Audax 'Dambusters' 160km Saturday, Aug 22nd 2009

[casual_cyclist]

Hilly ride taking in 6 dams. Bikely reports 2,125m of climbing. This is likely to be underestimated.

Ride details
Start: Kalamunda 8:00 AM
Kalamunda > Gidgegannup > Wungong > Kalamunda
Distance: 160km
Map: http://www.bikely.com/maps/bike-path/Dambusters

More information available on the Audax website.
Calendar of rides and social events: http://audax.org.au/public/index.php?op ... Itemid=219
Ride rules: http://audax.org.au/public/images/stori ... ersion.pdf
Rider guidelines: http://www.audax.org.au/pdf/docs/RiderG ... 061101.pdf

If you are interested in entering, you can complete a Ride Entry Form and lodge it with the ride organiser.
Ride entry form: http://audax.org.au/public/images/stori ... ryform.doc

Note 1: Short of contacting the organizer of a ride, the electronic Calendar on the Audax website is the best source of information on upcoming rides. Ride details are subject to change without notice. Always check the Audax website for the most up to date information.

Note 2: The organizers prefer to be contacted at least 3 days prior to events, however in almost all Audax events it is ok to just turn up on the morning & register. If you choose this option, be early enough so there is time to complete your registration. I would advise you to contact the ride organiser beforehand to make sure it is ok.

Cheers

Greg

[casual_cyclist]

I realise this event is still a few weeks away but I have recieved a question about it that I can't answer and I have some questions myself.

If anyone can advise I would like to know minimum gearing for this ride. I am thinking my 42/26 isn't going to cut it for this ride. Anyone know?

[zues]

I am interested in the ride but I doubt if I could do 160km- usually do 40km a ride max. Looking at the circuit I guess its possible to do half.
Wondering which half would be easier north to gidge or south to wungong?

[casual_cyclist]

I am interested in the ride but I doubt if I could do 160km- usually do 40km a ride max. Looking at the circuit I guess its possible to do half.

Is that a hilly 40km ride? The reason I ask is that flat is much easier than hilly. There is a flat ride coming up on Aug 2 (The Vines) or Aug 30 (Foothills Cruise). Depending on how far a week you ride, a flat 150km is not out of the question.

Another factor to consider is that the average speed is 15km/h including breaks. For a flat ride that allows a long time for breaks. Hilly rides are different because it takes longer to get up the hills. For the 160km ride the time limit would be 10 hours and 40 mins. For 150km the time limit is 10 hours. For a flat ride that is heaps of time.

[cavebear2]

If anyone can advise I would like to know minimum gearing for this ride. I am thinking my 42/26 isn't going to cut it for this ride. Anyone know?

Hi Greg,

Based on my lowest gear of 39/27 I would say that you would be best off with a triple crank to do rides such as this.

Cheers

Perry

[zues]

Casual Cyclist wrote"Is that a hilly 40km ride? The reason I ask is that flat is much easier than hilly. There is a flat ride coming up on Aug 2 (The Vines) or Aug 30 (Foothills Cruise). Depending on how far a week you ride, a flat 150km is not out of the question."
Yeah I mainly ride in the hills.
I like the Dam Busters ride because Im only 3km from Kalamunda Central.
I was just wondering which half of the circuit would be easier and has less traffic?

[casual_cyclist]

I don't know the route at all but the first half looks easier to me.

I am planning to check out a different part of the route each weekend until the day (trying to build up my hill legs )

I was planning to do the first part of the leg on Sunday morning if that helps.

[Baalzamon]

Raises hand, where are we meeting for the ride this sunday

[casual_cyclist]

Raises hand, where are we meeting for the ride this sunday

Carpark at the corner of Mead St and Railway Rd at 8:00 AM? Perhaps we should make a separate thread for this ride rather than hijacking this one

[Thoglette]

If anyone can advise I would like to know minimum gearing for this ride. I am thinking my 42/26 isn't going to cut it for this ride. Anyone know?

Based on my lowest gear of 39/27 I would say that you would be best off with a triple crank to do rides such as this.

Not being Lance, 42/25 (with 170mm cranks on 700c) is a struggle for me on slopes beyond 10% for any length of time. Check the Rate Perth Hills thread for discussion on the sorts of slopes on the course

Alternatives to the triple crank route are:
a) borrow a larger derailer and add a bigger cassette/freewheel (there's plenty of combinations with 28,30,32 or 34 teeth on the biggest sprocket)
b) go for a compact crank (110BCD) which will allow you to run a small front chainring down to around 33 teeth - the big ring can still be 48 or 50.

As always Sheldon Brown wrote something on working out ratios.

[casual_cyclist]

I have a bike with a triple. I just don't like riding it because it isn't steel

[gdl_gdl]

I like the sound of this ride! I may be tempted to break my Audax duck and give it a go!

I have rellies in Kalamunda so I can drive up and leave the car in their driveway.

