Author Topic: Top twelve bikes for audax  (Read 9613 times)

Re: Top twelve bikes for audax
« Reply #25 on: 10 June, 2020, 01:12:56 am »
Hmm, I've a Longstaff Compact Audax bike.
Complete with mudguards ( and homemade mudflaps), also it has a Schmidt dynamo. It's a proper Audax bike as per the rules. And Campagnolo  components.
Some people turn up on carbon fibre bikes, no mudguards or dynamo ,no Audax monicker, spray mud and water on me. It's not fair! Also, on the Dunwich Dynamo, most bikes didn't have a dynamo, so shouldn't have even started that race either. 

Re: Top twelve bikes for audax
« Reply #26 on: 10 June, 2020, 07:21:03 am »
The problem with threads like this is not that I now lust after <sensible, fast, comfortable bike of choice>, but that I have spent an undisclosed length of time looking up Longstaff and Trykit.  :facepalm:

HeltorChasca - you don't need a Moulton -  you need a fast tandem for team Leaf  :demon:
Hmmm. I have seen some YouTube footage of a Moulton tandem. I did like the tandem you had.


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IJL

Re: Top twelve bikes for audax
« Reply #27 on: 10 June, 2020, 10:26:10 am »
Quote
Some people turn up on carbon fibre bikes, no mudguards or dynamo ,no Audax monicker,

Its a slippery slope and something needs to be done, Brooks, Carradice, Tea and misery is what its all about.  You tell young people today.............

mcshroom

  • Mushroom
Re: Top twelve bikes for audax
« Reply #28 on: 10 June, 2020, 10:53:59 am »
I was going to say that for quality comfort and durability Im surprised not to see a Dawes Galaxy in there.  I did the very lumpy Tayside Transgression twice on my Dawes Galaxy 2002/3 my first ever 300s and while I was towards the back of the field, discomfort wasnt a factor. 

But then I just did a google search and see that they now have Aluminium rather than steel frames which rather negates my comment re comfort (and explains why they are cheaper now than almost 20 years ago).  I'm sure somebody will point out that theyve not had steel frames for about a century and I will feel very old.  I gave my Galaxy away to a younger skint colleague who had just bought a flat and was starting to cycle to work. I still see it every now and then.   :thumbsup: 

They've renamed the whole range Galaxy to cash in on the name. The cheapest (which is similar to the old Vantage/Horizon 10ish years ago) is Aluminium, but the higher spec ones are still steel. My favourite Audax bike was my R520 steel Dawes Horizon, which felt quite quick and springy when set up with lighter tyres. I definitely appreciated the 42-32-22 chainset I had in it at one point at end of a 400 ;D
Climbs like a sprinter, sprints like a climber!

LittleWheelsandBig

  • Whimsy Rider
Re: Top twelve bikes for audax
« Reply #29 on: 10 June, 2020, 11:06:16 am »
These sorts of articles are about the mainstream and most common choices. Audax encourages a wide variety of outlier machines but they are still outliers. The vast majority of audaxers choose carbon or aluminium bikes without mudguards, which is fine. Of course, I do reserve the right to quietly smirk at their choices during grotty events.
Wheel meet again, don't know where, don't know when...

Karla

  • car(e) free
    • Lost Byway - around the world by bike
Re: Top twelve bikes for audax
« Reply #30 on: 10 June, 2020, 11:11:31 am »
The Galaxy/Horizon is a heavyweight tourer designed for lugging 20 kg of luggage up the Karakorum Pass.  Buying one for a day ride around the lanes of England is like packing hiking boots, puri-tabs and an OS map for your half mile walk to the shops.

The Dawes bikes haven't even been the best heavy touring bike for years.  The Surly LHT took that crown long ago, and there are plenty of others like the Kona Sutra that I'd take before the Dawes on a properly long trip.

Cudzoziemiec

  • Ride adventurously and stop for a brew.
Re: Top twelve bikes for audax
« Reply #31 on: 10 June, 2020, 11:40:53 am »
Hmm, I've a Longstaff Compact Audax bike.
Complete with mudguards ( and homemade mudflaps), also it has a Schmidt dynamo. It's a proper Audax bike as per the rules. And Campagnolo  components.
Some people turn up on carbon fibre bikes, no mudguards or dynamo ,no Audax monicker, spray mud and water on me. It's not fair! Also, on the Dunwich Dynamo, most bikes didn't have a dynamo, so shouldn't have even started that race either.
They might have sneaked in by wearing shirts from Ukraine's premier football club.
Riding a concrete path through the nebulous and chaotic future.

Davef

Re: Top twelve bikes for audax
« Reply #32 on: 10 June, 2020, 12:39:08 pm »
Audaxes are not competitions or races; really?
“sportives are for people pretending to race and audax for people pretending not to”


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Re: Top twelve bikes for audax
« Reply #33 on: 10 June, 2020, 12:42:28 pm »
We can do all of the old gags in one place just to get them done. We haven't had:-

"You can tell the Audaxer on a Sportive, he's the one with the chip on his shoulder."
"Yes please" said Squirrel "biscuits are our favourite things."

SoreTween

  • Most of me survived the Pennine Bridleway.
Re: Top twelve bikes for audax
« Reply #34 on: 10 June, 2020, 03:06:14 pm »
Don't think I've ever seen anyone audaxing on a Moulton.
A Moulton was used on the 1st edition of Don't Keep to the Roads.
2023 targets: Survive. Maybe.
There is only one infinite resource in this universe; human stupidity.

