Is the Freeway Bike Hike on in 2014?

Scott_C
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Re: Is the Freeway Bike Hike on in 2014?

Postby Scott_C » Fri Mar 21, 2014 10:44 pm

JAB1982 wrote:Anyone else think the ride jersey is a bit El cheapo? Picked mine up today and the sizing was a bit off, thankfully I was able to swap. Looking forward to Sunday though hopefully the wind settles down.
I agree the jersey is pretty poor and has virtually no stretch to it. My XXL Freeway Bike Hike Jersey is considerably tighter around the arms and across the shoulders and loose across the chest compared to the XL Jersey I got from the Santos last year which is still doing OK despite being used 2 days a week since I got it.

Unfortunately our "team captain" picked up all the jerseys so there wasn't an opportunity for me to swap up to a bigger size.

Robinho
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Re: Is the Freeway Bike Hike on in 2014?

Postby Robinho » Sat Mar 22, 2014 10:52 am

Wasn't very impressed with the quality, but the sizing seemed about right. Not a lot of stretch I have to say.

dmwill
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Re: Is the Freeway Bike Hike on in 2014?

Postby dmwill » Sat Mar 22, 2014 1:18 pm

Large fits me alright - very relaxed fit though. I prefer a form fit. It will go into the rag box after this ride.

RAC ones seemed a bit better last year, even though I didn't wear it. I think they were made by a local company too?

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kx315
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Re: Is the Freeway Bike Hike on in 2014?

Postby kx315 » Sat Mar 22, 2014 4:25 pm

I am not unhappy with the quality of the jersey.

I am pissed at ordering as per the sizing chart collecting at BUPA Joondalup to then have to drive to Langley park to exchange for 3 sizes bigger :evil:
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Mububban
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Re: Is the Freeway Bike Hike on in 2014?

Postby Mububban » Sat Mar 22, 2014 5:49 pm

I need to drive from Greenwood (Hepburn Ave) to Kwinana (Thomas Rd) on Sunday morning. I'm resigned to taking the long slow coast route, but what time does the southbound lane get closed? I'm leaving my house around 6am, will I even be able to get on the freeway?
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Magnum9
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Re: Is the Freeway Bike Hike on in 2014?

Postby Magnum9 » Sat Mar 22, 2014 6:58 pm

Maybe.
http://bupabikehike.com.au/road-closures/" onclick="window.open(this.href);return false;

ploz
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Re: Is the Freeway Bike Hike on in 2014?

Postby ploz » Sat Mar 22, 2014 7:35 pm

Doing the mid hike with the family. Picked up a 'medium' shirt which seemed surprisingly large; compared it to a XL and the medium was larger! It seems they are having some problems with the labelling.

Looking forward to tomorrow, it looks like the organisers have made a big effort to improve on last year but the proof will be in the pudding!

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Re: Is the Freeway Bike Hike on in 2014?

Postby Baalzamon » Sat Mar 22, 2014 9:45 pm

Well enjoy the ride. I'm off to do the 2nd day of Audax Dirty Weekend. Don't have to worry about ppl not knowing how to ride in groups. Every year I did the freeway bike hike there were always crashes and is part of the reason why I won't do it again.
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dmwill
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Re: Is the Freeway Bike Hike on in 2014?

Postby dmwill » Sat Mar 22, 2014 11:33 pm

OK, I dislike my jersey now. I just found out how tight the sleeves are when you reach forward. Circulation to arms nearly cut off :roll:

Anyone who buys decent jerseys will know a good one has the sleeves stitched on at an angle, so they're pretty comfortable when your arms are stretched out over the bars.

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ColinOldnCranky
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Re: Is the Freeway Bike Hike on in 2014?

Postby ColinOldnCranky » Sun Mar 23, 2014 2:30 am

IThe weather forecast is for scattered showers and 30 to 45kph easterlies.

Normally not be a problem. Excpet that I am still hoping to ride it on the giraffe.

(No, not a spotted creature with four long legs.)
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ColinOldnCranky
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Re: Is the Freeway Bike Hike on in 2014?

Postby ColinOldnCranky » Sun Mar 23, 2014 10:13 am

Damn - it's been gusting for hours and the tree tops have not stopped moving since I starting checking. The giraffe will have to stay just inside the door where it spent the night. :cry: Oh well, the conditions will make the regular riding a bit more of a challenge.

Might be a bit of a downer for irregular riders and kiddies. Some will stay at home.
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jlh
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Re: Is the Freeway Bike Hike on in 2014?

