Help me out here - Audax Aus. rides...

User avatar
Rich-Ti
Posts: 820
Joined: Fri Dec 30, 2011 1:50 am
Location: Sydney

Help me out here - Audax Aus. rides...

Postby Rich-Ti » Fri Feb 24, 2012 4:30 am

I'm moving to Sydney in late March and am a big fan of single day, fairly big distance rides (150km-300km) on my road bike. In the UK and Europe I ride 'sportives' (also known as 'Gran Fondos') which are typically around 150-250km. The only rides I seem to be able to find in Australia around these kinds of distances come under the heading of 'Audax Australia'.

To me this is a worry, as in the UK an 'audax' means you have to run mudguards (fenders?), will quite often be carrying panniers and aren't allowed to complete the rides too slowly, OR too fast (I'm not that quick, but I'd still complete many of the rides in a time that's considered to be too fast). I just want to use my road bike, and with only a saddle bag (at the very most) and do the ride in a time that suits me.

Do the same 'audax' rules apply??

Thanks in advance...

ausrandoman
Posts: 727
Joined: Fri Apr 03, 2009 8:33 pm

Re: Help me out here - Audax Aus. rides...

Postby ausrandoman » Fri Feb 24, 2012 7:11 am

Mudguards are definitely not compulsory. If you want to carry stuff (food, raincoat, warm clothes, spare lights ...) you can carry it however you like. Saddle bags and rack top bags are very popular here but you can use panniers or a handlebar bag - that's up to you.

The checkpoints generally open at a time based on a 30 kph average but, on a supported ride*, often someone will be there before that.

You will find that Audax is veeeery particularly about lighting rules. http://audax.org.au/public/images/stori ... ements.pdf
If the time limits for a ride include darkness, the rules will be enforced, no matter when you say you will finish.

Join up! It is a great club. Their big, popular rides are usually better organised and better catered than commercial or fund-raising events that cost twice or ten times as much.

* Some rides use shops as checkpoints. A suported ride is one where the organiser arranges for someone to provide food, drinks and shelter at a checkpoint. A supported ride is often like riding 80 km to afternoon tea at your Gran's, then another 80 km to afternoon tea at your Gran's again, then .... :lol:
Nobody younger than <del>27</del> 28 has experienced a month cooler than the 20th century average.

User avatar
grantw
Posts: 1792
Joined: Mon Nov 09, 2009 11:22 am
Location: Wollongong

Re: Help me out here - Audax Aus. rides...

Postby grantw » Fri Feb 24, 2012 7:34 am

The typical audax bike in Sydney is a carbon roadbike with a compact chainring, though there are a few Ti jobs infiltrating the ranks. Generally speaking you can go as fast as you can, no-one will mind, but you may have to wait longer at the finish before someone arrives to shout you a beer.
Image

User avatar
simonn
Posts: 3763
Joined: Thu Jan 31, 2008 11:46 am
Location: Sydney

Re: Help me out here - Audax Aus. rides...

Postby simonn » Fri Feb 24, 2012 10:27 am

Interesting, never heard those rules before. Hope you are not trolling. You just need to be a little self-sufficient (as in carry your own pump and tubes etc). Riders will generally stop and help, but will probably not if they could miss a checkpoint as a result.

There is often quite a range of riders doing, forex, a 200km in ~7 hours up to the time limit (13.5 hours I think).

Like grantw said, regulars mostly ride normal road bikes. I'm an infiltrator :). You get the occasional touring bike, flat bar commuter, MTB or even 'bent every now and then. Standard bag seems to be the Ortleib large saddle bag.

Audax Australia Rules.

In Northern Sydney, rides are usually $5 for members or $10 for non-members and on most weekends from Hornsby/Waitara, Dee Why and occasionally other places - Gordon, Berowra. It mainly depends on where the ride's organiser lives. With the exception of the BRAG ride (300km Hornsby to Canberra) which happens annually, I've never heard of a supported ride in Northern Sydney.

Come along and play :).

User avatar
grantw
Posts: 1792
Joined: Mon Nov 09, 2009 11:22 am
Location: Wollongong

Re: Help me out here - Audax Aus. rides...

Postby grantw » Fri Feb 24, 2012 1:05 pm

For some unknown reason I've hardly ever see a bent on an Audax ride in Sydney, though as you near the Victorian border they become more prevalent and can reach plague like proportions in the far south at certain times of the year. I'm wondering if it's a form of the Barassi line effect?
Image

User avatar
philip
Posts: 1622
Joined: Wed Sep 17, 2008 1:57 pm
Location: Sydney
Contact:

Re: Help me out here - Audax Aus. rides...

