Audax or Sportives

[Bradders123]

Hi Guys,

Looking for an event and want to do a Sportive or an Audax. I quite fancy one that is geared towards racing with chip timings

So which is best an audax or a sportive?

Anyone know of any good ones over the winter months in the South?

Thanks

 

[Glover Fan]

If you want to race enter a race. Those are neither, but if you want to go in with that attitude enter a sportive i'm sure there are probably at least 10 similar minded people.

You won't get chip timings with an Audax as they don't measure individual times, they just have a time limit.

Audaxes require self navigation using a routesheet or in some cases with a GPS and have low entry fees, typically around a fiver with no feed stations, but controls which are usually cafes which obviously sell cakes etc at a price.

Sportives range from £20-50 and generally include feed stations, chip timings and plenty of other gimmicks. They are on open roads.

 

[YahudaMoon]

Maybe Glover Fan aint done a audax, I don't know ? Anyway despite what people say I can tell you that audax events do have feed stations (not all) depends on the organiser.

As for racers. Audax do compete in races. Audax started in the UK so people could qualify in Paris Brest Paris of what was the longest race in the world and still going strong. Then there is the York Arrow TT audax and the Mersey Roads 24 TT that audax competes in.

As for racing on a normal BR audax event try keeping up at the front and tell me its not a race lol.

Another myth is that audax aint competitive. Check out the audax web page and look under results over the years and you may have a idea of just how competitive it is and it has plenty of awards to go at

If you dont want to be cycling regularly and be a member of cycling clubs and dont want to compete do Sportives

Hope that helps

John

 

[ColinJ]

The fact is that audax rides have a maximum speed limit so they definitely are not races. Having said that, you might actually find it quite difficult to complete a hilly 200 in 6 hours 40 minutes ...

 

[YahudaMoon]

The fact is that audax rides have a maximum speed limit so they definitely are not races. Having said that, you might actually find it quite difficult to complete a hilly 200 in 6 hours 40 minutes ...

Lol ha ha. Find me people that can do a 200km on the flat in 6 1/2 hours never mind a 200km hill climb in 6 1/2 hours

 

[Banjo]

Hi Guys,

Looking for an event and want to do a Sportive or an Audax. I quite fancy one that is geared towards racing with chip timings

So which is best an audax or a sportive?

Anyone know of any good ones over the winter months in the South?

Thanks

If you want timing chips and a number on the bike you would be more likely to want to do sportives.

Audax is more relaxed (though some people do complete the courses in incredibly fast time) theres no chips or numbers no signage .There is usually not allways some food included in the very low entry cost. On a 200 I did there was food and drink at the start then at 2 places on the route plus more food back at the finish.Came back half a stone heavier

If you really want to race why not join a club? They usually have rides for different abilities so your bound to fit in somewhere. A lot of club racers do sportives as well.

To find a sportive have a look on the British Cycling website.

 

[Kestevan]

Audaxes are riden entirely by sandal wearing, middle aged men with beards. They all ride heavy steel touring bikes with full mudguards held together with string and tie-wraps . They constantly consult maps, and bang on about how hard they are.

Sportives are riden entirley by fat middle aged Sunday warriors with all the gear and no idea. They all like to think they're riding a stage on the Tour, and unless you're riding a cutting edge bike made from unicorn tears and dragon poo then they'll point and laugh.

PS - Non of the above is true.... although to listen to some of the comments from both sides you could easily believe that's how it is. The reality is rather different and there should be a place for both.

The typical Audax will be cheaper, probably (but not always) less populated, longer and you have limited backup and have to navigate yourself. If you want you can log the miles/points with Audax UK and get a selection of badges/certificates etc.

A sportive will cost more, will be individually timed. A broom wagon and/or mechanical backup will be available in case of problems. The main difference being that the sportive is signposted so you dont have to navigate/read maps. Many will give a certificate/rating based on completion time.

The two are not mutually exclusive, and plenty of riders will ride in both types of events.

 

[steve52]

those of us who are not fast enough to race , race others who are not fastenough to race , we are cyclists after all in gereral sportives are more expensive to enter, and seem to be more playfull than audax, this is only my experiance so far. but do em all ride with anyone i do

 

[Greenbank]

Lol ha ha. Find me people that can do a 200km on the flat in 6 1/2 hours never mind a 200km hill climb in 6 1/2 hours

They exist.

The first bunch of riders on LEL 2009 got to Thorne (320km) before the control had officially opened (so averaging 30kph including stops), in fact they got to Edinburgh (720km) in just over 24 hours.

Several very fast people (i.e. >450miles in a 24) do Audax.

 

[Philip Whiteman]

Hi Guys,

I quite fancy one that is geared towards racing with chip timings

So which is best an audax or a sportive?


Thanks

As Banjo suggest, if you want to race then you will need to join a cycling club as there is no other mechanism to race in the UK.

Racing licences are produced by the national governing bodies, British Cycling for road races or crits, or; Cycling Time Trials for time trials. BC require that licence holders must be a member of and race for a cycling club. CTT also state that you must be a club member. If you are aged over 40, then you can ride as a non-club member in LVRC events.

Sportives and audaxes in the UK are not races and not recognised as such. Any sportive or audax organisers foolish enough to promote and organise their event as a race would be breaching the Cycle Racing on Highways Regulations. Some sportive events organiser publish and rank finisher's times but these could be deemed to promoting the act of racing and therefore an illegal venture, although this is yet untested in the courts. Your personal insurance could be invalidated in such circumstances.

Sportives are not regulated and there is no mechanism of accrediting riders for their 'achievements'. In other words, unlike legal races organised by British Cycling, riders would not receive any recognition, ranking and category by a National Governing Body.

Audaxes are regulated by a national governing body, AudaxUK. But AudaxUK specifically forbid the rider's finishing times being ranked and published. Only successful completion lists are published. Audaxes are geared for endurance riders rather than racers. Riders do receive accreditation via a validation system for the achievements and can build up points for their achievements (e.g., the number of 200/300/400/800km etc, events ridden in a year; the overall amount amount of ascent completed in year; so on and so forth). But these are not road races in any sense of the word although people will complete for points on their achievements during a single year.

If you are interested in racing, then find a friendly and good club that nurtures new riders intent on racing. They should be able to provide you with the necessary coaching, cycle handling skills, physical training and morale support. At least that way, you will receive recognition for your venture and benefit from British Cycling's system of accredition. If you are intent on racing in sportives, your name will simply be one of many on an Excel spreadsheet - some of whom are 'racing' but most of whom are not.

However, if it is about obtaining a sense of achievement through the completion of a challenging ride then there are plenty of sportives or audaxes that should float your boat.

 

[wintonbina]

As stated above, its more of a personal achievement rather than a race. The sportive that I'm doing on Sunday is more about people having a fun day out ( & to win the random prizes they are giving out sunglasses, a brand new road bike etc) & free food stations! Now thats the hard part of a sportive....not to put on any weight .