Bumping this on up because a local group just announced a full brevet series (200, 300, 400, 600) and I’m really feeling it! There aren’t any group start, just suggested routes to do when it’s convenient for you, with a tentative group start for the 600 on the solstice, but that’s TBD. This is perfect for me for both my covid sensibilities and my odd schedule as a student.
I’ve done a 200k ride solo, but that’s about the farthest I’ve ever gone. Fortunately, I’m a lot more fit now and have a nicer bike. My bike is a Surly Cross Check, which I’m sure many folks on here would scoff at, but I love it. I am considering getting nicer wheels, but I’m not sure how much to invest or when the scales tip down in regards to diminishing returns.
As far as actually doing the rides, I’m sure that I could go out tomorrow and complete the 200 or 300, but the 400 and especially the 600 will be massive. I’m really good about fueling trainer workouts and can tolerate all the carbs but know that I need to practice eating when riding outside.
TLDR, I’m curious if anyone else has tips or thoughts or dreams for some real long rides this spring and summer?
RE the bike, unless you want to spend money don’t worry about upgrading IMO. Obviously fit road tyres, but from there a bike is a bike really. I’ve done most of my Audaxing on what is technically a cross bike, but also ridden my best carbon bike, a steel fixed gear and a mountain bike - none really seemed to change the average speed significantly
In my experience 300 is just a long 200, starting at midnight is good as you finish in the light just as the dozies are starting to kick in.
400 is the hardest distance, its hard to build up enough of a buffer to have a sleep stop. I tend to ride through and just eat a lot.
600 is nice, its good to ride it as a 350 and a 250 with a 4-6 hour sleep stop between.
Some of my personal rules are
Be fast at stops, have a routine and stick to it.
Take the time you need at stops. I know it sounds like it contradicts #1 but I will sit down and eat a full meal at least once on a 200 and then scale it for longer rides.
Eat and drink regularly on the bike. I eat the equivilent of 1/2 a banana every 30 mins and sip my drink (sis go electrolyte) every 15.
Bounce the first control (get you stamp and go) I make sure I have enough food on board to get me to 70-100km without the need to stop for food or supplies.
Haven’t stepped up in Audax, but I’ve always gone real food as much as possible, supplemented by carb mix in the bottles. One of the best bits, when groups are allowed, is the sitting having a chat over sandwich/ cup of tea/ cake/ crisps/ chocolate at controls (either manned or purchase ones).
I’ve never done a permanent/ solo one - there are a few 200’s posted for my county from the last time we were on county-wide restrictions that I plan to do in the spring.
Surly Cross Check and Long Haul Trucker (LHT) are the perfect “gateway” bikes for rando. They are indestructible and easily repairable which is hyper important when you’re out in the middle of nowhere doing a longer Audax ride with little to no support. Heck, half the rando riders around me are riding on old-school steel rigs that weigh more than my Surly anyway.
The full brevet series is intended to be the training (mental and physical) you need to do the progressively longer rides. Each builds upon the prior effort. Definitely give yourself way more time post ride to recover than any TSS chart suggests as your legs will be feeling the long efforts for awhile.
Welcome to the club.
Here are a couple of personal suggestions that have worked for me:
Use www.randoplan.com to gauge your time to controls and to the finish. Be conservative with your “all day, flat road pace” which is definitely not your 1-3 hour group ride pace. Think 0.60 intensity factor or even lower for the longest rides.
After a ride, ask lots of folks what they did this past weekend so they reciprocate. Then you get to casually mention that you rode 180 or 250 miles in one day. Even the jaws of seasoned cyclists will drop.
I’ve done 200 and 300km brevets and a 400km gravel ride with my crosscheck and it’s been just fine. Comfortable and reliable plus an unbeatable value what’s not to like?
A question: Mudguards? years ago (1970s) when I first came across Audax I read i needed mudguards. Are they compulsory nowadays? Or is it simply polite to have them in case you are in a group on a wet muddy road?
(someone who is thinking about Audax and doing some planning… )
Depends on where you live and your tolerance for spray. If you ever want to ride in a paceline on a damp day, they are mandatory and the super long ones are preferred.
We ride rain or shine in my area so almost everyone has a wet weather bike with fenders. If you’re trying to do a full series (200K, 300K, 400K, 600K), there are usually limited options for the last two rides. And if it’s raining, so be it, you still need to do the ride to finish the series. And for a 1200K, you can pretty much count on getting rained upon.
