Category Archives: cycling

Improve saddle comfort (especially for the girls!)

cycling, Health, Safety, ,

Saddle sorenessCycling has a reputation for being a literal pain in the arse.

Saddle soreness, pain or discomfort from the pressure of the seat of the bike, affects many cyclists: from the everyday to the elite.

“It’s a problem for everyone, because you’re putting a lot of pressure on a pretty soft part of the body,” says Chris Steffanoni, a professional bike fitter based in the regional Victorian town of Gisborne.

Steffanoni says while anyone can experience saddle-related problems, they are more common in females.

Read the full story at the ABC >>>

Bowral Classic 2024

cycling, Kiama BUG, Special events

Bowral Classic cyclistThe award-winning Bowral Classic returns to the stunning Southern Highlands of NSW on the 20th October 2024 – right on our doorstep!

Since the inaugural event in 2016, the Bowral Classic has become a staple fixture in the national cycling calendar. The three road cycling courses all showcase the most beautiful scenery you can experience on two wheels – there is something for cycling enthusiasts of all levels…

  • 150 km Maxi Classic – A thrilling ride through some of the most breathtaking scenery you can experience on two wheels.
  • 120 km Challenge Classic – A challenging course seeing riders pass through the beautiful quaint towns of the Southern Highlands.
  • 85 km Rouleurs Classic – Strap in for a solid ride through rolling hills and picturesque Highlands villages.

Register a team of 4 or more before 15th September to receive an additional team discount.

 

Devils Cardigan 2024

cycling, Health

Cyclist on a gravel roadWhere would you choose to go for a ride on a country road in Australia in the middle of Winter?

Tasmania of course!

The 2024 National Gravel Championships, competing for the Devil’s Cardigan, were held around Derby, in north east Tasmania, over the past weekend. Two courses – 52 km and 106 km, all on gravel roads.

Gravel racing prizes aren’t known for being extravagant, and the Devils Cardigan event is no exception. Forget the shiny trophy with the name of the latest victor proudly engraved on a plaque – that won’t keep you warm as the post-race celebrations rage on through the cold Tasmanian winter’s night…..

The rider who claims the top step of the race podium is awarded a hand-made wooly cardigan with the name of each winner sewn onto it, along with a sack of Tasmanian potatoes, which will no doubt help fuel future rides.

Bikes vs rail: Multimillion-dollar cycle tourism plan divides locals

cycling, Kiama BUG, Rail Trails

Guyra stationAn old railway corridor in northern NSW is set to be turned into a multimillion-dollar bike and walking path to attract high-spending tourists amid furious debate across regional NSW over what to do with disused railway lines.

At a heated meeting last Monday night, Armidale Regional Council voted 6-4 to proceed with plans to build the first part of a 103-kilometre “rail trail” between Armidale and Glen Innes, using the old Great Northern Railway corridor.

The full rail trail, once built, would run along the spine of the New England mountain range and would be one of the most elevated cycling paths in Australia.

But not everyone is happy….

Global Sea Otter MTB festival comes to Batemans Bay & Mogo

cycling, Kiama BUG, Special events

South-east NSW’s reputation as a must-visit location for mountain bikers from around the world has been bolstered by the announcement it will host one of the sport’s largest events.

MTB festival at MogoThe Sea Otter Classic started as a multi-day mountain bike festival in Monterey, California in 1991 and the now-annual event attracted more than 80,000 visitors last year.

Sea Otter expanded to operate editions in Spain in 2017 and Canada in 2019, and will launch its first southern hemisphere event in Australia in 2025.

The festival will be held in Batemans Bay on the NSW south coast and on the neighbouring Mogo mountain bike trails.

Read the full story at the ABC >>>

(It’s worth a read just to check out the aerial view of the track!)

High Country Rail Trail

cycling, Health, Rail Trails, ,

High Country Rail TrailWhile many of us are familiar with the Victorian Rail Trails around Beechworth and Bright, the High Country Rail Trail takes you on a scenic journey through iconic Australian landscapes in the Upper Murray region.

Stretching over 80 kilometres from Wodonga, through Old Tallangatta and out to Shelley, the High Country Rail Trail hugs the shoreline of the majestic Lake Hume.

Ride back in time to the 1950s when the town of Tallangatta was relocated, and the old town flooded by Lake Hume. Cross the sparkling lake over the bright red 600 metre Sandy Creek Bridge to visit the new and old town sites. Pack your panniers with regional produce for a lakeside picnic at Ebden, Ludlow’s or Huon Reserve, or take a refreshing dip while you simply soak up the serenity.

Explore the High Country Rail Trail >>>

Cyclists’ injuries at record high, riders blame aggressive motorists

cycling, Health, regulation, Safety

Safe passing signA record number of NSW cyclists – 2330 – were taken to hospital in 2021, the most since complete hospital records began to be collected in 2005.

Cyclist David Page has experienced at least 12 serious incidents of dangerous driving and abuse from motorists while on the road in Sydney.

“If you want to kill someone, do it with a car because you will always get off,” said Page, a doctor who lives near Turramurra.

Bike riders now represent about one in four (23 per cent) of road crash hospitalisations, and are the only road user group to report increasing injury numbers recently.

From 2005 to 2021, 173 bicyclists were killed and 29,464 were seriously injured on the state’s roads. However, many of these injuries were not reported to police and did not involve another vehicle, Transport for NSW said.

In the 12 months to the end of January 2023, 20 fines were issued to drivers in NSW for breaking the minimum passing distance rule, but none in the Christmas holiday period of December and January despite several statewide traffic blitzes.

In comparison, since 2016, cyclists have received about 55,000 fines for a range of offences, mostly for not wearing a helmet or not having it correctly fastened (31,402 penalties), riding on the footpath (5645 fines), riding at night without a light (5678) and not having a working bell (2476). There have also been 207 fines for “not ride on far-left side of road”.

Read more (SMH) >>>