Arrivée est arrivé!

[hellymedic]

Haven't got mine yet so can't comment but surely it reflects the quality of contributions, many of which are from this parish...

[Ray 6701]

Enjoyed the Scottish 1300 article, I really fancy a 1000k+ ride up in Scotland especially one that descends the Lecht instead of climbing up the bugger.

It was a laff.

I believe you were the man/group who pipped us for a mention in the handbook, with your 1400 End to End.

Guilty as charged, me & datameister rode it together + there were 2 others (bendy bianchi being one) who rode it solo 

[DanialW]

Haven't got mine yet so can't comment but surely it reflects the quality of contributions, many of which are from this parish...

Partly. One of the articles is clearly an in-house job; not the sort of thing that would be sent in. There's also a good variety of photos, rather than pages of different riders taken at the same point.

That's not to say that there hasn't been a significant input from the membership. There has, and it's high-quality. In fact, I know that there's one submission that didn't make this edition, which hopefully means there's competition for space. This is a Good Thing.

[Exit Stage Left]

A noted continental randonneur once expressed bemusement at the learned journal style of Arrivée. Their national mags were club newsletters. I think we should go for more pieces with footnotes and a bibliography. We might also style it as 'The Journal of Abnormal Cycling', and institute a formal peer-review system.

[ulfson70]

In-house job?

[hellymedic]

A noted continental randonneur once expressed bemusement at the learned journal style of Arrivée. Their national mags were club newsletters. I think we should go for more pieces with footnotes and a bibliography. We might also style it as 'The Journal of Abnormal Cycling', and institute a formal peer-review system.

I'm not that constipated.

Yet!

[mmmmartin]

Is it just me, or is Arrivee seriously raising its game recently? Useful articles, interesting photography, brilliant stuff!

IMHO it is easily as good as the "professional" magazines - which TBH I never ever buy or look at because they are full of advice as to what bike to buy (I've got one, thanks) or which waterproof is better than another one made of the same stuff. Arrivee is the one mag I read cover to cover and then put on the shelf to keep and go back to. The only other mag I get is the Radio Times and if I had to pick one it'd be Arrivee.
So Danial, the answer to your question is Yes.

[border-rider]

The Questionnaire now has its own thread, as suggested

Questionnaire in Arrivée

[Billy Weir]

I rather liked this issue, as it had a couple of inspirational articles.  The PAP article has made me ponder the practicalities of getting me and steed over to a Land Down Under.  And the Scottish 1300 showed what can be done with a bit of initiative and enthusiasm and made me look forward to next years Mille Alba.

[Bones]

My copy hasn't arrived. I have lost track of which one is due. The last I have in my "safe place" is the winter 2011 volume so I presume you are all talking about Spring 2011 edition.

[Feline]

I have spent much of the day reading mine (arrived yesterday but I was off out riding for the day). This issue has some great articles, I am particularly enjoying reading the PBP advice from all different people with different styles and ways of thinking about things (and it's a great pic of Teethgrinder with a cheeky grin)

[valkyrie]

The most tedious of publications, can't see the point of it TBH.

It's mostly of interest to Audaxers rather than folks who whizz round wooden tracks at high speed. I imagine there'll be a track cycling association magazine out there full of random pictures of folk on bikes, but without the possibility of interesting backgrounds.

[Alouicious]

There isn't a "Populaires" section this quarter, so its of little interest to the three thousand or more members who only ride 'Daytime' pops ( and the occasional 200 ).

I'm being 'Devil's advocate' here because this large demograph of AUK membership don't know about this web forum, and simply enjoy Calendar Populaires.

I've been told there's about 200 AUK members contribute to this forum. Hey, that leaves 4000 who don't.

According to rides stats, the 'daytime' riders get the majority of Accriditations.

No. I'm NOT the 'Devil's advocate'! I'm 'Vox populi'.

[Jasmine]

There isn't a "Populaires" section this quarter, so its of little interest to the three thousand or more members who only ride 'Daytime' pops ( and the occasional 200 ).
...

AUK can only publish reports that people send in.  Surely the lack of Pops section is because no one who rode those pops wrote a report about them?

[Billy Weir]

Then write an article for Arrivee about your experiences on a populaire.  It may simply be that there was no "copy" provided this quarter about a 100km event.

edit: wot jasmine said

[Alouicious]

Sorry, The organiser of 'Rutland and Beyond' drove around the route taking a camera full of photos to include in his report on the ride.

In this edition ( 112 ), a lot of pages are filled with 'Preparing for PBP'.

In my opinion, all this 'PBP stuff' could go on the website because its ONLY of interest to those members who are riding the PBP.

