Audax - how to get started?

[Dreama]

Hi all,
ive been cycling for a couple of years now and recently come across the idea of Audaxing / Randonneuring - and its seems like something i would like to work towards. The longest ride i did last years 185kms, I'm no where near that this summer... but we are getting back into it.

Im in South Aus, so wondering how / where to get started? any intro groups?
Can you use any bike? i have a Specialized Tarmac (10+years old), which needs a bit of work at the mo.

Any pointers?

thanks

[find_bruce]

I found the people from Audax in NSW to be very welcoming & I expect SA to be similar.

Easiest way to start to the Audax calendar - filter it to the SA region & pick an upcoming event that appeals to you - you don't have to start with 200km, they will often have 100km or 150km loops as well. Contact the organiser

In terms of bikes, Audax are ambivalent to the type of bike you ride, whether its a race weapon, recumbent or whatever, as long as its only driven by human power. I would strongly recommend against a 10yo bike that needs a bit of work. A 10yo bike that has recently had a bit of work however will be just fine.

The other thing to consider is that Audax is enthusiastic about making riders as safe as possible and their equipment recommnedations emphasise lighting & back-up as well as retro-reflective.

[queequeg]

I’ve recently started up with Audax again after some time off the bike.

As per find_bruce, best place to start is the Audax Online Calendar and see if anything is of interest. Once you join Audax Australia, you get access to the entire ride library in Ride With GPS, and can also go on “Permanent” Rides, which will count towards some of the various Audax Awards you can set a goal of completing.

There is no special requirements on the type of bike you should have, but it is a case of using your own judgement. That is, don’t go and do a 200km gravel ride on a race bike (although there is nothing stopping you giving it a try anyway). Likewise, undertaking some of the longer the rides (400km+) might require a rethink on what’s appropriate. With Audax you are expected to be self supported between checkpoints, so you need to carry anything you might need with you on the bike.

There are Audax rides ranging from 50km and up, so there should be plenty of choice.

Cheers,

Paul

[HappyHumber]

If you're signing up - think about your goals for the year. I know the website can be a little intimidating in terms of events and achievements mentioned, but I find a lot of people tend to set goals in terms of personal achievement for the year and then also keep track of their Ks and rides over all for lifetime achievements across many seasons.

You can collect the badges for your first club 50, 100, 200... etc. The set changes every 4 years with each Paris-Brest-Paris, kinda like the Olympiad.

See this page here: audax.org.au/knowledge-base/ride-awards/ and expand the various sections.

Consider as a newbie Something like the 'Nouveau Randonneur' or 'Year Round Randonneur Award' or setting yourself a cumulative goal of a total distance of say, 1000, 2500, 5000 ... etc for an 'Audax Australia Annual'

[LateStarter]

I reckon I must be pretty well the slowest Audax rider in Australia but find the personal / individual achievement the most satisfying and inspiring. The pinnacle of each 4 year cycle is of course the Paris-Brest-Paris 1200 km event not so much because of the difficulty (although it is difficult) but because of the atmosphere. 6000+ participants from 66 countries in 2019, 2500 volunteer supports and 10s of thousands of local people who line the route day and night cheering and offering informal support, one rider described it as being treated as a cycling god for 4 days.

To finish is a great achievement but to just even participate is honoured. Not all Audax members actually get there but to dream about it is enough to keep you going then a ride gets tough. I am dreaming about a first in 2023, three & a half years is enough time for you to train up, qualify, enter, start and finish (I am hoping it is for me)

Some great videos of 2019 (some quite long but being an endurance viewer can be part of the training as an endurance rider). Every time I think the dream is slipping away I view one of these and the dream get stronger. See you at the start in 2023 maybe?

