Author Topic: Audax pet peeves!  (Read 22739 times)

Audax pet peeves!
« on: 04 August, 2019, 06:35:22 am »
THis is intended as a light hearted thread about audax related things that peeve riders.

I'll start by nominating rides that exceed the standard category distance by more than say 5km. If I am doing a 200km I resent every km after 200km to arrivee particularly if there is a bloomin great hill to negotiate (looking at you Druidstone hill!).

My logical mind accepts that organisers have a tricky task  getting  routes to just over the target distance and have probably made careful decisions based on rider safety but my unconscious mind (and legs) are screaming in protest!

So what peeves you? 

essexian

Re: Audax pet peeves!
« Reply #1 on: 04 August, 2019, 07:50:05 am »
Routes which call themselves "flat with a few small hills"....... One persons small hill is another persons Alpe d'huez  :facepalm:

 

Kim

  • Timelord
    • Fediverse
Re: Audax pet peeves!
« Reply #2 on: 04 August, 2019, 08:55:18 am »
Rides that start before the first train arrives at the nearest railway station.

Re: Audax pet peeves!
« Reply #3 on: 04 August, 2019, 09:10:26 am »

I'll start by nominating rides that exceed the standard category distance by more than say 5km. If I am doing a 200km I resent every km after 200km to arrivee particularly if there is a bloomin great hill to negotiate (looking at you Druidstone hill!).

Routes that come in underdistance, giving you a moral dilemma when all you want is a cup of tea and a rest.

Re: Audax pet peeves!
« Reply #4 on: 04 August, 2019, 09:14:31 am »
Any 400k ride that starts before 9am  :facepalm: also, any 300k that starts at 6am  :facepalm:
Mind of a cyclist, body of a dart player.

Re: Audax pet peeves!
« Reply #5 on: 04 August, 2019, 09:37:25 am »
Rides that start before the first train arrives at the nearest railway station.
Particularly if those rides start within a couple of km from a train station!

Sent from my COL-L29 using Tapatalk


Re: Audax pet peeves!
« Reply #6 on: 04 August, 2019, 10:28:10 am »
Riders who follow me off-route, then complain about my route-finding.

telstarbox

  • Loving the lanes
Re: Audax pet peeves!
« Reply #7 on: 04 August, 2019, 10:56:08 am »
People who talk at you but don't ask any questions.
2019 🏅 R1000 and B1000

Re: Audax pet peeves!
« Reply #8 on: 04 August, 2019, 11:17:24 am »
Tossers without MUDGUARDS, there's no excuse.

LittleWheelsandBig

  • Whimsy Rider
Re: Audax pet peeves!
« Reply #9 on: 04 August, 2019, 11:26:17 am »
Brevets with lots of infos that are considerably overdistance. Overworking my legs or overworking my concentration is fine but requiring both at the same time means a lack of blood for important things like digesting too much cake.
Wheel meet again, don't know where, don't know when...

Zed43

  • prefers UK hills over Dutch mountains
Re: Audax pet peeves!
« Reply #10 on: 04 August, 2019, 11:27:20 am »
Riding in the wet behind someone who did fit mudguards, but didn't bother adding a mudflap.

Rear lights that are exceptionally bright and/or are flashing and/or are fitted shining diagonally up.

Force 5+ head wind.

Cycle paths that have bad/worn/uneven surface while the main road is smooth.

Still love cycling though ;)

Re: Audax pet peeves!
« Reply #11 on: 04 August, 2019, 12:37:18 pm »
Riders with flashing lights.

Start points that are a long ride from a train station (especially when that station doesn't allow bikes).

Riding past a nice cafe because it's only 1.5km to the control only to realise it's a free control.

Ben T

Re: Audax pet peeves!
« Reply #12 on: 04 August, 2019, 01:05:15 pm »
Controls that have a "cycle race menu" that is a cut down subset of the main one.

quixoticgeek

  • Mostly Harmless
Re: Audax pet peeves!
« Reply #13 on: 04 August, 2019, 01:11:30 pm »

"Are you here with your boyfriend?"

Men using the womens loo at the start

Obnoxious flashy lights

Stupidly noisy free hubs

Routes with ferries that aren't open for the whole length of the time they should be at minimum speed

People following you rather than doing their own navigation without asking. It's fine if you ask, but just sitting on your wheel cos you can't buy a proper GPS...

Non absolute position given for controls...

Being the only woman on an event.

