Author Topic: Top Ten hardest Audaxes  (Read 58472 times)

Chris S

Top Ten hardest Audaxes
« on: 25 September, 2009, 08:35:20 pm »
If this thread has been done before - feel free to delete this lame wannabe.

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Chris S

Re: Top Ten hardest Audaxes
« Reply #1 on: 25 September, 2009, 08:41:52 pm »
I'd better do mine - though I haven't done a lot of the "hard" ones.

Scale is 1 - Hardest to 10 Easiest:

1. Midland Super Grimpeur 300
2. Dorset Coast 200
3. Autumn in the Peak Grimpeur 200
4. Three Coasts 600
5. Severn Across 400
6. Anfractuous 200
7. Tinsel Lanes 200
8. Golden Tints 200
9. Mildenhall 300
10. Fenland Flight 200

Re: Top Ten hardest Audaxes
« Reply #2 on: 25 September, 2009, 09:18:51 pm »
Hello Chris
If there's a tougher ride than the Kiddy Killer, then leave me out!!
#makewattsnotwar

Re: Top Ten hardest Audaxes
« Reply #3 on: 25 September, 2009, 09:21:58 pm »
the valley of the rocks 200km i think is harder then the killer!

Re: Top Ten hardest Audaxes
« Reply #4 on: 25 September, 2009, 09:23:44 pm »
6. Anfractuous 200
7. Tinsel Lanes 200
8. Golden Tints 200

Surely you jest. Have I signed up for an Autumn of Suffering?

Re: Top Ten hardest Audaxes
« Reply #5 on: 25 September, 2009, 09:26:06 pm »
That's tricky, I'll give it a go.


1. Crackpot 1000
2. Knotty 600
3. The Albion 600 (1999 version)
4. Offas Dyke 600
5. The Bryan Chapman 600 (year 2000 version)
6. Brimstone 600
7. Porkers 400
8. Kernow & SW 600
9. Exmoor Grimpeur
10. New Forest 1000


I'm not convinced I got any of that in the right order, but I think it's about right. Crackpot is easily the hardest I've ridden.
I should have probaby included El Supremos 600 which went over the Gospel Pass in torrential rain too. And the Beast from the East 600.

border-rider

Re: Top Ten hardest Audaxes
« Reply #6 on: 25 September, 2009, 09:27:15 pm »
Hardest 10 rides I've done ?

Devon & Exmoor 300
Moor like a 400
Kernow & SW 600
Hardboiled
Robin Hood High Peak Trail 200
Kidderminster Killer
3D 300
Dorset Coast
Down the British
Denmead 600

edit: forgot the New Forest 1000 2006.  That must be 6 or 7 on that list



Re: Top Ten hardest Audaxes
« Reply #7 on: 25 September, 2009, 09:29:55 pm »
the valley of the rocks 200km i think is harder then the killer!

I was just going to mention Valley of the Rocks!  The Cambrian is hard too but gets points deducted for having a gently downhill finish.  VOTR got extra points for the torrential freezing cold rain - that was a nice touch.

The Dartmoor Devil, that's a tough 100 (get your entry in quick!)  The Kit Hill Super Grimpeur was a toughie too.
Let your mind unravel ... down that road you're travellin' ...

border-rider

Re: Top Ten hardest Audaxes
« Reply #8 on: 25 September, 2009, 09:33:38 pm »
 The Cambrian is hard too but gets points deducted for having a gently downhill finish

Maybe it's changed.  I found it fairly easy, but with a damn big climb right at the end ;)

Chris S

Re: Top Ten hardest Audaxes
« Reply #9 on: 25 September, 2009, 09:34:56 pm »
Surely you jest. Have I signed up for an Autumn of Suffering?

No - I just haven't done that many hard rides.

Re: Top Ten hardest Audaxes
« Reply #10 on: 25 September, 2009, 09:40:25 pm »
1. Bowland Grimpeur
2. Kidderminster Killer
3. Up & Down West Riding
4. The Three Coasts
5. PBP
6. LEL
7. Spurn Head
8.  Brian Chapman Memorial
9.  O'er The Edge
10. Durham & Northumberland


It's never going to very enlightening though, I am thinking of particular editions of the above rides, and it depends on the weather and my condition and how I perform on the day and how fast I decide to ride.

Only includes rides that I finished

Re: Top Ten hardest Audaxes
« Reply #11 on: 25 September, 2009, 09:57:33 pm »
 The Cambrian is hard too but gets points deducted for having a gently downhill finish

Maybe it's changed.  I found it fairly easy, but with a damn big climb right at the end ;)

The Cambrian 200?  Starts flat, gets hilly once you get into Wales, then up and down to to Llanidloes, gets mountainous culminating in mega climb to/from Machynlleth.  That's 100km, it's an out and back route so you get to do all the hills again in reverse!
Let your mind unravel ... down that road you're travellin' ...

border-rider

Re: Top Ten hardest Audaxes
« Reply #12 on: 25 September, 2009, 09:58:53 pm »
ah, no, I thought you meant the Cambrian 600 !

