stevegor

Hi,

In Central Vic we have a nice tough little climb called Mt Alexander, the Suntour regularly rides over it, I remember Brett Aitkin describing it as "Brutal" in a Herald Sun report, the year they road the steeper side. I try to ride both sides once a week, has anyone else ventured over this way and tried it and what are your thoughts?

ecki_34

ive never heard of mt Alexander, and im a local. what town is it near?
as for hills up to kinglake is the go for me, about 8km solid. but i did the mt baw baw road classic and that makes any other hill feel like a down hill.

stevegor

It's near Bendigo, Harcourt and Castlemaine.

Chris L

Get yourself to Bright and tuck into the likes of Mt Hotham, Mt Buffalo (follow it right to The Horn after the road turns to dirt) and Tawonga Gap. I also remember a decent climb out of Whitfield when I was down that way a few years back. Further west there are a couple of nice climbs in and around the Grampians, including the aptly named Mt Victory. Five flat tyres in two days slowed my exploration of that part of the world just a little.

Other noteworthy climbs include Mt Wellington, Cradle Mtn and Mt Arrowsmith in Tasmania -- and of course not forgetting the incredible Jacob's Ladder near Launceston (a switchback dirt road into a cliff face at 1,300 metres). For all that, I still say the hardest climb I've ever seen in this country was that killer incline up to Queen Mary Falls In Queensland. That one gives new meaning to the term "nemesis".

stevegor

These climbs sound great, Chris, ......one day...one day.... maybe!!
My son and I were camping at the Grampians with the MTBs and we climbed Mt William during a violent storm, we couldn't see the top until about 50 mtrs from it...fog, freezing conds and high winds etc...sheer madness, but it would be nice to climb on a warmer day.

Chris L

Ahh, there seems to be a thing about plans to climb MT William, I had the same weather there in 2002. I do plan to go back for it one day -- just not sure when.

I'm going to stop typing now before I start going on about some of the New Zealand climbs such as Porter's Pass, Crown Range, Arthur's Pass, the Divide, etc etc.

Chris L

It was, of course, remiss of me not to mention some of my local climbs. The likes of Springbrook, Mt Tamborine, O'Reillys and Binna Burra all exceed 500 metres in height gain. Then there is the Duck Creek Road approach to O'Reillys -- it gains 700 metres in 13km mostly on dirt roads.

Is anybody else going to the Alpine Classic in January?

stevegor

Chris,
We climbed Mt William when Victoria had those state wide storms about 3-4 yrs ago, we arrived at the base of Mt Rosea and camped in great sunny weather...come days 2-4.....rain, rain rain, that's when we climbed it. We sat in the car and I said to the lad " Do you want to go back to the tent OR do something real crazy,that we'll think about in years to come?" Poor young fella was so cold when we got back to the car that I had to get him into it with the heater full bore to stop him crying, while I ran around in the rain in my jocks trying to find dry clothes.
Before anyone scolds me for being a cruel dad....get over it.

clipperton

hey chris,
i've just received the invitation and am probably signing up for it with what i would call about 30% confidence of being able to do it. the nz trip that you've helped me with in the touring forum already will be a major part of the training for it - trek 520 with bob trailer up and down new zealand's nasties should make mt buffalo on a carbon fibre feather a doddle [/naieve and dangerous optimism].

i've not done an audax before, what sort of bikes do most folks go for?

Chris L

Most people use road bikes for those audax rides, but they can be done on virtually anything. I'd go with whatever you're comfortable with -- it's not a ride to be trying to break in a new bike. The only thing I'd insist on is making sure you've got some low gearing. While my recollection of Mt Buffalo from 2004 doesn't make the gradients massively steep, if the legs are tired toward the end of the ride it can present a problem if you don't have the option of spinning a little easier for a while.

Falchoon

I was down in Tassie on a motoring holiday a couple of years ago in October when there was still snow on Mt Wellington and I saw some hardy (foolish?!) soul on a bike riding up the mountain dressed only in shorts and T-shirt!

There's a decent hill in Canberra called Fitz's Hill, this climb is about 2.6km at an average of just over 10%. Local Canberra cycling club Pedalpower organise an event called Fitzs Challenge.

Chris L

Actually, that's the way to climb Mt Wellington. The main thing you want to avoid is working up a sweat on the climb, because it can freeze to your skin on the way down. Consequently, I'm told a lot of people climb it in short sleeves, and put on the jacket once they've arrived at the top and are about to descend.

jibi

I have done Mt Wellington twice this week, ( just came back from it now ) nice gradient and steady climbing, windproof gilet for the descent was welcome.

On my tour I have climbed a few:-

Mount Lofty out of Adelaide
Lavers hill and Wattle Hill on the GOR
Melnourne out to the Dandenongs(?) up to Sassafras
here in Tas all the west coast especially out of Queenstown, the 99 curves,

My mate's house is on the top of Mount Nelson, Holbart,,a nice warm down after Wellington, not!!

george

Cave

Whitfield to Mansfield is a **fantastic** ride. Steady climb but not too hard, nice scenery from the plateau, nice descent.

There's enough in the area (Rutherglen, Beechworth, Bright, mountains, wine, snow in winter) to make it worth a trip.