brisbane2ipswich vs brisbane - gold coast

[Dedot]

Hi All,

I'm quite a newbie in this cycling world and wanting your feedback about these 2 rides. I did the brisbane2ipswich ride this past weekend (~65km). I think the city- springfield part was good and the springfield - ipswich part was quite challenging for me (hills..... ) and the head-on wind didnt help too.
So, I was wondering for anyone did the brisbane2ipswich ride yesterday, how was it compare to the previous brisbane to gold coast one(s)? I understand that the course will be a bit longer, but particularly interested in the terrain (i.e lots of hills?) I might need to adjust my weekly rides into the hilly part of brisbane..

Thanks for reading

[marinmomma]

Hi

I haven't done the Brisbane to Ipswich ride but I've done the Goldie one a couple of times now and that ride is fairly flat....you have to climb up the freeway at Mt Gravatt which is really gentle, and then a few undulations down through Logan and around the back of Yatala, then it's fairly flat through the cane fields, then it's a bit lumpy through Ormeau through to the back of Dreamworld...from that point on its flat the rest of the way.

If you take a look in the Queensland section of the forums you should find the thread from last years version, there might be a Garmin profile in there somewhere.

The Goldie rIde is 4 and a bit months away, that's plenty of time to train for it.

Cheers

[marinmomma]

Also, there is a good chance of headwinds on the way to the coast, greater chance once you turn left at Oxenford and start riding toward the coast.

Welcome to the world of cycling, btw.

[Dedot]

Thanks Lisa for your reply.

I will have a look threads on last year brisbane to goldcoast..

I am really contemplating of getting a road bike after yesterday ride. I currently have a flatbar.

[A_P]

Hi ,
the bris to GC is probably the flattest and easiest 100k ride you could do,
about 500m of altitude gain. In comparison the noosa 100k was at least twice that.

[marinmomma]

Thanks Lisa for your reply.

I will have a look threads on last year brisbane to goldcoast..

I am really contemplating of getting a road bike after yesterday ride. I currently have a flatbar.

Plenty of people do the Goldie ride on all kinds of bikes, I ride roadies so I'm biased, but a drop bar gives you a few options for moving your hands into different positions, handy on a long ride.

Good luck with the search for the upgrade if you do decide to go for a roadie.

[bprb]

While the Brisbane to Gold Coast ride is longer, I'd say the Brisbane 2 Ipswich required a similar overall effort, just condensed into a shorter time. If you did yesterday's ride, you'll be fine on the GC ride. As others have said, the GC ride is much flatter, and that plus the greater numbers means it's easier to get some drafting assistance along the way. The GC ride starts along the busway to Eight Mile Plains, and that lets everyone settle into a rhythm and find themselves amongst people riding a similar speed. Just give yourself some time in the saddle over the next few months so you're comfortable sitting on the bike for an extended time, and you'll have a ball.

As for getting a road bike, the drop bars do give you more options for hand positions, and stretch you out a bit to help cut the wind resistance. Do you have shock absorbers on the flat bar bike? If so, a road bike will also be quicker by being lighter and by losing less energy to the shock absorbers. But you can definitely do the ride no problem on a flat bar (although you may do it a bit faster on a road bike).

As an aside, this year's course for the Brisbane 2 Ipswich was really good, and the organisation was great. Well worth considering for next year if you didn't do it yesterday. I thought the one month delay (the original date was postponed due to poor weather) worked out well, because it was a gorgeous day yesterday. I take my hat off to the two guys that did the ride on penny farthings too.

[Lukeyboy]

Sundays ride from Brisbane to Ipswich was beautiful.... even if the wind chill along the river at the start gave everyone the shivers But how brutal was that random out of nowhere hill through Churchill towards the end. It was the only time I had to use the lower gears through out the entire ride haha. Hats off for the organisers for this years event. Great fun was to be had by all. I wonder how fast the two pennyfarthings went on some of those downhill sections? Maybe they did some slipstreaming together

[Dedot]

Sundays ride from Brisbane to Ipswich was beautiful.... even if the wind chill along the river at the start gave everyone the shivers But how brutal was that random out of nowhere hill through Churchill towards the end. It was the only time I had to use the lower gears through out the entire ride haha. Hats off for the organisers for this years event. Great fun was to be had by all. I wonder how fast the two pennyfarthings went on some of those downhill sections? Maybe they did some slipstreaming together

Yes, it was chilly along the river and I was silly enough to forget my gloves so hands were a bit frozen until middle park area.
I thought the random hills through Churchill was hard, especially when you know you're not that far to the finish line and yet...another steep hill. But at the end, it's all good & got my cardio workout.

While the Brisbane to Gold Coast ride is longer, I'd say the Brisbane 2 Ipswich required a similar overall effort, just condensed into a shorter time. If you did yesterday's ride, you'll be fine on the GC ride. As others have said, the GC ride is much flatter, and that plus the greater numbers means it's easier to get some drafting assistance along the way. The GC ride starts along the busway to Eight Mile Plains, and that lets everyone settle into a rhythm and find themselves amongst people riding a similar speed. Just give yourself some time in the saddle over the next few months so you're comfortable sitting on the bike for an extended time, and you'll have a ball.

As for getting a road bike, the drop bars do give you more options for hand positions, and stretch you out a bit to help cut the wind resistance. Do you have shock absorbers on the flat bar bike? If so, a road bike will also be quicker by being lighter and by losing less energy to the shock absorbers. But you can definitely do the ride no problem on a flat bar (although you may do it a bit faster on a road bike).

As an aside, this year's course for the Brisbane 2 Ipswich was really good, and the organisation was great. Well worth considering for next year if you didn't do it yesterday. I thought the one month delay (the original date was postponed due to poor weather) worked out well, because it was a gorgeous day yesterday. I take my hat off to the two guys that did the ride on penny farthings too.

It's good to know that both rides require similar effort though one is longer course than the other. I actually would have missed the ride if it was on the original date. Glad it was postponed due to wet weather that weekend and made it.

I do think it's a wonderful event and what a beautiful day turns out by mid morning. Definitely will do it again next year.

Thanks for all the replies.

[Le Velo]

Did the ride myself and enjoyed it very much. Was in the first bunch and finished in 2h 08min, despite taking a wrong turn at the uni as the girls indicating was too busy chatting Anyway ..... a challenging course indeed and lots of headwinds from Springfield and some pinches before Ipswich for sure but was really enjoyable.
Have not done the goldie ride for a couple of years but find the smaller ones (numbers of participants not distance) are far more enjoyable.
I suggest the Ipswich 100km and 100Mile challenge as a ride option to anyone in the area ..... again the terrain is challenge but the scenery is far more enjoyable

[jasonc]

my commute takes in the first 20kms of the brissy to ipswich ride. I tell people it's more difficult terrain than the brissy2gc ride.

if you can do 60-odd kms, you can do 100kms. 100kms, you need food, which is supplied on the b2gc ride anyway.

[themerlin]

the brisbane to gold coast is worth it just for the busway.

bit too flat , I like a few hills