Spring Cycle 2012

[SmellyTofu]

http://springcycle.com.au/2012event/registration/

They realise they are losing out in membership so the only good thing about cycling is the Spring cycle so they appear to be giving us a rough deal for non members who don't think the current BNSW are doing a good job raising awareness.

City Ride - Non Members, BNSW Members
Family - $75.00, $37.50
Adult (18yrs and over) - $35.00, $17.50
Child (5 – 17yrs) - $5.00, $2.50
Infant (under 5yrs) - FREE, FREE

Classic Ride
Family - $150.00, $75.00
Adult (18yrs and over) - $75.00, $35.00
Child (5 – 17yrs) - $10.00, $5.00
Infant (under 5yrs) - FREE, FREE

[timbo]

Ouch!!! $75 for the classic ride.
If that is the way to go about increasing memberships, they have lost me forever.
$150 for a family no longer becomes a family fun day out.
In past years, I have encouraged riders new to cycling to give the Spring Cycle a go, however this year it looks like I'll be doing something else on the day.

[SmellyTofu]

How much was it last year?

[thomashouseman]

Ouch!

[westab]

Ouch is right - to put it in perspective a day for a family of five at Luna park is $199.75 - as much as the westab 5 like riding which is something we can do for free - we would rather go to Luna park and pay the $50 dollars more. Then go riding the next day.

[eon]

past 3 years me and wifey and non regular rider mates n partners n friends do the Spring Cylce as a nice day out.
$75 bucks for the classic ride..
I think this year there'll be 12 less riders participating.

[tubby74]

Normally this is a good ride together with mates I don't often ride with but at that price we'll pick another day an spend the savings at the pub afterwards

[queequeg]

$75 to ride on public roads, which are not closed to traffic (with the exception of the start and SHB crossing).
Hmm. No thanks!

[SmellyTofu]

However... does this $75 get treated as a donation (thinking tax deductions)?

[tubby74]

Cannot imagine it would, you are getting something in return so it's a purchase and not a donation

[markusm]

I'm having déjà vu from last years similar thread

[SmellyTofu]

$60 last year vs $75. How inflation has increased! But I guess paying $13x for membership and the ride is one way to boost their membership purse.

[timbo]

I can't imagine too many people rushing out to purchase a membership just to get the discounted Spring Cycle entry.

[Sydguy]

It is expensive. My work generally reimburses these kinds of expenses if you start/complete the event.

However I do think it is expensive, and this should be something that is heavily subsidised so people can enjoy a nice safe ride and then perhaps take up cycling.

Non cyclists are not going to fork out that much for a ride, especially when they are often riding bikes that cost about that much!

Bit disappointed that BNSW has not said anything about the Workers Compensation changes in NSW. Get hit on your way to work your on your own basically, or relying on the very limited cover from either BNSW or CyclingNSW.

JM

[SmellyTofu]

Just saying... it's cheaper than 2010 if you add in the membership. 2009 was the first time I became a member during the same time Spring cycle registrations was opened.

[93360]

After last years event, which was my first Spring Cycle, I submitted feedback to them saying that while the event was fairly nice and well managed the cost of entry should be reconsidered to encourage more first time participants to join up as the entry fee seemed a bit steep to casual riders.. obviously the effort spent on giving feedback was a waste of time.

*random conspiracy theory* is barry o'fail (not) secretly pulling strings to try and make these cycling events less attractive/popular?

[timbo]

After reading the papers during this week where it states that there are almost more cars than people in inner Sydney, and the Cycle to Work idea is falling on deaf ears (deaf because of the noise of cars? ), you would think that this is the perfect opportunity for the NSW Government to promote an alternative mode of transport, and sponsor the Spring Cycle. But no, Barry doesn't want to spend one dollar, and would rather put a congestion tax on cars coming into the city, which would , surprise surprise, increase the state coffers.
At least we don't have Clover Moore sponsoring the Spring Cycle, as she would have 10000 people trying to cram in to one of her infamous cycle lanes in the city.
I should say "Good on Her" for having a go, as she is the only one trying to make the City of Sydney not totally dependant on cars.

[wombatK]

*random conspiracy theory* is barry o'fail (not) secretly pulling strings to try and make these cycling events less attractive/popular?

