How do you plan a route for a cycle tour/ audax ride?

Cycle-touring, Expeditions, Adventures, Major cycle routes NOT LeJoG (see other special board)
anwar.rhm
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Joined: 12 Mar 2012, 10:33am

Re: Re: How do you plan a route for a cycle tour/ audax ride

Post by anwar.rhm »

Steady eddy, thanks for the heads up regarding the lack of hills in Norfolk and the good links to London. As said, despite the UK having always been my ‘home’ my geographical knowledge in embarrassingly poor. Nuggets like this are golden :D

A work colleague told me of St Mary’s Bay in Dimchurch today, I think I now have a destination for a first cycle camping trip.

Rollinbone & SiF, really good info about gps devices and dynamos. Rollinbone, your set up looks really good. Despite what I said earlier regarding satnavs, I do really like them and had considered one with a dynohub and eWerk (or similar). However, only having looked at general prices, these are outside of my budget at the moment. I hadn’t heard of the Satmap before and I like the idea of being able to run it on regular batteries until I can afford build a new wheel with dynohub. Despite this, due to the projects I have lined up it may have to be old fashioned maps (and compass) for me, for now.

Unfortunately I think I’m limited to the Schmidt SON or the new SP dynohub (which is not widely available yet), as all my bicycles have small wheels (16”-20”) and I think using a regular dynohub (shimano) may produce too much power (I’m actually not too sure about this but if not I may have one a bit sooner... :) ).

Anwar
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matt2matt2002
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Re: How do you plan a route for a cycle tour/ audax ride?

Post by matt2matt2002 »

Sorry to but in here but I couldn't think of anywhere else to ask.......

How do you pronounce 'Audax'?
Thanks
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Nettled Shin
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Re: How do you plan a route for a cycle tour/ audax ride?

Post by Nettled Shin »

It's peculiar that this question doesn't come round more often, given the 'T' in CTC.

  • Some people use turn-by-turn instructions on typed on a piece of paper, or even just follow their noses.
  • GPS can let you down through poor signal, software glitches (happens more than you'd hope), low batteries, or, as in my case, through vibration.
  • Many maps don't show one way streets or pedestrianized zones. Some roads appear continuous on the map, but aren't. For this reason, I'd recommend using autorouting software or Google maps to plan the route, especially if going through unknown towns.
  • Google Streetview is useful for checking out junctions and road signs, the presence of roadside cycle paths, or just to check if there is a cafe, pub, or cycle rack near to your planned stop.
  • Taking minor roads can really slow you down, and often you miss the best bits of a village or town, to boot.
  • One of the most used purchases I have made is Memory Map 1:50000 for the UK. Having the maps on your PC means that scrolling and zooming is snappy, and browsing a map is a fun thing to do of an evening. I'm not sure I'd get Memory Map itself again as there are more usable packages available, and from companies that are more responsive to customers. Slick online apps like bikehike are making the paying for PC software look less attractive.
alicej
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Re: How do you plan a route for a cycle tour/ audax ride?

Post by alicej »

matt2matt2002 wrote:How do you pronounce 'Audax'?

I think it's "oar-dacks".

We take OS maps touring and ideally spend ages looking at them before we go, just enjoying thinking about all the cool stuff we could see. Last time we didn't have any time beforehand so just looked at them on the train on the way there.

We think about where we'll stay the night we arrive, given that we don't like getting up too early and half the day at least is gone by the time we get off the train. From there on we generally pick a direction based on what we might want to see next, or what the hills look like on the map, or which way the wind is blowing... Finishing point is usually decided in advance because of having to book return train tickets, but otherwise we pretty much make it up as we go along.

We always carry at least one meal and cooking stuff plus tent, so we can just look for somewhere to pitch up towards the end of the day when we're tired and hungry, even if we haven't managed to get to a campsite.

We don't throw the maps away! We keep them, highlight the route we took, and save them in case we ever come back the same way.
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horizon
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Re: How do you plan a route for a cycle tour/ audax ride?

Post by horizon »

Nettled Shin wrote:It's peculiar that this question doesn't come round more often, given the 'T' in CTC.



Good point. Maybe it's because people jump the first step and go straight on to "How far in one day?", "Are maps any use?". "How much is satnav?" etc etc. It may be too that the shift to traffic-free routes has genuinely confused people as to how you might go on a tour whereas before you could just head out on the road.
When the pestilence strikes from the East, go far and breathe the cold air deeply. Ignore the sage, stay not indoors. Ho Ri Zon 12th Century Chinese philosopher
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Audax67
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Re: How do you plan a route for a cycle tour/ audax ride?

Post by Audax67 »

matt2matt2002 wrote:Sorry to but in here but I couldn't think of anywhere else to ask.......

How do you pronounce 'Audax'?
Thanks


Oh-dax, with the emphasis on the oh. In Germany it's ow-dax. In the US it's a breevay. Oy vey.
Have we got time for another cuppa?
Nettled Shin
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Re: How do you plan a route for a cycle tour/ audax ride?

Post by Nettled Shin »

Forgot to mention that one useful feature of GPS is the ability to accurately mark a spot for later investigation should you see something unusual, a great view, or a pretty house for sale etc.
If you use a GPS for directions, at the planning stage do put waypoints in at forks in the road, even if the road you're on is straight; this way the unit can forewarn you of an upcoming decision. I sometimes find it is useful to put in an extra waypoint at junctions to accurately reflect the local angle, rather than the general direction of the road to help avoid confusion. A mistake I often make is to not put in the dog leg when one road almost crosses another (a bit like an exaggerated staggered crossroads). On the ground, you can't see the continuing road, even though it is only 30m away, and set of in the wrong direction searching for it.

