2015 Around the Bay Ride

[Calvin27]

Maybe laps of Albert Park would be better finish?

You're onto something here. Albert park would be a much better start/finish location. I was starting on t 5.30 wave. It was about 6.05am before I took off the actual start line. Then the slow ride out of the city took a while too (killed my av speed!) . Albert park would have less of these issues I would imagine.

[MickMelb]

This year was first time 210 & a great learning experience. Got to Queenscliffe at 10.00.
Waited an hour to get on 11.00 ferry. Combined with a flat tyre in group only discovered while disembarking, we lost well over 2 hours getting across bay.

Would like to know what time you need to Queenscliife for earlier ferry.

Those of you who went ACW - what time did you arrive to get on the 10.00 am ferry from Queensclife?

[Fraggle]

What a great day yesterday was!!
Rode with my other half and friends and the day was a real hoot!

Started out with 6 of us from the old Beaconsfield Hotel site in St.Kilda around 05:30, with two later departing us so they could get a 300km ride in. Mad.
Arrived in Sorrento around 09:30 with a coffee stop/rest at Dromana. The bakery at Sorrento was hard to pull away from but we did and the 4 remaining of us just had a steady pace back to gardens for a quiet few ales at around 14:30

Very proud to serve as domestique for my guys to complete the 200km with an average speed of 28km/h. yes I know it not uber quick but with 2 riders being >55 years old. I thought we did ok.

[cyclotaur]

^^ I resemble that remark !

I'm >55yo and averaged only 23.3 (albeit off two weeks riding after 3 month break) riding with 2 others same age. None of us had ever ridden 200km before, my previous longest being only 135. So 28km/h is quick enough.

I enjoyed the day overall despite a few dark thoughts into the wind on the way down. The run home was better and the food and volunteers provided great support. We were pretty happy with our effort overall.

[oxonabike]

Those of you who went ACW - what time did you arrive to get on the 10.00 am ferry from Queenscliffe?

I got in at 9.15. A friend arrived at a tad after 9.30 and got on the 10am ferry.

**Edit. On inspecting Flyby's - my friend got into Queenscliff ahead of me, due to the loo queue I was in at Geelong!

[Calvin27]

Those of you who went ACW - what time did you arrive to get on the 10.00 am ferry from Queenscliffe?

I got in at 9.15. A friend arrived at a tad after 9.30 and got on the 10am ferry.

I would also advise bluffing your way into the first group (i.e. nominate fastest av speed). I left with wave 3 and it was about 6.45 by the time I reached westgate due to congestion. The 5.30 start meant I crossed the start line at about 6.10am!

[vbap_commuter]

...
I would also advise bluffing your way into the first group (i.e. nominate fastest av speed).
...

So next year there will be 2,604 people in the 35kmh+ Zone 1

[Calvin27]

...
I would also advise bluffing your way into the first group (i.e. nominate fastest av speed).
...

So next year there will be 2,604 people in the 35kmh+ Zone 1

Yeah they might even do a mini interval test to flush out the bluffers.

on another note APOLOGIES FOR THE NOISY BRAKES for anyone with the unfortunate luck to be riding near me. I was the guy with a light blue jersey bahahaha

[WhingingPom]

Very proud to serve as domestique for my guys to complete the 200km with an average speed of 28km/h. yes I know it not uber quick but with 2 riders being >55 years old. I thought we did ok.

You completed it. You did well. Speed is irrelevant.

The group of three I was in did 28.5km/h. We could've pushed harder but wanted to be able to:

a) Say we did it
b) Drink a beer without spilling it

Both objectives were met!

[MickMelb]

Those of you who went ACW - what time did you arrive to get on the 10.00 am ferry from Queenscliffe?

I got in at 9.15. A friend arrived at a tad after 9.30 and got on the 10am ferry.

I would also advise bluffing your way into the first group (i.e. nominate fastest av speed). I left with wave 3 and it was about 6.45 by the time I reached westgate due to congestion. The 5.30 start meant I crossed the start line at about 6.10am!

Thank you! 9.30 would be doable at our av pace of 31kmh & would give 30 min for start delay & stops. A stiff headwind would change plans though!

The congestion at the start through to the Westgate entrance has already got me thinking plan B to avoid. Easy enough local knowldge.

Yesterday, at the start, we rocked up at the rear in Alexandria Ave (wrong!). After seeing the limited numbers of riders away on the first change of lights, my group moved up to the 31-35 group via the break in fence at the pedestrian lights. We were away on the next wave.

[Calvin27]

Thank you! 9.30 would be doable at our av pace of 31kmh & would give 30 min for start delay & stops. A stiff headwind would change plans though!

The congestion at the start through to the Westgate entrance has already got me thinking plan B to avoid. Easy enough local knowldge.

I would have hit 31kph average towards sorrento. Instead strava tell me I did 26kph because I practically walked up to the west gate bridge and there was a little bit of pacing a friend for a little while.

Surely you can't avoid the westgate bridge. You can't deviate off the course, it's just not in the spirit of the ride!

[misterhorsey]

...
I would also advise bluffing your way into the first group (i.e. nominate fastest av speed).
...

So next year there will be 2,604 people in the 35kmh+ Zone 1

Yeah they might even do a mini interval test to flush out the bluffers.

on another note APOLOGIES FOR THE NOISY BRAKES for anyone with the unfortunate luck to be riding near me. I was the guy with a light blue jersey bahahaha

I started in the third wave and at some point noticed a guy with NOISY BRAKES somewhere near the Westgate!!!

Nice to put a random online forum avatar to the random guy with the noisy brakes!

