Prelim Tour 100-150 k from Melb-camp&return-Suggestions?

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jasper_244
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Prelim Tour 100-150 k from Melb-camp&return-Suggestions?

Postby jasper_244 » Fri Oct 17, 2008 12:56 pm

Hi Team - Awesome work all of you - what a great site ... I love it here :D

Since doing Degani Kinglake a few weeks back, I have thought of little else but getting on my bike and just going for as far as my legs will take me :)

Over Xmas / New year - I'll jump on the train down to Warrnambool and ride back to Melbourne - but I figure if I take Monday before Melb Cup off, I've got a good long weekend to have a stab at a preliminary trip and would love you suggestions and input :)

Any great locations / camping spots around 120 - 150 km from Melbourne would be appreciated!!

Also - I am a bit stumped when it comes to all the gear.... I recently bought a Fuji Road bike (love it), but I can’t afford a second (touring) bike... (yet) :cry:

So I'm thinking I'll just take a reasonably lightly packed backpack with light tent, mattress, sleeping bag, and necessities? Does that seem OK?

Any ideas / tips etc on locations and gear would be great :wink: - Cheers !

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Postby banjo » Sat Oct 18, 2008 9:47 am

Jasper, it depends what part of melbourne you're starting from. Maybe draw a circle about 120km from home and see what looks good. Have a gooogle and see if there are caravan parks for camping and you're set. But don't try and do it with a backpack. Anything more than a camelback for a bit of water and you will regret it in my opinion. At least get rear rack/pannier combo.

Good luck and safe riding.

banjo

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Postby Matt_Matt » Sat Oct 18, 2008 10:09 am

Can't help with touring tips, but you could try heading down to Wonthaggi or even across to Phillip Island.

Or catch the ferry across to French Island and enjoy the car free National Park experience.


Matt

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Postby il padrone » Sat Oct 18, 2008 4:05 pm

Best approach is to use the trains (V-line) to help get you 'out there'. Avoids the crap drivers on the outer fringe suburbs and metro-exitting highways. You can take your bike on board country trains for no extra cost. And after just one camping trip you'll realise why backpacks are hell. Just go and buy yourself a set of rear panniers and a rack to start with. Front panniers are even better to balance your load if you get serious about touring. If you do want more come along to Trades Hall one Thursday at 8 pm for the meeting of MBTC. :)

Some great ride ideas, using the trains to get to the best country roads:

1. Catch a train to Wangaratta. Ride the Murray to the Mountains Railtrail, to Beechworth, Myrtleford and on to Bright then return to Wangaratta. Generally very evenly graded riding. An ideal 4 day starter for a beginner.

2. Catch a train to Colac. Ride south into the Otways - Beechy Railtrail, Beech Forest, Apollo Bay, Cape Otway, Lavers Hill and back via Port Campbell or back to the Beechy trail. I did this Easter tour to Cape Otway with my club a couple of years ago. If you're really keen and fit, the whole Great Ocean Road from Geelong to Warrnambool can be ridden in 4 days. Mountains, rainforest and the coast.

3. Catch a train to Warragul. Ride south to the Grand Ridge Road, to Mirboo North (no camping but the motel at the golf club is good) then go on to Bulga or Tarra Valley National Park, down via Carrajung to Traralgon, back to Warragul via back roads either north or south of the Princes Freeway. Hilly country, but o so spectacular scenery, and quiet roads.

4. Catch a train to Kyneton. Ride via Malmesbury (mmm, bakery), Taradale and Castlemaine, then on via Muckleford to Maldon. Camp here and look around this heritage town. Ride on through Tarnagulla to Melville Caves (Kooyoora Park) and camp. Spend a day exploring the walks in this granite hill country. Ride back to Bendigo or Castlemaine (via Kingowerr for the lovely wines at Blanche Barkly and Passing Clouds wineries) for the train home. Maybe something like this.
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Postby jasper_244 » Mon Oct 20, 2008 7:28 pm

Thanks all for your ideas - I really like the Kyneton - Bendigo tour, and I've got family in Bendigo - so I can crash there at the end, before training back home :)

As luck would have it just 2 hours after posting my question here, I had a call from BV to say I was the lucky winner of a Trek 7.3 Road Bike - this one has all the right bits (technical term) to attach panniers - so no backpack required !! I really wasn’t looking forward to 8 hours of sweaty back anyway :)

I checked out the new wheels at the Rapido Cycles stand after ATB on Sunday, and was well chuffed! Can’t wait to get a leg over and take off!

I don’t think I've won anything since I was in primary school and won a basket of lollies, so maybe posting here is good luck!?

I do have another question.... about the bikely maps.... Apart from zooming in and reading the street names, is there any way you can detail the route like mapmyride dot com? I have tried helping and coming up with nada so far.

