The Gong Ride

[hartleymartin]

I saw what I thought was a campy cycling cap on the road - didn't stop to pick it up though as it was on a long, fast downhill section.

[Alycat]

My first post here, have only been riding about 8 weeks (aged 61) and did my first Gong ride yesterday. Got dropped off, got the bike together and rolled around to the start about 6:20 and was told to just start. There was a bit of congestion early on, started to thin out around Caption Cook bridge, ran in to some more congestion at the 50k start, but not too bad. The descent in the National Park was ok, don't have the confidence to descend fast like 40 years ago, topped out at 59kph. Hills on the other side were not too bad, missed my lunch stop (would have been a lot earlier than I planned), mad descent down to the coast rode, beautiful ride across that new bridge, few hills, at Clifton and along but ok, got in with another group and we were stitting on 35 to 40 to the finish, made it in 3:05 with no stops, so fairly pleased, with both myself and my new bike.

Saw heaps of guys changing flats -- didn't see anyone running their hands over their tyres after running over glass tho'!

Beautiful day with great scenery out to the ocean.

[fats]

Nice work Ghettro, interesting to check out your ride. Shows how much you climb from Captain Cook bridge all the way to Waterfall, nice and safe down Waterfall at 46k's good on you (not like all the idiots last year that scared me off this year!) a bit quicker down Stanwell at 50k and then topped out flying down Coalcliff dipper at 64ks yahoo! I love that bit. A great application I may just have to purchase. Thanks for posting link.

[eon]

Anyone know the official fastest time on the ride ..
I heard that it was 2h:25min --> is that correct ?

[KillerHeadWind]

What a beautiful ride apart from freezing my bells off in the national park and the
wickedly cold seabreeze towards Wollongong. Knowing that I had a mammoth ride
in front of me 200km + I took my time and finished in 2 hrs 42 mins, spinning up the hills
and coasting down the hills.

On a bad note,what did surprise me however were the number of riders who blatantly broke road rules
even though there were numerous police about. In one instance I was pacesetting for
about a dozen riders and yelled stop at the red light only to hear them whizz by yelling rolling even
though it was in front of turning traffic

[philip]

Anyone know the official fastest time on the ride ..
I heard that it was 2h:25min --> is that correct ?

I doubt it, I reckon it's gotta be faster than that. Both you and I did it in 2:30, I reckon could've easily shaved off 5 minutes if I was with a group and wasn't planning on riding back. The only time I was with a group was for the last couple of kms - I think it was with a couple of guys you were with? You guys kept catching me after I rode away on the hills, then when there were no hills left I figured I'd just stay with you

[eon]

Anyone know the official fastest time on the ride ..
I heard that it was 2h:25min --> is that correct ?

I doubt it, I reckon it's gotta be faster than that. Both you and I did it in 2:30, I reckon could've easily shaved off 5 minutes if I was with a group and wasn't planning on riding back. The only time I was with a group was for the last couple of kms - I think it was with a couple of guys you were with? You guys kept catching me after I rode away on the hills, then when there were no hills left I figured I'd just stay with you

Thats what i was thinking.. I'm sure its gotta be faster than 2:25.
Our avg was a tad over 33km/h.. but am sure there would be other riders out there that would have been on the 35+.

Spoke to Ryan "LooseNut" and he thought it was in the 2:25ish mark too --> last year.... ???

am really curious now.

[sogood]

Anyone know the official fastest time on the ride ..
I heard that it was 2h:25min --> is that correct ?

I doubt it, I reckon it's gotta be faster than that. Both you and I did it in 2:30...

You should ask JamesC and I'm sure he knows the answer. He shared equal first 2-3 years back.

[mikesbytes]

Anyone know the official fastest time on the ride ..
I heard that it was 2h:25min --> is that correct ?

Looking at the feedback, in particular about the wind, I'm guessing that someone like Stretch probably rode in at around 2:15. Anyone know what stretch did?

[familyguy]

My 2 cents...

Started at 7:15, amongst bulk crowds. Finally able to get a rhythm going about Brighton, hooking up with a guy named Graham/Graeme (on an Oppy A4, the talking point that started our little partnership) and rolling to Loftus for a muffin stop. Average to Loftus was about 20km/h, pretty slow considering, but the crowds were just too thick to go at any sort of pace. That didnt stop the odd moron from darting out into the traffic lane (in a 100km/h zone) to overtake large chunks of people. Reasonably good behaviour, but with 10,000 people you gotta count on at least 200 morons. Deftinitely not a time to go for a land speed record, some people gotta lighten up.

