Ride Like Crazy

[you cannot be sirrus]

http://www.ridelikecrazy.com/ride.html

Looks like the website has been updated with online registration details, maps etc. Register before end of October to receive jersey in time for the ride.

Looks like a far better route than the TDU to me, with the start and finish at Unley

[Sumichino]

That course is very close to being my favourite long ride through the hills, only I usually go straight from Balhannah to Woodside and also go up the Corkscrew and down Montacute. The Crafers to Balhannah and the Lobethal to Athelstone sections are some of the best riding roads in Adelaide. Why is it that every organised group ride has an early morning start?

[BoardRider]

That course is very close to being my favourite long ride through the hills, only I usually go straight from Balhannah to Woodside and also go up the Corkscrew and down Montacute. The Crafers to Balhannah and the Lobethal to Athelstone sections are some of the best riding roads in Adelaide. Why is it that every organised group ride has an early morning start?

I really enjoy training along the " Ride like Crazy route" except for Gorge Rd.Where someone mistook my wife and I as targets as they drove past on our first attempt being newbies. Throwing stuff out of their cars swearing and threatening us.This ride has impressive scenery though and is a great workout.We have been avoiding any more of these problems and traffic by starting out early. The roads are near empty.I cant wait until the weather warms up.

[MichaelB]

Looks good. Didn't do it last year, but with the TdU 2011 palava after last year, doing this and then watching the race along the route sounds much more appealing

[BoardRider]

I think this is the best ride I have participated in so far. Hard to judge but it seemed that the overall pace was a lot faster than the other participation
events. Maybe this says more about my fitness levels at time.

[bongo]

Rode this last year and can not fault any part of it.Great route, great organisation and great cause.Trying to get funds together to ride this, not a bad hit out before MCCT.

[trailgumby]

Saw an article on this in Australian Cyclist last week.

I love the pun in the name - "Crazy" was the nickname of the officer the police established the ride to raise funds for, who had an inoperable brain tumour.

He's since passed away - what an awesome way to remember the guy and do some good for cancer charities.

[MichaelB]

They raised $160k last year, so hopefully going to raise more.

After having lost one family member (sister) to cancer, and sadly another (mother) on the downhill slide, it's a great thing to support.

I'm riding and looking fwd to it !!!

[Solirossi]

Looks like a great ride and the 'loop' style is much better than a one way set up where you have to organise a whole lot of transport etc...

[BoardRider]

They raised $160k last year, so hopefully going to raise more.

After having lost one family member (sister) to cancer, and sadly another (mother) on the downhill slide, it's a great thing to support.

I'm riding and looking fwd to it !!!

I lost my Dad to Cancer recently and I hope your Mum beats it. Hopefully lots of riders get behind this ride to help researchers and others take up the fight.
I work in a hospital and cancer seems epidemic at times with few answers. See you on the ride.

[MichaelB]

Cheers Boardrider, thanks for the thoughts. Sadly it more of a management stage than cure, but hopefully a few more years yet. You never know.

See ya on the road !!!

[liamb]

Hi All

How does the Ride Like Crazy ride (ie Hills and the dificulty of hills) compare to Amy's Ride. I am Fairly new to all this but feel I could do the ride but am still getting fit (fitter) and used to climbing the hills. I did Amy's Ride without too much drama at ave speed of 25km/h, but I suspect this ride will be much more difficult re climbing.

Cheers

Bill

[Sumichino]

The hills are for the most part a fair bit harder than Amy's Ride. If you can get over Willunga then you should be able to do it though. The old freeway is the only big climb. It's twice as long as Willunga and about 2/3rds as steep. However there is more small repeated ups and downs. Also you could probably say the course is a bit more technical with more corners and less long straight sections. I'm thinking that I'll cut out the last boring section of Gorge Rd and go up over the Corkscrew then join back up at Campbelltown.

A few random observations on the Coast to Coast ride :

The 3 Grand Tours
From early childhood, we are taught that all good things come in 3's. There are the 3 little pigs, 3 blind mice, Goldilocks and the 3 bears, etc. As adults we get the 3 Grand Tours of the UCI Pro Circuit.

These 3 Grand Tours of the UCI Pro Circuit (Tour de France, Giro d' Italia, and the Veulta a Espana), each have a different feel and atmosphere to them. Everyone yaps on about the TdF and its results, and even non-cyclists can rattle off some vaguely mispronounced names of both routes and riders from the 'great' tour. However, real cyclists know that the Giro, which lacks the media exposure of the great French adventure, has by far the best scenery and atmosphere of all the tours. Then there is the Veulta, which takes in the beautiful Pyrenees.

And so in Adelaide, we have the 3 Grand Tours of Summer. We have the MCCT mass participation ride, which gets all the media coverage, and thanks to now being run by government officials who do not even own bikes ... has a well deserved reputation for being a notoriously difficult and risky challenge. If anything, this should provide a perverse attraction which should see the numbers grow every year with any luck. Lets call this the Tour de France of the 3 Grand Tours de Adelaide.

Then there is the Coast 2 Coast. This is the Giro of the 3 Grand Tours. From start to finish, every mile of the course is pure cycling bliss .. the route has everything :
- Escorted ride up to the devils elbow.
- A challenging enough climb up the old freeway.
- Well organised drink and food stops.
- A pilgrimage to cycling Mecca - Willunga Hill (from the easy side)
- Lots of trees and breathtaking views.

