Coast to Coast cancelled/replaced

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Dahondude
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Coast to Coast cancelled/replaced

Postby Dahondude » Fri Oct 14, 2011 10:50 pm

BikeSA have just made the mind-numbing decision to cancel the Coast to Coast ride in March, which by their own admission is their most popular cyclosportif event. Instead they have replaced it with this - http://www.bikesa.asn.au/VeloAdelaide, an almost carbon copy of Ride Like Crazy.

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liamb
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Re: Coast to Coast cancelled/replaced

Postby liamb » Sat Oct 15, 2011 11:59 am

Either way I am supporting bike sa events where and what ever . I really enjoy the coast to coast but I also understand that from time to time events need to be changed or rested to keep things fresh. I think the replacement events are there due to the massive whinge every year about getting back from victa!. For me it's a huge logistics effort but I love the ride. Personally I will always support efforts to change and keep thing fresh and or attempt to attract new riders. I like the replacement route and will be there with bells on to support bike riding and the great people at bike sa.
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Coast to Coast cancelled/replaced

Postby Dr_Mutley » Sat Oct 15, 2011 12:22 pm

I'm with u dahondude, what a ridiculous decision, and even more stupid is what it's been replaced with.

All my dealings with bikesa have left me wondering if the organization is run by kids. This is just another example.

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Re: Coast to Coast cancelled/replaced

Postby Cycotic » Sat Oct 15, 2011 4:58 pm

I've only done the Coast to Coast once, 2 years ago. Every other year it has clashed with other commitments. It was a fantastic ride, possibly the best community ride in SA. Pity it's gone the same way as the Sea to Vines - anyone remember that one?

Maybe we should organise a forum ride to Victor?

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Re: Coast to Coast cancelled/replaced

Postby you cannot be sirrus » Sat Oct 15, 2011 6:11 pm

Cycotic wrote:I've only done the Coast to Coast once, 2 years ago. Every other year it has clashed with other commitments. It was a fantastic ride, possibly the best community ride in SA. Pity it's gone the same way as the Sea to Vines - anyone remember that one?

Maybe we should organise a forum ride to Victor?
Dahondude suggested as much on Adelaide Cyclists and got some good support for the idea. I'll be up for a BNA /AC Coast to Coast ride.

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Re: Coast to Coast cancelled/replaced

Postby Daccordi Rider » Sat Oct 15, 2011 7:58 pm

Yeh, nothing new with that route 'cept the tunnel. I've only done 1 C to C but really enjoyed it. I guess some whine about having to get home but a bit of HTFU never hurt anyone, ride home. :shock:

I would think the good people of Victor would be disappointed, lose a bit of trade there.
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Dahondude
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Re: Coast to Coast cancelled/replaced

Postby Dahondude » Sat Oct 15, 2011 7:58 pm

Happy to try and organise a Coast-2-Coast replacement. If I was going to do it, I'd try and get a few non-riders to drive to various points with water and a bit of tucker. Instead of paying to enter, you just pay the cost price of the food at each stop if you want it. Kind of Coast to Coast-lite. The only issue is when does a bunch of people going for a ride become an "organised event" requiring public liability insurance (and other red tape).
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Re: Coast to Coast cancelled/replaced

Postby boyracer » Sat Oct 15, 2011 10:34 pm

The cancer voices ride a few weeks back was well organised,signposted, etc.
Isn't the organiser a member of Adelaide cyclist?
Couldn't hurt to collaborate.
I'm in.

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Re: Coast to Coast cancelled/replaced

Postby Cycotic » Sun Oct 16, 2011 7:52 am

Dahondude wrote:The only issue is when does a bunch of people going for a ride become an "organised event" requiring public liability insurance (and other red tape).
If you're a Bike SA member who organises a ride and gets it listed on the Bike SA "free rides program", I think Bike SA insurance covers the event by default anyway. You may like to call Bike SA to confirm.

