Gong Ride
-
- Posts: 1284
- Joined: Sat Jul 20, 2013 1:57 am
Gong Ride
Postby AndrewCowley » Sun Oct 23, 2016 7:17 pm
-
- Posts: 956
- Joined: Mon Nov 11, 2013 11:05 pm
- Location: Sydney
Re: Gong Ride
Postby tez001 » Sun Oct 23, 2016 7:27 pm
I'll be doing the ride and I'll just be heading into the City from Victoria Rd, through Glebe, past RPA and down King St.
I'm guessing youll be heading to St Peters pretty early so traffic on the roads should not be an issue.
-
- Posts: 102
- Joined: Wed Sep 02, 2015 7:20 pm
Re: Gong Ride
Postby thomas1987 » Tue Oct 25, 2016 12:13 am
- Derny Driver
- Posts: 3039
- Joined: Wed Nov 21, 2012 12:18 pm
- Location: Wollongong
Re: Gong Ride
Postby Derny Driver » Tue Oct 25, 2016 12:36 am
- Alex Simmons/RST
- Expert
- Posts: 4997
- Joined: Fri May 02, 2008 3:51 pm
- Contact:
Re: Gong Ride
Postby Alex Simmons/RST » Tue Oct 25, 2016 8:11 am
1. they are public roads, so you can do what you like (within reason of course)thomas1987 wrote:This will probably be frowned upon but I was just wondering is it possible to ride Syd to Gong without registration?
2. those that jump into an organised ride without having paid for the privilege of access to all the ride support infrastructure are in effect stealing. It's just really poor form.
3. riding the same route but not following the course precisely (e.g. riding outside of the designated lanes) is a really crummy ride in any case.
4. you can ride the route any other day of the year that you so choose
I've been accidentally caught out in years gone by when riding my normal morning training ride and then realising when I hit the Princes Highway section that it was Gong ride day. I'd then deviate away from the Gong ride route as soon as I can sensibly do so. Normally those not doing the Gong ride make plans to ride elsewhere that day (typically go north).
- familyguy
- Posts: 8392
- Joined: Wed Apr 16, 2008 2:30 pm
- Location: Willoughby, NSW
Re: Gong Ride
Postby familyguy » Tue Oct 25, 2016 10:58 am
And really, you wouldn't want to. If I wasn't riding it already I wouldn't ride that route on that day. There are a LOT of casual riders. Much of the time is spent avoiding other people. It wouldn't be my choice for a selected ride on that day with those riders.
Jim
- SheikYerbouti
- Posts: 545
- Joined: Wed Mar 05, 2014 11:47 am
Re: Gong Ride
Postby SheikYerbouti » Tue Oct 25, 2016 11:25 pm
I'm riding with a casual bunch from Willoughby. Straight thru Nth Syd over the bridge, down the cycleway to central, then through Newtown to the start.AndrewCowley wrote:I'm wondering how feasible it is to cycle to the start of the Gong ride from Sydney's north? I'd be coming from Lane Cove. Once you get to the city (this being the bit I'm very familiar with) what's the best route and how far is it?
-
- Posts: 1284
- Joined: Sat Jul 20, 2013 1:57 am
Re: Gong Ride
Postby AndrewCowley » Thu Oct 27, 2016 10:31 am
Wondering how that's going to work? Surely there's a lot of people who will want to meet up with other riders who have different times or who just want to leave at some other time.
I think it's a good idea in terms of trying to make the start less chaotic but in practice I'm not sure how well it will work.
- familyguy
- Posts: 8392
- Joined: Wed Apr 16, 2008 2:30 pm
- Location: Willoughby, NSW
Re: Gong Ride
Postby familyguy » Thu Oct 27, 2016 11:18 am
Now with the second start point now you get an influx at Heathcote/Waterfall of slower riders.
Jim
-
- Posts: 1284
- Joined: Sat Jul 20, 2013 1:57 am
Re: Gong Ride
Postby AndrewCowley » Thu Oct 27, 2016 11:36 am
Thanks for the clarification.
