What Andy Wilkinson can teach us.

[Simonb]

HTFU?

I trust you're currently in the process of doing just this?

[TOBY]

HTFU?

I trust you're currently in the process of doing just this?

Yes,  I started last Thursday by throwing myself at the ground so hard that on Friday I couldn't walk or lift my right arm.

I'm going to see how this preparation works on the WCA 12hr this weekend and maybe increase the intensity of this type of training for the Mersey if the outcome is good.

I can send you a training plan 

[Greenbank]

Teach us what? how to win a 24 or how to ride an Audax?

How to ride a 24 and how to win an Audax.

[Hot Flatus]

Teach us what?...

The 24H is a sort of hybrid of other events that have been explored in more detail by more participants (and manufacturers). A bit like the Hour record - which is not quite a time-trial, not quite track racing.

What is interesting is how he has taken the lessons and technology from other disciplines, and adapted them for his needs. (Like Obree and his washing machine bearings.) This feels quite like what Audaxers do.



90% of Audax bikes are a mongrel mix of componentry that was designed and marketed for a different discipline.

Yeah right. This is as close to Audax as me running for the bus is to 100m Sprint Olypic final.

Most audaxers don't try and delude themselves that they are athletes (me included). Most audaxers are hobby cyclists with fewer family commitments.

[Ian H]

Most audaxers don't try and delude themselves that they are athletes...

Well, that's precisely what I shall be doing at the weekend.

[AndyH]

Yup. Deluded of Dorset here 

[mattc]

I don't think 'hobby' and 'athlete' are mutually exclusive. (not that I'm putting myself in the latter category, please note).

[Exit Stage Left]

I edited up a lot of the Andy footage from the weekend, there's a seperate post race video on the way. sub 6 mins.

    YouTube
        - ‪East Sussex 24 Andy‬‏
 

[Karla]

I don't think 'hobby' and 'athlete' are mutually exclusive. (not that I'm putting myself in the latter category, please note).

My mate Andrew rode an unofficial 306 miles on the 24.  The husband of one of his colleagues then refused to believe her when she recounted that Andrew at work had ridden that far in the day - he thought she must have meant the combined distance for both of us.  I think that if anyone can elicit that sort of disbelief - and 306 miles in 24 hours isn't too much different to a fast 400 - then they deserve to be called an athlete.  Matt, I think you do yourself a disservice.  Inside the bubble, we tend to measure achievements by a different standard to that used by most other people. 

(By the way, hi.  I think I saw you at the weekend but didn't get through the crowds to introduce myself.)

[Bigsybaby]

Over last two years I have had two personal trainers. Whom being up to date with what I was doing in Audax, they tried to persuade me I was an athlete. Being 17 st and pot bellied I couldn't buy into that

[Manotea]

Audaxers are 'athletes' in the Corinthian sense, though I definitely feel more athletic at 80kg then >90kg.

[vorsprung]

I don't think 'hobby' and 'athlete' are mutually exclusive. (not that I'm putting myself in the latter category, please note).

My mate Andrew rode an unofficial 306 miles on the 24.  The husband of one of his colleagues then refused to believe her when she recounted that Andrew at work had ridden that far in the day - he thought she must have meant the combined distance for both of us.  I think that if anyone can elicit that sort of disbelief - and 306 miles in 24 hours isn't too much different to a fast 400 - then they deserve to be called an athlete.  Matt, I think you do yourself a disservice.  Inside the bubble, we tend to measure achievements by a different standard to that used by most other people. 

(By the way, hi.  I think I saw you at the weekend but didn't get through the crowds to introduce myself.)

look at it this way scale of 1 to 10

1...Eats Kentucky Fried Chicken family buckets when not in the mood for cooking.  Doesn't do walking
2...Eats Kentucky Fried Chicken family buckets at the weekend. Occasionally walks to the shop
3...Eats at Subway.  Once used his walking boots. Means to go and play football with the boys
4...Eats whatever fast food is cheap.  Plays golf once a month.
5...Avoids fast food mostly.  Goes for a walk most weekends.
6...Tries to eat "healthy".  Runs for the bus most days.  Wears Speedos but shouldn't
7...Likes wholemeal bread.  Prefers walking to the car.  Regular badminton player
8...Eats blocks of cheese.  Cycles 200 miles at the weekend.  Ambition is to fart a tune
9...Does fell running.  Thinks he is overweight when he isn't.
10...A proper Athlete


CAN YOU SPOT THE AUDAX RIDER I POPPED IN THIS LIST?

[hubner]

Teach us what? how to win a 24 or how to ride an Audax?

He's a 47 year old who has set a new world record at 24 hours while holding down a full-time job and riding a bike which defies the current conventions.
Probably the most interesting aspect is his use of the same bike for everything from touring to mountain time trials. He's from another era, one where miles are the most important part of training. Audax is part of that culture, and forms part of the training regime for many 24 riders.
Andy's achievement smashes through the barrier of awe which surrounds rides like the Tour de France. Next time someone mentions Tour riders riding over 100 miles in a day, you can slip 541 miles into the conversation, and point out that the Tour was designed to be a spectator friendly, easy, version of PBP.

Err... does he go touring on disc and trispoke wheels and tubs, and aerobars, and no luggage? The bike in the photo in the OP is a racing bike, end of. OK it might have larger clearances and mudgards eyes, racing bikes used to have larger clearances and even mudguards eyes but nobody would say Fausto Coppi for example rode a touring bike when racing. As for having a full-time job, so what, IIRC all the TT legends like Ian Cammish, Alf Engers  etc all had jobs.