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Re: Coast to Coast cancelled/replaced

Postby BRLVR.v2 » Sun Oct 16, 2011 9:33 am

Dr_Mutley wrote:
All my dealings with bikesa have left me wondering if the organization is run by kids. This is just another example.
Conspiracy theorists believe that the organisation has been infiltrated by hardline motorist advocates ,who are subtly weakening the organisation from within so as to see membership dwindle to the point of extinction for the organisation.
Peter Joseph is planning a
'Zeitgeist: Addendum' 2 to address this in 2012. :wink:

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Coast to Coast cancelled/replaced

Postby Dr_Mutley » Sun Oct 16, 2011 11:30 am

BRLVR.v2 wrote:
Dr_Mutley wrote:
All my dealings with bikesa have left me wondering if the organization is run by kids. This is just another example.
Conspiracy theorists believe that the organisation has been infiltrated by hardline motorist advocates ,who are subtly weakening the organisation from within so as to see membership dwindle to the point of extinction for the organisation.
Peter Joseph is planning a
'Zeitgeist: Addendum' 2 to address this in 2012. :wink:
Nah... Even motorists with impure motives would run a less amateurish organization... ;-)

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Re: Coast to Coast cancelled/replaced

Postby mmhbeer » Mon Oct 17, 2011 9:07 am

Im disappointed that the Coast to Coast ride is no more but go easy on Bike SA.

They organise great events like the Grand Slam series at little cost to its members. The alternative is to do the Tour Down Under ride which costs 5 times the price and usually has no food left at all the drink stops on the way through.

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Re: Coast to Coast cancelled/replaced

Postby Trev Campbell » Mon Oct 17, 2011 9:19 am

Having a lot of cyclists decending Montecute Rd could be a recipe for disaster. Hopfully the packs have broken up a bit by then.
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Re: Coast to Coast cancelled/replaced

Postby MichaelB » Mon Oct 17, 2011 10:02 am

Haven't ridden the Coast to Coast primarily due to the issue of getting back from Victor.

Any's ride is similar, but doing the 100km and riding back is doable, but not for the C2C (i've ridden every Amy's and am looking fwd to this years again).

Will have a look at the new ride and make a decision.

BTW, change is not always bad.

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Re: Coast to Coast cancelled/replaced

Postby rustychisel » Mon Oct 17, 2011 2:05 pm

MichaelB wrote:
BTW, change is not always bad.
+ 1.

Haven't done many organised rides in the last 3 years for a variety of years, but the last time I did CTC (2008?) there were people on the ride complaining that the route had been slightly altered from the year previously. It was a great ride, an excellent route, and grumbling bums who wanted the same potholes they'd experienced the year prior. These, IMO, are the sorts of person whop keep a shack on the river and go there each and every year for 47 years. A little variety won''t hurt ya.

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Coast to Coast cancelled/replaced

Postby Dr_Mutley » Mon Oct 17, 2011 11:02 pm

rustychisel wrote:
MichaelB wrote:
BTW, change is not always bad.
+ 1.

Haven't done many organised rides in the last 3 years for a variety of years, but the last time I did CTC (2008?) there were people on the ride complaining that the route had been slightly altered from the year previously. It was a great ride, an excellent route, and grumbling bums who wanted the same potholes they'd experienced the year prior. These, IMO, are the sorts of person whop keep a shack on the river and go there each and every year for 47 years. A little variety won''t hurt ya.
Not sure I quite get yr point? Yep the routes changed, but to the point where it's essentially a duplication of an already well run, well planned ride (RLC)... I understand that some are put off the C2C because of the commute back for VH, and hence there are a variety of other loop rides they can preferentially participate in.

Besides being disappointed that this most picturesque, enjoyable and unique ride has been cancelled in preference to rehashing and retweaking a loop that a lot of cyclists do on a weekly basis, I feel for the businesses along the way, and in VH, losing the custom. I'm sure it will still be a good ride for all who participate in it, but I think I will do the RLC, and support its cause, and keep it to that. I will also reassess if I really need to be a member of BikeSA. I have continued my membership even though through other insurance policies I haven't needed the public liability & other benefits that it offers for some years. Given the C2C was the only BikeSA event I participated in, I think I will now give their membership a miss.

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Re: Coast to Coast cancelled/replaced

Postby MichaelB » Tue Oct 18, 2011 8:58 am

Dr_Mutley wrote: .....rehashing and retweaking a loop that a lot of cyclists do on a weekly basis, .....
Fair enough. But is there a suitable loop that can be 50/60 and 100/120km long, starting and finishing in Metro Adelaide that a lot of cyclists already do ?

I'd love to see a new route, and agree with what you say. I agree with supporting the RLC, and used to do the GS series, but for me, driving for 45min to 1hr (each way), to do a 3hr ride was a bit pointless regardless of how good the rides were.

Hard balance to strike methinks though.

May give it a go, depending on what is happening at the time.

