About Rides

GENERAL INFORMATION

– Riders are asked to arrive 10-15 minutes prior to start time for ride briefing, signing on and prompt departure.

– Earlier start times may occur in summer and will be noted on the Ride Calendar.

–  Pre-booking may be required for some rides and will be noted on the Ride Calendar.

– Ride leaders are Club Member volunteers, and members should consider leading at least twice in the year, after being a member for 12 months.

–  A ‘Whip’ is appointed during the briefing.  The ‘Whip’ will always ensure he/she is last on the ride and can account for everyone who has signed on for the ride.  The whip is not expected to repair punctures, but may assist any rider in difficulty and contact the leader by mobile phone. 

–  To facilitate smooth progress of the ride, the ride leaders will usually ask riders near him/her to stay at corners as ‘Markers’ to ensure that those on the ride can easily see where the leader has gone and not have to stop or take a wrong turn.

SUNDAY RIDES

ABILITY: MEDIUM | 40-45KM | TIME: 9.30AM TO 1PM APPROXIMATELY | AVERAGE SPEED 15-20 KM/H

– Usually two rides are offered each Sunday

– There is a slower ride every second Sunday.

– Longer rides are scheduled once a month, with occasional country rides

– Pre-booking of Sunday rides is required.

MONDAY RIDES

ABILITY: EASY – MEDIUM | 32KM | TIME: 9:00AM TO NOON | HILL CLIMBING AT YOUR OWN SPEED

– A weekly ride from Bayswater Park to Sassafras via the famous 1 in 20 ascent.

– This gradual climb is done in an environment of peer support where everyone will achieve.

– Hill climbing beginners are particularly encouraged. No one will be left to ride alone.

EASY TUESDAY RIDES

ABILITY: EASY | 30-40KM | TIME: 9.30AM TO 1PM APPROXIMATELY | AVERAGE SPEED 15KM/H

– Easy Rides involve an easy grade; there may be some hills.

– 9.30am – 1pm which includes a half hour social coffee stop

– Cyclists should have the fitness to ride 30kms

– Rides are mainly on bike paths, sometimes gravel, sometimes on the road.

– Rides generally start and finish at the same location, which is advertised in the members’ calendar.

MEDIUM TUESDAY RIDES

ABILITY: MEDIUM | 40-50KM | TIME: 9.00AM TO 1PM APPROXIMATELY | AVERAGE SPEED 15-20KM/H

– These are weekly social rides.

– Terrain may contain some hills.

– The rides commence at a site usually within a radius of 10-15 km from Box Hill, and which will have car parking &/or train access and toilet facilities.

– The rides will be led by experienced club members who have ridden Medium Tuesday Rides for some time and will return the ride to the start point (or a designated end site) by 1.00pm.

– Morning Tea/Coffee at about 10.30 – 11.00 am is a highlight of the ride and each ride leader specifies the cafes etc. where this will be held.

MEDIUM ALL DAY (MAD) TUESDAY

ABILITY: MEDIUM-HARD | 70-80 KM | TIME: 9.30AM – MID-AFTERNOON | AVERAGE SPEED 20KM/H

– Faster and longer ride than both the Easy and Medium rides

– These rides are for experienced cyclists. The terrain may contain some hills.

– The rides usually commence at a site usually within a radius of 10-15 km from Box Hill. The starting point will usually have car parking &/or train access and toilet facilities.

– Experienced club members who have ridden MAD Thursday rides for some time will lead the rides. Return times depend on the length of the ride but are typically in the range of 2:00 to 3:00pm.

– A Morning Tea/Coffee break occurs at about 10.30 – 11.00 am on the ride and each ride leader specifies the cafes etc., where this will be held. A stop for lunch is always included in a MAD ride, usually between 12:00 and 1:00pm. Most riders prefer to bring their lunch but the leader will indicate whether lunch can be purchased at the lunch site or if it should be bought at the morning tea break. On longer rides there may be an afternoon tea stop.

– Riders contemplating joining the ride ‘en route’ are encouraged to phone the leader and agree to the meeting arrangements.

HARD TUESDAY RIDES

ABILITY: HARD | 70-100KM | TIME: 8.30 or 9:30AM TO 3-4PM | AVERAGE SPEED 20+ KM/H

– Harder, faster, and further than Medium or MAD rides.  Rides explore all directions of outer Melbourne, including the Dandenongs, Kinglake, Mernda, Tullamarine, Werribee, the Mornington Peninsula and the south-east.  Several times a year there’s a trip to the countryside for a ride.

– Rides typically alternate between hilly one week (with ascents of 1000-1500m) and flat and fast the next.  Rides use a mix of bike trails and quiet roads, and mostly keep to bitumen surfaces.

 – Morning tea is typically at a cafe after 25km, and BYO lunch at a park after 50-60km.

WEDNESDAY MYSTERY RIDES

ABILITY: VERY EASY | 15KM | TIME: 9:30AM TO NOON | AVERAGE SPEED 10-15 KM/H

– A regular mystery ride, very slow pace, no hills, two coffee breaks, option for lunch.

