Caught speeding



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Drs

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Well, kinda sorta. I ride regularly around Albert Park Lake, currently being transformed into the
Formula One circuit for the race in March. I used to ride exclusively on the gravel running/bike
track but since Lakeside Drive, the roughly north-south road that forms the eastern part of the
race track, passes very close to the lake proper, that part of the track is now largely covered
by grandstands and what have you, the resulting zig-zag being perhaps suitable for mountain bikes
and not much else. I accordingly have been riding along Lakeside Drive itself, and incidentally
been having a bit of fun with the fools who try to block it off to all traffic from 7pm onwards
even though there's no reason to do so until the complete road closure beginning March 1 (the
race is March 7).

The other night I was a bit earlier than usual and arrived just as the maintenance crew were
finishing off putting the big, plastic barriers across the road. Normally by about half-past seven
at least one of them has been shifted by a cyclist so bikes can get through, this being the only
obstacle to completing a lap of the lake, but as I said I was early. So, I went left off the bitumen
about a hundred metres before the roadblock, just after the rowing club, rode past it until I came
to a gap in the concrete fencing, hooked back through it, onto the grass and headed for the road.
From a distance I heard cries of "Excuse me! Excuse me!" but I resolutely ignored them, chortling
inside because their ute was on the far side of the roadblock from where I was and no council worker
was going to run after me, particularly since there's no actual reason I shouldn't ride on the road
apart from the organisers' arrogance and stupidity. The metal chain having been removed from the
small wooden posts that line the road, it was trivial for me to lift my bike over the bunting in its
place and ride off towards South Melbourne.

When you get to the South Melbourne end you have two choices how you come back around. You can get
back on the gravel running/bike path around about the soccer stadium and complete the lap as normal,
or you can stay on the bitumen, following the road which is to be the main straight and adjacent
bits. As it happens you don't have to follow that road all the way, once you get past the car park
and the swimming centre, just before the huge grandstands start, there's a service road just off to
the left which runs behind where the pits will be and hooks up again with the road/race track up the
far end of the circuit. When I take the bitumen route I take this service road.

As it happens, about halfway along the service road there is now a big, orange metal contraption
with one of those oversized "LED" displays (I know they're not really LEDs but you know what I mean)
and a speed limit sign. Somewhere there's also a laser or a radar, and that's where I got caught
speeding. You see, the limit is 10kph and the first time I went through I got a big "22". I was just
a tad disappointed but it was my second lap and I don't pretend to be super fit or anything so I
wasn't pushing as hard as I probably should have. Anyway, the other night I remembered my "22" and
pushed a bit harder and got a "26", with which I was well pleased. The hard-core racers are probably
thinking this is all a bit pathetic but I ride a hybrid, with not only the expected differences in
gearing, but also, since I live in St Kilda, with enough locks and chains to sink a battleship, so I
reckon my laps count for more than theirs.

So, if you're in the area sometime in the next couple of weeks, why not ride up this service road
and see what your speed is.

--

"The central problem with the concept of the 'Axis of Evil' is that it involves an assumption that
the US is the 'fulcrum of virtue'." Bob Hawke, former Prime Minister of Australia
 
Sometime ago, we had one of these on the Coronation Drive bikeway in Brisbane. I think the idea was
to inform cyclists when they were speeding and to suggest they slow down in future. However, it
became a challenge for some cyclists to try and beat their personal best each day when passing it. I
remember getting the timing just right one day to get my mountain bike with slicks to register a 46.
I think the council realised that it was'nt achieving the desired result and removed it a couple of
weeks later.

Jeff Westwood
 
Greetings, Can do better than that, I was really caught for speeding on my bicycle. It occurred way
back in 1978, I was coming down the Maroondah Hwy into Healesville going fairly flat chat, and I hit
one of the old fashioned amphometers at around 70 k/mh. The officer waved me in and couldn't believe
it. `You got a licence to drive that thing?' he asked. Sadly, I wasn't given a ticket, I would have
had it framed. I have gone considerably faster on a bike in various places since, but have never
actually been pulled up for it. Cheers, Ray.

