Audax Rides

Macy0161

Thanks, I was looking on my phone over the weekend, and wasn't getting links. Back on desktop all is ok!

cdaly_

The Dying Cow is on on 15th Sept and you have until friday 7th to get your entry in. It's not as hilly as the Mick Byrne and there are food stops on the way. T'would be a good one to try. Dying Light entries are limited so you'd want to sign up promptly for that even though it's not on until the end of October.

Macy0161

Dying Cow is the one I was looking at (local enough that if I did have a major issue!). Was only back out on the bike over the weekend, so only 95% confident the rib is up to it (even if 100% that the legs are!) - time to dust off the Defy I think for this though.

Macy0161

Right going for the dying cow. Was going to pay with paypal - the website mentions covering any fees? Are there any to cover for an Ireland to Ireland transaction?

cdaly_

I think if you're paying €10 you get charged €10.50 or some such. That's the paypal fee.

NamelessPhil

The YOLA 200 in Wexford is still taking entries until Wednesday midnight. It's a fantastic 200 in Wexford that never leaves the county. Good roads and an interesting route.

https://www.audaxireland.org/events-calendar/gazetteer/200km-events/yola-200/

Macy0161

cdaly_ wrote: »

I think if you're paying €10 you get charged €10.50 or some such. That's the paypal fee.

Didn't have the option to add a fee, but got a mail back suggesting adding a €1 (for fee + medal). So in now (well paid and application emailed).

Macy0161

Move over Cunard. Full Wall? Full schmall... The Dying Cow climb is a untc! Great day out all the same, despite loads of cramps, and a wasp sting.

CramCycle

I bumped into a lad this evening turning into the Bray Wheelers house in Dublin Fire Brigade kit, muttering about 200km in the legs, would he have been on the Dying Cow or where did it leave from?

NamelessPhil

That was the Dying Cow alright, it leaves from and finishes in Bray Wheelers Clubhouse.

I'm only in the door myself, 246,km for the day riding out and home again.

Macy, I didn't recognise you otherwise I'd have said hi.

CramCycle

I hadn't realised, I was dropping off an animal for work to someone on the Boghall road on my bike, long story. I seen the guy on the road so I pulled in to let him past as I was barely moving, and said "your probably going faster than me", to which he replied, not likely, I have 200km in the legs, to which I laughed and said let me guess, Paul and that Audax stuff. I would have shown more sympathy if I had know he had done the Dying Cow.

cdaly_

T'was a tough one all right. I haven't yet managed to climb the Cow without putting a foot down. Three times on this spin.

Was full value for me, arrived at the finish at 21:05 to find everybody else had finished at least 2 hours earlier!...

Still, month 2 of an RRTY complete...

selwyn froggitt

Completed the Pink Elephant Audax 200 on Saturday.

The conditions were foul and it rained all day, but there was virtually no wind to contend with and whatever wind there was seemed to be in our favour or neutral. I have to admit that I really struggled in the last 20 kms though, but a massive caffeine injection from the garage in Innishannon (and a good talking to ) saw me home.
Really nice to have company for the day from two other riders, it really helped me.

We kept the stops to an absolute minimum,it got really cold really quickly hanging around.

I was lucky enough to see this course in all its glory when I accompanied the organiser on a route check a couple of weeks ago, some contrast that day, not a cloud in the sky. The route has been slightly tweaked (for the better in my opinion) and the section from Bandon to the finish is now on much quieter roads.

Well done to everyone that completed this ride in such soggy conditions.

I must have ridden this event half a dozen times now, it’s local to where I live and we need to support Audax rides in the Cork/Munster area if they are to continue.

A big thanks to the organiser for all his time and effort in putting this together.

Alek

Completed the Pink Elephant Audax 200 on Saturday.

The conditions were foul and it rained all day

Rule #9 medal for you, sir!

Signal_ rabbit

I was at the same Audax, it was horrendous! Good route though.

NamelessPhil

For anyone who's interested, there'll be a pre-PBP meeting in Mullingar in the Greville Arms at 14:00 on 3rd November.

Come a listen to experienced Audaxers talk about preparing for Paris - Brest - Paris in 2019. There'll be plenty of opportunity to ask us questions.

For the Dubliners, there'll be a similar presentation at the Audax Ireland AGM on 24th November.

Carawaystick

Surely anyone thinking of PBP should cycle to Mullingar and back as a warm-up for a decent length spin...

Wishbone Ash

NamelessPhil wrote: »

...For the Dubliners, there'll be a similar presentation at the Audax Ireland AGM on 24th November.

I can't see them finishing it with Luke, Ronnie and Barney no longer with us but fair play to them for giving it a go. :pac:

NamelessPhil

Carawaystick wrote: »

Surely anyone thinking of PBP should cycle to Mullingar and back as a warm-up for a decent length spin...

Rode down, got a lift back. https://strava.app.link/slnCExfsyR

Mercian Pro

Rode the Angel of Mons today with two clubmates and it was my first unsupported audax. It was tough and enjoyable (in parts) but one aspect of it left me somewhat puggled. A group of about twelve formed soon after leaving Drogheda and worked very well together for the twenty of so km to Castlebellingham. With a following wind we were probably doing over 30kph so, rather than stopping for something to eat, we decided to stick with the group for the upwind leg to Collon. Within a few k the group was all over the place and nobody seemed interested in keeping things together. The three of ended up riding the remaining 100k back to Fairview as a trio which was obviously a lot more work than had we been part of a larger organised group.

