Cycling / Bikepacking

[SonofScray]

Any WOOFERs into cycling and touring by bicycle?

I bought a bike in January to complement my training for ice hockey and have found it to be a really enjoyable aspect of my week. It's really captured my imagination and I am looking at ways to get more time on the bike. So far I have been riding to work Sunshine to Kensington, or Footscray a few days a week when my schedule allows it and have been riding into our Etihad games when I haven't got my daughter with me.

Did the MS Ride Melbourne 50km event earlier this year and have signed up to Around The Bay 135km in October. Have booked in a few weekend days when we are playing interstate to ride the rail trails around Vic.

Really interested to hear if anyone has done any cycling holidays, or just has any interesting tips, stories to share etc.

[Topdog]

Re: Cycling / Bikepacking

I'm interested in starting cycling. What kind of bike did you buy?

A friend of mine rode from Werribee to Lorne to join us on a camping trip. He stayed 1 night and then rode back.

[SonofScray]

Re: Cycling / Bikepacking

I'm interested in starting cycling. What kind of bike did you buy?

A friend of mine rode from Werribee to Lorne to join us on a camping trip. He stayed 1 night and then rode back.

I bought a hybrid from Reid Cycles in Nth Melbourne. Didn't want to spend the 1k+ it seems gets you a stock name brand road / mountain bike at the time so did my research and whittled options down to Reid and Samson Cycles in Melbourne. Plenty of ppl on reddit said to steer clear of both, but they seemed to be people who raced or had money to burn. Dug a little deeper and found more positive reviews amongst commuters and recreational cyclists.

I have since swapped out a few things (puncture proof tyres, bar ends etc) which sometimes makes me think I should've just forked out the extra 300 or so dollars anyway, where I am riding required wider tyres and the hills around Brimbank Park are well served by having bar ends I reckon. Nevertheless it's a good bike for commuting and on the trails etc. 11kgs which is much lighter than any other bike I owned as a kid and it really makes a difference mentally. Much more fun and comfortable to ride.

Work does the Murray to Mayne event every year, I might buy a road bike specifically for that event.

[Flamethrower]

Re: Cycling / Bikepacking

I used to do a lot of cycling up until a few years ago - don't do as much now due to being time poor with a young family. I have an old Giant mountain bike for local riding on bike paths and to the shops etc, and a barely ridden Cannondale CAAD road bike that I had intended to use for long distance riding - unfortunately it is just gathering dust in th study.

[Daughter of the West]

Re: Cycling / Bikepacking

Any WOOFERs into cycling and touring by bicycle?

I bought a bike in January to complement my training for ice hockey and have found it to be a really enjoyable aspect of my week. It's really captured my imagination and I am looking at ways to get more time on the bike. So far I have been riding to work Sunshine to Kensington, or Footscray a few days a week when my schedule allows it and have been riding into our Etihad games when I haven't got my daughter with me.

Did the MS Ride Melbourne 50km event earlier this year and have signed up to Around The Bay 135km in October. Have booked in a few weekend days when we are playing interstate to ride the rail trails around Vic.

Really interested to hear if anyone has done any cycling holidays, or just has any interesting tips, stories to share etc.

I would love to cycle more than I do, I used to ride to work 2-3 times a week pre pup (30km round trip).

My aunt is talking about riding from Vienna to Budapest next year, and I telling her about the Great Victorian Rail Trail ride. I've only ridden a small section from Tallarook, but it was a very pretty ride all the same.

If you ever happen to get over to South East Asia, riding from Siem Reap out to Angkor Wat and the temples was pretty awesome. Hubby and I decided to ride from SR to Angkor Wat itself for the morning sunrise, which meant a 4.30am start in the dark. He had one headlamp, I had nothing and funnily enough, once you get out of town the roads aren't terribly well lit... Stupid thing to do, but we lived to tell the tale and got there for a spectacular sunrise.

[westdog54]

Re: Cycling / Bikepacking

I have a 10 minute bike ride to and from work.

When I was working in the city I would get off the train at Sunshine, then ride into Docklands via Footscray on the Sunshine Rail Trail and Footscray Road.

[SonofScray]

Re: Cycling / Bikepacking

I would love to cycle more than I do, I used to ride to work 2-3 times a week pre pup (30km round trip).

My aunt is talking about riding from Vienna to Budapest next year, and I telling her about the Great Victorian Rail Trail ride. I've only ridden a small section from Tallarook, but it was a very pretty ride all the same.

If you ever happen to get over to South East Asia, riding from Siem Reap out to Angkor Wat and the temples was pretty awesome. Hubby and I decided to ride from SR to Angkor Wat itself for the morning sunrise, which meant a 4.30am start in the dark. He had one headlamp, I had nothing and funnily enough, once you get out of town the roads aren't terribly well lit... Stupid thing to do, but we lived to tell the tale and got there for a spectacular sunrise.

