Australian Cycling Forums - Bicycles Network Australia

Aushiker wrote:G'day

Nice read Runjikol. Thanks for sharing.

Regards
Andrew

Thanks for the compliment - was almost as much fun to write as it was to ride.

Aushiker wrote:

mikesbytes wrote:Rode from Sydney CBD to Bass Hill (Dunc Grey). After Olympic Park you hit wide quiet flat roads, perfect for cycling and don't see a single other bike, must be a cultural thing

Something to do with the neighboured? (I don't know Sydney...)

Andrew

Certainly fewer bikes than you'll find around Mike's inner Sydney area. Most rides I'll see others - but they look mainly to be commuters rather than more serious road bikers - and they're not in the kind of numbers that makes motorists expect to see cyclists about.

In terms of cycling infrastructure, there isn't much to encourage cycling. While there are excellent cycle paths from Olympic Park west to Parramatta, there is no direct cycleway link to Dunc Gray - unless you count the faux cycleways created by painting bicycle stencils on road shoulders through the back of Granville, Merrylands and Chester Hill (see RTA Parramatta Bikemap if you are interested, Dunc Gray is at the "Crest of Bankstown" park, near Carysfield Rd Bass Hill).

Nevertheless, there are some relatively quiet roads you can take with not much of a gradient. Dunc Gray is about 50 m elevation above Olympic Park, so there are ways you can get there without noticeable climbing.

The thing I found most surprising about Mike's post is that it's rare to see competitors ride into the velodrome. Most arrive by car, I presume because track bikes are generally not the kind of bike most ride on the road - e.g. track tyres v's road tyres, fixies v's freewheelers.

G'day

Back on the bike this morning, now that the severe weather alert is over (moved on to SA by the looks of things ) I got back on Sir Lancelot this morning. Still lots of wind. Ocean Reef, the northern end of my ride was recording winds around 60 km/h (head/side wind for me today) when I left for work. Given the winds, I bypassed the coast, taking the Mitchell Freeway PSP instead. Other than a driving downpour it wasn't a bad ride in. Lots of rubbish on the paths at various points but.

Regards
Andrew

Aushiker wrote:Back on the bike this morning...

Good to hear. I have been bussing it for over a week now and am going stir crazy

I got a free coffee today, from Brunetti's in Melbourne City, cause I commuted on my bike... Great Day!

Had an "incident" last night heading home. I ended up tackling a pedestrian as they stepped out from the kerb into my path (there is a signalised crossing 30m away). She didn't look (she was more concerned catching a cab).

Going about 35km/hr down sussex st in the Sydney CBD in the middle of the lane looking as BIG as i could be, had a car behind me and a cab rank to the left of me. She stepped out, i had nowhere to go, didn't have enough distance to brake, i thought if i tackle her it will be a lot less pain on me (and her) than hitting her with the bike. I did get down to about 25km/hr before impact. I put out my arm and leaned in like a rugby tackle. i was thrown from the bike about 5-7m down the road, she landed on my bike.

I helped her up and asked if she was ok. She apologised and said she didn't look, she was looking at the cab . I sternly reminded her that it was a road she was crossing. She took off pretty quickly, i picked up the bike and luckily it was ok. The shoulder is sore and ankle is bruised (must have clipped the bike as i was flying through the air). I am patting myself on the back for making the decision to tackle her. Otherwise it could have been nasty - she would have been hit with the front wheel possibly breaking a leg, i would have been thrown off the bike over the bars (who knows what i would have landed on) and the bike would have been a write off.

This reminds me of Nate's little incident. I am not going to report it to the police as the rocks police station does not look kindly at cyclists. It has been reported to work (they are getting sick of me!!!) and i have also emailed the road safety person at Sydney City Council as this area is a shocker for pedo's crossing without looking.

If i was a car she would be dead or thereabouts!

Strawburger wrote:I am patting myself on the back for making the decision to tackle her. Otherwise it could have been nasty - she would have been hit with the front wheel possibly breaking a leg, i would have been thrown off the bike over the bars (who knows what i would have landed on) and the bike would have been a write off.

Well done. I have been OTB and it is not pretty. I smashed my face in really badly and still have the scars to prove it. Sounds like you did much better

Strawburger wrote:I am not going to report it to the police as the rocks police station does not look kindly at cyclists.

G'day

Glad you came out of it reasonably okay.

However, I am not sure that not reporting it is the smart thing to do. First-up I would assume that there is a legal requirement for you to report it and frankly if you want to be taken seriously as a cyclist then a good starting point is obeying the law and secondly you can't get things changed (Police attitudes, Sydney Council etc) if you don't report it. No point complaining to the Council if you don't report it to the Police as I would assume that they would go to the Police early in any considerations to get stats on the number of incidents. No report, nothing happened, no issue, no change.

Regards
Andrew

Shocker of a headwind on the way in this morning, but fortune smiled on me and let it hang around and become an awesome tailwind for the ride home I was sitting on 50kph during my regular intermediate sprint (can normally hit 50 if I really try hard but can't hold it) but the best part was the final run home. Slightly downhill toward a set of traffic lights, straight through as it gently levels out straight all the way. The lights had just turned green but most of the traffic was just crawling, took the left hand lane and whizzed past the queue turning right, hooked up into the draft of a Hilux and between that and the tailwind I never went below 50 until my turn

That's what I love about commuting.

