West Head / Akuna Bay -v- Four Gorges

[GrantMD]

Hi All

I've been clocking up 70kms on the ride out to West Head / Akuna Bay in recent times (I ended up climbing about 1300 metres on the last ride) and I have been now challenged to ride the Four Gorges on the weekend. Would love to hear feedback from other forum members about the Four Gorges ride and if I have bitten off more then I can chew in accepting this challenge

Thanks

[sogood]

It's all a question of pace.

[vander]

Im doing 5 gorges on the weekend. I would say that that is harder then 2 laps of West head/Akuna (out and back). However only time I have done 5 gorges was when it was 35+ so that adds to the difficulty.

[toolonglegs]

It's all a question of pace.

pretty much...Ride with in your limits and you will be fine... Meaning don't attack the early climbs too hard.
1300 meters of climbing doing west head / Akuna ? ... You must have been doing a lot of Akuna repeats.

[Nate]

considerable difference...
i'm 90kg - West head & Akuna are pretty straight forward, tough but easy enough
4 gorges was an extra 30km *i think* & tore me to pieces with the climbing (not the best climber)

i'd say if you can hold a 30km/h pace on west head & akuna, the gorges should be around a 25-27km/h pace - take 2x fuel too.

[GrantMD]

It's all a question of pace.

pretty much...Ride with in your limits and you will be fine... Meaning don't attack the early climbs too hard.
1300 meters of climbing doing west head / Akuna ? ... You must have been doing a lot of Akuna repeats.

According to Strava, not sure how accurate it is though

[GrantMD]

Update - been told its about 75-80km ride. I'm going to HTFU and give it a crack.

[sogood]

According to Strava, not sure how accurate it is though

Strava is bad unless you have a GPS logger that has an (atmospheric pressure based) altimeter.

[Addictr3]

I would say Gorges are longer hill climbs, but West Head out and back is a great ride. I usually climb either Akuna or McCars to get to the Gorges, but you will enjoy it none the less, take it easy at first as the above posters have mentioned.

[Apple]

If I can ride the Gorges then anyone can

[humanbeing]

If I can ride the Gorges then anyone can

Likewise
I don't think anything in the gorges is much harder than climbing out of Akuna to Mona Vale Rd anticlockwise.
When I did the 5 gorges before new year it was 175 km all up door to door, awesome day!
Have fun!
Peter

[leximack]

the gorges are a bit longer and harder than west head/akuna bay. But nothing really steep in either of them.

gorges
http://connect.garmin.com/activity/102958498

akuna bay/west head
http://connect.garmin.com/activity/64654158

but if you want some "MAN" hills head west
http://connect.garmin.com/activity/137410608

[Apple]

the gorges are a bit longer and harder than west head/akuna bay. But nothing really steep in either of them.

gorges
http://connect.garmin.com/activity/102958498

akuna bay/west head
http://connect.garmin.com/activity/64654158

but if you want some "MAN" hills head west
http://connect.garmin.com/activity/137410608

Well thank goodness I am a woman

[queequeg]

Hi All

I've been clocking up 70kms on the ride out to West Head / Akuna Bay in recent times (I ended up climbing about 1300 metres on the last ride) and I have been now challenged to ride the Four Gorges on the weekend. Would love to hear feedback from other forum members about the Four Gorges ride and if I have bitten off more then I can chew in accepting this challenge

Thanks

Just before New Year, I did Dural -> Galston Gorge (Eastbound), Bobbin Head (Eastbound), Akuna Bay (Clockwise), West Head, then came back through Turramurra/Hornsby and did Galston Gorge (Westbound) -> Dural. 136km (AT) 28.1km/h avg.
Went back 2 days later and did Dural -> Berowra Waters, Bobbin Head, Galston Gorge -> Dural. That was 76km (AT) 29.4km/h avg speed.

When I first did the 3 gorges (in either direction), it nearly killed me. I was terrible on the climbs, and timid on the descents. I now relish getting out there and flogging it and seeing what I can do. The climbs go very quickly these days, and I put this down to the fact that my daily commute from Dural to Nth Sydney is full of climbs.

