A
AAA points
Audax Altitude Award points. Once a route exceeds a certain level of hilliness it gains 1 point per 1000 metres climbed. If a route has many AAA points it is very hilly
ACP – Audax Club Parisien
the organising body for the PBP
Arrivee
The AUK official magazine. Also the end of a ride…
Audax
From the same root word as “audacious” this first became used as a description for cycle rides in the late 19th Century
Autoroute
The Microsoft Autoroute computer program is used to check the minimum distances on all brevets and perms. Known as the extra member of the AUK committee for this reason
Argos
This is a high end frame builder based in Bristol. It has no connection with the UK catalogue shop of the same name
B
Brevet
Certificate. Also some people call rides “Brevets” as they are used to get the certificate. The “certificate” is the “brevet card” which is carried round the route and stamped
BMB
Boston Montreal Boston. A North American 1200km event with much rain and packs of wild dogs. Apparently this event is no longer run.
BCM
Bryan Chapman Memorial. The best attended 600km event in the UK. Goes “across Wales, twice”
Brooks
A brand of hard leather saddle popular with long distance riders
Beans on Toast
Tinned beans in tomato sauce served on toasted bread. A staple at controls.
BP
Brevet Populaire, a UK only brevet usually with a low minimum speed
BR
Brevet Randonneur, a UK only brevet with finishing time limit extended to the length of the route
BRM
Brevet Randonneurs Mondiaux, internationally recognised brevet with fixed finishing time limit
Bus Shelter
An unofficial sleep stop on many long rides
C
Calendar Events
AUK has a Calendar of what’s on throughout the year
Card
Brevet Card.
Control
Point where passage must be proved
Carradice
Carradice of Nelson make traditional canvas saddle bags
Computer
A bike mounted speedometer/mile counter. Can usually show average speed etc
Chapman
See BCM
Compact- A type of “Chainset”
the front rings of the transmission system that has two chain rings. The size of the rings is smaller than a standard road chainset. The reason it’s called compact is that the smaller 110 BCD allows inner rings down to 34t. An alternative to a Triple for riding hilly courses
D
Devils Staircase
A section of extremely steep ascent on the hilly mountain road to Tregaron in Wales
DIY
perm that allows the rider to “make up” their own route to a set distance
E
El Supremo
aka Dave Hudson. A well liked organiser from the SE of England
Entry
An entry to a AUK event, usually requiring lots of stamped addressed envelopes
F
Finishing Time
The total time taken on a ride. These are not published, to discourage racing
Fixed
A bike with one gear and no free wheel.
Flapjack
A cake made from oats, butter, syrup and sugar
G
Grimpeur
A hilly ride or the rider on the hilly ride
Gator Skins
A short name for the “Continental Ultra Gator Skin” tyre popular with audax riders. These hard wearing, reasonable fast tyres are either hated or loved. The haters don’t like the wet grip or the flint resistance
H
Hypercracker
The Stein Hypercracker is a special gadget for removing a cassette using the bikes own transmission
Hewitt
A custom bike frame maker in the north of England. They employ the audax legend Gethin Butler
I
Info Control
A special question that has to be answered to show proof of passage at a point on the route. For instance “name of pub on left”
J
K
L
LEL
London Edinburgh London 1400km audax event. AUK’s big event held every four years
Longstaff
Custom frame makers in Stoke on Trent. Specialists in tricycles
M
MGM- Madrid – Gjion
Madrid 1200km. Long event in Spain
Mudguards
aka Fenders. See article “The bikes weakest part”
Maximum and Minimum Speeds
The routes must be completed at an overall average minimum speed. This is how the time limits are calculated. The speed must not exceed a preset limit, to discourage racing
Map Trap
a clear plastic holder for maps or route sheet that is attached to the handlebars
Mersey Roads
the UK national 24 time trial event. It is also the ONLY 24 hour time trial in the UK
N
Nuun tablets
expensive electrolyte tablets, just add water. See the article “The Secret Ingredient”
O
Overdistance
Rides are usually stated as being 200,300,400 or 600km. But the real distance isn’t exactly a round number of hundreds. The real distance is more. So the bit over the whole number is the over distance
Omega
a now defunct titanium frame maker popular with UK audax riders
P
Packing
Giving up on a ride. Ie “My bottom bracket failed and I had to pack”
PBP- Paris Brest Paris
the oldest road cycling event in the world and the ultimate for audax style riding
Points
AUK has a competition for who can complete the most randonees in a year. Each ride over 200km is worth one point per 100km
Perms
or permanents. Routes that can be ridden at any time, not just at a specific time as is the case with calendar events
Q
Qualifying Ride
see SR
R
Randonnee
A trek or ramble. Not a race, not a journey, just for fun. Audax rides are kind of organised rambles
Roberts
A maker of custom steel cycle frames based in the SE of England
RRTY
Randonneur Around The Year. Award from AUK for doing a 200km or more ride every month of the year
S
Season
The AUK season runs from Oct 1st to Sep 30th the next year
Scenic
Usually this is a euphemism for a very hilly ride
Stamp
At the control, the brevet card is marked with a stamp to proof passage
Schmidt
A brand of german made electrical generator that is built into the front wheel
Secret Control
Like a control but it is not stated on the route sheet or brevet card where it will be on the route. So the rider has to stick exactly to the given route or they might miss it.
