Average Audax speeds

[simonp]

Rolling averages are rarely below about 21kph for me, and rarely above 25kph.

On PBP my rolling average was 22kph.  I wanted to get closer to 25 but hadn't trained sufficiently for that.

I can't recall what my rolling average on the BCM was last year, except it seemed abnormally fast, probably not far off 25kph for the first day.

Edit: with longer (600s in the main) events I set a target of 20kph overall average to the sleep stop to give me sufficient time in hand.  This tends to make me have to maintain a good pace on the bike and be more careful about time at controls.  When that's worked it's made a huge difference to enjoyment of the event.  On the BCM last year my overall average for the first 400km was 20.5kph for instance.

[damerell]

Think I fall into the other camp. My preference is to ride reasonably steadily and not waste time at controls.

When riding with Jack Eason (who, by the way, I haven't seen for a while - is he OK?) I've noticed he is like lightning in controls for all that he is slow and steady on the road. I suspect that's ultimately the easy approach.

Slow and steady doesn't win the race, but it does win the pie-eating contest.

[LEE]

I allow myself 5.5hrs/100km.

That is, I should be leaving a 100km control/cafe not later than 5.5 hours after the start.

Sometimes I'm below that time and sometimes (on more social Audax rides) I'm above it.  I haven't worked out what that is in average speed, I'm couldn't care less, I just use it as a guide that gives me a bit of lee-way (patent pending) but keeps me on track.

200 = 11hours.  Cafes are generally the only reason I miss this target *.

18.1km/hr average, including all stops

* This is a perfectly acceptable reason I think

[Tiger]

If you want to win you will need to get above 25kph.  And you can get faster if you set off as soon as you get your brevet, and really shoot the controls.

[damerell]

If you want to win you will need to get above 25kph.

We have winners, now?

And you can get faster if you set off as soon as you get your brevet, and really shoot the controls.

Leaving before the specified start time?

ISTR writing in another thread about how the racing mindset didn't necessarily lead to desirable behaviour.

[red marley]

I think the orange and black stripey one may have been joking.

There was a great article in Arrivee a couple of years ago, I think by a Willesden rider about the various tactics you need to "win" an audax. It included things like taking a few spare wireless heart rate monitors with you so you can monitor the state of the "opposition" when riding close to them.

[Greenbank]

Bouncing controls is easier when you get into the habit of eating/drinking on the move, and once your fat metabolism is well trained which gives you the option of going further between big food stops. This only comes with lots of miles in the legs.

When I first started Audaxes I had to stop every 50km to eat otherwise I'd run out of energy. This isn't a problem as this is where the controls tend to be on 200km Audaxes. Compare this with last year where I did a DIY 200, on an empty stomach as I'm not one for breakfast, and didn't eat anything on the way round.

My advice is not to bother with an advance plan. Just eat properly on the way round, drink properly and leave each control before the time it shuts (printed on the Brevet Card) and you'll be fine. Once you've done a few you'll have a better idea of how you prefer to ride.

My second 200 took 13h55. Luckily it was a slightly over-distance 200 and I was 15 minutes within time. 14 hours is now my target time for a flat 300.

[MSeries]

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.

The easiest way of increasing your overall speed is to save time at controls. I have no idea what my moving average is, I usually check what my total ride time is and usually do not linger long at controls. I rarely bounce them, just don't waste time. I haven't bothered to average out my time for all of my 200s. Fastest was 8h40m, slowest was 12h30m, these include all stops and of course the routes and conditions differ so much. [average of those two would be 10h35m, certainly done another in 9 hours and some slower] On those two mentioned the fast one was The Winter Solstice on Fixed which is an 'X' event thus fast controlling, the slowest the Bowland Grimpeur Perm on a wet July day. Actually I once did The Winter Solstice in 12h30 too, finding controls was made harder that day because of a power failure in the town and all the shops closed. We then found a pub for lunch but the service was slow-ish. (not complaining, I needed a break and to get out of the cold)

 It's not a race I am happy with 20kph average including stops. My fastest average inc stops was actually on a 300 and that could have been faster if we'd wanted it be, we definitely stopped at two cafes and a pub. For me

[Von Broad]

I usually bank on around 12 hours overall for a 200

Yeah, that's about where I am. Compared to some, that's on the slow side of things, but on a 200km/300km it bothers me very little indeed. I'm happy to get round and still see people at the final control. The problem arises when you get into the absurdly longer distances, which for me, are 400km+.

On average, the longer you ride the slower you tend to get, so if this is your base speed for a 200km is 12hrs then by the time you get to a 600km then sleep deprivation becomes an issue. I've only ever done one 600, and had no time to sleep and got in bang on the bell, exactly 40hrs. The same thing happened on PBP, 1200km in exactly 90hrs, with 3 hrs sleep. Never again. I'm not sure I've really felt the same since

The only reason I'd like to get a bit quicker is not for the satisfaction of riding a 200km quicker, but to accrue some time for Z's on anything significantly longer.

[MSeries]

Since my last post I have done some calculations and found I actually did the Brian Chapman Memorial at a faster overall average than the slow 200s I talked about. I did take some time off to sleep on that ride too. It's all approximate for me as I don't record actual distance travelled anyway. So long as I am faster than the minimum speed overall, all is well

[frankly frankie]

On average, the longer you ride the slower you tend to get, so if this is your base speed for a 200km is 12hrs then by the time you get to a 600km then sleep deprivation becomes an issue. I've only ever done one 600, and had no time to sleep and got in bang on the bell, exactly 40hrs. The same thing happened on PBP, 1200km in exactly 90hrs, with 3 hrs sleep.

I've always been of the "go as fast as you can for as long as you can" school of thought.  I like to bank loads of time early in the event, or I don't enjoy it.  And I seize up if I stop for more than about 10 minutes ...

So, my fastest ever 200 was actually the 1st half of a 400 - several fastest 300s were 1st half of 600s and my 1st-ever sub-30h 600 was the first half of a PBP.

[simonp]

On average, the longer you ride the slower you tend to get, so if this is your base speed for a 200km is 12hrs then by the time you get to a 600km then sleep deprivation becomes an issue. I've only ever done one 600, and had no time to sleep and got in bang on the bell, exactly 40hrs. The same thing happened on PBP, 1200km in exactly 90hrs, with 3 hrs sleep.

I've always been of the "go as fast as you can for as long as you can" school of thought.  I like to bank loads of time early in the event, or I don't enjoy it.  And I seize up if I stop for more than about 10 minutes ...

So, my fastest ever 200 was actually the 1st half of a 400 - several fastest 300s were 1st half of 600s and my 1st-ever sub-30h 600 was the first half of a PBP.

+1

Fastest 100 (3h50), 200 (8h05) and 300 (13h40) were all on the BCM last year.

I quite enjoyed that ride.