sydney to canberra

[dean_86]

hey guys i am new the the forum.i was thinking of doing Sydney to Canberra and try and do it in one day,just wondering if anybody else has done the ride and if so is it worth doing...thanks

[Aushiker]

G'day

Audax rides (other than the big ones) are up to 600 km with 300 km not being unusual. I would think it is quite doable.

Check out the Audax Australia website.

Andrew

[il padrone]

G'day

Audax rides (other than the big ones) are up to 600 km with 300 km not being unusual. I would think it is quite doable.

....on a road racing bike carrying nothing more than a saddlebag or handlebar bag. Even then, maintaining a 27kmh average speed it'll still take you 12-14 hours to do 300kms, depending on the lenngth of your stops

So be realistic about what you might be able to achieve. How old are you? How fit generally? How many kms have you ridden before in one day? What sort of bike? How comfortable is your saddle after 200kms?

[timbo]

A couple of forum members have done Sydney-Canberra in one day, I think not weighed down by much more than a wallet and credit card.

You would have to do a search to find their report.

[dean_86]

Sydney to Canberra isnt over 300 km Cambeltown to Canberra is about 250,but as far as what to take i don't think you would need to take anything more than a backpack so you would not be weighed down to much so i think if you left at 6 am you would be able to do it in one day on a tourer or mtb if need be

[dean_86]

hey sorry i found a youtube video a couple of days back of a guy who rides from Campbell http://au.youtube.com/watch?v=i_kX1vqjCzQ and he did it on a mtb, i have a mtb atm but am thinking of getting the fuji tourer so i think it could be done on the tourer in 1 day

[timbo]

A Fuji tourer would be a very good bike for the ride.

I'd be a bit concerned about wearing a backpack for the journey.
It would be better to get a rear rack and perhaps a bag to mount on top of the rack. Topeak make a few different racks and bags for the purpose.

[Aushiker]

A Fuji tourer would be a very good bike for the ride.

I'd be a bit concerned about wearing a backpack for the journey.
It would be better to get a rear rack and perhaps a bag to mount on top of the rack. Topeak make a few different racks and bags for the purpose.

If the OP goes with the Fuji, it comes with a rear rack.

Andrew

[s-s-a]

I know several people who have done Canberra to Sydney in one day but on road bikes without luggage. All have started at least one hour before daylight and finished well into the afternoon.

Before the entire Hume/Federal Hwys were duplicated (ie around Lake George) it was common to go to Goulburn via Bungendore and Tarago but that is no longer necessary.

I think both went via Moss Vale and down Macquarie Pass, then into Sydney (Sutherland Shire) via the beaches north of Wollongong, Helensburgh and Waterfall.

In one case, I passed my friend around Marulan and collected his lights and batteries, drove to near Sutherland, got the train to Bulli and rode the last section with him.

I don't personally know anyone who has done the trip in reverse but it's not impossible. Maybe get the train to Campbelltown to start?

Steph

[il padrone]

Dean, have you thought about the questions I posed earlier?

Recommend you do not attempt this on a MTB. The guy on the youtube video had a fairly good quality MTB (ie. light), with slicks by the looks, and was reasonably young and fit, but he found it very trying. And I'd recommend you build up your distance in a staged series of rides first - 80km, 120km, 180km, then go for Canberra.

If this is your first long ride (over 80-100kms) then you will have problems, even riding a road racing bike. They will be:

1. The saddle and your bum.

2. Your legs

3. Your shoulders, arms and posture pains

4. Keeping enough food up to avoid 'the bonk'

5. The mind games of hills and headwinds

Good luck with your preparations and the ride when you do it.

[timbo]

Copied this from the NSW forum section.



Joined: 22 Jan 2007
Posts: 66
Location: Newington, New South Wales
Posted: Sat Aug 16, 2008 5:55 pm Post subject:

--------------------------------------------------------------------------------

Guys,
Good luck if you do it.

