Ride like crazy 2012

[nutsack]

Registrations have opened for 2012 Ride Like Crazy to be held on Sunday January 15, 2012.

Same route except they offer a detour at Balhanna this year shortening the ride by 16km.

I really enjoyed it last year and will be doing it again, found it a great warm up to the TDU ride 5 days later.

http://www.ridelikecrazy.com/

[MichaelB]

Registrations have opened for 2012 Ride Like Crazy to be held on Sunday January 15, 2012.

Same route except they offer a detour at Balhanna this year shortening the ride by 16km.

I really enjoyed it last year and will be doing it again, found it a great warm up to the TDU ride 5 days later.

http://www.ridelikecrazy.com/

+1.

Still not 100% sure about the TdU next year. May opt to watch the Willunga stage and ride there and back instead.

[matth]

Still not 100% sure about the TdU next year. May opt to watch the Willunga stage and ride there and back instead.

I'm thinking about the same thing... ride RLC then ride down to Willunga for the TDU and watch.

[you cannot be sirrus]

Ditto for me. RLC but no BUPA ride, hated it last year.

[MichaelB]

Ditto for me. RLC but no BUPA ride, hated it last year.

What didn't you like ?

[you cannot be sirrus]

Too many riders for my liking, four and five abreast through the gorge made overtaking near impossible or unsafe. I stopped at Macclesfield waiting for a mate and when we set off we were on the road with the short distance riders on their new Xmas bikes, many of whom had no idea how to ride in a group, which is fair enough, but I saw so many falling off, stopping in the middle of the road, zig-zagging up that hill that I probably won't do the ride again.
In contrast to RLC, Grand Slams etc. at least most of the riders have some idea of group riding, holding a line, signals etc.. admittedly not all of them.

I'll probably go to the start of the BUPA ride to catch up with mates, have a coffee and set off late and hang around Anstey's Hill waiting for the peloton to go by.

[MichaelB]

....In contrast to RLC, Grand Slams etc. at least most of the riders have some idea of group riding, holding a line, signals etc.. admittedly not all of them.

Couldn't agree more with your experiences and sentiments.

I'll probably go to the start of the BUPA ride to catch up with mates, have a coffee and set off late and hang around Anstey's Hill waiting for the peloton to go by.

Sounds like a good idea actually. How far to Anstey's Hill ?

Thinking of riding to Willunga Hill on the Sat, watching the stage and then heading back.

[liamb]

I have never ridden the Tour Downunder ride but from all the talk I had or overheard it sounds like one to miss. I get the impression that it is the ride to be seen on rather than a ride to actually ride, and it may get worse if Cadel is able to ride this year. I watched the start last year and saw some nice bright shinny expensive bikes but the riders were a little rusty on how the clip in unclip signal and generally ride. Cant judge it by the start but I am not sure it got any better. The biggest complaint I heard was the lack of organization and on road hydration stops.
Last year I rode Ride Like Crazy and loved every second. The route was fantastic, the riders were in general there to ride not pose. The crew organizing and helping went above and beyond. The whole thing was fantastic. Add to this the Grandslam series has been great as well.
I hate the lycra and have an average bike and dont like to pose so I will stick with the rides that the riders actually ride.

Bill

[you cannot be sirrus]

....In contrast to RLC, Grand Slams etc. at least most of the riders have some idea of group riding, holding a line, signals etc.. admittedly not all of them.

Couldn't agree more with your experiences and sentiments.

I'll probably go to the start of the BUPA ride to catch up with mates, have a coffee and set off late and hang around Anstey's Hill waiting for the peloton to go by.

Sounds like a good idea actually. How far to Anstey's Hill ?

Thinking of riding to Willunga Hill on the Sat, watching the stage and then heading back.

