(Not sure if the question is grammatically correct – what is the plural of "audax"?)

Accidently stumbled across the Audax UK website – long story – and saw there were quite a few fairly local to me and they were all a darn sight cheaper than the sportives I've done – just wondered if anyone does them, any tips on them, what the atmosphere/riders are like, whether it was worth joining Audax UK if you get bitten by the bug etc etc

It does seem a big jump from 100km to 200km distances though!

i do.
they are fun………….just don't get dragged in to trying to keep up with the fast boys.

I've learnt to not worry about the fast boys on sportives

Do you do them often? How many riders are there on average? I've always enjoyed the social side of big sportives, always someone to ride and chat with, just thinking if the field in an audax is small it may not have the same feel to it.

done 4 this year, cos i have been doing loads of secret mtbing.

rode events in the past with as few as 10 riders, to events with over 100.
furthest i have done is 300km it took me 16 hours.
i will never ride that far in a day ever again.

some of the people who ride audax are a bit…………..errmm odd.
but life is such i suppose.

A friend does some of the big ones (600km+ ones), usually as a team – she says they're about as competitve as you can get. People sleeping for a couple of hours then straight back out to try and get the jump on their competitors. Some folk ride for 20hrs out of 24. The shorter ones are usually very good; different attitude, less competitive, quite friendly and folk just get on and do it without all the song and dance that often accompanies a Sportive.

swadey, some cracking events in the peaks mate.
and ditto what crazylegs said.

I quite fancy having a go. Seems like a good way to keep the miles in the legs over the winter in particular.

I quite fancy the winter miles thing as well – Peaks can get a bit lumpy in places mind!

I've got a mate who's ridden Paris Brest Paris thrice. Last time he rode it fixed. Talk about repetetive strain injury, his ankles were like melons.

I've done a few of them from cheadle in the winter and really like them. They have a proper cycling atmosphere to them, with brews at the start, cafe stop(s) on way round and tea and cakes at the end in a church hall. Only cost a few quid as well. I always plot the route into a GPS as it saves messing about with the route card.

To answer you question about joining – I was in the CTC so that covered it, otherwise u can pay a couple more quid with entry for 3rd party insurance.

So what's the difference between a sportif and audax ?

about £20 entry………… 😉

Nice 😉

Wikapedia don't explain it but does suggest I can win stuff….(I'm shallow and value my 'I took part badge)

Loads of audaxers hang out on http://yacf.co.uk/ They're generally quite a friendly bunch.

So what's the difference between a sportif and audax ?

Beards 😉

I've so far done one Audax to date…200k.
You do things at your own pace (as long as you are back before it gets dark!) and if your last in the chances are there'll be no sausage rolls left.

It's a good way of getting out for a few miles on routes that someone has spent some time researching. See a bit of the country for a few quid entry fee, stop off for tea, coffee, cake.

An audax you have to meet certain times for the 'checkpoints' Not the usual though as in its a cut off, but that you cant get their to early! They try keep an average speed for the whole event but usually its doesn't prove a problem after a couple of stops.

That is only on the bigger ones though. Generally they are more sociable and maybe a cuppy stop or two thrown in there.

As mentioned above a fair few older folk do it, and are damn good at it aswell!

Aren't Sportives just a new invention for fat old men who don't want to race, as losing would hurt to much or as someone on here described them 'the new golf'. Audaxs are real riding not so much a race, but more about achieving as many long rides over a year. A lot of history seems to surround them and they are favoured, by the older gent. I am now of an age where I think they are the way forward for my wnter riding.

Have done several sportives, and one audax.

The audax was one of the best days out on a bike I've ever had.

So what's the difference between a sportif and audax

imo – to put it simply – a sportive is organised by professional event businesses. where as Audax are organised by enthusiastic clubs and grass roots cyclists.

one's arranged with an eye on profit, the other is not.

General rule is that Sportives are all laid out on a plate, kind of the roadie equivalent of a trail centre – follow the waymarkers, come back home for tea and medals and a freebie. You're paying for the bells and whistles, the electronic timing, marshals and full route marking, broom wagon etc.

Audax is sort of like cycle orienteering in some ways, much cheaper, much more self reliance, it's up to the rider to find the route and get to the checkpoint within a certain time window. There are often minimum and maximum average speeds imposed so you can't go balls out or you get there too early and get penalised! Checkpoints are often in cafes so that's your food stop sorted. 🙂

I did one from Marple last Wednesday. Only 100K but very hilly. Its a fairly relaxed atmosphere but it seemed a bit more competitive on the climbs. £5 entry (£2 extra if you need insurance) and a free sandwich at the end. Excellent value.

Matt

not getting too involved in this – it just involves a certain member of the forum throwing mud around but

audaxes are great days out – even in bad weather. Safe plesent roads generally lots of coffee stops ! (well ..normally 3 for 200k or 4/5 for a 300k)

I do audaxes, I really like them. I love the tea stops in village halls – it's like stepping back into a gentler past. Have aspirations to do LEL next time it's on…

Audaxes are brilliant – It's like a sportive but usually a lot cheaper, with a bit more self reliance. LVIS put on its first one this year and I don't think I recall seeing many beards 😉 We made a point of making it enjoyable, friendly and with good cake 🙂

The video at the top of this page explains it all quite well:
http://lvis.org.uk/news2009.htm

So the Isle of Wight randonee, for example, is an Audax? I didn't know it had a name – thought it was just an organised ride. That had all the symptoms – tea, cakes, parish halls, pay-what-you-can-afford entry fee, run by auld buffers. It was great. Dunno about doing twice or thrice the distance though – 100k was plenty.