Postby jlh » Sun Mar 23, 2014 12:28 pm

I did the long hike after a work colleague couldn't compete and gave me his entry. We followed the pilot vehicle and were lead on the wrong roads a number of times once we got up onto burns beach road. Other people were also confused and there ended up being a situation with groups of riders riding towards one another in the same lane. What a joke and no will not be entering next year.

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jaseyjase
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Re: Is the Freeway Bike Hike on in 2014?

Postby jaseyjase » Sun Mar 23, 2014 12:42 pm

^ not looking good...again.

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roller
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Re: Is the Freeway Bike Hike on in 2014?

Postby roller » Sun Mar 23, 2014 1:04 pm

went out for my normal sunday spin and couldn't get over how strong the wind was, i think it could easily have caused some ugliness in the ride for people not accustomed to riding in groups in really strong winds.
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kx315
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Re: Is the Freeway Bike Hike on in 2014?

Postby kx315 » Sun Mar 23, 2014 3:43 pm

The wind was not fun that's for sure. I don't think they briefed the bloke driving the chase car start was all over the place an it got real interesting once we turned onto Burns Beach road :shock: :shock: :roll:
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dmwill
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Re: Is the Freeway Bike Hike on in 2014?

Postby dmwill » Sun Mar 23, 2014 4:01 pm

Hmmm, I scored free entry, it's the only reason I participated. Would I do it if I had to pay? Probably not.

-First time doing the longer 80km ride - despite the start, I'd say the majority seemed to have the right idea and kept to the left, overtook on right etc. Not to mention the ones that alert you as they pass, use hand signals, etc. Maybe the 80km riders are a little more switched on? Or the Keep left banners worked (they should be left up all the time).

-The dozen or so who came back down Connolly Drive (Say What moment). At least there was a quick thinking motorbike cop at one stage who took the lead with sirens on.

-Closing both major roads up that way was not a good idea. Loads of impatient people, despite all the warning signs up a few weeks prior (though a small portion of the population up that way probably had ankle bracelets limiting their movements anyway.). Brother said he saw one bloke push past a traffic management guy, park up on the roundabout, get out of his car and approached the traffic guy - probably wanted punch ons.

-Too many people with creaks and squeaks on decent bikes.

-Brother was an idiot for declining my offer to use my other bike - instead he took his fixie. Fell behind up by about an hour. Fell asleep on the train ride home.

-Brother's drink bottle and cage fell off. NFI how, but it looks great looking back at the rear mounted GoPro footage. Somewhere near Stirling Station is a nice Lezyne cage, minor scratches. Free to whoever finds it. Speaking of GoPro footage, lots of funny faces, etc.

-Regarding traffic management. The highlight would have been the traffic bloke who backed into a Police car at the traffic lights in the city.

ploz
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Re: Is the Freeway Bike Hike on in 2014?

Postby ploz » Sun Mar 23, 2014 4:21 pm

We had a great time doing the mid hike from Kwinana, despite the wind. So much safer than last year, didn't see any major issues. Disappointing to see the long hike - which we hope to do next year - seems to have been a stuff-up again.

On the positive side, got to meet Perth's most famous unicyclist in the flesh - though of course Colin had no idea who I was!

Trepidious
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Re: Is the Freeway Bike Hike on in 2014?

Postby Trepidious » Sun Mar 23, 2014 5:54 pm

Not sure what it was, maybe the lack of official timing but the groups were pretty well behaved this year. For a short time we even had a rolling pace line on the ride north and there were only a couple of idiots; certainly the best behaviour I've seen on a charity ride.

I did the 80km and the route-marking was woeful and I'm still not 100% where we went wrong. The group I was with were sent up Marmion Ave, then along Lukin and back down Connelly Drive which I thought was right but we did have a lot of Say What moments - didn't really know where we were going.

Graeme H
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Re: Is the Freeway Bike Hike on in 2014?

Postby Graeme H » Sun Mar 23, 2014 6:25 pm

Trepidious wrote:The group I was with were sent up Marmion Ave, then along Lukin and back down Connelly Drive which I thought was right ...
That's what the map says, but by the time I got there the Police were directing us up Connolly instead. I guess this made things easier at the Burns Beach / Marmion intersection.

It's good to know why some were coming the other way up Connolly. A few went with the cars in the other carriageway as well. It was a worry at the time, but I later wondered if they'd been locals cruising to the 30km start.

One lane of Marmion southbound was kept open for cars, but nobody could use it because those who wanted to turn left from Marmion couldn't get across.
I suppose the organisers expected more frequent gaps between groups of bikes, but from where I was the line of bikes was continuous as far as I could see in both directions.
That would have been a long wait before they could get a couple of cars through and release the queue.

I now think that at one roundabout the traffic controller was trying to stop the bikes, but he didn't speak and I interpreted his hand signal as "keep left through here."

