Amy's Ride SA

[Another newbie]

My wife and I are new to bicycling. Has anyone here been to a past Amy's Ride in SA? Is it just for the super-cyclist or can us mere mortals on flat bars comealong?

[hazmat5765]

Hi there,
I am no athlete but I did the 60km section last year on my Giant Boulder MTB with knobbies, it was a blast mate! Give it a go. All the best, Rob.

[Another newbie]

Thanks Rob, any kiddie trailers there? Or am I really pushing my luck?

[hazmat5765]

There were kiddy trailers being towed up the Southern freeway, but I don't know how they went. It started at Flinders Hospital and then south on the freeway up the hill to Majors Rd. You could do the 25km, if they are following the same format this year, that starts at Majors Rd! With a trailer- occupied I assume- that would be a decent achievement. I just drank plenty of water and ate bananas and those yoghurt and apricot oaty bars that I carried on me and I felt fine.
Rob.

[hazmat5765]

Check out epsomrdstudios.com.au then click on Amy's Ride '08 and then look at "finish". There's a few trailers there in the 11.15 - 12.55 section

Rob.

[Another newbie]

Really grateful for your help, now I just need to convince my wife...

[hazmat5765]

You'll be right mate, Just look at all the photos on the Epsom Rd website for the '08 event. There was people there with all levels of fitness. Good luck.
Rob.

[Richard.L]

Hi there,
I am no athlete but I did the 60km section last year on my Giant Boulder MTB with knobbies, it was a blast mate! Give it a go. All the best, Rob.

Would of helped if you posted this to my question in the original post but, ow well thanks bud

2 or 3 of my mates will be doing it on some DH/Jump bikes on the 60km route this year and this is our very first time so just come along
oooh and the early bird before 30th September, i think should garante you a jersey but not sure because the bicycle sa people said they would hold some for us and you will need to pick it up yourself (got told this on 23rd of september as i was paying face to face)

[alltorque]

There was people there with all levels of fitness. Good luck.
Rob.

Sure is. And hats off to this bloke....can't imagine going up Willunga Hill on this thing!

[Another newbie]

Will be there will bells on, but without the trailer! Thanks for your help everyone.

[Another newbie]

Just finished the 60, and rode into and out from Flinders. Had a ball. Thanks to everyone involved.

[steveoc]

Just got back.

Did the 100km, then road coast-to-vines back to darlington, then home again. Happy. Im a both refreshed and tired at the same time. The heat was probably my biggest problem today. It was pretty relentless, especially riding home.

Stand out points :
- Superb organisation, thank you BikeSA & SAPOL & St Johns.
- That sweeping left hand turn onto the Esplanade at Seaford, to be confronted by the beach and the cold sea breeze - pure magic. That was a highlight.
- The long hot haul up Hahn road was just horrible
- Willunga Hill, most amazing thing - that 83 year old lady spinning up Willunga Hill overtaking people like me. I wont ever forget that. (Thanks honey, you got me moving again)
- Steep descent at Wickhams Hill .. nasty. Just in front of us someone went into the railing there (?) I heard later that we had 3 people taken in Ambos, and 1 was a priority case. Hope that all ended up well, and no major damage was done.
- The ride back along the coast to vines road and southern veloway is brilliant .. what a great path that is.

Lots of events coming up in the next 12 weeks leading up to TdU. Need lots of hill training between now and then. Looking fwd to it, but first I must eat and sleep

[Dr_Mutley]

Just got back.

Did the 100km, then road coast-to-vines back to darlington, then home again. Happy. Im a both refreshed and tired at the same time. The heat was probably my biggest problem today. It was pretty relentless, especially riding home.

