Yet Another Cycling Forum

General Category => Audax => Topic started by: Martin on 23 March, 2016, 10:53:04 am

Title: EPE's?
Post by: Martin on 23 March, 2016, 10:53:04 am
Yes that's Extended perm events; they don't exist as such. Not sure if they are even legal. I'm certainly not offering to admin them as well as ECE's as the potential number is infinite unlike calendar events. Last time this was discussed it was suggested that they be run as DIYs for the whole thing

what do the panel think?
Title: Re: EPE's?
Post by: Greenbank on 23 March, 2016, 11:08:26 am
The only reason I can think of why you'd need them over just DIY-ing the whole thing is where you don't have a GPS and the Perm you want to ride has info controls because no normal proof-of-passage controls are available at certain points to make the route up to distance.

As I have a GPS I'd just buy the routesheet from the Perm organiser and then create my own DIY (either using GPS for the tricky control locations, or just GPS the whole thing with mandatory routing).
Title: Re: EPE's?
Post by: Martin on 23 March, 2016, 11:13:33 am
The only reason I can think of why you'd need them over just DIY-ing the whole thing is where you don't have a GPS and the Perm you want to ride has info controls because no normal proof-of-passage controls are available at certain points to make the route up to distance.

Which would only be acceptable for perms below 200km in total
Title: Re: EPE's?
Post by: Greenbank on 23 March, 2016, 11:56:20 am
Which would only be acceptable for perms below 200km in total

Have the older ones been tightened up? I'm sure there used to be info controls on the Cheddar Gorge 300k perm (I bought an entry years ago but never rode it).
Title: Re: EPE's?
Post by: Martin on 23 March, 2016, 12:26:23 pm
Which would only be acceptable for perms below 200km in total

Have the older ones been tightened up? I'm sure there used to be info controls on the Cheddar Gorge 300k perm (I bought an entry years ago but never rode it).

I rode a perm 200 in 2014 with an info; although I think it was there to enforce climbing; it would have been a lot further to avoid it
Title: Re: EPE's?
Post by: wilkyboy on 23 March, 2016, 12:53:47 pm
As a permanents organiser, EPE would be rather nice — I run nine perms and riders from the area have asked to "ECE the perm" to 300km.  Every time I've had to offer them the routesheet and GPX and suggest they create their own DIY, which means their ride doesn't count in my org stats and I have no visibility of their pace or get any post-ride feedback; I also lose their entry fee, some of which goes towards hosting the website, domain name renewals, etc.  If I could offer an EPE — even if I have to administer my own EPEs and check them — that would encourage more riders in the wider region to attempt one or more of my perms.

I understand Martin that you don't want to administer it — is there any way EPEs could be administered by individual perm orgs?  Or would it need one central person responsible?
Title: Re: EPE's?
Post by: Martin on 23 March, 2016, 01:10:51 pm
I understand Martin that you don't want to administer it — is there any way EPEs could be administered by individual perm orgs?  Or would it need one central person responsible?

completely agree about using your hard work as a perm organiser to then not get the benefit of entries if it's done as a DIY; I have used calendar routes as the basis for DIY's (always with the permission of the organiser and I always try to ride the actual calendar version) mainly to guarantee AAA for a section,

I don't see any reason why a perm organiser could not offer tailorable extensions to their own perms, they would have to conform to set distances like ECE's though. It's extra work for the perm sec to set them all up though. It could all be done by one person which would make it simpler. In theory I could allocate ECE's to perms & they would show up the same in the results; but it's not been agreed by AUK and I've enough on my plate  ;)

could you not run a 300 version of your 200 perms with a flexible start / finish location and a common middle (or beginning or end) bit?
Title: Re: EPE's?
Post by: tonyh on 23 March, 2016, 01:20:12 pm
Nick, that looks good. Useful for riders and encourages them to make use of the Perm Org's nice ready-planned route. Perms, as opposed to DIY perms, do surely deserve more use. All as you say.

It would be great if a way of doing the admin can be worked out. A central person wouldn't have the useful local expertise.

(DIYs can also be excellent of course, but it's a great pity if they reduce use of the "real" Perms [declares interest/involvement].)