Is there something in audax rules or practice that prohibits team-work when it might be most beneficial or were we just unlucky today?

Wishbone Ash

Mercian Pro wrote: »

... Within a few k the group was all over the place and nobody seemed interested in keeping things together...

That's because you blew the group apart when the road went upwards into a headwind!

On a serious note here's what probably happened:

That large group probably passed us earlier while we were having a leisurely breakfast. We caught up with them outside Drogheda as we were travelling faster. Then we joined them and 'sat in' for a while. We would have been burning very little fuel even when the roll overs began. It was still relatively easy with a tailwind (even though the group didn't take any advantage of the descents). However some of the group may have been travelling outside their comfort zone and when we turned into the headwind outside Castlebellingham, they probably thought, 'feck this', I'm not going to go all the way back to Dublin at a rate above my comfort zone and simply drifted back to their normal solo speed.

cdaly_

Nothing in the rules but, over longer distances, you cannot afford to either push to keep up with a group that is too fast for you nor hang back to stay with a group that is too slow. In consequence, controlling randonneurs is like herding cats.

Still, lovely day for it, Month 4 of an RRTY done...

Wishbone Ash

cdaly - that was myself and Mercian Pro who said hello to you north of Drogheda (I was in the Swords CC gear).

Matt Bianco

Mercian Pro wrote: »

Rode the Angel of Mons today with two clubmates and it was my first unsupported audax. It was tough and enjoyable (in parts) but one aspect of it left me somewhat puggled. A group of about twelve formed soon after leaving Drogheda and worked very well together for the twenty of so km to Castlebellingham. With a following wind we were probably doing over 30kph so, rather than stopping for something to eat, we decided to stick with the group for the upwind leg to Collon. Within a few k the group was all over the place and nobody seemed interested in keeping things together. The three of ended up riding the remaining 100k back to Fairview as a trio which was obviously a lot more work than had we been part of a larger organised group.

Is there something in audax rules or practice that prohibits team-work when it might be most beneficial or were we just unlucky today?

I was part of that group (I think) so I think a few things were at play:

Part of that group decided to stop in Collon rather than push on to Slane which caused a natural split - Skerries was a very early control which altered the natural 70:70:70 split over the route. With so many controls yesterday, many decide to push on rather than stop for extended periods

The Castlebellingham to Slane section is tough - there are a long secession of lumps and ramps which take their toll over time (very like sections of the Dying Cow). This again will split a group.

The temperature dropped as the sun went in - when coldness kicks in many riders will push on to keep the core temperature up.

As CDaly mentioned, riding outside or inside your capabilities (and how you feel over any given portion) will have a detrimental effect on how you fare so herding cats is a pretty good analogy

Mercian Pro

Thanks guys for the analysis which is spot on. If I'd studied the route profile beforehand it would have been pretty obvious that no sizeable group was going to stay together on those climbs.

Wishbone Ash wrote: »

That's because you blew the group apart when the road went upwards into a headwind!

cdaly_ wrote: »

In consequence, controlling randonneurs is like herding cats.

For the record WA, the reason I chased up the road was to futilely ask the leader to back off a bit. As top cat he naturally wasn't for herding😊

brocbrocach

Mercian Pro wrote: »

Rode the Angel of Mons today with two clubmates and it was my first unsupported audax. It was tough and enjoyable (in parts) but one aspect of it left me somewhat puggled. A group of about twelve formed soon after leaving Drogheda and worked very well together for the twenty of so km to Castlebellingham. With a following wind we were probably doing over 30kph so, rather than stopping for something to eat, we decided to stick with the group for the upwind leg to Collon. Within a few k the group was all over the place and nobody seemed interested in keeping things together. The three of ended up riding the remaining 100k back to Fairview as a trio which was obviously a lot more work than had we been part of a larger organised group.

Is there something in audax rules or practice that prohibits team-work when it might be most beneficial or were we just unlucky today?

I'm not an audaxer myself (yet!) but I'd think nothing could be further from the spirit of an audax than riding in a controlled organised group for as long as you can. I can understand falling in with others for a while but the thoughts of someone pointing out potholes to me for 200km would put me off my breakfast roll!

Lewotsil

Smashing ride ..... organiser excels at delivering interesting routes...... not bad at the rain dances either !

halvis

Thoroughly enjoyed it too, fabulous route especially this time of year and the perfect way to remember those who gave up their lives.

Managed to stay dry and the hills between Castlebellingham and Garristown meant you didn't get too cold as the evening drew in.

Wishbone Ash

Mercian Pro wrote: »

... If I'd studied the route profile beforehand it would have been pretty obvious that no sizeable group was going to stay together on those climbs...

It probably didn't help that I informed you earlier that the route was 'flattish'.

It seemed more hilly than normal yesterday but probably because I was going faster than my normal pace.

OleRodrigo

Next years Celtic Knot is fully booked (40 places) with 30 on the waiting list..