Stand out points :
- Superb organisation, thank you BikeSA & SAPOL & St Johns.
- That sweeping left hand turn onto the Esplanade at Seaford, to be confronted by the beach and the cold sea breeze - pure magic. That was a highlight.
- The long hot haul up Hahn road was just horrible
- Willunga Hill, most amazing thing - that 83 year old lady spinning up Willunga Hill overtaking people like me. I wont ever forget that. (Thanks honey, you got me moving again)
- Steep descent at Wickhams Hill .. nasty. Just in front of us someone went into the railing there (?) I heard later that we had 3 people taken in Ambos, and 1 was a priority case. Hope that all ended up well, and no major damage was done.
- The ride back along the coast to vines road and southern veloway is brilliant .. what a great path that is.

Lots of events coming up in the next 12 weeks leading up to TdU. Need lots of hill training between now and then. Looking fwd to it, but first I must eat and sleep

well done steve.... have u got a list of whats coming up and when for preparation for the TDU?

[MichaelB]

Just got back.

....- Steep descent at Wickhams Hill .. nasty. Just in front of us someone went into the railing there (?) ....

That was probably my mate Colin. Ended up with a dislocated shoulder (popped back in when the ambo's came) and mashed a thumb a bit.

haven't got the full story yet, but seems he went into the corner too fast.

They had a few carted away from the Hill this year sadly.

I did the 60km with a mate (leg op 3 weeks ago put the kybosh on the 100km), and Bicycle SA did a great job once again.

[steveoc]

Ouch - pass our regards on to Colin, I hope his bike pulled up OK without too many scratches as well.

Total respect to you for doing the 60km after a leg op - well done.

Other events before TdU .. I was pretty sure there was something on on the 22nd Nov - Big City Ride ? .. cant find the details now. Next big-un is Ride Like Crazy on 17th Jan, a week before TdU. 100km of climbing and frolicking through the hills :
http://www.ridelikecrazy.com/

That should be the subject of a new thread.

[alltorque]

Got through the 100km ok. Saw a few nasty stacks on the freeway. looking forward to the big city ride if it goes ahead but this doesn't seem to be publicised very much.. it got cancelled last year too.

[MichaelB]

Ouch - pass our regards on to Colin, I hope his bike pulled up OK without too many scratches as well.

Not sure about the bike, but appears thumb is OK, with some nerve damage. The break was at the tip of the thumb.

He's resting well, a bit sore, but OK.

[steveoc]

A closing word on Amy's ride :

Article from 2007 about Amy Gillet, the AGF, and a serious look at cycling safety, with statistics and practical solutions :

http://www.australiancyclist.com.au/art ... ?aeid=2822

Recommended reading.

[Filmore]

My wife and I are new to bicycling. Has anyone here been to a past Amy's Ride in SA? Is it just for the super-cyclist or can us mere mortals on flat bars comealong?

Hi!
I would recommend Amys Ride for all. There are shorter, easier options eg. Starting at Majors Road and doing the 25k loop on relatively flat roads.
Last year I registered for the 60km ride and was feeling good when I got to Willunga so did the 100km. Then rode home to Happy Valley.
This year I did the 100km (+11km ride to the start) with only 5 hours spent on a bike in the last six months.
The route is excellent. There are plenty of drinks stations and support.
The option to short cut from Willunga to McLaren Vale is a great option for the less adventurous rider.
For the more adventurous Willunga Hill is not particularly hard and some people rode back down the hill & then took the shortcut to McLaren Vale.
The downhill ride on Wickhams Hill Road is fun, but a bit dangerous if taken too fast (I saw the poor bugger who crashed) The hot weather played havoc with tyres. One of my colleagues blew a front tyre at the bottom of Wickhams Hill. (Lucky it wasnt half way down at high speed).
Tyres were going off like fire crackers on bikes left at the corrals at the finish. So take spare tubes.
Have fun. It is not a race. This is a ride I plan to do every year.

[nasz]

Enjoyed it, but having riden lots of sportives in Europe and the UK the organisation behind it needs refining.

For example, coming off on Wickhams Hill Road I waited 2 hours for the support vehicle despite phoning the emergency numbers twice and ended up walking the whole length of the descent for assistance (ruining my cleats). The support vehicles and BikeSA people did a great job, but their communication was hit and miss. Definitely a lesson to be learnt.