Dams Challenge 2019 - April 7th 2019

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Mububban
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Dams Challenge 2019 - April 7th 2019

Postby Mububban » Fri Nov 02, 2018 3:12 pm

Entries open November 7th (AT) 7pm.

https://www.facebook.com/events/724990014506337/


I think I'll give the 3 Dams another shot. Apparently the routes are not much different to 2018.
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ausrider
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Re: Dams Challenge 2019 - April 7th 2019

Postby ausrider » Fri Nov 30, 2018 4:37 pm

Ah..paying money to ride on public road the usual road that we ride/train on. Interesting concept.

Rorschach
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Re: Dams Challenge 2019 - April 7th 2019

Postby Rorschach » Fri Nov 30, 2018 5:00 pm

I'm going to sign up for the 2 Dams. 130km on the flat is too much for me at the minute, but 50-ish km with a decent amount of climbing will still give me a challenge. Entering early will keep me interested and training for it.
ausrider wrote:Ah..paying money to ride on public road the usual road that we ride/train on. Interesting concept.
I kind-of agree with you here, but this sort of thing introduces me to stuff I wouldn't normally do.
Having said that, I did the MSWA ride last weekend, not sure I'll bother next year. Yes, well organised and yes good fun, but it's too expensive.

ausrider
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Re: Dams Challenge 2019 - April 7th 2019

Postby ausrider » Fri Nov 30, 2018 6:47 pm

A lot of people pulled out of MS Ocean ride due to forced minimum $100 donation and some did charge back via their credit card to recoup entrance fees. Many argues it wasn't not quite ethical the way it is done (through forced donation and holding your place on that day to hostage) and it has put many people off for next year from what I heard from the riding group.

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chuckchunder
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Re: Dams Challenge 2019 - April 7th 2019

Postby chuckchunder » Fri Nov 30, 2018 11:56 pm

ausrider wrote:Ah..paying money to ride on public road the usual road that we ride/train on. Interesting concept.
Yep. These rides give me an opportunity to ride with lots of other people who enjoy riding, an opportunity I don't get that often and I am prepared to pay for.
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Mububban
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Re: Dams Challenge 2019 - April 7th 2019

Postby Mububban » Sat Dec 01, 2018 8:05 pm

I loved the atmosphere of my first big group rides (Kal 100 and 3 Dams), to be part of a big event with like minded people, not just myself slogging my guts out on my own.

I'm doing my second 3 Dams in 2019, but I doubt I'll do it every year. If I can stay fit and work up to it, I might try the 5 Dams in 2020, but so far I haven't cracked a 200km ride yet. Goals for 2019 :)
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Re: Dams Challenge 2019 - April 7th 2019

Postby nickobec » Sun Dec 02, 2018 12:52 am

Mububban wrote:I loved the atmosphere of my first big group rides (Kal 100 and 3 Dams), to be part of a big event with like minded people, not just myself slogging my guts out on my own.
I am the opposite, happy to go out on my own for 150 km, 1500 vertical metres of adventures.

Done a couple of big group rides, not again, too scary, too many riders with complete lack of bunch riding skills.

For challenges, I prefer to race, at least most racers know how to ride in a bunch.

ausrider
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Re: Dams Challenge 2019 - April 7th 2019

Postby ausrider » Sun Dec 02, 2018 10:24 pm

nickobec wrote:
Mububban wrote:I loved the atmosphere of my first big group rides (Kal 100 and 3 Dams), to be part of a big event with like minded people, not just myself slogging my guts out on my own.
I am the opposite, happy to go out on my own for 150 km, 1500 vertical metres of adventures.

Done a couple of big group rides, not again, too scary, too many riders with complete lack of bunch riding skills.

For challenges, I prefer to race, at least most racers know how to ride in a bunch.
Correct. Same. Events like this bring out your cat 1 racer wannabe who doesn't know how to ride properly in a bunch, combined that with many newbies and people who just want to ride with other people coz they have no confidence to train/ride by themselves. Recipe for accident.

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Re: Dams Challenge 2019 - April 7th 2019

Postby Dodgy-Knee » Mon Dec 03, 2018 1:21 am

ausrider wrote:
nickobec wrote:
Mububban wrote:I loved the atmosphere of my first big group rides (Kal 100 and 3 Dams), to be part of a big event with like minded people, not just myself slogging my guts out on my own.
I am the opposite, happy to go out on my own for 150 km, 1500 vertical metres of adventures.

Done a couple of big group rides, not again, too scary, too many riders with complete lack of bunch riding skills.

