Calling all Templestowe Riders !

Relatively flat eh... Templestowe is a good place to live for a climber, Eltham, Kangaroo Ground, Kinglake all on your door step.

You may have trouble finding many longer rides in that area that dont encounter a few hills.

Best get into the climbing!!!

Timbo77 said:

Hi !

I have recently moved to Templestowe, Victoria and would like to know if there are any riders or groups that could recommend a decent........relatively flat route around Templestowe.

I have moved from Hawthorn and have until now enjoyed the ride along Beach Rd to Mordialloc and back. Would like to hear from anyone who has some suggestions !

Thanks Heaps 🙂

Tim

Yeah, figured as much. Im smack bang in the middle of reynolds rd and either way i go its a pain in the ass. Im not really built for the hills 6ft 3 and 95 kg. So ususally avoid hills at all costs ! ha

Thanks for your reply, Do you live local ?

Cheers

Tim

I'm in Ferntree Gully and had very little hill experience till 6 months ago. Love climbing now and try to do as much as possible. You may have to convert if you stay in the area!!!

Timbo77 said:

Yeah, figured as much. Im smack bang in the middle of reynolds rd and either way i go its a pain in the ass. Im not really built for the hills 6ft 3 and 95 kg. So ususally avoid hills at all costs ! ha

Thanks for your reply, Do you live local ?

Cheers

Tim

savour your new locale Tim, you'll become a mountain goat. And you'll end up blitzing the flat roads

Thanks for your words of encouragement ! i think i can, (puff :eek: ), i think i can ( puff :eek: ) , i know i can 😎 . ha, ha

As you suggest i will have to adapt to my surroundings. Any tips for improving my climbing ability?

Su22 are you local ?

Thanks for again and might see you out and about.

Cheers

Tim

Reynolds Rd, Templestowe ... is it flat for any more than 50 metres on that road? 😉 For climbing, I found that spinning a high cadence while making use of your lower gears to help. (And out of the saddle for any really steep sections) In the long term though, there isn't much more you can do except, simply ride more hilly terrain 🙁 and perhaps leg exercises on a weights/gym machine thing. If the going gets REALLY tough, as you begin building your climbing strength you might look to invest in a wider ratio cassette, or a compact crankset.

When I lived in North Blackburn I had a loop I did in the early summer mornings (no traffic) that wasn't all that hilly.. *strains to remember* it started at the corner of Maroondah Hwy/Mitcham Rd, and went inbound along Mitcham Rd, as it turned into Doncaster Rd and then High St.. at Kew Junction I turned back to Cotham Rd, turned south at Burke St, and then back east down Canterbury Rd.

I guess from where you are, just make your way to Doncaster Rd *somehow* and go at it from there.

Looking at my old, old ride data (ref attached PDF -- lol, this was back when I was barely 3-4 months into road cycling!!) it's about 35km for the loop, most hilly sections are only 500-800m long and at a 2-4% or so gradient. The brown line is altitude. Those split numbers, by the way:

1: corner Whitehorse Rd/Mitcham Rd
2: corner Doncaster Rd/Middleborough Rd
3: corner Doncaster Rd/Burke Rd
4: (Orienteering symbol) Kew Junction
5: corner Cotham Rd/Burke Rd
6: corner Burke Rd/Canterbury Rd
7: corner Canterbury Rd/Station St, Box Hill (I have it marked as "BP Servo"😉
8: corner Canterbury Rd/Mitcham Rd
9: corner Whitehorse Rd/Mitcham Rd

Fortunately that big hill just east of the Doncaster freeway turn-off is downhill on this route 😉

Timbo77 said:

Thanks for your words of encouragement ! i think i can, (puff :eek: ), i think i can ( puff :eek: ) , i know i can 😎 . ha, ha

As you suggest i will have to adapt to my surroundings. Any tips for improving my climbing ability?

Su22 are you local ?

Thanks for again and might see you out and about.

Cheers

Tim

No sorry Tim, i actually don't know the Templestowe area well, but a mate took me out riding in the Dandenongs. There's a gentle slope going into Sassafras called "1/20" starting from Boronia (Boronia rd, becoming Forest Rd as it goes uphill) -- i think. Someone else can probably confirm the names of the roads because I just rode and didn't remember any street names. It's a really pretty area, lots of trees, smooth road, if you're out before the traffic picks up (930am on weekends) it's smooth sailing.

