The total ride is about 65km, but the "hard" part is only about 30km, which is from the bottom of Princess St., Kew, out, around and back to Chandler Highway, although they don't fire up 'til they cross the Eastern Freeway.

There's about 6 climbs within the 30km, varying in length, and a sprint at the end, so it's kinda like doing 6 intervals, and they stop 4 times to wait for the stragglers. The sprint at the end usually only involves about half a dozen guys because most have been dropped back at the top on the hill near Ivanhoe Station.

I do it most weeks in the warmer months but I don't like doing it in winter because of the stopping and starting. The traffic's pretty good once you get past Balwyn, but it obviously feels a lot safer during daylight saving time.

I've never seen more than 40 guys doing it (sometimes as low as 20), probably because the Beach Road Boys get exposed on the hills. I get a bit nervous on the fast, flat rides, so I like this one due to the fact that the "fangin'" bits are obviously done up hill at less that 30kmh.

Surely the weather would result in your routine ocassionally losing its "rigidity"