Have seen some tours for Cambodia highlighted, looks amazing. Reasonably priced too.
There is a youtub channel "cycling maven" which seems very popular, he did a Sail & Cycle Croatia tour which looked pretty cool too. With a 1.5yr old little girl that stuff seems a while off, but perhaps the Great Vic trail towing the trailer could be a holiday option.

[Twodogs]

Re: Cycling / Bikepacking

I would love to cycle more than I do, I used to ride to work 2-3 times a week pre pup (30km round trip).

My aunt is talking about riding from Vienna to Budapest next year, and I telling her about the Great Victorian Rail Trail ride. I've only ridden a small section from Tallarook, but it was a very pretty ride all the same.

If you ever happen to get over to South East Asia, riding from Siem Reap out to Angkor Wat and the temples was pretty awesome. Hubby and I decided to ride from SR to Angkor Wat itself for the morning sunrise, which meant a 4.30am start in the dark. He had one headlamp, I had nothing and funnily enough, once you get out of town the roads aren't terribly well lit... Stupid thing to do, but we lived to tell the tale and got there for a spectacular sunrise.

Things are crook...

That brings back memories of the aunties and uncles and how things always seemed to be crook in Tallarook.

I have a 10 minute bike ride to and from work.

When I was working in the city I would get off the train at Sunshine, then ride into Docklands via Footscray on the Sunshine Rail Trail and Footscray Road.

Some great bike tracks around the west

[Mantis]

Re: Cycling / Bikepacking

I'm a bit of a MAMIL, but mainly just on weekends as my secondary bike got knicked from work.

I do a few triathlons in the warmer months so most of riding is based around getting prepared for them, but I have done a few cycling events around the traps.. The Amy Gillett event in Lorne is a great ride so maybe one to have a look at it.

[Daughter of the West]

Re: Cycling / Bikepacking

Have seen some tours for Cambodia highlighted, looks amazing. Reasonably priced too.
There is a youtub channel "cycling maven" which seems very popular, he did a Sail & Cycle Croatia tour which looked pretty cool too. With a 1.5yr old little girl that stuff seems a while off, but perhaps the Great Vic trail towing the trailer could be a holiday option.

My 18mth old was pretty happy in his bike seat on the Great Vic Rail Trail (so much so, he dozed off for most of it!).

[SonofScray]

Re: Cycling / Bikepacking

I'm a bit of a MAMIL, but mainly just on weekends as my secondary bike got knicked from work.

I do a few triathlons in the warmer months so most of riding is based around getting prepared for them, but I have done a few cycling events around the traps.. The Amy Gillett event in Lorne is a great ride so maybe one to have a look at it.

Have a mate riding in that event, it isn't far off I believe. He suggested it is the best of the lot to get involved in, I'll keep an eye on how he goes and consider it for next year. Would imagine riding the Great Ocean Road would be really interesting. Get a much different perspective than just driving it.

[Mantis]

Re: Cycling / Bikepacking

Have a mate riding in that event, it isn't far off I believe. He suggested it is the best of the lot to get involved in, I'll keep an eye on how he goes and consider it for next year. Would imagine riding the Great Ocean Road would be really interesting. Get a much different perspective than just driving it.

Mid September.

I did the course in the clockwise direction (now done anti) so I'd imagine having the ocean to your right would help you get home.

[SonofScray]

Re: Cycling / Bikepacking

Just registered for Around the Bay in a Day. Haven't quite cracked 100km in one go yet so the Geelong-Sorrento-CBD ride will be a good challenge. Have a mate who is a much fitter, more experienced rider than me doing it too, so I'll just try and draft behind him the whole way!

Any WOOFERs thinking about doing it in 2017?

[jeemak]

Re: Cycling / Bikepacking

I thought I was going to get into cycling. Living in Caulfield I am close to Beach/Nepean and had my brother cycling there regularly with a mate or two.

So, I purchased a bike and some other gear (when the guy asked me if I ever considered wearing a Lycra shorts and bib combo in public I could honestly say I hadn't) a couple of years ago, overall outlay was $2.2K. My first ride was to Frankston, and I've only done a few since.

I like the way the Lycra feels and everything, plus the endorphin release of a long ride is good however the safety aspect really worried me after a few rides (as you all know, I stay up late and struggle to contribute early in the day let alone beat the traffic on Beach Road). I already ski a lot, the pace I ski at is dangerous enough and I don't need more opportunities to kill myself through sporting pursuits. When I took up golf seriously a year ago the bike being relatively unused had an unspectacular demotion from hanging rack in the spare room to hanged ornament in the garage.

Alas, not all is lost. I am looking at converting it to a wider tyre touring bike that I can use when my GF and I take leave.

It's a fantastic sport, but I can't pretend I'm ever going to be the cyclist I thought I might be.

[SonofScray]

Re: Cycling / Bikepacking

Bought bib shorts, much to the chagrin of my wife. Much better option though, training for longer rides I have decided that comfort > modesty.