Melbourne Around the Bay in a Day 19th October 2003

I’m from Sydney and I’m attempting this 210 km ride for the first time.
Has anyone got any suggestions on good training, how to cope with the
distance or even your personal experiences of the ride.

I understand with the big bunches and relatively flat terrain that you
can average high speeds.

I’m a moderate road bike rider – cycle to work each day (45 km round
trip) on Sydney’s north side so use to some hills.



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enock wrote:
I?m from Sydney and I?m attempting this 210 km ride for the first time.
Has anyone got any suggestions on good training, how to cope with the
distance or even your personal experiences of the ride.

I understand with the big bunches and relatively flat terrain that you
can average high speeds.

I?m a moderate road bike rider ? cycle to work each day (45 km round
trip) on Sydney?s north side so use to some hills.


There's not really that much to it. It's pretty flat (although I spose
that's a bit subjective) so as long as you can handle the distance
you should be ok.

Just make sure you have food and water. There are places to stop
and restock along the way.

I think the main thing is not to get sucked in by the fools who go
hell for leather right from the start and then run out of energy
well before the end

Also, it might pay to have a waterproof jacket because the weather
can be very changeable here in Melbourne.

Cheers.
-Nick

enock wrote:
I?m from Sydney and I?m attempting this 210 km ride for the first time.
Has anyone got any suggestions on good training, how to cope with the
distance or even your personal experiences of the ride.

I understand with the big bunches and relatively flat terrain that you
can average high speeds.

I?m a moderate road bike rider ? cycle to work each day (45 km round
trip) on Sydney?s north side so use to some hills.


There's not really that much to it. It's pretty flat (although I spose
that's a bit subjective) so as long as you can handle the distance
you should be ok.

Just make sure you have food and water. There are places to stop
and restock along the way.

I think the main thing is not to get sucked in by the fools who go
hell for leather right from the start and then run out of energy
well before the end

Also, it might pay to have a waterproof jacket because the weather
can be very changeable here in Melbourne.

Cheers.
-Nick

"enock" wrote in message
...
I'm from Sydney and I'm attempting this 210 km ride for the first time.
Has anyone got any suggestions on good training, how to cope with the
distance or even your personal experiences of the ride.

I understand with the big bunches and relatively flat terrain that you
can average high speeds.

I'm a moderate road bike rider - cycle to work each day (45 km round
trip) on Sydney's north side so use to some hills.

I was riding to work each day doing similar distance to you
and than I was riding up to 160k's on the weekends. I only
did this distance a few times before getting busy with other
things on weekends so I'm not sure if it helped or not.

I started the ride VERY slow.. actually, if it wasn't for my
mate who insisted on taking it easy, I think I would have
been one of the fools racing off at the start only to fatigue
before the end.
So, at the start we were passed by HEAPS of people.
Most big bunches in ATB ride slower than the normal
bunch rides I do. We got into a few bunches and did quite
bit up the front (probably because I didn't like bunches
much back then - I was a solo rider and bunches scared
me).
Spoke to quite a few people, saw some interesting
contraptions such as 4-man bikes and recumbents.
Before Sorrento we'd met a woman who was very easy
to talk to. She was into "vaginal microbiside research". I
don't think I will ever forget that! We rode with her until
the end.
I know there was a hill after Frankston but that was the
only one I remember, the rest was flat. We had lunch
while waiting for the ferry at Sorrento. Ferry trip was nice,
sitting on the top deck, soaking in the sun's rays and using
the engine vibrations for cheap thrills.. err.. massage therapy
I mean! ;-)
On the other side we took off again. Passed a guy with a
track pump in his backpack!
My butt and my lower back were killing me at this point
so I was constantly moving around on the bike trying to
get in a comfortable position. This was also causing me
to want to speed up. I wanted to hammer. I held back
for a while and I'd sprint off up the road and then turn
around and met my mates.
With a manageable distance to go (maybe 25k) I was
passed by a fast dude. I said "tata" to my mates and the
chase was on!
If I remember right, he ran a red light or something so
that made me really want to get him!
I worked pretty hard in the last stages of the ride trying
to nail this guy and I got him.. even with my slowing
down for the view over the Westgate bridge.. :-)
I beat my goal time (whatever that was maybe 8 hours?)
and had a bit of a race too. Plus I talked to heaps of
people and picked one up for the distance :-)
Got our photo taken and ate fish and chips after it.
I said I probably wouldn't do it again. I mean, I could
do it alone, without paying ~$65. But this year my
LBS guy has a team doing it so I've entered again.
This might be a bit quicker than last then though
because the team is full of race-types.
What sort of bike/kit will you be using? I can keep
and eye out for ya! :-)

