Ming the Merciless
There is no mercy
- Location
- Inside my skull
Difference between audax and sportives summed up
- Thread starter Ming the Merciless
- Start date
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I think you should look at a harder one to compare, https://www.tourclimbs.com/letape-du-tour-2010/
currystomper
Guru
- Location
- Fife
When does a race because an audax, well for what I've seen it's at 24 hours, the folks at the annual 24 time trial seem to come from both sports. Longer than they are mostly audaxer and lower than that its TT folk.
OP
OP
Ming the Merciless
There is no mercy
- Location
- Inside my skull
The Mersey roads isn’t an audax. It just counts for points for historic reasons.
OP
OP
Ming the Merciless
There is no mercy
- Location
- Inside my skull
Spectacularly misses the point. It wasn’t so much the relative difficulty but the titles given to these different types of British cycling events , given their difficulty 😂🤣
Tribansman
Veteran
I do prefer the much more understated and less competitive audaxes to sportives...but I'm not massively keen on either.
Generally prefer solo rides - my own pace, no awkward chat, my own targets.
Generally prefer solo rides - my own pace, no awkward chat, my own targets.
Thats almost true about missing the point, why not compare two hard ones. When i organised audaxes it was best to give it a simple title and keep quiet about the climbing as you would have fewer entries if they knew the route.
No doubt someone on a Sportive forum will be comparing the Fred Witton to Bernies flat one 600km . Most sportives i have done have a cut off.
On the Gap to Alpe d'Huez etape du tour watched one english rider rolled in after the time limit , barriers, finish sign and transponder gear were all away. Only the info kiosk was open , he asked the girl for a medal and she just said no. Pointed to her watch and pulled down the shutter.
No doubt someone on a Sportive forum will be comparing the Fred Witton to Bernies flat one 600km . Most sportives i have done have a cut off.
On the Gap to Alpe d'Huez etape du tour watched one english rider rolled in after the time limit , barriers, finish sign and transponder gear were all away. Only the info kiosk was open , he asked the girl for a medal and she just said no. Pointed to her watch and pulled down the shutter.
I like Skol
A Minging Manc...
- Location
- Sunny Ashton-under-Lyne
I think you are missing the point (or maybe I am?). Sportives are neither a race or a competition.
I've done a few and the only targets in a 'Sportive' are your own. There may be cut offs (everyone wants to go home at some point) but the main emphasis is about completing the route at a 'reasonable' pace and enjoying the ride (which I have always done). You may want to set a personal time or AVE pace, but there are no prizes or incentives to be the fastest or finish first.
Dogtrousers
Kilometre nibbler
I've a fair few of both. Not as many as some, but more than others.
I ride both in the same trundly way and enjoy both. I'm sure there are people up at the "sharp end" of both riding very fast. I don't know, I'll never find out, and I don't much care. There's not really a great deal between them. Sportives tend to cost more. Audaxes have more in the way of annoying questions like "what is the name of the cat who lives at number 43". Sportives tend to go for hyperbole in naming, Audaxes for understated names and puns. You pays your money and you takes your choice.
No not that cat. That's Tiddles who lives at 43A.
I ride both in the same trundly way and enjoy both. I'm sure there are people up at the "sharp end" of both riding very fast. I don't know, I'll never find out, and I don't much care. There's not really a great deal between them. Sportives tend to cost more. Audaxes have more in the way of annoying questions like "what is the name of the cat who lives at number 43". Sportives tend to go for hyperbole in naming, Audaxes for understated names and puns. You pays your money and you takes your choice.
No not that cat. That's Tiddles who lives at 43A.
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bobzmyunkle
Über Member
The decisive factor for me - tightwad.
Surely the main difference is the number of fat middle aged all the gear and no idea types who think there's a chance of getting headhunted for Ineos. Much more annoying than the cat at 43. (I must be clear - there are very nice people riding sportives also).
Dogtrousers
Kilometre nibbler
If you want to make generalisations then, in my experience, the most applicable one I've found is that in sportives it's typically "people who like riding bikes", whereas in audaxes it's ... er ... "people who like riding bikes".
BrumJim
Forum Stalwart (won't take the hint and leave...)
- Location
- Selly Oak, Birmingham
I've done the Kidderminster Killer, which is an Audax with a bit of hype, but understand your point.
This is really reinforced at the finish. I've done Sportives where there are people actually on the finish line welcoming you back, telling you how marvelously you have done and what a hero you are. And then presenting you with a medal. Audax? Just a quick word of congratulations, before someone tries to persuade you that 200k / 400k / 600k / PBP or LEL is well within your capability.
This is really reinforced at the finish. I've done Sportives where there are people actually on the finish line welcoming you back, telling you how marvelously you have done and what a hero you are. And then presenting you with a medal. Audax? Just a quick word of congratulations, before someone tries to persuade you that 200k / 400k / 600k / PBP or LEL is well within your capability.
FishFright
More wheels than sense
If you want to make generalisations then, in my experience, the most applicable one I've found is that in sportives it's typically "people who like riding bikes", whereas in audaxes it's ... er ... "people who like riding bikes".
And never the twain shall meet
Tribansman
Veteran
By competitive i meant my experience in the sportives I've done is a lot of people wanting to finish fastest, beat their mates, engaged in an arms race in terms of tech and bling on their bikes. They feel competitive. Obviously not applicable to all but that's been my impression and experience.
As said, I prefer riding on my own than in organised events where I don't have to make awkward chit chat or field questions about how many KOMs I have or why I still use panniers.
Ajax Bay
Guru
- Location
- East Devon
But you enjoyed riding LEL, right; or was that someone else? What items of equipment did you use or carry that a rider on a 400km soportive would have rolled their eyes at? Would sucking a few wheels have helped you out there?
