Australian Cycling Forums - Bicycles Network Australia

by **ColinOldnCranky** » Mon May 07, 2012 9:07 pm

What WERE you thinking when you decided to ride home this evening along the Kwinana Freeway.

Yep - Somehow while trying to not get blown onto the Freeway I counted 87 riders passing me. That's along that stretch from the Narrows to Canning Bridge.

Seriously, other than the famous hail storm we had a couple of years ago that was THE most extreme that I have ridden through. Hmmm, I suppose that means there were 88 idiots riding through it.

If you rode home along the Como stretch then post here and admit your lunacy. Because you have gotta be a serious cyclist to do it.

And if anyone has any video of anyone being bucketed by the sleet near any of the river-walls, how about posting that here too. It's gotta be worth sharing. :mrgreen:

by **BNA** » Mon May 07, 2012 9:24 pm

by **Kalgrm** » Mon May 07, 2012 9:24 pm

I watched a few of you idiots - er, brave souls - from the safety and comfort of the train, but didn't think to take a video with my phone. Those who did the ride were indeed hardcore.

Cheers,
Graeme

by **rolandp** » Mon May 07, 2012 10:13 pm

It was not me. I was riding north of river at that time with the wind and rain in the face.

by **Marty Moose** » Mon May 07, 2012 10:38 pm

Not me I've been slacking off for two Weeks no motivation to train. Hats off to the loonies I'm not worthy. Col your choice of ride puts you in the nutter category anyway plus the weather = respect

Sent from my MB526 using Tapatalk 2

by **ColinOldnCranky** » Mon May 07, 2012 10:53 pm

Marty Moose wrote:...Hats off to the loonies...

Truth be told, I intended to pass up the ride home and take the train but found that I'd left my smart rider in the other other backpack. And I couldn't be bothered finding the right ATM in Perth. :mrgreen:

I'm still waiting for some of those other idiots to come clean though. Where are you guys?

by **wexford** » Mon May 07, 2012 10:58 pm

Kudos to you 88.

About 5km into my 20km morning commute I picked up a flat near the East Pde tunnel. A couple of passing riders asked if it was all good, perhaps they saw my grimace.

As it bucketed down on my head while I replaced the tube (nasty little glass shard which I struggled to remove from the tyre) I swore loudly then turned around and went home to get the car. Now my rear wheel feels "bumpy", not sure if it's imagination or I didn't fit the tube correctly.

But at least I didn't have river waves breaking in my face like you 88.

by **PortableDave** » Tue May 08, 2012 12:34 pm

I rode the other way up the northern path, it was comically slow at times into those gusts.

by **Baalzamon** » Tue May 08, 2012 2:36 pm

Twas not me even tho I did end up on the Kwinana Fwy PSP in Leeming after coming off Roe Hwy PSP. I spotted 1 cyclist infront of me and 4 others heading the opposing way. Being on a trike really helped with the wind

It was just blowing over me as I had setout before leaving work to change my seat angle to be most reclined as I could get it.

by **SpikeB** » Tue May 08, 2012 2:47 pm

I'd be one of the 87, probably one of the first few given i went pass you colin as you where rapidly dismounting the bike as the rain started to roll on in just over the bridge.

I have worn the side wall on my tyre due to having the bike leaned on a stupid angle to counter act the wind.

Some of the waves crashing over the path near the scout building had a lot more mass behind them than i had anticipated, all most stopped me dead.

However i was hugely disapointed that the guy behind me managed to keep up i was pushing hard, why did'nt that huge electric hub motor of his electrocute him!!

Meanwhile at one point i could'nt see due to the combination o fmy road speed and incoming wind and rain, i was worried i was going to start bleeding due to teh water blasting, and riding uphill through a river has to be good extra resistance training1

by **CycleSnail** » Tue May 08, 2012 5:07 pm

Heading East was pretty fast.....it was like a snail on speed....

by **dino1969** » Tue May 08, 2012 5:25 pm

not me Colin!as luck would have it Monday is a regular RDO for me :mrgreen:

have to agree with you WELL DONE to all who WERE out there!

by **Aphexchefpusher** » Wed May 09, 2012 1:02 am

Bunch of girls :wink:

