Life Cycle High Minded

Touring or audaxing? Rob Ainsley enjoys some surprising new research on the benefits of getting on your bike.

- Rob Ainsley

It may be winter, but there are still plenty of reasons to ride. Recently I went to my mum’s for the weekend. It’s 60 flat kilometres from York to Hull, and it was a fine day, so of course I cycled it.

The same day, one of my cycling chums did similar, except he’s in Cambridge and his mum’s in Derby, 170km away. Obviously that’s not a suitable distance for a day ride. He’s an Audax rider [participants attempt to ride long distances within a pre-defined time] – a keen member of Audax UK, the long distance cycling association – so he expanded it to 200km. That way he could register it as a self-made Audax, to add to his season’s day trips of 200s, 400s and 600s.

There was a difference upon our respective arrivals, too. He ate en route, little and often, to ensure the 7000 calories he burned were constantly topped up, to be greeted with a well-earned sandwich and a glass of wine. I made sure I arrived hungry. Let’s see – 2000 calories used, against a bottle of wine (600 calories), shepherd’s pie (350 calories per ladle), apple crumble with custard (500 calories). Better go steady on the pie then.