Future of Audax?

[Billy Weir]

I'm actually rather optimistic about the future of audax in the UK.  There is a healthy number of people in their 30s and 40s who are not only active riders but willing to devote time and effort through organising, volunteering to support events or committee work.  I hesitate to use the word, but some are adopting a refreshing approach to their voluntary efforts that some might view as more professional (when compared to other activities).

I suspect that group's general enthusiasm for long distance cycling and audax, and their willingness to act on it, will go a long way to welcoming and encouraging new people to look at and participate in audax over the coming years.

Of course, the emphasis might change.  For example, it may be the PBP becomes less the focal point it has been to date.  Particularly if national associations, such as AUK, put on events that rival PBP for challenge, structure and recognition (LEL anyone?)  Or if individuals go out of their way to put on showcase events (Mille Cymru, Alba etc?)

And that's ignoring the role BPs and shorter events (including 200km) have in expanding general activity, albeit not necessarily at the longer distances (although I'd like to think that many would aspire to at least one SR).

[LittleWheelsandBig]

Interesting that children and Audax weren't incompatible 'back in the day'. The average age of AUKs used to be around 40, now it is 50. Have a look at the average age of riders of AUK's early 'achievements' like Brindisi-Calais. 'Hardcore Audax' was mostly considered best left to the young 'uns.

[tom_e]

This, for me. And I would guess a significant number of others with young family. It's quite a lot of time commitment. (not complaining; you make your own choices)

I see all those babyboomers as reassurance that there's plenty of time to get into it later.

Of course, but there are far fewer of you/me/us than there are of boomers.  Does this mean that AUK membership will fall in the future?  Will that mean fewer events in 20 years' time or will there still be lots of events with fewer entrants each?

I was more implying that you might expect a bit of rise with age, and needn't necessarily worry about it. Although probably not as much bias as there is! I think 'incompatible' is probably a bit strong, but certainly the idea of doing an SR series or similar takes up enough weekend time it's a big request for the whole family, not just my own time.

I've only been aware of Audax for a year or two, so difficult for me to say what has happened in the longer scale than that. But at the moment I'd be very positive - there were some very major discouragements which are now being tackled pretty effectively (entry procedures, website to a lesser extent). But it appeared strange and offputting to younger people only a couple of years ago, and it will take time to recover the damage.

[nextSibling]

I've had communications from US riders who are staying at home to do 1200s, which can now be held in PBP year. Why go to Europe where it rains and you encounter the odd negative attitude?

As a former Audax UK member now living and riding in the top-left corner of the US, ^^^ this.

It's not that there aren't many US randonneurs still aspiring to PBP, there's plenty, but there's no shortage of attractive alternatives closer to home, as well. Especially if crowds, queues, rain, struggling by in bad schoolboy French, and big travel expenses aren't your thing. How about the Rocky Mountain 1200 next year - only a day's drive away? Or the Cascade 1200, even closer? There's now several well run 1200 events in the US to be tempted by, often in landscapes more spectacular than northern France, if that's your thing.

It's all good and this isn't intended to disparage PBP, it's just that we're spoiled for choice here. Have randonneurs ever had it so good?

Personally, skipping PBP wasn't a tough decision after I did the sums. Of course, I'm only in my early 40s - plenty of time to change my mind... then again, there's always LEL... and Australia... and...

[frankly frankie]

the limitation for me is that I'm expected to do my share of parenting at the weekend, and my work is sufficiently pressured that taking time off to make up for it around the event is difficult

It's not just the time it takes to ride a 600 - it's that when you turn up for work the next day you're not worth having.
Of course everybody else notices this, but you don't.

[Greenbank]

Interesting that children and Audax weren't incompatible 'back in the day'.

A few generations back it was much more commonplace for fathers to have very little to do with bringing up their children.

<awaits explosion of anecdata>

[Martin]

Interesting that children and Audax weren't incompatible 'back in the day'.

A few generations back it was much more commonplace for fathers to have very little to do with bringing up their children.

was that because they were down a mine or sitting in an office in a bowler hat at the time?

[LittleWheelsandBig]

No doubt true but 'back in the day' refers to no more that one generation ('80s and '90s).

[tonyh]

It's not just the time it takes to ride a 600 - it's that when you turn up for work the next day you're not worth having.

And the increasing recovery time is what is discouraging me in my late 60s. After two or three poor years, not sure I can get back for another SR series, but hoping to. (I'm hoping it is lack of miles, rather than just the ageing, which causes most of the difficulty.)

The number of riders doing the longer distances (400 and over) tends to drop off dramatically after the age of 60.

I'm seeing that as further encouragement to be audacious and have a go, which is what it's probably all about - hence the great attraction of the "long stuff" (agree with DrM).

I hope and expect that Audax will go on attracting all ages, with their varying problems. One of its many delightful strengths.

(My background: regret never being strong/fast; regret reaching 60 before first Audax; first SR at 64. Never heard anyone boast about an SR [except me to myself!])

