what's the current state of UK Audax ?

[rob]

Like I said a few weeks back when Dim* was running all round the AUK threads.

It's just not very nice round here.   Have a look at what someone has done within AUK as a committee member, an organiser or a rider before sticking the boot in.




* who I later found out had never ridden more than a 200k.

[frankly frankie]

... the Rough Stuff Fellowship whom I first joined in the 1990's, and arriving astride a mtb with suspension, seemed a tad like arriving at a mosque in a mankini, 

 
I knew a young lady (showing my age there) who was ostracised from her CTC group for turning up on a bike with straight forks.

[Whitedown Man]

My dad says it's changed - it used to have the reputation of a bunch of slightly weird older men sleeping in bus shelters, eating flapjacks, drinking cold tea and scowling at passers by. Now it's got a better rep with wider and more diverse participation, more like low-intensity sportives with even more stops at cafés or even - pause for effect - pubs.

"Better" 

The rep is better - there is a wider and more diverse mix of people giving it a go, which is great for all of us.

But the point of a club (any club) is not inclusivity.  Some people are 'in' and others are 'out'.  AUK should be an elite club of certified hardriders.  The AUK you describe just makes me want to resign.

But Audax is not just a club - it is a National Association, and therefore inclusivity is one of its principal points.

[kulturlandschaft]

I’m not sure I like being referred to as an Ultra Cyclist.  It’s not like I’ve changed my hobby much in the last 25 years.  The term seems to have been reverse fitted into what we were already doing.

I recall when venturing into Ironman racing the advent of double Ironman, ad nauseam, seemed mostly to appeal to those who hadn't bothered to master a basic Ironman race, but somehow wanted the kudos of exclusivity that a field of 12 people offered with the  possibility of a top 10 finish and eternal bragging rights of status and athletic prowess of a zombie...there's surely always some of that around especially with social media and exploits for views, but Ultra Cyclist seems daft unless it's that scottish chap who went around the world in <80 days ?

[SuperSam]

That's it now. organic hummous and aubergine dip will be de rigeur at the end of rides.
[/quote]

I think you'll find that is Babaganoush. 

[Nick H.]

Every individual audaxer has the freedom to change the perception of AUK.  If you see someone who doesn't fit in, a friendly word or a scowl will have a big ripple effect. Your club is in your own hands. (I'm not a member.)

[tonyh]

Hi, ... Nick is it? Here's wishing you lots of good riding!

Tony

[Hot Flatus]

Yep. I think it's friendlier than when I first joined 12 years ago. Less cliquey. There seemed to be a pecking order of rather sad old men.  There's a joyous enthusiasm brought in by a younger crowd. Some nice old chaps too, but the self-regarding 'big names' are increasingly unknowns. As they should be.

I disagree strongly with Frankly Frankie and will continue to do my bit to make it the sort of club he doesn't want to be in. 

[Jaded]

But the point of a club (any club) is not inclusivity.  Some people are 'in' and others are 'out'. 

Yes and more people being in is a benefit.

AUK should be an elite club of certified hardriders.  The AUK you describe just makes me want to resign.

Ridiculous. If you want to be in a masochistic 'normies out' organisation go somewhere else because this has been contrary to Audax UK strategy since 2013 so if you've got a problem with it, get out of the way. https://www.bikeradar.com/road/news/article/audax-to-harness-sportive-popularity-37406/

When organisations don't move with the times the volunteer base dies out over time as younger people don't get involved.

The enemy of change is the architect of decay.

I see that 'inclusivity' is illustrated by the young, fit and attractive, climbing a long, steep hill, unencumbered by the usual Audax gear.

Has that photo been tilted to make it look more uphill? It doesn’t look right.

[Hot Flatus]

No, there's actually an uphill sea in that location.

[Nick H.]

Hi, ... Nick is it? Here's wishing you lots of good riding!

Tony

Thanks! Not done any since 2010. I've recently resumed vicarious cycling at YACF and am hoping this will lead to the real thing soon.

[Exit Stage Left]

No, there's actually an uphill sea in that location.

It's something you see a lot in skiing brochures to make slopes seem more daunting, the trees give it away there. It's an idealised view of the type of people who might be attracted to Audax, if it wasn't for those pesky old coffin-dodgers, and the laws of perspective.

[Hot Flatus]

The guy in blue looks like he's squeezing out a fart.

[Exit Stage Left]

To be fair, three of the bikes have mudguards. So it was probably an 'Audax Bike Group-test', the art director has searched for Audax, then tweeked the slope. All publishers have a house style.

[ian_oli]

The guy in blue looks like he's squeezing out a fart.

Quite - with proper Audaxers no squeezing needed

[Kim]

...the rise of blind tech-dependance is starting to get to me - typically riders on the local lanes haven't a clue where they are, just following the purple line.  Ok, rant over.