But again, it’s a personal preference thing. I ride solo most of the time at events and don’t mind wet feet, so I don’t often use my fender equipped bike. Has to be all day rain for that one… (Caveat on that is when the roads are salted for ice. Then the fenders are mandatory since I don’t want that crap all up into my metal parts.)
@mimod@jzhowie@clasher Thanks that helps. My preferrred lighter bike won’t easily take mudguards, but my winter one does. Just wanted to get a feel on this. Appreciated. @mimod (No I am not thinking of doing the full series (Yet!))
Will be doing my last Audax tomorrow for the 20/21 season.
Unfortunately I couldn’t make my club’s (KWCC) own Fifth Continent 300 last weekend
so I substituted for the Seashore 200 from Horsham
I have been struggling to keep motivation in the last month and somewhat abandoned my program. I substituted with the occasional ride and commute to work. This week I’ve selected some workouts specifically to increase my Endurance and Tempo Progression Levels. Just for fun and that’s the pace we ride all day anyways.
Will then start to piece together the calendar for next year (or from 1st Nov) to complete a 600/1000 (and SR series) which would allow an early entry into PBP 2023 (the big goal!)
Good luck! I’m doing the LWL route tomorrow, then Brace of Bramleys in Oct to finish my SR this year. KWCC events are always good so looking forward to that one (maybe more than a solo DIY 400 tbh!)
Great day for riding, weather just perfect and slight SE wind which helped at the end. 4 stages of 53, 53, 55 and 44km made it easier to manage. Going south over The Weald (Kent) was very hilly (no surprise there then!) Garmin took delight in informing me of the impending climbs. The Climb screen is useful though to limit the damage. A nice break from traffic south along the Cuckoo Trail. We avoided the Eastbourne Festival by going on the backstreets. Beachy Head paragliders were out and great descent down to Birling Gap. Saw the 7-Sisters for the first time. Then onto the cycle path and along Brighton beachfront (crazy busy) to Shoreham. From there followed reasonably flat, well had to get out big chainring numerous time back Horsham. Pleased with the average and had a very good last quarter. No doubt a packet of Maynard’s Wine Gums helped (604cal). Now for 4 days recovery according to Garmin.
Some interesting stats specifically in relation to TR
414 TSS
0.69 IF
218 NP (Strava Weighted Power Average 203W)
In a 8hour 44minute ride, this was my Power Zone breakdown
It’s a staggered entry. Folks who do a 1000K or 1200K the prior year can apply, then the folks that did a 600K, then the folks that did a 400K, etcetera… So if you don’t do any long rides the prior year, you won’t get your pick of starting time and may not get in at all since it will likely fill all 6,000 rider spots.
And then you still need to do a full series (200/300/400/600) the year of the event to turn your application into an actual entry. Nice “side benefit” of this system is that at least here in the US, there will be lots of 1200Ks offered in 2022 so riders can start getting into PBP shape a full year in advance.
I did a 200k in 2018 as a pre-qualifier, as a precaution (as I heard PBP 2019 was going to be popular). I was very glad I had done; PBP slots filled up very soon after the 200k pre-qualification was opened. A friend who didn’t have a pre-qualifier had a miserable wait thinking he wouldn’t get in (he did eventually get a slot - but had virtually no choice of start time).
Next year, I’ll be getting in a 600 and hopefully a longer one to make sure I get the start time I want.
Unsure If I should have started a new thread - but here it goes.
I am joining my first cycling event next week which is a 200k Audax (with a 40km commute each way) totalling 280k! My biggest ride by far in a long long time! However, the last time I did a 200k ride I had no clue about pacing or nutrition so I am feeling more prepared this time over
I was wondering, do people treat Audax’s (in Ireland in this case) as a race? If there is a pack taking off in the front should I try to stay on their wheel (Making duration shorter but more intense, also more fun) or just stick to my numbers and ride solo?
Also, what sort of power/speed can I expect the general fast groups to be putting out for a 200km event? Additionally, What do you believe is faster? Going at your own pace and possibly catching up to people or staying with the pack until things split up?
This may vary from locale to locale. Here in Seattle, they are not races but there is usually a “fast group” that is setting an aggressive pace and then other groups behind them at different paces.
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