Some tips. Bobbin Head is easiest in the Eastbound direction (climb up the Turramurra side). Berowra Waters is easiest Eastbound, climbing from the ferry to Berowra. Galston Gorge is also easiest going Eastbound, climbing to Hornsby. The hardest climb would be Berowra Waters Westbound.
Just pace yourself. Enjoy the descents, but watch your speed if you have not done them before. Berowra Waters descent can get very fast due to the hotmix road surface. On the climbs, don't go flat out at the bottom because you will burn out half way to the top. Find a nice steady cadence and stay with it, then the climbs will pass.
I saw a sign near the top of Berowra Waters on my last ride before New Year. It said "If you're going through hell, keep going! - Winston Churchill"

[fatherofmany]

I've done the loop from Berowra to Galston both ways and clockwise is easier, if you go anti then the hill from Berowra Waters to Galston just keeps on giving! And going down the hairpins into Galston Gorge negates the need for idiots in landcruisers trying to overtake you and squeeze you off the edge on the way up them (scary but true).

I've done Gosford to Berowra and return which is similar with 5 climbs and it's tough on a hot day. Just remember to keep up the fluids though, even if it's not hot you're going to breath heavier climbing and you lose heaps by evaporation in your breath. And eat a little when you hit the tops of the climbs to give your stomach time to cope with the food before the next climb.

Having had most of last year off cycling trying to recover an achilles injury this year I'm working on regaining climbing skills and longer rides. First longish one of the new year is this afternoon's commute home, train to Berowra and then from there to Gosford. 50km, 2 hours and 2 nice long climbs. Seeing as though I start at sea level I count the hills rather than gorges but I'm working up to an a 8 hill 8 gorge day (or 7 gorges depending on how you look at it), I haven't mapped it yet but I think it will be an imperial century too considering Gosford to Berowra & back is a metric. My cunning plan is Gosford - Bobbin Head (3 hils, 3 descents) then to Berowra via Galston (another 3 climbs, 2 descents) then back home to Gosford (2 more hills and 3 more descents). Rather than hijack I'll start up another thread further on into training for comment on that ride.

FoM

[silkishuge]

All beautiful places to ride. Enjoy it. Bring energy food and 2 bottles of water. Its not hard if you ride at a comfortable pace. Agree with earlier post, depends how fast you ride. If you attack your first climb and push really hard, you might not enjoy the rest of the ride as much.

Jon

[GrantMD]

Thanks all, officially locked in for Sunday. Will let you know how I go next week

[Apple]

Thanks all, officially locked in for Sunday. Will let you know how I go next week

I will be there on sunday as well, maybe we will catch the car ferry together.

[Ozkaban]

Strava is bad unless you have a GPS logger that has an (atmospheric pressure based) altimeter.

+1

I did Berowra to Brooklyn and back with a friend. My Garmin 500 (barimetric) logged 374m climbing, his iPhone (GPS only) was up over 800m. No idea why such a difference, but the Garmin was within a few metres when we got back (ie, ascents = descents). Didn't check that on the iphone though.

Cheers,
Dave

[GrantMD]

Thanks all, officially locked in for Sunday. Will let you know how I go next week

I will be there on sunday as well, maybe we will catch the car ferry together.

I will be the guy sucking on the GU gels, gallons of Endura, and copious Power Bars, while attempting not to move in case of further cramps

[Addictr3]

This is Manly to Akuna to Gorges

[Apple]

I will be the guy sucking on the GU gels, gallons of Endura, and copious Power Bars, while attempting not to move in case of further cramps

where are you going, Queensland.
I drink water, one powerbar and maybe stop for an apple juice, that would be for 80km

[silkishuge]

I drink water, one powerbar and maybe stop for an apple juice, that would be for 80km

I like Snakes. What I do is put about two or three in my mouth and suck on it slowly. Not uncommon to drop bits along the way when you open you mouth to breath a little too hard

Jon

[silkishuge]

Strava is bad unless you have a GPS logger that has an (atmospheric pressure based) altimeter.

+1

I did Berowra to Brooklyn and back with a friend. My Garmin 500 (barimetric) logged 374m climbing, his iPhone (GPS only) ......

Cheers,
Dave

That sounds about right. Brooklyn to the water garden is about 200m ascent, NOT 800m. I hae done 800m climbs and that is nothing even close. I recall thinking to myself when is this pain going to end after I reached 1,000m ascent and really looking forward to the top. You will look around every turn hoping for the end.

Jon

[GrantMD]

So I did it. The heavy rains this morning get the crowds away and it made for a good ride once the rain stopped. It was actually beautiful scenery all the way

75 kms completed and feeling stronger every time I ride. Still only mid 20s for average kms per hour but this will come I imagine in due course