Best way to get to Mt. Donna Buang Hill from CBD?

[human909]

2 potential issues are getting caught in the tracks and getting a puncture.

Neither are greater issues that riding on the road. Road tyres are perfectly fine on gravel from a puncture perspective. I'm confused why you would think gravel is likely to puncture a road tyre. Haven't you noticed what roads are made from?

[zill]

I'm not very experienced with regards to getting punctures. Crossing those bumpy bridges doesn't seem all that fun to me on a race bike. Could it potentially damage the bike?

What about being caught in the gravel as a result of changing course for some reason such as over taking someone?

[zill]

I'm not very experienced with regards to getting punctures. Crossing those bumpy bridges doesn't seem all that fun to me on a race bike. Could it potentially damage the bike?

What about the wheels being caught in the gravel as a result of changing course for some reason such as over taking someone?

[human909]

I'm not very experienced with regards to getting punctures. Crossing those bumpy bridges doesn't seem all that fun to me on a race bike.

Crossing those bridges isn't fun on any bike! (Well a fat tyre bike rolling at 15PSI probably would be fine!) Just stand up off the saddle, if you stay seated of course your teeth chatter!

Could it potentially damage the bike?

No. Road bikes are strong. You can ride them down stairs, off curbs and on dirt. (I all that on my road bike.) A bumpy ride or a little gravel isn't going to affect them.

What about the wheels being caught in the gravel as a result of changing course for some reason such as over taking someone?

The fine gravel is hard packed. Changing direction shouldn't be a problem.

[kb]

Looks like you took Warburton HWY all the way? Why not the trail?

Mt Donna Buang seems like a grander version of the noongs.

The climb itself was tough. I wonder if A graders are able to do the whole climb apart from maybe the last 300m in the big chainring?

From Launching Place, yeah. I find that stretch not too bad and the trail is full of horse riders, walkers and families. If I were doing a shorter ride, I'd probably take the trail.

I think Matt de Neef did Donna in the big ring once just for fun. Not my sort of fun

[dalai47]

Riding a hill in the big ring is irrelevant. 1. many riders have compact and 2. effort would also depend on the size of the rear cassette.

Better question would be what Watts/kg required for a particular time.

[cyclotaur]

Rode there myself as well on Sunday. Took longer than expected. Rode on Warburton HWY as well as the trail. The HWY is not ideal as been said. The trail was fun and probably the closest I'll ever get to doing mountain biking.

Well done zill - did you take the train to Lilydale or ride the whole way?

[zill]

Riding a hill in the big ring is irrelevant. 1. many riders have compact and 2. effort would also depend on the size of the rear cassette.

Better question would be what Watts/kg required for a particular time.

I just feel it's easier to find a solid rhythm when in the big chain ring. One reason being there won't be many gear changes when climbing uphill (for Kinglake usually start with 53-20 and then 53-21). When the hill is steeper like Donna Buang, it means a lower cadence at some places in the big chain ring. For some reason, I think a higher average power can be maintained in the big chain ring for Donna Buang. What do you think?

For very steep climbs then definitely the small chain ring is recommended.

[zill]

Rode there myself as well on Sunday. Took longer than expected. Rode on Warburton HWY as well as the trail. The HWY is not ideal as been said. The trail was fun and probably the closest I'll ever get to doing mountain biking.

Well done zill - did you take the train to Lilydale or ride the whole way?

Train to Blackburn then rode the whole way until the finish. Not sure how healthy it is to do such a long ride.

[il padrone]

I just feel it's easier to find a solid rhythm when in the big chain ring. One reason being there won't be many gear changes when climbing uphill (for Kinglake usually start with 53-20 and then 53-21). When the hill is steeper like Donna Buang, it means a lower cadence at some places in the big chain ring. For some reason, I think a higher average power can be maintained in the big chain ring for Donna Buang. What do you think?

Hill near my home that I ride every day on my commute. It goes from 8% to 10% for a 300-400m section. I ride in one gear and push but slow to below 13 kmh (unless I stand and really haul). I change down a gear or two and spin nice and fast, and increase the speed above 14 kmh.

Stalling in a gear is always bad news for your power oputput.

