I'm new here, any other audaxers out there?

[GY Jon]

I've just introduced myself to the main forum, so I thought I'd say hello more directly to my fellow cyclists.

I'm Jonathan from the Welsh borders, mostly an audaxer and very occasional mountain biker, formerly a far-too-keen time-triallist. I see most of you are MTBers so I was wondering are there any other audaxers on the forum? It's a rather odd (but beautifully formed) backwater of cycling, but not one that (literally) caters for vegans too well...

[vCLaW]

Hello and welcome from another audaxer (as well as a bit of mountain biker etc).
Though I haven't actually done any audaxes at all this year - mostly because I've been doing more running instead, and busy with other things.

I'm thinking I might try and do some more next year. Maybe even that French ride...

[kallefs]

Welcome Jon, all I have done in terms of longer rides are cycle touring.

Maybe even that French ride...

Ahh, a little ride on the French countryside, see the ocean and such. Seems refreshing

[Herbsman]

My mate is vegan and rides audaxes - I'm gonna be doing one with him in October, it's on Saturday the 16th, starting from Droitwich

[JohnBarleycorn]

If I can ride it in 56x13 fixed, and its all over in nineteen and a half minutes, I'm in !

Clearly I've never ridden an Audax, but my old mate Dave Poutney was king of the Audax for many years, I seem to remember. Windsor-Chester-Windsor and all that malarky.

He had a beard, of course, which was compulsary for Audax riders in the 1980s.

[Herbsman]

I thought it still was.

[philthy builder]

I remember talking to a guy at the finish of a 200k audax near brum.He was fitting his lights to ride back to Leicester where hed ridden from to ride the 200k event.Audax riders are hardmen!

[JohnBarleycorn]

Did he have a beard ?

[Mr. Cleetus]

What's an audax? I'm not really an mtber; I'm just pretending to be one! I'm really all about long stuff on the road.

[JohnBarleycorn]

What's an audax? I'm not really an mtber; I'm just pretending to be one! I'm really all about long stuff on the road.

Hey......I've just realised I've been called a mountain biker too !

I'm outraged !

An Audax is a silly long distance thing on the road, Like Windsor-Chester-Windsor, with is 600km, or something silly. Its unsupported, and non-stop. And you have to have a beard. Thats all I know !

[Gastroplodder]

Hi from another vegan Audaxer!

Well maybe a slightly reluctant one recently, only 18 points this season

So where's this ride with vegan cake then

NikW

[philthy builder]

Did he have a beard ?

Yes,and a washed out old jersey and some of those tudor tights.And he was riding a Mercian,so a real audax man.

[philthy builder]

What's an audax? I'm not really an mtber; I'm just pretending to be one! I'm really all about long stuff on the road.

An Audax is like a sportive but a fraction of the cost and ridden by proper cyclists on either fast touring bikes or training bikes.Riders get points for riding events and can enter the Paris-Brest-Paris with the right amount of points.I think completing a 24hr time trial also qualifies a rider to enter PBP.Am I right?

[JohnBarleycorn]

Did he have a beard ?

Yes,and a washed out old jersey and some of those tudor tights.And he was riding a Mercian,so a real audax man.

Fantastic ! My early cycling years were surrounded by men like that.....and some women too, disturbingly !

Do they still make those Tudor tights ? I suppose it doesn't matter, as a true Audax man would keep them for at least thirty years !

[Gastroplodder]

Just reread Jonathan's post properly - so there aren't vegan cake audax controls after all Sod it, thought things had improved!

Seriously though one of the things that encouraged me to make the transition from veggie to vegan a couple of years ago was the memory of a young, relatively inexperienced, vegan, audax rider called Juliet who would mostly sustain herself via a saddlebag of home-made flapjack. She failed to complete the tough Brian Chapman 600km (that's Chepstow - Anglsey - Chepstow, there are hills) in her first year of riding but was back the following year to complete successfully. So any excuse I, as a much more experienced AUK, had of needing dairy to sustain me through long rides fell to dust!

The above mentioned Dave Poutney has organised for many years two classic, tough, but beautiful rides not far from the Welsh borders, the Elenith 300 and the Kidderminster Killer 200.

I'm not sure a 24hr ride on it's own is accepted as a PBP qualifier anymore, I think you have to do a Super Randonneur series of a 200, 300, 400 and 600km earlier the same season. Looks like there may be a shortage of places next year and BRM audaxes completed this season will give priority. Qualifying for PBP 2010

I wrote an 'Intro to Audax' for the Vegetarian Cycling and Athletics Club newsletter earlier in the year in an attempt to temp new riders. There's a copy on my new blog here

Nik