Audax Rides

NamelessPhil · 04-04-2016 12:56pm

I regularly ride to and from audaxes, it's between an extra 13 and 20km each way. I use it as a warm up, i.e. easy enough pace, about the kind of speed you'd commute at. You don't want to arrive huffing and puffing (yeah, right!).

Lights are always a useful addition, they don't weigh much.

Stop/starting again is easy at the beginning and it can take quite a bit of willpower not to phone the broomwagon for the ride home! Bring an extra bar as getting you home supplies. Sometimes your body can cool down quite a bit before the last ride home. I wear my rain cape as an extra layer just to stay comfortable.

Good luck.

Matt Bianco · 04-04-2016 12:59pm

The Orwell and MB 200 are as poles apart as possible in audaxing in my experience. The Orwell is a flat route which covers some exposed r roads. There are a number of options to get food at service stations along the way - I stopped at Kinnegad Tullammore and Monasterevin which all have handy places without getting involved with going into the centre of the town. As roads are exposed, no harm locking in with a group on the day to share the inevitable headwind.

MB 200 a very different beast and a longer day on the saddle for sure. Numerous threads here on preparation and what to expect and will leave you in ideal condition to tackle the easier WW200 a fortnight later

xebec · 04-04-2016 1:19pm

Matt Bianco wrote: »

The Orwell and MB 200 are as poles apart as possible in audaxing in my experience. The Orwell is a flat route which covers some exposed r roads.

I believe the OP is referring to the Orwell Randonee and not the Orwell 200 which is indeed a completely different beast to the MB200...

Euro Fred · 04-04-2016 1:20pm

https://ridewithgps.com/routes/11286969 Not sure if we are on about the same Orwell event,

Wishbone Ash · 04-04-2016 1:33pm

I think Matt Bianco is mistakingly comparing the flat Orwell Dublin/Meath/Kildare Audax - not the Orwell Randonee.

http://www.mapmyride.com/routes/view/613423034

Matt Bianco · 04-04-2016 2:22pm

Yeah mistook the OP as referring to Orwell Audax as opposed to Randonee - only experience of former so refer to higher authorities!

devonp · 09-04-2016 10:10pm

did this today, definitely my toughest to date , with the very steep Torr climbs
and the snow, hail and rain...as someone else mentioned got sunburned and still trying to thaw out my hands
great turnout 50+ i think, great company and thanks to Stuart for organising

https://www.strava.com/activities/540499335

and thanks to the 2x four legged motivators for getting me up one of near last climbs on Torr head:)

Inquitus · 09-04-2016 10:17pm

devonp wrote: »

did this today, definitely my toughest to date , with the very steep Torr climbs
and the snow, hail and rain...as someone else mentioned got sunburned and still trying to thaw out my hands
great turnout 50+ i think, great company and thanks to Stuart for organising

https://www.strava.com/activities/540499335

and thanks to the 2x four legged motivators for getting me up one of near last climbs on Torr head:)

Fair play, savage route and savage weather.

Limestone1 · 09-04-2016 11:09pm

devonp wrote: »

and thanks to the 2x four legged motivators for getting me up one of near last climbs on Torr head:)

Was one of them the rather excitable sheepdog at the bottom of Torr head ??

It was my first time cycling in that neck of the woods - Torr road is a really tough climb or series of climbs.

devonp · 09-04-2016 11:39pm

yes, both had a go at me together, farmyard at the start of one of the climbs near the end of the Torr Murs

devonp · 16-05-2016 2:26pm

First 300 Audax
set off from Slane, great day for a spin, bit nippy in the morning in the shade..glad i brought my armwarmers, first control at Crossmaglen,
found the first climb a bit testy so got off 2/3 way up sat down and admired the view and enjoyed the sun..and the isolation..had a few jellybabies
grand on the descent to Dowra and a nice break and a chat well warmed up by now
then the second climb felt much better..it has a long lead in to the main section..roads got narrower and more gravely and plenty of sheep about too but stunning views as it opened up near the top, descent was ok, got warned about some bad sections from the control at Dowra,
another stop for food at Ballinamore, then plenty more stops (for me anyway)
on the way back to Slane.
garmin quit after Oldcastle(Gomadic didn't arrive in time and i forgot the garmin cable for the Maplin powerbank..fail to prepare...)
really enjoyed it and the chats with Dermott from Multyfarnham, Neil and the others in the group just in front of me (Dans group!!)
thanks to Pat for organising and picking the route

and the sunshine
305Km, started 600am finished 8.25pm 3,000+m of Up

NamelessPhil · 16-05-2016 3:51pm

Nice ride! I've ridden the 3 Provinces which covers much the same ground. Leitrim is a fantastic looking county from the saddle of a bicycle.

ford2600 · 16-05-2016 7:06pm

@devonp super ride.

I'd imagine if you slowed down a little, say from 27 odd to 26ish, keep stops shorter you could get back the same time but feel fresher at end.

