Rules & Practical Info

Audax events are not races. They are self-supported endurance rides with a set of rules designed to keep things fair, safe, and true to the spirit of randonneuring. Before your first event, it helps to understand the practical requirements around insurance, equipment, proof of passage, speed limits, and self-sufficiency. For details on the different event formats, see the Ride Types page.

Insurance & Licence Requirements

To participate in Audax events in Ireland, you must hold a valid Cycling Ireland licence or be a member of an affiliated cycling body that provides equivalent insurance cover. This is a mandatory requirement and organisers will check your licence at sign-on. Day licences are sometimes available for individual events, but it is far simpler (and cheaper over a season) to hold an annual Cycling Ireland membership. Your membership provides third-party liability insurance while riding in organised events.

If you are riding events abroad, check the requirements of the host country. Most European Audax organisations require equivalent insurance cover. Your Cycling Ireland licence is generally accepted across ACP-affiliated countries, but it is worth confirming with the event organiser beforehand.

Sign-On and Before the Start

Arrive at the start location with enough time to sign on before the departure time. At sign-on you will need to show your cycling licence and collect your brevet card. The organiser will brief riders on the route, control procedures, and any specific instructions for the event.

Your brevet card is your official record of the ride. It lists the control points, their opening and closing times, and has spaces for stamps or signatures at each control. Keep it safe throughout the ride. Losing your brevet card means losing your proof of completion.

Night Riding Equipment

Front and rear lights are mandatory on all Audax events. You must have working lights fitted to your bike at sign-on, regardless of the expected finish time. In addition, a reflective vest or Sam Browne sash is required for:

• All events of 300 km or longer
• 200 km events ridden in poor weather or darkness

Organisers may refuse to let you start if your lighting or reflective equipment does not meet these requirements. For longer events (400 km and above), you will almost certainly be riding through the night, so carry spare batteries or a backup light. A rear light failure in the dark is both dangerous and grounds for disqualification if you are stopped at a control without one.

See the Gear page for more on equipment choices, including recommendations for lights, reflective gear, and what to carry on longer rides.

Proof of Passage

At each control point along the route, you must prove that you passed through. The organiser specifies which method(s) apply for each control before the event. Several methods are used in Ireland:

Brevet Card Stamps

The traditional method. At staffed controls, a volunteer stamps your brevet card with the time and location. At unstaffed controls, you get a stamp from a local shop or business. The stamp must clearly show the location name and ideally the time.

WhatsApp Selfie Groups

A modern approach increasingly used in Ireland. Riders take a selfie at each control point and post it to a WhatsApp group set up by the organiser. This provides timestamped photographic proof of passage and has the added benefit of letting the organiser track riders' progress in real time.

Info Controls

You answer a question about something visible at the control location (for example, the name on a pub sign or the colour of a post box) and write the answer on your brevet card. These are typically used at unstaffed controls where no shop or business is available for a stamp.

Shop Receipts

A receipt from a shop or cafe at the control location, showing the date and time, serves as proof of passage. This is a common fallback at unstaffed controls and has the practical advantage of encouraging you to stop and eat.

Speed Limits

Audax is not a race. To discourage racing behaviour, there is a maximum average speed of 30 kph. If you arrive at a control before it opens (based on the 30 kph calculation), you must wait until the opening time before you can get your card stamped and continue.

Control opening and closing times are calculated from two speeds:

• Maximum speed (30 kph): determines when controls open. You cannot pass through a control before this time.
• Minimum speed (15 kph): determines when controls close. If you arrive after the closing time, you are outside the time limit and your ride will not be validated.

In practice, most riders average between 18 and 25 kph including stops. The 30 kph cap rarely affects anyone except very fast riders on shorter events. The 15 kph minimum is more relevant: on a 600 km ride, you have 40 hours, which sounds generous until you factor in food stops, mechanicals, navigation, and sleep.

Self-Sufficiency

Self-sufficiency is a core principle of randonneuring. The rules are designed to ensure every rider completes the event on their own merits.

• No following vehicles: you may not have a support car or motorcycle following you along the route
• Personal support only at controls: friends or family may meet you at control points to provide food, clothing, or encouragement, but they may not assist you between controls
• Own navigation: you are responsible for following the route. Organisers provide a route sheet or GPX file, but you must navigate independently
• Own mechanicals: you must be able to fix punctures and handle basic mechanical issues yourself. Carry a spare tube, tyre levers, a multi-tool, and a pump

Riders may help each other. Sharing food, lending a tool, or waiting for someone with a mechanical is all part of the camaraderie that makes Audax special. What is not permitted is pre-arranged external support that gives one rider an advantage over others.

BRM Time Limits

Each standard BRM distance has a maximum time limit calculated from the minimum average speed of 15 kph. These are the overall time limits from start to finish. Individual control closing times may be tighter depending on the route profile.

For events longer than 600 km, there are typically mandatory rest stops where you must check in and may sleep. The time limits are generous enough to allow for rest, food stops, and dealing with mechanicals, but not so generous that you can afford to waste time. On a 600 km ride, for example, 40 hours gives you roughly 6 to 8 hours of non-riding time if you average 20 kph while moving.

Homologation

After a ride, the organiser submits the results to ACP (Audax Club Parisien) for homologation. This is the official validation that confirms your ride was completed within the rules. Once homologated, your ride receives a unique homologation number that serves as permanent proof of completion.

Homologation typically takes a few weeks after the event. The organiser handles the submission, and you will receive your homologation number once results are processed. You can add this number to your ride in the tracker. See the Managing Rides guide for details on how homologation status works in the app.

Did Not Finish (DNF)

If you cannot complete a ride, you should inform the organiser. A DNF is nothing to be ashamed of. Mechanical failure, injury, illness, exhaustion, and bad weather are all legitimate reasons to stop. The important thing is to let the organiser know so they are not waiting for you at the finish or sending out a search party.

In the tracker, you can mark a ride as DNF. DNF rides do not count toward any awards, but they remain in your ride history as a record. You can toggle DNF visibility in Settings if you prefer to keep your ride list focused on completions.

Etiquette on the Road

Audax rides take place on public roads, and riders are expected to follow the rules of the road at all times. A few points of etiquette that are worth keeping in mind:

• Obey traffic signals and road signs. Running a red light during an Audax event is grounds for disqualification and puts other road users at risk.
• Ride predictably and visibly. Use hand signals, hold your line, and make yourself easy to see, especially at night.
• Be courteous to other road users. Audax riders are ambassadors for the sport. A wave of thanks to a patient driver goes a long way.
• At controls, be respectful of the businesses providing stamps or receipts. Buy something if you are using a shop as a control point. These businesses support the event voluntarily.
• If you are riding in a group, do not block the road. Ride two abreast at most, and single out on narrow roads or when traffic is passing.
• Leave no trace. Carry your rubbish to the next control or bin. Gel wrappers and water bottles left on the roadside reflect badly on the entire Audax community.