Ansteys Hill is about 10kms in to the stage, I'm now thinking a better plan is to ride to Kersbrook for the first KOM via the Gorge.
A mate of mine lives right at the top of Willunga Hill, I'm thinking of staying there Friday night and getting a good spot first thing Saturday morning, it going to be hectic at the top

[Sumichino]

The Challenge Tour seems to be getting a bad reputation that is not entirely correct. 2011's organisation was pretty good except for the water they used. Don't forget the route is designed to be a race for professionals, not an exhibition of Adelaide's best riding roads. Riders going four or five abreast is going to happen when you have that many people on the roads. I started fairly late this year and so had to do a lot of overtaking along Gorge Road without it being dangerous at all. My experience was that there are more posers on Ride Like Crazy than the TDU as well(especially the guy with a Teschener with Zipp 404 and a triple chainset). RLC was also a much faster ride with some riders taking it more seriously. Anyway, people can take it however they want. I'm happy just to be riding on almost closed roads with thousands of other cyclists and not bogans in V8s.

[Daccordi Rider]

I hope to do both this year. The RLC has been great in past years. Never done the Tour because it has clashed with the Alpine Classic but they are on different weekends this year so they will be great warm up rides before setting off to the Alps. My cycling buddies gave very poor reports of last years tour with poor support and lots of crashes. I plan to leave early and beat the rush and carry my own supplies so I can just go straight through, may need a water stop. Hope this works to keep me out of the pack.

In my experience the Alpine is the best ride of the year. Brilliant support and great riders cause you don't front up for 200km of Alps if you are not prepared.

[BoardRider]

I hope to do both this year. The RLC has been great in past years. Never done the Tour because it has clashed with the Alpine Classic but they are on different weekends this year so they will be great warm up rides before setting off to the Alps. My cycling buddies gave very poor reports of last years tour with poor support and lots of crashes. I plan to leave early and beat the rush and carry my own supplies so I can just go straight through, may need a water stop. Hope this works to keep me out of the pack.

In my experience the Alpine is the best ride of the year. Brilliant support and great riders cause you don't front up for 200km of Alps if you are not prepared.

+ 1 for missing the drink stops until the roads open up . RLC is my favourite ride. Bupa Tour challenge is great at giving cycling greater exposure and hopefully improve cycling infrastructure further.I ride both and treat the Challenge as more of a social outing and chat with other cyclists for the start of the ride until the pace picks up .
I would like to know more about the Alpine ride is there a website.
Thank you in advance.

[Daccordi Rider]

Hi Board Rider,

Here is the link.
http://www.alpineclassic.com.au/

We have been going for a few years now. Bright is a great spot so we have a week there, ride up hills, eat, drink and relax, then torture ourselves with the Classic. There are various distances if 200km is not enough or too much. Let me know if I can be of further help.

[Dahondude]

RLC is great, and much better than the TDU Community ride for a number of reasons
1. You start and finish in Adelaide so no need to fek about in a traffic jam trying to get home
2. The food/drink stops are ace...the volunteers fill your water bottle for you, and virtually force you to take more snakes, cake and bananas
3. The route is really enjoyable.

I did the Challenge ride back in the days when BikeSA ran it and it was great, but then Events SA took over and the organisation was terrible. This years route is a good one though and with any luck all the inexperienced riders will start in Tanunda with Eddie Merkx. I'm planning on riding to the top of Menglers to watch the pros come through then ride back to Gawler for the train home. With luck we'll get to Lyndoch before the pros and have a bunch ride past to get a free ride to Gawler. Priceless.

Oh and I agree about Bright and the Alpine Classic...Bright has got to be the best place in Australia to base your self for a cycling holiday.

[MichaelB]

RLC is great, and much better than the TDU Community ride for a number of reasons
1. You start and finish in Adelaide so no need to fek about in a traffic jam trying to get home
2. The food/drink stops are ace...the volunteers fill your water bottle for you, and virtually force you to take more snakes, cake and bananas
3. The route is really enjoyable.
....

+1 for sure, and my daughter enjoyed the carnival setup last year as well.

[DAVCLARE]

We will been there agai n. Second year for ride like crazy. Third for tdu.

