Brisbane to the Gold Coast Cycle Challenge - 7th Oct 2012

Hi all.

After a particularly sketchy ride schedule over winter, I am hoping to get my lazy bones back out and on the bike.!

To that end, I hear along the grapevine that a few people are intending doing the Brisbane to the Gold Coast Cycle Challenge on the 7th of Oct (http://b2gc.bq.org.au/).??

If this is so, have you entered individually or are you intending registering as a team??

I'm keen to hear what the normal arrangements are (if any) as I've not done this ride before.

Cheers again. See you on the road.!

G

My understanding is there's no group entry, but far be it from me to put words in Michael or RobH's mouths, so best you email them directly. (You are unlikely to get an answer from them on the forum).

Apparently, we're just meeting on the morning, and start out together.

Even though the ride is essentially flat, I'd suggest you'd be better riding a geared bike, not your fixie. Clayton rode his last year and lost touch with the front of the group, when I think he'd have kept touch if riding geared. The pace will be on from the beginning. I've got a goal to get my weight down 7kg by the ride, and do it under 2h45m.

In order to get the quickest (and safest) ride, those in the know advise starting in the top 100 odd riders. That gets you in the large first pack, with more experienced riders and a continuous police escort which takes right of way through most traffic lights.

This earlier start, is an easier ride than being back 5-20 minutes in smaller groups, where we were last year.

It is always an option to ride back too.

Excellent Bruce. Thanks for this info.
I'm in.!

sounds good.. Does it head down the freeway or do you ride on back roads?
I was considering riding back aswell. What do you think the run back would be like?

Grant, it goes down the Busway for the first 20 odd km, then freeway side roads.
Would be unreal if it went on the motorway, but Buckley's of that ever happening.
There's a bit of a deviation around Eagleby through some farms, then it cuts away from the freeway around Sanctuary Cove or Hope Island, and meanders through there and down to Southport.

Heaps of guys ride back pretty much the same way, so there's always packs to jump on; though most start the trip back within an hour or so of arriving at Southport.vIf you get too tired on the way back, the train stations are never far away.

Yea sounds good. So any you guys going to head back? or staying the night?.. Casino?.. Strippers?.. ha

GD wrote:Yea sounds good. So any you guys going to head back? or staying the night?.. Casino?.. Strippers?.. ha

I am intending to ride back, though won't beat myself up. If I am not enjoying it, I'll pull into one of the train stations.

Also, I haven't registered yet, and will leave it for as long as possible to get clearer idea of the weather forecast.
I won't do any mass ride on a soaked route.

Yea I haven't entered yet either I'm not a fan of riding in the rain myself.
But I'd say Ill prob ride back if I don't stay down there the night, but i doubt I will..

C'mon...! Get amongst it.

I'm in regardless.....

I'm in and registered.

It would be good to get a slightly earlier start than the last few years.

Don't think I can manage 2:45 though!

Cheers,

HEY, in defence of the fixie, the fixie and I completed the course in 2:55

don't dis the fixie

Clayton

Claytoni wrote:HEY, in defence of the fixie, the fixie and I completed the course in 2:55

don't dis the fixie

Clayton

You only went under 3hrs because you were wearing lycra kit and cleats.
If you ride a fixie you should wear woollen kit, and use leather strapped clips; and only drink water and wine, and eat bread and cheese.
Otherwise you're pseudo retro.

BTW, I'm passing on B2GC. The long range rainfall forecast just went up to 50-75% chance of rain, and mass rides and rain are stupid ugly. I have emailed several of the event organizers to inform them it'd be smart to bring the event forward 4 weeks, when the chance of rain is around 150% lower. Two years ago, the ride was postponed due to heavy rain, and people who had flown or driven down to Brisbane to start from all over Qld were just expected to fly down again on the weekend the ride was rescheduled.

Ahh bruce why did you not this post a few days ago? Im booked in and keen to get amongst it. Hopefully as always though the weather man is wrong and its a cracker of a day.

Having read THE RULES and focusing on #5 & #9 I'm in. Now what should I wear....?

