Author Topic: Random audax questions  (Read 391151 times)

mattc

  • n.b. have grown beard since photo taken
    • Didcot Audaxes
Re: Random audax questions
« Reply #50 on: 11 May, 2011, 01:18:14 pm »
...

 I hear or read very little of people who do this on a modest/realistic budget.


The riders who are fairly anti-technology probably don't have a computer and so don't post on this forum at all  ;D

Yup. Plus the YACF luddites are hardly likely to post
Still not using GPS.
every few days.

It's much more fun/useful to talk about stuff you do use!
Has never ridden RAAM
---------
No.11  Because of the great host of those who dislike the least appearance of "swank " when they travel the roads and lanes. - From Kuklos' 39 Articles

YahudaMoon

  • John Diffley
Re: Random audax questions
« Reply #51 on: 11 May, 2011, 01:26:11 pm »
I don't use GPS ha ha ha

Reasons

Weight, faff, geeky, they break.

I love my cheap plastic & very light paper holder. No problems  :)

Re: Random audax questions
« Reply #52 on: 11 May, 2011, 01:27:43 pm »
For what it's worth, I rode the 99 PBP on a forty year old fixed wheel with a bottle dynamo (£7.00), no gps, computer or any other gadgetry. I reckon I clocked over 1,200 miles during that seven day period.

But if you'd had GPS you'd have finished it in four days only having covered 750 miles  :)

IGMC

Fair point.

YahudaMoon

  • John Diffley
Re: Random audax questions
« Reply #53 on: 11 May, 2011, 01:31:43 pm »
Why do people with GPS take the wrong turn on audax events ?

Re: Random audax questions
« Reply #54 on: 11 May, 2011, 01:32:56 pm »
I don't use GPS ha ha ha

Reasons

Weight, faff, geeky, they break.

I love my cheap plastic & very light paper holder. No problems  :)

My Rixen & Kaul map holder I used to use weighs about the same as my GPS. The Edge 705 is a mere 105g.

Faffing done upfront. Once you get used to it, on the ride a GPS is much less faff than a routesheet. No refolding/adjusting when you get to the next page, etc.

Geeky? Not a problem, I'm a geek.

They break? Possibly. Never had one break on me and I always carry the routesheet as backup anyway. If I need to navigate by routesheet I wrap it round the bars (in one of the plastic bags in case of rain) and hold it in place with a rubber band (usually the red ones left by the postman).
"Yes please" said Squirrel "biscuits are our favourite things."

Re: Random audax questions
« Reply #55 on: 11 May, 2011, 01:35:27 pm »
Why do people with GPS take the wrong turn on audax events ?

Because it doesn't do the steering for you. Generally it's down to user error. You have to look at it and read what it is telling you to do correctly. Most of my navigation errors have been down to chatting away with someone and not noticing that it's had been telling me to make a turn.

At least with a GPS there are easy ways to spot that you've taken a wrong turn (again, only if you look at it).
"Yes please" said Squirrel "biscuits are our favourite things."

Re: Random audax questions
« Reply #56 on: 11 May, 2011, 01:38:25 pm »
Why do people with GPS take the wrong turn on audax events ?

Because it doesn't do the steering for you. Generally it's down to user error. You have to look at it and read what it is telling you to do correctly. Most of my navigation errors have been down to chatting away with someone and not noticing that it's had been telling me to make a turn.

At least with a GPS there are easy ways to spot that you've taken a wrong turn (again, only if you look at it).

I get the impression that some are allowing the gps to navigate them to the next control by whatever devious means it chooses.

Re: Random audax questions
« Reply #57 on: 11 May, 2011, 01:38:33 pm »
Why do people with GPS take the wrong turn on audax events ?

Because the GPS moves on to the next instruction as you approach the waypoint, and if you are careless when entering them and tired when reading them, it's possible to get confused. Fortunately, you can then check the track.

In the 3 audax I've done, routesheet use has been more common than GPS use, and none of the people I rode with were slowed down by not using GPS. However, on the Mildenhall 300, I saved the front bunch a length backtrack when we missed a bunch of turns. By the time anyone noticed, we were some distance from the route, but I was able to zoom out on my garmin and find a way back.

Re: Random audax questions
« Reply #58 on: 11 May, 2011, 01:39:18 pm »
I don't use a GPS because it would complicate what is, for me, a simple pleasure.

YahudaMoon

  • John Diffley
Re: Random audax questions
« Reply #59 on: 11 May, 2011, 01:39:19 pm »
Quote
My Rixen & Kaul map holder I used to use weighs about the same as my GPS. The Edge 705 is a mere 105g.

Faffing done upfront. Once you get used to it, on the ride a GPS is much less faff than a routesheet. No refolding/adjusting when you get to the next page, etc.

Geeky? Not a problem, I'm a geek.

They break? Possibly. Never had one break on me and I always carry the routesheet as backup anyway. If I need to navigate by routesheet I wrap it round the bars (in one of the plastic bags in case of rain) and hold it in place with a rubber band (usually the red ones left by the postman).

This is my favourite thread at the moment.

Yeah but Rixen Kaul map holders are made from old war tanks. Mines a super duper cheap lightweight conversion. Built in my shed



YahudaMoon

  • John Diffley
Re: Random audax questions
« Reply #60 on: 11 May, 2011, 01:41:58 pm »

Re: Random audax questions
« Reply #61 on: 11 May, 2011, 01:46:10 pm »
I get the impression that some are allowing the gps to navigate them to the next control by whatever devious means it chooses.

That can be dangerous. I don't give the device have that much freedom.