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=hDtjklOpllk (continuous video from a riders handlebar camera of the first 118kms, 4.5 hours, like being there, the mass of riders means everyone goes too fast early, the pace is intimidating)

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=NPvyoTsyrfY (The entire 1200kms edited down to 2 hours but includes most of the major activities, you can just feel it as the rider gets tired but picks up again after a feed and short rest)

https://vimeo.com/355868884?fbclid=IwAR ... 3VF1pVZ7Xo (some beautiful bikes , fairly arty video, only 6 minutes)

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=50V3FIxT3JU (good 360 degree video and if you had an interest in recumbent bikes, this rider just seems to do it effortlessly or just to see the full journal in about 30 minutes)

[Dreama]

thanks a million for the replies guys.

i will look into it the calendar you have provided.

I have watched a few youtube videos about PBP - it does look cool. hmmm, can i get to that level by 2023

as mentioned, i have done a 180km ride last summer, so have been through the process of just working my way up to longer and longer ridding - found just doing a lot of rides, short or long was the key. getting out and enjoying the ride.

Thanks again

[hamishm]

I have watched a few youtube videos about PBP - it does look cool. hmmm, can i get to that level by 2023

I bought my first road bike in 2008 and rode PBP in 2011, so you are already ahead of where I was.

It does take a lot of training time to be fit enough to finish a 1200 comfortably though.

[Dreama]

I have watched a few youtube videos about PBP - it does look cool. hmmm, can i get to that level by 2023

I bought my first road bike in 2008 and rode PBP in 2011, so you are already ahead of where I was.

It does take a lot of training time to be fit enough to finish a 1200 comfortably though.

Crickey - that is amazing work!!

[cjhfield]

I am a bit late to this thread but I thought I would add my 10c. I started Audax about 4 years ago and worked my way up through the distances to do PBP last year. I am not so young, not so thin and not so fast. But I don't think Audax has a lot to do with speed. My advice is to step your way up through the distances - if you can do 100km aim for a 160 (100 miles). Then its not much of a step to a 200. Then 300, 400 etc. Well maybe 300, 600 then 400...

Each step you learn something new.

You can probably ride 100 on an ill fitting bike with a rock hard saddle eating a bit of breakfast and a muffin and coffee along the way. As distances extend you may have to work at the bike fit and the fueling. Longer audax favours a more relaxed position, a bit more upright and a bit less weight on the bars, maybe a saddle a bit further back and maybe a bit lower seat post. But if you do the stepwise increases you will discover you have a problem or not. I had to solve knee pain, perineal numbness and a constant battle with hand issues (ulnar nerve compression) all not obvious until I went over 200km.

The shortest classic Audax is 200km and these rides usually have a good turn out so you may be riding in a small group. They are a good day out completed mostly in daylight and as long as you pick up the skill of getting through checkpoints in under 5 minutes not so much time pressure. You need to eat regularly through the day - just a muffin won't cut it - you need to plan where you can pick up food and likely take some on the bike.

Stepping up to 300 introduces a few new issues. The group will be small. You may well be riding much of it on your own meeting up at checkpoints. You will need to have good lights. I mean really good lights. No, better than that. Yes I know good lights are expensive but its a fundamental safety issue. Riding at night in rural areas is different - some people say the sun setting and twilight is their favourite part of the ride. You will start in the cool morning, ride through the heat of the day and then cope with the cold evening and maybe some rain - so you need to think about layers, a rain jacket warm gloves and where to put them. From a fitness point of view if you can ride over 250km you can ride all the other distances - beyond 250km it is a mental challenge rather than a physical one.

A lot of Audaxers think the 400 is the toughest distance of all - so you might choose to tackle a 600 first. There might be 2 or 3 of you on the ride or maybe just you. Most people ride a 400 without a big rest break or a sleep so it involves a lot of night riding through towns and villages where there is not much open. It can be cold at 4AM. I often listen to audiobooks through the night but you need ear buds that allow you to hear surrounding noise - bone conduction earphones work well or ones that don't block the ear canal so don't isolate you from the environment. People cope with sleep deprivation differently. But a few coffees or the Audax staple the 600ml Iced Coffee from a servo usually does the trick. But it is not safe to drive a long distance home from 400+ Audax without a few hours sleep so you have to plan for that.

