Author Topic: Average Audax speeds (Read 12687 times)

inc · « **on:** 21 February, 2009, 09:18:40 pm »

I know there are a lot of factors but say for a 200 what is your average riding speed compared to your overall average speed. I realise this is a bit like how long is a bit of string, number of controls, how much time blathering etc but I was just wondering what effect the controls have on overall time.

Chris S · « **Reply #1 on:** 21 February, 2009, 09:23:35 pm »

Historically speaking for me:

200s: 23km/hr
300s: 21km/hr
400s+: 20km/hr

I am a Fat Git who can't climb hills

.

FWIW - my fastest 200 was 8:35 - half an hour for lunch, stamp and go at other controls, totally flat. I couldn't match that on non-fenland terrain, or any more cafe time. This therefore represents my max speed.

HTH.

Martin · « **Reply #2 on:** 21 February, 2009, 09:26:42 pm »

depends very much on the company, terrain and weather but usually my rolling average is 23-25kph; it has been nearer 27 on some flatter 200s. Must say I only usually look at the overall time, if at all; just enjoy the ride

Ivo · « **Reply #3 on:** 21 February, 2009, 09:27:36 pm »

If you can keep your rolling average above 20km/h during longer brevets you mostly stay in the safe zone regarding control closures.

inc · « **Reply #4 on:** 22 February, 2009, 09:54:34 am »

Thanks for the replies, I was just trying to get some idea what affect controls have on overall time, I know what I average over most terrain and was trying to get a feel for how long the overall ride will take.

citoyen · « **Reply #5 on:** 22 February, 2009, 10:02:58 am »

Ivo's got it spot on. Maintain a decent rolling average and you can enjoy the breaks at your leisure.

I tend to ride at around 22-25km/h - maybe a little faster if I'm riding in Martin's company (

) and dawdle at controls.

I usually bank on around 12 hours overall for a 200, though I have gone under 10 hours occasionally.

SteveS · « **Reply #6 on:** 22 February, 2009, 10:38:56 am »

The maths is dead simple - average 20km/h and you are banking 15 minutes an hour to use at controls. However life and Audax is not that predictible; the puncture fairies, getting lost and Welsh events where you can spend half an hour grovelling up hill at 10km/h all can wreck your schedule. I once spent 20 minutes waiting to be served with beans on toast at the Llandovery Garden Centre.
My strategy is to set out as fast as I comfortably can to bag some time in hand for later, thinking that I'll catch it up at the end is an added stress I can do without.

PatC · « **Reply #7 on:** 22 February, 2009, 11:39:52 am »

Think I fall into the other camp. My preference is to ride reasonably steadily and not waste time at controls.
If you're averaging 25km/h and take 12 hours to do a 200 then you're riding for 8 hours and stopping for 4 hours.
I take the view that I do Audax rides to ride my bike and not sit in cafes. It's always nice to have a chat but you can do that whilst riding.

frankly frankie · « **Reply #8 on:** 22 February, 2009, 02:31:26 pm »

Quote from: PatC on 22 February, 2009, 11:39:52 am

My preference is to ride reasonably steadily and not waste time at controls.

And if there's a queue out of the door?

hellymedic · « **Reply #9 on:** 22 February, 2009, 02:42:21 pm »

Time spent at controls varies enormously and I can't give any definitive answer about this. I do recall waiting around 45 minutes for service at some places and it's not then possible to be clear of a place in less than an hour after stopping. Most place aren't that grotty but they're the ones I remember!
In reality, if you plan to sit in a control, you should allow 30-45 minutes. A 'stamp, shop, loo, go' stop still often takes 15-20 mins but YMMV.
It's worth having a very clear idea of exactly what you are going to do at a control and doing it without faff & flap; this can save much overall time, but hey, enjoy the ride and camaraderie!

Wowbagger · « **Reply #10 on:** 22 February, 2009, 03:37:06 pm »

If, like me, you struggle to maintain 18kph riding speed, then you are always up against it. You rely in not puncturing and clement weather.

I did puncture once on an audax: the Fairies' Flattest Possible 200. That was about the nicest summer's day of 2007 and I made it round with about half an hour to spare. Controls were closing as soon as I had ridden through, however.

hellymedic · « **Reply #11 on:** 22 February, 2009, 05:10:27 pm »

Quote from: wowbagger on 22 February, 2009, 03:37:06 pm

If, like me, you struggle to maintain 18kph riding speed, then you are always up against it. You rely in not puncturing and clement weather.

I did puncture once on an audax: the Fairies' Flattest Possible 200. That was about the nicest summer's day of 2007 and I made it round with about half an hour to spare. Controls were closing as soon as I had ridden through, however.

Aaah! Another 'full value for money' rider! There's the challenge of getting an SR series with times totalling as close to 100 hours as possible...

Greenbank · « **Reply #12 on:** 22 February, 2009, 08:05:54 pm »

Quote from: Chris S on 21 February, 2009, 09:23:35 pm

Historically speaking for me:

200s: 23km/hr
300s: 21km/hr
400s+: 20km/hr

Pretty much the same as ChrisS. I've done my Putney->Cambridge->Putney DIY 200 at just over 25kph a couple of times too.

Slowest ever was last year's Dean at 17.8kph average but then that was a tough ride in that weather.

