Which Bike for Around the Bay

[Newcastle Dave]

I am signed up for the 250 km Around the Bay in October (which is around 60 km more than my longest ride to date, but that's another story)

I have 2 bikes
1) Cell Omeo 2
2) Merida Cyclocross 4

I was planning to bring the Cell down to Melbourne however last week I rode Newcastle - Dungog return (170 km) on the Merida. The reason I chose the merida for that ride was that part of the route is over very rough bitumen, you know the kind where none of the original road surface is visible between the patches. They ride organisers actually say "just think of it like the cobbles on Paris - Roubaix". I am currently running 28mm Gatorskins on the Merida

Now as I neared the end I was thinking, "actually this bike is more comfortable and relaxed, maybe I will take it to Melbourne"

Am I mad taking a heavier cyclocross bike on what I believe is a smooth tarmac 250 km ride (over the lighter aero carbon Omeo) ?

[rooftop]

Unless you are gunning for a record time, either bike will be fine. I did last years ride on my touring bike (steel frame, 32mm Marathon tyres, panniers!) and while I was a lot slower than previous years when I rode the race bike, it was fine (apart from the horrible wind).

And on a 250km ride comfort sometimes trumps speed

[Hildalgo]

Except for a couple of little bumps in the road, the majority of the course is completely flat, and quite exposed to the winds. The thing you need to be prepared for is the wind. Somehow the organizers seem to pick one of the windiest days in October. Over the past 8 years, the lightest winds would have been around 40kmph gusts. We've had up to 100kmph gusts which led to a number of riders being blown off their bikes.

You'll have a blast

[macca33]

Either bike will be fine - choose the one you like to ride the best.

cheers

[human909]

Am I mad taking a heavier cyclocross bike on what I believe is a smooth tarmac 250 km ride (over the lighter aero carbon Omeo) ?

Weight is basically negligible. Around the bay is flat. If your cyclocross tyres aren't slick that will make more of a difference. If you have slick tyres on your cyclocross I'd pick the bike that is more comfortable.

Some people do around the bay on mountain bikes, touring bikes and various city bikes. I did it on a flat bar bike the one and only time I did it.

[P!N20]

Whichever one has disc brakes, coz, y'know, it might rain.

[fat and old]

Do you need to beat anyone that is a real touch and go situation? Maybe seconds in it? If not, take the comfy bike.

[Arbuckle23]

Whichever one has disc brakes, coz, y'know, it might rain.

Better not. I don't do rain

[Newcastle Dave]

Whichever one has disc brakes, coz, y'know, it might rain.

Well looks like its the Merida Cross bike (with discs) then

[Duck!]

In the context of its length ATB is an easy ride. There are some undulations in the southern half of the loop, between Geelong and Queenscliff, and again from Safety Beach to Frankston, but by and large it's a flat course with generally reasonable road surfaces.

October is the most volatile month of the year for Melbourne's weather, so expect anything.

Above all, pick the bike you're most comfortable on for that long.

[g-boaf]

Ride which ever bike you are comfortable on.

Around the Bay is not going to be on cobblestones and treacherous rough surfaces, so you should be fine.

Well looks like its the Merida Cross bike (with discs) then

I rode a few weeks ago 154km and nearly 3000m elevation in pouring rain and temperatures recorded at 2ºC, though I saw cars with snow on top of them coming towards me. I had no disc brakes, and I had perfectly fine braking on those big descents in the rain.

You'll be fine on the Cell. The other guy was being sarcastic.

[antigee]

with last years wind - go for the heavier bike! def' not deep rim aero wheels! (go for comfort is the serious response)

pm average windspeed was 60km/hr+ with gusts 80+

[g-boaf]

with last years wind - go for the heavier bike! def' not deep rim aero wheels! (go for comfort is the serious response)

pm average windspeed was 60km/hr+ with gusts 80+

I've ridden in 45-65kmh conditions that were pretty mad, especially at 60km/h, and that wasn't with an aero bike or deep carbon wheels. Gusts at 80+ is insane.

