How expensive is audax ?

[nightrider]

I know on the face of it audax is a very cheap sport or pastime.£15 membership and on average about £5 to enter a ride.Up till this year I only entered events up to 200k and never travelled more than 70 miles to a event and did not do more than 5 events a year.But it looks like I will be doing longer events now.What I am concerned with is the expense,how much do you spend on average a year?,and what tips do you have on keeping costs down ?

[Hot Flatus]

Ride to the start.  Camp. Take your own (used) teabags in a film canister. Don't catch anyone's gaze and above all don't engage in conversation... talk is not cheap!

[Andrij]

Teethgrinder will soon arrive to explain how you can save money on travel by cycling to all events - even is it take all night.  He, along with other, will also explain the delights of sleeping in bus shelters and motorway services to save on hotel costs.  

[Julian]

It's cheaper to take your own food than to buy it.  Or cheaper to sniff out a caff than to buy food at a petrol station control.  If you enter several months in advance then you can sort out cheap train tickets.  If you do a ride with more village hall type controls you'll spend less than you will on DIYs or ones where all the controls are commercial.

I don't know how much I spend on average per year but I know that a weekend's audaxing is a hell of a lot cheaper than spending the weekend in the pub, which was most of my pre-cycling weekends.

[Noodley]

I have been DNS on a few rides this year due to the increased expense of driving  

I suppose it depends how many audax events are near you, or if you can ride Perms.

[teethgrinder]

Keeping costs down.
Do organised events which don't use (so many?) commercial controls. Eating in cafes is expensive. Buy your food from shops instead. Maybe carry cutlery with you. Eating in cafes can be a godsend though, especially if it's bad weather.
El Supremo events are very good if you like his kind of event. He likes you to fill your saddlebag with his food so that you don't pay for a lot of food at M/Way service stations. Don't be afriad to stuff yourself on an El Supremo, he'll be offended if you go hungry.
400k plus, if you are fast enough and want sleep, book a hotel with a group and split the costs. Likewise for nights before and after events. This forum is very good for that. Book Travelodges in advance and you may get a room very cheap.
Book train well in advance via National Rail Enquiries for cheaper tickets to and from events.
Permanents, ride a DIY or a route which takes you past your home to use as one or several controls. Do a group event, visiting each other's homes for food/rest.

Ride a fixer. It's cheaper to run than a geared bike. Mike Kelly is riding more on fixed now because of ths, but his geared bike is a 10 speed
Makes a difference if you do a lot.
I probably spent around £6-7000 last season, but I did quite a lot last year.

[teethgrinder]

It's cheaper to take your own food than to buy it. 

It's even cheaper if you take somebody else's food.
Best to check that they're not looking first.

[Tigers Taxi]

I know on the face of it audax is a very cheap sport or pastime.£15 membership and on average about £5 to enter a ride.Up till this year I only entered events up to 200k and never travelled more than 70 miles to a event and did not do more than 5 events a year.But it looks like I will be doing longer events now.What I am concerned with is the expense,how much do you spend on average a year?,and what tips do you have on keeping costs down ?

If you finsh up riding X rated events expect to spent a lot. Sheilas NW600 last year used service stations, Little Chef's, and a Garage. The cost to enter £3.00, the cost of the ride
 > £50.00, now for people who want to sleep on the way round......

The VC167 club 1000km @ bargain Eastern Plains Mesh entry of £2, with 2 hotels lots of 24hr garages, Little Chefs and cafes rolled in at  £170, and thats sharing rooms.
My main tip for X- rated events would be to buy a Nelson long flap or camper and fill it full of food, if based on this summer  is there  enough room with all the extra clothing 

Andy S

[Creaky Knees]

If you carry a big enough saddlbag it could double as a hammock as well

I know on the face of it audax is a very cheap sport or pastime.£15 membership and on average about £5 to enter a ride.Up till this year I only entered events up to 200k and never travelled more than 70 miles to a event and did not do more than 5 events a year.But it looks like I will be doing longer events now.What I am concerned with is the expense,how much do you spend on average a year?,and what tips do you have on keeping costs down ?

If you finsh up riding X rated events expect to spent a lot. Sheilas NW600 last year used service stations, Little Chef's, and a Garage. The cost to enter £3.00, the cost of the ride
 > £50.00, now for people who want to sleep on the way round......

The VC167 club 1000km @ bargin Eastern Plains Mesh entry of £2, with 2 hotels lots of 24hr garages, Little Chefs and cafes rolled in at  £170, and thats sharing rooms.
My main tip for X- rated events would be to buy a Nelson long flap or camper and fill it full of food, if based on this summer  is there  enough room with all the extra clothing 

Andy S

[Tim Hall]

And this year's winner in the Masterly Understatement competition is:

(drum roll)

I probably spent around £6-7000 last season, but I did quite a lot last year.

[Tigers Taxi]

If you carry a big enough saddlbag it could double as a hammock as well

I've slept in my bike bag on the ride down to Portsmouth for the 2003 PBP, and by the time the baggage handlers had got their hands on it on the flight home , sleeping in it is all its fit for.

Andy S
PS
Now I have a cycle case and Baxters trashed one of the hinges on it  on PBP 2007, although I was supposed to use a soft case.

[nightrider]

I forgot to add that I normally drive to events,not a problem on 200s but on the 400k it was a little bit dodgy driving home.I suppose a travelodge is somewhat cheaper than crashing the car !