A 600 is run over 2 days and often involves 2 loops returning back to the start after the first longer loop - so you can get a few hours sleep, a shower and some food. The first day's loop may be 350+ leaving 250 to be knocked off on the second day. You need to build up enough time in hand to allow some sleep. It is surprising how little sleep you actually need to feel OK on day 2 - 3 or 4 hours is enough. It is a reasonable strategy to depart day 2 at the time cutoff for that checkpoint ie you sleep until you have used up all your time in hand - you will quickly build up a safety buffer in the first few hours of day 2. You can even leave an hour or so behind the cutoff time aiming to make it up before the next checkpoint but you have to allow for the unexpected like punctures, broken gear cables, headwinds or knee pain so don't overdo it.

You have now completed a Super Series and you know enough about yourself and Audax to do the 1000's or 1200's. One tip is that the minimum speed reduces after 600km so for these very long rides its a question of getting through the first 600 - its much easier to make up sleep time in the second half so in some ways it gets easier.

Before you start Audax the idea of riding 600 or 1200km seems unfathomable. But just keeping your mind on the next step is a fundamental aspect of it - I set up my bike computer to just show me distance to the next checkpoint - just do that and let the rest look after itself.

Chris

[LateStarter]

Since my post on this (10-Feb) I had a fairly serious bike accident during a 150km ride, lots of broken bones, shoulder, ribs, arms, vertebrae etc, 6 weeks in hospital and 8 weeks off bike to date, another 4+ weeks according to doctors although a bit of static bike / trainer work might be ok before then.

So I will be in the same position of pretty much starting from scratch, fortunately 3 years and 3 months till the 2023 PBP so hopefully enough catch up time and I am looking at all the videos again for inspiration. I was optimistically thinking a Super Series (200, 300, 400, 600) might be on the cards for this year (to end October) but now maybe a nouvelle randonneur (50,100, 150) is more realistic given official rides are still suspended due to the Covid-19 lockdown.

Centennial Park is car free for the next 3 weekends might try to sneak out early to enjoy that.

bill

ps the good news is that the bike does not have much damage, buckled rear wheel seems the worst of it but have to get a full inspection from the shop to see if i missed anything.

[Thoglette]

I had a fairly serious bike accident

Ouch, hope you have a speedy and smooth recovery. From the bike damage I presume "an other" was involved?

[cjhfield]

I’m glad you’re still keen Bill. I was hoping to fit in a Super Series before the GSR in November but it only looks viable if we can start riding May/June. Even then that’s a lot of winter k’s. Maybe riding can start before the Festum Prophetae - one of my favourites (except the 400). In theory next year has the LEL - London Edinburgh London 1500km - hard to see the world being back to normal by then. But one step at a time.

Chris

[queequeg]

I’m glad you’re still keen Bill. I was hoping to fit in a Super Series before the GSR in November but it only looks viable if we can start riding May/June. Even then that’s a lot of winter k’s. Maybe riding can start before the Festum Prophetae - one of my favourites (except the 400). In theory next year has the LEL - London Edinburgh London 1500km - hard to see the world being back to normal by then. But one step at a time.

Chris

Likewise, I only returned to Audax this season after a couple of years off due to DVT and an uncooperative doctor (so I found another doctor)

I was well on my way to my first YRR, having started in October as a test to see if so could still manage a 200km ride. I finally got my 200km abt speed back up over 30km/h, and did my March 200km ride just before the lockdown, and Audax suspending all rides. I have no idea what that means for the YRR now. Maybe I’ll have to start back at zero again, or maybe they’ll treat rides done before and after lockdown as consecutive.

I am on the interested list for the GSR, but I have not done a 300/400/600 ride as yet. I was supposed to do my 300km ride the same day as Bill’s accident, but I was still recovering from a cold. I had my 400 & 600 planned for May/June/July. The GSR requires the qualifier to be done by the end of August. However, there is now only one 600km ride available that meets the deadline. If we are still in lockdown when that ride is due (in June), I am basically out of luck. I also can’t book anything in Melbourne until it’s confirmed as going ahead, so this whole season could end up being a write off.