.....managed an 85km hills ride this morning, W'pool rd east was amazing with an insane westerly firing straight up my clacker.....nearly managed my best ET impression off the side of the zig zag :shock:

and the return along the Roe into a 55km wind to Karel was murder!

by **fab at forty** » Wed May 09, 2012 3:22 pm

i was also on a day off, but i've ridden home in a couple of excellent thunder and lightening storms last winter - I'd still rather do that than take the train any day!

by **JBark** » Wed May 09, 2012 4:03 pm

I actually thought Monday was a blast, I love a good commute in the nasty storms. Got completely nailed by a hail storm last year (not the big one), and that was quite interesting. I found that hail is really, really loud when it hits a bike helmet, and my arms were so red it looked like I'd been in the sun for a couple hours.

I've actually copped rain every ride since last Friday, getting sick of having to dry out my shoes with newspaper every day. I even managed a solid 30 minutes of rain heading in this morning, and there wasn't even anything on the radar. Magic storm, just for me.

by **Kalgrm** » Wed May 09, 2012 8:54 pm

Hey Colin - my kids tell you're famous! They heard the people calling in to the radio station this morning and how you have offered to teach the DJs to ride one wheeled contraptions. Well done!

Cheers,
Graeme

by **elStado** » Wed May 09, 2012 10:08 pm

Monday was one of the few days I was happy that I wasn't out on a bike. I live just near the Canning Bridge station and the amount of water smashing over the PSP was crazy. Can't be great for your gear.

Makes you wonder how we will fare if with higher sea levels? I've heard reports of 50cm in the next few decades. The whole PSP will be underwater on a high tide, let alone a storm!

by **baysieskip** » Wed May 09, 2012 10:27 pm

Came across this post while looking for wet weather gear-

At least there was 88 of you- Perth to Midland was uninhabited except for me on my 80's steel (doesn't get lighter in the wet)

Didn't ride the freeway rather out Midland way- you know it is bad when everyone you ride with all of a sudden has a romantic evening booked, parent teacher night or any other manner of excuses as to why there partner is picking them up from work.

Keep pedalling

by **ColinOldnCranky** » Wed May 09, 2012 11:00 pm

Kalgrm wrote:Hey Colin - my kids tell you're famous! They heard the people calling in to the radio station this morning and how you have offered to teach the DJs to ride one wheeled contraptions. Well done!

Cheers,
Graeme

Yeah - I've had a few emails today, got a few extra toots from motorists and had three strangers stop me on the way home and enquire. The family is a bit sick of hearing it coming over the station daily promo all day long so I hunted out the mp3 file on their site when I got home. I listened to the lead in to the on-air chat and particularly like one guys explanation: That I do it in order to metaphorically flip the bird to all you lycra brigade:

"I think what he's doin, he's metaphorically flippin' the bird to all the lycra clad super cyclists who are really competitive."

and

"And I think he's thought 'You know what, I'll show you how to do. I'll do it on a unicycle'"

So there it is guys - I disdain you all and I ride as a protest against lycra clad competitive super cyclists. :mrgreen:

Who woulda thunk it?

by **DuncanS** » Thu May 10, 2012 12:26 am

Colin, if you plan to ride the train in peak hour do you have to use a folding unicycle?

by **Crowey** » Thu May 10, 2012 11:45 am

I hit that section early, round 3.10 coming off the Narrows heading towards Canning Bridge, so I reckon I'm probably a +1, but it was still hairy and what I couldn't believe was the massive amount of detritus washed up on the path - I was truly ecstatic that I got through without getting a puncture.

by **ColinOldnCranky** » Tue Aug 21, 2012 8:11 pm

ANOTHER 61 IDIOTS TONIGHT

The good news this time is the tides are low mid arvo so, while the winds were certainly very strong, we were not being bucketed with the river this time.

I am gonna eat pretty big tonight. As for last time, kudos.

by **Jackfrost** » Wed Aug 22, 2012 9:42 am

I was out on my feet last night finishing off my final fast 10km run before the City to Surf on Sunday. Beautiful running weather :roll:

by **Parker** » Thu Aug 23, 2012 6:03 pm

Me, but I don't think from Kewdale to Scarborough is that impressive, and I don't think you counted me... cause I don't think I would have passed you

Honestly, I just don't know