Ian Cammish winning the 2008 nat 12 hour, his bike might even be less aero with those drop bars.

I think people are deluding themselves riding an audax (audax seems to have appropriated the 24 hour as well) is comparable with professional racing. It might feel like that subjectively, but then that could apply to anyone who does a really hard ride and can't get out of bed for several days after.

[vorsprung]

Err... does he go touring on disc and trispoke wheels and tubs, and aerobars, and no luggage? The bike in the photo in the OP is a racing bike, end of.

And the other photo shows the same bike with different wheels and panniers on it

OK it might have larger clearances and mudgards eyes, racing bikes used to have larger clearances and even mudguards eyes but nobody would say Fausto Coppi for example rode a touring bike when racing.

Old racing bikes had more relaxed head angles than modern ones and clearance for larger tyres.   Because the roads were rotten and the stages in races were longer.  They probably had quite a lot in common with a contemporary touring bike

I think people are deluding themselves riding an audax is comparable with professional racing.

They would be...if that comparison was being made...

[Karla]

Err... does he go touring on disc and trispoke wheels and tubs, and aerobars, and no luggage? The bike in the photo in the OP is a racing bike, end of. OK it might have larger clearances and mudgards eyes, racing bikes used to have larger clearances and even mudguards eyes but nobody would say Fausto Coppi for example rode a touring bike when racing. As for having a full-time job, so what, IIRC all the TT legends like Ian Cammish, Alf Engers  etc all had jobs.

Ian Cammish winning the 2008 nat 12 hour, his bike might even be less aero with those drop bars.

I think people are deluding themselves riding an audax is comparable with professional racing. It might feel like that subjectively, but then that could apply to anyone who does a really hard ride and can't get out of bed for several days after.

I didn't see anyone compare audax to pro racing.  As for the bike, I believe he uses the same basic frame but swops bits around, which is nothing different to what most people do - my bike looked rather different for a club 10 than it did for a 600k audax the next week, but it was still the same bike.

[hubner]

OK I was too late with my edit, I think the point the OP was trying to make out was that the 24 hour was basically an audax, and that by extension audax riders are in the same group as 24 hour riders. And therefore "look, audaxers can ride 540 miles in 24 hours (!) whereas Tour riders only do 100 miles per day".

[Frank9755]

I don't think he was.  It may be your interpretation but it's not mine and it's certainly not what the OP says.

[hubner]

As for the bike, I believe he uses the same basic frame but swops bits around, which is nothing different to what most people do - my bike looked rather different for a club 10 than it did for a 600k audax the next week, but it was still the same bike.

Well it's the same frame but a different bike as in the sense of whether it's a touring bike or racing bike etc, IMHO.

[hubner]

I don't think he was.  It may be your interpretation but it's not mine and it's certainly not what the OP says.

Mmm...

Andy's achievement smashes through the barrier of awe which surrounds rides like the Tour de France. Next time someone mentions Tour riders riding over 100 miles in a day, you can slip 541 miles into the conversation, and point out that the Tour was designed to be a spectator friendly, easy, version of PBP.

[Alouicious]

Old racing bikes had more relaxed head angles than modern ones and clearance for larger tyres.   Because the roads were rotten and the stages in races were longer.  They probably had quite a lot in common with a contemporary touring bike

Old racing bike that looks like a tourer.

[postie]

andy can teach us cycling is fun,he always seems happy and he is a really nice bloke who always time for a chat,unlike many audax riders!!

[Exit Stage Left]

I've put up a video of post race interview and presentation, 7mins 30 sec.
<a href="http://www.youtube.com/v/s7HTYYhGHvA&rel=1" target="_blank">http://www.youtube.com/v/s7HTYYhGHvA&rel=1</a>
I've just been down to the LBS to get some cables for an old Pinarello Prince that I'm building up for the Mersey. I mentioned the Wilko bike to Paul. The guy who built it works for Paul as well, and he called him over. Wilko's bike is high grade Dedacciai steel tubing, heat treated, and lighter than 853. The clearances are for big tyres for off road . He really does ride the one frame.

[Frank9755]

I don't think he was.  It may be your interpretation but it's not mine and it's certainly not what the OP says.

Mmm...

Andy's achievement smashes through the barrier of awe which surrounds rides like the Tour de France. Next time someone mentions Tour riders riding over 100 miles in a day, you can slip 541 miles into the conversation, and point out that the Tour was designed to be a spectator friendly, easy, version of PBP.

That's not the original post though - it's half way down the third page!

[Alouicious]

andy can teach us cycling is fun,he always seems happy and he is a really nice bloke who always time for a chat,unlike many audax riders!!

I seem happy and I'm a really nice bloke when I win TTs. I wonder if Andy is a miserable bastard when he comes second?  

[Ian H]

I don't think he was.  It may be your interpretation but it's not mine and it's certainly not what the OP says.

Mmm...

Andy's achievement smashes through the barrier of awe which surrounds rides like the Tour de France. Next time someone mentions Tour riders riding over 100 miles in a day, you can slip 541 miles into the conversation, and point out that the Tour was designed to be a spectator friendly, easy, version of PBP.

Perfectly correct. PBP was originally a very long single stage race. It's older than the Tour.