Australian Cycling Forums - Bicycles Network Australia

When I bought my new shoes at JT Pultney last week the guy mentioned their weekly group rides. Recommended I join them for a good group ride experience and some tips from an Olympic Gold Medalist (Brett Aitken) and another pro cyclist (Aron Huysmans). I took a look at their route for last week and it looks like a bit of a challenge for a complete newbie like me, especially the run up the hill through Belair.

Anybody else go on these rides ? Is it fairly friendly towards newbies ? They say no one gets left behind but then again they've never cycled with me before !

have a go at belair road by yourself first

compare your time with the times on cycle2max.com

based on this information you should be able to work out if it is a good or bad idea to do a group ride up there

If you go on that ride you might need to don the lycra dude!

Yeh. I went and drove the route this evening. No way I'm making it up that hill alive. I passed several leaner, fitter and more serious looking bikers on their way up who looked like they were struggling. There's no way that my pudgy arse is going to survive that trip.

I guess I need some more practice.

There are plenty of other bike shop and 'Bike SA' groups on saturday mornings.
Cobwebs which starts at the Buffalo at 8am is very welcoming to beginners and advanced riders(this has probably been the safest(point out majority of hazards, stop at traffic lights, single file through single laned/roundabout roads) and friendliest groups i have ever ridden with).