DRS wrote:

>Well, kinda sorta. I ride regularly around Albert Park Lake, currently being transformed into the
>Formula One circuit for the race in March. I used to ride exclusively on the gravel running/bike
>track but since Lakeside Drive, the roughly north-south road that forms the eastern part of the
>race track, passes very close to the lake proper, that part of the track is now largely covered by
>grandstands and what have you, the resulting zig-zag being perhaps suitable for mountain bikes and
>not much else. I accordingly have been riding along Lakeside Drive itself, and incidentally been
>having a bit of fun with the fools who try to block it off to all traffic from 7pm onwards even
>though there's no reason to do so until the complete road closure beginning March 1 (the race is
>March 7).
>
>The other night I was a bit earlier than usual and arrived just as the maintenance crew were
>finishing off putting the big, plastic barriers across the road. Normally by about half-past seven
>at least one of them has been shifted by a cyclist so bikes can get through, this being the only
>obstacle to completing a lap of the lake, but as I said I was early. So, I went left off the
>bitumen about a hundred metres before the roadblock, just after the rowing club, rode past it until
>I came to a gap in the concrete fencing, hooked back through it, onto the grass and headed for the
>road. From a distance I heard cries of "Excuse me! Excuse me!" but I resolutely ignored them,
>chortling inside because their ute was on the far side of the roadblock from where I was and no
>council worker was going to run after me, particularly since there's no actual reason I shouldn't
>ride on the road apart from the organisers' arrogance and stupidity. The metal chain having been
>removed from the small wooden posts that line the road, it was trivial for me to lift my bike over
>the bunting in its place and ride off towards South Melbourne.
>
>When you get to the South Melbourne end you have two choices how you come back around. You can get
>back on the gravel running/bike path around about the soccer stadium and complete the lap as
>normal, or you can stay on the bitumen, following the road which is to be the main straight and
>adjacent bits. As it happens you don't have to follow that road all the way, once you get past the
>car park and the swimming centre, just before the huge grandstands start, there's a service road
>just off to the left which runs behind where the pits will be and hooks up again with the road/race
>track up the far end of the circuit. When I take the bitumen route I take this service road.
>
>As it happens, about halfway along the service road there is now a big, orange metal contraption
>with one of those oversized "LED" displays (I know they're not really LEDs but you know what I
>mean) and a speed limit sign. Somewhere there's also a laser or a radar, and that's where I got
>caught speeding. You see, the limit is 10kph and the first time I went through I got a big "22". I
>was just a tad disappointed but it was my second lap and I don't pretend to be super fit or
>anything so I wasn't pushing as hard as I probably should have. Anyway, the other night I
>remembered my "22" and pushed a bit harder and got a "26", with which I was well pleased. The hard-
>core racers are probably thinking this is all a bit pathetic but I ride a hybrid, with not only the
>expected differences in gearing, but also, since I live in St Kilda, with enough locks and chains
>to sink a battleship, so I reckon my laps count for more than theirs.
>
>So, if you're in the area sometime in the next couple of weeks, why not ride up this service road
>and see what your speed is.
 
"Ray Peace" wrote

> Can do better than that, I was really caught for speeding on my bicycle. It occurred way back in
> 1978, I was coming down the Maroondah Hwy into Healesville going fairly flat chat, and I hit one
> of the old fashioned amphometers at around 70 k/mh. The officer waved me in and couldn't believe
> it. `You got a licence to drive that thing?' he asked. Sadly, I wasn't given a ticket, I would
> have had it framed. I have gone considerably faster on a bike in various places since, but have
> never actually been pulled up for it.

According to "Pedal Power", the ACT cyclists' association at
http://www.pedalpower.org.au/about/law.htm, "At present, no speed limits in the ACT apply to
cyclists on or off the road." Assuming this is correct, is the ACT unique in this liberal attitude?

John
 
yeah, they are heaps of fun... check out my efforts at the link below..