I suppose night cycling is easier with GPS, too, although I've not tried it without.
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Millhouse
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Re: How do you plan a route for a cycle tour/ audax ride?

Post by Millhouse »

My recent cycle tour of England took me to many beautiful places in England.
There are a number of places I want to return to and explore further. One is the Chilterns, they have a website http://www.chilternsaonb.org/explore-en ... ation.html which contains all the info you need for a cycle/camping trip, routes and campsites etc.
I used a road map and planned my next days ride the night before, often in the pub!
My advice is keep it simple and have fun.
http://www.crazyguyonabike.com/doc/8969 a link to my trip.

Regards
Millhouse
newgenadam
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Re: How do you plan a route for a cycle tour/ audax ride?

Post by newgenadam »

www.opencyclemap.org and OpenMaps for iPhone. The latter's not necessary but helps; the former is so, so helpful! Think google maps but for bike routes
shotaway
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Re: How do you plan a route for a cycle tour/ audax ride?

Post by shotaway »

ridewithgps is a great site it uses the opencyclemap maps..

http://www.opencyclemap.org/
http://ridewithgps.com/

when using ridewithgps or bikeroutetoaster switch the map to OCM. and select cycling as the mode of transport. You can then download the GPX file which you can use on your GPS.
I have a garmin oregon 450 great little unit I find 2 AA batterys last a Day Also use the powermonkey solar charger to power it...
Opencyclemap is a wikipedia style map you can add content to the map if you like. ive found the maps to be pretty good. had some issues in greece but I think ive fixed that on the map now.. the great thing about OCM routing is it knows about cycle lanes and altitude and work out your best route...

Then take this GPX file a view it in Googleearth fly over it see how it looks.. I used bikeroutetoaster to find my route to Greece from the uk i was very impressed with the route.
simonhill
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Re: How do you plan a route for a cycle tour/ audax ride?

Post by simonhill »

Audax - if it is a French word then surely it should be pronounced as in audacious (ie ordax).

Nonetheless - I would second East Anglia for a first (or second) destination. It is a fairly small area with a wide range of scenery, ranging fron classic Constable to windswept coastal. Plenty of small towns and villages with loads of history (old wool towns, Roman, etc). It is not all flat and due to rivers, there can be some short steep climbs. Plenty of quiet side roads to wander down. Also well served by trains from London and there are plenty of campsites and a few hostels.

Personally I wouldn't bother with electronic maps - get a decent map of east Anglia, lay it on the floor and wonder art the marvel of printing the earth on paper! Maybe get a guide book (library?) and work out a route that appeals to you. There is plenty there for a week.

Not a luddite (worked in computers) but amused to see how a question on first tour rapidly descends (moves) into a discussion on GPSs electronic maps, etc.

Get map, get bike, get pedalling.
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meic
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Re: How do you plan a route for a cycle tour/ audax ride?

Post by meic »

simonhill wrote:Audax - if it is a French word then surely it should be pronounced as in audacious (ie ordax).

Nonetheless - I would second East Anglia for a first (or second) destination. It is a fairly small area with a wide range of scenery, ranging fron classic Constable to windswept coastal. Plenty of small towns and villages with loads of history (old wool towns, Roman, etc). It is not all flat and due to rivers, there can be some short steep climbs. Plenty of quiet side roads to wander down. Also well served by trains from London and there are plenty of campsites and a few hostels.

Personally I wouldn't bother with electronic maps - get a decent map of east Anglia, lay it on the floor and wonder art the marvel of printing the earth on paper! Maybe get a guide book (library?) and work out a route that appeals to you. There is plenty there for a week.

Not a luddite (worked in computers) but amused to see how a question on first tour rapidly descends (moves) into a discussion on GPSs electronic maps, etc.

Get map, get bike, get pedalling.


Well, he did ask how we do it. It appears that a lot of forum users are won over by GPS and on-line mapping. :wink:
I AM a Luddite but even I find the GPS and the on line mapping to be useful enough to put my principles to one side and exploit the advantages. :D

Get GPS, get bike, get pedalling. 8)
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shotaway
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Re: How do you plan a route for a cycle tour/ audax ride?

Post by shotaway »

Ive got a massive stack of 1:25000 os maps. if you like the paper maps it really worth spending a little extra and getting the waterproof ones aqua3, one shower of rain and they turn into a big mess. even laying them on wet grass is a problem. When I made my route to greece i found i need to buy a huge amount of maps at a decent resolution it was going to cost more than the GPS. ridewithgps can print Q sheets of your route. So its usable even with out a GPS Get a laser printer to print it as inkjet are expensive and the ink runs when wet.
Always look at opencyclemap its really the best mapping available for the cyclist. altho Ive never used CTC maps and guides. it really is worth joining CTC if you do any touring not only for there guides but insurance as well.

The A to Z maps are good they have lots of cool things to see marked on there. and a lot cheeper than OS and come in a book. OS used to make a 1:50000 book of the whole UK they no longer make it. I have a copy could get the isbn number if your interested but they are little hard to find
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