Cool to hear there is a touring group - once I have a couple under my belt I will definitely come visit you!

Good job to all who made it through ATB Sunday! Especially to my pal Angie who's rear derailleur fell off at mordi, and ended up having her ride changed to a fixie at Kennedy’s before chugging in the rest of the way on single speed :)

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Postby Kalgrm » Mon Oct 20, 2008 8:58 pm

Hey, nice win Jasper.

I - for one - won't believe it until we see the photos though. ;)

Cheers,
Graeme
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Postby jasper_244 » Mon Oct 20, 2008 9:16 pm

Cheers Graeme - I'm pretty stoked !

I will pop in to get fitted this week - then they'll order it - I guess one disadvantage of being 5'10" is i'm kinda in that popular size region.... I hope it doesn't take too long !

Soon as I've got it I'll have pics up.

For now all I can do is look at the Trek website & wait.... Still ... I could get off my butt and post pics of my current p&j the fuji - I guess there's another thread for that somewhere...I'll look around ...

Thanks again :)

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Postby Kalgrm » Mon Oct 20, 2008 9:33 pm

Get that post count going then - you need 11 posts before you can post pictures or links, and until then, I'll be swearing at you and calling you a lying bastard. :) :lol:
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Postby jasper_244 » Wed Oct 22, 2008 9:13 pm

Well - I'm convinced the goldfields tour is a great one - and am well into planning - edsgoodthings dot blogspot dot com

It's boring really - just the route detail and some interesting info i picked up and want to check out on the way ...

sorry for the boring turn left here - turn right there - but it helps me a heap - as i can access it from home / work & mobile, and writing it always helps me remeber :)

I still havent figured if there is detailed route info on bikely ? - but maybe when i'm done recording this ride I will move it to mapmyridedotcom.

at this stage i haven't been able to get outta work to the cycle shop - but will probably pop in Saturday arvo.

Thanks again for your help all !

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Postby il padrone » Wed Oct 22, 2008 10:57 pm

jasper_244 wrote:I still havent figured if there is detailed route info on bikely ? - but maybe when i'm done recording this ride I will move it to mapmyridedotcom.
That Bikely route is a map I drew, based on many previous tours out there. I've now put in placenames and comments/turns. If you click the 'Show' menu you can get a cue sheet of all turns that you can print out.

I may wind up doing this myself on the Cup Weekend. Either that or the Grampians.
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Postby jasper_244 » Thu Oct 23, 2008 5:32 am

ahhh pete! You didn't have to do that but thanks a million mate !

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Postby jasper_244 » Fri Oct 24, 2008 9:40 pm

Well, I popped into Rapido today to work out this new bike - and all looks good - they should have it ready Wednesday (excluding pannier bags) which the're out of stock at the mo...

So I have a question - I got a topeak rack put on with some sliding system for the trunkbag .. but the sales guy said they have these trunkbags with flipout pannier bags ? I can't see this on the topeak website - would any of you have one or know where i could look up the dimensions ? I have a small (ish) tent / and curious if the folding pole thingies will fit ... or should I get separate pannier bags ?

Also - I am not sure if i did the right thing - but I asked to change the slicks to a more tready tyre - got conti somethings - (AT) $50.00 a pop - cheaper than my roadbike tyres but hopefully will be good, also got some spare tubes too... given I really want to do Pete's goldmine trip next weekend I am cutting it fine to get things right - kinda typical for me :)

I'm babysitting my little nephew & niece tomorrow - but would love to go for a ride...., actually they both have bikes so I might give it a try :} It could end up carrying three bikes back but hey - it'll fill some time .

Enjoy your weekend !! Ed

Oh - also wanted to say .. I have only been to a handful of bikeshops but really liked rapido - plenty of staff - even (AT) 6pm Friday arvo - very helpful, good ideas, not pushy sellers, really nice layout, good assortment of brands ... bike parking inside the store - if you live that way - looks like it would be a good LBS.. and no I dont work for them !

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Postby Matt_Matt » Fri Oct 24, 2008 11:50 pm

Photo's jasper, we need some photo's


Matt

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Postby im_no_pro » Sat Oct 25, 2008 12:17 am

Matt_Matt wrote:Photo's jasper, we need some photo's


Matt
agreed. curious to see which fuji you went for, i've just ordered the roubaix pro.

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Postby jasper_244 » Sat Oct 25, 2008 10:55 am

OK OK - Is it 11 posts and I can upload pics ?? I think this is 11 now ... lemme see :)

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Postby jasper_244 » Sat Oct 25, 2008 11:38 am

Hmmm... excuse me if I mess this up - haven't posted any pics before...

The Fuji Roubaix Pro - complete w dirty bar tape - I do have that cork ribbon from Kinglake ride - I should figure out how to put that on :) I love this bike - Only thing that irks me is the branding on every single post fork etc ... still its my first road bike and fun to ride...

