What attracted you to Audax?

[T42]

Wanted to see if I could do 200k. Then 300, 400... etc.

Do it now because I want to see if I can still do 200k. Then 300, 400...

[Ningishzidda]

Free cakes.

[Veloman]

PBP

The challenge of completing it.  And in order to do that particular challenge I had to do some qualification rides.

[Jaded]

100km rides.

[caerau]

Well I stumbled across it by accident.


I got into cycling in 2012 through my missus badgering me to get us some bikes.  I started thinking I'd cycle off road on things like the Taff Trail in Cardiff but I quickly tired of the pedestrians and associated dogs on that as I like going fast.  But I did discover I liked cycling A LOT and that I could go a long way, I was most impressed with myself on my first 50 mile ride in that year (less than 2 months after not cycling at all for the best part of 20 years).
So I started proper road cycling and got fitter and started going further and inter webbed on what to do next to progress.  Join a club it all said (not so into that sort of thing) and do a SPORTIVE it all encouraged.
So I tried to get into the Dragon Ride of that year and failed miserably on the ballot.


But while I was waiting for the ballot to progress I discovered threads on t'interweb saying things like 'Why would I pay £70 to ride on open roads near my home when I can enter my local Audax and do the same thing for £2?'


So I thought WTF is Audax?  Google it, found this place and entered Dr Fosters Winter Warmer 2013 - initially as a training ride for the Tour of Pembrokeshire which was the Sportive I'd now entered after being not-successful in getting on the Dragon Ride.


I did a horrendous 100 mile ride through a winter storm at the arse end of 2012 to make sure I was capable of it then watched as foot deep snow fell and remained on the ground up to 12 hours before the ride  but the rain came and washed it away and there it happened.  Meeting one Bikey Mikey in the car park at the start and getting examined secretly by Flatus as I noobed it around.


But I made it, loved it, and the rest is history.  What keeps it going?  Enjoying cycling, RRTY (at least until I cocked that up in August) and most importantly... the nice people and I hope to say friends I have met in the process plus of course, doing excellent routes designed by cycling enthusiasts for other cycling enthusiasts. Plus of course the challenge and sense of achievement. It's great 

[TrevA]

For me, it's the chance to ride on different roads, on a route that's been designed by someone who knows their local patch and includes a couple of decent cafes.

You can go as fast or as slow as you like within the time limits. You also get to meet lots of like minded individuals.

[drgannet]

The writings of Peter Marshall, and cycling to work with Nik Windle. Top people...

[mcshroom]

A couple things combined for me.

Firstly I was enthralled by Andy Allsopp's thread on Cyclechat about LEL2009 which became 'Barring Mechanicals'. This didn't necessarily get me interested in Audax per se, but in the idea of a really long bike ride.

I then started touring and extending the distances I could ride and was searching for the next challenge. I looked at Sportives, but didn't fancy the big pseudo race ethos that I understood them to have, and then saw Audaxes, which just looked like a very compressed tour with proper cafes which appealed more. When I saw a local 200 on my birthday I decided to give it a go.

In the end I suffered from cramp and ended up limping in well after the closing time, but I was happy in that it was longest ever ride, and not making the time made me more determined to do another and get the stamped card to say I'd done it - which I managed three months later. From there I carried on because I decided I enjoy them

[Hummers]

I was looking for routes across  Brittany to go on a beer related journey in 2005 and came across C+ with posts relating to Paris Brest Paris (2003).

I was hooked from that point onwards and did my first 200 that August, my first SR in 2006 and first PBP in 2007.

H

[Ray 6701]

Once upon a time I was young, fit & fast "up hills"* Bikey Bob Adams talked me into riding the Derby Dales 160k from Shenstone & foolishly the night before I went out boozing & had an Indian.  We rode to the start & I felt great hammering up the hills like a good un until we hit Ashbourne where I cramped up.  If there was a train station near I would of packed but there wasn't so I had to carry on.  Practically everyone overtook me & I finished pretty much last & still had to ride home afterwards.  A couple of days later once I'd recovered I was looking for other rides to do & since then it's been the best 8 years of my cycling life 

Thanks Bob!  *47 minutes for Alpe de Huez

[Kim]

It seems like a reasonable excuse for a bike ride.

[Fab Foodie]

It seems like a reasonable excuse for a bike ride.

^^^^^ This.

And mattc bullying me without mercy gently suggesting that I might enjoy an Audax if I actually did one.  And I did.  The Barbury Bash long route.  We were late at one control but made the finish just in time.  On the day clocking 150 miles my longest (and one of the lumpiest) ride to date.
I have an 'Audax bike' ordered and will be doing longer rides of all sorts next year.

