Gravity bike grand prix from Eagle to Devil's Elbow

[stumpjumper]

Those who have read the SA Great 'Snakes and Ladders' thread below would have read my whinges about the way the SA government promotes SA. Apart from anything else, the fact that the feeble ads are shown endlessly to people already here shows them up as at least partly intended to be 'feel good' ads to bolster Media Mike's chances for the 2010 election.

Anyway, in 2006 I put a proposal to SA Tourism Commission and to the MInister for Sport to consider establishing a 'gravity bike' race in SA.

What's a gravity bike? A very cool adrenalin rush, a great spectacle and something new and different! (those words are like poison to SATC, but read on)

http://www.gravitybike.com

The sport is in its infancy, but is fantastic to watch and thrilling to participate in.

My suggestion was for closure (with the approval of the few adjoining householders) in say two or three one hour blocks on Sundays of the Old Mount Barker Road from Eagle on the Hill down to the Devil's Elbow, with a main event once or twice a year with a longer closures.

I got the expected cold reception - 'We know what works', 'what about public risk, health and safety etc', 'no budget', 'never heard of it' etc.

Anyway, with the establishment of the 'Eagle mountain bike park' by Bicycle SA, based around the old quarry near Eagle on the Hill, I'm going to give it anther go.

I'm not a masochist, as wanting to deal with the SATC/RecSport/SA Great etc corporate combine might indicate, but I think it's a good idea and has the potential to actually put SA ahead of the pack in a small way.

A phone call today to set up an appointment was not encouraging, but I'll keep at it and keep Sensational Adelaide informed. Like anyone else in SA wanting to do business with the government, I really need an accomplice, a sponsor on the 'inside' who can get me through the right doors. I don't have one of those, but I'll forge ahead anyway. I'm not looking for anything out of it, either. I just want someone other than a receptionist (sorry, 'initial point of contact team member', to look at the idea.

[monotonehell]

One person pestering SATC is treated as 'some kind of loon'.

You need a corporate front with a working proposal to get listened to.

[stumpjumper]

Yup. This time I'm recruiting a couple of bike groups. As I said, I'll keep this forum informed.

[Wayno]

on a related note - maybe this will help your cause stumpjumper...

http://www.independentweekly.com.au/new ... 47787.aspx

Adelaide will host the Australian Mountain Bike Championships for the next three years.

Sports Minister Michael Wright said the five-day championships would be held at the Eagle Mountain Bike Park, a dedicated area for mountain biking.

In 2010 the January 13-17 event will wind up as the Tour Down Under gets underway.

Mr Wright said up to 900 riders were expected to take part in the championships and as many as 10,000 spectators were tipped over the five days.

"Mountain bike riding is increasingly popular both here in Australia and around the world and I'm thrilled that South Australia is going to be home to the sport's national championships for the next three years," he said.

Tourism Minister Jane Lomax-Smith said the championships would help cement South Australia's reputation as the centre of cycling in Australia.

"The opportunity (with the Tour Down Under) to host two significant events back-to-back is a real bonus for the state and will create a festival of cycling excitement next January," she said.

[stumpjumper]

Thanks mate. That's good news anyway, but it will also help my cause as you say.

I'm thinking a demonstration run with media attendance could be a good idea. A good bike and rider can reach 150kmh.

[Will]

I think this is a good idea, and although I must admit to having never heard of such a sport it does sound like a visually interesting sport for spectators.

A demonstration run with the media in attendance is a good idea to generate some free publicity, specially if you focus on how dangerous this is (i.e. the media flock to bad news and thus the potential of you flying off a hill should be irresistable for them). You could also start a facebook group.

[stumpjumper]

The US web sites for the sport give you a bit of an idea of what it's all about. So does youtube.

I've had some preliminary discussions. I'm loading both barrels before I go to any government entities.