[dalai47]

Gear inches is gear inches. 53*20 is almost identical to 39*15. What is the range on your cassette - 11-23 or bigger on the back? If not bigger than a 21 or 23 you will be cross chaining which is less efficient plus will wear out your drivetrain quicker! So actually 39*15 is the better option and power will be the same.

What was your average cadence and time up Mt Donna yesterday? Did you do the double as planned?

[zill]

Gear inches is gear inches. 53*20 is almost identical to 39*15. What is the range on your cassette - 11-23 or bigger on the back? If not bigger than a 21 or 23 you will be cross chaining which is less efficient plus will wear out your drivetrain quicker! So actually 39*15 is the better option and power will be the same.

What was your average cadence and time up Mt Donna yesterday? Did you do the double as planned?

Actually rode my 12kg commuter to Donna Buang which has compact chain rings. That might explain why the small chain rain didn't feel solid on most of the climb. Did the two climbs as planned with the second one more serious in just under 62 minutes at maybe 90% of my maximum. Experimented a bit with gearing and when in the big chain ring (just after the left hand turn) cadence was in the 60s. Is that an indication that I shouldn't stay in the big chain ring?

Cassette range on my road bike (which I will be very keen test) is 11-21 so you are very right in saying that it will wear out quickly especially with 53-21. Maybe the small chain ring on my (standard) road bike will work well for most of Donna Buang climb?

[kb]

Small should be fine. 62' - nice. My PR is 76 and that's near threshold.

[zill]

Small should be fine. 62' - nice. My PR is 76 and that's near threshold.

How are you recovering from your huge ride? How often do you do 200+ km?

[human909]

How are you recovering from your huge ride? How often do you do 200+ km?

Intensity matters as much if not more than distance. The 200km ride I did I was fine afterwards. I paced myself with a friend, I was a little more fit than than him so I was lower intensity for me.

In constrast I rode ~30km mountain biking the other day. I only averaged 13kph! Yet this was high intensity and I was wrecked after it. Sleep + food to recover.

[kb]

Small should be fine. 62' - nice. My PR is 76 and that's near threshold.

How are you recovering from your huge ride? How often do you do 200+ km?

Not too bad today. Cadence is low and lacking a bit of power but soreness is mostly gone. Shouldn't actually get very sore but I got slightly carried away at the start and I've been mucking around with seat position too.

Not a lot of long rides for me, 3-4 a year. I do enjoy them but they can be hard to squeeze in and for me it's more a day trip than training.

[zill]

I do enjoy them but they can be hard to squeeze in and for me it's more a day trip than training.

Nice way to look at it. For me, those rides are something to look forward to after "an all you can eat session".

[zill]

Where do people get their water bottles filled while riding Mt Donna Buang? Or do you have to buy it from shops?

[dalai47]

On the climb - I always stop at 10 mile turntable on the descent when riding repeats and fill up at the spring.

[BenGr]

Cog Cafe has tap you can use

[zill]

On the climb - I always stop at 10 mile turntable on the descent when riding repeats and fill up at the spring.

What do you mean the spring? Is there a tap there? Seems they always have a sign above the taps on that mountain saying it's untreated water?

[dalai47]

Constantly flowing. When descending - on entering the 10 mile turntable (large open bitumen car park just under 3km from the summit) swing hard left. On the left toward the picnic shelter is the natural spring and usually surrounded by people who have driven from Melbourne filling boots and trailers full of bottles to take back home...

[zill]

Constantly flowing. When descending - on entering the 10 mile turntable (large open bitumen car park just under 3km from the summit) swing hard left. On the left toward the picnic shelter is the natural spring and usually surrounded by people who have driven from Melbourne filling boots and trailers full of bottles to take back home...

Nice!!!!! Will definitely try next time.

[warthog1]

Yes I didn't know about that the first time I went to Donna, used it last time=excellent.
That road is cycling heaven, my favourite climb.

[digbyj]

If anyone's going up from the Healesville side I'm in Badger Creek pretty much at the start of the climb if you need water.
This is the summer road route so has maybe 10km of gravel so may need a wider tyre. I wouldn't wanna do it on a 23, going to try and get up Donna soon but will use my MTB.