Compared to MCCT, its not as long, its not as unpredictable, its not as dangerous. It is arguably a tougher course in that its more up and down over the distance, but the scenery is just glorious, and its much more sheltered from the wind and sunshine, so its thoroughly enjoyable. Its pure cycling indulgence, and a better experience all up than the MCCT, backed up by brilliant support.

The Veulta of Adelaide is RideLikeCrazy - 100km through the very best of the Adelaide Hills. RLC has the full backup and support of SA Police, and this shows very strongly - cops everywhere on the route keeping the cars out of the way, 3 million volunteers keeping things rolling, and massive amounts of well organised food and drinks along the route, including a BBQ in Vic Square at the end.

I reckon Ride Like Crazy is more like the Giro although that's only because I know the course but I have yet to do the Coast to Coast.

[davidk]

After having a ball on the Amy 65km ride, Im definitely going to attempt the 100km RLC.
I figured that even though I didnt do the 100km Willunga hill Amy Ride, that with a bit of training and prep, I should be able to complete this.

The other thing that is driving me is the fact that so many Cancer sufferers have a hard time with the condition, and that any pain I might feel attempting my first 100km thru the hills pales into insignificance compared to Cancer sufferers.
Ive lost my Mother in law to pancreatic cancer, a work colleague to stomach cancer, and a good friend who is managing to keep his situation just manageable.

[bongo]

After having a ball on the Amy 65km ride, Im definitely going to attempt the 100km RLC.
I figured that even though I didnt do the 100km Willunga hill Amy Ride, that with a bit of training and prep, I should be able to complete this.

The other thing that is driving me is the fact that so many Cancer sufferers have a hard time with the condition, and that any pain I might feel attempting my first 100km thru the hills pales into insignificance compared to Cancer sufferers.
Ive lost my Mother in law to pancreatic cancer, a work colleague to stomach cancer, and a good friend who is managing to keep his situation just manageable.

Nothing like a good dose of perspective is there? When I ran city to bay this year it was for a little girl and her family with Cerebral Palsy.When things got tough i asked myself the same question.Would they give up?Would they stop? Is this pain that bad? Great outlook and great motivation.get on board the full ride mate you wont regret it.

[Another newbie]

I have been trying to decide between this and the TDU for ages, but think I have just come to a decision. How hard is this in comparison to the Coast to Coast?

[MichaelB]

Am doing the RLC (100km) for the first time, but haven't done the Coast to Coast either.

From others, it's a great ride, so I'm looking fwd to it.

Like others, my family has been affected by Cancer too much. I lost a sister to Bowel cancer in 2003, and now my mother s battling breast & bone cancer, and sadly, it's in the management stage rather than cure She's fighting hard, but it's a losing battle.

I'm partaking in extra fundraising through the Everyday Hero setup, and my page is here if you feel inclined to donate or offer some support. Anything is appreciated, and gratefully accepted.

My target is $2.5k, and I'm almost at the $900 mark, so please donate generously, as it's all tax deductible.

Even if this ride is tough and hard on the legs, bear some thoughts for those that battle through the horrible disease that cancer is.

See ya out there and ride safe.

[Another newbie]

Went on a training ride this morning up to crafers then down to glenelg before heading back up to grange and then hone. Copped not one but two punctures. Big thanks to all the cyclists who checked that I was ok, offered help and particular thanks to the bloke who offered me his spare tube.
Weather was so beautiful this morning that not even a double dose of the flats could lessen my enjoyment!

[limetang]

Ive had a last minute mind change and I think I will be doing RLC instead of the TDU. The start/finish in the same point appeals to me big time!
Not sure if any of my buddies will be able to join me on this one ( prior commitments ) so I hope to see and maybe wheel suck of some of you guys there!

[MichaelB]

Just got the jersey in the post last night, and looks fine.

Really looking fwd to this ride based on the comments from the guys who have done it before.

Have been using the school holidays to commute to work and taking the long way round via Mt Lofty or Glenelg to get some more km up.

Slowly getting the pre christmas fitness back

[you cannot be sirrus]

I got my jersey too, a good fit, hope the MCCT jersey is as good. I'm doing a reccy ride on Satd'y, the RLC route in reverse. Need to get some fitness back after bonking on Checkers recently.

[MichaelB]

Weather looking good fro Sunday with a forecast top of 30 degrees in Adelaide, and a low of 19 overnight, so should be good riding weather.

See ya all there !!!

[davidk]

I signed up for RLC too late to receive a jersey.

So Ill be riding with my Argon 18 jersey - say Gday as you blast past me on the ride
or better still, shout out
"HTFU Dave!" to give me encouragement as I crawl up to Crafers

[DanielS]

I'm looking forward to Sunday. Going to be tough work as the last time I rode more than 100kms was back in April!

[Dr_Mutley]

I signed up for RLC too late to receive a jersey.

So Ill be riding with my Argon 18 jersey - say Gday as you blast past me on the ride
or better still, shout out
"HTFU Dave!" to give me encouragement as I crawl up to Crafers

u can have mine still new in packet from last year if u want to represent....
think its an XL or XXL... chst back then was around 115cm i think?

everyone do this ride! its fantastically run, and a very pretty ride.....
and best of all you money goes to charity!, no a big private health insurance company