Ride details please Jazmo

DaveB said:

Jaz can you post the details of that ride you mentioned this morning
(amazing who you can run into on the backstreets of Bulleen). Interested
in meeting point, group size, how long it goes for and what sort of avg
speed.

DaveB "wondering where Gags is when I need to get lights happening"

Hi DaveB. The ride is on Thursday evenings. I'm not sure where it starts (or ends) but I pick it up on the Yarra Blvd at that T intersection right near the Studley Park Road bridge. A number of riders wait there for the bunch to come by. Be sure to be there by 6:55 pm at the latest as that's about the time when the bunch goes by. It's pretty fast going through the Yarra Blvd down to the Chandler Hwy where they turn right and head over the Eastern Fwy and turn left at the roundabout onto Kilby Road. They then continue up Doncaster Road and go up that wonderful Doncaster Hill (all I have to say is ouch!). They turn left onto Williamson's Rd and wait for stragglers (me included) where the service lane is. They wait for a short period of time (i.e 2-3 minutes max) and then head off again. Down Williamson's Rd it's a descender's dream as you fly down past Lynwood Pde, then it's a short and hard uphill grind before turning left onto Serpells Road which then takes you onto the legendary Foote St. It's another bloody fast descent down Foote St before turning left onto High St. I generally take this climb really hard. Plenty of suffering going on up there. We then turn right onto Manningham Rd and wait at the Shell service station on the corner of Manningham Rd/High St. Riders wait again for about 2 mins and head of at a comparitively easy pace down Manningham Rd. It's the end of the ride for me as I peel off just after Thompson's Rd but I know they go onto doing the dreaded Burgundy St and then head down Upper Heidelberg rd. I think the bunch tends to split up a bit after that as people head in different directions (home I guess).

Average speed? Not sure, suffice to say that they are a fast bunch of riders up the hills. I generally finish somewhere in the second quarter of the bunch on the climbs (when I'm not boxed in). The climbs are hard but that's because I do them hard. Could take it easier and would probably still be able to make it with the stragglers.

This bunch goes at a pretty brisk pace up all of the climbs. Having said that, I think you should give it a go because it's all on the way home for you anyway - you've got nothing to lose by trying it - and besides, they do wait for stragglers up at the top of the main climbs. It'll be a good way of gauging your progress as well. I think that the bunch is made up of mainly B to D grade riders with B and C graders making up most of the numbers.

Group size would be about 30-40 riders.

It's going to be interesting next week as we'll all be in the dark right from the start. Not sure that I'm going to be too keen on that.

It's amazing what you can find with a little effort.

Here's a link http://www.skcc.com.au/index.php?option=content&task=view&id=11&Itemid=30

There ride we're talking about is "ALPINE TOUR OF THE SUBURBS" - the title pretty much sums up the ride.

jazmo said:

It's amazing what you can find with a little effort.

Here's a link http://tinyurl.com/7y7zm

There ride we're talking about is "ALPINE TOUR OF THE SUBURBS" - the
title pretty much sums up the ride.

Might give it a go once I've sorted out my lights (still trying to
decide build or buy) with an expectation of being dropped on the first
hill and never recovering at which point I can have a gentle cruise
around the suburbs. I like the "Col du Burgundy St" hill description.

DaveB

"DaveB" <[email hidden]> wrote in message
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Quoted message said:

jazmo said:

It's amazing what you can find with a little effort.

Here's a link http://tinyurl.com/7y7zm

There ride we're talking about is "ALPINE TOUR OF THE SUBURBS" - the
title pretty much sums up the ride.

Might give it a go once I've sorted out my lights (still trying to
decide build or buy) with an expectation of being dropped on the first
hill and never recovering at which point I can have a gentle cruise
around the suburbs. I like the "Col du Burgundy St" hill description.

DaveB

Dave,

I am now back from Adelaide and Darwin.......give me a yell if you want to
come over and sort out some lights.....I am sure that I can work something
out for you.

Gags

Gags said:

Dave,

I am now back from Adelaide and Darwin.......give me a yell if you want to
come over and sort out some lights.....I am sure that I can work something
out for you.

Gags

Thanks Gags, if you're out on the BR next week I'll have a chat to you
then. Also, if you want to join the ride tomorrow - reverse BR route,
MTB if you've got it (no don't bring the SS) - drop a msg here and we
can pick you up at Lwr Plenty/Greensborough Rd.

DaveB

hippy said:

DaveB said:

Thanks Gags, if you're out on the BR next week I'll have a chat to you
then. Also, if you want to join the ride tomorrow - reverse BR route,
MTB if you've got it (no don't bring the SS) - drop a msg here and we
can pick you up at Lwr Plenty/Greensborough Rd.

Hey.. what's wrong with the ss? Is it gonna be a hammerfest or a cruise?

hippy

Well it's more likely to be a cruise, but I'd have reservations about 2
of those hills on an SS. I may be a bad example because I'm not a strong
climber, but I'm pretty sure I'll be close to the 28/28 on the big hill
that usually drops us into Warrandyte. 90kmh downhill is gonna make for
a bit of work uphill. Mind you anyone who rode an SS and had to walk
would probably be at a similar pace to me in 28/28.

DaveB

DaveB said:

hippy said:

Hey.. what's wrong with the ss? Is it gonna be a hammerfest or a cruise?

Well it's more likely to be a cruise, but I'd have reservations about 2
of those hills on an SS. I may be a bad example because I'm not a strong
climber, but I'm pretty sure I'll be close to the 28/28 on the big hill
that usually drops us into Warrandyte. 90kmh downhill is gonna make for
a bit of work uphill. Mind you anyone who rode an SS and had to walk
would probably be at a similar pace to me in 28/28.

Upon 'cracking the head' so to speak I have some good news and bad news.
The bad news is that the GT's headset is totally trashed. The bars knock
badly when braking, and bind if the headset is tightened a smidge. There
appears to be no sweet spot any more :S
The good news is that the headset is actually 1 1/8th, not 1" like I had
assumed. This means a replacement will be easy to find and not a cheap
piece of junk.
The good news about the Avanti is that it now has slicks fitted (some
strange Vredestein's my mate left here), the bad news is that I'm going
to get drunk tonight and might not be able to control it bahahahaha :P

7:20am at Doncaster shopping centre?

Okay, with the map in hand I should make it..
http://home.vicnet.net.au/~bdarabug/other_resources/BR_map_1.pdf

Right.. North East corner of Doncaster and Tram Rds.. cool.. anyone
taking a mobile with them wanna email me their number?
hippy (at) thehippy (dot) net

hippy
"Did you remember to set your clocks for daylight savings?"

DaveB said:

Might give it a go once I've sorted out my lights (still trying to
decide build or buy) with an expectation of being dropped on the first
hill and never recovering at which point I can have a gentle cruise
around the suburbs. I like the "Col du Burgundy St" hill description.

DaveB

I can't believe they actually do it more that once! I'm glad I turn off home before going up that climb. Might have to give it a go one day.