizik Arione saddles on my road bike do not have flat tops. If you lay a straight edge from front to back of one of those saddles, you can see daylight between it and the middle of the saddle. I have my saddles set so the front section is level, but that means the rear section which I sit on is slightly elevated. I find that very comfortable. 

Admittedly, if a saddle points down more than a little, you will tend to slide forward which causes friction on the undercarriage and pressure on the arms and shoulders.

Try a saddle that is found to be comfortable by a large number of people, start off with it in the centre its rails and 'level'. If that is comfortable - good, if not, try moving it forwards or backwards slightly. If you find yourself getting frontal genital numbing, tilt it down just a smidge. In my case, just one notch makes the difference between numb and comfortable. 

And yes - the shorts make a big difference. I have one pair that I only use on rides up to 25 miles in length because any more than that and I start to suffer. Again, listen to the crowd, but be prepared to go your own way.


----------



## jimboalee (19 Oct 2010)

This is me in confusion. There is a guy on another thread who is thinking about a Felt F5 race bike but doesn't want the 'aggressive' leant forward position.
I type my responses on MS Word and then paste, so it went on the wrong thread.
The optimum angle for the lumbar vertebrae is 45 degs to the saddle top surface. If that guy sits up more with a steeper lumbar angle, his pelvis is going to be rolling back on the saddle, so tip the saddle nose up to get the centre section up to his perineum.

In the old days, touring saddles were sprung. They were set up level, but when the rider sat on them in an upright body position, the compression of the springs let the rear of the saddle drop, resulting in the same effect. My BSA works that way. So does my gent's upright. 
For someone who is intending to ride upright and has a rigid rail saddle, create the effect before sitting on the saddle.


----------



## Panoramix (19 Oct 2010)

Ergates said:


> I've been commuting in for a few months now (34mile round trip) and am now thinking of taking part in the odd longer distance event for a bit of fun.
> 
> I'm considering the Alfreton 110k "To the Races" as a starter as it's: not too long, reasonably close (I live near Wolverhampton), soonish.
> 
> ...



If you commute 17 miles, you will find a 100km easy. Just set off at slightly slower pace than you would normally and you will get to the end. Don't tweak your bike before your ride, the chances are that this may yield unexpected consequences which could ruin your ride. 17miles is long enough to force you to setup your bike properly. If after the 100km ride you find stuff that is not to your liking, fair enough, tweak it but considering you are doing a long commute, I don't think that you will find out anything but minor niggles. 

Don't forget that audax are not signposted, this is probably going to be your biggest worry on the day. 

Be careful not to stuff your panniers with too much kit. On a 100, panniers are overkill, IMO only a tandem on a 1000+ ride could justify 2 panniers. If you don't have a rackbag, just take one pannier bag but don't fill it.

And be warned, audax is highly addictive!


----------



## ACS (19 Oct 2010)

As a novice I can only echo the advice above. Based on my own mistakes, I would suggest you spend some time studying the route before hand. Use Google maps to look at the route , get a mental picture of where you are going and make a note of landmarks that you can use to reassure yourself you are on route.
When you sign on make sure you tell the organiser it is your first event, its not a secret. I was made most welcome an experienced rider even volunteered to 'show me the rope's' I was given a round of applause when I got back the start point and they even saved me a bit of cake. 

Some mistakes I have made;

Forgot to reset my computer to kms before the event, useful if the route distances are given in Km's
Forgot to reset my computer back to zero at the start of an event.
Got on the back of a group, got dropped on the first hill. Lost because I was not paying attention to the route sheet and I did not perpare before hand.
Missed a turn (easy to do) = Lost. Then discovered I had left my back up map in the car (again lack of preparation.) 
Take a pen that works, needed to note control information on your card.
Don't assume that the rider in front of you knows where he is going.

If you spend a little time preparing in advance I can assure you, you will have great experience which will ruin your life, empty your bank account and make you a full member of the not so secret world of Audax.
<edit> Food I forgot tlo mention food. Take a couple of high energy bars, just as precaution, if you have them you won't need them, forget them and you will</edit>


----------



## longers (19 Oct 2010)

To the good advice already given I'd recommend that getting up out of the saddle every so often might help keep you comfier with it being further than you've been before. I've been caught out on flatter rides on what were/are comfy saddles by being sat down too long in one stretch.

Your assessment is close to how they seem to work from the little I've seen but there's sometimes chat and food along the way.


----------



## Ergates (19 Oct 2010)

Thanks all.

I'll pop over to one of my local LBSs over the next couple of weekends to get my butt measured. I'm guessing the result will be "Pert yet manly", but it's always nice to have an official ruling.

One of my best tricks is to set of assuming I know which way to go, then finding out I don't - so some extra time spent studying the route sounds like a good idea too.


----------



## Banjo (19 Oct 2010)

ColinJ said:


> And when you get tired of having numb genitals, tip it back to level, and then one more notch until it is pointing _down_ ever-so-slightly!
> 
> Actually, _don't_! Experiment and find whatever is best for_ you_. Just as type of saddle is an individual choice, so is adjustment of that saddle.
> 
> ...



The saddle on my scott speedster was giving me numb genitals unless I tilted it nose down slightly then I had sore wristsand arms from the weight shifting forward.

Changed the saddle for a Ritchey Bio saddle with a slot cut out of the middle. Dont suffer any numbness now and have the nose very slightly raised so very little weight on hands and arms.Bike is a much more comfortable ride now. 

PS to the OP sorry about thread drift and good luck on the audax.


----------



## Ergates (19 Oct 2010)

That's not thread drift at all - I'm looking for saddle advice too.


----------



## jimboalee (20 Oct 2010)

If your daily commute goes up Doulton Road or Waterfall Lane, or the wonderful Highbridge Road to Netherton, the 100 AUK won't be too bad. On the other hand, if your commute is in the flatlands that are Codsall, a 100 km from Alfreton might come as a bit of a shock. 

In preparation for this ride, I'd suggest a nice little trip to Bridgnorth, Cleobury Mortimer, round and up Titterstone Clee. Then ride home through Bewdley, Kiddy and Stourbridge.


----------

