Alternative Audax Badges and Challenges

[Kim]

A challenge that appeals in a sadistic sort of way is a daylight SR. The rules are simple. Delays are as BRM but you can only ride in daytime. Clock on at the start before dawn and you have to wait for daylight. Carrying lights and hi-vis is instant disqualification.

While I like the idea, this bit seems unreasonable.  Plenty of perfectly sensible cycling clothing (eg. Altura waterproof jackets) might fit your definition of hi-vis.  Removing permanently installed lighting from your bike for a one-off ride is overkill, and carrying lights if you're going to be out around sunset is just prudent in case circumstances arise that make getting to civilisation more important than successfully completing some arbitrary challenge.

Enforce daylight riding by control times or GPS validation; no need to ban safety gear.

[bludger]

Weight weeney award: no equipment attached to your bike save 2x bottles (no cheating and using one as a bag!), mudguards, a front and rear light, and a head unit. No saddlebags, no top tube bags, no aero bars, nothing. All food, spares, pump etc to go in jersey pockets.

Extra hardcore; no head unit, no spare tubes (repair kit only).

[Kim]

And its corollary, the Kitchen Sink award...

[bludger]

That was me in the FFF500

[mattc]

Weight weeney award: no equipment attached to your bike save 2x bottles (no cheating and using one as a bag!), mudguards, a front and rear light, and a head unit. No saddlebags, no top tube bags, no aero bars, nothing. All food, spares, pump etc to go in jersey pockets.

Extra hardcore; no head unit, no spare tubes (repair kit only).

 

[whosatthewheel]

Weight weeney award: no equipment attached to your bike save 2x bottles (no cheating and using one as a bag!), mudguards, a front and rear light, and a head unit. No saddlebags, no top tube bags, no aero bars, nothing. All food, spares, pump etc to go in jersey pockets.

Extra hardcore; no head unit, no spare tubes (repair kit only).

Rode for a little with such a rider al last year LWL 400... he had nothing with him... nothing more than your usual dog-bollox sized mini-saddle bag with an inner tube. As far as I know he finished quite early and all went well for him.
Common sight in BP and some BR 200, but it was a first for me on a long brevet

[mattc]

Yes, it's much more of a challenge on a ride that takes you, say,  20hrs+ (or 12hrs+ in proper winter).

( But then most restrictions are easier to ride with over 100km than 400km )

[Ajax Bay]

My ACP Randonneur 5000 certificate and medal have arrived, together with a note from Chris Crossland - thank you, Chris - saying that 311 of the ACP R5000s were awarded worldwide this year. Rides completed between May 2018 and August 2019.
http://www.audax-club-parisien.com/EN/382.html
I have to complete an SR600 (hilly) to achieve ACP's R10000: everything else done but 2 x wraps in 2019 (CET's Cambrian 6C and Sophie Matter's Haute Provence) means this is unfinished business. I've entered @Will P's new 'Devilishly Elegant' SR600 and will ride that in the summer (after BCM).
http://www.audax-club-parisien.com/EN/462.html

[Wycombewheeler]

Weight weeney award: no equipment attached to your bike save 2x bottles (no cheating and using one as a bag!), mudguards, a front and rear light, and a head unit. No saddlebags, no top tube bags, no aero bars, nothing. All food, spares, pump etc to go in jersey pockets.

Extra hardcore; no head unit, no spare tubes (repair kit only).

Rode for a little with such a rider al last year LWL 400... he had nothing with him... nothing more than your usual dog-bollox sized mini-saddle bag with an inner tube. As far as I know he finished quite early and all went well for him.
Common sight in BP and some BR 200, but it was a first for me on a long brevet

I did that on asparagus and strawberries last year. Weather forecast was benign, b&b booked at 300km, no riding in the dark.

[Wycombewheeler]

I have to complete an SR600 (hilly) to achieve ACP's R10000: everything else done but 2 x wraps in 2019 (CET's Cambrian 6C and Sophie Matter's Haute Provence) means this sung unfinished business

I'm weighing up an attempt on one of these, can you comment on relative difficulty? Cambrian is obviously easier logistically as I can drive to the start in 2 hours, but haute province has a lot of appeal like better climate, potentially fewer climbs >10%, riding somewhere new, ventoux

I have also noticed a new one in Vancouver that sounds great, although expensive to get to.

[psyclist]

I'm hoping to wrap up my ACP R10,000 this year, with the Cambrian 6C booked in for June.

I'm also down for the Devilishly Elegant at the end of May, as a warm-up!

[Ajax Bay]

I have to complete an SR600 (hilly) to achieve ACP's R10000: everything else done but 2 x wraps in 2019 (CET's Cambrian 6C and Sophie Matter's Haute Provence) means this sung unfinished business

I'm weighing up an attempt on one of these, can you comment on relative difficulty? Cambrian is obviously easier logistically as I can drive to the start in 2 hours, but haute province has a lot of appeal like better climate, potentially fewer climbs >10%, riding somewhere new, ventoux

In reasonable conditions (September was recommended to me for France - too hot in the summer) I would judge they were about the same difficulty, though the French one offered fantastic novel scenery, and as you note, the opportunity to tick off Mont Ventoux. My speed made good was about the same, on Day1. The French descents were so much more efficient in the use of hard-gained potential energy. I used the same low gear: 25", for both rides.
I travelled down there (effectively to Aix-en-Provence and a 80km ride up to Manosque) and back using OuiGo trains (TGV speed) which are extremely cheap - with the caveat that one has to bag one's bike (to less dimensions than 'normal bike bag') (travel costs about £140 return from Newhaven). I used my bivvi bag as the cover. A disassembled bike, stored in a specific cover with maximum dimensions of 120 x 90 cm is considered hand luggage and merely requires a reservation but €5 for pre-booked 'additional luggage' option." Wheels, pedals, RD, seat post/saddle, bars off, chainring padded, wrapped, taped and bagged.
Have a look at the other SR600 threads eg this: https://yacf.co.uk/forum/index.php?topic=37784.25 (I offer a brief overview of my 'fail' there) and the Cambrian thread where OI and an Irish lady give a good account of themselves/the 6C - this thread (go to Page 24): https://yacf.co.uk/forum/index.php?topic=79290.575

[Phil W]

Completing your audaxes at no higher a HR than the top end of your Zone 2 HR. So no higher than 75% of max. Clearly if you’re doing a hilly one you’ll need low enough gearing to facilitate this.

[CrazyEnglishTriathlete]

There have been a couple of attempts at completing all the Cambrian Series permanents (36 events, 10700km, 172,220m ascent).  They've typically foundered as they enter the 300s, which require finding control points in the wee hours either at the start or the finish.