Audax, on the BBC

[Exit Stage Left]

It's obviously a good film, but it hasn't solved the problems I'm interested in. They might have got further if they'd had a lot more riders, as they'd have had more chances to get it right. Reviewing Go-Pro footage during the event is also not as easy as with camcorders, especially when sleep-deprived. That makes for a steep learning curve with poor feedback.

There was a fellow with a GoPro on the seatpost of a bike but I didn't see hardly any of that footage in the film.
I don't think the scotland film was aimed at audaxers.

I think the only way to get the type of footage you'd like is either from another rider or from a UAV. In the case of the former maybe the camera would have to be attached to the person rather than the bike as the person's body acts as suspension.
I think you should maybe have a go using a drone though, that would be quite interesting. Can they be programmed to 'track' another moving object (i.e. a rider/group, maybe with a 'tracker' on their handlebars) I wonder?

There's one drone shot in the Madegood trailer at 1min10sec, no cyclists in it though. My feeling is that drones offer too much of an opportunity for an accident. We're currently looking at various wide-angle cameras with good sound recording capabilities, which can be handheld on the bike. We've done plenty of on-bike interviews, but wind-noise is the problem.
It might be worth having a thread in the photography section about this.

 http://www.madegood.org/films/portfolio/london-edinburgh-london-official-film-trailer/

[Jaded]

For drone usage, see the Danny MacAscill Skye footage.

[Exit Stage Left]

The state of the art is the Audax Australia, tilt/shift and drone footage. But that's shooting fish in a barrel.
The Skye footage can be rehearsed and use multiple takes.

[wilkyboy]

I think you should maybe have a go using a drone though, that would be quite interesting. Can they be programmed to 'track' another moving object (i.e. a rider/group, maybe with a 'tracker' on their handlebars) I wonder?

I don't think there's any practicable way of doing this legally over public roads within this country, unfortunately, at least not cost-effectively for a project such as this, as the distances the drone must be from a) public places and roads, b) people not under your control and c) buildings is far too great (50-150m, 500m in some instances I think), AND you'd need both to complete a CAA-approved training course and have a CAA Permission for Aerial Work, in this country at least.  More here http://www.theregister.co.uk/2014/10/15/drone_buyers_guide_sofware/?page=2 under "Got a licence for that drone, sir?".  Well over £2000 not including the cost of the drone.

[Somnolent]

Were there no women?

At least one entered but sadly was unable to travel to Scotland.  Real life got in the way.

[Collonach]

Some comments from non-audaxer friends:
Awesome scenery, exceptional challenge, etc.
Why no women, no geriatrics ( like self, Pat, Ian and no doubt others. There was overwhelming focus on young male (even Swedish) riders, whereas most cyclists I know are bus pass carriers.

And the best scenery, from a rich crop, were omitted, IMHO:
Views of Arran in pm sun from road S to Campbeltown
Sun setting on road to Durness to NW -  Sun rise a few hours later in NE
The lochans covered in white water lilies in the Aird of Coigach
The Great Glen at night, traffic free and full of night sounds and shadows.

[Mr Larrington]

Someone was using a drone for filming at Battle Mountain this year but that's rather different as there's nothing much to crash into out there.  I aten't seen any of the footage though.  A Several of years back someone hired a light aircraft for filming, which at least stood a sporting chance of keeping up with the bikes.

Ex B-i-L has just landed a job as European Chief Marketroid for a Chinese drone manufacturer...

[hellymedic]

I watched the programme in stages yesterday and really enjoyed it.
I think I spied one woman participant.
Women have always been in a minority for Audax so this bothered me little.
The youngest participant was 28, which, although half my age, does not really strike me as 'young'.
It's all relative though...

[mattc]

Some comments from non-audaxer friends:
Awesome scenery, exceptional challenge, etc.
Why no women, no geriatrics ( like self, Pat, Ian and no doubt others. There was overwhelming focus on young male (even Swedish) riders, whereas most cyclists I know are bus pass carriers.

Well you were there,so surely you could answer the gender issue!
At least one Swede was - I suspect - amongst the less young riders. And if you only know bus pass carrying cyclists,  i have to ask what %age of your non-cycling friends are not bus-pass carriers?

And the best scenery, from a rich crop, were omitted, IMHO:
Views of Arran in pm sun from road S to Campbeltown
Sun setting on road to Durness to NW -  Sun rise a few hours later in NE
The lochans covered in white water lilies in the Aird of Coigach
The Great Glen at night, traffic free and full of night sounds and shadows.

Those were really lovely views.
(althoug the Great Glen was almost too dark,  and there were a lot of trees blocking the view e.g. of Nessie. I was seriously creeped out a few times by fleeting movement on the edge of my light-beam!)