The magazine is for showing nice colourful photos and printing ride reports, so we can show our mates at work and home what a wonderful time we had.

When I show my sons the 'Prep' for PBP', they reply "They must be nutters" and "Is there a photo of you?" and I reply "The magazine editor hasn't got time for us who only ride 65 miles".

[teethgrinder]

AUK is the Long Distance Cycliss Asociation. Surely it's membership is interested in long distance cycling, even if they can't or don't want to ride the longer events themselves for whatever reason?
Some folk on this forum were formerly very active AUKs but can no longer ride the events, but are still interested and have good advice to give.
I can't see that there's much to write about with a 100k ride. Yes, it's a good ride and it's a long way for some, but it's still only 100k. You do get a few good stories from the shorter rides, I just don't think they have the scope for adventure that the long rides do.

Tim Wainwright is always after photos for Arrivee, I'm sure that he does have time for photos of you Alouicious, he can only print what he is sent. Or maybe you're just plain ugly?

[border-rider]

When I show my sons the 'Prep' for PBP', they reply "They must be nutters" and "Is there a photo of you?" and I reply "The magazine editor hasn't got time for us who only ride 65 miles".

Many 100s are regularly featured in the magazine. My suspicion is that if more people sent in write-ups of them then even more would be.

PBP is the big happening for AUK this year, as LEL will be in 2013, and it's going to get appropriate coverage.  

Alouicious, if you don't like what's there why not write some stuff for it yourself ?

[marcusjb]

In my opinion, all this 'PBP stuff' could go on the website because its ONLY of interest to those members who are riding the PBP.

I am not sure I believe that to be true. Sure, it is of interest to people like myself working on riding PBP for the first time; but, I find the advice within the article to be of interest to anyone riding audax.  Much of the advice is sensible solid advice that transfers whether you are considering the jump from 100km to 200km events or PBP itself.

It's all sensible stuff about being comfy on the bike, not faffing at controls etc. and that applies whether you are riding a 100km just as much as a 1200km. Sure some of it is specific to PBP, but not enough to make it of interest exclusively toPBP hopefuls.

[border-rider]

The other point is that even if people are not interested in PBP this time, or maybe it's never occurred to them, the articles of ordinary people qualifying with excitement and getting round may inspire them for the future.  If not for PBP then maybe LEL2013 or just to ride a bit further next year !

[YahudaMoon]

Maybe the strap line could be changed to 'the Long & Short Distance Cyclists ' Association ?.

Who's cycling to the start for PBP then ? and back again. I see Mr Steve Abraham is looking for some cycling nut jobs to take on his mad venture.

[nmcgann]

AUK is the Long Distance Cycliss Asociation. Surely it's membership is interested in long distance cycling, even if they can't or don't want to ride the longer events themselves for whatever reason?
...

+1. I haven't done an audax for a while as I'm exclusively focussed on TTs these days and I'd never do one over 200k anyway, but I enjoyed this edition. The PBP stuff and the Australia report was v interesting and I always enjoy the "epic ride" reports, especially when they are overseas.

[Hot Flatus]

The other point is that even if people are not interested in PBP this time, or maybe it's never occurred to them, the articles of ordinary people qualifying with excitement and getting round may inspire them for the future.  If not for PBP then maybe LEL2013 or just to ride a bit further next year !

Indeed. When I first started Audaxing I hadn't even heard of PBP. Nor did I even think 600k rides were a feasible thing for me to do. I'm sure for most of us who do longer rides, it has been a progressive thing.  You, Alouicious, have chosen not to progress. Which is fine. 

Worth remembering, also, that AUK was founded specifically to enable UK riders to enter PBP.

[oldpeddler]

I only do the 100ks with AAA points as I can't get up to the speed to get the longer distances. Age seems to have caught up with me. There is a lack of pops in this addition but there is one on pages10 and 11. As for 100s not being interesting enough to report on, it depends on what occurs on the ride. I only write articles if things of interest or funny incidents happen whislt taking part in an event.
I certainly wouldn't be able to write articles if I was riding 200s or more. I'd be too knackered

[Jaded]

Well, I think it is an extraordinary magazine for a low budget organisation run by volunteers and it is produced 4 times a year!

The combination of the magazine, this forum and its predecessor and helpfulness from organisers and riders have moved me on (slowly) from a every nervy 100km in Jan 2007 (my first ever ride of 100km) to someone with double figures points for this season and my first 300km, someone who is happy to volunteer too for controls etc, and someone who has a vague notion that LEL might be achievable.

Yes, Arrivée is full of photos of odd-looking people doing stupid rides, but that's you lot, that is!