Just mulling Knock Ventoux 200 which would be my first 200. Cafes are regular and one probably half way will be a checkpoint anyway and carry what you would normally carry for a ride out in terms of sparesAudax Tips?
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Re: Audax Tips?
I've done 2x100k Audax one flat one hilly, both very relaxed events like what was said in previous posts enjoy the atmosphere and the characters you meet there will be a few for sure and full of advice and stories which make the events what they are IMO. I have a few more hilly 100's in the peaks towards the end of August and after completing the first one on Wednesday just gone I can't wait Just mulling Knock Ventoux 200 which would be my first 200. Cafes are regular and one probably half way will be a checkpoint anyway and carry what you would normally carry for a ride out in terms of spares
Just mulling Knock Ventoux 200 which would be my first 200. Cafes are regular and one probably half way will be a checkpoint anyway and carry what you would normally carry for a ride out in terms of sparesLiving On Dreams & Custard Creams
Re: Audax Tips?
local to me...i may well dip my toe into the world of audax.Knock Ventoux 200
Re: Audax Tips?
Somehow I doubt I’ll be overtaking any of them so that won’t be an issue!!jameso wrote: ↑Sat Aug 05, 2023 8:45 amNo guards.. what is this crazy talk? :)Yep the range is 17.5-30km/h and luckily no mud guard’s required.
No problems to ride w/o them, just good to stay out of bunches if the roads are wet unless the bunch are ok with sprayers, don't pull in I'm front of someone etc.
Excessively bright and/or flashing rear lights and no guards aren't great on audaxes ime
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redefined_cycles
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Re: Audax Tips?
Thats indeed a very famous one Jon. It's steep (like, super steep) AFAIR. You'll love it though as I believe it's plenty of scenery to look at...
Re: Audax Tips?
B R U T A L, 115km 2105m. Did it but broken now.
Living in the uk’s flattest city I am used to sprints or multi day rides, just not 7 hours flat out effort.
Really well run, really nice bunch. I remember why we ride DH in the Surrey Hills now.
Still the clue was in the name I guess, The Tour of the Hills!
Got lots of good natured ribbing from the roadies about my “mountain bike”, they didn’t laugh when I blew past them on a lot of the gravel and leaf strewn, pot hole filled descents that their 5k skinny roadsters couldn’t handle!
Roll in the new forest one next month as that’s going to be flatter I think.
After a nice ice bath in the sea, followed by a hot bath and recovery skins, I pray my legs will be working tomorrow as I have a crazy day at work starting at an ungodly hour.
Living in the uk’s flattest city I am used to sprints or multi day rides, just not 7 hours flat out effort.
Really well run, really nice bunch. I remember why we ride DH in the Surrey Hills now.
Still the clue was in the name I guess, The Tour of the Hills!
Got lots of good natured ribbing from the roadies about my “mountain bike”, they didn’t laugh when I blew past them on a lot of the gravel and leaf strewn, pot hole filled descents that their 5k skinny roadsters couldn’t handle!
Roll in the new forest one next month as that’s going to be flatter I think.
After a nice ice bath in the sea, followed by a hot bath and recovery skins, I pray my legs will be working tomorrow as I have a crazy day at work starting at an ungodly hour.
Re: Audax Tips?
Good effort. Sounds like you're hooked.
You'll be wearing wool and churning out 1000 miles on tea and beans on toast in no time
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godivatrailrider
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Re: Audax Tips?
Good work ! I'd have maybe tried and easier one as an introduction Weren't you on about living in Ludlow for a bit.... there's loads of hills to practice on round here
Weren't you on about living in Ludlow for a bit.... there's loads of hills to practice on round here Re: Audax Tips?
Yep ideally I would have but there were few that were in the south on dates that I was free. Got two more in sept as lead ins for bb200 in oct.godivatrailrider wrote: ↑Mon Aug 07, 2023 7:23 am Good work ! I'd have maybe tried and easier one as an introduction
Hopefully will bring a bike to Ludlow when we house sit in sept.
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Bearlegged
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Re: Audax Tips?
Doesn't sound too dissimilar to this place TBH.You'll be wearing wool and churning out 1000 miles on tea and beans on toast in no time
Re: Audax Tips?
Nice one mate, that last one I did in the Peaks was a Grimpeur (Someone who climbs apparently) 
106k 2250m actually enjoyed the route and weather even tho it lashed down for all but 10-15k of it. 2 hilly ones end of August to look forward to now
106k 2250m actually enjoyed the route and weather even tho it lashed down for all but 10-15k of it. 2 hilly ones end of August to look forward to now
Last edited by Leerowe76 on Tue Aug 08, 2023 11:15 pm, edited 1 time in total.
