VELO-POSTE issue 04

VELO-POSTE Issue 04 Cycling stories from South Australia

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Contents 03 Introduction 13 Second Sunday, 7:30 03 The Rest of Us 18 Left blank for your message 20 On the boards 34 Over the shoulder 36 Next issue

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Introduction

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I want to start this issue of VELO-POSTE by stating the following up front: I’m not a professional cyclist I’m not a professional photographer I’m not a professional graphic designer I’m not a professional writer I don’t work for SA Tourism I’m just a guy who loves riding his bike in and around Adelaide.

This project was initially conceived as a platform to support our business VELO-PORTE. The idea was pretty simple, to promote our biggest asset: Cycling in South Australia.

It didn’t take long to realise it’s much bigger than just us. This is hopefully going to be about all of us The goal is to capture the essence of cycling in South Australia through sharing stories, a few photos and obviously great products and services.

These are humble beginnings of what will hopefully grow into something we are all proud of.

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October Skies

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Second Sunday, 7:30 Every second Sunday of the month the SPACE bunch meet at 7:30am on Rundle Street. The plan is to ride hills one month then flats the next with a view to finding new loops and hidden roads.

This month not everything went to plan

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These are the days where legends are born and many gruelling miles are covered.

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Rundle Street, 7:30am October 13 2013

There are three ways I judge the weather on the morning of a ride. The first is to check the radar on the internet. The second is counting cyclists on the 10km warm up into the city. Bigger bunches means better weather, single riders means it’s going to be bad. The last and most sobering scale is based on who actually turns up to ride, if anyone.

When the regulars don’t turn up and it’s only you and the street sweeper exchanging nods on Rundle Street at 7:30am, your already wet clothes feel wetter and your chilled bones feel colder. What if it’s just me?

Cold, wet days are where gaunt, stubbled cyclists squint into driving rain demonstrating to us just how good their rain jackets are (and they are good by the way) aboard classically proportioned, steel framed bikes to the sound track of British radio shipping forecasts. These are the days where legends are born and many grueling miles are covered, slapping the faces of the weather gods with a full fingered goat skin cycling glove.

Or you could just pull the pin and head to ARGO on the Parade for a hot chocolate. That’s what we did.

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This month’s ride report was supposed to be a blue sky, sun drenched affair where a dozen or so riders roll through the Adelaide Hills on a perfect spring morning.

Out of the four souls that turned up only one of us actually saw the hills that morning, he squeezed a loop of Montacute in before heading into the usual meeting spot.

The rest of us only made it two thirds of the way up Parade. The lightning and lashing rain put an end to all hopes of a classic Adelaide Hills outing.

Although the ride was called off I can report that ARGO does the sweetest hot chocolate I’ve ever tasted and what seemed like, on that day, the best hot banana bread on the planet.

Legends may not have been born that day but we all rode away knowing that the next time is pisses down on the morning of a SPACE ride, chances are we’ll be there at 7:30am on the second Sunday of the month, nodding at the street sweeper.

The lightning and lashing rain put an end to all hopes of a classic Adelaide Hills outing

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Second Sunday, 7:30am SPACE ride - November

This is the one of the shortest ways up but not exactly the easiest.

This month’s SPACE ride is a repeat, so to speak, of the October course. The ride is split into three loops with a variation on the normal Norton Summit Climb to get the legs warmed up.

3 Loops

LOOP #1 After the regroup at the Summit Hotel we head left behind the Post Office down Colonial Drive. This loops around linking Green Valley Rd, Valley View Cres, Nicholls Road and back onto Colonial Drive.

The roll out takes us up The Parade to get us to Penfolds Rd then right at the Tower Hotel up Magill Rd to the left hand exit onto Norton Summit Rd. At the first hair-pin on Norton Summit Road we head right up Valley Drive then right again up Ridgeland Drive. Woodland Way and Teringie Drive take us back onto Norton Summit Road. This is the one of the shortest ways up but not exactly the easiest.

It’s a short but sweet diversion with some interesting sights along the way. ipib featured this section of road on Wednesday’s Legs some time ago and I’ve been meaning to plug it into a SPACE ride for a while now.

LOOP #2 Loop 2 takes us over Lofty via Ashton and Greenhill Rd. We then drop down through Picadilly and along to Summertown to retrace our route back to Ashton.