Probably runs for 5-6km, av gradient of about 4%? the road continues on and joins up with the Mt Dandenong Tourist road. this rolls through Sassafras, Olinda, ___, ...., down to Montrose. You can turn around and climb back up again (it's about 6% av gradient), and somewhere around Olinda is a turnoff into Monbulk-Olinda road. Go down that and climb back up: that's whats known as 'The Wall'. Don't be put off by the name. It's only short, and isn't as tough as it sounds. ~6.5%?

As for climbing tips...
- if you find that you can't spin at 65-80rpm going up the hills that you live around, you might want to get a larger casette on your rear wheel. Your standard road bike will probably have a 12-23 setup. If you feel like you're running out of gears when you go uphill, you could look into buying a 12-27 or 12-25 casette. I've recently switched to 12-27, and it's probably safe to say it's the lowest gearing you'll need for riding in Melb and surrounds. NB: if you do get a new casette geared towards hill riding, DO NOT LET A BIKE SHOP SELL YOU A LONG CAGE REAR DERAILLEUR. I knew nothing about these things, and was told that to accomodate the 27T cog I'd need a long cage RD. That's wrong. keep your shortcage RD on! Only if you get something like 30T+ do you need a longcage RD.

- take off as much as you can from your bike. The less you carry, the less you have to haul up a hill. (eg. take off your saddle bag and pump attachment, take off lights if it's daylight, carry spare tube/pump in back pocket). Get lighter tubes, lighter tyres, and if you can afford it, lighter wheels.

- ditto for your body. but that'll come naturally when you start riding more hills.

Wow ! Thanks for your replies Rek and su22.

The information provided is exactly the sort of thing i need. Will definately put it to use.

Rek, was all that information from your heart rate monitor ? Are they worthwhile? Thanks for the tip on your old circuit. Will give it a try.

Su22, thanks for your words of wisdom. I have heard of the old route up to sassafras. Will conquer reynolds rd etc and move onto the bigger stuff once the body drops a few kg's ( or 20 ! ).

I like the idea of looking into the 27t cassette. You hit the nail on the head...........sometimes it feels as though the smallest gear is not small enough. I normally like to crunch a bigger gear on the flats and will try to work on my cadence.

Have you both been riding long ?

Thanks again for your wise words !

Cheers

Tim

Timbo77 said:

Hi !

I have recently moved to Templestowe, Victoria and would like to know if there are any riders or groups that could recommend a decent........relatively flat route around Templestowe.

I have moved from Hawthorn and have until now enjoyed the ride along Beach Rd to Mordialloc and back. Would like to hear from anyone who has some suggestions !

Thanks Heaps 🙂

Tim

Go ride up Williamsons Road a few times then get back to me! The more you climb the more you'll like it, and the more you'll enjoy the flats

Jono

Timbo77 said:

Rek, was all that information from your heart rate monitor ? Are they worthwhile? Thanks for the tip on your old circuit. Will give it a try.

Yep, I use a Polar S625X (and an S710 before that)... it's the one with data logging and PC link, which makes a useful thing even moreso. Don't need to keep any sort of training logs, it does it all automatically, and with greater precision than anyone could ever do by hand.

Quoted post said:

I like the idea of looking into the 27t cassette. You hit the nail on the head...........sometimes it feels as though the smallest gear is not small enough. I normally like to crunch a bigger gear on the flats and will try to work on my cadence.

Also consider a compact crank; instead of 39/53 tooth front rings, they have 36/50 or 34/50. Lets you keep your gears closely spaced, and spread them lower where they're actually useful.. let's be honest here, hardly anyone ever the very top end of conventional road bike gearing anyway. I got this one (click) for my city/commuter bike; cheap, great value and does the job nicely.

Quoted post said:

Have you both been riding long ?

Since mid-'02 with varying degrees of seriousness.. recently thanks to distractions, diversions, and plain laziness, my hill climbing ability has eroded though 🙁

Timbo77 said:

Hi !

I have recently moved to Templestowe, Victoria and would like to know if there are any riders or groups that could recommend a decent........relatively flat route around Templestowe.

I have moved from Hawthorn and have until now enjoyed the ride along Beach Rd to Mordialloc and back. Would like to hear from anyone who has some suggestions !

Thanks Heaps 🙂

Tim

Hey Tim,

I've lived in Templestowe my whole life (I live just near the Templestowe Hotel) and the sad fact is there is hardly any flat areas. I ride down Reynolds both ways nearly every day which as you know isn't flat anywhere.

I do a group ride some Sunday Mornings that leaves from the Bundoora Hotel and heads up to Whittlesea. It's flatish for most of the way (goes on Plenty road). But it takes 40 mins just to get to the departure point.