Do that or similar and you'd be well able for multi days.

ford2600 · 24-07-2016 11:11am

The Brown Stuff 400. Toughest one so far. 440km on told, one long solo ride, 20h 30m door to door. Joined route in Clonmel and rode it from there.

Some real pretty roads, even if most were up or down.

Off of the bucket list, wont be repeated!

https://ridewithgps.com/routes/1014556

paul a newman · 24-07-2016 11:18am

horse of a man ! that's the toughest event on the Audax calendar, not many people do sub 22 hrs

ford2600 · 24-07-2016 11:24am

paul a newman wrote: »

horse of a man ! that's the toughest event on the Audax calendar, not many people do sub 22 hrs

Thanks Paul. I cheated Paul and turned south at Ballyboden! I don't ride Audax for traffic lights and Dublin traffic!

Doc07 · 24-07-2016 7:35pm

Going to attempt 300 for first time in 2 weeks. Group of about 10-12 doing a permanent route Dublin-Midlands loop. Lots of miles in the legs in the group but very few 200+ spins. I've done WW200 at 26-27 km/hr moving time but would 23km/hr be more realistic for 300km? ( only one 'real climb' and approx 1700m climbing total)
Any advice welcome.

ford2600 · 24-07-2016 8:01pm

Doc07 wrote: »

Going to attempt 300 for first time in 2 weeks. Group of about 10-12 doing a permanent route Dublin-Midlands loop. Lots of miles in the legs in the group but very few 200+ spins. I've done WW200 at 26-27 km/hr moving time but would 23km/hr be more realistic for 300km? ( only one 'real climb' and approx 1700m climbing total)
Any advice welcome.

http://www.audaxireland.org/the-saddlebag/stepping-up-to-300k/

For me the primary battle is in the head. Your doing 6 50km, 10 30km cycles or whatever. Put the 300km out of your head. I had 90km done yesterday when descending to Old Loughlin; when Mount Leinster came into view. The thought that I'd have 300km in legs before I had to go up it was probably biggest challenge of day.

You will have a bad patch, but you will ride through it and feel fine again.

Keep breaks short and keep for 10km after big meal even slower, don't ask your body to break down a decent meal and go hard.

Once you drop pace audax is a non event aerobically, and winning the mental battle, comfort and being smart with nutrition are main obstacles.

Is the route mainly on main roads? That would bore me silly but in a big group it probably doesn't matter as much.

Day 2 or Day 3 of Celtic Knot would be lovely 1 day rides. Day 1 is 370km.

Edit: The 3 provinces is a nice route, tougher than it looks on the numbers. Constantly undulating. I only did 80km odd before spoke failure but I nearly had front derailleur worn!!! Lovely quite roads though

Wishbone Ash · 24-07-2016 8:54pm

ford2600 wrote: »

The Brown Stuff 400. Toughest one so far. 440km on told, one long solo ride, 20h 30m door to door. Joined route in Clonmel and rode it from there.

Some real pretty roads, even if most were up or down.

Off of the bucket list, wont be repeated!

https://ridewithgps.com/routes/1014556

Savage stuff ford2600. Just wondering how you worked it time-wise. Did you start early in the morning or in the evening and do the over-night bit earlier in the ride?

ford2600 wrote: »

....You will have a bad patch, but you will ride through it and feel fine again...

As well as running out of steam, the bad patch is usually accompanied by everything else seemingly going wrong - sore wrists/neck/arse. But, as ford2600 says, it will pass and the soreness in various body parts also seems to disappear with it. I've never had a bad patch that I didn't come out of (except on one occasion where I became ill during the ride and had to be rescued - even then I managed to go on for another 40k before the team car arrived).

ford2600 · 24-07-2016 9:21pm

Wishbone Ash wrote: »

Savage stuff ford2600. Just wondering how you worked it time-wise. Did you start early in the morning or in the evening and do the over-night bit earlier in the ride?

As well as running out of steam, the bad patch is usually accompanied by everything else seemingly going wrong - sore wrists/neck/arse. But, as ford2600 says, it will pass and the soreness in various body parts also seems to disappear with it. I've never had a bad patch that I didn't come out of (except on one occasion where I became ill during the ride and had to be rescued - even then I managed to go on for another 40k before the team car arrived).

It says something of our culture around drink but the biggest decision with when to start was trying to guess what time it'd be safe to go through Clonmel. Figured 5 so left house about 4.20am. Home at 12.50am. Slow pace but total stopped time was exactly an hour.

Luckily enough I didn't meet the only 3 lads in O Keeffes who didn't get a ride/fight on the Fethard road ☺.

The roads picked to avoid N81 in both directions are magic.

paul a newman · 25-07-2016 7:20pm

What ? you mean you can get a row as well as a ride in O Keeffes, am on my way....

