The Bike Show - Audax

[citoyen]

Just listened to it. Good stuff!

excellent interviews with both DanW and Manotea 

Well done chaps

Yes, they both came across really well.

[Wobbly]

It's alternative is the phrase "Winter pies means summer sighs". I think I resemble the second more than the first

I don't know about "summer sighs" it's more like "summer grunts" for me. But I can't think of anything that rhymes...

[Von Broad]

Good presentation by Kieran Yates with excellent interviews with both DanW and Manotea 

Indeedy so. Nicely done.
Does Kieran post on yacf?

Listening to the program running along side my own experience of all this stuff I was struck by Jack's caution of increasing the distance beyond 200km - [at least he was at the point of making the program.]
I sometimes got the feeling that he thought he 'should' be able to ride a 300 without being so wary of doing so, but I couldn't helping thinking that, actually, he didn't really want to and the longer distances were probably not for him.

Whereas listening Keiran talk, he said he was 'looking for a challenge', and after he came across AUK took very quickly to the idea of riding increasingly longer distances. I could empathize with both states of mind. Attitude is everything. It's what sustains you. You've just got to want to be out there to even give yourself any chance of getting round the really long rides.

[menthel]

I rather enjoyed that! Not heard the podcast before but have now subscribed on the back of listening to that one!

[3peaker]

It has taken a while but they have covered it at last.

Online version HERE

Good presentation by Kieran Yates with excellent interviews with both DanW and Manotea 

Well done chaps

H

That provides pretty good cover for what we do. Well worth the 30+ mins glued to the laptop. Well done P&D.

[citoyen]

I sometimes got the feeling that he thought he 'should' be able to ride a 300 without being so wary of doing so, but I couldn't helping thinking that, actually, he didn't really want to and the longer distances were probably not for him.

I've felt the same from things he's said in the past. I'm sure he'd be physically able to do a 300 but I don't think he really wants to.

I think the marathon analogy that Manotea made in the programme is on the nail - a lot of people will consider running a marathon but that's their limit, and they'd never see a reason to go ultra. Likewise, 200km (or more likely 100 miles) is a distance that sounds really big to most people but not beyond reasonable possibility.

You do need to be of a certain mindset to want to do things like audax or ultra-running.

[Hummers]

You do need to be of a certain mindset to want to do things like audax or ultra-running.

.....and have the spare time (+ dosh).

H

[Manotea]

It occurs to me that the thing non-audaxers really don't understand is the non-competitive/social aspect of audaxing. Thats the big message/barrier that needs to be broken through.

The public image of cycliing is all about racing, and most of us can only ride hard hard for a few hours before being spent,somewhere between 50~70km. The presenter made that very point, and Kieren mentioned how much more pleasant it was riding with others. But that does not necessarilly mean riding as a group but simply knowing that there are others about, some you'll see on the road, others at controls. It's all part of the shared experience.

But it's when you turn off the competitive "gene", acknowledge that what you're taking on is not a race but a day or weekend out on the bike, that everything changes. Relax, pace yourself and you can ride forever, more or less.

You see this with sportive riders on events. They arrive clamouring for a timed stamp and to be on their way, and you say to them, go and have a cup of tea, a bite to eat, take your time and enjoy the day. There's no rush. It takes them a while to get their head round this.

My expression for this is to "relax into the ride". There's a lot more to putting in a strong ride than the finishing time.

[hillbilly]

You do need to be of a certain mindset to want to do things like audax or ultra-running.

.....and have the spare time (+ dosh).

H

+ be descended from Zeus

[Hummers]

It occurs to me that the thing non-audaxers really don't understand is the non-competitive/social aspect of audaxing. Thats the big message/barrier that needs to be broken through.

The public image of cycliing is all about racing, and most of us can only ride hard hard for a few hours before being spent,somewhere between 50~70km. The presenter made that very point, and Kieren mentioned how much more pleasant it was riding with others. But that does necessarilly mean riding as a group but simply knowing that there are others about, some you'll see on teh road, others at controls. It's all part of the shared experience.

But it's when you turn off the competitive "gene", acknowledge that what you're taking on is not a race but a day or weekend out on the bike, that everything changes. Relax, pace yoursrelf and you can ride forever, more or less.