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Re: Coast to Coast cancelled/replaced

Postby rustychisel » Tue Oct 18, 2011 10:02 am

all fair points Dr Mutley, but I was just grumbling at the grumblers. BikeSA do some excellent events (Grand Slam series) but after doing that 3 years running I was hoping for a route change or two.
For many cyclists it's the camaraderie rather than the ride, though I agree (and said) CTC is a great route. My partner was always unsure about getting out on the road and doing distance rides until her confidence came up through mass participation rides such as Grand Slam, where she could always ride with, or ask help from other riders etc
But one ride in, one ride out shouldn't be a dealbreaker for your BikeSA membership

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Re: Coast to Coast cancelled/replaced

Postby Dahondude » Tue Oct 18, 2011 1:56 pm

I'm with Dr Mutley on this one. Dropping an iconic and highly successful ride is just plain unbelievable. Imagine the uproar if Audax decided to drop the Alpine Classic, or Bike Vic said no more Round the Bay in a Day, or Audax France said "paris-brest-paris is getting a bit stale after all these years", or the organisers of the Marmotte decided that riding over three of the most famous cycling cols in the world and finishing on the top of Alp d'Huez was just a bit passe. Cycling is a sport steeped in tradition and people will flock back to well run, well organised, and scenic rides year after year after year (aka Alpine Classic, RTB). Both the Sea to Vines (Glenelg to the Barossa) and the Coast to Coast were, in my opinion, capable of becoming long-term, high profile events in the Australian cyclosportif market. With a bit of decent marketing they could have attracted interstaters like the Alpine Classic and Round the Bay do.

Instead BikeSA have decided to replace the very beautiful Sea to Vines ride with a mad dash down a 3 lane freeway (with ugly views over housing estates) and now the Coast to Coast with a ride that (albeit is scenic) relies on a trashy gimmick (riding up a two lane freeway, when a perfectly good and much more scenic bike path already exists), is already well represented by the Ride Like Crazy and is on roads I ride almost every week. Maybe attractive to the mass of Adelaide's cyclists who have never ridden up a hill, but a whole lot less attractive to those of us looking for challenging rides on roads less travelled.

OK, loop rides are probably more attractive to a lot of people, but if 2000 (or however many) riders were turning up to the Coast to Coast, you can hardly call it a failure in need of replacement.

And yes, I could just ride down to Victor Harbour myself, but nothing really replaces the feeling of riding in a 2000 strong peleton along Cross Rd, or sitting in a bunch doing 45-50km an hour along the range to the top of Willunga Hill.

And I am also not going to renew my m'ship with BikeSA. They've dropped the two rides I was prepared to pay for each year and replaced them with two rides that do not interest me in the slightest, no longer produce a magazine and I've got BikeVic m'ship to get me my magazine fix and cycling insurance.
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Re: Coast to Coast cancelled/replaced

Postby Dahondude » Tue Oct 18, 2011 2:00 pm

MichaelB wrote:
Fair enough. But is there a suitable loop that can be 50/60 and 100/120km long, starting and finishing in Metro Adelaide that a lot of cyclists already do ?
Jump onto Strava and you'll find lots and lots of them. That section between Gorge Rd (in the north) and Clarendon (in the south) is peppered with rides
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Re: Coast to Coast cancelled/replaced

Postby MichaelB » Tue Oct 18, 2011 4:12 pm

Dr M and Dahondude put up some good arguments.

How does the BikeVic insurance work if you are in SA, or does it cover you regardless of where you live ?

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Re: Coast to Coast cancelled/replaced

Postby Dahondude » Tue Oct 18, 2011 5:45 pm

According to BV there insurance is Australia wide. I havent had to actually test this out yet though (touch wood).

Oh and a disclaimer - lots of people ride Amys Ride and love it, lots of people will probably ride the VeloAdelaide ride and love it. Thats 100% fine with me, but neither of these rides appeal in the slightest, and its just most people dont (or wont) know what they are missing out with the demise of both the Sea to Vines and the Coast to Coast. At the end of the day BikeSA are about bums on seats, but my personal opinion is that they are targetting one end of the cycling market (the newbies/less fit/less mountain goat) and focussing less on people like me who want a really challenging ride in a big bunch. Sure there are the GrandSlams I guess and the TDU ride (but the organisation there isnt showing any signs of improvement). Just glad Ive got racing to fall back on and the Alpine Classic if I want a really hardcore cyclosportif.
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