ECE Help

[dat]

I'm looking at ECE'ing a ride in 3 weeks. It's a 300k calender event and I'm looking at doing another 2*80k from my house and back.

If I'm entering it online and using a mandatory route do I just create 2 routes on Ridewithgps and email the links, follow the routes and then send it my complete ride (80k/300k/80k) as one?

Anything I'm missing

[Carlosfandango]

Create the ECE to the start of the calendar event and back home, it will be a loop. Submit that as your ECE. Ride the ECE and calendar event. Upload the whole GPS file that you've ridden to the route uploader.

The ECE software will check and validate your ride.

Enjoy your ride.

[Carlosfandango]

I don't know if you're aware, but you can add your ECE to the actual distance of the calendar event to gain points and not ride overdistance. For example, the actual distance of the calendar event may be 320km so you need only have an ECE of 180km for 5 Audax points

[telstarbox]

Are you sure? I thought it could only be added to the points distance ie a multiple of 100 - see ECE FAQ

[Greenbank]

http://forum.audax.uk/index.php?topic=273.0 (AUK forum so AUK members only)

"
4. What if the calendar event is overdistance; eg 120km, can I just ride an 80km ECE?

I have no access to the route details of most calendar events, and some, although overdistance on the route sheet, may in fact only be eg 100 200 etc km strictly between controls (which riders are allowed to ride, the route sheet being advisory only, even though it will almost always be the best route) therefore for card validation only the nominal distance of the calendar event (eg 100 150 200 etc) is accepted towards the total distance.

However; if an ECE is entered selecting the Mandatory Route option, by uploading a file of the intended route and gps validation is used, the complete ridden distance of the calendar event will count towards the total distance and thus a shorter extension is permitted in order to bring the complete distance up to that required. Please see point 18 for details.
"

"
18. Can I ride an ECE under the new AUK mandatory route regulations?

Yes but a gpx file of the complete extended ride intended to be ridden must be uploaded when entering the ECE.This file will be checked against the completed route (any unexpected deviations due to unforeseen circumstances on the day will be considered as favourably as possible)
"

[telstarbox]

Ok sorry, that makes sense.

[Phil W]

Submit the entire route , both ECE legs and calendar event route combined. Then load / send the entire track log when it comes time to validate your mandatory ECE. The less bits and pieces Martin needs to deal with, the better.

[psyclist]

although why not find another 40k either in the calendar or the ECE or both to make it 500? 

I like that spirit. Sound advice though, as often it’s not too hard to find the extra distance.

[Bernster]

although why not find another 40k either in the calendar or the ECE or both to make it 500? 

I like that spirit. Sound advice though, as often it’s not too hard to find the extra distance.

It's certainly easier to find it than it is to ride it from my experience 

[Carlosfandango]

although why not find another 40k either in the calendar or the ECE or both to make it 500? 

I like that spirit. Sound advice though, as often it’s not too hard to find the extra distance.

It's certainly easier to find it than it is to ride it from my experience 

Yes, with Audax, I find that my mind always works better than my legs

[psyclist]

Yes, with Audax, I find that my mind always works better than my legs

I would contend that the mind is often the limitation ... not in coming up with the plan, but in fully committing to its execution. Happy to discuss in a Wednesday night Mid-Essex pub sometime, when your mind allows your body to get that far

[dat]

Thanks for all the help. I'll submit the extra part as one file then.

I thought that the ECE can only extend to 200/300/400/600k not rounding up to 500k for 5 points. If I could claim for 500k I may question my mental stability and consider extending it even further. After all what is another 60k...

[Greenbank]

Question 2 of the ECE FAQS (http://forum.audax.uk/index.php?topic=273.0):-

"
2. What total distances can be combined as an ECE?

An ECE can only be used to convert an AUK event to one which then meets the standard randonnee distances of 200 300 400 and 600 km; as well as distances of 500 700 and distances up to 1000km. Above that distance the ride can be ridden and validated but becomes heavily dependent on the ECE leg and is likely to impact on the calendar event so should be considered carefully; ECE's rely on the goodwill of the event organiser.
"

[dat]

Question 2 of the ECE FAQS (http://forum.audax.uk/index.php?topic=273.0):-

"
2. What total distances can be combined as an ECE?

An ECE can only be used to convert an AUK event to one which then meets the standard randonnee distances of 200 300 400 and 600 km; as well as distances of 500 700 and distances up to 1000km. Above that distance the ride can be ridden and validated but becomes heavily dependent on the ECE leg and is likely to impact on the calendar event so should be considered carefully; ECE's rely on the goodwill of the event organiser.
"
I need to get better at this reading thing otherwise I'm going to take a wrong turn from misreading the route sheet.

[Kim]

That does seem to be a particularly convoluted way of stating it.  Why not "An ECE can only be used to convert an AUK event to one of 200km up to 1000km (in multiples of 100km)."?

[Manotea]

Well does convulated AUK make.

Ref comment that... Above 1000km* the ride can be ridden and validated but becomes heavily dependent on the ECE leg and is likely to impact on the calendar event so should be considered carefully; ECE's rely on the goodwill of the event organiser.

*Bit arbitrary that, for some of us even a 200km ECE is a big ask.

But really this is all bollocks; the system is designed to be independent of the Organiser, though if you are planning on riding 1000km to ECE a 200km you'd be daft not to give the Org a head's up. It would however remain your obligation to be at the start at the appointed hour.

[Martin]

 I've had peeps enter ECE's up to 2000km, don't think anyone's completed that distance though.

Even taking ECE's up to 1000 there are dozens of permutations, not all of which exist as it takes John Ward and Francis' admin time to create them, so they are added on the fly as riders request them.

Re letting the calendar organiser know, there are pros and cons. Pros are that the organiser is expecting the rider (although they must not arrive late at the start or early / late at the finish) cons are that the organiser might think he needs to do something different; I still get a few calendar brevets sent to me (always validated)

For GPS validation I validate as soon as I receive the track on the basis that the calendar validation will follow at some point

To confirm, any ECE distance in multiples of 100 between 200 and whatever the circumference of the earth is is allowed 

also Mandatory Route only applies to the ECE leg but the calendar distance is mandatory

[Martin]

sorry to the rider who emailed me about this it's vanished  (TalkTalk for you!)

but to confirm; all Arrows / Trails / Darts (Easter, Summer, Dinner) count as calendar events and may be ECE'd in the normal way. For Arrows i believe you only have to do a minimum 360km so you can up that to 400 / 500 by adding 40, 140 etc

don't get me started on 24s!

[iroiromono]

Where an ECE is a "to and from" entry say from your home to an event and then back, do you put the start control the same as the finish control, i.e. your home and explain the intermediate control and Cal. Event Start Location in the details box?

[Martin]

Where an ECE is a "to and from" entry say from your home to an event and then back, do you put the start control the same as the finish control, i.e. your home and explain the intermediate control and Cal. Event Start Location in the details box?

Yes, but you don't need to enter anything in the box unless you are specifying intermediate controls requiring physical proof of passage