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Audax tips and tricks?

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  • March 8, 2010 at 1:20 pm #12229
    austen

    I’ve signed up for my first audax, in fact my first properly long distance road ride, although I’ve done plenty of longish distance MTB rides/races.

    I’m happy with clothing, body and food, but what tips and tricks are going to make me an audax regular?

    Currently I’m going to get busy with the highlighters on the route sheets (list type with instructions and distances) to make reading them quick and easy (stolen from motorcycle rallies).

    I’m going to mark up some bits of OS map as a backup and as part of the route passes close to home I can calibrate my computer to match the course setter. Bike is fairly comfortable for 3-4hr rides and has mudguards, so I assume will be bearable for a longer outing (how long is 215km going to take?).

    I think I’m going to need some way of quickly getting at the route sheet so a map holder could be a good idea, I’ll also need to carry a few bits and bobs of food and clothing, so maybe thinking about a bar bag although worried about a clash with bar mounted light etc. Any recommendations for either of these?

    What else is going to make this long hellish day of pedalling a joy?

    What exactly have I done :O ?

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  • March 9, 2010 at 3:58 pm #633633
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    vorsprung

    If you have a bar mounted
    If you have a bar mounted light then I would guess that a saddlebag rather than a barbag might be a good idea

    It is a real advantage to have a route sheet holder. Mine is made from corrugated plastic

    My top tip is don’t follow other people, follow the routesheet

    March 9, 2010 at 2:19 pm #633631
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    cat1commuter

    GPS is not frowned upon or
    GPS is not frowned upon or banned. Or if it is frowned upon, then the frowning was done behind my back! Or maybe they didn’t notice, or don’t know what one is.

    March 9, 2010 at 1:54 pm #633629
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    Simon E

    To save carrying your OS
    To save carrying your OS maps, why not get a cheap road atlas and rip pages from that? You can pick one up for a couple of quid from discount shops and so on, or maybe a secondhand bookshop.

    March 9, 2010 at 8:42 am #633627
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    austen

    All good stuff thanks, rubber
    All good stuff thanks, rubber band for the instruction line is a great idea.

    More overnight thinking has got me wondering about how to rig up my Petzl headtorch onto my helmet for reading the course notes if (when) it gets dark. Not that I have one, but I presume GPS is frowned upon/banned?

    Fully expecting to grovel the latter stages workhand. I’m not sure what you mean by a control checklist though, do you mean a list of controls or is there some funny multi-faceted ‘masons handshake’ I need to do at each control? You’ve got me worried now!

    Riding in to work this morning I’m quite looking forward to it.

    March 9, 2010 at 8:29 am #633625
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    workhard

    essential ingredient for
    essential ingredient for rides of 200km and above imo is sheer bloody mindedness. Physically you may not ‘enjoy’ it, especially the second half, the first couple of times until your body gets accustomed. Eat before you get hungry, drink before you get thirsty, use the toilet facilities when you get the chance, and fill your water bottles when you can. Don’t waste time at controls; having a control checklist can help with this. Adjust your clothing as required, layers! use your gears to make life easy and as others have said, pace yourself. YMMV.

    March 8, 2010 at 7:53 pm #633623
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    TheHatter

    I’ve only done one before but
    I’ve only done one before but the experienced guys (including a PBP veteran) had map holders for the route guide along with a handy rubber band to move down to the next instruction line so you could see at a glance where you were heading next.

    March 8, 2010 at 5:55 pm #633621
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    dave atkinson

    see you on the start line
    see you on the start line 🙂

    March 8, 2010 at 5:39 pm #633619
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    austen

    The LVIS ball buster on 28
    The LVIS ball buster on 28 March, think that there were a few people on here thinking about signing up. I’m pretty familiar with the loop south of Bristol as I live out in the Chew Valley, loop north is a bit of a mystery at the moment (but that’s the fun).

    At least the long route doesn’t finish over Dundry Hill!

    March 8, 2010 at 4:52 pm #633617
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    Jon Burrage

    Hi Austen, which audax is it?
    Hi Austen, which audax is it?

    March 8, 2010 at 1:53 pm #633615
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    cactuscat

    Got your beard on the go?
    Got your beard on the go? 😀 😀

    Only joking. I like audaxes me. Deffo get a bar bag, it’s the best way of getting at all your stuff on the go. One with a map holder on the top is a plus…

    assuming it’s 15-30kph then 215km is going to take, erm, between seven and fourteen hours :B if it’s your first then best to take it easy i’d say, aim for maybe 12hrs total and pick up the pace a bit if you’re feeling okay after the halfway mark.

    Will your bike be comfortable? well, you’ll find out 👿 seriously though, there’s no way of knowing other than trying. don’t be afraid to tweak your position if you do get uncomfortable.

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