This is starting to bug me as well. The number of riders asking for GPX links, for audaxes, over on Facebook is ridiculous! I’m a fan of GPX, but can’t they even prepare their own from the route sheet? It’s not hard, and it allows you to review the route on a (virtual) map.

A GPX file is exactly that though.  It's just a standard format for storing and exchanging lines on maps, without having to waste time and data (and get into copyright issues) storing the map itself.  Given suitable tools it's easier to prepare a GPX Track than a good routesheet, it can be rendered in a way that suits the end user rather than the creator^[1], and routes encoded as a list of coordinates are much, much less ambiguous than a traditional routesheet.

The use of GPS receivers is orthogonal to the use of GPX.  They're equally useful for users of electronic or paper maps.  And as for people asking for one, sometimes it's nice to look at a map of where a ride goes when deciding whether you'd like to do it.  (Agree that it's probably overkill for a typical club run, where "n miles, stopping at the foobar cafe for lunch" would normally be sufficient.)


_{[1] Hands up who's spent quality time re-formatting a routesheet in their preferred font / measurement units / paper size?}

[JohnL]

I agree regarding looking to see where a route goes, but this is usually in relation to audaxes already entered. Look at all the posts in the week leading up to BCM for example. People aren’t even considering sitting down and creating there own GPX, and by extension aren’t reviewing the route. They just want to plug in a ride and blindly follow it.

John

[Kim]

I agree regarding looking to see where a route goes, but this is usually in relation to audaxes already entered. Look at all the posts in the week leading up to BCM for example. People aren’t even considering sitting down and creating there own GPX, and by extension aren’t reviewing the route. They just want to plug in a ride and blindly follow it.

TBH, I reckon poorly prepared riders are technology-agnostic.  They're probably the same ones who don't have spare batteries or a decent puncture kit, and have no idea how frayed their gear cable isn't.

[Croft]

I think Audax is a broader church than many riders actually experience. As pointed out upthread, the culture at the "front" and "back" of many rides can be quite different. But also, a BP that includes a 50 and 100 has quite a different feel and more diverse group of riders than a hilly 600 or fast 300.

I guess that Guardian article is a success of sorts for Audax although I think by focusing on a tough 400 with only mention of longer distances it does create the impression of Audax as a club for (slightly dysfunctional) hard men. Not sure it will help in diversifying the appeal of the activity.

[Ian H]

...so if you've got a problem with it, get out of the way. https://www.bikeradar.com/road/news/article/audax-to-harness-sportive-popularity-37406/

That makes rather grim reading (both the sentiment and the link).

[Nick H.]

Who spotted the incorrect number in that Grauniad piece? It says the earliest permitted finish time was 10.30 pm. Should have said 7.34 pm.

[jsabine]

My dad says it's changed - it used to have the reputation of a bunch of slightly weird older men sleeping in bus shelters, eating flapjacks, drinking cold tea and scowling at passers by. Now it's got a better rep with wider and more diverse participation, more like low-intensity sportives with even more stops at cafés or even - pause for effect - pubs.

"Better" 

The rep is better - there is a wider and more diverse mix of people giving it a go, which is great for all of us.

But the point of a club (any club) is not inclusivity.  Some people are 'in' and others are 'out'.  AUK should be an elite club of certified hardriders.  The AUK you describe just makes me want to resign.

But there's room for a sub-section of certfiableed hardriders within a broader club. You can be in the broader club because you are an Ultra-SR or have a 100k km award, or because you aspire to join their number, or because you are in awe of their achievements, or simply because you like the thought of other people riding their bikes, or maybe even because you like riding yours.

I'm very much more comfortable being part of an organisation that welcomes a wider, more diverse membership than I would be joining one that required an SR or even a BR as a membership qualification. In part that's because I want to help encourage more people to take steps towards that first BR or SR, in part that's because I think an organisation of Ultra-SRs mumbling into their beards about how it was all better in 1896 wouldn't be very much fun or very long-lasting.

[Jaded]

I think if we want to keep Audax sandalised in the UK we need to take the website down randomly.

[frankly frankie]

...so if you've got a problem with it, get out of the way. https://www.bikeradar.com/road/news/article/audax-to-harness-sportive-popularity-37406/

That makes rather grim reading (both the sentiment and the link).

Fortunately the link was inaccessible to me but I got the gist and ESL's reproduction of the front page was most helpful.  Remarkable really, that 3 of them have mudguards.  Is this AUK's ultimate legacy?

[tom_e]

That sort of picture reminds me why I don't read those magazines.  What the hell is going on with the lighting?  Do they live in some sort of binary solar system?  Do they just photoshop everything out of habit?  Must all riders be permanently grinning and wearing matching shades?