Funny thing... well its not really funny, actually its not at all funny, I didn't realise how many females commuted by bike, I saw so many last night heading towards Princess Park (Carlton area, just before Brunswick).

Well done girls!

Bloody horrible, strong S/W winds and boy was the wind cold. S/W winds are my least favourite as it's the only direction I can't work.

martinjs wrote:Bloody horrible, strong S/W winds and boy was the wind cold. S/W winds are my least favourite as it's the only direction I can't work.

Same here - Gusting to 60k - so the bike is in the shed and I'm at the screen.

wombatK wrote:

martinjs wrote:Bloody horrible, strong S/W winds and boy was the wind cold. S/W winds are my least favourite as it's the only direction I can't work.

Same here - Gusting to 60k - so the bike is in the shed and I'm at the screen.

+100 again! Hard effort this morning, not looking forward to the return tonigt!

Russ

+1 on winds. I'm too soft to survive 32kms with a 30+kph headwind.

Need a break in the N to NW winds so I can commute again!

ruscook wrote:

wombatK wrote:

martinjs wrote:Bloody horrible, strong S/W winds and boy was the wind cold. S/W winds are my least favourite as it's the only direction I can't work.

Same here - Gusting to 60k - so the bike is in the shed and I'm at the screen.

+100 again! Hard effort this morning, not looking forward to the return tonigt!

Russ

It'll be at your back at least for your M7 leg. Should be able to make it to M4 without any pedal action . The worse bit of winds like this is the way you get blown around by sidewinds - makes riding amongst traffic border on dangerous, so you'll need a dose of HTFU once you get off the cycleway. Should count for double in your training log !

ruscook wrote:

wombatK wrote:

martinjs wrote:Bloody horrible, strong S/W winds and boy was the wind cold. S/W winds are my least favourite as it's the only direction I can't work.

Same here - Gusting to 60k - so the bike is in the shed and I'm at the screen.

+100 again! Hard effort this morning, not looking forward to the return tonigt!
/quote]

wombatK wrote: It'll be at your back at least for your M7 leg. Should be able to make it to M4 without any pedal action . The worse bit of winds like this is the way you get blown around by sidewinds - makes riding amongst traffic border on dangerous, so you'll need a dose of HTFU once you get off the cycleway. Should count for double in your training log !

Actually it was more westerly than sou'westerly so wasn't a lot of help. The 12km (between them) of Hoxton Pk Rd and Woodstock Ave were murder. Got home in 1:25 normally it's 1:15 coming home... But at least 'tis done and I got my weekly km's in the log

The gusting on the Hoxton Pk T-Way was "interesting" as it was blowing me about (sideways) I was concerned I'd get blown into a bus as it came along. Luckily I saw him stopped, and let him passed as I was not concentrating on a good time, just getting there today

Rest day (on the cycle) tomorrow, then we do it all again on Sunday

Russ

Thirty seven minutes of steel clad disassociation, I hate short notice callouts

Shaun

I had the day off today so I didn't have to commute I rested my knee for my 100 tomorrow. Hopefully cycle commuting again next week. Catching the bus and train sucks.

Mulger bill wrote:Thirty seven minutes of steel clad disassociation, I hate short notice callouts

At least if I'm not cycling, I'm motorcycling - means I get to wear leather OR lycra everyday LOL....

ruscook wrote:

Mulger bill wrote:Thirty seven minutes of steel clad disassociation, I hate short notice callouts

At least if I'm not cycling, I'm motorcycling - means I get to wear leather OR lycra everyday LOL....

Yer a lucky bloke Russ, seems my two wheeling crash history has convinced the GLW that power assistance and me would be a nasty combination

Shaun

Mulger bill wrote:

ruscook wrote:At least if I'm not cycling, I'm motorcycling - means I get to wear leather OR lycra everyday LOL....

Yer a lucky bloke Russ, seems my two wheeling crash history has convinced the GLW that power assistance and me would be a nasty combination

Yes I've also had a couple of "offs" but to date done, much more serious damage in pushy accidents than motorbike ones! (not that I want to improve on that).

The key is I'm hell to live with if I'm not riding, and just bearable if I am

Russ

Saturday morning commute was cold, damp and windy but I was determined to not let the weather win. So I raised the Cadence strait away and went for it. I aim for and average of 25kph and made 24.99kph over the 30k's. Felt good beating the weather

Martin

martinjs wrote:Saturday morning commute was cold, damp and windy but I was determined to not let the weather win. So I raised the Cadence strait away and went for it. I aim for and average of 25kph and made 24.99kph over the 30k's. Felt good beating the weather

Well done Martin, it gets bloody cold in the south/west! My next commute is tomorrow 80km round trip. Will allow 90mins in the morning as it will be cold and hard to get started LOL.

Have a good one
Russ

The afternoon trip home was a bit better, more tail winds then head wind but I still had to push hard to get a good average and it's still cold.



This is what I wear to keep me warm on these cold days, I have a Ground Effects top underneath as well.

martinjs wrote: This is what I wear to keep me warm on these cold days, I have a Ground Effects top underneath as well.

Aero bars and air zounds added since your June 11 pic. Not sure about how the air zound will keep you warmer , but does getting more aero help keep you warmer ?