To stay fit, I have been riding up Alpe du Zwift and numerous other Alpine climbs on Fulgaz. I have at least booked time in Bright in January for the Alpine Ultimate.

[cjhfield]

I suspect there will be some flexibility on dates if the GSR goes ahead. There are usually 120 places and a wait list for those that miss out but it is hard to see an overseas contingent making it to the start line so the numbers will be down by about a third. On top of that it is not so easy for locals to get in shape for it so I doubt there will be a full ticket this year.

I am hoping to be able to start riding in June with the Festum 200, July 300 SSS, Aug 400 Singleton and the Go Loopy 600 in September. There is a GSR 1000 option that skips the Bellarine Peninsular loop - it’s an area undergoing a lot of development and is getting pretty busy so I aim to do the 1000.

Chris

[LateStarter]

Yes Thoglette, a medium size tip truck apparently but my recall of events is minimal still, don't even recall the excitement of the helicopter flight to RNSH, (although I do recall the paramedics cutting off my $300 bibshorts).

My 2020 "plan" was to use the Holbrook, Forbes, Temora easy (ie flat) rides to try for some longer distances and my biggest concern in the week following the accident was that it might impact a successful 300 at Holbrook the week later, wasn't thinking too straight for that first week and my concern persisted even though I didn't get out of the hospital bed for the first time and still had a chest drain until Friday (the day before Holbrook) but by Sunday I was thinking I might need a plan B.

I think its going to take a lot longer to get things back to "normal" and we might not be out of lockdown for "extreme" events like Audax rides before November & GSR. 20 minutes on the trainer is currently about my limit so realistically next year is the focus for my plans.

bill

[LateStarter]

Well yesterday was first outside ride for over 10 weeks (since accident), 34 kms in Centennial Park, not too much sore afterwards, it occurred to me that I would only have to do that distance 36 times and I would have a PBP finished, that doesn't sound too hard?

Audax email says (at least implies) that we might resume brevets by June, hope so with only 3 years and 3 months till 2023 PBP, I am behind on my schedule , better get around to having the Lynskey fixed.

[queequeg]

Well yesterday was first outside ride for over 10 weeks (since accident), 34 kms in Centennial Park, not too much sore afterwards, it occurred to me that I would only have to do that distance 36 times and I would have a PBP finished, that doesn't sound too hard?

Audax email says (at least implies) that we might resume brevets by June, hope so with only 3 years and 3 months till 2023 PBP, I am behind on my schedule , better get around to having the Lynskey fixed.

Actually, I think the mail implies rides will start this month. Glad to see my YRR isn't ruined afterall, but the GSR1200 has been postponed until November 7th 2021. Upside is that removes the undue pressure to desperately try to get in the qualifiers needed for it given all the cancellations of the rides we have had, so I can focus on smashing out the ACP SR instead (along with my YRR).

Another ride I am supposed to be doing in the "Endure for a Cure", which was supposed to be a couple of week ago and was also postponed until later in the year (two weeks before Fitz). I've just had to book my Long Service Leave in as the company is requiring everyone to use all their Annual Leave and most of their LSL before the end of the year. So, I'm going to finishing up work for the year in mid-October, starting with the rescheduled "Endure for a Cure" ride, then not coming back to work until the the start of February.

How badly was the Lynskey damaged? They did a superb job repairing mine, but that was only a crack in a weld (but they did put it back through the finishing department so it came back looking brand new)

[Abby]

Calendar rides and Permanents starting in QLD as of this weekend! Woo! (obviously some conditions apply, its not a free-for-all). If any QLDers are thinking about taking the Audax plunge, then there are some nice (relatively) easy rides to start with...

[LateStarter]

Calendar rides and Permanents starting in QLD as of this weekend! Woo!

Looks like Permanents are back now everywhere (longer distances maybe not?) and Calendar rides also in ACT, NSW, SA & WA but not sure regarding VIC & TAS yet

double Woo!!