EASY THURSDAY RIDES

ABILITY: EASY | 30-40KM | TIME: 9.30AM TO 1PM APPROXIMATELY | AVERAGE SPEED 15KM/H

– Easy Rides involve an easy grade; there may be some hills.

– 9.30am – 1pm which includes a half hour social coffee stop

– Cyclists should have the fitness to ride 30kms

– Rides are mainly on bike paths, sometimes gravel, sometimes on the road.

– Rides generally start and finish at the same location, which is advertised in the members’ calendar.

MEDIUM THURSDAY RIDES

ABILITY: MEDIUM | 40-50KM | TIME: 9.00AM TO 1PM APPROXIMATELY | AVERAGE SPEED 15-20KM/H

– These are weekly social rides.

– Terrain may contain some hills.

– The rides commence at a site usually within a radius of 10-15 km from Box Hill, and which will have car parking &/or train access and toilet facilities.

– The rides will be led by experienced club members who have ridden Medium Tuesday Rides for some time and will return the ride to the start point (or a designated end site) by 1.00pm.

– Morning Tea/Coffee at about 10.30 – 11.00 am is a highlight of the ride and each ride leader specifies the cafes etc. where this will be held.

MEDIUM ALL DAY (MAD) THURSDAY RIDES

ABILITY: MEDIUM-HARD | 50-80 KM | TIME: 9.30AM – MID-AFTERNOON | AVERAGE SPEED 20KM/H

– Faster and longer ride than both the Easy and Medium rides

– These rides are for experienced cyclists. The terrain may contain some hills.

– The rides usually commence at a site usually within a radius of 10-15 km from Box Hill. The starting point will usually have car parking &/or train access and toilet facilities.

– Experienced club members who have ridden MAD Thursday rides for some time will lead the rides. Return times depend on the length of the ride but are typically in the range of 2:00 to 3:00pm.

– A Morning Tea/Coffee break occurs at about 10.30 – 11.00 am on the ride and each ride leader specifies the cafes etc., where this will be held. A stop for lunch is always included in a MAD ride, usually between 12:00 and 1:00pm. Most riders prefer to bring their lunch but the leader will indicate whether lunch can be purchased at the lunch site or if it should be bought at the morning tea break. On longer rides there may be an afternoon tea stop.

– Riders contemplating joining the ride ‘en route’ are encouraged to phone the leader and agree to the meeting arrangements.

THURSDAY TOURING RIDES

The new Thursday Touring Rides are positioned between the Thursday MAD and Thursday Hard rides in terms of distance, speed and ascent (faster, longer, and more ascent than the MAD rides; but slower, usually less ascent, and different in style, from the Thursday Hard rides).

Average riding speed 18-20 kph. Maximum flat riding speed 25-30 kph. Distance 80-100 km. Ascent 800-1000 vertical metres. The routes may include roads, trails, sealed and unsealed surfaces.

HARD THURSDAY RIDES

ABILITY: HARDER AND HILLIER | 60-110KM | TIME: 8:30 or 9.30AM – IN THE AFTERNOON | AVERAGE SPEED 18+ KM/H

– Harder and hillier than average Hard Tuesday rides. Hardest rides in Whitehorse Cyclists

– Our rides vary from 60 – 110km, with a stop for morning tea and lunch (BYO) to let everyone catch up and have a social chat.

– Hills deliberately targeted by running these rides only to the east and north.

– Start at 8:30am – 9:30 am subject to season and Start Point, and finish later in the afternoon.

– So if you like hills, then we may be the ride for you. If you’re a Beach Roader, be prepared for something quite different.

– Only a few or so rides of our 30 different routes could be considered flat.

– You may be surprised!

FRIENDLY FRIDAY RIDES

ABILITY: MEDIUM | 40KM | TIME: 9:30AM TO 1PM | AVERAGE SPEED 15-20 KM/H

– A ride where members from across the various ride groups in the club come together

– Regular ride to Petty’s Orchard for morning tea; other favourite destinations also feature.

SATURDAY WOMEN’S RIDES

ABILITY: EASY OR MEDIUM | 35-45KM | TIME: 9:30AM TO EARLY AFTERNOON | AVERAGE SPEED 15KM/H (EASY) 18KM/H (MEDIUM)

– Whitehorse Women on Wheels (WWOW) Women ride three Saturdays a month offering rides to women of all ages and ride experience.  The WWOW rides are designed to encourage, empower and inspire more women to ride.

– The rides are offered either as an easy ride at approx. 35 km length and gentle hills only, or as a medium ride at approx. 45 km in more hilly terrain.

– A coffee stop is always included and an essential part for getting to know each other.

–  All women are encouraged to ride at their own speed, are taught better riding skills if necessary, and no-one is left behind. We all look out for each other.

– The rides last between 3 and 3.5 hours and are led by experienced club riders.

– Rides are graded easy, or medium which may include short hills (refer Ride Calendar for details).  Additionally, the “Beat the Hills” Ride on the famous 1 in 20 ascent to Sassafras is included in the monthly ride calendar.

Multi-Day Rides

Whitehorse Cyclists conducts multi-day rides in country Victoria, interstate and internationally for members only.  Currently the pandemic has curtailed all overseas travel.