GD wrote:Ahh bruce why did you not this post a few days ago? Im booked in and keen to get amongst it.

because the forecast was 0-25% rain until last night, which I could live with. It went to 50-75% overnight.
here's the link if you want to keep an eye on it.
http://www.weatherzone.com.au/long-range-forecast/28-day-rain/qld/brisbane

One of the reasons I've been doing more and bigger rides during Aug-Sep is it is the time of year with the lowest rainfall.
The last couple of years have been exceptionally wet, and it makes sense to do the nice rides in the windows of opportunity permitted by the weather.
Scarborough is arguably doable in drizzle, but not so the longer lumpy rides outside metro Brisbane.

MartinW wrote:Having read THE RULES and focusing on #5 & #9 I'm in. Now what should I wear....?

body armor under Paul's skin suit!!! especially for your shoulder girdle.

rules 5 and 9 don't apply to metrosexuals participating in namby pamby mass rides.

and rule 5 means leaving cosy urbania to do 25+km climbs with the threat around every corner of being thwacked by a big testicled magpie or hawk (I kid you not), after getting out of bed at 4am to drive for an hour to the start, and not being able to operate the brakes for the first 20 minutes due to frozen fingers. it means doing 70+kph down the Goat Track on the southside of Tamborine Mtn, then having to climb up it, knowing the traffic light controlling the one lane 12% 800 metre section will green light traffic down on you if you don't get up it in sub 3 mins. and after all that, not wanting to be anywhere else but there.

HaHa weatherzone , Ive been using that app and website for a few years and one thing ive learnt is that anything over about 3 days is extremely vague at best. Could say 100% chance of rain I wouldnt Be to worried.

GD wrote:HaHa weatherzone , Ive been using that app and website for a few years and one thing ive learnt is that anything over about 3 days is extremely vague at best. Could say 100% chance of rain I wouldnt Be to worried.

I've been using it longer, and it seems more reliable for SE Qld than you suggest for Newcastle!!!
I'm also considering Oct av mthly rainfall and the BOM Spring forecast.
Time will tell.

I hope you enjoy the ride anyways. You'll have a blast if it is dry.
Otherwise it sucks to get to Southport drenched, then have to either ride back or make your way to an overcrowded train.

MartinW wrote:Having read THE RULES and focusing on #5 & #9 I'm in. Now what should I wear....?

What about #51 then?

BruceG wrote:

MartinW wrote:Having read THE RULES and focusing on #5 & #9 I'm in. Now what should I wear....?

body armor under Paul's skin suit!!!

Rule #52 specifically states 'no body armour or padding is allowed'.

I think, like me, you should all follow rule #47 to the letter. The world would be such a better place!

Compacts aren't triples.

And the longer the climb, the better the recovery beer, even VB, but a Little Creatures has been my tops....and the more interesting the banter (men's shed shIt).

Though don't take my word for it metro-rider....spread your wings...the mountains are calling.

BruceG wrote:Compacts aren't triples.

And the longer the climb, the better the recovery beer, even VB

Hey Bruce, lets get one thing straight here, VB, is NOT in the category of beer!!
To drink that sh*t, you're name must be 'Wayne, you would probably drive a beaten up Commodore, be a scaffolder, smoke Winfield Blue and watch either MMA or V8 supercars'....
(Edit to say sorry to anyone who falls into those categories)

Gee 180, I kind of didn't mind VB when I did drink beer from time to time. Thought it better than xxxx anyway.
Maybe my working class roots showing.

anyway, time for a walk, and my regular calisthenics routine :
hams, hip flexor, spine, shoulder circulation and stretch ex.
35 pushups
15 hz pull ups, or 6 vert pull ups.
90" plank

Onehundredandeighty wrote:
What about #51 then?

Ignoring that one, I have tried to compensate with the BikePure and occasionally the HTFU which helps #5

MartinW wrote:

Onehundredandeighty wrote:
What about #51 then?

Ignoring that one, I have tried to compensate with the BikePure and occasionally the HTFU which helps #5

LOL.. Sorry Martin, couldn't help myself, I'm in an anti 'LiveWrong' mode at the moment, considering the current climate in the professional cycling world. But, perhaps we should leave that for another thread.