For challenges, I prefer to race, at least most racers know how to ride in a bunch.
Correct. Same. Events like this bring out your cat 1 racer wannabe who doesn't know how to ride properly in a bunch, combined that with many newbies and people who just want to ride with other people coz they have no confidence to train/ride by themselves. Recipe for accident.
I'm not fazed... I've got 2 events definitely planned for next year - 3 Dams and the Armadale Gran Fondo... I've been riding these for the past few years and they're pretty good .... I usually end up riding them by myself during the event anyway. I hate weekend group rides and I don't compete anymore... much rather be out there by myself but I don't mind spending a bit of $$ to do those two events... I plan to ride the 5 Dams one day and I might also do the WA100 mtb race next year too as I recently got a mtb for a bit of a laugh (I'm definitely no mtb racer but it's definitely good for a bit of a change from road cycling)

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Mububban
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Re: Dams Challenge 2019 - April 7th 2019

Postby Mububban » Mon Dec 03, 2018 10:49 am

ausrider wrote:
nickobec wrote:
I am the opposite, happy to go out on my own for 150 km, 1500 vertical metres of adventures.

Done a couple of big group rides, not again, too scary, too many riders with complete lack of bunch riding skills.

For challenges, I prefer to race, at least most racers know how to ride in a bunch.
Correct. Same. Events like this bring out your cat 1 racer wannabe who doesn't know how to ride properly in a bunch, combined that with many newbies and people who just want to ride with other people coz they have no confidence to train/ride by themselves. Recipe for accident.
That's interesting. I've only done two events, but I found people tended to cruise in the left side of the lane or road, nobody was agro (if they were, they were far up ahead of me at my slow pace) and I was able to find groups of my own pace and join them for a friendly chat and we took turns on the front to give everyone a rest when possible. Then when the climbs came, we'd split up with a thankyou and a seeya later.

My normal Saturday group is the slow group, not interested in rides 100km or more. But I'm not fast enough to keep up with the groups above me that do want to do longer rides. So it's nice to ride with riders of my own pace, who are keen to do long distances. By luck I bumped into the guys I rode the Kala100 with at the lunch break of 3 Dams and we did the second half of the Dams together.

I joined CTAWA mid year but due to injuries I haven't done any rides in 2018. I'm hoping to do some of their longer group rides in 2019. Bucket List is a group cycle tour.
When you are driving your car, you are not stuck IN traffic - you ARE the traffic!!!

NASHIE
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Re: Dams Challenge 2019 - April 7th 2019

Postby NASHIE » Mon Dec 03, 2018 3:28 pm

Not for me, but i think these events are great, gets more riders out the roads and gives guys and girls who dont pin a number on (you should all give racing a go though :wink: ) some focus through the year. There are muppets in all bunch rides experienced to inexperienced. Im not bunch rider/training fan but inexperienced riders are easier to predict (give a wider berth) IMO and would rather social ride with them than some very experienced riders that never got it and never will get it.

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Re: Dams Challenge 2019 - April 7th 2019

Postby NewStew » Mon Dec 03, 2018 4:22 pm

ausrider wrote:
nickobec wrote:
Mububban wrote:I loved the atmosphere of my first big group rides (Kal 100 and 3 Dams), to be part of a big event with like minded people, not just myself slogging my guts out on my own.
I am the opposite, happy to go out on my own for 150 km, 1500 vertical metres of adventures.

Done a couple of big group rides, not again, too scary, too many riders with complete lack of bunch riding skills.

For challenges, I prefer to race, at least most racers know how to ride in a bunch.
Correct. Same. Events like this bring out your cat 1 racer wannabe who doesn't know how to ride properly in a bunch, combined that with many newbies and people who just want to ride with other people coz they have no confidence to train/ride by themselves. Recipe for accident.
Totally disagree - I think rides like the old Freeway Bike Hike and the Santos Round the River Challenge certainly bought those unskilled individuals out. However, when it is a tougher ride like the Dams the requirement for being able to complete the distance and elevation tends to be a little self selecting. In all 5 3 Dams rides I have done the only touch and go moments have been when you used to come back up the freeway bike path and people were getting tired. Thankfully that is now gone.

Oh and I dont think racing makes for a better rider, different skill set but seeing some of the people treating every ride as a series of bunch sprints on open roads makes me much more scared!!

Rorschach
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Re: Dams Challenge 2019 - April 7th 2019

Postby Rorschach » Tue Dec 04, 2018 6:44 pm

ausrider wrote:A lot of people pulled out of MS Ocean ride due to forced minimum $100 donation and some did charge back via their credit card to recoup entrance fees. Many argues it wasn't not quite ethical the way it is done (through forced donation and holding your place on that day to hostage) and it has put many people off for next year from what I heard from the riding group.
I considered the same in all honesty. I enjoyed the ride, but forcing donations from people and taking their money off them if they don't raise enough money is pretty low.
All that aside, I don't bunch ride but doing the 70km was good fun, and the main bits I didn't feel too safe was when you joined up with everyone else doing the shorter rides along west coast highway through Scarborough.

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