Cycling in Melbourne Australia
3 Peaks Challenge 2011.
Anyone from this forum doing the 3 Peaks this year?
I am starting to get a bit nervously excited didnt help that I have just been sick and off the bike for 5 days. Got on today for first time and felt a little weak.
Hopefully I should be OK though, I have been clocking up a few training Ks so far in the lead up.
Replies to This Discussion
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Permalink Reply by Matt McCullough on -
Hey Ben - I'm doing it. Was up on the Damdenong Summit ride yesterday in the rain and came off on the descent - so I'm hoping the gravel rash will be healed by next weekend.
There's been a few holes in my training schedule - most lately from having to head to Christchurch to help out there.
I'm looking forward to it - I think. The weather will be the mos decisive factor - apparently last year it was hell.
Good luck
Matt
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Permalink Reply by Ben Malcolm on -
Hey Matt, not a good time to come off that is for sure. I know what you mean by holes I was pretty much the same to the lead up but I guess this is par for the course when you have to try and balance everything.
I know I would have liked to have put in a lot more work but that was never going to happen. Of course your help to our cousins outweighes most other things I bet. That being said I think I am strong enough to get through this event providing some dire weather does not come through and spoil all our fun as with last year.
Looks like last year did put a few people off as well as the price hike as I have heard that there are only 1000 riders or there about this year, where there was about triple that last year.
Have fun and I hope you enjoy it to. I am getting a compact crank put on today just in case I need the extra gears expecially coming up the back of Falls which I have not done before.
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Permalink Reply by Matt McCullough on
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Hey - You know nowhere in the ride info does it mention the 18% gradient up part of the back of Falls Creek that is mentioned in ride reports. Maybe that was deliberate to not impact on the numbers. After 200 km that's going to bite a bit.
What cluster are you running - I had a 11-28 put on. I thought this was the lowest I could go but now I'm reading about a 29... one cog could make all the difference...
Cheers
Matt
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Permalink Reply by Ben Malcolm on
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Ha thats funny I keep hearing that the finish is definately the hardest part but have not heard about an 18% section. Too true though that will feel massive after what has gone before.....
I am going Compact on the front after talking with Nick Mitchell (Pro rider, came first in three peaks last year) on the organised rides. He went with a 12-25 last year and regretted it, this year he is going 12-27 and he is a Pro. After riding next to him a couple of times he certainly proved the difference in hill climbing abilities. For example when I was spinning up some hills he was cruizing next to me in the Big ring. He recommended everyone should go compact just to have the extra gears if required unless it is known otherwise.
I was going to go compact and 12-25 which I think gives my an equivalent of a 12-28 but maybe now after you mentioning the 18% I might leave compact with 12-27. I trained without the compact and a 12-27 and was able to get through everything without too much trouble including Dandenongs, Donna, King Lake, and Mt Martha but mainly only 100K rides. Just put a compact on yesterday but still to decide on the back yet. I like the 12-25 as it will mean that I get small changes between each gear but the 27 might just be the ticket as a backup in case I have a really bad day or something.
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Permalink Reply by DJ on -
How can you be taking part in this ride and have no idea what it involves ? Riders have to qualify to register to do the Alpine Classic Extreme 250 km which covers the same course and then some. If they think you are not up to it you are excluded. Result ? Almost everyone finished over the last two years. Compare this to Bicycle Victoria whose motto appears to be "taking more money off more people more often". Last year most 3 Peaks Riders had no idea what they had signed up for as they were not told what to expect.The hill at the back of Falls Creek is like none of the hills you have mentioned above. You will turn the corner and wonder what all of those riders are doing up in the air.Of course, you will be dead tired before you even reach that climb. I recommend the 12-27 compact as opposed to the 12-25 I have used. Good luck !
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Permalink Reply by Ben Malcolm on
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I am not an idiot DJ try not to assume too much. I have done rides like these before including the AAC, I have done falls, the gap and Baw Baw along with other climbs around so I have a fair idea of what is expected. I know exactly what it involves and am confident enough in my skills to conquer the ride. I have used the rides above as examples of some training in my general vacinity, it is not feasible to get to the Alpines from Melbourne to train every weekend so you have to make do.