BOF's side of politics is dedicated to helping business make profits. The trouble with the spring cycle is that it is not run by a profit seeking business - and everyone knows that can't be the best way to do anything. Funding the spring cycle and BNSW is just a way of subsidising a training/breeding ground for politicians from the dark side.

If you want an example of what might work with the BOF government, look at something like the Bridge Climb. That's made squillions for the entrepreneurs that persuaded government to let them run it (on prime public property). So what we need is some entrepreneurs to work out a way of having a "Bridge Ride" (formerly known as the spring cycle), that costs you about $220 per ticket, dresses you in dull grey overalls and tells you what a wonderful unique experience you are having as you cycle over the bridge. Probably would involve closing that currently free bit of public property called the Harbour Bridge cycleway, but let's face it, we never really loved those steps anyway.

[Rockford]

OK so I've got my BNSW renewal in hand.

I don't do the Spring Cycle since they stopped doing it from out West. There is no magazine anymore, what am I paying for? $104 for Public Liability insurance?

[jimsheedy]

if you really wanted to do this ride but didn't want to do it any other day of the year and you wanted to do it with loads of others? Couldn't you just tag along without paying?

[SmellyTofu]

You could say that your number flew off like my friend's one did 4 yrs ago whilst he was riding over the coathanger. I don't condone riding it without paying but I guess there doesn't seem to be much benefit other than some closed streets one would not normally ride on like the coathanger.

[gorilla monsoon]

Anyone actually sending complaints to BNSW?

[find_bruce]

if you really wanted to do this ride but didn't want to do it any other day of the year and you wanted to do it with loads of others? Couldn't you just tag along without paying?

You could say that your number flew off like my friend's one did 4 yrs ago whilst he was riding over the coathanger. I don't condone riding it without paying but I guess there doesn't seem to be much benefit other than some closed streets one would not normally ride on like the coathanger.

The only problem would be in riding on any street that is closed for the event - and a big part of the problem is that they don't close many - for most of it they just close off one lane.

The only thing the Spring Cycle has going for it is that it is the only time you can ride on the Harbour Bridge proper without coping a fine of $326 (or up to $1,100 if they decide to drag you to court).

[queequeg]

if you really wanted to do this ride but didn't want to do it any other day of the year and you wanted to do it with loads of others? Couldn't you just tag along without paying?

You could say that your number flew off like my friend's one did 4 yrs ago whilst he was riding over the coathanger. I don't condone riding it without paying but I guess there doesn't seem to be much benefit other than some closed streets one would not normally ride on like the coathanger.

The only problem would be in riding on any street that is closed for the event - and a big part of the problem is that they don't close many - for most of it they just close off one lane.

The only thing the Spring Cycle has going for it is that it is the only time you can ride on the Harbour Bridge proper without coping a fine of $326 (or up to $1,100 if they decide to drag you to court).

Not true. The last two years I have been a bicycle escort for the elite wheelchair athletes in the Sydney Marathon. The entire bridge is closed to cars, and as the wheelchairs get a 5 min head start on the runners, I have cycled right down the middle of Lane 4/5 in complete silence, then done the reverse direction down the corkscrew onto the Cahill expressway.
That is a far more rewarding experience doing a 42km fully closed course with a wheelchair by your side. Plus, it costs nothing

[jimsheedy]

if you really wanted to do this ride but didn't want to do it any other day of the year and you wanted to do it with loads of others? Couldn't you just tag along without paying?

You could say that your number flew off like my friend's one did 4 yrs ago whilst he was riding over the coathanger. I don't condone riding it without paying but I guess there doesn't seem to be much benefit other than some closed streets one would not normally ride on like the coathanger.

The only problem would be in riding on any street that is closed for the event - and a big part of the problem is that they don't close many - for most of it they just close off one lane.

The only thing the Spring Cycle has going for it is that it is the only time you can ride on the Harbour Bridge proper without coping a fine of $326 (or up to $1,100 if they decide to drag you to court).

Not true. The last two years I have been a bicycle escort for the elite wheelchair athletes in the Sydney Marathon. The entire bridge is closed to cars, and as the wheelchairs get a 5 min head start on the runners, I have cycled right down the middle of Lane 4/5 in complete silence, then done the reverse direction down the corkscrew onto the Cahill expressway.
That is a far more rewarding experience doing a 42km fully closed course with a wheelchair by your side. Plus, it costs nothing

You should try the 5 am Sunday morning Rat run over the Anzac bridge and through the cross city tunnel.