[Greenbank]

And packing can be expensive.

Giving up on the Border Raid 600 cost me £22 for a night in a B&B, £20 taxi the next day, £10 petrol money to the person who gave me a lift (it would have been a £60 taxi ride the whole way to Berwick), then £94 on trains (Berwick to Darlo and changing my ticket to London a day earlier) and £30 on a taxi to retrieve my bag from the organiser's house. So that's £176 but I was tired, cold and 360 miles from home amongst some pretty dangerous cycling weather.

If I'd been a cheapskate I could have cycled the 200km back to Darlo, picked up my bag and stayed in the hotel room I had booked and already paid for (which was non-refundable, but didn't go to waste as someone else was able to use it) and caught the train on Monday morning as planned. That would have cost me just £22 for the B&B. Given the 65mph gusting wind I'm happy I didn't do this.

Travelodge rooms can be got for as little as £19/night, but I usually end up paying £29 or £39. You can usually find someone to share if you get a twin or family room.

I think I spent close to £30 on food/drink on my only 400.

[Tigers Taxi]

And packing can be expensive.

. So that's £176 but I was tired, cold and 360 miles from home amongst some pretty dangerous cycling weather.

And the best £176 you've spent? It would've cost around £50 if you had ridden round

Andy S

[Ian H]

Unlike cyclosportives you don't need a 'best' almost racing bike, and the entry fee is modest.

But...the event could be longer than the average Cyclosportif - it might last for days; you might have to pay extra for food and drink.

I guess Paris-Brest-Paris last time cost me more than £700, although I rode there and back from Le Havre. Calais-Brindisi probably cost well over £1000 because I used hotels without much regard for cost - but then, what would a fortnight's package holiday abroad cost?

200k/300k events starting not too far from home probably cost less than an evening out at the pub.

[Ivo]

I was surprised how much I saved last year when I organised a full series. The effect of not having to travel long distances to the start and sleeping in hotels far outweighed the extra expenses of reccing and other start-up costs.

[GruB]

Look at the alternatives that provide you with the same enjoyment and health gains.
Gym membership / an evening in the pub / going to a movie / whatever / - everything that I can think of aside from sex - is more expensive to get the same return on enjoyment that I get from audaxing.

[LittleWheelsandBig]

I guess Paris-Brest-Paris last time cost me more than £700, although I rode there and back from Le Havre.

Riding wasn't an option for some of us and including the mandatory European holiday to keep in Mrs LWaB's goodbooks adds up, not to mention the new bike.  Thanks for that fidgetbuzz 

[Marmitegeoff]

Food on the ride £20 - £30  some carried round and some bought on the way.
Fuel   £0 ride to the start up to £40 - £50 if it is a good distance to the start.  I do not drive more than 2hrs to a start so that eliminates the B&B etc. 

So a normal w/e event is not to bad.  DNF / rescue no that is a very frightening thought.  Last off cost several months of placating SWMBO, and several meals out and a good holiday etc. 

This time I am still an invalid so who knowes what it is going to cost.    and it was not even my fault!! 

[Hummers]

It helps if you go for events closer to home.

As has been mentioned by m'learned Audaxer Teethgrinder, El Supremo (Dave Hudson) events include the catering services of the Lord Of The Layby Luncheon means less money on commercial controls if you stuff your saddle bag.

Where there are cafes, they tend to be good value or included in the entry price. (WoW - two course meal included in the entry).

Personally, if there are Cafes, I choose to use them as places where cyclists are welcome are in decline.

Of course, Dave's events may be nowhere near where you live. 

H

[frankly frankie]

Now I have a cycle case and Baxters trashed one of the hinges on it  on PBP 2007, although I was supposed to use a soft case.

Shouldn't that be - because I was supposed to use a soft case.
[I write as a one-time Baxters courier]

Expensive? - I once drove (from northern England) to a 200km event near Geneva, and had my car burgled there, losing camera and camping gear - and the smashed car window.

[Hot Flatus]

If it wrecked the hinge on a hard case what would it have done to Andy's £3000 carbon bike in a soft case?

[nightrider]

It would also be interesting to ask a time trialist or a road racer how much they spend on average on their hobby.At most audax rides I have done the riders tend to be on fairly ordinary bikes.To be honest next year I will probally ride a couple of 400s ,600,and LEL.These are the rides that may incur costs,but I may try to turn them into family outings !

[MSeries]

It depends how much you do and have far you travel. I travelled quite a lot last year to ride some particular events and see some particular people. One of the reasons for taking up Audaxing for me was to ride in some new areas of the UK as I was bored stiff with the same roads from my back door. I probably spent most money on Diesel though I did manage to car share on some occasions. I didn't spend much on accommodation, usually I slept at the start control or with friends who lived nearby who were also doing the events or my parents. This year has been much cheaper but then I shall not get 82 points. Next year I will do mostly DIYs from home I think as I am now car free either that or become like teethgrinder and ride all night to get there.

[vorsprung]

Now I am on the dole I am trying to get into the money saving mode for audax rides
Here are some tips

1) Take a couple of sandwiches.  Cost to you is much less than a garage sandwich.  Can be eaten when you want to eat too

2) Only enter events that are local or where previous night accomodation is included.  The overnight stay beforehand can be expensive

3) Get a lift to the event.  Cheaper to chip in on petrol than getting a train / driving yourself