Looks like your just going to have to learn to love hills. :p

Furious_g said:

Hey Tim,

I've lived in Templestowe my whole life (I live just near the Templestowe Hotel) and the sad fact is there is hardly any flat areas. I ride down Reynolds both ways nearly every day which as you know isn't flat anywhere.

I do a group ride some Sunday Mornings that leaves from the Bundoora Hotel and heads up to Whittlesea. It's flatish for most of the way (goes on Plenty road). But it takes 40 mins just to get to the departure point.

Looks like your just going to have to learn to love hills. :p

Hills like in Templestowe is THE ideal way to get fit FAST. A built-in interval training routine: Push hard up every hill, rest on the way down until your HR returns to normal. You'll be amazed how easy it will be to drop your buddies after just a few months.

Thanks folks !

I will now be taking to the hills as advised. NO excuses..................just suck it up and hit the hills !!! ( ohhh maybe just one more push of the snooze button). ha!

Seriously........thanks for the replies and enjoy your riding !

Tim

Timbo77 said:

Hi !

I have recently moved to Templestowe, Victoria and would like to know if there are any riders or groups that could recommend a decent........relatively flat route around Templestowe.

I have moved from Hawthorn and have until now enjoyed the ride along Beach Rd to Mordialloc and back. Would like to hear from anyone who has some suggestions !

Thanks Heaps 🙂

Tim

I understand your problem Tim, I am in Heidelberg and am about 5 kg over weight and suffer in the hills.
I go back to beach road if I want a flat ride, usually get there via the Yarra Blvd Kew, (a little hilly), then cut thru Richmond to the Yarra Blvd Richmond, Then Orrong Road from Toorak to Elsternwick, on to Glenhuntley Road to Beach Road. I find this way not to bad for traffic, much better then trying to ride down Burke Road or Chapel Street

Other wise its out to Warrandyte, Eltham or Hurstbridge and suffer especially the last hill home , Lower Plenty Road Rosanna!!

Thanks Jake,

Due to my size, i was really struggling to spin in my lowest gear or get into a rhythem. I have recently purchased a 29 tooth rear cassette and found this helps amazingly. I have found my fitness improving and am enjoying my riding a lot more. ( cant say i love the hills, but now find them bearable.

Thanks for the encouraging words and may see you around the traps ( not that riders in melb socialise much.......compared to country )

Cheers

Tim

Timbo77 said:

Thanks Jake,

Due to my size, i was really struggling to spin in my lowest gear or get into a rhythem. I have recently purchased a 29 tooth rear cassette and found this helps amazingly. I have found my fitness improving and am enjoying my riding a lot more. ( cant say i love the hills, but now find them bearable.

Thanks for the encouraging words and may see you around the traps ( not that riders in melb socialise much.......compared to country )

Cheers

Tim

Maybe I should look at trying a new rear cassette, although I only got my bike about 6 months ago and if I spend another cent on it my missus will kill me.
Losing body weight makes a lot of difference in the hills, I dropped about 4 Kg in this summer and now find I can attempt rides like the 1 in 20 up to Sassafras.

Where in the country you from? (I off the farm myself, only been a urban dweller for about 7 years)

What sort of bike did you buy ? Happy with it ?

I understand, my wife and i were talking about all the " hidden" costs that come with cycling. However, the cassette has made a difference for going uphill !

I have started riding up Reynolds Rd and turn into Williamson Rd, head to Eltham. Its not a long ride, however I find some of the hills there and back real lung busters. Especially coming home via reynolds or down warrandyte rd.

Im originally from Shepparton and been here for about 10 years. Where are you originally from ?

Cheers

Reviving an old thread...
I've recently started to do a Foote st/Reynold rd hills ride. The hills are a killer (for my minimal level of experience, 6'4"/100kg frame and relatively basic flat bar bike) however I'm enjoying the challenge. I'm finishing the climbs at about 10-15km/h and trying to stay in the seat for as long as possible.

Do more serious riders regard these hills as hills or only minor speed bumps?

I definitely find this ride more challenging than the ride into the city via Kew boulevard.

My route is:
doncaster rd to bulleen rd on freeway bike path,
bulleen rd to templestowe rd (crossing manningham rd),
along templestowe which turns to foote then reynolds to blackburn rd,
blackburn rd to eastern freeway,
bike path along eastern freeway to Doncaster Rd.

Dave80 said:

Do more serious riders regard these hills as hills or only minor speed bumps?

Hi Dave, I ride reynolds road most days (I live just off it) and whilst the gradient of the hills are appreciable, the length of hills are not nearly long enough to cause problems for serious riders.

Good on you for getting out there, most people steer clear of roads like that so it's great to hear that others ride (and enjoy it) other than me!