Emigrating to adelaide

[DavieB]

Hi all. Hope your all good.

I'm moving to Adelaide from Glasgow Scotland hopefully in mid January if the visa all goes well. Looking forward to putting all the thermal leggings, jackets, and under armour away lol.

What's commuting like on road bikes, I reckon I'll be in northern suburbs highbury to gulf view heights area and ill be commuting to port Wakefield. All I've heard so far are horror stories from non cyclists thought I'd ask the people who are actually doing the rides...I commute through the city in what is a pretty busy city just now I think adelaide is a little smaller but wondered what the roads and drivers attitudes were like compared to here.

I'll be looking to buy a second hand bike when I get there too so if anyone's selling..... I'll be looking at the $500 to $1000 mark if anyone's selling... I want a proper road bike not a hybrid or mountain bike.

Thanks all

Davie.

[Biffidus]

Most drivers are pretty good but you get the odd psycho... usually a taxi driver or tradie. The cycle lanes are poor - they disappear at intersections and corners when you actually need them and a lot of them are only bike lanes for 2-3 hours per day and parking lanes for the rest of the time. You can check google mapsor cycle insteadto plan your route, they both have bike routes, lanes and paths marked.

[DavieB]

Thanks.

I'd looked on Google maps looks straight forward. I'll have a look on cycle instead too though.

I find over here it's the people who are stupid or nervous d that end up in trouble for the most part.... pulling up into blindspots of trucks and buses which may or may not be turning left. Theses riders tend to be nervous of the outside of the lane or ignorant of actually driving cars and large vehicles.

[MichaelB]

Depends where in Pt Wakefield you are going.

If you have an address, let us know, and we can give a bit more detail and suggested routes.

The roads heading in that direction are main roads with 80+ km/hr speed limits are are not really that commuter friendly, as they have no cycle lanes, but I will stress, this depends greatly on where you are going.

If you are looking at living where you are saying, it will be a downhill-ish run to work, and uphill on the way back.

There will be plenty of bikes for sale , either here, or on a local web setup called 'gumtree'.


An advance welcome, and you need to grab the shorts and t-shirts when you get here as it will be the height of summer, and it's meant to be a hot & dry one here.

Just had a patch of 8 consecutive days above 30, with 36 forecast today

You'll love it here.

Maybe see you soon !!!

[DavieB]

Port Wakefield road Waterloo corner is the address of the place I'll be working.

We've just had 4 days in a row of about -3 to -7...I've cycled every day. Around 30km a day don't know how I'll cope with 35 lol..

I've been having a peek on gumtree already second hand bikes look very reasonable over there.

[twizzle]

Port Wakefield road Waterloo corner is the address of the place I'll be working.

We've just had 4 days in a row of about -3 to -7...I've cycled every day. Around 30km a day don't know how I'll cope with 35 lol..

I've been having a peek on gumtree already second hand bikes look very reasonable over there.

It'll probably hit the 40's by January.

Welcome to Australia!

[MichaelB]

Port Wakefield road Waterloo corner is the address of the place I'll be working.

We've just had 4 days in a row of about -3 to -7...I've cycled every day. Around 30km a day don't know how I'll cope with 35 lol..

I've been having a peek on gumtree already second hand bikes look very reasonable over there.

Look at Google maps, and that will help re the route.

As long as you stay off Pt Wakefield Rd, you should be OK. Not 100% re whether Waterloo Cnr rd has a bike lane, but I doubt it.

If you look at the home page of BikeSA - the link has some further links re routes etc, there can be some additional info there.

There are links to a journey planner etc

Overview of the weather here (Kent Town is the central location of one of the measuring stations).



Today is a cloudy 32.9 degrees with a change coming tomorrow. Great riding weather Sunday though - looking fwd to a nice jaunt through the Adelaide hills

[Roinik]

Burton Rd is calmer than WC Rd and runs parallel. WC rd only has a bike lane (covered in stones) for the last 1/2 km. The rest of the time you're mixing it with 60-70 km/h traffic. Pt Wakefield Rd has a bike lane, however you'd be suicidal to ride that route with 90 km/h traffic and lots of road trains/trucks and generall idiotic riff-raff.

Maybe consider something like Highbury - McIntyre/Kings Rd - Salisbury Hwy (or Martins Rd or Whites Rd) - Spains/Burton Rd and then follow your nose. Kings Rd turns into a bit more of a rought and dirty paved goat track once you cross over the Little Para River/Creek heading west. McIntyre doesn't have a bike lane so there might be an alternative going up the hill. On the eastern side of the peak the road widens enough. Kings Rd is wide enough and the traffic is often only doing 60 km/hat best through to Martins Rd.

[ColinOldnCranky]

Well, you certainly won't need chains on your tyres. Though you may need to fit some stubby-friendly bidon cages to your bike.

[DavieB]

Thanks for all the advice.

I may need another couple of water bottles lol.

What's it like for hills etc on recreational rides?

Looking forward to arriving.

[MREJ]

Adelaide is a beautiful city for recreational riding. Miles of cruise path along the beach, with gorgeous, quiet hill roads only a few kilometres inland. And you'll be there in time for the TDU, which is a week-long bike party. Have fun!

[ColinOldnCranky]

Adelaide is a beautiful city for recreational riding. Miles of cruise path along the beach, with gorgeous, quiet hill roads only a few kilometres inland. And you'll be there in time for the TDU, which is a week-long bike party. Have fun!

Yep - you'll love riding along the coast. Though the wind can be pretty intense over summer.

And if you get bored and seek something to break up uninterrupted sunny horizon then you can always head to the Clare Valley for a weekend and sample some good wines. Not too sure what it is like for riding but I expect it would be a dream. http://www.southaustralia.com/regions/clare-valley.aspx

[DavieB]

I saw an advert for custom fixies with flip flop rear hubs for $430 advertised on this forum I may buy one of those for the commute when I arrive I can Have it shipped to a friends house ready for me arriving and save up for a bmc or bianchi mid range with ultegra or Athena kit on it.

I've never rode a fixie or single speed do you think the routes you've advised would suit one or are there any really big climbs?!

Really looking forward to cycling without worrying about the weather.

[BRLVR.v2]

$430 advertised on this forum I may buy one of those for the commute when I arrive
I've never rode a fixie or single speed do you think the routes you've advised would suit one or are there any really big climbs?!

As someone who rides fixed 37ks a day to city return from the N/east, it's doable but the kick up McIntyre or grove way on the homeward route would be pretty gnarly on a hot day in one gear. $400 odd would buy you a nice quality retro steel roady like a Kenevans or an Italian framed bike, that would be better suited.

Here is an example http://www.ebay.com.au/itm/261134400668 ... 634wt_1165

My home trip sees me do 175 metres of elevation over 20 k's with the serious inclines closer to home.

[DavieB]

Been messing about on a site that shows elevation http://www.doogal.co.uk/RouteElevation.php

Fair bit climbing on this commute... All the better I guess

[DavieB]

I've arrived... Pick up a bike Monday. Looks a nice place to cycle.

[RonK]

I've arrived... Pick up a bike Monday. Looks a nice place to cycle.

Welcome to Australia Davie Boy.

[ColinOldnCranky]

Welcome here.

Now just settle in and wait for your first heat wave. Hope you got lotsa sun screen.