TdU (Tour Down Under)

[Guest Bluenose]

Any cyclists on this forum?

 

I have the entire week off and intend riding around with a few mates watching the race.

 

Anyone who's a keen cyclist is happy to join us.....we tend to ride about 100kms in a day and average about 27kmph...

 

Drop me a PM if ya keen.

 

Cheers

 

J

[Guest lizlangley]

Hi Bluenose,

 

My name is Tim. I'm Liz's husband.

Sounds like my type of day and probably the last chance to see Lance in action.

Would be very interested and would love to meet up with you guys however, we only emigrated at the end of October 2009 and are still waiting for our gear to arrive via Port Adelaide (which is due on the second week jan). This includes two bikes and a turbo trainer.

 

Back in the U.K. (Wales) I was regularly getting in some T.T.'s and sportives and quality training until the last three months before the big depart where lack of miles had inevitably resulted in a loss of some fitness. My wife Liz is a R.N. and has secured work at Flinders hospital. This leaves me to babysit our eight month old daughter which is a pleasure but with no training I was starting to climb the walls. Consequently on the 9th Dec I walked into JT Cycles in Brighton and purchased a cheap Giant hardtail mtb just to get some miles in and have been ragging it around the Adelaide Hills trying to build up some endurance.

I had just come through the door this evening after a two hour ride including hill intervals when Liz mentioned your e-mail.

 

Gumeracha is north east of us at Sheidow Park (Marion) but obviously I can arrange to meet up near the Tour.

27kph sounds achievable even on a thirty pound + mtb that drags like an anchor but I am hoping my road bike would have cleared customs by then still, I would not be offended if you went on ahead if I find the pace a little tasty as there's nothing more frustrating than to constantly be waiting for someone.

 

Can you recommend any cycling clubs including Mtb.

 

Got to say it; the standard of driving hear is possibly worse than the U.K. but thankfully not so congested and the city has some well thought out cycle lanes which puts the U.K. to shame.

 

Acknowledging (road) cyclists coming toward me but not getting a lot of response in most cases. Mentioned this to the salesman in JTs and he confirmed that roadies do not normally acknowledge mtbs! Is this an ego thing or has the chairman of Adelaide road club been sexually assaulted by a bunch of mtb riders?

 

Seriously, take care and have a good week if we don't meet up.

 

Tim.

[Diane]

Hi Tim

 

This is the Adelaide Mountain Bike Club site: http://www.amtbc.com/

 

OH does quite a few rides with them. As for attitudes towards cyclists though.....He was out on his road bike with a couple of friends in the hills the other day, and stopped to politely ask directions from a guy in a Ute parked up at the side of the road: and got the response "F*** Off, I don't talk to your type!" - must have been the lycra....!!!! OH wished him a Happy Christmas and rode on....

 

D

[Guest Bluenose]

ha ha always going to increase ya chances of getting abused if the driver is in a ute! Not always though!

 

Adelaide drivers are shocking.....they're wreckless with other cars so they're certainly not going to give 2 quid about some lycra wearing cyclist! In fact they'll be even more annoyed because you're taking up 1.5m of the road that should be theirs!

 

So there are some cyclists on here then? I was starting to think I was the only Brit proud of our cycling superiority over the world

 

Mark Cavendish is a GOD in my cycling mind.... ha ha

 

Cheers

 

J

[Guest Bluenose]

Oh and Dianne.....if ya other half is a MTB'er then I'm not sure if you know about some great mtb trails at Fox Creek (on Fox Creek Road) just outside of Cuddlee Creek. I'm led to believe they've spent some cash and a shed load of volenteer hours making it a mtb'ers paradise

 

Cheers

 

J

[foxychick]

My husband cycles too, and we have a bike shop, bit far away from you though we are in Reynella. He runs a Saturday morning ride, 7.30am from shop (road stuff)