When you ride solo a lot of the time, any chance to increase your pace via a group ride is something to experience. It’s the reason I do cycle events. I’ve done Beach Road a few times, getting on the back of whatever group you can hold onto, but it means a 40 minute trip in the car before kicking off. There is an alternative in north west Melbourne, the Rapido Saturday morning shop ride. I’d been looking at doing this ride for a year or so, but finally managed to get myself out of bed early enough on Saturday to give it a crack. At just under 38 km’s in distance and a 30 km/h pace, this ride was perfect – helped by a still, warm, early Autumn morning.
The Rapido web site described the ride as 45 km, but you don’t quite make that distance. Starting at 7 am outside of the shop, you wind your way through Niddrie, Airport West and the industrial parks of Keilor Park/Tullamarine, going past the entrance to the Airport Golf Course before the group turns round at the Melbourne Airport control towers. It felt flat, but looking at the elevation it was a steady climb. Some of the lads ramped it up a level leading up to the towers, which saw me drop off the lead pack; but with roughly 30 people joining in there was always another group to hold onto.
Turning around, you head towards Keilor, picking up speed down the steep Annadale Rd hill before chugging up Arundel Rd/McNabs Rd to the other side of the towers, again stopping at Tower Rd. This is long gradual hill, which saw the leading group step it up a gear once again, leaving others puffing in their wake – myself included. At the tower, the group stops and waits for the majority of all to catch their breath and have a drink. Great opportunity for introductions to some of the regular riders of this friendly, welcoming bunch.
After the break, the bunch cycles through the Keilor market gardens and up the old Calder Hwy towards Niddrie. This section saw the group stretch out a bit, as the ride up the Calder Hwy is a bit harder by bike than by car! Possibly, I have discovered that I need to improve my hill work if I am to keep up with some of the veterans of the ride.
Crossing the Calder Fwy, you have a bit of fun down Fullarton Rd, before hitting the hill on the other side and crossing the freeway again to get onto Keilor Rd. The speed cranked up in one last spurt, like a trail ride where the horses sense home, before finishing at Strudel’s Café for what, I must say, was a decent coffee. The café even had a hitching rail directly out the front on which to park your bike. Maybe there is more to that trail ride analogy than meets the eye.
This was a very enjoyable ride that I would recommend to anyone. One that I would like to be regular, though I’ll see how I go in winter!!!