It's become a cliche,  but I'd still plump for the scenic road to Lochinver overall.

@helly - please provide more detail of the female you spotted!

[hellymedic]

I thought I saw one but I'm not going to watch a full hour's video again to identify exactly or to confirm I'm a deluded old bat!

[mattc]

 

[zigzag]

can't remember if i shared my set of photos, if not here they are

[IanDG]

can't remember if i shared my set of photos, if not here they are

 

The substance wrapped in clingfilm looks like something straight out of 'Breaking Bad' 

[recumbentim]

Good photos Windy tells a better story than that video pish , I can't be bothered on Audaxes . I think I took 3 photos on a 1300 round scotland once but can't find them . There was German friend  , Brent who took 500 shots with his phone on Herintals 1200 as he waited on the rest of the field .  I can just imagine George Berwick with a video camera  getting tangled up with his long wave radio?

[simonp]

There were no female riders. What H is saying is that one of us looks like one.

[hellymedic]

I sit corrected.

[Exit Stage Left]

There's a woman at 5.38. Probably a cycle tourist on her way to Arran.

[IanDG]

Good photos Windy tells a better story than that video pish , I can't be bothered on Audaxes . I think I took 3 photos on a 1300 round scotland once but can't find them . There was German friend  , Brent who took 500 shots with his phone on Herintals 1200 as he waited on the rest of the field .  I can just imagine George Berwick with a video camera  getting tangled up with his long wave radio?

Zigzags's photos?

[mattc]

I finally got all the electrons in a line to watch this last night on the big(ger) screen. N had convinced me she genuinely was interested.

We managed a triple bill of The Scottish Ride Prog, Guy Martin's Passions, then the last bit of James May testing an Action Man's durability at 33g & Mach 1.1*.  Eccentric Brit-tastic!

N liked it, said the prog seemed consistent with the kinds of tales I've been telling for 8 years about these events. Biggest impact was the shot of naked swede greasing his parts 


_{(*Pretty good, it turns out. But I'd say it was really all about the rocket.)}

[ianrobo]

sorry to bring back such an old post but this is THE film that inspired me, since then I have spoke to a few of the guys, been on my first Mark Rigby audax and booked the 1200 ...

Just one query, it mentioned 1300km in 100 hours, was this actually correct esp as first day was 'easy' ?

Also for Dave and others how would it compared to the 1200 one I am doing ... obviously different roads !

[Ajax Bay]

Just one query, it mentioned 1300km in 100 hours, was this actually correct esp as first day was 'easy' ?

Also for Dave and others how would it compared to the 1200 one I am doing ... obviously different roads !

9.7.1
  The minimum speeds are:
  for events registered as 200 to 600 km – set by the organiser within the range 14.3 to 15 kph;
  for events registered as 700 to 1200 km - 13 ⅓  kph;
  for events registered as 1300 to 1800 km - 12 kph

So 1300km @ min speed 12kph was "actually correct", easy first day or not.

[ianrobo]

Just one query, it mentioned 1300km in 100 hours, was this actually correct esp as first day was 'easy' ?

Also for Dave and others how would it compared to the 1200 one I am doing ... obviously different roads !

9.7.1
  The minimum speeds are:
  for events registered as 200 to 600 km – set by the organiser within the range 14.3 to 15 kph;
  for events registered as 700 to 1200 km - 13 ⅓  kph;
  for events registered as 1300 to 1800 km - 12 kph

So 1300km @ min speed 12kph was "actually correct", easy first day or not.

ah of course ... thanks ...

just checked isn 1200 is 90hrs ...

[SR Steve]

The first day wasn’t particularly easy. It was a lumpy 200km with an 11am start. Because of the timings of the ferries from Oban to Mull, most riders had an enforced overnight stop in Oban. This meant that when the first morning ferry arrived on Mull everyone was about 3.5 hours behind minimum speed schedule, which made the next couple of days to the bunkhouse quite challenging.

[Ajax Bay]

Also for Dave and others how would it compared to the 1200 one I am doing ... obviously different roads !

Think Marcus JB's writings on HGWI 14 will give you an idea of that magnificent ride.
http://www.marcusjb.com/blog/2014/07/17/the-highlands-glens-and-western-isles-1300km-audax
http://www.marcusjb.com/blog/2014/07/27/ten-things-i-loved-on-the-highlands-glens-and-western-isles-1300km-audax
Remote roads; ferries (several); long distances between habitation and starting on Arran (so access to start part of the 'adventure'). The Lancashire to Inverness and back - roughly: https://ridewithgps.com/routes/28872782?beta=false
(start to as far as Paisley going south - route back from Paisley retraces route north).

[ianrobo]

Thanks for the links and 4 years ago I commented !  As I said this totally inspires me every time I watch it.