Not long to go

[eeksll]

I still havent decided if I am doing it yet either. My mates are not doing it and I want to ride back, but want a backout option.

Sounds like RLC is out of my league, I am not too good with the hand signals myself as I never ride in a group. Hell I have never understood the the signal for stopping/braking, I reckon I'd fall off if I braked with one hand

The alpine classic looks awesome, but will need to be atleast next year. (and i defineitly won't be able to do the stopping signal while braking down a hill I WILL fall off)

[MichaelB]

I still havent decided if I am doing it yet either. My mates are not doing it and I want to ride back, but want a backout option.

Sounds like RLC is out of my league, I am not too good with the hand signals myself as I never ride in a group. Hell I have never understood the the signal for stopping/braking, I reckon I'd fall off if I braked with one hand

The alpine classic looks awesome, but will need to be atleast next year. (and i defineitly won't be able to do the stopping signal while braking down a hill I WILL fall off)

Common sense applies, so do it. Good group and good ride for a great cause.

See ya there. Voice does almost as well as hand signals !!!

[mmhbeer]

The Bupa ride is a weird one to ride because of the different starts and the way that they are timed. I did last years in 4.5 hours, meaning that twice on the ride you overtake riders that have started at the other starts. After Macclesfield there was carnage on a straight piece of road and then when there was a hill there was 200 people pushing up it and causing a bottleneck.

Riders braking when going downhill on a straight causes me frustration. Let it roll.

Maybe if these shorter routes were started half hour later it would be a bit better?

Im doing the BUPA ride, but will skip RLC because of the cost. Im doing the Velo Adelaide in March. It costs $50. Great value.

[jcjordan]

The Challenge Tour seems to be getting a bad reputation that is not entirely correct. 2011's organisation was pretty good except for the water they used.

Funny that’s not what I have heard for a large number of people who did last year’s ride. Water stops at the bottom of the hill and it positions where everyone was stopping in the middle of the road. Water that was undrinkable and not enough supply points for the numbers of riders.
This is a pity as I did every one of them up to 2010 which was the first year that Bike SA was not the organiser. The 2010 ride was simply put a complete and utter F*&KING disaster of bad organisation.
Never been back since. Figure I was better off organising a ride with friends.
Watching all the Community riders struggle up the hill, just like I did an hour or two before was fun.

[DAVCLARE]

Weather is not as warm here as expected --- Yet
Still should be a good ride

David

[MichaelB]

Just got home. Ride went well in that I had no issues, but I cannot believe how many absolute (AT)#$^&% #$&^$%# and dangerous $%^&$#!@S there were.

Made me embarrased to be a cyclist.

Despite raising almost $6,000 for various cancer causes over the last 3 years, sadly this will be the last 'community event' I do. My life and my family is worth more than that. It's solo or rides with mates from now on.

The organisation and helpers, as usual cannot be faulted.

The same cannot be said for many of the cyclists taking part today.

[mmhbeer]

What issues did you have? I had a really good run. That's was a great loop.

[you cannot be sirrus]

I'm surprised Michael, just called into a mates for a post ride beer and told him it was the best ride I've been on with not a single dodgy bit of riding seen by me all day. It actually made be really proud to be a cyclist today everyhting was 100%..

[liamb]

I totally agree with Micheal, I was so angry at the total disrespect for other cyclists and motorrists. 3 and 4 wide having a chat on narrow hilly roads holding up traffic for 5-10 mins and no reaction from "car back" to being yelled at to ride single file!. Idiots cutting poeple off around fast turns. Some idiot on a Cervelo tried to hit me bacause I asked him to go single file to let an ambulance bike to pass. Nutters trying to be a pro team on the wrong side of the road 2 wide then blowing up and trying it again 10 mins later. We all got a preride talk by the police and several other guests. and it seemed that only a few followed the rules and advice. I think it is about time to fine cyclists for bad road behaviour.

Bill