Living On Dreams & Custard Creams
Re: Audax Tips?
One of the guys that I ride with for a bit was telling me that his one had about six rated climbs. No idea what they were rated as, bloody hard if I was to rate them!
The next one is the New Forest Onshore 3/9. It’s only 107km but doesn’t have a route out for it yet. I have found previous ones and they don’t seem so hilly. This one gives 10 hours to complete it so perhaps I have just missed over the years, there being some mountains in the middle of the new forest…..
Re: Audax Tips?
10.7 kmh average .....you could run it 
Re: Audax Tips?
I know, that's what makes me smell a rat.....
Or perhaps I just did the most difficult one in the South and the next one is the easiest one?
The third one I have entered at the ned of September is 100km dead, 662m and 10 hours.
Hoping that I can complete these two a fair bit quicker than the weekend's one.
Re: Audax Tips?
Well as I had the route and its local ish to me, I rode the route of the mid September CCP Time is Miles Audax. It seemed easier as the climbing was much less than the previous weekend's one but almost double the amount listed on the Audax website, but I did have a head wind on most of it some how. The Camino on Ventures copes very with damp/wet pot holed country roads, although I could do with perhaps changing the ring to a bigger one for a bit more speed on the flat and descents. I now have last years route for early September's New Forest Onshore one and it does indeed seem pretty flat, 909m in 107km. I'm tempted to go and give the route a ride if the weather holds fine this weekend.
Re: Audax Tips?
Howdy Folks!
The "Official" route for Sunday's Audax has been sent round and with an optional gravel detour/shortcut, it's coming in at 102km and just under 700m. Weather forecast is looking reasonable, so I'm hoping to move a bit quicker on this one and be done in time for the Arsenal v Man Utd match. It's a got a lot less check ins and refuelling stops, which should help with that plan. Hopefully a nice new to me chain ring is in the post from boxelder or if that doesn't arrive in time, I'll go back to a full road bike chain set as 100/700 doesn't sound too hilly.
From the organisers about the New Forest. "Interesting but irrelevant fact of the year – The Drift, or pony roundup is underway at the moment. You won’t see it as they do it at quiet times. Think cowboys but with flat caps. Some ponies go for sale, foals are chipped and branded and their tail hair is cut by the “Agister” for that specific area to show where they should be and that the small fee for commoning has been paid. Check out for ponies with different tail chops as you pass through different patches".
No where did I put my chaps and lasso!
The "Official" route for Sunday's Audax has been sent round and with an optional gravel detour/shortcut, it's coming in at 102km and just under 700m. Weather forecast is looking reasonable, so I'm hoping to move a bit quicker on this one and be done in time for the Arsenal v Man Utd match. It's a got a lot less check ins and refuelling stops, which should help with that plan. Hopefully a nice new to me chain ring is in the post from boxelder or if that doesn't arrive in time, I'll go back to a full road bike chain set as 100/700 doesn't sound too hilly.
From the organisers about the New Forest. "Interesting but irrelevant fact of the year – The Drift, or pony roundup is underway at the moment. You won’t see it as they do it at quiet times. Think cowboys but with flat caps. Some ponies go for sale, foals are chipped and branded and their tail hair is cut by the “Agister” for that specific area to show where they should be and that the small fee for commoning has been paid. Check out for ponies with different tail chops as you pass through different patches".
No where did I put my chaps and lasso!
Re: Audax Tips?
That sounds fun, enjoy!dlovett wrote: ↑Wed Aug 30, 2023 5:18 pm Howdy Folks!
The "Official" route for Sunday's Audax has been sent round and with an optional gravel detour/shortcut, it's coming in at 102km and just under 700m. Weather forecast is looking reasonable, so I'm hoping to move a bit quicker on this one and be done in time for the Arsenal v Man Utd match. It's a got a lot less check ins and refuelling stops, which should help with that plan. Hopefully a nice new to me chain ring is in the post from boxelder or if that doesn't arrive in time, I'll go back to a full road bike chain set as 100/700 doesn't sound too hilly.
From the organisers about the New Forest. "Interesting but irrelevant fact of the year – The Drift, or pony roundup is underway at the moment. You won’t see it as they do it at quiet times. Think cowboys but with flat caps. Some ponies go for sale, foals are chipped and branded and their tail hair is cut by the “Agister” for that specific area to show where they should be and that the small fee for commoning has been paid. Check out for ponies with different tail chops as you pass through different patches".
No where did I put my chaps and lasso!
Re: Audax Tips?
Well that was a warm one!! I can certainly recommend the onshore new forest audax. It was a lot smaller than the other one I did in the Surrey Hill, only 30 plus people this time. It was a lot more relaxed organisation wise and the route had a slight short cut at the end that saved 3km, but was 1km of gravel instead.