-
- Posts: 68
- Joined: Thu Sep 19, 2013 11:20 pm
Re: Gong Ride
Postby gerardvok » Thu Nov 03, 2016 10:46 am
- SmellyTofu
- Posts: 686
- Joined: Wed Apr 08, 2009 1:01 pm
- Location: Obviously not on the bike when I'm online in Sydney
Re: Gong Ride
Postby SmellyTofu » Fri Nov 04, 2016 8:35 am
I've paid but TBH, I CBF dodging the randoms now. Feeling quite apathetic about these mass rides even though the cause is good. Definitely won't be "wasting" my money on something I could have otherwise got a tax deduction for.
-
- Posts: 68
- Joined: Thu Sep 19, 2013 11:20 pm
Re: Gong Ride
Postby gerardvok » Fri Nov 04, 2016 10:16 am
Get on the front then. You get the faster riders there and they tend to be more experienced and safer in pace lines etc. Its a good cause and you dont have to be in the middle of the groups that are riding in gorilla suits and unicycles.SmellyTofu wrote:Boycott the ride then
I've paid but TBH, I CBF dodging the randoms now. Feeling quite apathetic about these mass rides even though the cause is good. Definitely won't be "wasting" my money on something I could have otherwise got a tax deduction for.
-
- Posts: 22
- Joined: Sat Mar 21, 2015 11:11 pm
Re: Gong Ride
Postby phil_ » Sun Nov 06, 2016 11:42 am
Saw a few tumbles. Someone took a dive at Sydney Park before it even started (just a graze) and another after climbing out of the National Park.
However a more serious one was near Heathcote on the Princes Highway. I was riding behind 2 guys and something happened up front. Evasive braking didn't stop one rider going over the handlebars and doing a roll and another actually went over the railing, bike and all! Ended up what looked like quite far down.
A few of us had stopped but I continued on as they were in a group. Hopefully they're both OK!
-
- Moderator
- Posts: 1001
- Joined: Mon Dec 12, 2005 5:42 pm
- Location: sydney
Re: Gong Ride
Postby timbo » Mon Nov 07, 2016 6:36 am
-
- Posts: 956
- Joined: Mon Nov 11, 2013 11:05 pm
- Location: Sydney
Re: Gong Ride
Postby tez001 » Mon Nov 07, 2016 8:14 am
You must have been basically riding just next to me as I saw the same guy stack it before the start line (it was more just a clip stack) and then again the collision on the Pacific Hwy too. The ditch down looked like a fair way too!phil_ wrote:Saw a few tumbles. Someone took a dive at Sydney Park before it even started (just a graze) and another after climbing out of the National Park.
However a more serious one was near Heathcote on the Princes Highway. I was riding behind 2 guys and something happened up front. Evasive braking didn't stop one rider going over the handlebars and doing a roll and another actually went over the railing, bike and all! Ended up what looked like quite far down.
- familyguy
- Posts: 8392
- Joined: Wed Apr 16, 2008 2:30 pm
- Location: Willoughby, NSW
Re: Gong Ride
Postby familyguy » Mon Nov 07, 2016 9:01 am
There was also a guy down heading north (away from the finish) at North Wollongong. Ambulance on scene as I went past, but didn't hear anything.
The start felt a little more cramped than last year, with one chute and two entry points, but once things got rolling it was better than I've experienced it for a while. Even leaving at 6:45 in the past has meant slow traffic till at least Sans Souci, but not this year.
Wonder where the next start point will be once the motorway kicks in?
Jim
- rdp_au
- Posts: 563
- Joined: Wed Feb 07, 2007 5:45 pm
- Location: Hornsby, Sydney, NSW
Re: Gong Ride
Postby rdp_au » Mon Nov 07, 2016 9:40 am
- Derny Driver
- Posts: 3039
- Joined: Wed Nov 21, 2012 12:18 pm
- Location: Wollongong
Re: Gong Ride
Postby Derny Driver » Mon Nov 07, 2016 9:52 am
and probably his last.rdp_au wrote:... He’s an experienced club cyclist but this was his first mass ride...