Image

Image

Image

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Postby stryker84 » Sat Oct 25, 2008 12:56 pm

jasper_244 wrote:So I have a question - I got a topeak rack put on with some sliding system for the trunkbag .. but the sales guy said they have these trunkbags with flipout pannier bags ? I can't see this on the topeak website - would any of you have one or know where i could look up the dimensions ? I have a small (ish) tent / and curious if the folding pole thingies will fit ... or should I get separate pannier bags ?
Cecil Walker has some examples HERE, but the pictures don't really show the foldout panniers. You could look up the model names though, I would, but can't be bothered right now. ;)

Otherwise, for about 6 times the rices, ORTLIEB has a trunk+pannier set, as seen and available HERE Price will be an issue. ;)

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Postby il padrone » Sat Oct 25, 2008 7:22 pm

stryker84 wrote:
jasper_244 wrote:So I have a question - I got a topeak rack put on with some sliding system for the trunkbag .. but the sales guy said they have these trunkbags with flipout pannier bags ? I can't see this on the topeak website - would any of you have one or know where i could look up the dimensions ? I have a small (ish) tent / and curious if the folding pole thingies will fit ... or should I get separate pannier bags ?
Cecil Walker has some examples HERE, but the pictures don't really show the foldout panniers. You could look up the model names though, I would, but can't be bothered right now. ;)

Otherwise, for about 6 times the rices, ORTLIEB has a trunk+pannier set, as seen and available HERE Price will be an issue. ;)
Those Topeak rack bags with fold-out pockets could hardly be called 'panniers' - they are not! They are a good choice as a bag for a day ride! If you want touring panniers consider the Ortlieb Bikepacker Classic/Sportpacker Classic bags for rear and front. But at $540 total from Cyclelink in Australia, and similar prices from other Australian stores they are very expensive. Don't even consider the Ortlieb Travelset of rear panniers and racktop case - they are way overpriced!

The best way to buy Ortlieb is online from one of the German distributors. I've bought two full sets from www.unterweg.biz for a total cost of ~$360 each, delivered to my door. This saved me $200 on the local prices, and I included a couple of clip-on pockets too. If you do go down this route be sure to ask them to remove their local VAT as you are an overseas sale. Use the website's English translations or use a translation website eg Babelfish to help you know what you're looking at. Bike bags are 'Fahrradtaschen' on their menus.
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Postby jasper_244 » Sun Oct 26, 2008 2:50 pm

Thanks for all your help !! I feel pretty good now - just these pannier bags... I had no idea how $$$ !!! I already popped $300.00 on a free bike just for basics, and I felt guilty about that - another $300.00 or so for the bags and I may as well have bought the bike !

My prof. is buying/retailing womens accessories, and we sell detailed, handmade high quality leather handbags made in the same fty's as coach and prada for less than that !

I had a look at ortlieb here and on unterwegs.biz and they look great - but I'm gonna have to check out auctions ending soon on ebay - I'll pick something up soon enough:)

meanwhile what a muggy grey old day in Melbourne - !! It would be nice if the su n would come out but it looks like it aint gonna happen now. Was a beautiful morning for riding tho - so quiet out there !

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Postby il padrone » Sun Oct 26, 2008 10:04 pm

Yes, look the Ortliebs are pretty much top of the range gear, but increasingly the standard for more serious touring cyclists. Starting out as you are, you may be best to get some cheaper panniers. The Deuter panniers are quite good, and Tioga make a rear pannier set that are fully waterproof welded-PVC like the Ortliebs, with very secure mounting, that you should be able to get for around $120. Get some cheaper panniers to use for first tours, then if you find that this sort of travelling is your thing you can upgrade to Ortliebs later on and use the first pannier set for your commuting ride.
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Postby jasper_244 » Mon Oct 27, 2008 4:19 pm

Well thanks - Today I got me down to GC and picked up some plain old Tioga Side Panniers for under a hundy the pair .. They look like they will do the job - though nothing flash :) ... Like you say - Good to start with the basics and upgrade as I go...

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Postby jasper_244 » Wed Oct 29, 2008 8:38 pm

Ya .. zer gut !!! - here tis ... YES !! I realised after I took the pics that the panniers should be on the opposite sides :)

Image

hope to take him tomorrow to work where he'll keep fuji company for the day !

then i'll have to figure out which one to take home with me. I am very lucky... touch wood !!!!

Especially when it comes to the weather forecast for this weekend - storms predicted Sunday - but it never rains in Bendigo right ? much ??

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Kyneton / Melville Caves / Bendigo - Cup Weekend new pics!

Postby jasper_244 » Thu Oct 30, 2008 8:31 pm

Thanks Pete for the map - Weather looks just fine (touch wood)

Now if I can just get these brakes to close I'll be off again :)

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