Online Entry

[Ian H]

Just to make it as easy as possible for riders to part with their money for something silly, I've set up online entry for all my events on www.ukcyclist.co.uk. Everything from 100km up. A brand new 300 should appear shortly.

 

[PpPete]

Just to make it as easy as possible for riders to part with their money for something silly, I've set up online entry for all my events on www.ukcyclist.co.uk. Everything from 100km up. A brand new 300 should appear shortly.

Well done Ian
The traditional AUK system with paper entry + 2 SAE's is IMHO a complete PITA and redolent of the "beard & sandals" image that AUK should be trying to shed.

 

[Greenbank]

Well done Ian
The traditional AUK system with paper entry + 2 SAE's is IMHO a complete PITA and redolent of the "beard & sandals" image that AUK should be trying to shed.

I welcome online entry, it certainly makes things easier and I hope more and more organisers adopt it, but it still makes me chuckle that printing off an entry form, filling it in, finding your chequebook and some envelopes[sup]1[/sup] and putting stamps on is somehow a real hardship compared to sitting on your bike and riding for something between 8 and 116 hours.

1. Top Tip: If you use your chequebook and C5 envelopes so infrequently then keep them together in a single 'Audax' file that is easy to find.

 

[chevin]

but it still makes me chuckle that printing off an entry form, filling it in, finding your chequebook and some envelopes[sup]1[/sup] and putting stamps on is somehow a real hardship compared to sitting on your bike and riding for something between 8 and 116 hours.

Maybe, but as a newbie coming from a sport where online entry has been standard for almost a decade, it's taken me a bit by surprise. Stamps? C5 envelopes? Chequebook? Never mind finding them, I'll have to go out and get some!

 

[Ian H]

Maybe, but as a newbie coming from a sport where online entry has been standard for almost a decade, it's taken me a bit by surprise. Stamps? C5 envelopes? Chequebook? Never mind finding them, I'll have to go out and get some!

Yeah but...audax is different, and lots of the best events are run by antediluvian technophobes who (it would seem) make entering their events as difficult as possible. It is worth the trouble to search out some hidden corners of cycling excellence.

 

[chevin]

Yeah but...audax is different, and lots of the best events are run by antediluvian technophobes who (it would seem) make entering their events as difficult as possible. It is worth the trouble to search out some hidden corners of cycling excellence.

Looking forward to finding those hidden corners!.

In the meantime, there are a number of sites who offer online event entry services - the one that my own (orienteering) club uses is one called Fabian4, who also do entries for various other sports.

Addendum: I've just spotted that these 'other sports' includes an audax event, the Welland Wonder! A pity that it's the opposite end of the country for me! I hope more take the service up - it's so much easier (for both participants and organisers).

 

[Greenbank]

In the meantime, there are a number of sites who offer online event entry services - the one that my own (orienteering) club uses is one called Fabian4, who also do entries for various other sports.

Most of this stems from the fact that Audax events are put on by the individual organisers, not by Audax UK.

It's not because a good system doesn't exist; Audax UK offers an online entry system on their website to any organiser who wants to accept entries that way (and get payments via paypal). As IanH says, not all organisers want to do this, many are 60+ and don't even own a computer. Online entry is on the increase as younger and more computer savvy organisers are taking over.

It would take a significant reorganisation of the club for it to be able to do everything centrally and online, plus it would mean a non-insignificant increase in fees as you move from lots of people keeping under the limits for 'non-business' users to having to pay for commercial services.

It ain't broke so why fix it. Audaxes run perfectly well with the numbers they attract, many simply wouldn't work at all if they attracted the hundreds of people that sportives do. I like the fact that I can do them and see many familiar faces, that's definitely part of what an Audax means to me.

 

[chevin]

It ain't broke so why fix it. Audaxes run perfectly well with the numbers they attract, many simply wouldn't work at all if they attracted the hundreds of people that sportives do. I like the fact that I can do them and see many familiar faces, that's definitely part of what an Audax means to me.

Makes them sound even more attractive. Hoping to do my first one in October (or to be completely accurate, my second, but the first one was over 10 years ago!)

 

[Philip Whiteman]

Just to make it as easy as possible for riders to part with their money for something silly, I've set up online entry for all my events on www.ukcyclist.co.uk. Everything from 100km up. A brand new 300 should appear shortly.

Great to see another online entry system available. My club has operated one for several years and most transactions are now electronic dispensing with the fag of dealing with SAEs. Even my perm is electronically available (in fact I have yet to receive a snail mail entry). All the stories from others that online entry is 'too difficult' is a load of old guff.

You never know, AUK may open their online system to all entrants -

....... ooops, was that a pig flying past my window?