[cross-post with Martin, who has thought further than me]
Title: Re: EPE's?
Post by: Tomsk on 23 March, 2016, 05:47:51 pm
I've turned my own permanent routes into longer DIYs and no doubt others do to: the routes are out there in the public domain and there are perhaps only so many good audax routes in a given area. Some sort of EPE would be a good idea I feel...Not beyond individual organisers to administer I'd have thought.
Title: Re: EPE's?
Post by: mattc on 23 March, 2016, 06:04:38 pm
Massive YES from me! (as I have said on previous threads).

Nick, that looks good. Useful for riders and encourages them to make use of the Perm Org's nice ready-planned route. Perms, as opposed to DIY perms, do surely deserve more use. All as you say.

It would be great if a way of doing the admin can be worked out. A central person wouldn't have the useful local expertise.

(DIYs can also be excellent of course, but it's a great pity if they reduce use of the "real" Perms [declares interest/involvement].)
[my bold]

Indeed.

Turning rides into DIYs just makes things worse, as the statistics show ever-more DIY rides and ever-decreasing "real" rides. I plan to support this issue by riding my first Cambrian perm (or 2) next week :)

possibly OT ramble:
(click to show/hide)
Title: Re: EPE's?
Post by: Greenbank on 23 March, 2016, 06:50:50 pm
It wouldn't be too hard to write something to compare a submitted GPX file (of a real ride) with the GPX files of known perm (and calendar) rides and if there's a good enough match/commonality then the ride can be attributed and named appropriately, e.g.

a DIY-by-GPS ride that...
* follows 98% of a known Perm just gets renamed as if the perm was ridden
* took a known Perm route but started from somewhere that isn't a usual control -> renamed as if the perm was ridden
* ECE'd a calendar ride (e.g. Brazier's Run 100) into a 200 -> Brazier's Run 100 + 100 ECE = 200km ride
* followed a calendar ride route (but not on the day that the calendar ride runs and isn't available as a perm) -> Calendar Ride 100 Pseudo-Perm + 100 EPE
* combined two halves of two different routes, e.g. the top 200km of the Bryan Chapman combined with the Snowdon & Coast 400 -> 400km Mashup of the Bryan Chapman and Snowdon & Coast

That way organisers start to get credit for their routes.
Title: Re: EPE's?
Post by: Somnolent on 23 March, 2016, 08:21:45 pm
It wouldn't be too hard to write something to compare a submitted GPX file (of a real ride) with the GPX files of known perm (and calendar) rides

Already in process (albeit without consideration of EPEs and other mash-ups)
However ... the AUK forum is probably the better place for discussion of such things as new types of ride.

Title: Re: EPE's?
Post by: Martin on 23 March, 2016, 08:30:43 pm
Noted Peter I'll shift this over the road ;-)

http://forum.audax.uk/index.php?topic=1046.msg9327#msg9327
Title: Re: EPE's?
Post by: GPS on 24 March, 2016, 09:19:03 am
Yes +1 !  :thumbsup:

I'd prefer riding to the start of a perm and including the to and from distance in the total. I think it would encourage others to do the same and keep perms going too.

Perms are a great way to ride a route that's been carefully planned and thought about by someone with local knowledge. If we all just rode our own routes planned on ridewithgps (or whatever app we might use), we could well miss out on some real nuggets that only locals know about.

Anything that encourages more perms being ridden and more long distance riding gets my vote.
Title: Re: EPE's?
Post by: Martin on 17 October, 2016, 05:20:44 pm
just rekindling this thread and BTW

I AM NOT WILLING TO TAKE THEM ON!!!

How about each perm organiser who wanted to allow their perm to be extended have a range of EPE's to tack onto the result (all for double the entry fee I presume)

thus my perms are MM01, 02, 03 etc; I could have MME01 to add 100km; MME02 for 200 etc
Title: Re: EPE's?
Post by: Alismed on 17 October, 2016, 06:05:41 pm
Would it be less work to allow 2 permanents to be ridden on the same day eg a 200 and a 100 with a control in common as the start point? As a regular permanent rider and keen to support these lovely events, I think this would make for some interesting combinations of rides
Title: Re: EPE's?
Post by: mattc on 17 October, 2016, 07:02:14 pm
How about each perm organiser who wanted to allow their perm to be extended have a range of EPE's to tack onto the result (all for double the entry fee I presume)

thus my perms are MM01, 02, 03 etc; I could have MME01 to add 100km; MME02 for 200 etc

Would this mean the org having to shell out £20-30 for brevet cards? That seems a big disincentive  :-\

Otherwise I'm all for it (at least until I work out any more unintended consequences!)  :thumbsup:
Title: Re: EPE's?
Post by: GPS on 17 October, 2016, 07:40:28 pm
I'd love to see this happen.