[madmacca]

Am I mad taking a heavier cyclocross bike on what I believe is a smooth tarmac 250 km ride (over the lighter aero carbon Omeo) ?

Weight is basically negligible. Around the bay is flat. If your cyclocross tyres aren't slick that will make more of a difference. If you have slick tyres on your cyclocross I'd pick the bike that is more comfortable.

Some people do around the bay on mountain bikes, touring bikes and various city bikes. I did it on a flat bar bike the one and only time I did it.

Or just swap the wheelsets (or the tyres) for that ride. (If they fit)

[uart]

I was planning to bring the Cell down to Melbourne however last week I rode Newcastle - Dungog return (170 km) on the Merida. The reason I chose the merida for that ride was that part of the route is over very rough bitumen, you know the kind where none of the original road surface is visible between the patches.

Ay, I know the road well and I used to cycle it quite often in my younger days. No doubt you took the Alison Rd on the eastern side of the Williams on at least one leg of the trip. A very scenic route, and very little traffic, but that road was always a little rough. TBH the google map image looks a lot better now than when I used to ride it.

Take whatever bike that you feel the most comfortable in the saddle on, but if you've got the original (kinda knobbly) tyres on that cross bike then swap out the tyres (or wheels) as madmacca says. A typical set of touring tyres will cost you about 15 to 20 watts compared to decent road/race tyres, which is about 500 to 600 kJ of wasted energy over that course. Wow that's over half a Mega Watt second.

[kb]

with last years wind - go for the heavier bike! def' not deep rim aero wheels! (go for comfort is the serious response)

pm average windspeed was 60km/hr+ with gusts 80+

I've ridden in 45-65kmh conditions that were pretty mad, especially at 60km/h, and that wasn't with an aero bike or deep carbon wheels. Gusts at 80+ is insane.

A few photos included on the same day out East. The gusts at the bottom of Mt Donna Buang were scary.

https://www.strava.com/activities/738797459

[baabaa]

Take whatever bike that you feel the most comfortable in the saddle on, but if you've got the original (kinda knobbly) tyres on that cross bike then swap out the tyres (or wheels) as madmacca says. A typical set of touring tyres will cost you about 15 to 20 watts compared to decent road/race tyres, which is about 500 to 600 kJ of wasted energy over that course. Wow that's over half a Mega Watt second.

OP noted "I am currently running 28mm Gatorskins on the Merida"
Anyway, cx tyres apart from the tractor size/lugged type would be fine, I have run 35mm CX and then swapped out to 35 mm slicks (and then back and forth) on and off for weeks at a time on my 60 km a day commute to try and see if I could find any difference. It came down to a few minutes per week in on bike time totals. Unless you have really soft rubber which wear out quickly, CX tyres make for a really good winter long days out and road commuter tyre, also having some tread seems to give a bit flat protection with more rubber material buffer between tube and on road glass shards and gunk.

[uart]

OP noted "I am currently running 28mm Gatorskins on the Merida"

Ok thanks baabaa. Either bike should be fine then.

I'm not really familiar with those original cx tyres anyway, but most touring tyres are about 8 to 10 watts (per tyre) more rolling resistance (at about 25 km/h) than even a half decent road/race/training tyre. It's not the sort of difference that will make a big impact on commuting times, but it could add up a bit on such a long ride.

[baabaa]

Yeah I guess that what I was trying to say, just enjoy your riding no matter the sort of bike or kit someone chooses, as when I crunched the end of week totals of 300 K on each type then swapped to doing end of months each at the 1200 k I could see that tyres made next to no difference in times. I guess classic aneco-data stuff and I did so because I could. Doing so on a single speed gave me a solid answer to my own long term question. ( I also recall someone in the UK doing the heavy vs light weight bike and the results came in much the same)

[g-boaf]

A few photos included on the same day out East. The gusts at the bottom of Mt Donna Buang were scary.

https://www.strava.com/activities/738797459

That's crazy.