went for a ride again today after meeting one of my mates for lunch. Did Shelley Loop and then around south perth, into north bridge and then via leederville to home.
round trip was 54km. Got a tow both ways along freeway (10kms of overall ride), but couldnt really help out as the pace was too quick - high 30s - and my heart rate didnt like working at 175+. Rode alone for rest of ride. Not much breeze but for some reason today it seemed to be in my face most of the way.
2164km down
Thursday, March 27, 2008
Tuesday, March 25, 2008
shelley loop - blowing a gale
went for a ride today for the first time in a week. slack (i know) but sometimes that is just the way it is. Did Shelley Loop and then around past UWA and into Subi, leederville and home.
round trip was 51.5km but it might as well have been 60 as it was blowing a gale (easterly) and i rode into it for 2/3rd or the ride. Did work together with another guy along the freeway bikepath and around the loop to the Shelley Bridge, but i seemed to be on the front whenever we were into the wind (bad planning on my part).
Given the conditions my overall speed was ok, but my HR was a bit higher than it has been of late.
2110km down
round trip was 51.5km but it might as well have been 60 as it was blowing a gale (easterly) and i rode into it for 2/3rd or the ride. Did work together with another guy along the freeway bikepath and around the loop to the Shelley Bridge, but i seemed to be on the front whenever we were into the wind (bad planning on my part).
Given the conditions my overall speed was ok, but my HR was a bit higher than it has been of late.
2110km down
Tuesday, March 18, 2008
short 18km ride
had to take the car in for a service today so i threw the bike on the back to get a ride in on the way home.
After dropping the car off I jumped on and went for a short ride. this was more a consequence of how my legs felt than anything else. I really felt tired in the legs, it was cooler (low 20s) than i have been used to over the past couple of weeks and it was windy.
In the end i simply rode into Kings Park did one lap (climbed the hill just under 6:00) and then rode to a coffee shop (brew ha)for breakfast and then came home.
2055 km down
After dropping the car off I jumped on and went for a short ride. this was more a consequence of how my legs felt than anything else. I really felt tired in the legs, it was cooler (low 20s) than i have been used to over the past couple of weeks and it was windy.
In the end i simply rode into Kings Park did one lap (climbed the hill just under 6:00) and then rode to a coffee shop (brew ha)for breakfast and then came home.
2055 km down
Monday, March 17, 2008
Shelley Loop - 62km
went out for a ride mid afternoon. Did my usual river loop and then went up to UWA and into Kings Park. Rode up this the quickest i have for many months (5:25 to get to the top).
Overall i rode 62km and a good chunk of this was into a strong SW/W wind.
Highlight for the day - other than the KP hill - was watching 2 dolphins carving up the water while fishing in the shallows near the freeway in South Perth. Cool to watch them anytime.
2037km down
Overall i rode 62km and a good chunk of this was into a strong SW/W wind.
Highlight for the day - other than the KP hill - was watching 2 dolphins carving up the water while fishing in the shallows near the freeway in South Perth. Cool to watch them anytime.
2037km down
Adelaide Rides
Over the eight days we were effectively in Adelaide I managed to do 7 rides and i rode 335km, with the shortest ride being 25km and the longest 60km. While we were there it was bloody hot - everyday was over 35 and many were over 40 C.
Overall it was relatively simple to ride around Adelaide as because unless you deliberately want to ride in the hills it is generally flat and the road surfaces (except along Port Road) are good. You have to ride on the roads most of the time but this was not really an issue if you are a confident rider as the roads generally have a bike lane which is really good and the drivers were, in the main, really good. One minor challenge though was where the bike lanes "vanish" when you come up to roundabouts, traffic lights etc which puts you "back in with the cars". I am not sure if this is a design standard, but if it is in my view it needs to change.
I didnt take any photos but here is an overview of the rides i did:
Ride 1 - 51.5km loop from Glenelg to North Haven and back along the coast road. This is a flat, fast ride with great ocean views all of the way along from West Beach to North Haven. This ride has lots of roundabouts but fortunately not many cars. There is a bike path along much of it but it is really for recreational riders and kids. the ride took me about 1:40 to complete.