What if the rider did a DIY perm by GPS, submitting it all (including the to and from section as well as the perm itself) to the DIY org, whilst making it clear where the actual perm started and finished ? The DIY extended sections could then be credited as one (whole) DIY perm and bought and paid for as a DIY perm in the usual way. The perm org could deal with their perm as usual.

Everyone then gets a slice of the action (and work).

Unscrupulous riders trying to get credit for both and admin could be an issue. As could the extra work generated.

Title: Re: EPE's?
Post by: Martin on 18 October, 2016, 08:04:44 am
How about each perm organiser who wanted to allow their perm to be extended have a range of EPE's to tack onto the result (all for double the entry fee I presume)

thus my perms are MM01, 02, 03 etc; I could have MME01 to add 100km; MME02 for 200 etc

Would this mean the org having to shell out £20-30 for brevet cards?

A simpler way would be to include the EPE on the perm card (scribbled somewhere) and pay for it as cardless validation which many orgs already do, 90% of my proper perm riders use gps and I get a regular and often painful invoice from AUK

I get occasional ECE's where the rider just scans the receipts and emails them and doesn't use a card, I mark these as Electronic validation (I have a drop down for each perm or ECE result where I can select card or electronic validation and I get a bill for all the electronic ones; "virtual" EPE cards could be paid for in the same way)
Title: Re: EPE's?
Post by: mattc on 20 February, 2019, 12:15:22 pm
I've just been catching up on the AGM votes:

apparently 540 members (of around 850 who voted) voted to stop EPEs from happening.

Now, there was a democratic process, so some would say  "The NATION has Decided!!!" n all that. But:

I didn't see a single voice in the online chatter saying they were a bad thing. Can any of the 540 explain why they voted it down? I'm really puzzled by this  :-\

[ "Hustings" thread here: http://forum.audax.uk/index.php?topic=1642.msg13744#msg13744  ]
Title: Re: EPE's?
Post by: whosatthewheel on 20 February, 2019, 12:18:11 pm
I've just been catching up on the AGM votes:

apparently 540 members (of around 850 who voted) voted to stop EPEs from happening.

Now, there was a democratic process, so some would say  "The NATION has Decided!!!" n all that. But:

I didn't see a single voice in the online chatter saying they were a bad thing. Can any of the 540 explain why they voted it down? I'm really puzzled by this  :-\

[ "Hustings" thread here: http://forum.audax.uk/index.php?topic=1642.msg13744#msg13744  ]

I guess it's a lot more work for validators and such, having to put all the pieces together. In practice there is already a way to tweak permanent events to a given distance with a DIY
Title: Re: EPE's?
Post by: LittleWheelsandBig on 20 February, 2019, 12:18:47 pm
I suspect you'd find almost all of those votes were discretionary proxies controlled by the Chairman, if it were possible to find out.
Title: Re: EPE's?
Post by: mattc on 20 February, 2019, 12:24:46 pm
I suspect you'd find almost all of those votes were discretionary proxies controlled by the Chairman, if it were possible to find out.
You could well be right. If we can't find out, isn't that rather odd?
Title: Re: EPE's?
Post by: Whitedown Man on 20 February, 2019, 12:35:53 pm
Democracy works best with a dash of openness on the side
Title: Re: EPE's?
Post by: Martin on 20 February, 2019, 12:36:10 pm
I wasn't aware there was a vote but I can understand why it was voted down;

ECE's were a concession in response to the unsatisfactory DIY+Cal concept which had existed before ECE's

AFAICS EPE's would not offer the following benefits that ECE's do, whilst creating a lot of extra admin

1. The ability to ride a local calendar event in company as part of a perm
2. Remove additional admin from the original event organiser
3. Keep the rider on the finish list of the calendar event

There have been many voices to make ECE's "all or nothing" and EPE's just add fuel to the fire IMO.

Maybe a compromise would be for organisers who wish their perm to be extended to offer an extended version? they could charge a bit more for the increased admin of defining and agreeing the extra controls to and from their actual route. Obviously they would not all want to do this which is where the DIY kicks in.

