Noosa Strade Bianche

[ldrcycles]

Smashed as in stuffed or smashed as in plastered?

Foo

Judging by the number of beer bottles I saw at the tables when the riders returned to the marina i'd say both are highly likely .

What Scott said, an amazing day, many thanks to Andy and Chris for making it happen. I counted 67 riders as we made our way to Tinbeerwah , we had so many the bunch stretched for a couple of k! By the time we reached Tinbeerwah only 6-7k in the group had already split up into fast and slow fields, and we had our first mechanical with Andy on the Holstar suffering a loose crank arm. He was able to limp to Cooroy, tighten the crank at a servo and carry on to complete the short course.

This year unfortunately was another year for flats, there were dozens! (Though as is my wont I must point out that my brother and I riding 27" wheels had no such troubles ). I've heard someone copped a flat front tyre and ended up in a ditch on Cooroy Mountain Rd, can anyone confirm? Other than that I believe the event remains injury free, not bad for 3 years! .

The new course generated almost universal praise, the scenery around Black Mountain is superb and returning over the Kin Kin Range is a huge improvement over McKinnon Drive. My brother and I were pretty tired by the time we reached Cooroy so cheated a bit by taking the sealed Cooroy-Tewantin Rd rather than the last gravel sector past Cooroy Mountain.

One of my highlights was being able to help Ash on the beautiful Tommasini when he had his 3rd (or 4th?) puncture on his tubular tyres and had no more spares. As this was at Cedar Pocket, not far from my parent's farm in Kin Kin (home of LDR's shed of parts ) I did a time trial to the farm, grabbed a replacement 700C wheel and drove my dad's ute back to meet him (AFTER he had descended the much feared Gentle Annie with a flat front tyre ). A bloke on a Beretto lost some chainring bolts which I also grabbed from the farm, but unfortunately I didn't see him again until the marina.

I took a heap of photos which i'm uploading now (9 emails worth!) I've got a really nice one of you climbing Hansen's Gap scott.

And I got the KOM for Shadbolt Rd too, woohoo!

[singlespeedscott]

You were pretty strong on those climbs Lachlan. You would zipp up in front and then taking snap shots. Don't know how you did it. Looking forward to seeing some piccies.

[michaelweare]

Hi All

Just back in Brisbane after the Gran Fondo...what a great weekend and as already stated, weather, scenery and company perfect!!! Finally got around to finishing this year after the collision with my mate Andrew last year with 2 wrecked wheels on 2 bikes at the 63km mark.

Saturday's show and shine was fantastic with a really nice collection of bikes and people who love them.

Think we may have been in the minority today as our little group of 3 (Andrew, Tony and myself) had no flats or mechanicals whatsoever. Certainly saw lots of people along the way repairing tyres. There were so many highlights it's hard to to pick one but there were some really sweet downhill sections with some great sweepers before and after Kin Kin. Rolling down the Hill Climb close to home was also heaps of fun. Think I even enjoyed coming down the steep scary section towards Federal hanging on for grim death.

Sorry we couldn't stay at the end to mix and have a drink, but we had to get back to Brisbane.

Will certainly be hard having to go back to work tomorrow.

Huge thanks to Andy and Chris for arranging another stellar event, Keith and Jason for the jersey kit and photo opportunities as well as Lachy. Also huge shoutout for Leigh with the sag wagon even though we didn't need to cruise around with her this year

Also good to meet some new people.

Looking forward to pics (I've got a few to put up as well) as well as hearing how others went, and of course will be back next year.

Cheers
Michael

[ldrcycles]

Well that was a frustrating experience, but 3 HOURS later I've finally got the pics up.

Singlespeedscott climbing Hansen's Gap.





The bunch climbing Gyndier Drive





My brother near the top of Gyndier





And all 59 photos (so far) at this link http://s1142.photobucket.com/user/ldrcy ... t=3&page=1" onclick="window.open(this.href);return false;

[Mustang]

Thanks for posting the images Locky .
Where does one start describing the success of this event, riders from all over Australia?????
Rates up there as the toughest I've done on a STEEL bike.
Thanks Andy & Chris, the whole weekend was amazing.
The course if you feel like dropping 2400 calories

[DTdotcom]

Nice work to all participants, on my to do list for next yr

[Mustang]

Nice work to all participants, on my to do list for next yr

With 92 KOMs we might have to put you on a fixie????

[ldrcycles]

And he can carry the socket set .

Some more piccies!

[ldrcycles]

My brother Warwick and Mustang negotiating the Andersons Rd descent.






Wal on his beautiful aluminium Benotto.

[spinner]

"Assassins"! That was the famous remark that kept coming to mind toiling up those 20%s, one after the other.
Congratulations on putting on this unique event which which, it appears, attracted masochists from near and far. I have never suffered or enjoyed such a ride so much before. Long may it continue.

Roy- Tin Can Bay

-Adapted quotation from Octave Lapize: He is noted for looking at some Tour officials on the climb of the Col du Tourmalet in the 1910 Tour de France and yelling,
"Vous êtes des assassins! Oui, des assassins!'
(French for 'You are murderers! Yes, murderers!')"
The stage in question was 326 kilometers in length, featured 7 brutal climbs, and was raced on unsealed roads with single-gear bicycles.

Thanks all who rode on Sunday, in both the Medio Fondo & the Gran Fondo for contributing to an amazing day.
I think that we can sub-title the event; "the friendly" ride; no egos on display but plenty of camaraderie!

[Imwit]

Did anyone rescue the hoffys? Looked like a ripper day (much like the Beechworth one)

[singlespeedscott]

I have his phone number but he's away for a month

[ldrcycles]

I have his phone number but he's away for a month

Aha I was wondering what happened there, there were a few people seen checking their ziplock cash bags .

[singlespeedscott]

I have his phone number but he's away for a month

Aha I was wondering what happened there, there were a few people seen checking their ziplock cash bags .

They'll need a lot of work but I think they deserve some love. I suspect there is a bit of history there. I think Les, his name, was being modest as to how good he was in his day. You don't have a matching set of Hoffy road and track bikes unless you have a bit of talent

[ldrcycles]

Too right! So why did he have them in the truck in the first place, don't tell me he really was taking them to the tip?!

[singlespeedscott]

Scary thought.

[Velo13]

A fantastic day. Enjoyed it a great deal (especially the dirt). Thanks guys for a great ride. If you weren't there, get building and training for next year.

[Imwit]

If you weren't there, get building and training for next year.

Ok.

[pentlandexile]

Is cool.

[munga]

Aight.

[foo on patrol]

Please tell me more about this bloke and the Hoffy bikes!

Foo

[singlespeedscott]

His name is Les Roe. Said he use to race as an amateur through Qld and NSW on the road and track in the late 60's and early 70's.

He had a couple of beautiful matching Hoffy road and track bikes that had unfortunately been stored under the house for the last 40 years. The frames look to be 24". Painted yellow/gold with green panels and high lights. Nice parts too.

[foo on patrol]

That name rings a long lost bell for me SS. I will do some asking and digging to see if, I can find out something about him.

Foo

[singlespeedscott]

Cheers Foo. I'm going to ring him about the bikes when he gets back. See if I can get some more info too.

[ldrcycles]

Cheers Foo. I'm going to ring him about the bikes when he gets back. See if I can get some more info too.

What was the result with that in the end?