Author Topic: Off-road audax  (Read 23179 times)

Off-road audax
« on: 02 December, 2015, 04:28:46 pm »
I know there's one off-road event down in Cornwall (Mines & Mineral Railways) but I was just wondering if there were any others out there.

Also, are there any other regulations related to off-road events (times/distances etc)? I thought I saw some a long time ago but can't see anything on the website.

Re: Off-road audax
« Reply #1 on: 02 December, 2015, 04:34:19 pm »
Not to Audax rules but the bare bones 200 has been mentioned elsewhere on YACF
Duct tape is magic and should be worshipped

Re: Off-road audax
« Reply #2 on: 02 December, 2015, 04:57:11 pm »
Yeah, I'm familiar with the range of bikepacking stuff. Was just wondering of Audaxing did anything more as a bit more social/civilised as a precurser to that sort of thing. Given the way bikepacking is taking off and the development of off-road networks, I reckon this is the sort of area where audax could serve riders who aren't averse to departing from the tarmac.

LittleWheelsandBig

  • Whimsy Rider
Re: Off-road audax
« Reply #3 on: 02 December, 2015, 05:33:03 pm »
I rode an AUK off-road brevet about a decade ago when they were slightly more popular. It might be worth contacting the Rough Stuff Fellowship as most of the off-road brevet organisers were RSF members. From memory, the events were quite short, nothing beyond a nominal 100km.

There are a couple of alternative approaches. Audax Oz run a few off-road brevets with 10km/h minimum speeds and short distances (as low as 35km), mostly following the AUK model.

Audax Oz also run a few 'mixed terrain' brevets that combine dirt and asphalt roads and are standard brevet distances and speeds. These are inspired by RUSA's similar brevets.
Wheel meet again, don't know where, don't know when...

321up

  • 59° N
Re: Off-road audax
« Reply #4 on: 02 December, 2015, 05:36:56 pm »
I can think of a couple that use some traffic free cycle trails in the Peak District but they are mostly on road...
"Knockerdown" 200km   Starting from:    Hulme End , nr Hartington
"Venetian Nights" 200km   Starting from:    Broken Cross , nr Macclesfield

Feanor

  • It's mostly downhill from here.
Re: Off-road audax
« Reply #5 on: 02 December, 2015, 05:37:51 pm »
Again, not an audax, but an off-road 200:

http://dirtyreiver.co.uk/

Re: Off-road audax
« Reply #6 on: 02 December, 2015, 05:55:29 pm »
There. Use to be a 50km from denmead using the southdowns and a old railway line. I have thought about reviving it.

Re: Off-road audax
« Reply #7 on: 02 December, 2015, 07:01:07 pm »
This quote has been lifted from the CTC website,"Cyclists have a right to ride on bridleways, byways and restricted byways, which make up around 22% of the Rights of Way (RoW) network in England and Wales."

They're also allowed to use "BOATs", (byways open to all traffic).

So it would seem an option for all but "compulsory route" events, to potentially have a considerable amount of-off road. Of course, whether the off road actually proves to be effective is another matter.
where you have a concentration of power in a few hands, all too frequently men with the mentality of gangsters get control. History has proven that. Power corrupts; absolute power corrupts absolutely.

Re: Off-road audax
« Reply #8 on: 02 December, 2015, 07:08:07 pm »
Graeme and I had the idea of a route following the old Rosedale line, up and down Ingleby Incline to the Lion on Blakey Ridge - it's a lovely flat run over the top of the watershed at the top, and there's just the one hill, so no one could complain.

We'll market it as a Brevet Unpopulaire.

The only problems are finding a start/finish point, and the likelihood that riders would be coming down the Incline at the same time as others are going up :o :o

Re: Off-road audax
« Reply #9 on: 02 December, 2015, 09:35:58 pm »
There's a sportive 'round these parts that, whilst not an Audax, might feed into your thinkings:
http://cycleclassics.co.uk/tour-of-the-black-country-sportive/tour-of-the-black-country-course-details/

"includes 19 unpaved sectors varying in length from 600m to 1800m, all of which are passable on a standard road bike"

also

"with a variety of French foods (croissants, pains aux raisins, crepes, etc.), coffee and a glass of Champagne for every finisher."

so sounds reasonably social/civilised!


