It is that time of year again….time for the AUDAX 600km ride. The ride will begin at the usual Starbucks at United Square at 3:30am. We roll early so that people can get home in time for lunch with their families on Sunday. Last time we arrived home by 1pm. Once again we will have Hafiz the driver for safety reasons and he will follow behind the riders. Hafiz will be at the start so you can leave a small bag with the support van from the start. We will aim to have the same plan as last year….riding 380km the first day into Kluang and staying at the Imperial Hotel. This one star baby is quite the gem. Actually, it is pretty good. You can share rooms if you are budget challenged. Note you need to book your own room. Last time we arrived at 7:30pm in Kluang so make sure you tell them you will be there around the same time. For those who have not been to Kluang, there are several restaurants there to get food and drinks.
The Imperial Hotel
1-star hotel
Address: 1,, Jalan Syed Abdul Hamid Sagaf, Kampung Masjid Lama, 86000 Kluang, Johor, Malaysia
Phone: +60 7-772 5555
Now some may ask, why would I do such a ride? Well, firstly, if you want to be a Super Randonneur for 2017 you need to do it. Secondly, it is a gorgeous route designed by Patrick Williams. Finally, it is good for your health. According to an Australian AUDAX rider, if you ride more than 200km a week you can eat and drink as much as you want and never get fat. This rider is going away for two weeks without a bike so he is front loading the KMs in before taking two weeks away from the bike.
The Allan 200KM Principle
What to bring?
You can bring a small bag with you which ideally has a spare kit and change of clothes. We will roll at 4am from Kluang for the final 220km and the ride will end as soon as you cross the border into Singapore.
Other things to bring:
• Passport and anything you need to cross the border into Malaysia
• Malaysian Ringgit
• Suntan lotion
• Gels and or energy supplies – there are loads of petrol stations along the way but you may want to bring food you like
• A sense of humour…. sometimes people get grumpy along the big rides. Please have a few jokes handy
• Spare tubes and tires
• Bring wheels that are good for interoperability and also with good spokes….there are not many bike shops on the route
• Charger for your Garmin and Di2 if needed
Hafiz will have cold drinks and water and he has a brand-new floor pump. The total cost for the safety support is RM2600 which we will divide by all the riders. There is no charge for the ride for AUDAX 2017 members other than splitting of the support car fee.
The route is here – I would suggest putting it into your Garmin. Ideally, we will ride as one group and try to be efficient with breaks and moving along.
https://www.strava.com/activities/598839293
Last but not least, if you have an AUDAX jersey then wear it as it makes the pictures nicer 😊 I will have a few with me tonight if people need them…sizes are limited though.