My son's girlfriend signed up for it, got sponsors, the jersey, the numbers, the whole lot. Shes never actually ridden a bike before. I built her a flat bar bike to train on and ride the event. She never rode it or trained as she was too busy with Uni work, but she was still going to ride the Gong-a-thon yesterday. Thank goodness she changed her mind at the last minute and didn't do it.
These are the people you are riding with. People who have no idea and pull some old clunker with perished tyres out of their shed the night before.
If you want to ride from Sydney to the Gong, there are 51 other perfect weekends to do it. And if you want to support a charity, support a cycling charity which is doing something for us. The MS society is the greediest of all the super-charity corporations.
- familyguy
- Posts: 8392
- Joined: Wed Apr 16, 2008 2:30 pm
- Location: Willoughby, NSW
Re: Gong Ride
Postby familyguy » Mon Nov 07, 2016 10:51 am
The same can be said for the AGF Gran Fondo, Around the Bay, or any mass participation event. I've seen people pull out after 5km, as well as people who seemingly had no right in making it get all the way to the finish. Wonder if she's going to tell the people who probably sponsored her in good faith that she didn't ride?Derny Driver wrote:and probably his last.rdp_au wrote:... He’s an experienced club cyclist but this was his first mass ride...
My son's girlfriend signed up for it, got sponsors, the jersey, the numbers, the whole lot. Shes never actually ridden a bike before. I built her a flat bar bike to train on and ride the event. She never rode it or trained as she was too busy with Uni work, but she was still going to ride the Gong-a-thon yesterday. Thank goodness she changed her mind at the last minute and didn't do it.
These are the people you are riding with. People who have no idea and pull some old clunker with perished tyres out of their shed the night before.
If you want to ride from Sydney to the Gong, there are 51 other perfect weekends to do it.
Like who? AGF? BV?Derny Driver wrote:And if you want to support a charity, support a cycling charity which is doing something for us.
Curious...got info? Not wanting to start a flame war here, just want to know the where and how of this. Might impact my future rides.Derny Driver wrote:The MS society is the greediest of all the super-charity corporations.
Jim
- Derny Driver
- Posts: 3039
- Joined: Wed Nov 21, 2012 12:18 pm
- Location: Wollongong
Re: Gong Ride
Postby Derny Driver » Mon Nov 07, 2016 11:17 am
My sons girlfriend had good intentions. Her mum has MS. The people who donated don't care whether she rode the bike or not. They were donating to the charity, not to her. It was wise not to ride.
I don't like AGF ...I wont go into that here. I like the Ben Mikic Foundation and try to support that.
The MS society - as well as somehow getting permission to run this ride and raise something like 3 million dollars, they also have somehow managed to get permission to run the MS readathon in around 5000 schools in Australia since 1979 to present. Its worth another 3 million or so. Joe Citizen has only so many charity dollars to give, and there are so many worth causes out there. MS is a worth cause. But somehow they manage to take the lions share and leave other charities the scraps / nothing.
Just my view.
- familyguy
- Posts: 8392
- Joined: Wed Apr 16, 2008 2:30 pm
- Location: Willoughby, NSW
Re: Gong Ride
Postby familyguy » Mon Nov 07, 2016 11:31 am
I'm not seeking to start one. I don't think your thoughts are Robinson Crusoe on these charity rides though, especially among 'serious' riders. It's when you expect them to be trouble-free they become a problem. It's the cumulative 'moments of inattention' leads to what happened on Sunday. It's a more tiring 90km than a solo 90km, definitely.Derny Driver wrote:Look I know my views are not popular. Im not trying to start arguments. I am in the minority with my views on charity rides and Gran Fondos.
Derny Driver wrote:My sons girlfriend had good intentions. Her mum has MS. The people who donated don't care whether she rode the bike or not. They were donating to the charity, not to her. It was wise not to ride.
Again, I know you're not alone there. BMF will grow over time, but even they have been overshadowed by AGF and personnel within, not always in a good way. There is that history in Australia of 'doing something for something else', like walking for cancer, riding for MS, running for whatever. I think the City2Surf has evolved from an event to a fundraiser for non-specified organisations, which is a somewhat unique model here now.Derny Driver wrote:I don't like AGF ...I wont go into that here. I like the Ben Mikic Foundation and try to support that.