You see this with sportive riders on events. They arrive clammering for a stamp and to be on their way, and you say to them, go and have a cup of tea, a bite to eat, take your time and enjoy the day. There's no rush. It takes them a while to get their head round this.

My expression for this is to "relax into the ride".

This was evident with some riders on the Dartmoor Devil last weekend.

The fact that there wasn't a bronze, silver or gold finish time category had passed some riders by.

H

[hillbilly]

It occurs to me that the thing non-audaxers really don't understand is the non-competitive/social aspect of audaxing.

I could say much the same thing for some long standing AUKs....

[Exit Stage Left]

There's a section in Albert Londres' piece 'The Convicts of the Road', about the Tour de France, and it describes a rider in tears because he has missed the cut-off time at a control. The early Tours were run over stages of up to 300 miles, and were homologated just like Randonees, with a road book stamped at controls.
There was an additional class of riders called 'Touristes Routier', who were essentially out to complete the Tour by finishing just within the time limits. The French public are mainly interested in the competition at the front, and the Courage of those at the back. You still see that at PBP, the crowds turn out for the leaders, and for the back of the field. That's mainly because the leaders are predictable, and the control closing times are known. Riders in the middle complain that the atmosphere they are told about isn't there. If you are a middle-marker the atmosphere isn't a patch on the back of the field.

For those with a love of cycling history, Randonnees are a throwback to the days when the Tour de France had stages of over 400km, and the unsupported Touristes Routier exemplified the true spirit of cycling. It's fossilised sport, you can see the same scenes re-enacted in any Audax as the riders at the back struggle to meet the cut-offs, as Londres described in the 1920s.

The literary tradition which surrounded those Tours are what informs Audax writing, and it's the reason so much gets written. The scale of the adventure makes it a worthy subject. That taste for the epic carries with it the seeds of the Audax conudrum. How far can we dilute the challenge before it loses its grandeur? Audax demands a cut-off time, or it ceases to be epic. It's not simply about riding a long way, it's about beating that ticking clock.

I've got a bit of video of the end of Susan Otcenas being interviewed by Kieron, she says 'The more difficult the ride, the better the stories', which sums it up neatly. I've met Kieron twice, once at PBP interviewing the Indian riders and at LEL went he was doing the piece we're discussing, strangely he went the same primary school as me.

http://www.cyclingrevealed.com/July06/July06_TR2.htm

[Ningishzidda]

Audax cyclists and contest fishermen.

Both sat down most of the day except when a struggle ensues.

[Redlight]

The ‘Truth’ ....

... you can't handle the Truth. Son, we live in a world that has wheels, and those wheels have to be ridden by those with bikes. Who's gonna do it? You? I have a greater responsibility then you can possibly fathom. You may curse us. You have that luxury. You have the luxury of not knowing what I know. My existence, while grotesque and incomprehensible to you, keeps small bike shops in business. You don't want the truth because deep down in places you don't talk about at parties, you want me on that bike, you need me on that bike. We use words like honor, code, loyalty. We use these words as the backbone of a life spent on the road. You use them as a punchline. I have neither the time nor the inclination to explain myself to a man who rises and sleeps under a blanket whilst I'm grimping up Pen-y-pass, and then questions the manner in which I do it. I would rather you just said thank you, and went on your way, Otherwise, I suggest you get on a bike and ride a Brevet. Either way, I don't give a damn what you think.



I think they must have cut that bit out...

Awesome - on par with 'Audaxspotting'

Can we have that on a jersey, please? And this time I will order the right size.

[citoyen]

The fact that there wasn't a bronze, silver or gold finish time category had passed some riders by.

I hope you told them that they're all gold standard.

If that's what they want to be.

Even the DNFs.

[Deano]

The ‘Truth’ ....

... you can't handle the Truth. Son, we live in a world that has wheels, and those wheels have to be ridden by those with bikes. Who's gonna do it? You? I have a greater responsibility then you can possibly fathom. You may curse us. You have that luxury. You have the luxury of not knowing what I know. My existence, while grotesque and incomprehensible to you, keeps small bike shops in business. You don't want the truth because deep down in places you don't talk about at parties, you want me on my bike, you need me on my bike. We use words like honor, code, loyalty. We use these words as the backbone of a life spent on the road. You use them as a punchline. I have neither the time nor the inclination to explain myself to a man who rises and sleeps under a blanket whilst I'm grimping up Pen-y-pass, and then questions the manner in which I do it. I would rather you just said thank you, and went on your way, Otherwise, I suggest you get on a bike and ride a Brevet. Either way, I don't give a damn what you think.

