Welcome to Audax K.C.!

Audax K.C. is the home of long-distance, non-competitive endurance bicycling in Kansas City, and the official site for ACP and RUSA-sanctioned bicycle events in the Kansas City Region. If you are unfamiliar with this unique style of bicycling, scroll down to the "About Our Rides" section.

Audax K.C. has no club membership dues, however, membership with RUSA is required to participate in our events. Check out our ride calendar and see the section below to register!

Your RBA and organizer is Spencer Klaassen.
Feel free to email for more information!
We look forward to riding with you!

How to Register for a Ride

CLICK HERE to register for an Audax K.C. event!
Contact the RBA if you have any questions!

 
The 2026 Audax K.C.
Rouleur Series

[Page updated: 01/12/2026]


What is a “Rouleur Series”?


The term “Rouleur” comes from the French, and is used to describe a rider who is strong and consistent over a long distance.  Well, that sounds like our kind of rider!  Similar to the ACP’s Super Randonneur award, the Rouleur Award challenges riders to complete a set of rides of incrementally increasing distance within a calendar year.  Where the Rouleur award differs is the addition of a Dart Populaire, and - relatively speaking - the required distances are shorter than typical P-B-P Qualifying brevets.  


For riders just getting into long-distance non-competitive cycling, the Rouleur Series is a perfect way to test yourself and see what randonneuring is all about without jumping into the deep end.  Each event adds a little more distance, each time getting you more prepared for the 200km brevet required to close out the series.

Earning the RUSA Rouleur Award involves completing five rides in a calendar year, where distance is added progressively. This platform provides a great way to learn the ins-and-outs of randonneuring while conditioning yourself for longer distances. Additionally, it's a great way to practice control routines, shake out bicycle fit and set-up, and meet fellow randonneurs!

If you’re already a seasoned randonneur, think of the Rouleur series as a pre-season “warm-up”.  If you’re looking for a way to ramp up to another successful year of randonneuring, this new series is the perfect springboard to shake out your legs and your gear before the distances stretch out beyond 200 kilometers. 

More information on RUSA’s Rouleur Award can be found here: https://rusa.org/pages/award-rouleur





2026 Audax KC Rouleur Series Details:


We're running TWO distinct Rouleur Series in 2026, spread across the calendar between the Spring and Fall - you can do two full series, pick gravel or paved, or mix-and-match to complete your own custom series:

 

  • A series on paved roads for a traditional randonneuring experience. We will offer the 100km and 150km paved events this Spring, with 125km and 200km distances coming this Fall

  • New!  "Strade Bianche Rouleur Series", primarily on gravel routes (> 40% gravel) for a new adventure - see details in the new section below!  The 125km and 200km distances are being offered this Spring, with gravel 100km and 150km distances coming this Fall

     

Five rides are required to earn the RUSA Rouleur Award: 

  • Ride #1:  100 km


  • Ride #2:  8 Hr. Dart Populaire ~ 120km


  • Ride #3:  125 km


  • Ride #4:  150 km

    • 3/28/26 - "Meathead"  (paved)
    • 🪨 Gravel offering coming this Fall

  • Ride #5:  200 km brevet

    • 5/02/26 - "No Wet Crossing 213km"  (🪨 73% Gravel )
    • Lots of paved 200k offerings on the calendar, with another coming this Fall




New!  What do you mean, “Strade Bianche”?


Quite simply, we mean "gravel". Strade Bianche is Italian for "white roads", specifically the white limestone gravel roads around Tuscany, which are host each year to the prestigious one-day professional road race of the same name that is a highlight of the Spring Classics. Gravel cycling is a great way to experience randonneuring at its finest, on quiet country byways with lighter traffic than one might experience otherwise. Our series this year offers a mix of road surfaces across several distances to add some variety, with the added bonus of additional finishing time: for RUSA brevets and populaires, the extra time allowance to finish is 1 minute per unpaved kilometer.



Do I need a special bicycle?


In most cases, no. While gravel cycling can often dictate more specialized equipment, many riders find their normal bicycle with tires as narrow as 28mm to be just fine when conditions are smooth and dry. It is advisable to fit as large a tire as your frame can safely accommodate at tire pressures appropriate for the conditions, but you don't need to own a "gravel specific" bicycle to ride these events. The conditions, however, can often change, and your mileage and experience may vary.



It's not a race ... but ...


Randonneuring is long-distance unsupported endurance cycling.  This style of riding is non-competitive in nature, where self-sufficiency is paramount.  When riders participate in randonneuring events, they are part of a long tradition that goes back to the beginning of the sport of cycling in France and Italy.  Friendly camaraderie, not competition, is the hallmark of randonneuring.

