Entered my First Audax - now what???

[Fubar]

You've got a garmin? then it's time to practice. For you next few rides, create a gpx file (tons of sites let you do that) and load it into your garmin, then follow it. You'll work it out in few rides. Ask questions here if you can't.

I use a gpx for all my audaxes and it works fine. I like to have the route sheets handy as well, so they are clipped to my top bar bag. Before leaving each control, I check to remind myself how far to the next one, and where/what it is. I've also highlighted them on the routesheet before I laminate.

Good shout, tried it once and it didn't work so I went back to my errant ways. Wasn't doing an Audax then though, just following my nose...

 

[Fubar]

http://www.aukweb.net/events/detail/15-22/ Sunset 19.22, time limit 21.20. You could be riding for more than an hour in the dark. Looking at the routesheet, there aren't many turns in the last 50km, so you probably won't need a head torch, even if you are using route sheet.

Aiming for around the 10 hour mark, though mechanicals might come into play. I'll put the organisers phone number into my mobile just in case mind.

 

[DCLane]

I use laminated route cards which are fitted to an A6 clipboard, cable-tied to the stem. It's worked for 200's through to the PBP last week.

Carry basic spares/tools in a saddlebag. I use a tri-bag on the top tube for food/bits but some use bar bags.

Organiser details are usually on the brevet card - don't lose it.

 

[mcshroom]

Don't be surprised if you take longer than your 10 hours, it's amazing how much time you (or at least I) seem to spend not moving, even when cutting the control times down.

Don't worry too much about route finding. Usually it's not that difficult to work out. I now tend to just follow the purple line on a Garmin as I'm lazy, but before I carried a route sheet and a printed out map with the route on.

To make the map I used Mapyx Quo, which is a free download, and the 1:250k roadmap is also free. Stick the GPX track on the map, fade the line a bit so the map can be seen below the track and print off.

Remember to enjoy yourself

 

[martint235]

Aiming for around the 10 hour mark, though mechanicals might come into play. I'll put the organisers phone number into my mobile just in case mind.

You should always do that anyway. If for whatever reason, you decide to bail you should let the organiser know so they don't keep controls open (or in cases of extreme friendliness come looking for you)

 

[Pale Rider]

Take a torch/bike light you can detach from the bike.

You will be glad of it if you have a mechanical, for looking into the black hole that is a pannier bag in the dark, route finding - you may need to jump off the bike to check an unlit signpost, or just for making sure you don't fall off a cliff when you stop for a pee.

You might also need to read something unlit for one of the proofs of passage.

 

[martint235]

Also here's a useful guide to routing with an Etrex by our own @arallsopp . It got me to Edinburgh and back.

UPDATE:Now with the link actually added.

 

[Fubar]

I use laminated route cards which are fitted to an A6 clipboard, cable-tied to the stem. It's worked for 200's through to the PBP last week.

Carry basic spares/tools in a saddlebag. I use a tri-bag on the top tube for food/bits but some use bar bags.

Organiser details are usually on the brevet card - don't lose it.

Top advice.

 

[Fubar]

Don't be surprised if you take longer than your 10 hours, it's amazing how much time you (or at least I) seem to spend not moving, even when cutting the control times down.

Don't worry too much about route finding. Usually it's not that difficult to work out. I now tend to just follow the purple line on a Garmin as I'm lazy, but before I carried a route sheet and a printed out map with the route on.

To make the map I used Mapyx Quo, which is a free download, and the 1:250k roadmap is also free. Stick the GPX track on the map, fade the line a bit so the map can be seen below the track and print off.

Remember to enjoy yourself

Might be the hardest part!

 

[Fubar]

Thanks for the advice so far, lots to remember but seems mostly like common sense - look at the route, remember to take stuff and don't lose anything/yourself.

Getting the same excited/sicky feeling as my first sportive, worried about minimum speeds, lumpy bits, mechanicals, etc - I'm supposed to be an experienced cyclists FFS!

Now thinking whether I could fit in a long run this weekend, to get some miles in my legs...

 

[Pale Rider]

Has anyone mentioned a cafe lock for when you go into a control?

Some incidents of bikes being stolen in these circumstances.

You may be asked to take off your cleated shoes before going in to preserve the control's floor.

 

[Fubar]

Has anyone mentioned a cafe lock for when you go into a control?

Some incidents of bikes being stolen in these circumstances.

You may be asked to take off your cleated shoes before going in to preserve the control's floor.

They haven't, but it was in my mind to take one - another advantage of the winter bike is recessed cleats.

 

[Pale Rider]

They haven't, but it was in my mind to take one - another advantage of the winter bike is recessed cleats.

In the days before clipless, an old solution was to tie the bike to another one using a toe strap.

Not secure, of course, but enough to stop a fast grab attempt.

 

[Fubar]

Another question: do people (that do not previously know each other) ride together or is there an unspoken understanding that we will all do our own thing? So for instance in a sportive once the nosebleeds are off the front you can generally settle into a pace with other similar types, maybe having a chat along the way - break up at the stops, settle down and pace someone else at the same speed as yourself.

I imagine audax riders to be friendly types, but would I be breaking some unwritten constitution by cycling alongside some kindly gent or chatty lady for a bit and following their lead? Always assuming they are actually riding the same Aux as me, obviously...

 

[ianrauk]

Some like company, some don't. Spark up a conversation and see how it goes.