This is where the fun begins

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LOOP #3 From Ashton we drop down into the valley on Lobethal Road which delivers us at Hunters Road. More descending takes us to the base of Knotts Hill which is a test for anyone on any day.

Knotts Hill becomes Pound Rd and eventually hits Marble Hill Road where we loop back down onto Norton Summit and back into the city for the cafe stop.

The Rymill Park Kiosk is now the regular spot for the SPACE bunch.

Details Date 10.11.13 Time 7:30am Where Felici, Rundle Street Distance 64km Climbing 1700m Disclaimer All participants ride at their own risk and must ride within their limits and obey the road rules.

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The Rest of Us There are many ranks in the world of cycling from the Pro Tour riders, Olympians and World Champions through to the NRS and local graded racers.

Then there’s the rest of us. Everyday cyclists who are out there every weekend for the simple love of riding.

We only race the clock to get home ‘in time’ and the UCI points we collect are mere credits in the ride bank.

This is about us.

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Meet Mark Lands Where do you work?

Lands Real Estate Tell us in one sentence what they do.

Residential Sales and Property Management. Specialising in Metro Adelaide.

What is your role?

I run the sales division, so basically I sell residential property. From small family homes up to larger scale developments. If any of you need some stock moved drop me an email mark@landsrealestate.com.au What are you working on at the moment?

I was just selected as the 2013 REISA Salesperson of the Year (North/NorthEast), so the last few weeks has been trying to manage the extra enquiry and commitments that have come along with that as well as the normal crazy spring rush.

When and why did you start cycling?

About 3 or 4 years ago. The bikes are what got me interested, carbon fibre and all that fun stuff. Then when I started riding I realised how terrible I was, the desire to improve and keep in shape. A good mate of mine once asked his wife if his increased riding had caused him to lose weight, she replied that his back was definitely thinner, I continue to ride in order to never have this conversation.

What bike(s) do you ride?

BMC SLR01 SRAM Red.

One day classics or Grand Tours?

One day classics Are you more of a GC Contender, Sprinter, Climber or Super Domestique?

I have never been great at endurance sports, my body is much better at the explosive short duration efforts. Cycling is definitely at odds with this. My endurance has now improved but my natural abilities still mean I am much better in a sprint or a short steep kick than those long rubbish climbs like The Freeway and Montacute.

How many k’s a week do you do?

What made you choose the BMC? I love the industrial look of them, I also got a great deal on it.

What’s your favourite kind of ride?

Long, hills rides are fantastic, but what takes the cake, for me, are the Cyclo Sportif Races. So much suffering and fun.

(Be honest, we’ll check your STRAVA).

120 What’s your biggest achievement on a bike?

Being part of Team Lands Real Estate Aura and wining the Snowy’s TTT Series. It was a great weekend of racing.

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“Long, hills rides are fantastic, but what takes the cake, for me, are the Cyclo Sportif Races.”

What would be your dream bike?

BMC Impec Lambo Edition.

What’s your favourite Adelaide climb?

Corkscrew What would you buy for under $100 to make you go faster?

A new alarm clock, mine is too easy to turn off and go back to sleep.

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Left blank for your message These pages are an open invitation for you to provide your SA cycling story. Please email me if you want to contribute a story, advert or image to VELO-POSTE

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ON THE BOARDS Earlier this year Adelaide hosted the International Track Series (ITS Adelaide) at the Superdrome. This event was an Oceania qualifier round for the track worlds.

These are a few snaps taken on the Friday and Sunday night sessions.

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OVER THE SHOULDER 33

As cyclists we spend a lot of time looking over our shoulder, checking for cars, making sure we have or haven’t dropped someone, watching for a competitor gaining on us and occasionally just taking in where we’ve come from. Each month we want to leave you with a parting shot that celebrates the rich history of South Australian cycling.

These images are kindly curated and provided by Mario at Aussie Velos. www.aussievelos.net

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A group of competitive young men display winnings from a recent cycle meet, braced together in-front of Empire Cycles, owned by C.E Ramsay at 138B Henley Beach Rd, Torrensville, circa 1930’s.

Specialising in luxury cycling holidays throughout Europe and Australia.

Superior and personalised service, we limit tours to 14 clients with 4 staff. All riding abilities catered for as well as catering for clients who don’t ride at all.

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Book a 2014 tour by November 30 and receive a full set of procyclingtours kit *selected tours

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Next issue Then and now Skills & Tips Fuel the Rush B&B

Please share this issue with all that may be interested.

Many Thanks.