I can tell you from experience. Last January I was part of a group of 13 who rode from Burwood to Canberra (Civic): 274 km in a day.

Here is a profile (from Burwood)
and the stats (gives idea on climbs / flats etc.

NOTE
(I'm too new so I can't post links.
I will as soon as I can.)


The climbing isn't an issue. Over that distance, the climbs are the least of your probs.

Once on the M5, your main enemy is debris.
The climb up to Mittagong is mostly gradual - Just before Mittagong is the exception.
Once on the by-pass you've got the big dipper. Bridge shoulder is narrow - but not a problem as the road lane is wide and sight-lines are v.good. Then the biggish climb up the other side.

Once through that, it is an easy ride to the Shell twin servos at Sutton Forest. After that is where it gets interesting.

Just after that the road plunges down a big sweeping right hander onto a 'mad, straight mile". The shoulder here is (or at least was last Jan) not good. Many of us thought it better to ride just on the road lane (it is very wide). Lots of gravel etc make it a little soft and uneven.

It basically stays like that until a little before the weigh-bridges.

After that, it is fine except some shoulderless bridges in the lead up to the Goulburn exit.

The Goulburn by-pass is brilliant - big climb then down hill onto the flats. We stopped at the Maccas near the Big Merino.

From Maccas onto the Fed Hwy is good. On the Fed hwy at times you do need to sit just on the road as the shoulder is very rough. But there is bugger all traffic on this road so it is not a prob is there is a big, easy to see bunch.

The next stage was the hardest. Why, from Collector to the end of Lake George is about 35km of hellish, dead flat delierium. Flat, boring and painful as you don't change position in the saddle.

The hills from Lake George to the boredum are welcome relief.

The run from the border to Civic is downhill onto Northbourne Ave where eurphoria kicks in and your doing 50km/h.

275 km (AT) 28.8 km/h (13 hours including stops for snacks, punctures and maccas - about 9.5 hours in the saddle)

We are planning to go agian next Jan too.

Good luck

BTW. I'd wait for Daylight savings if I were you. Not sure I'd like to be at Lake George when it's getting dark)

[dean_86]

hey guys thanks for the response, as far as me being fit enough well i have been training for this ride for a cpl of weeks now i don't plan on going till end of jan so hopefully i will be ok,i have done other big rides before this will be the biggest though so we will see how it goes

[dean_86]

oh btw as far as bikes go i am thinking of buying a long haul trucker,i have been told its a much better bike than the fuji and its only 200 dollars more so hopefully it all turns out well

[Aushiker]

oh btw as far as bikes go i am thinking of buying a long haul trucker,i have been told its a much better bike than the fuji and its only 200 dollars more so hopefully it all turns out well

That is the old price so would depend on finding one in dealer stock. The new price is around $1800 I belive.

Andrew

[dean_86]

hey i did find a store thats selling the trucker for 1500,so i guess i should snap one up,cause as far as the price going up on bikes i don't think there allowed to put the price on old models up in relation to whats happening in the world atm

[Aushiker]

hey i did find a store thats selling the trucker for 1500,so i guess i should snap one up,cause as far as the price going up on bikes i don't think there allowed to put the price on old models up in relation to whats happening in the world atm

Ahh, they can do what the like. It is only an offer to sale, as a potential buyer you can accept that offer or not. Also btw the shop does not have to accept your offer to buy either. Nothing compelling you to or them to.

Maybe a different story after you have paid a deposit but that would depend on the terms and conditions of the contract of sale.

Andrew

[s-s-a]

Sorry I missed the bit about it being your first major ride. As for doing it at the end of January on a mountain bike? Just silly.

There are nicer routes to ride if you have a mountain bike and want to do a long day ride than down the Hume/Federal Hwy!

Steph

[dean_86]

umm i wont be doing it on a mtb , and i know there are alot better rides out there but i have sort of made it my mission to do it