Again, I was the only person on a "Mountain bike" and a few people were looking it over and asking questions about it like how slow would I be with those tyres, (Sonder Camino, 1x11 650bx47 Ventures, outward drops and tri bars). That might have fired me up a bit more than normal to perhaps prove a point.
The route started in Lymington and meandered mainly on quiet b roads to first checkpoint at 48km, which you had to record the distance on a sign. Checkpoint 2 was at 53km and was a garden centre with a nice cafe. Check point 3 was a carpark at 98km where you had to answer a question from a sign. Straight after that was the gravel shortcut, which was not really more than pea shingle really. It then rejoined the main route for the final 1-2km into Lymington. There were some amazing sections across the "Moors" and quite a few cows and ponies loose, which I gave a wide birth to. As it was such a lovey warm day the roads were pretty busy and there was a couple of other rides and tri's going on as well, which made some single tracks fun when passing as tri's seem to think they can ride three abreast on the wrong side of the road and you will get out of their way.
After the slow tyres comment and the fact the organiser said go, the others just stood there, so I jumped on and led everybody off. By the first 1km, I couldn't see anybody and thought I had gone the wrong way, but then I notice my average speed was 29.8km/h and perhaps I had just made a good start. I held the lead till 19.8km when the next person passed me and held 2nd till about 15km when I dropped to 4th. at the Garden centre, halfway mark I was about 5-7 mins behind the leader. I grabbed a coke, filled my water, ate half a slice of cake and got off in 3rd about 5 mins behind 1/2. at about 80km 3/4/5 caught me and rode on my tail for anther 10km, before they pulled away as I was by now suffering from terrible pins and needles in my feet. I tried loosing my shoes on the fly, and got some relief, but they still hurt like hell. By now it was pushing 27c and very sunny. I tired my best to get some speed on but I didn't see the people ahead of me after about 94km. I got the final checkpoint and took the pic I needed of the sign, ate the rest of the cake and hit the gravel. Now roads to me are not really something I like to ride on, they are to just get you to the next off road section, so as soon as I hit the gravel it was peddle to the metal. I got my speed up a lot and just as I was about to hit the road, the red arrows flew over me in a v formation. I took this as a good sign and really pushed with everything I had on the last couple of km/s of road and managed to get back in 4th overall place.
The organiser's had hires a local hall, and had pasta and various home made cakes and snakes waiting for us. After a good snacking it was time to hit the car for the hour drive home.
It was a 10am start and I wanted to be done before 4:30pm to listen/watch the Arsenal Game, so ideally 6 hours. I ended up with a moving time of 4:59 and was there about 3:30pm, which was a real surprise. Amazing what a bit of competition can do for the legs.
Now I know Audax's aren't a race, but the competition really did spurt me on to my fastest 40km and another record according to Garmin.
They also have the 200 version, but with and early start, a ferry, 10km on the IOW, a ferry and they ride a route which is similar. They also hold another event on March/April which covers the parts of the New Forest this ride didn't visit. I'd recommend you all keep an eye out for details of that when they announce it as it sounds like it will also be a great route.
So far the only injuries are a slightly sore back of a knee and a very sore throat from all the screaming I made towards the end of the Arsenal match, for which I made it home in time for the 2nd half.
Again, I was the only person on a "Mountain bike" and a few people were looking it over and asking questions about it like how slow would I be with those tyres, (Sonder Camino, 1x11 650bx47 Ventures, outward drops and tri bars). That might have fired me up a bit more than normal to perhaps prove a point.
The route started in Lymington and meandered mainly on quiet b roads to first checkpoint at 48km, which you had to record the distance on a sign. Checkpoint 2 was at 53km and was a garden centre with a nice cafe. Check point 3 was a carpark at 98km where you had to answer a question from a sign. Straight after that was the gravel shortcut, which was not really more than pea shingle really. It then rejoined the main route for the final 1-2km into Lymington. There were some amazing sections across the "Moors" and quite a few cows and ponies loose, which I gave a wide birth to. As it was such a lovey warm day the roads were pretty busy and there was a couple of other rides and tri's going on as well, which made some single tracks fun when passing as tri's seem to think they can ride three abreast on the wrong side of the road and you will get out of their way.