SR
a set of 200km,300km,400km and 600km rides that are used to get a “Super Randonneur” series. All the qualifying rides in the set must be done in a season for the SR. Only holders of a current SR are allowed to enter PBP
Sudocrem
a brand of diaper/nappy creme popular with randonneurs for preventing and treating saddle sores. See the article “Caught Short”
T
Triple- A type of “Chainset”
the front rings of the transmission system that has three chain rings. Gives a very wide range of gears
Thorn
Brand of bike designed by St John Street cycles in Bridgwater
U
Under Distance
see over distance. Under distance is not allowed
V
viamichelin
a route planning website
W
Willesden
a cycling club in London with strong associations with AUK
X
X ray spokes
Sapim spokes that have been xrayed to ensure they have no hidden flaws
X rated event
An event with little or no facilities. It might start in a car park and the brevet card is posted back to the organiser at the end
Y
Young Rider Award
The youngest AUK rider to complete a 200km+ ride in a season gets this Award
Yates
A maker of custom steel frames
Z
ZZZzzzzz
See Bus Shelters
interesting start!
on my computer some of the links have an extra http in front of them and do not open eg Argos
By: chris on June 26, 2010
at 2:19 pm
You are quite right, don’t know how that happened. Fixed now. Thanks for pointing it out!
By: audaxing on June 26, 2010
at 2:43 pm
Suggested addition to great listing –
Rohloff – 14 speed hub gear that makes an excellent alternative to triple chainsets and derailleur gears. German engineering gives long life and reliability with minimum maintenance. Goes round the world with many riders.
By: Colin Chadfield on June 27, 2010
at 8:59 am
[…] Audax A-Z: https://audaxing.wordpress.com/audax-a-z/ […]
By: Audax rides - Page 10 - London Fixed-gear and Single-speed on June 28, 2010
at 11:20 pm
Thanks for pointing that out. I was just looking at it. Incoming links show up in the statistic for the site, y’see
By: audaxing on June 29, 2010
at 2:42 pm
Gethin Butler is joint owner of Hewitt Cycles. Rumour has it he owns 90%.
By: Ann Onymous on December 9, 2010
at 3:33 pm
[…] start point for the perm was about 5 miles from my house, so in theory time to warm up. Or get damp from fog […]
By: Blackdown and Levels 300km « Audaxing on September 10, 2012
at 8:28 am
1. Two of the images in A-Z are broken
2. Do you have a contact email address?
By: Thomas on August 28, 2013
at 6:13 am
1. Oh yes, thanks! Also the date for the “season” was wrong, it changed last year
2. I don’t, cunningly my contact email for wordpress.com shows up as an old defunct address. I’ll email you at hotmail
By: audaxing on August 28, 2013
at 10:15 am
[…] Audax A-Z […]
By: Top Posts for 2013 | Audaxing on January 4, 2014
at 8:22 pm
can i add
Chapeau! is often used as a generic expression of approval and appreciation in France and other parts of Europe: as a sign of admiration or respect, one shall indeed remove their hat [1]
By: Barbara on February 11, 2014
at 2:55 pm
Very informative for a Newby , Thank You !
By: cycletrekker on February 13, 2015
at 9:57 pm