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Re: Top Ten hardest Audaxes
« Reply #13 on: 25 September, 2009, 10:15:30 pm »
1. LEL 1993
2. 1001 Miglia Italia
3. Brian Chapman 2002
4. Knotty 600
5. HBKH
6. PBP (any)
7. Tour of Exmoor 200
8. Shropshire Lanes 200 1989
9. S Coast 1000 2002
10. Hardboiled
Quote
et avec John, excellent lecteur de road-book, on s'en est sortis sans erreur

Re: Top Ten hardest Audaxes
« Reply #14 on: 25 September, 2009, 10:19:01 pm »
The hardest 10 I've done (trying not to take the weather into account)

Hardest to easiest...

1. Midlander Super Grimpeur 300
2. Bryan Champan 600
3. Elenith 300
4. Dean 300
5. Anfractuous 200
6. Severn Across 400
7. LEL 1400

The rest I've done are relatively tame.

Various DIYs may have qualified (Dun Run and back home as a 400, Putney-Cambridge-Putney-RoyalTunbridgeWells-Bethersden-FlattestPossible300 as a 600) but that's because DIYs are more of a mental struggle (despite having good company all the way round) than a physical struggle.

Some rides felt tough because of the weather. The Dean in 2008 (wind, rain, blizzards) was much much harder than in 2009 (relatively calm with just a few showers) for example. Both of my Eleniths have had roughly similar weather (early downpour vs late sleet/snow) but the first was on gears and the second on fixed.
"Yes please" said Squirrel "biscuits are our favourite things."

border-rider

Re: Top Ten hardest Audaxes
« Reply #15 on: 25 September, 2009, 10:21:05 pm »
Weird.  I'd rate the Anfractuous as one of the easier 200s I've done...

Re: Top Ten hardest Audaxes
« Reply #16 on: 25 September, 2009, 10:29:06 pm »
Possibly because the only other 200s I've done have just been even easier than the Anfractuous (Upper Thames, Golden Tints, Stonehenge 200, Willy Warmer).
"Yes please" said Squirrel "biscuits are our favourite things."

Re: Top Ten hardest Audaxes
« Reply #17 on: 25 September, 2009, 10:29:42 pm »
IMO if this thread is going to be of any value then the 'well I think that's easy/difficult' comments are not helpful.

It's a list based on personal experience.  And we all know that depends on many factors.

So it's either a list, or an argument.  I'd rather it was the former, so I could gauge personal opinion of forum members rather than a penis waving competition.

Re: Top Ten hardest Audaxes
« Reply #18 on: 25 September, 2009, 10:30:31 pm »
So it's either a list, or an argument.

No it isn't.
"Yes please" said Squirrel "biscuits are our favourite things."

border-rider

Re: Top Ten hardest Audaxes
« Reply #19 on: 25 September, 2009, 10:32:47 pm »
It's a list based on personal experience.  And we all know that depends on many factors

Which is why it's interesting to get multiple people's views on what's nominally the same ride.  

As long as it remains a friendly discussion, of course...

Oaky

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Re: Top Ten hardest Audaxes
« Reply #20 on: 25 September, 2009, 10:37:14 pm »
I'm not really qualified to comment in this thread, given that I've only done 3 AUK events in my life, one 100km BP and 2 200km BRs, but the 100km ride, The Killhope Grimpeur,  was easily the hardest day's riding I've ever done.  Might've had something to do with the (nominally) 25mph wind (much higher on the tops - I'd have died if I hadn't tagged along with a couple of Tyneside Vagabonds riders for quite a few miles of tow).

My list, then, is:-

1. Killhope Grimpeur

 ;)

... and, yes, I will be back next year.  Maybe I'll be lucky and the wind will be less next time around
You are in a maze of twisty flat droves, all alike.

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Re: Top Ten hardest Audaxes
« Reply #21 on: 25 September, 2009, 10:38:52 pm »
A ride's not worth doing unless there's some challenge, and then sometimes it's not worth doing anyway - Bernie's Long Flat One, for instance.

Pingu

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Re: Top Ten hardest Audaxes
« Reply #22 on: 25 September, 2009, 10:40:10 pm »
So it's either a list, or an argument.

No it isn't.

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simonp

Re: Top Ten hardest Audaxes
« Reply #23 on: 25 September, 2009, 10:55:07 pm »
6. Anfractuous 200
7. Tinsel Lanes 200
8. Golden Tints 200

Surely you jest. Have I signed up for an Autumn of Suffering?

6 and 8 are relatively easy 200s. They don't come close to being in my top 10. Not done 7.

Re: Top Ten hardest Audaxes
« Reply #24 on: 25 September, 2009, 11:00:11 pm »

Which is why it's interesting to get multiple people's views on what's nominally the same ride.  

As long as it remains a friendly discussion, of course...


So there is no point in saying 'no it isn't'?

Just list rides.  Let others ask....