No, our events are not races, but ... nobody ever said they had to be ridden slowly. RUSA rules have both a maximum and a minimum finishing time window to qualify for credit, and the minimum 200km time roughly equates to a 21 MPH average speed, including stops.

If you ARE a gravel racer with your eyes on a particular high-profile gravel race taking place in late May 2026, we have scheduled our 200km gravel event on May 2nd to provide you with a terrific springboard, shakedown, and tempo opportunity to aid your preparation. Join RUSA and come ride with us: you'll get real world practice on real gravel, allowing you to practice your checkpoint routine at the controls while shaking down your rig.

Randonneuring isn't racing, but it will get you ready.

 

 

Special thanks to Greg Smith, Driftless Randonneurs RBA in western Wisconsin, who originally began using the 'Strade Bianche' name for their Rouleur series.  We liked it so much, we asked if we could use it, too!



Interested?

 

Whether this is your first time riding a long-distance event, or you’re a seasoned randonneur, get signed up with RUSA (or renew!) and come out to see us!  
 
  • Registration: As with any Audax K.C. event, one waiver and registration is required for each ride in the series. Visit our ride calendar, search for your preferred event, and click the "register for this ride" link to sign up. If you're new to Audax K.C., visit how to register for a ride for details on the process.
  • Rider Fee: Priced individually, a Rouleur Series of 100, 125, 150, 200, and a Dart Populaire would come out to $35. Audax K.C. offers a “full year, one price” fee of $30.00 that lets you grab the Rouleur Series in its entirety, AND, if you are hungry for more, the other events on the calendar are covered as well (except for special events like the UAF 600, 1,000km, and 8k600k rides).  You can even do BOTH Rouleur Series at this price!


 

 


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Medals & Awards

Medals & Awards
Looking to push yourself? RUSA has lots of awards for distance milestones, special events, state exploring, monthly & season-long ride challenges, and more. Click the image to visit RUSA and find out more!

Volunteers!

Especially with our bigger events, volunteers help make it happen. If you, or anyone you know, has an interest in helping make our events a success, please contact our RBA, Spencer Klaassen. Thank you!

About our Rides

Randonneuring is self-supported long-distance bicycling. It is not a race but instead unfolds like a timed tour.

Randonneuring events (called populaires, brevets, or permanents) vary in length between 100km (62 miles) and 1,200km (750 miles). Riders follow a pre-determined route via a GPS track and/or a cue sheet. Riders prove their completion of the course by collecting receipts and/or signatures from controls (usually convenience stores) along the route, and/or by way of their GPS track or other electronic means, depending on the event and its rules. One rides to finish within set time limits for each event, depending on route length. For example, the time limit for a 200km (125 mile) event is 13.5 hours, which includes any stops.

Randonneuring celebrates self-sufficiency. This is where randonneuring differs from other cycling events like supported charity rides. On a brevet or a permanent, you are on your own ride. The self-sufficiency ethos of randonneuring means that you are responsible for your own pace, your own nutrition and hydration, your own repairs, and, above all, your own safety.

Safety is of utmost importance. All rides take place on public roads. All riders should be visible, safe, predictable, and courteous to other road users at all times. Reflective gear and sufficient front and rear lights are required for any event that might begin or end in the dark. Read RUSAs rules on these points carefully and equip yourself and your bicycle appropriately.

Randonneuring is a big tent where every rider finds their own challenge. Some might be on their first big ride and will set a goal to finish inside the route time limit, where others keen on speed may try for a personal best. Some riders consider 100km to be “plenty”, where others continue to push themselves to the longest distances. Some ride only gravel, some only pavement, and some enjoy a mix of both. Some riders crave the latest tech and carbon fiber frames, others prefer vintage steel or fixed-gear drivetrains. All are randonneurs, and we respect all of these riders.

For many, randonneuring IS the goal. For those looking at a title gravel event or something even bigger, randonneuring is a great time and a great way to build a big aerobic base and set yourself up for success. All you need is a properly equipped human-powered bicycle, and a sense of adventure and challenge …

We are all out to have fun and enjoy a good, long ride!


Key Take-aways & Important Links:

· All riders must have a current RUSA membership to participate in our events

· All riders must obey local road laws and follow all RUSA regulations

· Reflective gear and lights are required for any event that might begin or end in the dark - see RUSA's reflectivity guide

· Visit RUSA’s FAQ page for even more details


If you have ANY questions about the above information, please feel free to contact the RBA.