Ride 2 - 57.2km loop from Glenelg to Adelaide along Anzac Hwy (takes about 25 mins) and then down Port Road to Port Adelaide, from there to North Haven and then along the coast back to Glenelg. Port Road has a shocking surface in both directions but it is wide and generally has limited cars (especially in non peak times). this ride took me 2:12 to complete.
Ride 3 - 56km loop - did ride 2 in reverse. Had a strong headwind going from north haven to the city. ride took 2:00 to complete. There is a slight downhill section in the glenelg - north haven and in the city to glenelg sections which probably made the ride just a little quicker. Not sure why the distance was different, but i might have taken a slightly different route.
Ride 4 - short/sharp 25km loop down coast from Glenelg to Seacliff back to glenelg then up to henley beach and back. Ride took 56 mins. the ride from glenelg to seacliff along the coast is very pretty but you have to contend with speed humps. in some parts of it you go faster than the cars which have to slow much more to get over these monster humps. the route is also a bit up and down.
Ride 5 - did some up hill work today. Rode 37.5km and went down to jetty road brighton, then up sturt road to Main South Road, down to Daws Road/ then up it and Springbank Road to Belair Road. this is the top of this ride and from here i went down belair into Unley Road and into Adelaide down to North Terrace and then back to glenelg down anzac hwy. Unley Road is a bit narrow and has quite a few cars to contend with. Ride took 1:37 so speed average given the hill sections was pretty reasonable.
Ride 6 - Glenelg - Adelaide loop (39.5km) but i went up anzac hwy and down Sir Donald Bradman Drive to West Beach and then into glenelg and down to Seacliff and back. It was hot and there was a strong NE headwind blowing most of the ride. Ride took 1:30 to complete.
Ride 7 - Ride 3 loop but only into the city as i had to take the bike back. 48.5km ride which took 1:43 - fastest ride of the week. had a bit of a HW as i rode along coast but once i got to North Haven it was basically behind/across.
After these rides I have completed 1975km or thereabouts since 1 January.
My weight this morning was 97.2km so i have not lost a single kg of weight. Must be living the good life. So that is my ongoing challenge.
Overall it was relatively simple to ride around Adelaide as because unless you deliberately want to ride in the hills it is generally flat and the road surfaces (except along Port Road) are good. You have to ride on the roads most of the time but this was not really an issue if you are a confident rider as the roads generally have a bike lane which is really good and the drivers were, in the main, really good. One minor challenge though was where the bike lanes "vanish" when you come up to roundabouts, traffic lights etc which puts you "back in with the cars". I am not sure if this is a design standard, but if it is in my view it needs to change.
I didnt take any photos but here is an overview of the rides i did:
Ride 1 - 51.5km loop from Glenelg to North Haven and back along the coast road. This is a flat, fast ride with great ocean views all of the way along from West Beach to North Haven. This ride has lots of roundabouts but fortunately not many cars. There is a bike path along much of it but it is really for recreational riders and kids. the ride took me about 1:40 to complete.
Ride 2 - 57.2km loop from Glenelg to Adelaide along Anzac Hwy (takes about 25 mins) and then down Port Road to Port Adelaide, from there to North Haven and then along the coast back to Glenelg. Port Road has a shocking surface in both directions but it is wide and generally has limited cars (especially in non peak times). this ride took me 2:12 to complete.
Ride 3 - 56km loop - did ride 2 in reverse. Had a strong headwind going from north haven to the city. ride took 2:00 to complete. There is a slight downhill section in the glenelg - north haven and in the city to glenelg sections which probably made the ride just a little quicker. Not sure why the distance was different, but i might have taken a slightly different route.
Ride 4 - short/sharp 25km loop down coast from Glenelg to Seacliff back to glenelg then up to henley beach and back. Ride took 56 mins. the ride from glenelg to seacliff along the coast is very pretty but you have to contend with speed humps. in some parts of it you go faster than the cars which have to slow much more to get over these monster humps. the route is also a bit up and down.