http://members.iinet.net.au/~gplama/bike/beatthesign.html

"DRS" <[email protected]> wrote in message news:[email protected]...
> Well, kinda sorta. I ride regularly around Albert Park Lake, currently being transformed into the
> Formula One circuit for the race in March. I used to ride exclusively on the gravel running/bike
> track but since Lakeside Drive, the roughly north-south road that forms the eastern part
of
> the race track, passes very close to the lake proper, that part of the
track
> is now largely covered by grandstands and what have you, the resulting zig-zag being perhaps
> suitable for mountain bikes and not much else. I accordingly have been riding along Lakeside Drive
> itself, and incidentally been having a bit of fun with the fools who try to block it off to all
> traffic from 7pm onwards even though there's no reason to do so until the complete road closure
> beginning March 1 (the race is March 7).
>
> The other night I was a bit earlier than usual and arrived just as the maintenance crew were
> finishing off putting the big, plastic barriers
across
> the road. Normally by about half-past seven at least one of them has been shifted by a cyclist so
> bikes can get through, this being the only
obstacle
> to completing a lap of the lake, but as I said I was early. So, I went
left
> off the bitumen about a hundred metres before the roadblock, just after
the
> rowing club, rode past it until I came to a gap in the concrete fencing, hooked back through it,
> onto the grass and headed for the road. From a distance I heard cries of "Excuse me! Excuse me!"
> but I resolutely
ignored
> them, chortling inside because their ute was on the far side of the roadblock from where I was and
> no council worker was going to run after
me,
> particularly since there's no actual reason I shouldn't ride on the road apart from the
> organisers' arrogance and stupidity. The metal chain
having
> been removed from the small wooden posts that line the road, it was
trivial
> for me to lift my bike over the bunting in its place and ride off towards South Melbourne.
>
> When you get to the South Melbourne end you have two choices how you come back around. You can get
> back on the gravel running/bike path around
about
> the soccer stadium and complete the lap as normal, or you can stay on the bitumen, following the
> road which is to be the main straight and adjacent bits. As it happens you don't have to follow
> that road all the way, once you get past the car park and the swimming centre, just before the
> huge grandstands start, there's a service road just off to the left which runs behind where the
> pits will be and hooks up again with the road/race track
up
> the far end of the circuit. When I take the bitumen route I take this service road.
>
> As it happens, about halfway along the service road there is now a big, orange metal contraption
> with one of those oversized "LED" displays (I
know
> they're not really LEDs but you know what I mean) and a speed limit sign. Somewhere there's also a
> laser or a radar, and that's where I got caught speeding. You see, the limit is 10kph and the
> first time I went through I got a big "22". I was just a tad disappointed but it was my second lap
and
> I don't pretend to be super fit or anything so I wasn't pushing as hard as
I
> probably should have. Anyway, the other night I remembered my "22" and pushed a bit harder and got
> a "26", with which I was well pleased. The hard-core racers are probably thinking this is all a
> bit pathetic but I
ride
> a hybrid, with not only the expected differences in gearing, but also,
since
> I live in St Kilda, with enough locks and chains to sink a battleship, so
I
> reckon my laps count for more than theirs.
>
> So, if you're in the area sometime in the next couple of weeks, why not
ride
> up this service road and see what your speed is.
>
> --
>
> "The central problem with the concept of the 'Axis of Evil' is that it involves an assumption that
> the US is the 'fulcrum of virtue'." Bob Hawke, former Prime Minister of Australia
 
GPLama <[email protected]> wrote in message [email protected]
> yeah, they are heaps of fun... check out my efforts at the link below..
>
> http://members.iinet.net.au/~gplama/bike/beatthesign.html

It'd be nice to have the sort of bike that would do that sort of speed. I'm going to change the
gearing on my hybrid, if I go down any sort of decent hill I quickly run out of gears.

--

"The central problem with the concept of the 'Axis of Evil' is that it involves an assumption that
the US is the 'fulcrum of virtue'." Bob Hawke, former Prime Minister of Australia
 
yeah, my mtb tends to do that a little.. but when climbing hills on the
roady I really miss the mtb gearing :)

"DRS" <[email protected]> wrote in message news:[email protected]...
> GPLama <[email protected]> wrote in message [email protected]
> > yeah, they are heaps of fun... check out my efforts at the link below..
> >
> > http://members.iinet.net.au/~gplama/bike/beatthesign.html
>
> It'd be nice to have the sort of bike that would do that sort of speed.
I'm
> going to change the gearing on my hybrid, if I go down any sort of decent hill I quickly run out
> of gears.
>
> --
>
> "The central problem with the concept of the 'Axis of Evil' is that it involves an assumption that
> the US is the 'fulcrum of virtue'." Bob Hawke, former Prime Minister of Australia
 
Jeff Westwood wrote:
> Sometime ago, we had one of these on the Coronation Drive bikeway in Brisbane. I think the idea
> was to inform cyclists when they were speeding and to suggest they slow down in future. However,
> it became a challenge for some cyclists to try and beat their personal best each day when passing
> it. I remember getting the timing just right one day to get my mountain bike with slicks to
> register a 46. I think the council realised that it was'nt achieving the desired result and
> removed it a couple of weeks later.
>
> Jeff Westwood
>
The ones in Sydney's Centennial Park deliberately don't register speeds more than 20km/h over the
30km/h limit*, I guess to discourage just this kind of activity.

&roo

* Disclaimer: this is actually printed on the unit, not determined by the experimental method.
Especially not coming down the hill from the cannons with the stop sign at the bottom.
 
"DRS" <[email protected]> wrote:

>It'd be nice to have the sort of bike that would do that sort of speed. I'm going to change the
>gearing on my hybrid, if I go down any sort of decent hill I quickly run out of gears.