I put in a track of the route (which I can check in advance). The GPS doesn't get to interpret this or pick its own routing, it just displays it for me on the map.

I then put in a route (made up of thousands of points to reduce any options the GPS can take) so that it can use this to give me prompted instructions (left on B3056, 2nd exit Roundabout, etc). I keep it on the map page to check that the intended route (big pink line) is following the track, if they deviate (they rarely ever do) I follow the track. I also look at the map page as sometimes the GPS doesn't give me all of the necessary instructions as it doesn't always get the priority right at every junction.
"Yes please" said Squirrel "biscuits are our favourite things."

Re: Random audax questions
« Reply #62 on: 11 May, 2011, 01:47:31 pm »


Why? Ride how you want to ride. I'm not trying to make anyone use a GPS. I'm just explaining why, having done plenty of Audaxes with and without, I prefer to use one as it makes my life easier.
"Yes please" said Squirrel "biscuits are our favourite things."

Re: Random audax questions
« Reply #63 on: 11 May, 2011, 01:56:30 pm »
Indeed.

Paper is simple, but there is an element of concentration needed. With Gps the concentration is needed when plotting the route, but riding with one is easy. Enables one to totally switch off

Re: Random audax questions
« Reply #64 on: 11 May, 2011, 02:01:13 pm »
Why do people with GPS take the wrong turn on audax events ?

Because it doesn't do the steering for you. Generally it's down to user error. You have to look at it and read what it is telling you to do correctly. Most of my navigation errors have been down to chatting away with someone and not noticing that it's had been telling me to make a turn.

At least with a GPS there are easy ways to spot that you've taken a wrong turn (again, only if you look at it).

Mine bleeps at me within 6 feet if I go off route  ;D

Re: Random audax questions
« Reply #65 on: 11 May, 2011, 02:03:09 pm »
Actually for me one of the mahoosive benefits of GPS is that you can see it in the dark and it doesn't disintegrate into papier mache in the rain!

Re: Random audax questions
« Reply #66 on: 11 May, 2011, 02:07:03 pm »
Why do people with GPS take the wrong turn on audax events ?

Because it doesn't do the steering for you. Generally it's down to user error. You have to look at it and read what it is telling you to do correctly. Most of my navigation errors have been down to chatting away with someone and not noticing that it's had been telling me to make a turn.

At least with a GPS there are easy ways to spot that you've taken a wrong turn (again, only if you look at it).

Mine bleeps at me within 6 feet if I go off route  ;D

I tried that but didn't get along well with it. It bleeped several times in areas of poor signal when I wasn't off the route, and where the road didn't follow exactly the same path as it had plotted on bikehike. I've also ridden along in my own little world ignoring the bleeps until I looked at the GPS to see that the 'distance to next' was going up rather than down.

Bleeping is also useless if wearing headphones. (Let's not restart that particular debate in this thread.)
"Yes please" said Squirrel "biscuits are our favourite things."

Simonb

Re: Random audax questions
« Reply #67 on: 11 May, 2011, 02:07:35 pm »
Actually for me one of the mahoosive benefits of GPS is that you can see it in the dark and it doesn't disintegrate into papier mache in the rain!

This.

Re: Random audax questions
« Reply #68 on: 11 May, 2011, 02:13:47 pm »
Actually for me one of the mahoosive benefits of GPS is that you can see it in the dark and it doesn't disintegrate into papier mache in the rain!

Head torch and plastic bag?

Re: Random audax questions
« Reply #69 on: 11 May, 2011, 02:16:55 pm »
Actually for me one of the mahoosive benefits of GPS is that you can see it in the dark and it doesn't disintegrate into papier mache in the rain!

Head torch and plastic bag?

I actually had my route sheet disintegrate into mush inside a Carradice plastic map holder on one wet 200k back in February.
My Garmin Edge weighs less than a head torch and I don't have to wear it on my head  :thumbsup:

jogler

  • mojo operandi
Re: Random audax questions
« Reply #70 on: 11 May, 2011, 02:19:38 pm »
Actually for me one of the mahoosive benefits of GPS is that you can see it in the dark and it doesn't disintegrate into papier mache in the rain!

Head torch and plastic bag?

I actually had my route sheet disintegrate into mush inside a Carradice plastic map holder on one wet 200k back in February.
My Garmin Edge weighs less than a head torch and I don't have to wear it on my head  :thumbsup:

headtorch & Ortlieb map case :smug:

Re: Random audax questions
« Reply #71 on: 11 May, 2011, 02:19:47 pm »
Or just ride with someone who has a GPS - best of both worlds :thumbsup:

Simonb

Re: Random audax questions
« Reply #72 on: 11 May, 2011, 02:21:33 pm »
Head torch and plastic bag?

Absolutely (I only got a GPS in Feb this year). But I find that the droplets make it very hard to read a routesheet (even when I wipe them off).


Re: Random audax questions
« Reply #73 on: 11 May, 2011, 02:22:23 pm »
I think a laminator is a very useful bit of audax kit  ;D

jogler

  • mojo operandi
Re: Random audax questions
« Reply #74 on: 11 May, 2011, 02:24:11 pm »
Actually for me one of the mahoosive benefits of GPS is that you can see it in the dark and it doesn't disintegrate into papier mache in the rain!

Head torch and plastic bag?

I actually had my route sheet disintegrate into mush inside a Carradice plastic map holder on one wet 200k back in February.
My Garmin Edge weighs less than a head torch and I don't have to wear it on my head  :thumbsup:

headtorch & Ortlieb map case :smug:

to tell the truth I have moved on up the tech-spec from an ortlieb map case.....
I now laminate the route sheet & carry it inna Polaris map trap ;D