Ride 5 - did some up hill work today. Rode 37.5km and went down to jetty road brighton, then up sturt road to Main South Road, down to Daws Road/ then up it and Springbank Road to Belair Road. this is the top of this ride and from here i went down belair into Unley Road and into Adelaide down to North Terrace and then back to glenelg down anzac hwy. Unley Road is a bit narrow and has quite a few cars to contend with. Ride took 1:37 so speed average given the hill sections was pretty reasonable.
Ride 6 - Glenelg - Adelaide loop (39.5km) but i went up anzac hwy and down Sir Donald Bradman Drive to West Beach and then into glenelg and down to Seacliff and back. It was hot and there was a strong NE headwind blowing most of the ride. Ride took 1:30 to complete.
Ride 7 - Ride 3 loop but only into the city as i had to take the bike back. 48.5km ride which took 1:43 - fastest ride of the week. had a bit of a HW as i rode along coast but once i got to North Haven it was basically behind/across.
After these rides I have completed 1975km or thereabouts since 1 January.
My weight this morning was 97.2km so i have not lost a single kg of weight. Must be living the good life. So that is my ongoing challenge.
Sunday, March 16, 2008
Back after a week or so cycling in Adelaide
I will do some posts here over the next couple of days but none of the following blogs would have occurred without the fantastic assistance i received from Bicycle Express in Halifax St, Adelaide.
Keith Wong provided me with a good entry level road bike for $30/day and it was bike fitted using my data. This saved me the cost and aggravation of carting my bike and minimised the risk of damage.
I managed to ride over 300kms without any problems. So if you need a bike in Adelaide see these guys. They were simply fantastic.
Keith Wong provided me with a good entry level road bike for $30/day and it was bike fitted using my data. This saved me the cost and aggravation of carting my bike and minimised the risk of damage.
I managed to ride over 300kms without any problems. So if you need a bike in Adelaide see these guys. They were simply fantastic.
Tuesday, March 4, 2008
56km - windy day in paradise
went out quite late today (3pm) and when i do this i invariably have to ride with the afternoon wind (Fremantle Doctor) which is typically a SW'ly and usually strong.
Managed to ride 56km - essentially Shelley Loop = quite comfortably really and got a high speed tow (38-40 km/h) around 1/2 of the shelley loop. Because the wind was assisting and i am getting bike fit again I hung on fairly easily for 4-5km until we went in different directions.
When i got back to the city i rode up Mount Street which is a short (0.8km), but very steep climb (rises 100m in that distance) - watch suggests grade is 6.4%. My heart rate topped out at 184 which is pretty close to its absolute maximum i would think.
I then cruised down into Subi and then home via Leederville.
I have now covered 1640km.
Managed to ride 56km - essentially Shelley Loop = quite comfortably really and got a high speed tow (38-40 km/h) around 1/2 of the shelley loop. Because the wind was assisting and i am getting bike fit again I hung on fairly easily for 4-5km until we went in different directions.
When i got back to the city i rode up Mount Street which is a short (0.8km), but very steep climb (rises 100m in that distance) - watch suggests grade is 6.4%. My heart rate topped out at 184 which is pretty close to its absolute maximum i would think.
I then cruised down into Subi and then home via Leederville.
I have now covered 1640km.
Sunday, March 2, 2008
48km - getting easier again
Went out for a ride this afternoon. bit breezy and i had to ride into it for about 40% of the ride. did a slightly different route today, but still rode around Shelley Loop. Didnt go into kings park but i did climb the hill up St Georges Tce. Although my HR max out at 177bpm I rode up it fairly comfortably at a good pace i thought.
No photos today but pick any of the bright sunny days already shown here and imagine today.
I managed to get 210km completed this week. first time in 3-4 weeks i have managed to get the average and I have now completed 1585km of the 10000 so i am about 200km behind.
No photos today but pick any of the bright sunny days already shown here and imagine today.
I managed to get 210km completed this week. first time in 3-4 weeks i have managed to get the average and I have now completed 1585km of the 10000 so i am about 200km behind.
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