Howdy DRS,

What cluster do you have on your Hybrid, I'm working on re gearing my MTB by changing the last
couple of gears to higher ratios,. I've got a megarange (love that granny gear) and the standard
top gear is 13 tooth. I've put on an 11 tooth which makes a huge difference and now working on
changing the next 2 down to higher ratios. You can pull a cluster appart by removing the rivets.
Mind you I'm doing all this to an HG70 type not a wizz bang 9 speed blah blah blah unit that costs
as much as my bike.

May all your cycling adventures be with a tailwind,

Neil.
 
forgetit (apologies) (tomuchspam) .com.au <@bsmail> wrote in message
[email protected]
> "DRS" <[email protected]> wrote:
>
>> It'd be nice to have the sort of bike that would do that sort of speed. I'm going to change the
>> gearing on my hybrid, if I go down any sort of decent hill I quickly run out of gears.
>
> Howdy DRS,
>
> What cluster do you have on your Hybrid,

I have absolutely no idea. I have a 27-speed MBC Shogun Metro.
http://www.bikes.com.au/2004_CataloguePage_3.html#item_MBC_Shogun_Hybrid_zn_27_Speed

Right now I don't know enough to know exactly what I'd want or how much it would cost, I just know
I'm tired of running out of top-end gears. I spend most of my riding life in gears 25/26 and I still
get passed by mountain bikes!

--

"The central problem with the concept of the 'Axis of Evil' is that it involves an assumption that
the US is the 'fulcrum of virtue'." Bob Hawke, former Prime Minister of Australia
 
"DRS" <[email protected]> wrote:
>
>Right now I don't know enough to know exactly what I'd want or how much it would cost, I just know
>I'm tired of running out of top-end gears. I spend most of my riding life in gears 25/26 and I
>still get passed by mountain bikes!

Hello DRS,

Forgive my lack of knowlege but does the Hybrid have three or two rings on the cranks. I would
imagine that with a 27 speed bike your highest gear would be fairly good say 11 to 30 tooth on the
wheel and say 22, 32, 42 or 44 on the cranks.

Is 25 say big ring and 7th on the wheel?

May all your cycling adventures be with a tailwind,

Neil.
 
forgetit (apologies) (tomuchspam) .com.au <@bsmail> wrote in message
[email protected]
> "DRS" <[email protected]> wrote:
>>
>> Right now I don't know enough to know exactly what I'd want or how much it would cost, I just
>> know I'm tired of running out of top-end gears. I spend most of my riding life in gears 25/26 and
>> I still get passed by mountain bikes!
>
> Forgive my lack of knowlege but does the Hybrid have three or two rings on the cranks. I would
> imagine that with a 27 speed bike your highest gear would be fairly good say 11 to 30 tooth on the
> wheel and say 22, 32, 42 or 44 on the cranks.
>
> Is 25 say big ring and 7th on the wheel?

I have absolutely no idea what you're talking about. 27 = 3 at the front * 9 at the rear.

--

"The central problem with the concept of the 'Axis of Evil' is that it involves an assumption that
the US is the 'fulcrum of virtue'." Bob Hawke, former Prime Minister of Australia
 
Hi Neil:

My hybrid has 28/38/48 up front (Nexave 400; from top of my head). In the back, used to be 11-34 (Nexave 400), but later replaced with a new 11-32 (Deore). With the wheel size (running 700X28), it can go pretty fast, but I run out of puff pretty quickly on the top gear. That's mostly due to the factors that set a hybrid apart from a roadie. In a particular flat street on my route, I have reached a max of low 50's, but as I said I cannot maintain a high cruise speed.

Now that I commute with a roadie, on the same road, I have reached high 60's , but cruise at mid-high 40's every day. This is on a bike with 52 (plus 39) up front and 13 at the back (11-23).


Originally posted by Apologies) (Tom
"DRS" <[email protected]> wrote:
>
>Right now I don't know enough to know exactly what I'd want or how much it would cost, I just know
>I'm tired of running out of top-end gears. I spend most of my riding life in gears 25/26 and I
>still get passed by mountain bikes!

Hello DRS,

Forgive my lack of knowlege but does the Hybrid have three or two rings on the cranks. I would
imagine that with a 27 speed bike your highest gear would be fairly good say 11 to 30 tooth on the
wheel and say 22, 32, 42 or 44 on the cranks.

Is 25 say big ring and 7th on the wheel?