Parted ways at RNP lunch stop, I kept going, storming up the hill like I've never climbed before (if I do say so myself). Got held at Stanwell for a rider down (anyone heard anything??). Watched a guy slide out on the descent, but he was ok. There was a guy and a woman down on the narrow bike path section further on, but that was about it for stacks that I went past.

Havent plugged in the Garmin yet, but rode to the finish and back to my mates place (8km north of town). Hardest bit was those 8km into wind!

Moron of the day:
the idiot riding on the wrong side of the double whites on Seacliff Bridge, refusing to come back to the left even when the cars were driving towards him
the idiot riding around the patient L-plater who was waiting for a break to pass a group of riders (he copped a mouthful from a few of us)
the woman driving north on Seacliff holding a video camera whilst driving, with three kids clambering around the back of the family wagon

94km, 4:14:00 (give or take a touch)

EDIT: If aynone sees footage of riders on the Seacliff Bridge on the wrong side of the road, it came from the woman holding the camera!

Jim

[bigfriendlyvegan]

I met Dave (Bigfriendlyvegan) several times along the way.

I have to admit that Marty did pass me. I want to qualify that by saying he passed me because I was fixing other people's bikes (I was mobile support). It did give me the opportunity to pass him several times, which is always fun.

I personally changed 6 or 7 tubes, assisted in the changing of around a dozen other tubes, repaired 3 chains (1 eleven speed campy and 2 ten speed shimanos), booted two tyres and assisted with a very MacGyver like tyre repair consisting of a foam coffee cup, an old beer can and some duct tape. Al this plus a variety of other miscellaneous repairs.

Most thankful repairee was a chappy from OS who is over hear as a visiting academic. He has been riding a X-mart MTB and decided to get a road bike 2 days before the event. He still had the plastic on the handlebars! He was very, very, very happy to have his tube changed since he didn't know how to do it - or how to get his back wheel off.

My favourite repair was 5 k from the start. A woman was sitting near a marshal with her bike upside down. We stopped - her rear v-brakes were rubbing. Loosen the brake cable a bit, tweak one of the brake arms - time to repair 30sec. She didn't seem happy about it and kept saying it was unrepairable. Finally she got on her bike and we followed her for about 200 m before she pulled over again. "Are they still rubbing?" I queried. "No, I'm going home. I'm hungover." and that was that.

Ride time was under 4 hours. Total time taken was about 7 hours.

David

[familyguy]

I saw Martin roll into Loftus tall and proud just as I left, head and shoulders above everyone else. And probably far more comfortable! There were people complaining of sore necks and cramping up at Loftus, so I can only wonder how they felt by the time they reached Wollongong.

David, were you riding a white steel frame bike with red deep-V's and a mudguard by any chance? I saw a mobile support rider on one, but he'd stopped to help out so I couldnt say g'day. I see this same guy riding anywhere between Roseville Bridge and Frenches Forest every morning and afternoon, rain, hail or shine. He's not that big though, so I hadnt marked him as big enough for 'BigFriendlyVegan'.

"No, I'm going home. I'm hungover." and that was that.

Do not pass go. But do collect $200 from family and friends for doing bugger all.

I saw this kid and his dad a couple of times, and he was still going well at the finish line. Not bad for 10 years old.



Jim

[not4resale]

Got held at Stanwell for a rider down (anyone heard anything??). Watched a guy slide out on the descent, but he was ok. There was a guy and a woman down on the narrow bike path section further on, but that was about it for stacks that I went past.

I got held up there too!

Was there a clown and his wife there with a cardboard video camera prop?

That descent was awesome but I didn't push it through the RNP due to almost ramming into this kid in a red singlet who kept doing show off swerves.

I went for the overtake, held an arm out to indicate, I yelled passing and just after I crank the pedals and begin to overtake he swerves out and does like a slalom manouvere for no reason other than to be a showy kid.

If he was a little older I may have given him a bit more than a scolding about his behaviour. This happened on a fairly steep descent and it caused me to have to swerve out onto the wrong side of the road.

Other than the run in with the brat was a fun day, me and my mate sat around at the rest stops for ages and got an awesome feed afterwards

[bigfriendlyvegan]

David, were you riding a white steel frame bike with red deep-V's and a mudguard by any chance? I saw a mobile support rider on one, but he'd stopped to help out so I couldnt say g'day. I see this same guy riding anywhere between Roseville Bridge and Frenches Forest every morning and afternoon, rain, hail or shine. He's not that big though, so I hadnt marked him as big enough for 'BigFriendlyVegan'.

