There are no expensive fees, no headline sponsors, no goodie bags, no numbers, no gold standard times, no broom wagons and no pretending at the finish to have looked into the jaws of hell and survived.

The Autumn Audax is cycling at its best. It’s about a good distance in a day, riding at a sensible pace with good company, travelling through quiet and pleasant countryside in the orange glow of an autumn day before winter arrives.

The route for this event will change each year.  The 2017 Autumn Rivers audax circuits Herefordshire and Worcestershire crossing some wonderful English rivers, passing through tranquil English wooded countryside on route.   The route is lumpy for the first third with a few longish climbs but soon eases off after Ross-on-Wye.

Riders simply stop at the controls and collect evidence of proof of passages (an ATM, till or café receipt) and answer information questions shown in their brevet card – just to make sure that everyone’s ride can be validated as a true audax at the end of the day. Control points are located in towns where plenty of cafes and shops can be found. 

Dusk is a 7pm by which time, the majority of riders will have returned but it is always a great idea to carry lights just in case of delay.

• Picturesque scenery
• Quiet country lanes
• Open controls where proofs of passage can easily be obtained
• Plenty of cafes and shops available at control locations
• GPS downloads
• Comprehensive and tested route cards
• Shower and changing facilities
• Free parking
• Light refreshments at the start
• Post event food at HQ
• 2 Audax Altitude Award points for 2,000m of ascent
• On-the-day validation of successful audax rides