Also add in 1 hour of faffing at controls per 100km. This is the difference between the elapsed time on the auto start/stop computer and time between starting and finishing (thanks to the Brevet card or GPS trace).

inc · « **Reply #13 on:** 22 February, 2009, 08:13:40 pm »

Are theses averages including stops.

StanThomas · « **Reply #14 on:** 22 February, 2009, 08:23:56 pm »

Depends on how long you want/need to spend at the controls. Since my computer only records time when I'm riding, I can say that my total time is typically 40mins longer than ride time on a 200k audax. This on an event where cards are stamped by volunteers, not cafe staff. And I stop only long enough to fill my bottles & grab a Mars bar.

Greenbank · « **Reply #15 on:** 22 February, 2009, 08:24:56 pm »

Mine are moving averages, so not including stops.

So a bog standard 200 is:-

200km / 23kph = 8h40 + 2 hours for stops = 10h40

annie · « **Reply #16 on:** 22 February, 2009, 08:30:46 pm »

My fastest ever 200 (bear in mind I only started last year) was 10 hours 45 minutes, I think approximately 2 to 2.5 hours of that was at controls.

Wowbagger · « **Reply #17 on:** 22 February, 2009, 08:31:13 pm »

My Willy Warmer riding time was 12:19:42 for the whole day of 133 miles, or 10.85 mph. That included crossing London and walking along station platforms, not just the 126 (or whatever) miles of audax itself.

I didn't stop for long. I had tea & cake at one control soup & roll at another, and had to join a queue of lottery-buying persons to pay for my snickers and get my till receipt at Sainsbury's. There were also a couple of faffs en route involving eating geobars, peeing and having the odd stretch. Total ride time including stops was 13h 20m or thereabouts.

My time on the Anfractuous in September, which was a nice warm day with little wind, was (I think) 12h 40m. I did at least one stamp & go on that and never stopped long for food.

My Dun Run time was almost exactly 11 hours, including stops for 120 miles. The whole day/night between leaving and arriving at home was 140 miles for 11h 15m in the saddle. For about 20 miles of that I was drafting Charlotte & Liz on their tandem.

FatBloke · « **Reply #18 on:** 22 February, 2009, 08:33:08 pm »

Cycling with Wowbagger can be a bit like playing chess.

Wowbagger · « **Reply #19 on:** 22 February, 2009, 08:34:35 pm »

Quote from: FatBloke on 22 February, 2009, 08:33:08 pm

Cycling with Wowbagger can be a bit like playing chess.

What, you mean I get into time trouble too often?!

Martin · « **Reply #20 on:** 22 February, 2009, 08:39:25 pm »

Quote from: Greenbank on 22 February, 2009, 08:05:54 pm

Slowest ever was last year's Dean at 17.8kph average but then that was a tough ride in that weather.

check

after crossing The Pass of Death aka Marlborough Downs and getting lost on the way to and and having to have the Meaning of it All relearned at Membury I wimped out with the "anywhere in Oxford" finish control by buying my return train ticket, I had to add a note to Nik that the clocks had gone forward 35 mins earlier so I was actually just in time despite what the receipt said,

Hummers · « **Reply #21 on:** 22 February, 2009, 08:48:28 pm »

Inc, everyone is different and has their own approach to riding these events so it is tricky to give you an absolute answer.

On a 200, there are normally something like 3 intermediate controls (not including info controls): one at 50k, one at around half way and one on the return leg at 150k.

Depending on how efficient/busy the 50k and 150k control is (or how much you want to stop and eat), you can reckon on 15 minutes to half an hour off the bike at each of these. At the half way, you may want to take a longer break, perhaps between 30 minutes to an hour. This might sound excesive but you will be surprised how quickly time goes when you're off the bike or when it is pissing down outside and freezing cold.

Assuming you don't get lost or have any visitations, you can get around a 200 with only 1 to 2 hours off the bike or less, it's up to you.

All you need to add to this is the time to cover 200k at your own average rolling speed (which I assume you already know) which will be affected by the hillyness of the ride, the weather, the wind and the time of year you do the event.

H

The Bairn · « **Reply #22 on:** 22 February, 2009, 10:08:55 pm »

Personal experience over about the last 5 years

200 - average road speed 23-24 kph. Ave speed overall 21kpm

300 - average road speed 22-23 kph. Overall 20kph

400 - average road speed 21 - 22 kph, Overall 17kph

600 - average road speed 21 - 22 kph, overall 16kph

Fastest 200k was 8 hours dead but that was a DIY perm in early June last year in glorious weather on a pretty flat course, starting immediately after a large lunch and with only a 15 minute stop midway so therefore very close to my maximum. Slowest was 11h 30 minutes on an event where I had decided to pack 4 times before the finish.

inc · « **Reply #23 on:** 22 February, 2009, 10:15:29 pm »

Brilliant, thanks for all the feedback, I was just trying to get a feel for overall times and that has now been answered, thanks.

innesh · « **Reply #24 on:** 22 February, 2009, 10:16:16 pm »

Quote from: Y Lee G on 22 February, 2009, 10:08:55 pm

Slowest was 11h 30 minutes on an event where I had decided to pack 4 times before the finish.

You're trying too hard! Wait until you get to over 13 hours 15 minutes.

Author Topic: Average Audax speeds (Read 12687 times)

inc

Chris S

Martin

inc

inc

StanThomas

annie

Martin

The Bairn

inc