hippy
anything else you wanna know? Dial 1900 SHT TLK ;-)

"enock" wrote in message
...
I'm from Sydney and I'm attempting this 210 km ride for the first time.
Has anyone got any suggestions on good training, how to cope with the
distance or even your personal experiences of the ride.

I understand with the big bunches and relatively flat terrain that you
can average high speeds.

I'm a moderate road bike rider - cycle to work each day (45 km round
trip) on Sydney's north side so use to some hills.

I was riding to work each day doing similar distance to you
and than I was riding up to 160k's on the weekends. I only
did this distance a few times before getting busy with other
things on weekends so I'm not sure if it helped or not.

I started the ride VERY slow.. actually, if it wasn't for my
mate who insisted on taking it easy, I think I would have
been one of the fools racing off at the start only to fatigue
before the end.
So, at the start we were passed by HEAPS of people.
Most big bunches in ATB ride slower than the normal
bunch rides I do. We got into a few bunches and did quite
bit up the front (probably because I didn't like bunches
much back then - I was a solo rider and bunches scared
me).
Spoke to quite a few people, saw some interesting
contraptions such as 4-man bikes and recumbents.
Before Sorrento we'd met a woman who was very easy
to talk to. She was into "vaginal microbiside research". I
don't think I will ever forget that! We rode with her until
the end.
I know there was a hill after Frankston but that was the
only one I remember, the rest was flat. We had lunch
while waiting for the ferry at Sorrento. Ferry trip was nice,
sitting on the top deck, soaking in the sun's rays and using
the engine vibrations for cheap thrills.. err.. massage therapy
I mean! ;-)
On the other side we took off again. Passed a guy with a
track pump in his backpack!
My butt and my lower back were killing me at this point
so I was constantly moving around on the bike trying to
get in a comfortable position. This was also causing me
to want to speed up. I wanted to hammer. I held back
for a while and I'd sprint off up the road and then turn
around and met my mates.
With a manageable distance to go (maybe 25k) I was
passed by a fast dude. I said "tata" to my mates and the
chase was on!
If I remember right, he ran a red light or something so
that made me really want to get him!
I worked pretty hard in the last stages of the ride trying
to nail this guy and I got him.. even with my slowing
down for the view over the Westgate bridge.. :-)
I beat my goal time (whatever that was maybe 8 hours?)
and had a bit of a race too. Plus I talked to heaps of
people and picked one up for the distance :-)
Got our photo taken and ate fish and chips after it.
I said I probably wouldn't do it again. I mean, I could
do it alone, without paying ~$65. But this year my
LBS guy has a team doing it so I've entered again.
This might be a bit quicker than last then though
because the team is full of race-types.
What sort of bike/kit will you be using? I can keep
and eye out for ya! :-)

hippy
anything else you wanna know? Dial 1900 SHT TLK ;-)

enock wrote in message
...
I'm from Sydney and I'm attempting this 210 km ride for the first time.
Has anyone got any suggestions on good training, how to cope with the
distance or even your personal experiences of the ride.

If there is wind anything like the wind today, half the trip will be
awesome, the other half will absolutely suck!!!