And to defend the people who took on the ride last year, those conditions were extra precaurious and that is undeniable, due to the weather of course. I have been training and talking with many people who have done the ride before, including some that made it last year and some that did not. Some of the people from the latter where quite strong riders. Sometimes it takes more than this though, and again to be fair these people in the most part did not have anything to prove to themselves as they had done it before several times.
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Permalink Reply by Ben Malcolm on
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I am not an idiot DJ try not to assume too much. I have done rides like these before including the AAC, I have done falls, the gap and Baw Baw along with other climbs around so I have a fair idea of what is expected. I know exactly what it involves and am confident enough in my skills to conquer the ride. I have used the rides above as examples of some training in my general vacinity, it is not feasible to get to the Alpines from Melbourne to train every weekend so you have to make do.
And to defend the people who took on the ride last year, those conditions were extra precaurious and that is undeniable, due to the weather of course. I have been training and talking with many people who have done the ride before, including some that made it last year and some that did not. Some of the people from the latter where quite strong riders. Sometimes it takes more than this though, and again to be fair these people in the most part did not have anything to prove to themselves as they had done it before several times.
Thanks for the recommendation, I was leaning towards this way I am a fan of the "Get out of jail for free" gear policy.
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Permalink Reply by DJ on
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Ben,
I was not having a go at you but at Bicycle Victoria.The reason is that they marketed the ride to Around the Bay in a Day type riders many of which had no hope of completing it, regardless of the weather.It is a much harder ride than the AAC as there are much steeper gradients, both at Hotham when you are fresh and especially at the back of Falls when you will have 150km or so in the legs.You will find there that you will be straight into the 27 even if you are having a good day.This is the sort of information that BV should give to entrants.
My guess is that it was not the bad weather from last year that has led to less registrations for the 3 Peaks this year but the knowledge about the level of fitness required that was gained last year.
Those that failed to complete the ride in 2010 but said they had done it several times before were perhaps not being too truthful with you.The back of Falls was a dirt road until late 2009. As it was then sealed it allowed Audax and BV to conduct their rides from January 2010. You would think it was rather strange that a rider could complete the course several times on a MTB or touring bike carrying all of their own supplies but then be unable to do so on a supported ride on a road bike.
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Permalink Reply by Tony on
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Yeap I'm making sure I have a bit of rest at Anglers before I hit the climb back up Falls. The 18% is short grind. After 200k I'm guessing I might be walking a little bit. "The Meg" at Hotham and this section are (IMO) the hardest.
What really hurt is the 10km to the Trapyard. Then I'm no climber. I'm Running 11-28 SRAM.
29's are Campy (I think). SRAM have 11-32 and 12-36, but you may need to change your derailleur to cope.
Have Fun & Good Luck
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Permalink Reply by Tony on
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Hi Ben, Good Luck with the ride. I've been lucky enough with work this year to have been around the area and have had a couple of training rides. Have managed to grind up Hotham twice in the past month and last friday managed to ride from Falls to Anglers Rest and return. Nasty piece of climbing... not looking forward to it especially if it takes me a several hours to get there.
Still the area is beautiful and the weather looks like it will be nice enough, better than last year (I hope). This year I hope to make it all the way back. Have managed the bits and pieces of the ride. Only Dinner Plain to Anglers Rest will be an unknown for me.
Have fun !!!
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Permalink Reply by Ben Malcolm on
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Nice one Tony, I was trying to organise to get up there and knock over some of the ride but could not find the time unfortunately. I have done a few aspects of it with the AAC but have not done Hotham before except in car and even in the car I remember thinking that the last 10 Ks were a killer.
Of course the hills are hard enough without having all those Ks in the legs before hand but I guess the bigger the challenge the bigger the reward.
The weather looks like it might be bearable so fingers crossed for that.
Good luck.
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