I managed to do the 250km. The first 100km was easy as it felt like being on a vline train sheltering within a big long train of riders. When we turned off to go to Portarlington I kept up with a speedy bunch of riders taking turns until the elastic band snapped and I got dropped. Spent the next 150km just riding at my own rhythm, occasionally riding with and behind a few randoms as well as some amazing older riders who seemed to have diesel engines for legs.,

Beautiful weather. A great day.

Maybe I was slow but ride back up Beach Rd seemed a lot sparser than in previous years.

[im_no_pro]

I was starting on t 5.30 wave. It was about 6.05am before I took off the actual start line.

How did you manage that? We were listed for Zone 3 210ACW which I guesstimated to be 5:45 based on Zone 1 going at 05:30 and we rolled out at a few minutes to six...

[coffeeandwine]

I survived the 210 anti-clockwise yesterday; like I'm-no-pro was a little undertrained due to illness. I apologise for disturbing everyone's pleasant Sunday ride with my incessant coughing; had one person ask me "should you be doing this?" (thanks) and another comment "don't die on us mate" approaching the top of the westgate bridge.

Our pace wasn't the brightest (overall 24kmh), got to Q'cliff at 11:20 and straight onto the 12:00 ferry. Maybe numbers were down a bit or better organised with the ferries, not as many waiting at Q'cliff. Lunch wasn't as good this year. Winds would have been great if we were a little quicker early on, the last bit to Geelong had a slight headwind, otherwise pretty favourable. We got drowned somewhere around Black Rock/Sandringham-really driving rain with gutters overflowing and water over the road, surprisingly I didn't see anyone come down (but rim brakes ARE really useless in those conditions).

Rider behaviour/skill level did seem better this year; lots more people calling "passing". Only saw the results of one crash on Geelong Rd, a guy with blood all over his head and probably a collarbone/shoulder (situation was under control).

Only managed to get around due to the support of a few mates and Mrs Coffeeandwine. One mate was a champion, rode on the front to Geelong with gastro, no breakfast or any food that day-just 4 gastro-stop tablets and water. After following wheels for over 200km; was it wrong to throw the bike on the finish line-pushing the missus into 2nd?

[Calvin27]

I was starting on t 5.30 wave. It was about 6.05am before I took off the actual start line.

How did you manage that? We were listed for Zone 3 210ACW which I guesstimated to be 5:45 based on Zone 1 going at 05:30 and we rolled out at a few minutes to six...

Yes I was on the third wave and yes my brakes were noticeably loud. I justify my brake system as something like a brake light.

As for the start I was pretty much the last bunch on the third wave. Strava says 6.02 roll out which was a few minutes before we cleared the start line.

[Duck!]

Five broken spokes, four gear cables, a broken pedal & a broken wheel.

Fairly normal ATB day from my end of things.

[WhingingPom]

Duck!, is it just the law of averages that stuff is going to break or do people not check their bikes over before riding them 200km?

Glad I didn't need to use any of the mechanics along the Sorrento route, but they all seemed to be pretty busy!

[kb]

The group of three I was in did 28.5km/h. We could've pushed harder but wanted to be able to:

a) Say we did it
b) Drink a beer without spilling it

Both objectives were met!

Afterward not during, right?

[biker jk]

Five broken spokes, four gear cables, a broken pedal & a broken wheel.

Fairly normal ATB day from my end of things.

Get your bike serviced properly before you ride it.

[tomee]

completed the 210 AC.
what sucked was riding from Sorrento to Frankston and people dying in the arse on the hilly bits then pulling over in front of you because they are gasping for air.
Had 2 close calls when riders would veer off to the left without head checks or calling it out.

[vbap_commuter]

completed the 210 AC.
what sucked was riding from Sorrento to Frankston and people dying in the arse on the hilly bits then pulling over in front of you because they are gasping for air.
Had 2 close calls when riders would veer off to the left without head checks or calling it out.

I guess if they're dying in the arse and gasping for air, the opportunity for head checks and calling out are long gone...!

[Duck!]

Duck!, is it just the law of averages that stuff is going to break or do people not check their bikes over before riding them 200km?

Glad I didn't need to use any of the mechanics along the Sorrento route, but they all seemed to be pretty busy!

Bit of both. Some years it's nuts, others can be pretty tame. We had a tent in the Frankston stop which was apparently pretty busy with little stuff, I held fort at the main shop to deal with the bigger stuff, which I suspect took some of the load off. (You can probably guess where I'm based now.... )

[WhingingPom]

Duck!, is it just the law of averages that stuff is going to break or do people not check their bikes over before riding them 200km?

Glad I didn't need to use any of the mechanics along the Sorrento route, but they all seemed to be pretty busy!

Bit of both. Some years it's nuts, others can be pretty tame. We had a tent in the Frankston stop which was apparently pretty busy with little stuff, I held fort at the main shop to deal with the bigger stuff, which I suspect took some of the load off. (You can probably guess where I'm based now.... )

If I saw you outside "the main shop" just after 8 having a cup of coffee, then I could have a good guess.

Will make sure to stop in for a "thank you for the advice you give to the forum" purchase next time I'm passing.

[Calvin27]

Bit of both. Some years it's nuts, others can be pretty tame. We had a tent in the Frankston stop which was apparently pretty busy with little stuff, I held fort at the main shop to deal with the bigger stuff, which I suspect took some of the load off.

No wonder you are so pro at franken-groupsets!

[Duck!]

If I saw you outside "the main shop" just after 8 having a cup of coffee, then I could have a good guess.

Will make sure to stop in for a "thank you for the advice you give to the forum" purchase next time I'm passing.

Indeed I was enjoying a morning brew & admiring the passing traffic. Well spotted.