FWIW I've had quite a few enquiries about EPE'ing my own perms recently so there is clearly a market
Title: Re: EPE's?
Post by: grams on 20 February, 2019, 12:39:53 pm
The voting info pack says:

"The Board believes that the administrative burden of introducing EPEs will outweigh the benefits to the membership as a whole. Accordingly, the Board recommends that you vote against this resolution"

https://www.mi-vote.com/files/AGM_Agenda.pdf
Title: Re: EPE's?
Post by: wilkyboy on 20 February, 2019, 01:06:09 pm
FWIW I've had quite a few enquiries about EPE'ing my own perms recently so there is clearly a market

I've had a number of requests, too — members would like to include their ride to the start in Cambridge, and home after, as part of the ride and get the extra point(s).  The only solution currently is for them to DIY the entire route, which then means they don't appear against the totals for riders of my perms and so lowers my organiser's year-end total.  These things matter*.



* but not much.
Title: Re: EPE's?
Post by: mattc on 20 February, 2019, 01:14:04 pm
The voting info pack says:

"The Board believes that the administrative burden of introducing EPEs will outweigh the benefits to the membership as a whole. Accordingly, the Board recommends that you vote against this resolution"

https://www.mi-vote.com/files/AGM_Agenda.pdf
Thanks  :thumbsup:

Given the filename, it is inevitable that such statements may slide out of the historic record over time. This seems very relevant:

Democracy works best with a dash of openness on the side
Title: Re: EPE's?
Post by: Martin on 20 February, 2019, 01:26:28 pm
FWIW I've had quite a few enquiries about EPE'ing my own perms recently so there is clearly a market

I've had a number of requests, too — members would like to include their ride to the start in Cambridge, and home after, as part of the ride and get the extra point(s).  The only solution currently is for them to DIY the entire route, which then means they don't appear against the totals for riders of my perms and so lowers my organiser's year-end total.  These things matter*.



* but not much.

I know it's a lot of initial admin for John Ward but I like the idea of offering eg an "AAA Milne 200" in addition to the 100k normal version. The only difference would be that there were two extra controls which would be defined as Anywhere (this is currently allowed for Darts and Arrows)

BZZZTTT!! just realised this would mean there would be a 200k perm with several info controls, AIUI this was justified for ECE's on the basis that other riders would notice someone blatantly cutting short the route; plus of course nobody knows the questions until the day unlike perms
Title: Re: EPE's?
Post by: wilkyboy on 20 February, 2019, 01:31:11 pm
I know it's a lot of initial admin for John Ward but I like the idea of offering eg an "AAA Milne 200" in addition to the 100k normal version. The only difference would be that there were two extra controls which would be defined as Anywhere (this is currently allowed for Darts and Arrows)

BZZZTTT!! just realised this would mean there would be a 200k perm with several info controls, AIUI this was justified for ECE's on the basis that other riders would notice someone blatantly cutting short the route

There is also a potential issue of level-1 organisers being able to offer level-2-distance events via the back door.  Also, GPS-validation for classic-perms over 200km is currently not permitted.  Neither is an issue that would take much thought to resolve.
Title: Re: EPE's?
Post by: Martin on 20 February, 2019, 01:38:23 pm
I know it's a lot of initial admin for John Ward but I like the idea of offering eg an "AAA Milne 200" in addition to the 100k normal version. The only difference would be that there were two extra controls which would be defined as Anywhere (this is currently allowed for Darts and Arrows)

BZZZTTT!! just realised this would mean there would be a 200k perm with several info controls, AIUI this was justified for ECE's on the basis that other riders would notice someone blatantly cutting short the route

There is also a potential issue of level-1 organisers being able to offer level-2-distance events via the back door.  Also, GPS-validation for classic-perms over 200km is currently not permitted.  Neither is an issue that would take much thought to resolve.

Not sure about the various ladders orgs have to climb as I only organise up to 200s; also I was already quite high up the tree when I set perms up so I've always had the finish list with the option of card / electronic validation per rider (electronic lands me a bill every so often as I've not had to buy cards up front)

When I did a couple of perms on the Isle of Man I ended up bringing the cards back as they had to be posted back to John on the mainland, not sure if this is something anyone still has to do.
Title: Re: EPE's?
Post by: frankly frankie on 20 February, 2019, 01:41:44 pm
Also, GPS-validation for classic-perms over 200km is currently not permitted.