Planet X · 26-07-2016 10:55am

The Long Heron / 5 Aqueducts.
Talk to me

Surly Disc Trucker, 47mm tyres.
Audax Bike 25mm tyres.
It would seem to be more suited to the bigger tyred bike?
Is there much grassy / gravelly canal bank.
I've ridden the Grand Canal, not all, on the bigger tyres and the sections surfaces change so much.

smacl · 26-07-2016 11:01am

Possibly depends a lot on the weather for the preceding week. If it's been dry, you'll get along the canals on most bikes. If it has been lashing, tyres that can deal with mud will mean less or no walking. Couldn't cycle the section coming into Sallins on slick 32c marathon supremes earlier this year in the mud, done it no bother on 25c Durano plus the previous summer after dry weather.

devonp · 26-07-2016 11:11am

Planet X wrote: »

The Long Heron / 5 Aqueducts.
Talk to me

hopefully i can do this year after whimping out last yr , weather was foul,
i think i'll try the commuter; Specz ct hardtail MTB with 38c(but run as 35's)
often commute on the Royal to leixlip thru the deep sinking(fun bit)
my concern is the road parts on the MTB and lack of hand position options??
(i'd like to detour at confey to do the Rye river/water aqueduct and make it 6!! but then i'd miss leixlip hill up by the church:P

ford2600 · 26-07-2016 11:37am

devonp wrote: »

Planet X wrote: »

The Long Heron / 5 Aqueducts.
Talk to me

hopefully i can do this year after whimping out last yr , weather was foul,
i think i'll try the commuter; Specz ct hardtail MTB with 38c(but run as 35's)
often commute on the Royal to leixlip thru the deep sinking(fun bit)
my concern is the road parts on the MTB and lack of hand position options??
(i'd like to detour at confey to do the Rye river/water aqueduct and make it 6!! but then i'd miss leixlip hill up by the church:P

Don't mind doing them flat routes with the way you climb... take the 19th of and drive west..

and do this on 20th...
https://ridewithgps.com/routes/9615652

Stuart is one nice man, but he is an evil fcuker with a mouse and ridewithgps.com. Stunning looking route though

Carawaystick · 26-07-2016 2:22pm

devonp wrote: »

my concern is the road parts on the MTB and lack of hand position options??
P

I use something like these http://bbbcycling.com/bike-parts/bar-ends/BBE-07
you have 2 extra positions on the bar ends, the bit away from you and the curved bit.

I sometimes (into a headwind on the flat) grab the handlebars directly beside the stem to give 4 positions on the mtb when on the road.

paul a newman · 26-07-2016 5:26pm

Planet x, its a nice route, i've done it on 28s, but would prefer 32/35 s, you are on roads for sections and in fairness to Ron the off road sections are pretty good. Knowing you, I would imagine that you'll get round in the front group in about 10 hrs, weather being reasonable etc. The two things that I'd recommend are comfortable bars and saddle, this is not a route to break in a saddle, the constant pounding on the hole can be tough ! it's a day for Brooks or an Arione I think.

devonp · 27-08-2016 9:46pm

Long Heron / 6 Aqueducts

did this today with 4 others incl Ronnie the organiser. mostly off road on the Royal canal and Grand canal towpaths. really nice day for it and i used my hardtail MTB, i was the only one with susp, (wimp that i am), 2 other cross bikes and two steel road bikes i think.
in the description it says

"At about 83.5 k there is a track parts of which are Roubaix like in so far as it seems to be an access road to an adjacent wooded area. The subsidence has been back filled with large stone fill. You will fairly clatter over it. Keep you eyes open for it."

this section was just a track filled in with Very Large Stone and lots of builders rubble incl cinder blocks and pieces of concrete waste so that the two local bogs could be accessed by turf cutting machinery , never came across anything like it , you can't see it on Google ..I'm sure the poor Google camera was put out of action and the car prob as well!! an experience! its on my route from 87.3 to 89.7 for those wanting a challenge..you might want to bring a disposable bike or a tank

thanks to Ronnie for organising and the others for the chat and fun

"i'm all shook up"

https://www.strava.com/activities/691202678

Carawaystick · 29-08-2016 11:58am

devonp wrote: »

Long Heron / 6 Aqueducts

"At about 83.5 k there is a track parts of which are Roubaix like in so far as it seems to be an access road to an adjacent wooded area. The subsidence has been back filled with large stone fill. You will fairly clatter over it. Keep you eyes open for it."

this section was just a track filled in with Very Large Stone and lots of builders rubble incl cinder blocks and pieces of concrete waste so that the two local bogs could be accessed by turf cutting machinery , never came across anything like it , you can't see it on Google ..I'm sure the poor Google camera was put out of action and the car prob as well!! an experience! its on my route from 87.3 to 89.7 for those wanting a challenge..you might want to bring a disposable bike or a tank

Saw photos of that bit from OA who did it on a fixie...

smacl · 29-08-2016 4:45pm

Carawaystick wrote: »

Saw photos of that bit from OA who did it on a fixie...

Saw them on FB, I for one would be walking that bit.

Audax Rides

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