Sydney to the Gong

That's right but my point is an as you experienced many people in this ride have no idea what that actually means, ergo the problem.

Ultimately it's not the kind of ride where you should be doing much if any passing at all.

--brett

 

When the MS Society used to run the "Race against the Clock", the option of using the road was there.

However, they stopped doing that because too many of the fast riders took too many risks in traffic/descents etc in an attempt to shave a few seconds off their time.

It would be great for the early riders to use the road to finish, but I can't see them doing it as it will require extra marshells etc.

I suspect if you knew where to go there is nothing stopping you doing it anyway.

James

 

This is the most important day of the year for me so I ride no matter what, but I knew I'd be pushing my luck to expect six Gong rides in a row with good weather...still I was suprised how long the rain held off for. Not until halfway along the bike track at Bellambi did it start pissing down.
But yeah much slower this year; never ridden so far for so long on 1st and 2nd chain rings with that vile wind. I'm sure I would have gone backwards if I'd stopped pedalling. And why bother with brakes descending into Stanwell Park when the wind can slow you down instead?
What suprised me the most was the amount of riders who'd entered this year...plenty of numbers in the 11,000's and saw one in the 12,000's. No doubt given the weather not all turned up but there were certainly more than the previous three years with the Sutherland finish. Always something interesting to see, whether it's the bikes or totally innapropriate clothing some riders wear. It's certainly a different ride to the Spring Cycle with less council clean up clunkers and even the ubiquitous green Huffy duallies few and far between. Plus the quality of the riders is somewhat better.
My only regret was not fitting slicks but having done the Spring Cycle on the same tyres I thought I'd get away with it...probably would have too if the wind wasn't so bad.
Only thing now is I have to wait a whole year before the next one .

 

On the argument of inappropriate rider behaviour, isn't the whole idea of sending faster/experienced riders out early was just to avoid the problems listed? This is similar to what eventuated at Spring Cycles, if you are keen and wants to keep up the pace, then you'll just have to get up earlier and get moving. The lazy birds will just get mixed up with the other slow birds.

It was really hard holding the line on those climbs after Otford. Thinking that the worst have finished and the legs were shot, holding the line during those last few climbs were tough... My wondering front wheel.

I was interested in the total number of riders yesterday too. But given that they were letting people sign up at the various LBS, I'd suspect there were quite a few redundant bib numbers out there. Still, knowing that there were 10,000+ riders taking part is a good result for MS.

BTW, check your tyres! Just did a first over clean of the filthy bike, guess what? There were at least 3-4 embedded items in the rear tyre. Glad that none of them caused a flat. I'll spend a bit of time this evening to prick them out and double check the inner surface.

 

I actually felt so invigorated after getting up and over the Otford part that I quite liked those last little climbs, but I must say what I found difficult was not only having to brake going down those smaller rises, but having to brake going up.

 

As one of the self confessed pykers yesterday.

What is the next such ride and when. ?

I know of the Loop-the-Lake in March and the ride in Bathurst in April, but is there anything sooner ?

Well done all those who started the 'gong ride and completed it

 

There doesn't appear to be, unless you want to go down to Melbourne for Amy's Ride in January.

Don't forget the Central Coast Century in May as well.

 

I think it's the summer recess time. Alternatively you can join your local racing/social bike club and join a ride every weekend. Check out BicycleNSW.org.au's Push-on ride calendar.

 

Alpine Classic in January.

 

The 200k option

 

Since you're up at Hornsby, try Bike North
We do lots of social rides ranging from dead easy right up to those far harder than the Gong Ride.

http://bikenorth.org.au/cycling/rides/calendar.php

Scotty

 

I think the Tour de Hills is on about the same time as the Loop the Lake. Better hills than the Gong Ride.

There is also the Body Art Ride. Not quite the same thing, but still involving bicycles.

 

Wet roads always produce significantly more punctures:
- The water lifts debris up from the small gaps/cracks in the road surface where it normally settles
- Debris sticks to wet tyres more than dry tyres, increasing the chance of it being bedded into the tyre on the next revolution or so
- The wet roads makes glass / filings etc much harder to spot and avoid in the first place.

Experienced riders know when/how to wipe their tyres quickly as they ride to remove any debris before it becomes embedded.

Wet road puncture changes are the pits since the rims get way more dirty than normal and the fingers get covered in grime....

I don't do the gong for the reasons others have mentioned (I donate to other club mates that do though) but saw plenty as I did a solo Waterfall run that day.

 

I too have produced a profile for the Gong Ride then, annotated it.

Kind of interesting and puts things into perspective.

Enjoy

http://members.iinet.net.au/~sratcliff/profile1a.htm

 

I 2nd that. CCC Tour [103 ks or a 50] is an excellent event. Only one killer of a hill. I have done the last 3.
First was a different route to the last 2. May 05 & 06 was from Kariong to the Hawkesbury via the old pacific Hw then back to Peats Ridge Central Mangrove etc back to Kariong. There are NO traffic lights, stop signs & very little traffic. The road shoulder is wide as well.
Not sure of rider numbers but only been a few hundred at most I'd guess. Low No. possibly due to very little advertising.
Out of my 3 x 100 ks my feet only touched the ground once due to losing a chain.
If others don't remind u lot of this event I will.

 

I don't think the organisers of these charity type events, cycling, fun runs etc like having them during the hotter months of Dec Jan Feb.
If events are geared toward [rank] amateurs, some of whom don't realise the importance of hydration, & won't listen because they now best, then heat stress in individuals may become a big problem.

 

I just got some information tody about a 'cyclosportif' version of the classic Grafton to Inverell race. This will be held in February and is open to all comers ready to face a 228km event. Start is 5.30am for the hoi-polloi with graded riders starting later. Full details will be posted later on cycling nsw website.

Which begs the next quection... how do you prepare for such a long ride ??

 

If you find out let me know. I died a horrible death going back over Tawonga Gap last year.

That grafton run sounds cool.

 

Actually they mention the B2B event as a forerunner to this event - although, come to think of it, that's in April