BUT, as Kim says, for me it's just an excuse for a bike ride.  I'm not interested about points or brevet cards and rools* and all that stuff, just a nice route, nice distance and a bit of bonhomie will do just fine thank you.
I'm also a big supporter of the self-sufficient nature and the volunteer spirit.

* I would endeavour to keep to the time limits as that's just good manners to those organising the event.

[Allt]

Local Rides.

Now sadly gone.

[Ian H]

I've always been better at endurance than speed. First heard of AUK in the early 80s - there was something mysterious about it that made me want to investigate further. Rode the odd 100 and 200 in between time-trials and touring. After a three year hiatus starting a business I decided that the 1993 National 400 from Exeter was my goal for the year. A Mr Stevens suggested I might as well 'get the full set'. And so it started. 22 years later I'm still chasing Mr Abraham's tally.

[Cycling Daddy]

About three years ago my son fell in love with cycling.  I then supported him through his development as a road cyclist.  As this became very time consuming I c became more interested in cycling myself bought a bike and started to commute on it into London.  Supporting said son in the National Junior Series became all consuming but I knew I needed a plan B for when I was no longer need (apart form as a financial sponsor): hence my non de plume of Cycling Daddy.  I have a modest history of success in longer distance endurance events mostly walking and in my yoof did longer European distances on a floppy Peugot with tent etc packed on the back.  I like making sane what others often think of as insanity; I like the challenge; I like the lack of pretentiousness.  Where else can I get advice about using bits of Marigold Washing up gloves as a way of stopping water trickling into my feet!!
This year said Dear Son got an injury that took him out of the National  Series and so I looked at this forum.  I saw a thread about 'Can you do the National 400 in 6 weeks' about 4 weeks before the National so I hijacked the thread.  Now starting to plan a way of surviving and enjoying PBP.  It is long rides and great support for all you lot that is to blame.
L

[Manotea]

Detailed routesheets for challenging rides on quiet roads (who knew such things existed in the SE? I didn't) in a friendly, non-competitive club.

And the glamour, of course.

[Aunt Maud]

All right, it wasn't just the smell of cheese.

As you know I lurk on the Rapha website and dream that I'm 22 years old again.......anyways, they have a little film on the Bryan Chapman Memorial and I thought that sounds like a bit of a long bike ride, so I'll give it a go......I did and it's got progressively terrifying from there on.

[Dibdib]

"The prestige, mostly."

"The free gifts..."

"...putting the knee in the groin."

"We like pulling the 'eads off sheep."

[/python]

As a more serious answer, I blame this place. Also what Kim and Manotea said.

[Charlotte]

It was mainly the fault of the former touring secretary of the Willesden Cycling Club.

[madcow]

CTC National 400 ,  at Writtle in 1990, which was a counter for the CTC DATC  (District Association Tourist Challenge).
In order to stand  a chance of winning  , you needed to do a 400k. ride.
The rules have changed now so that a 300k. is the longest event that needs to be completed.

It didn't get me hooked but did introduce me to a subsection of cycling that is very hard to define to outsiders and yet is in the most part welcoming and supportive.

I have dabbled ever since.

[Fab Foodie]

It was mainly the fault of the former touring secretary of the Willesden Cycling Club.

Quite a good opening line for a book ... or a monologue ....

[menthel]

Lanes, cake and no one frowning upon my beard when I choose to grow one. That and Sportives didn't sound fun.

[Saracen Sean]

I had been a keen touring cyclist, in fact over a six year period I managed this lot



I only started cycling (seriously) after a couple of heart attacks. A medical after the last one (Istanbul and back 2012) revealed that there had been further deterioration and touring was no longer possible.
Audax riding just seemed the logical choice to keep some semblance of fitness and stamina. The added bonus is I have met some seriously interesting and nice people since becoming part of the Audax community.

[Exit Stage Left]

I didn't know I was doing an Audax when I did the Fleet Moss 200. A club mate gave me a form to sign, and asked for some money, and told me to be at Longridge Community Hall at 8am on a certain Sunday. It was a long way, and it hurt towards the end.

Subsequently I rode out to meet the Southport Settle Southport, not doing the whole ride, but giving some money to the club. Then I did the Southport Carlisle Southport 400, mainly because it was local, and started at 10am. I don't like getting up early.

I was already doing long distance time trials, so it was good training. Heather got interested in the rides, she likes structured things, so she did all the entry stuff, and I was responsible for bike maintenance. We have a similar arrangement in other hobbies, I've got to sort a chainsaw out for her for a hedging competition at the weekend. She sends the entries in.

What drew me into Audax was the extension in endurance that it brings. My peak interest coincided with a period when I was doing extremely arduous work in poor conditions, and Audax hardened me. The combination of the work and the Audax buggered my hands up though, which is one reason why I don't do a lot of it any more.

[Cudzoziemiec]

In my case, it was because of Flatus's favourite bike shop.