It is permitted.  Just not facilitated.
Title: Re: EPE's?
Post by: Manotea on 20 February, 2019, 08:01:48 pm
For the benefit of those who have not read the resolution rationale, it read as follows:

Quote
Proposer’sand Seconder’s Rationale: To allow AUK Permanent events and for events organised by associate/affiliate organisations and recognised by AUK, e.g., overseas BRM events validated by the local ACP affiliate to be extended.Overtime the definition of an 'ECE' has been expanded to include BRM events validated by other ACP associates (listed as 'overseas' events in the results section of the Audax UK website) and this resolution makes provision for this explicit in the Audax UK Regulations.

Some Members have also asked for the ability to similarly extend Audax UK Permanent events. Currently riders wishing to incorporate a route registered as an AUK Permanent into a larger ride are forced to do so by registering the overall ride as a DIY Permanent. They would prefer instead to extend the Permanent and thereby support the Audax UK Permanent scheme and Permanent Organiser.

This would also allow the registered Permanent to appear in their results as part of an extended event rather than the ride listed as a somewhat anonymous 'DIY Permanent' as now.

EAE/EPEs are generally supported by the current AUK website, and, as variations of the existing ECE scheme, could be incorporated into the new AUK website project at this stage of its development at minimal additional cost and effort (leaving it to a later date would inevitably be far more costly). It is not expected there will be a large number of Extended Affiliate and Permanent Events validated each year, so the additional administrative effort to support them would be correspondingly low.

In summary this resolution is being progressed to recognise current practice, support riders' interests and facilitate future development

This seemed a fairly robust argument to me.

I find the phrasing of the Boards discommendation rather curious. EAE/EPEs would use the same administrative approach as ECEs and discussions with the ECE Secretary and AUKweb manager indicated that somewhat by serendipity it had been found that AUKweb de-facto currently supports EAE/EPE, so whilst doubtless some tidying up would be in order it is more or less ready to go and the major impediement would simply be to recruit an 'EPE Org'. I don't believe that would have been a problem and had indicated to the ECE Secretary that pro-tem I'd have been happy to take it on.

Not sure what happens next; I guess interested parties could apply to the Board for the resolution to be progressed as a Board sponsonsored change to appendices pending ratification at the next AGM. Over to you!
Title: Re: EPE's?
Post by: Martin on 20 February, 2019, 09:54:02 pm
Manotea; yes recruiting an EPE org (or 12!) would enable them to start along the same lines as ECE's as the website is already geared up to deal with them. But the info control issue for perms under 200km kills it stone dead for anything under 300k


we are after all assumed by AUK to be cheats unless proven otherwise...
Title: Re: EPE's?
Post by: Manotea on 21 February, 2019, 12:03:55 am
Manotea; yes recruiting an EPE org (or 12!) would enable them to start along the same lines as ECE's as the website is already geared up to deal with them. But the info control issue for perms under 200km kills it stone dead for anything under 300k

Info controls only apply for legacy perms and are the Perm Orgs concern, i.e., nothing to do with EPEs.

Title: Re: EPE's?
Post by: Martin on 21 February, 2019, 07:28:04 am
But by EPEing a BP with infos the rider is turning it into a BR with infos which they have the questions to in advance of the ride;

it only works by GPS
Title: Re: EPE's?
Post by: Manotea on 21 February, 2019, 08:00:50 am
Concerns about converting a BP with Infos to a BR with Infos are misplaced; on the one hand there are BR perms with infos and on the other the BP perm would continue to be a BP perm. Again, any issues relating to the use of Infos lie with the Perm not the EPE.

In practice it seems reasonable to expect that riders EPEing a BP would mostly validate by submitting a gpx track for the complete extended ride anyway, as that approach minimises the need to ride 'over distance' km to satisfy the EPE, and would in turn mean the validation process would follow the regular DIY path. These are procedural issues easily resolved. Where there's a will, there's a way.
Title: Re: EPE's?
Post by: markldn on 21 February, 2019, 08:26:02 am
FWIW I've had quite a few enquiries about EPE'ing my own perms recently so there is clearly a market

I've had a number of requests, too — members would like to include their ride to the start in Cambridge, and home after, as part of the ride and get the extra point(s).  The only solution currently is for them to DIY the entire route, which then means they don't appear against the totals for riders of my perms and so lowers my organiser's year-end total.  These things matter*.