Cheers,

Gary

[Redbull]

Raises hand, where are we meeting for the ride this sunday

Carpark at the corner of Mead St and Railway Rd at 8:00 AM? Perhaps we should make a separate thread for this ride rather than hijacking this one

There's a carpark opposite Kalamunda Cycles (on the corner by the local IGA) which is handy to park your car in. When mates come up the hills we leave from there. Plenty of parking and no problems with security as its a relatively busy area.

[gdl_gdl]

I'm in! I've just fired off my entry form.

Cheers,

Gary

[Aushiker]

I'm in! I've just fired off my entry form.

Cheers,

Gary

Way to go ... another victim

Andrew

[Baalzamon]

I'm not in for this ride due to work, but Foothills cruise looks good

[casual_cyclist]

the ride organiser reckons it will take "about 6 hours"

I will have to tell him not to wait around for me or they will spend more time waiting than riding

I am still trying to figure out a bike that I can complete this. Might have to take 'beer can' for a run this weekend to see how it goes. I need something with a compact double or a triple. 'beer can' has a triple so is ok from that aspect. Pity it's too small for me

[flyingporkpies]

Hello all,
I am the ride organiser and just came across the discussion. Good to see the interest. We had 10 riders last year so hope to beat that this year.
A couple of years ago when I was doing recces for the ride I did the first half and the second half separately on a fixie geared 42x17. I would not recommend it but I didn't have to get off. There are some 15%ish gradients to and from Wungong dam. It is also equally steep for about 100m alongside Churchman Brook. There's a tough bit in Parkerville too but that's early on. It's the fatigue that develops from the multiple climbs that gets you. Without a doubt the lowest point for me has always been going up Gardiner with 130k+ of the ride in my legs.
By the way the ride has 2 controls at a Patch of Country in Mundaring for English tea and scones and Churchman Brook Deli for Aussie cheese sausage and Bundy ginger beer so there's no worries running out of fuel.
Cheerio
flyingporkpies

[casual_cyclist]

Hello all,
I am the ride organiser and just came across the discussion. Good to see the interest. We had 10 riders last year so hope to beat that this year.
A couple of years ago when I was doing recces for the ride I did the first half and the second half separately on a fixie geared 42x17. I would not recommend it but I didn't have to get off. There are some 15%ish gradients to and from Wungong dam. It is also equally steep for about 100m alongside Churchman Brook. There's a tough bit in Parkerville too but that's early on. It's the fatigue that develops from the multiple climbs that gets you. Without a doubt the lowest point for me has always been going up Gardiner with 130k+ of the ride in my legs.
By the way the ride has 2 controls at a Patch of Country in Mundaring for English tea and scones and Churchman Brook Deli for Aussie cheese sausage and Bundy ginger beer so there's no worries running out of fuel.
Cheerio
flyingporkpies

I'm in. You had me at scones . Don't wait around for me though. I am slow but persistant. Thanks for the tips on the steep parts. I will get and out ride some of them beforehand so I know what I am in for

Cheers

Greg

[Thoglette]

... and Churchman Brook Deli for Aussie cheese sausage

Now I am interested Sadly I am surrounded by packing boxes which need to be unpacked, and a 'garden' which is one large sand pit.

Joining the dots is left as an exercise for the reader

[ajh_ausnzcf]

I did the first half and the second half separately on a fixie geared 42x17. I would not recommend it but I didn't have to get off.

I use that gearing for the coastal plain urban riding. Did you need to stand up on ascents?

[cavebear2]

I'll be there of course, pending having both legs available for use.

[flyingporkpies]

Stand up! My legs are only human. The strain from neck muscles down to ankles is enormous going up those gradients on a 42x17, but that was the minimum gearing I could cope with regarding the spin required on the descents. Anything over 50kph was just too hairy. When I first got into fixies I did a 200k hilly audax ride on a 48x18! Now that hurt. Once went up Kalamunda Rd on a 52x17 too! Now I have a 29tooth on the back to go with the 39 on the front. I call it my get out of jail gear and I reckon I've earned it.

[ajh_ausnzcf]

Stand up! My legs are only human. The strain from neck muscles down to ankles is enormous going up those gradients on a 42x17, but that was the minimum gearing I could cope with regarding the spin required on the descents. Anything over 50kph was just too hairy. When I first got into fixies I did a 200k hilly audax ride on a 48x18! Now that hurt. Once went up Kalamunda Rd on a 52x17 too! Now I have a 29tooth on the back to go with the 39 on the front. I call it my get out of jail gear and I reckon I've earned it.

A spectacle to enjoy, get your paper on dancer! People seem to cripple themselves with fixed gears, nevertheless I see the person not the problem. I had effort up to Wungong with 30-25, fortunately the carpark is there so you can pull in mid climb if you're going to keel over. I'll attempt some dam busting next Saturday.

[casual_cyclist]

Forecast for Saturday:

Few showers. Min 11 Max 18

Looking good for some Dambusting!