Not me. I was on the 1986 metallic grey Nishki road bike. I had two panniers, a rack top bag and a floor pump (and a pretty red jersey saying "Mobile Support"). With that floor pump, I was Mr. Popularity.

The jersey they gave me was a size smaller than I indicated and so the remaining "big" bits of the BFV were quite obvious. Seriously, you feel good about getting under a 100kg for the first time in 20 years and then some joker puts some too small lycra on you and all of a sudden you're the Michelin man.

David

[Lacossie]

Bike nuts
don't mean to brag but, my wife and I just completed the Gong Ride in 2hrs 45mins. I was riding a $500 Learsport mtb with 190 fat nobby tyres and she was riding a $500 Hybrid. Freaked many of a road warrior out with many hating us tucking in behind. Pulled many of the groups back on the hills in the national park and found some fast moving groups who thought we were a novelty instead of a pest on the rolling hills down to wollongong. Lance was right when he said it is not about the bike.

[sogood]

Bike nuts
don't mean to brag but, my wife and I just completed the Gong Ride in 2hrs 45mins. I was riding a $500 Learsport mtb with 190 fat nobby tyres and she was riding a $500 Hybrid. Freaked many of a road warrior out with many hating us tucking in behind. Pulled many of the groups back on the hills in the national park and found some fast moving groups who thought we were a novelty instead of a pest on the rolling hills down to wollongong. Lance was right when he said it is not about the bike.

Fantastic!

Now just think, you might break the course record if you moved to a road bike.

[Munster]

Hi Guys,

This was my first big ride. I am only new to cycling, having purchased my road bike 3 weeks ago. A friend and I completed it in 3hr34min and was terrified beforehand that i wouldn't make it being my 4th ride. I extremely enjoyed the day having chatted to many people on the way down and will be back next year for sure.I am now hooked to cycling for life.

Les

[Tale]

Looking forward to the official photos.

[philip]

Looking forward to the official photos.

They're up!



Here's me winning the Gong Race:

[ni78ck]

Looking forward to the official photos.

They're up!



Here's me winning the Gong Race:

you seem to be doing it easy

[hartleymartin]

I know that one was taken of me crossing the finish line, but I didn't think to wear my number on my front (I wet my shirt to keep cool anyway)



I didn't weigh everything, but before I added the bottles and the saddle pack the bicycle weighs 17kg. (It's a Pack-Horse, not a Thoroughbred). The constable at the starting line told me that he had not seen a bicycle all day with 4 bottles on it. I was not sure on what it would be like refilling at the rest stops, but I did discover that I didn't manage to drink more than 2 bottles between watering points, and there were no queues either (I didn't want to queue up for water).


Crossing the Finish Line!

[Tale]

I've just seen whales!



I go so fast, I can overtake joggers!



Secretly cramping up at the finish.

[familyguy]

Didn't get one on Seacliff cause I was with about 6500 other people after we'd been held at Stanwell for ten minutes.

Did you guys get your photo this way?
Your entry fee includes a free colour photograph that can be downloaded in high resolution after the event from http://www.supersportimages.com.au. Images will be identified by bib number. Therefore please ensure your bib number is clearly visible by placing it on your chest.
The process to redeem photos will involve being sent an email when the images have been identified to the address provided by you when you entered the event. The email will include your own login details (username/password). With these details you will be able to log into your Supersport Images account and access your personal photos. Photographers will be placed along the course from start to finish including the Start Site, the Seacliff Bridge and Finish Line.

[Tale]

Didn't get one on Seacliff cause I was with about 6500 other people after we'd been held at Stanwell for ten minutes.

You must have been right behind me - I went down the hill with a bunch who went far too fast for my liking, so I dropped to the back. Then a fire engine came along, siren wailing. Right behind me, they blocked the road to let the fire engine and other traffic pass, and I was the last cyclist to get through.

Did you guys get your photo this way?

No, I've been wondering about that - no email about photos yet, I just went to the (very laggy) photo site and searched for my number. Copied the photos with printscreen and cropped them in Photoshop. I'd like to buy two of them, but the site was too slow and timed out before I could place an order.

[Chanboy]

I haven't yet got the email with user name and password to download the photos (I think you get one free right?)

Looks like some nice pics though...

... and yes, their server is extremely slow...