Fair points.Derny Driver wrote:The MS society - as well as somehow getting permission to run this ride and raise something like 3 million dollars, they also have somehow managed to get permission to run the MS readathon in around 5000 schools in Australia since 1979 to present. Its worth another 3 million or so. Joe Citizen has only so many charity dollars to give, and there are so many worth causes out there. MS is a worth cause. But somehow they manage to take the lions share and leave other charities the scraps / nothing.
Just my view.
All in all, I enjoyed number 16. But rethinking will start again soon.
Jim
-
- Posts: 23
- Joined: Sun Jan 24, 2016 3:39 pm
Re: Gong Ride
Postby sertse » Mon Nov 07, 2016 5:45 pm
The descents were the more scary part, and I was probably one of the offenders. How do you go between going too fast and burning your brakes?
-
- Posts: 22
- Joined: Sat Mar 21, 2015 11:11 pm
Re: Gong Ride
Postby phil_ » Mon Nov 07, 2016 9:51 pm
Some of my friends got held up at the Sea Cliff Bridge when they closed access to allow an ambulance through for a downed rider. Not sure how they're doing.
I may opt to start earlier next time so I can get clearer roads. Even though I was supposed to start at 6:15, I didn't get through the gates until 6:30. First time riding it and finished with a 3:20 time... something to be improved upon next time.
- g-boaf
- Posts: 21491
- Joined: Mon Sep 26, 2011 6:11 pm
Re: Gong Ride
Postby g-boaf » Mon Nov 07, 2016 10:11 pm
phil_ wrote:Couldn't believe the number of aero bikes that were around. They're not even allowed on group rides with experienced cyclists, let alone 10,000 other weekend warriors or once a year participants.
Some of my friends got held up at the Sea Cliff Bridge when they closed access to allow an ambulance through for a downed rider. Not sure how they're doing.
I may opt to start earlier next time so I can get clearer roads. Even though I was supposed to start at 6:15, I didn't get through the gates until 6:30. First time riding it and finished with a 3:20 time... something to be improved upon next time.
As for TT bikes or Triathlon bikes, I see no problem with them so long as you don't use the aero bars. And I'd guess that a P5X might be rather decent for stopping power with its disc brakes. It's up to the rider to ride with care.
Aero bikes on the other hand are perfectly legal in group rides and races. Giant Propel and Cervelo S5 are testament to that.
- General Australian Cycling Topics
- Info / announcements
- Buying a bike / parts
- General Cycling Discussion
- The Bike Shed
- Cycling Health
- Cycling Safety and Advocacy
- Women's Cycling
- Bike & Gear Reviews
- Cycling Trade
- Stolen Bikes
- Bicycle FAQs
- The Market Place
- Member to Member Bike and Gear Sales
- Want to Buy, Group Buy, Swap
- My Bikes or Gear Elsewhere
- Serious Biking
- Audax / Randonneuring
- Retro biking
- Commuting
- MTB
- Recumbents
- Fixed Gear/ Single Speed
- Track
- Electric Bicycles
- Cyclocross and Gravel Grinding
- Dragsters / Lowriders / Cruisers
- Children's Bikes
- Cargo Bikes and Utility Cycling
- Road Racing
- Road Biking
- Training
- Time Trial
- Triathlon
- International and National Tours and Events
- Cycle Touring
- Touring Australia
- Touring Overseas
- Touring Bikes and Equipment
- Australia
- Western Australia
- New South Wales
- Queensland
- South Australia
- Victoria
- ACT
- Tasmania
- Northern Territory
- Country & Regional
Who is online
Users browsing this forum: No registered users
- All times are UTC+10:00
- Top
- Delete cookies
About the Australian Cycling Forums
The Australian Cycling Forums is a welcoming community where you can ask questions and talk about the type of bikes and cycling topics you like.
Bicycles Network Australia
Forum Information
Connect with BNA
This website uses affiliate links to retail platforms including ebay, amazon, proviz and ribble.