I think they must have cut that bit out...

POTD.

[Ian gaggiaport]

http://thebikeshow.net/high-tech-high-stakes-sturmey-archer-story/

 

[Bairdy]

The ‘Truth’ ....

... you can't handle the Truth. Son, we live in a world that has wheels, and those wheels have to be ridden by those with bikes. Who's gonna do it? You? I have a greater responsibility then you can possibly fathom. You may curse us. You have that luxury. You have the luxury of not knowing what I know. My existence, while grotesque and incomprehensible to you, keeps small bike shops in business. You don't want the truth because deep down in places you don't talk about at parties, you want me on my bike, you need me on my bike. We use words like honor, code, loyalty. We use these words as the backbone of a life spent on the road. You use them as a punchline. I have neither the time nor the inclination to explain myself to a man who rises and sleeps under a blanket whilst I'm grimping up Pen-y-pass, and then questions the manner in which I do it. I would rather you just said thank you, and went on your way, Otherwise, I suggest you get on a bike and ride a Brevet. Either way, I don't give a damn what you think.

I think they must have cut that bit out...

Maybe orgs should have the power to issue an Audax Code Red on riders?
That would liven things up in the tearooms.

[Ningishzidda]

The ‘Truth’ ....

... you can't handle the Truth. Son, we live in a world that has wheels, and those wheels have to be ridden by those with bikes. Who's gonna do it? You? I have a greater responsibility then you can possibly fathom. You may curse us. You have that luxury. You have the luxury of not knowing what I know. My existence, while grotesque and incomprehensible to you, keeps small bike shops in business. You don't want the truth because deep down in places you don't talk about at parties, you want me on my bike, you need me on my bike. We use words like honor, code, loyalty. We use these words as the backbone of a life spent on the road. You use them as a punchline. I have neither the time nor the inclination to explain myself to a man who rises and sleeps under a blanket whilst I'm grimping up Pen-y-pass, and then questions the manner in which I do it. I would rather you just said thank you, and went on your way, Otherwise, I suggest you get on a bike and ride a Brevet. Either way, I don't give a damn what you think.

I think they must have cut that bit out...

Maybe orgs should have the power to issue an Audax Code Red on riders?
That would liven things up in the tearooms.

Meaning?

There will be a sudden upsurge in Roadbike Orienteering.

[Manotea]

Maybe orgs should have the power to issue an Audax Code Red on riders?
That would liven things up in the tearooms.

Well, you can try asking for a Code Red at the Tutti Pole but I think you'll have a lot more success asking for beans on toast like everybody else...

Nervous young girl in grey stripey crimplene dress: "For the final time, did you order beans on toast?"

Bairdy: "YOU'RE DAMN RIGHT I ORDERED BEANS ON TOAST!"

[Henry]

Just got to listen to this, excellent stuff 

[aregister]

Great selection of music on the Bike Show. I am listening to old podcasts just for the R&B gems.

[Ningishzidda]

Sound frequency - Invented by the gods for 'mind control' and 'dumbing down'.
Music - Latest version.
X Factor - "Result!",

[mattc]

Great selection of music on the Bike Show. I am listening to old podcasts just for the R&B gems.

I tried to listen to some Bikes Shows a while back. The excessive quantity of music put me off instantly! I'm not sure why, but 'talk radio' should IMHO be almsot entirely talk. A few seconds music to set the mood can work brilliantly, but much more and I start to expect a whole 3min+ .. "Oh, this is a music programme. And I like this song!"... and then it stops, and I'm all confused  Part of me also suspects they're just desperate to fill a 30min podcast.
Maybe it's just me, dunno. [honourable exception - O Superman worked superbly in the VCDL interview with Obree.]


Anyway ...This week's is a great improvement in that respect. It's very good overall.Oh, and Paul+Dan do a great job too 

[Ian gaggiaport]

Resonance fm isn't talk radio, I like jack's music choices. but it's easy to skip the reggae ones in a  podcast , sorry Henry;)
There once was a series of programmes broadcasting recordings of empty rooms.
Don't knock Jack too much, his heart is truly in the right place.