After the slow tyres comment and the fact the organiser said go, the others just stood there, so I jumped on and led everybody off. By the first 1km, I couldn't see anybody and thought I had gone the wrong way, but then I notice my average speed was 29.8km/h and perhaps I had just made a good start. I held the lead till 19.8km when the next person passed me and held 2nd till about 15km when I dropped to 4th. at the Garden centre, halfway mark I was about 5-7 mins behind the leader. I grabbed a coke, filled my water, ate half a slice of cake and got off in 3rd about 5 mins behind 1/2. at about 80km 3/4/5 caught me and rode on my tail for anther 10km, before they pulled away as I was by now suffering from terrible pins and needles in my feet. I tried loosing my shoes on the fly, and got some relief, but they still hurt like hell. By now it was pushing 27c and very sunny. I tired my best to get some speed on but I didn't see the people ahead of me after about 94km. I got the final checkpoint and took the pic I needed of the sign, ate the rest of the cake and hit the gravel. Now roads to me are not really something I like to ride on, they are to just get you to the next off road section, so as soon as I hit the gravel it was peddle to the metal. I got my speed up a lot and just as I was about to hit the road, the red arrows flew over me in a v formation. I took this as a good sign and really pushed with everything I had on the last couple of km/s of road and managed to get back in 4th overall place.
The organiser's had hires a local hall, and had pasta and various home made cakes and snakes waiting for us. After a good snacking it was time to hit the car for the hour drive home.
It was a 10am start and I wanted to be done before 4:30pm to listen/watch the Arsenal Game, so ideally 6 hours. I ended up with a moving time of 4:59 and was there about 3:30pm, which was a real surprise. Amazing what a bit of competition can do for the legs.
Now I know Audax's aren't a race, but the competition really did spurt me on to my fastest 40km and another record according to Garmin.
They also have the 200 version, but with and early start, a ferry, 10km on the IOW, a ferry and they ride a route which is similar. They also hold another event on March/April which covers the parts of the New Forest this ride didn't visit. I'd recommend you all keep an eye out for details of that when they announce it as it sounds like it will also be a great route.
So far the only injuries are a slightly sore back of a knee and a very sore throat from all the screaming I made towards the end of the Arsenal match, for which I made it home in time for the 2nd half.
- IMG_0355.jpg (185.25 KiB) Viewed 2256 times
Re: Audax Tips?
Good effort got a huge climbing one in october* as my first 100 miles and think its over 5000m of climbing...i wont be racing anyone but myself.
* you are now officlaly an influencer congrats
* you are now officlaly an influencer congrats
Re: Audax Tips?
Well done, certainly a warm one!!!
That made me smile, the image of you racing off to make a point
On the triathlon I did a few weeks back, a lady there was on her gravel bike, even more unusual on a triathlon than an audax! She left me for dust on the first two hills up, and then finished with a really good time, very strong rider and presumably runner, and the bike obviously did the trick for her!!
Oh I rather like the sound of the 200 with a ferry and IOW, what's it called please and/ or who is the organiser?
That made me smile, the image of you racing off to make a point
On the triathlon I did a few weeks back, a lady there was on her gravel bike, even more unusual on a triathlon than an audax! She left me for dust on the first two hills up, and then finished with a really good time, very strong rider and presumably runner, and the bike obviously did the trick for her!!
Oh I rather like the sound of the 200 with a ferry and IOW, what's it called please and/ or who is the organiser?
Re: Audax Tips?
This one? https://www.cyclingnewforest.org/cycling-events.html
Sounds amazing, I'm up for that next year!
Sounds amazing, I'm up for that next year!
Re: Audax Tips?
Yep the on/off shore one has the iow loop.Verena wrote: ↑Mon Sep 04, 2023 7:33 pm This one? https://www.cyclingnewforest.org/cycling-events.html
Sounds amazing, I'm up for that next year!
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godivatrailrider
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Re: Audax Tips?
Yessssssssss hiisssssss. Snacks as snakes would have been very creepy!!
Re: Audax Tips?
The final Audax for my BB200 prep is tomorrow and its the most local one of the three. It's also the one I have test ridden in the last month as they had published the route. It's about 107km and 900m so not too bad. 9am start and again I have the incentive of the football at 1630, to ensure I try to keep up a decent pace. The test ride took me about 5.5 hours, but tomorrow has wind and showers forecast, so I'm not sure how much of a difference that will make.
I'm again expecting some light hearted grief from the Carbon Roadie brigade about my choice of tyres and "mountain bike", but I'm not aiming to try to and jump them all at the start like last time!
If you want to dot watch, my live tracking will be active from 9am tomorrow. If you do, let me know if it works ok.
https://share.garmin.com/dlovett
I'm again expecting some light hearted grief from the Carbon Roadie brigade about my choice of tyres and "mountain bike", but I'm not aiming to try to and jump them all at the start like last time!
If you want to dot watch, my live tracking will be active from 9am tomorrow. If you do, let me know if it works ok.
https://share.garmin.com/dlovett