Headwinds

J
--
Beer, bikes, and backpacking
http://b.42q.eu/

Re: Audax pet peeves!
« Reply #14 on: 04 August, 2019, 01:19:40 pm »
err none, it's a bike ride, what's not to like?
I was once a bit annoyed at a double instruction on a singe line of a route sheet, though mostly at myself for not reading it properly.

bludger

  • Randonneur and bargain hunter
Re: Audax pet peeves!
« Reply #15 on: 04 August, 2019, 01:22:46 pm »
Obnoxious bush weeing at public places especially parks.

Obviously everyone gets the call of nature mid ride. But I'll never forget in my first audax, our meeting point was in a small square park in central London surrounded by flats. The organisers had very sensibly arranged to be able to use a café toilet around the corner, you just had to buy an espresso or whatever, but there were people bold as brass taking a slash in a public park.
YACF touring/audax bargain basement:
https://bit.ly/2Xg8pRD



Ban cars.

fuaran

  • rothair gasta
Re: Audax pet peeves!
« Reply #16 on: 04 August, 2019, 02:23:57 pm »
Too many compulsory cafe controls. If I want to stop for coffee or cake, I can do that when and where I like.

Genosse Brymbo

  • Ostalgist
Re: Audax pet peeves!
« Reply #17 on: 04 August, 2019, 03:16:29 pm »
That, having beaten mattc to the top of a climb and not waited for him, he still passed me on the way down.

Failure of an organiser to supply digestive, rich tea, ginger nut, custard cream, and jammy dodger biscuits at the start, or end, or intermediate control.
The present is a foreign country: they do things differently here.

Re: Audax pet peeves!
« Reply #18 on: 04 August, 2019, 04:23:20 pm »
This year in particular, the second sentence of any conversation being "Are you doing/have you done PeeBeePee?" ::-)

Re: Audax pet peeves!
« Reply #19 on: 04 August, 2019, 04:25:13 pm »
That, having beaten mattc to the top of a climb and not waited for him, he still passed me on the way down.

Failure of an organiser to supply digestive, rich tea, ginger nut, custard cream, and jammy dodger biscuits at the start, or end, or intermediate control.

Not having proper coffee at the start is a bigger failure (disclaimer: I'm not English)!

Also, I don't care about overdistance, but I'm really annoyed when a ride is underdistance. If I set out to ride 200/300 etc kilometers, then I'll cycle until I reach that distance. Always annoying if you have to make detours to the train station to reach 200/300 etc kilometers.

And, as mentioned above, riders without proper GPS/lighting who rely on you to reach the finish.

Re: Audax pet peeves!
« Reply #20 on: 04 August, 2019, 04:53:09 pm »
Lanes with gravel, pot holes and grass growing up the middle.

Having a fantastic downhill section that ends with a stop sign or junction, what a waste of kinetic energy, up in smoke with fading brakes!

Re: Audax pet peeves!
« Reply #21 on: 04 August, 2019, 05:43:58 pm »
If you're a slower/solo rider on a popular ride, that moment about 10 minutes in when the fast groups that have been fiddling at the start until five past go time come past. Inevitably two up, riding up your armpit and refusing to cross the white line even on a wide empty road, usually engrossed in chat with each other and completely oblivious to the people they're forcing into the gutter.

bludger

  • Randonneur and bargain hunter
Re: Audax pet peeves!
« Reply #22 on: 04 August, 2019, 06:46:12 pm »
Ok you've reminded me of something that actuall does get on my tits.

At the start of rides there's usually a big mob for a while in 2up. There's always one person around midway or 2/3 in the bunch who straddles the two lines for no good reason. Just no reason for it. Really drives me mad.
YACF touring/audax bargain basement:
https://bit.ly/2Xg8pRD



Ban cars.

Bairdy

  • Former Pints Champion
Re: Audax pet peeves!
« Reply #23 on: 04 August, 2019, 07:15:08 pm »
Getting boxed in at the begining of a ride and having to listen to other peoples conversations about mudguards/tubeless/oval chain rings/PBP/so and so's riding fixed.
"And I been up to my neck in pleasure
              Up to my neck in pain"

Wycombewheeler

  • PBP-2019 LEL-2022
Re: Audax pet peeves!
« Reply #24 on: 04 August, 2019, 07:59:39 pm »
Any 400k ride that starts before 9am  :facepalm: also, any 300k that starts at 6am  :facepalm:

can't understand this, maximise daylight, minimise riding in the dark.

my peeve too many info controls, or info controls very soon after full controls.

Eddington  127miles, 170km