Postby philip » Fri Feb 24, 2012 1:48 pm

Yes it is strange that we don't see more bents in audax in Sydney because the rules do say you have to have a beard and have a flag on your bike, also wearing sandals isn't in the rules but if you don't it's generally frowned upon.

User avatar
jules21
Posts: 10555
Joined: Thu Apr 02, 2009 11:14 pm
Location: deep in the pain cave

Re: Help me out here - Audax Aus. rides...

Postby jules21 » Fri Feb 24, 2012 4:12 pm

i turned up to an audax ride in one of these t-shirts and no one would speak to me?

Image

User avatar
Rich-Ti
Posts: 820
Joined: Fri Dec 30, 2011 1:50 am
Location: Sydney

Re: Help me out here - Audax Aus. rides...

Postby Rich-Ti » Fri Feb 24, 2012 7:18 pm

Thanks all (trolling? No).

Rather than get too in depth about Audax Australia I was more curious as to whether theirs are the only events I can do aty preferred distances, or are there other organisations that run Gran Fondo / Sportive type events that I could do?

ausrandoman
Posts: 727
Joined: Fri Apr 03, 2009 8:33 pm

Re: Help me out here - Audax Aus. rides...

Postby ausrandoman » Fri Feb 24, 2012 7:39 pm

Rich-Ti wrote:... I was more curious as to whether theirs are the only events I can do at [my] preferred distances, or are there other organisations that run Gran Fondo / Sportive type events that I could do?
There are, but the events can be hard to find. Many different organisations (charities, community groups, advocacy groups, commercial enterprises) will offer a big one day ride, usually once a year. As far as I can tell, there is no central clearing house for these events so finding them is a matter of luck - if you frequent the web site(s) or regularly read the magazines where they advertise, you will find them.
Nobody younger than <del>27</del> 28 has experienced a month cooler than the 20th century average.

gabrielle260
Posts: 1150
Joined: Fri Dec 16, 2011 3:47 pm

Help me out here - Audax Aus. rides...

Postby gabrielle260 » Fri Feb 24, 2012 7:54 pm

Cyclesport Victoria run a series of rides called "Challenges" but they are only 120 to 160 kms. Also there is the 3 peaks which is about 250? Km. Last year a commercial organization tried putting on a road 12 hr race/ ride but it was very expensive to enter and I don't know how successful it was or whether they will run it again.
Unfortunately, what we don't have in Australia is the ultra distance race events that there are in the USA. Audax is the only body that does ultra distance, whereas the US has Randonneurs (Audax) and an ultra distance racing group.
If you are familiar with the BBAR (Best British All Rounder), which is based on time trial performances at varying distances... again, unfortunately, we have nothing similar.
Don't take all of this as a negative, though! Audax Australia is a great club with great people and I have happily been a member, occasional ride organizer and even once a committee member since 1988.

User avatar
leximack
Posts: 3400
Joined: Sat Dec 01, 2007 10:14 pm

Re: Help me out here - Audax Aus. rides...

Postby leximack » Fri Feb 24, 2012 9:45 pm

why do you need to have rides organised for you :?:
Just grab a map and make your own 200-300km loop, go as fast or as slow and take whatever you want and ride whatever you want, take some mates along for some company and to talk crap along the way.
I have never done an audax ride, sportive or whatever they are called but have done numerous 150-300km rides (even a few above 300)

ausrandoman
Posts: 727
Joined: Fri Apr 03, 2009 8:33 pm

Re: Help me out here - Audax Aus. rides...

Postby ausrandoman » Fri Feb 24, 2012 9:56 pm

leximack wrote:why do you need to have rides organised for you :?:
Just grab a map and make your own 200-300km loop, go as fast or as slow and take whatever you want and ride whatever you want, take some mates along for some company and to talk crap along the way.
I have never done an audax ride, sportive or whatever they are called but have done numerous 150-300km rides (even a few above 300)
Bravo! I like your style :D 8) :idea:

User avatar
Rich-Ti
Posts: 820
Joined: Fri Dec 30, 2011 1:50 am
Location: Sydney

Re: Help me out here - Audax Aus. rides...

Postby Rich-Ti » Fri Feb 24, 2012 10:02 pm

I'm still yet to move to Oz so (*quiet sob*) I won't have any mates for a while, and I want to get stuck into these rides ASAP!

Who is online

Users browsing this forum: No registered users