May all your cycling adventures be with a tailwind,

Neil.
 
top end speed on a hybrid isnt really that viable. the riding position is too upright to get good leverage (or whatever the right term is...) onto the front of your legs (quads).
mtbs/roadbikes are more 'forward' and allow you to use your glutes (butt) and back more.
Gearing is only going to help you so much. the probable lack of clipless pedals also really limits you as you are only using half/60% of the pedal stroke

But then again they were meant for casual riding...
 
amirm <[email protected]> wrote in message news:<UBvYb.107151>
> Hi Neil:
>
> My hybrid has 28/38/48 up front (Nexave 400; from top of my head). In the back, used to be 11-34
> (Nexave 400), but later replaced with a new 11-32 (Deore). With the wheel size (running 700X28),
> it can go pretty fast, but I run out of puff pretty quickly on the top gear. That's mostly due to
> the factors that set a hybrid apart from a roadie. In a particular flat street on my route, I have
> reached a max of low 50's, but as I said I cannot maintain a high cruise speed.
>
> Now that I commute with a roadie, on the same road, I have reached high 60's , but cruise at mid-
> high 40's every day. This is on a bike with 52 (plus 39) up front and 13 at the back (11-23).
>

a little poetic license has been used here. No-one cruises in the mid-high 40's as the ITT average
speeds in UCI races are usually in the region of 47-52kmh. I dare say that cruising in the 40s is
helped by a tailwind or down hill. I know that my commute is helped in both directions by tailwinds:
land breeze in the morning, sea breeze in the evening.

I have to agree though, that using the roadie for commuting is much faster than the old hybrid. The
biggest advantage being lower wind resistance from a more prone riding position...

Ritch
 
"Ritch" <[email protected]> wrote in message
> a little poetic license has been used here. No-one cruises in the mid-high 40's as the ITT average
> speeds in UCI races are usually in the region of 47-52kmh. I dare say that cruising in the 40s is
> helped by a tailwind or down hill. I know that my commute is helped in both directions by
> tailwinds: land breeze in the morning, sea breeze in the evening.

Maybe the poster means high-40's "on that section" of road? If he's cruising around at high 40's on
normal streets and his speedo is calibrated correctly he should be contacting the AIS and asking
when the Olympic squads are being picked!

> I have to agree though, that using the roadie for commuting is much faster than the old hybrid.
> The biggest advantage being lower wind resistance from a more prone riding position...

The road bike is faster, no doubt, but a lot of people under- estimate their top speeds on hybrids
and mtb's. Most of the people that I have a little "race" against on my commute never get into a
really aero position, so with my weight, I can usually roll past them on downhills. This helps a lot
trying to race roadies on my singlespeed! The other thing is that most people don't spin fast enough
to make best use of their smaller gearing. I see folks all the time grinding away in big gears,
getting passed by spinners on bikes that should be much slower (due to rider position, etc).

I will just point out here that I have been comprehensively _flogged_ by juniors with restricted
gearing! I'm on the 52T big ring and they spin past on something that looks like an mtb middle ring
(32T)! In the words of the great man himself, Ali G, RESPECT!

hippy :)
 
Neil:

Sorry to disappoint you, but you seem to have got two things pretty confused. I said "on a particular road on my commute route". Having said that, you seem not to comprehend what it exactly meant. And, I quoted my "cruising speed on a partcular flat road" which is no way comparable to "average speed" during a race. Did I quote my average speed?

By the way, it's pretty narrow-minded to assume that I must ride slower than racers. Your logic is badly flawed my friend. No offence.

Amir.

Originally posted by Ritch
amirm <[email protected]> wrote in message news:<UBvYb.107151>
> Hi Neil:
>
> My hybrid has 28/38/48 up front (Nexave 400; from top of my head). In the back, used to be 11-34
> (Nexave 400), but later replaced with a new 11-32 (Deore). With the wheel size (running 700X28),
> it can go pretty fast, but I run out of puff pretty quickly on the top gear. That's mostly due to
> the factors that set a hybrid apart from a roadie. In a particular flat street on my route, I have
> reached a max of low 50's, but as I said I cannot maintain a high cruise speed.
>
> Now that I commute with a roadie, on the same road, I have reached high 60's , but cruise at mid-
> high 40's every day. This is on a bike with 52 (plus 39) up front and 13 at the back (11-23).
>

a little poetic license has been used here. No-one cruises in the mid-high 40's as the ITT average
speeds in UCI races are usually in the region of 47-52kmh. I dare say that cruising in the 40s is
helped by a tailwind or down hill. I know that my commute is helped in both directions by tailwinds:
land breeze in the morning, sea breeze in the evening.

I have to agree though, that using the roadie for commuting is much faster than the old hybrid. The
biggest advantage being lower wind resistance from a more prone riding position...

Ritch
 
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