We'll market it as a Brevet Unpopulaire.

 ;D  ;D  ;D

Re: Off-road audax
« Reply #10 on: 02 December, 2015, 11:59:37 pm »
While not off-road as such, about 40k of iddu's Old Roads and Drove Roads aren't exactly on-road - standard controls and timings though.


Re: Off-road audax
« Reply #11 on: 03 December, 2015, 12:14:19 am »
I can think of a couple that use some traffic free cycle trails in the Peak District but they are mostly on road...
"Knockerdown" 200km   Starting from:    Hulme End , nr Hartington
"Venetian Nights" 200km   Starting from:    Broken Cross , nr Macclesfield

I have decided to reduce drastically my road-riding.  To this end I developed an Audax-style 200k using all the old rail lines from the above events.  It has about 20 or so miles of road, in four short stages.  I trialled this in August or September, when it was easily doable for me  in 11.5 hours and on 23s and I'd been off the bike for 5 months following white-van induced surgery.  It was a couple of k short, so I've fixed that and will sort out how to get a DIY by gps ratified and let you know about the route when I've seen if I've got it right.  It should be pretty fast for most people, because, although the surfaces can be draggy and there are long uphill stretches, they are very gradual, because they were railways.

I doubt if I want it to be a calendar event because, while John's events are perfect in their use of railways, mine uses about 170k and a mass event might be completely anti-social and counter-productive under such circumstances.

C & A, if you are doing Dolgellau, I'll see you then!

Peter

PS  I've also worked out two or three others, which use even less road, involving canal banks and Sustrans trails.  These are much closer to the time limits because of the under-wheel conditions and gates and things - and my age, go on Pete, admit it!  More later.

Re: Off-road audax
« Reply #12 on: 03 December, 2015, 07:01:17 am »
Peter, that sounds very interesting. I presume you use a lot of the high peak and tissington trails.  Which others do you use?

Re: Off-road audax
« Reply #13 on: 03 December, 2015, 07:25:13 am »
There is of course the 106 miles of the Warwickshire Ring canal towpath. There are a few places where a road detour might be necessary.
But remember, you share the path with peds, dogs and fishermen.

Its been done on a bike for charity. ( Not me, I'm not that daft.  ::-) )

Re: Off-road audax
« Reply #14 on: 03 December, 2015, 08:04:02 am »
Peter, that sounds very interesting. I presume you use a lot of the high peak and tissington trails.  Which others do you use?

Chris, I also use Monsal and Manifold.


Re: Off-road audax
« Reply #15 on: 03 December, 2015, 05:35:41 pm »
I've just registered for the Dirty Reiver and will probably ride the Dorset Gravel Dash if it runs this year.

Ingleby Incline is on the list for when I'm up on the Moors some time, as 'we' bottled last time due to the skinny tyres on mates bike.

I'm always happy to ride off road on trails and stuff, just not a proper mtb'er

I've done a bit of fun riding around Derbyshire on the railways too.

Mike

mattc

  • n.b. have grown beard since photo taken
    • Didcot Audaxes
Re: Off-road audax
« Reply #16 on: 03 December, 2015, 08:03:53 pm »
I can think of a couple that use some traffic free cycle trails in the Peak District but they are mostly on road...
"Knockerdown" 200km   Starting from:    Hulme End , nr Hartington
"Venetian Nights" 200km   Starting from:    Broken Cross , nr Macclesfield

I have decided to reduce drastically my road-riding.  To this end I developed an Audax-style 200k using all the old rail lines from the above events.  It has about 20 or so miles of road, in four short stages.  I trialled this in August or September, when it was easily doable for me  in 11.5 hours and on 23s and I'd been off the bike for 5 months following white-van induced surgery.  It was a couple of k short, so I've fixed that and will sort out how to get a DIY by gps ratified and let you know about the route when I've seen if I've got it right.  It should be pretty fast for most people, because, although the surfaces can be draggy and there are long uphill stretches, they are very gradual, because they were railways.