I am going to wait and see what the forecast is before I decide whether to
do it or no. I don't have a touring bike, and the shogun doesn't really have
suitable tyres. If I can get a more comfy seat for the dragster, higher
gears, and there is no wind, I might just take that!!!
---
DFM

enock wrote in message
...
I'm from Sydney and I'm attempting this 210 km ride for the first time.
Has anyone got any suggestions on good training, how to cope with the
distance or even your personal experiences of the ride.

If there is wind anything like the wind today, half the trip will be
awesome, the other half will absolutely suck!!!

I am going to wait and see what the forecast is before I decide whether to
do it or no. I don't have a touring bike, and the shogun doesn't really have
suitable tyres. If I can get a more comfy seat for the dragster, higher
gears, and there is no wind, I might just take that!!!
---
DFM

Deep Freud Moors wrote:
If there is wind anything like the wind today, half the trip will be
awesome, the other half will absolutely suck!!!

I am going to wait and see what the forecast is before I decide whether to
do it or no. I don't have a touring bike, and the shogun doesn't really have
suitable tyres. If I can get a more comfy seat for the dragster, higher
gears, and there is no wind, I might just take that!!!
---
DFM



Actually on a hypothetical circular course (which I'm sure ATB is not),
the wind helps you a lot less than 50% of the time. As any yachtsman can
tell you, as your bike moves faster, the apparent wind draws ahead, i.e.
towards the front of the bike.

Wind needs to be in the 100 or so degree arc behind you in order to be
of assistance.

So the ride would suck for about 65-75% of the time, not just half! :-)

&roo

Deep Freud Moors wrote:
If there is wind anything like the wind today, half the trip will be
awesome, the other half will absolutely suck!!!

I am going to wait and see what the forecast is before I decide whether to
do it or no. I don't have a touring bike, and the shogun doesn't really have
suitable tyres. If I can get a more comfy seat for the dragster, higher
gears, and there is no wind, I might just take that!!!
---
DFM



Actually on a hypothetical circular course (which I'm sure ATB is not),
the wind helps you a lot less than 50% of the time. As any yachtsman can
tell you, as your bike moves faster, the apparent wind draws ahead, i.e.
towards the front of the bike.

Wind needs to be in the 100 or so degree arc behind you in order to be
of assistance.

So the ride would suck for about 65-75% of the time, not just half! :-)

&roo

"enock" wrote in message
...
I’m attempting this 210 km ride for the first time.
Has anyone got any suggestions on good training, how to cope with the
distance or even your personal experiences of the ride.

Have done a few of these so some observations.

Get comfortable doing around 150km (say Peats Ridge and back on the north or
Sublime Point and back on the south).

Unless you have experience in bunch riding don't try to learn on this ride -
you will probably link up with someone around your pace as it unfolds.

Try to avoid getting cold - take 2 bottles and whatever you like to eat in
your jersey so you can avoid stopping a lot or for too long.

You will probably need a jacket or wind vest on the ferry - its
surprisingingly cold when you stop peddling - and take all available cycling
clothing with you to Melb esp arm warmers and longs and make your best guess
of what to wear on the morning.

The western side (Werribee, Altona, Geelong) is a bit dull, smells and is
(usually but not always) the best side to do first in terms of adverse
winds - I'm not convinced of that but it is the conventional wisdom.

Leaving early and making an early ferry makes for a much shorter day (may
need lights for the first half hour)

Be prepared for a hunger bonk in the last 50k - replenish food stocks for
the jersey when you can.

When you finish do some stretches while waiting for mates to finish - gentle
stretches and holds for 30 seconds for your quads, hammies, glutes, hip
flexors, adductors and calf muscles will get the recovery happening that
much sooner - the massages they offer are nice but its the stretchs that
really do you some good - don't care what brand , yoga, pilates or whatever,
stretch back into shape the muscles you just tightened up a tad.

Then go looking for a good late lunch - you have earned it and the
endorphins will keep you high for a week, which is just as well because you
won't feel like riding for a couple of days !

Its a great day (way better than the 'gong) and a good place to get a taste
for endurance riding.

best, Andrew (remove the .x1 to reply)