[Greenbank]

A few generations back it was much more commonplace for fathers to have very little to do with bringing up their children.

No doubt true but 'back in the day' refers to no more that one generation ('80s and '90s).

True, one generation back (to the Silent Generation) from the current bunch of 50 year olds (Baby Boomers), but still a few generations (X, Y, Z/I) back from now.

[dasmoth]

A couple of years back, I saw someone riding a 100 with a fairly small sprog (2yo?  I'm not an expert!) on a child seat.  I assume this wasn't a one-off, and have always considered it to be quite encouraging from an audax-after-reproduction point of view.  Anyone done a randonee with a child seat or trailer?

[LittleWheelsandBig]

Terminology problem. A generation is not 10 years. The generation that raised kids in the '80s were the same age then as the current 'kid-raisers' that suggest that Audaxing is severely restricted until they are 50+.

[Greenbank]

Anyone done a randonee with a child seat or trailer?

Dunno about a Randonee but there have been plenty of populaires done with children in seats and in tow.

Remember that an 8 year old has completed a 200km BR Audax on a solo machine (no tag-a-long, tandem or trailer).

[DanialW]

IMO, one way to ensure the health of audaxing worldwide, would be to sort out the current dog's dinner of audax's international organisation.

I've no objection to paying taxes to LRM/ACP, but if you don't ride PBP, what do they offer in return?

[dasmoth]

Anyone done a randonee with a child seat or trailer?

Dunno about a Randonee but there have been plenty of populaires done with children in seats and in tow.

Remember that an 8 year old has completed a 200km BR Audax on a solo machine (no tag-a-long, tandem or trailer).

Impressive.  I'm aware of someone that kind of age doing a tandem 100, but a solo BR -- audacious!

But anyway, it looks like the "I've got kids" argument shouldn't be too much of an excuse  .

[DrMekon]

My wife wants us to get one of these (with drops) so we can do 100s as a family.



Love the idea of my boys trying 200s at 8. We did 17km with him on his Cnoc 16 last weekend (he's 5 atm).

[dasmoth]

Nice machine -- although I'd be slightly concerned about the comfort of a small-wheeled tandem over longer distances.  Any particular reason to go for that rather than a conventional-sized machine with kiddycranks as required?

[DrMekon]

I'm 6'3, my wife is 5'2. We want something we can use together. If we win the lottery, one of the periscope range Co-Motions would be perfect, but we don't do the lottery. This is much cheaper than that or something like a Thorn Raven Dynamic.

Circe are just up the road for me, and have offered to build up a bike to fit for us to trial.

[dasmoth]

Ah, gotcha.  Hope you have a good test-ride when you get the chance!

[Jules]

A couple of years back, I saw someone riding a 100 with a fairly small sprog (2yo?  I'm not an expert!) on a child seat.  I assume this wasn't a one-off, and have always considered it to be quite encouraging from an audax-after-reproduction point of view.  Anyone done a randonee with a child seat or trailer?

I did the London Sightseer 100 with a 3 year old on a bike seat in 2008.

[dasmoth]

A couple of years back, I saw someone riding a 100 with a fairly small sprog (2yo?  I'm not an expert!) on a child seat.  I assume this wasn't a one-off, and have always considered it to be quite encouraging from an audax-after-reproduction point of view.  Anyone done a randonee with a child seat or trailer?

I did the London Sightseer 100 with a 3 year old on a bike seat in 2008.

So the family I saw weren't a one-off  .

Bet you wouldn't see this on a Sportive...

[Greenbank]

Terminology problem. A generation is not 10 years.

I never said it was. All I was saying was that the generation who were ~50 in the 80s were a few generations back (meaning from now, not from the generation that are ~50 now which I agree is only one generation difference).

Of course, I could have been misreading what you meant when you said:-

Interesting that children and Audax weren't incompatible 'back in the day'.

[citoyen]

A local 200 is perfect because I can be home in time for tea.

A local 300 that starts at 2am can work this way too.

I should remind my wife that it could be worse - I could be a golfer!

 

d.

[mattc]

The generation that raised kids in the '80s were the same age then as the current 'kid-raisers' that suggest that Audaxing is severely restricted until they are 50+.

OK, so here's some anecdata (from an Audaxing family) and a thought for the mix:

My father rode PBP when I was a 20yo Graduate. He rode long events before that, but I suspect put off the long away trip until his youngest kid was fully fledged. So ...

Clearly it's possible to ride 600k+ events with kids at home, but gets a lot easier once they reach 'adult' age. It's a fact that Brits* are having kids later. So perhaps this is distorting the demographics in some way. (I don't have figures for the age-of-parent shift.)

*_{Not sure about US/the continent}

[LittleWheelsandBig]

I agree that folk are starting families much older nowadays (40+ year old first-time mums aren't that rare now). If the parents leave long-distance Audaxing till after the kids have left home but still stop riding SRs in their 60s, it seems certain that they will do fewer long brevets. The 'window of opportunity' is much smaller.