I doubt if I want it to be a calendar event because, while John's events are perfect in their use of railways, mine uses about 170k and a mass event might be completely anti-social and counter-productive under such circumstances.
I wouldnt class these as "off-road"* let alone "rough stuff",  but having ridden some of those railway lines it sounds like a jolly good idea.
(I got terribly lost getting on/off them, so a pre-made route would be great!)


*not sure the best term; traffic free perhaps? Not that it really matters!
Has never ridden RAAM
---------
No.11  Because of the great host of those who dislike the least appearance of "swank " when they travel the roads and lanes. - From Kuklos' 39 Articles

Re: Off-road audax
« Reply #17 on: 03 December, 2015, 09:04:14 pm »
I'll keep you posted, matt; still got a bit of tinkering to do!

Re: Off-road audax
« Reply #18 on: 11 December, 2015, 08:42:08 am »
So as the answer seems to be that there's not a lot else going on, would people be interested in doing some off-road audax style rides. Along the lines of the current bikepacking scene but a bit less prescriptive and hairshirt wearing.

Re: Off-road audax
« Reply #19 on: 11 December, 2015, 09:53:58 am »
It sounds fun.  I would enter one.

Re: Off-road audax
« Reply #20 on: 11 December, 2015, 10:11:46 am »
Having just bought a disc-braked cross bike and having a blast on the local trails (much more fun than these namby-pamby fat tyred and full sussed mountain bikes), :P I would be up for doing some on/off road audax style events.  Perhaps it might be possible to organise some events that include off-road (perhaps shorter) alternative sections.  Then you are not excluding those that want to ride on road bikes or there's a bail out option in cases of bad weather!   :thumbsup:

mattc

  • n.b. have grown beard since photo taken
    • Didcot Audaxes
Re: Off-road audax
« Reply #21 on: 11 December, 2015, 10:14:43 am »
Hmm ...

I rode Iddu's Salisbury Plain adventure (and enjoyed it), but wouldn't ride it in bad conditions. I would if I had a suitable bike!

For me it needs to be an interesting route. Not just going off-road for the purpose of avoiding roads and getting muddy (which is what MTB-riding often seems to be about!). The gravel tracks we've seen used on many recent continental routes appeal - muddy UK bridleways less so.
Has never ridden RAAM
---------
No.11  Because of the great host of those who dislike the least appearance of "swank " when they travel the roads and lanes. - From Kuklos' 39 Articles

IanDG

  • The p*** artist formerly known as 'Windy'
    • the_dandg_rouleur
Re: Off-road audax
« Reply #22 on: 11 December, 2015, 10:51:38 am »
I've just registered for the Dirty Reiver and will probably ride the Dorset Gravel Dash if it runs this year.

Ingleby Incline is on the list for when I'm up on the Moors some time, as 'we' bottled last time due to the skinny tyres on mates bike.

I'm always happy to ride off road on trails and stuff, just not a proper mtb'er

I've done a bit of fun riding around Derbyshire on the railways too.

Mike

I've registered for the Dirty Reiver too (along with a small number from Audax Ecosse)

Re: Off-road audax
« Reply #23 on: 11 December, 2015, 11:10:41 am »
I really enjoyed the inaugural Vallycat, which is basically an audax where you only get given the list of controls at the start and have to plan your own route. Mostly on road, but with off-road shortcuts allowed (hints supplied on the info sheet), and the controls are structured to encourage these. I got lost on one of these and ended up having to slide down a MTB trail through the forest, but still beats riding up Bwich on fixed: http://free-route.org/vc1/riders/icornell#zoom=13&lat=51.6978&lon=-3.6378

I believe Mike Hall is planning a longer one in the spring as it also functions as a training ride for TCR.
“That slope may look insignificant, but it's going to be my destiny" - Fitzcarraldo

Graeme

  • @fatherhilarious.blog 🦋
    • Graeme's Blog
Re: Off-road audax
« Reply #24 on: 11 December, 2015, 12:00:42 pm »
I do want to organise some off-road 'brevet unpopulaire' rides with Deano but my timetable has been relentless for the last 18 months. I'm sure we'll return to this.

PubA to PubB to PubA seem most likely...

Peter I would be interested in trying out one of your routes some time.