the advantages of joining Audax UK?

[davebax]

Non-AUK members can enter audaxes for the same cost as AUK members, if they have CTC membership. The audax event list is available to all at http://www.audax.uk.net. Members and non-members are treated equally during events. So, if you're not one of the competitive minority interested in winning awards, what do you get for your membership fee? I'm trying to decide whether to join.

[Si]

A bi-monthly magazine.
In some cases the ability to do on-line (as opposed to on the line) entries, or generate prefilled out entry forms.
The knowledge that your fees are supporting a worthy club.
Erm, I'm struggling now.

[mercurykev]

I think that the magazine is worth the fee itself - my wife loves the pictures. You also get a copy of the handbook every year, if you have gained one of the many awards your name appears in it and you can also print off certificates that confirm you have completed a ride. Most importantly, it funds the organisation.

[Manx Cat]

All of the above..... Plus you can sort out your own DIY route, which if approved, becomes a Permanent and is available to other members / nonmembers.

I am a brand new member of Audax Uk, and the magazine has taught me loads about how Audax works, I find the website a tad difficult to read and get about, but the magazine is very well thought out - crystal clear rules, regulations (also in handbook), but other bits and bobs as well.

I am currently working on a possible Audax route where I live, as currently there isnt one. I can only do this as a member, and I suppose I like to collect awards for my achievements. I am doing their 'Mileater Challenge' which is a diary for your own day to day cycling. By the 31st Dec, all miles are added up (or km) and a medal is awarded once verified by the organiser. (Very good motivator I can tell you..... Im loving adding up those miles). And you only compete with your self!


So I think its great value for money.


I shall add, that prior to getting 'into' my cycling, I used to be a member of a horse club, and the yearly costs of that mounted up to nearly £200 a year if you included the entry fees! I find Audax cheap as chips in comparison and I get fit into the bargain.... Bargain!

(ANd I can still decorate my wall with awards! )


Mary

[eileithyia]

Well don't think I add anything more.

[meic]

I have done all the Audaxes that I can in my area and some others when possible for over 4 years and still have not joined AUK.
I even wear Audax gear, bought direct from Impsport rather than off AUK.

I would join but you can end up joining so many clubs that it gets very expensive.

Apparently if I choose to join in the distant future, I can present all my past Audax cards and get my awards anyway.
I have liitle difficulty using the web page as a non-member.

Every time I enter I am paying a little towards supporting the club.

[Si]

.
I even wear Audax gear, bought direct from Impsport rather than off AUK.

What, the new, green, puddle splash stuff? I find it odd enough that members wear it, let alone none members

[meic]

Worse than that. The old purple, white and yellow "dropped airbrush" clothing.

[iviehoff]

It is interesting to compare this with another pastime, duplicate bridge, the competitive form of the card game. When we say that England won the ladies' Gold Medal for bridge at the recent Word Mind Sports Games in China (as they did), they were playing duplicate bridge. It is distinguised by the fact that each deal is duplicated and played several times by different players, ie duplicated, and their results compared, rather than relying solely on the luck of the cards.

The English Bridge Union is in a similar position to AUK, in that every time you play in a duplicate bridge event at an EBU-affiliated bridge club (which is nearly all of them) you are playing in an EBU-regulated event: EBU master points can be won, and some of the money you pay to the club to play in the event goes to the EBU for its services. But like AUK, you don't need to be a member of EBU to play, and you pay no different if you are. But one difference between EBU and AUK is that most people on an Audax will probably be members of AUK, whereas most people at the typical evening duplicate at bridge club aren't members of EBU. You only "need" to join EBU if you play at EBU-organised events, rather than club-organised events.

So the EBU now has a new idea, which is just being implemented. Everyone who plays in an EBU-regulated event is now a member. There will be no annual membership fee, but the on-the-day fee per event will increase to cover it. This probably means that loads of the less serious bridge players will now get magazines and correspondence from the EBU that they didn't want.

[Jord]

Its a great club to support and the fee for the rides does not go to Audax UK it goes to the organizers of the ride.

Don't none members have to pay for insurance? If you enter a few a year that would pay for the membership.

And the mag is good as well!

[dan_b]

CTC insurance is good for AUK events, as was said upthread

[Mike McGeever]

It's up to you Davebax.
Will you be the type of rider to fully exploit AUK, ride all local events and even buy a jersey from Impsport* but avoid paying to fund club ovrheads.
OR
Join-take an interest -even look to promoting local event because needed and someone has done it for you?
LEL 26th to 29th July. Wins field award-lookimn forward to scii and behore as

[dan_b]

If I was regularly riding Audax events I'd definitely think about shelling out, but like the OP I would like to know where the money goes/what it's used for. Seeing as the entry fee for events goes direct to the organiser and is the same for members/non-members anyway (modulo insurance), where does AUK-the-organisation fit in?

This isn't a flame, or an excuse for freeloading (like I say, I'd join if I thought I was going to aud regularly) - I'm just curious

[Si]

I'd guess that it goes to a combination of: funding the club mag, hand book, website & calender, points and awards tallying systems, publicity, keeping a store of medals, patches, brevits, etc, etc. plus the costs and expenses of the people that do all the running around behind the schenes. Just like any other cycling club.

[davebax]

Seeing as the entry fee for events goes direct to the organiser . . .

the fee for the rides does not go to Audax UK it goes to the organizers of the ride.

Not entirely true. A fixed amount based on at least 50p per printed Brevet card is passed to Audax UK (regardless of whether the Brevet card is used). There were 17978 finishers in AUK events in 2007/8 season, so probably 20000+ entrants, so £10000+ income. The organiser gets the rest, which may or may not cover their expenses.

Will you be the type of rider to fully exploit AUK, ride all local events and even buy a jersey from Impsport* but avoid paying to fund club ovrheads.

To my mind, I support rather than exploit AUK by taking part in their events and paying for each. This increases the chances of a profit for the organiser, and so increases the likelihood that he/she will organise again next year, which benefits all parties. I wouldn't buy (or wear) an Audax jersey as this would create the false impression that I was a member. I expect the bulk of the club overheads are things I'm not interested in, especially the mag and handbook, as listed by Si:

I'd guess that it goes to a combination of: funding the club mag, hand book, website & calender, points and awards tallying systems, publicity, keeping a store of medals, patches, brevits, etc, etc. plus the costs and expenses of the people that do all the running around behind the schenes.

I think the only item of interest to me is the calendar on the website. I was a member some years ago, and found the mag though very nicely produced, rather repetitive and, dare I say, rather cliquy (ie full of narrative about people I don't know, but written as though everybody knows everybody).