Re: Top twelve bikes for audax
« Reply #35 on: 10 June, 2020, 03:08:58 pm »
My bronze and black Steel Genesis Equilibrium does the job. just broke the World Traveller saddle bolt so a black copper rivet Swallow being broken in. Vintage look Brooks bar bag with spare spokes and rubberised routesheet holder, Carradice cadet is on the back, single compartment. 105 compact 12-30 is enough range. Mavic Open Pro with red hope hubs. Useful as a shopping bike during lockdown.

Has been spotted and admired in the territory of the Flatlanders

Re: Top twelve bikes for audax
« Reply #36 on: 10 June, 2020, 03:12:38 pm »
Don't think I've ever seen anyone audaxing on a Moulton.
A Moulton was used on the 1st edition of Don't Keep to the Roads.

Yes, that was me on a 'Landrover APB' - all purpose bike with Landrover branding.  Slightly more practical than another participant who was on a racing bike with close clearance frame.
Sunshine approaching from the South.

First time in 1,000 years.

Re: Top twelve bikes for audax
« Reply #37 on: 10 June, 2020, 03:38:26 pm »
I have a wood burner that I could sell which would mostly fund a Moulton purchase. I’m on the wrong thread aren’t I?


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Cudzoziemiec

  • Ride adventurously and stop for a brew.
Re: Top twelve bikes for audax
« Reply #38 on: 10 June, 2020, 03:40:16 pm »
A wood burning Moulton? That beats an ebike in the conversation stakes!
Riding a concrete path through the nebulous and chaotic future.

Re: Top twelve bikes for audax
« Reply #39 on: 10 June, 2020, 06:05:27 pm »
I have a wood burner that I could sell which would mostly fund a Moulton purchase. I’m on the wrong thread aren’t I?


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A wbike

Re: Top twelve bikes for audax
« Reply #40 on: 10 June, 2020, 06:06:18 pm »
Now if they did a “Top 12 beards for audax” and “Essential sandals for audax”...

Davef

Re: Top twelve bikes for audax
« Reply #41 on: 10 June, 2020, 06:49:35 pm »
A wood burning Moulton? That beats an ebike in the conversation stakes!
You can get a wood burning phone charger. Take a long time to charge an ebike.


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Cudzoziemiec

  • Ride adventurously and stop for a brew.
Re: Top twelve bikes for audax
« Reply #42 on: 10 June, 2020, 07:13:47 pm »
A wood burning Moulton? That beats an ebike in the conversation stakes!
You can get a wood burning phone charger. Take a long time to charge an ebike.


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I've got a genius idea. A dynamo-charged ebike! Now, why has no one made one of those yet?  ;)
Riding a concrete path through the nebulous and chaotic future.

Re: Top twelve bikes for audax
« Reply #43 on: 10 June, 2020, 07:19:26 pm »
A wood burning Moulton? That beats an ebike in the conversation stakes!

Woodn't you need a stoker?

Kim

  • Timelord
    • Fediverse
Re: Top twelve bikes for audax
« Reply #44 on: 10 June, 2020, 07:45:40 pm »
These sorts of articles are about the mainstream and most common choices. Audax encourages a wide variety of outlier machines but they are still outliers. The vast majority of audaxers choose carbon or aluminium bikes without mudguards, which is fine. Of course, I do reserve the right to quietly smirk at their choices during grotty events.

Yeah, it's not a "Bottom twelve bikes for audax" article, is it?

(Which I'd probably find a lot more interesting, but there you go...)

Cudzoziemiec

  • Ride adventurously and stop for a brew.
Re: Top twelve bikes for audax
« Reply #45 on: 10 June, 2020, 08:00:07 pm »
A wood burning Moulton? That beats an ebike in the conversation stakes!

Woodn't you need a stoker?
::-) ;D :D
Riding a concrete path through the nebulous and chaotic future.

CrazyEnglishTriathlete

  • Miles eaten don't satisfy hunger
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Re: Top twelve bikes for audax
« Reply #46 on: 10 June, 2020, 10:35:00 pm »
I do have one of the bikes on this list and have used it for Audax.  It's not my best bike for Audax, which is not on the list, but I guess you can't buy a new Roberts anymore.
Eddington Numbers 130 (imperial), 182 (metric) 571 (furlongs)  114 (nautical miles)

rob

Re: Top twelve bikes for audax
« Reply #47 on: 11 June, 2020, 08:42:59 am »
I do have one of the bikes on this list and have used it for Audax.  It's not my best bike for Audax, which is not on the list, but I guess you can't buy a new Roberts anymore.

Geoff Roberts is still building.   Based in Sussex these days.

http://www.geoffrobertsframes.co.uk/

rogerzilla

  • When n+1 gets out of hand
Re: Top twelve bikes for audax
« Reply #48 on: 11 June, 2020, 09:22:28 am »
Only the Van Nicholas has a Brooks saddle, (what looks like a Cambium), others can't be real Audax bikes, where are the B17.

I can't imagine buying a complete bike 'off-the-shelf', and riding it just as it comes.
Me too...they always fit shite components where they don't show!
Hard work sometimes pays off in the end, but laziness ALWAYS pays off NOW.

rogerzilla

  • When n+1 gets out of hand
Re: Top twelve bikes for audax
« Reply #49 on: 11 June, 2020, 09:28:07 am »
A wood burning Moulton? That beats an ebike in the conversation stakes!
You can get a wood burning phone charger. Take a long time to charge an ebike.


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I've got a genius idea. A dynamo-charged ebike! Now, why has no one made one of those yet?  ;)
Thst would actually work, in a regenerative braking manner.  Big dynamo locked out during pedalling, charges battery when freewheeling.  Would take all the fun out of riding, as you'd need to pedal most of the time to avoid sharp deceleration.  Could get you up hills nicely with electric assist, though.
Hard work sometimes pays off in the end, but laziness ALWAYS pays off NOW.