* but not much.

I know it's a lot of initial admin for John Ward but I like the idea of offering eg an "AAA Milne 200" in addition to the 100k normal version. The only difference would be that there were two extra controls which would be defined as Anywhere (this is currently allowed for Darts and Arrows)

BZZZTTT!! just realised this would mean there would be a 200k perm with several info controls, AIUI this was justified for ECE's on the basis that other riders would notice someone blatantly cutting short the route; plus of course nobody knows the questions until the day unlike perms

Really appreciated you crafting that AAA Milne 200 for me Martin. Did it last weekend. FWIW I voted yes for the resolution. The sponsors’ argument was robust with the Board offering little to counter it. Proxy sounds like the reason we didn’t get it. I own shares and that was the first time I actually enjoyed, and took something, from reading the rationales behind each proposal—so much passion! PLCs should take note.
Title: Re: EPE's?
Post by: GdS on 22 June, 2020, 02:30:25 pm
I never took to the idea of including perms in ECE's but if there are only going to be perms allowed soon I would be willing to offer EPE's in the interim if it was of use. I'm not sure if this against the rules and entry would not be as slick as with ECE's.

The main advantages I can think of are

1. to allow AAA 100k perms to be EPE'd to 200 for RRTY and also AAARTY rather than chancing that a DIY would qualify.
2. to enable perm organisers to get some credit for riders combining their perms into longer rides.

I know validation works OK on the website as i did accept an EPE a few years ago as I was not aware that the rider was doing the perm version of a calendar event, it was all homolgated with the correct date and points.
Title: Re: EPE's?
Post by: mattc on 23 June, 2020, 07:19:44 am
I never took to the idea of including perms in ECE's but if there are only going to be perms allowed soon I would be willing to offer EPE's in the interim if it was of use. I'm not sure if this against the rules and entry would not be as slick as with ECE's.

The main advantages I can think of are

1. to allow AAA 100k perms to be EPE'd to 200 for RRTY and also AAARTY rather than chancing that a DIY would qualify.
2. to enable perm organisers to get some credit for riders combining their perms into longer rides.

I know validation works OK on the website as i did accept an EPE a few years ago as I was not aware that the rider was doing the perm version of a calendar event, it was all homolgated with the correct date and points.
Sounds like an excellent idea, under the current situation  :thumbsup:

Suggest you raise it direct with AUK? (e.g. on the official forum)

IIRC when the Chairman voted down this proposal, one of the reasons was lack of likely demand.
Title: Re: EPE's?
Post by: GdS on 14 July, 2020, 03:17:29 pm
EPEs of up to 200km total are allowed from August 1st. Please don't try adding extra AAA to an existing 100km perm (AAA or not) I have agreed to do the extra admin but the AAA Man hasn't

They can be validated by card or GPS and I don't need a linked perm at entry; please supply this when returning PoP 

usual ECE rules apply:)

not sure how you enter via the new website but the ride you want is here

https://audax.uk/event-details?eventId=1376
Title: Re: EPE's?
Post by: mattc on 14 July, 2020, 06:32:52 pm
 :) :) :) :thumbsup: :thumbsup: :thumbsup:

AUK club-person of the Year!

(It's hardly important yet, but will you extend this to longer options when AUK permit those distances? I could probably do some Sussex events as 100k+perm+100k from home ...)
Title: Re: EPE's?
Post by: GdS on 14 July, 2020, 06:49:21 pm
:) :) :) :thumbsup: :thumbsup: :thumbsup:

AUK club-person of the Year!

(It's hardly important yet, but will you extend this to longer options when AUK permit those distances? I could probably do some Sussex events as 100k+perm+100k from home ...)

Yes but within reason and may switch them all off when ECEs come back. An EPE is a lot more faff / £ for all concerned but does offer a few advantages over doing the whole thing as a DIY.

There is also the issue that they allow a BP with infos to become a BR (which don't allow infos but as the old adage goes you are only cheating yourself if you don't play by the rules)

Remember you can EPE a perm anywhere nice though it would be to have riders in My Manor