Among us slower riders (and I think generally lacking group ride experience - I have none) everyone I saw was cooperative with no aggro, no crashes, no idiocy.
I'm glad I went.

mich rolling
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Re: Is the Freeway Bike Hike on in 2014?

Postby mich rolling » Sun Mar 23, 2014 7:50 pm

Did the 80km which I found to be a suitable challenge for me this early in my riding season (serious looking sag wagons at the start though were a bit off-putting). Many beginners who used the training suggestions on the Bike Hike website would have struggled to finish the 80km. I like the city start and finish which is more convenient for more people.

Agree with Graeme - rider behaviour is getting better (straighter lines, more predictable, more aware) year by year. The lack of timing and the slow (37.5km/hr) lead out wagon may have calmed the more dangerous rev-heads who have pushed the limits of their abilities in previous years. I saw only one ambulance attending a crash, didn't look too serious.

I sympathise with the drivers held up north of Currambine; perhaps a few 'detour' notices at prior intersections and U-turn indications to get people driving on the coastal highway or other parallel roads next time? Refreshingly little glass although I saw quite a few punctures along the way (get Gatorskins!).

An enjoyable event that hopefully has shown more people that, Yes, you can ride to work, to the shops, for fun and health.

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ColinOldnCranky
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Re: Is the Freeway Bike Hike on in 2014?

Postby ColinOldnCranky » Sun Mar 23, 2014 7:53 pm

ploz wrote:We had a great time doing the mid hike from Kwinana, despite the wind. So much safer than last year, didn't see any major issues. Disappointing to see the long hike - which we hope to do next year - seems to have been a stuff-up again.

On the positive side, got to meet Perth's most famous unicyclist in the flesh - though of course Colin had no idea who I was!
It's easy to stand out as a unicyclist - there are bugger all of us and, as I did not make the effort this year to get a unicycle-presence, I only found one other.

I am guessing that your safety comment may have been about the fast Mandurah riders that raced thru the slower groups. That arose out of a rail problem holding up the Mandurah start. However organisers did not address it at all - I can think of a perfectly workable way they could have made it safer.

I notice that, for the first time in the years that the Kwinana Freeway has been used they put some matting over the expansion joint towards the north end of the Mt Henry Bridge. The hazard and the solution has been obvious all the time.

Yeah, pity about the wind - it stopped me from riding my preferred steed.
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Aushiker
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Re: Is the Freeway Bike Hike on in 2014?

Postby Aushiker » Sun Mar 23, 2014 8:01 pm

From Reddit ... anyone here?

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Parker
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Re: Is the Freeway Bike Hike on in 2014?

Postby Parker » Sun Mar 23, 2014 8:12 pm

I hear the emergency room is packed

Aj_clark
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Re: Is the Freeway Bike Hike on in 2014?

Postby Aj_clark » Sun Mar 23, 2014 10:57 pm

Far better organisation compared to last year (despite the lack of direction once the freeway ended) . Did the full hike and only went past the one minor crash. The groups that I rode in we're great. Voice and hand signals aplenty and no agro if an error was made. Just a 'sorry' and a ' no worries'.


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Robinho
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Re: Is the Freeway Bike Hike on in 2014?

Postby Robinho » Mon Mar 24, 2014 10:51 am

+1 aj, the !! BAN ME NOW FOR SWEARING !!-up round Connolly and marmion aside, it all went very smoothly, riding in the groups at speed on the freeway was great, lots of positive communication and signals. Did pass the aftermath of a coming together south of joondalup, but all riders were on their feet discussing, no one looked particularly badly hurt.

As for the Connolly/marmion debacle, the maps clearly stated up marmion and back down Connolly, but I had read the reverse elsewhere. We arrived on burns beach in a couple of large groups about 2 mins max behind the pace car. We stayed on the wrong side along burns beach road and met no indication from traffic management or marshals that we should turn up Connolly. We proceeded to marmion to be met by the car and the lead group coming back towards Connolly, must have pulled a u turn at the lights.

Again, with no indication, positive or negative, we proceeded up marmion in the closed lane. I thought we were probably going the wrong way, but there were probably a couple of hundred riders spread over a few groups. We had a police outrider with us, who never stopped us.
Obviously we then met the car and main group coming between marmion and Connolly, and on the down Connolly it seemed the bulk of the field were coming up. Made little difference ultimately, same distance, but meeting the pace car and group was not the safest, and we probably messed up the traffic control by arriving from 2 directions.

Could have been simply avoided by having some signage and a marshal at the freeway/burns beach intersection and then the burns beach/Connolly roundabout.

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