[LateStarter]

How badly was the Lynskey damaged? They did a superb job repairing mine, but that was only a crack in a weld (but they did put it back through the finishing department so it came back looking brand new)

Considering the damage to me the Lynskey got off lightly, I have been over it twice and can't see anything other than a slight buckle to the rear wheel, nice if it is correctable only a few mm out causing a slight tyre rub on the chain stay but otherwise new rear wheel. I will get it to the LBS so they can do a more knowledgeable inspection but the frame looks ok.

[queequeg]

Did my May YRR 200 on Saturday. Much slower than usual as I took the Lynskey commuter bike with planner bag, plus all the bits like mud guards.

The YRR now just requires that any missed rides are done during the remainder of the season as extra rides, so I’ll have to do 1 extra ride.

The GSR1200 has also been postponed till next year, and the Syd to Melbourne has been pushed to 2022.

[hamishm]

Looks like Permanents are back now everywhere (longer distances maybe not?) and Calendar rides also in ACT, NSW, SA & WA but not sure regarding VIC & TAS yet

No calendar rides in Vic yet but permanents are back, as I understand it. I'm off to ride my YRR perm on Monday and just have to make up April's later in the year.

[LateStarter]

Audax pretty much back to "normal" now post COVID disruptions. I see Peter Heal (ACT) has moved the cancelled Temora and Forbes weekends to early August and late September respectively, these were part of my 2020 longer distance plans so now I mightn't have any excuse (other than complete unpreparedness), 7 weeks till Temora might be enough time, still not recovered past 50 kms, like starting again. I assume ACP is allowing previously scheduled rides to be moved to new dates.

The LBS inspection of the Lynskey didn't find any frame issues , they tried to true up the rear wheel but the rim buckling was too bad to save. Wiggle is "rushing" me a new rim that will be built into a wheel although it is taking a very elongated route from UK via Leipzig Germany, Moscow Russia and Narita Japan so far, more travelled then me.

[queequeg]

Audax pretty much back to "normal" now post COVID disruptions. I see Peter Heal (ACT) has moved the cancelled Temora and Forbes weekends to early August and late September respectively, these were part of my 2020 longer distance plans so now I mightn't have any excuse (other than complete unpreparedness), 7 weeks till Temora might be enough time, still not recovered past 50 kms, like starting again. I assume ACP is allowing previously scheduled rides to be moved to new dates.

Yep, rides back in full swing, thouh with rider limits set at 10 per distnace at the moment (which is a bit silly because after about 5 minutes everyone is mostly solo anyway). But the group limits have been doubled from June 13th anyway, so that would put most Audax rides back to normal. The only Audax ride I have done with more riders than that was the Newcastle Overnight.

Personally I can't believe you are back on the bike and doing up to 50km. It's puts in perspective how ridiculous/unreasonable my own doctor was when he told me I would never ride a bike again after my DVT. Well anyway, I have showed him. While Audax was sidelined due to COVID, I jumped on the Indoor Trainer and did my Everesting Basecamp, then a week later did my full vEverest, followed by my May Audax YRR. Then last weekend I went outside and did my first IRL Everesting, then did my June YRR 200km ride yesterday. After I saved the ride on the Garmin, it told me I was "Overreaching" due to the Training Load lol

With the lockdown I have to do an extra 200km ride before Oct 31st, and I still have to do my 300/400 & 600 for the ACP SR. It's looks like Aug/Sep will be the 400 & 600, so I am now into deep negotiations with the family about the amount of time spent outdoors riding.

[LateStarter]

Of course our thoughts go to the sisters & brothers in Victoria who are restricted to 5km circles but things are starting to look dicey in NSW too

Minimising risk of COVID-19 transmission in community sports
https://www.health.nsw.gov.au/Infectiou ... ports.aspx

The "recommendations" are coming pretty close to restricting longer Brevets, hope it doesn't get worse just when I was thinking I was ready for longer rides.

I notice pbpresults.com site banner says today "3 years 0 months 0 days until 20th edition of PBP" (assumes a Sunday 20/08/2023 start), no time to waste.