<object width="425" height="344"><param name="movie" value="http://www.youtube.com/v/kxtvFYwmZZw&hl ... ram><param name="allowFullScreen" value="true"></param><param name="allowscriptaccess" value="always"></param><embed src="http://www.youtube.com/v/kxtvFYwmZZw&hl=en&fs=1" type="application/x-shockwave-flash" allowscriptaccess="always" allowfullscreen="true" width="425" height="344"></embed></object>[/youtube]

[Wayno]

i think you are onto a winner here SJ. A low cost high adrenalin event!

[stumpjumper]

I hope so.

I'm going to give it a serious push. I'm working on the outlines of a submission this weekend.

As to 'real-time research':

Travelling from the Eagle to Devil's Elbow there is a flat spot following a left turn after a small bridge.

Unfortunately I don't own a bicycle at the moment. Last weekend I tried coasting down the 'course' on a fairly heavy motorbike and just got over the flat spot but only by attacking the bridge fairly enthusiastically. I think it might be easier on a bicycle, so I've borrowed a road bike for another test run this weekend. I reckon a bicycle would roll for longer than a motorbike in neutral.

Gravity bikes have disc brakes front and rear, sometimes hydraulic, and must be very efficient, certainly better than the front disc and rear drum brake on my motorbike, so the left then flat shouldn't be so much of a problem.

[Prince George]

Any half-decent bike will coast for a very long way when you get up some speed. And these bikes don't have the freewheel cassette/hub at the back, which must rob a little efficiency out of a normal wheel (you know when you stop pedalling and you get that "click-click-click-click-click" sound?), so a flat section of less than several hundred metres shouldn't be an obstacle to them.

Have you thought about spectators? Your proposal ought to identify good places for them to watch from, and how they can get there. For example, in that video many of the crowds are standing on the outside edge of a corner - I would have thought that the inside was the safe place for them to be; if a rider loses traction coming into the corner they're going to slide right into where those people are. Mind you, rally fans probably have a better idea of that than I do.

Another event that would be interesting to throw into Adelaide's cycling mix would be Cyclocross: a halfway house between road racing and mountain biking, it's a kind of steeple-chase on rugged road-bikes. The course can go over road, over grass, over mud, and through obstacles like fences, stairs, shallow rivers. It's a good off-season event for road cyclists.

[Wayno]

Another event that would be interesting to throw into Adelaide's cycling mix would be Cyclocross: a halfway house between road racing and mountain biking, it's a kind of steeple-chase on rugged road-bikes. The course can go over road, over grass, over mud, and through obstacles like fences, stairs, shallow rivers. It's a good off-season event for road cyclists.

oooh yes please - there's so many good places in the Adelaide Hills for such an event!

ok, now you guys have me excited Imagine a month long series of bike related events - TDU, Cyclo-Cross, Mountain Biking Enduro, Gravity Bike Challenge, BMX Challenge, Offroad Bike Orienteering (a charity event), etc...

[Wayno]

Hey Stumpjumper, some more news for you - a mate of mine recently participated in a Australian Mountain Bike race in Tasmania and told me that SA is hosting the championships from 2010-2012, scheduled for the week prior to the TDU!

The SA Govt is involved - they are funding the creation of a permanent world-class race track, and improved access road to increase public viewing opportunities.

Here's an article from the MTBA website:

http://www.mtba.asn.au/NEWS/?IntCatId=20

South Australia to Host 2010-2012 Australian MTB Championships
Monday, March 2, 2009
South Australia has secured the rights to host the Australian Mountain Bike Championships at Eagle Mountain Bike Park for the next three years.

Recreation and Sport Minister Michael Wright and Tourism Minister Jane Lomax-Smith today announced that Mountain Bike Australia (MTBA) had chosen South Australia to host the five-day championships from 2010 to 2012.

The first event will be held at Eagle Mountain Bike Park, at Leawood Gardens in the Adelaide Hills, from 13-17 January 2010.

“Mountain bike riding is increasingly popular both here in Australia and around the world and I’m thrilled that South Australia is going to be home to the sport’s national championships for the next three years,” said Minister Wright.

“It is a hugely challenging sport for participants and an exciting spectacle for non-participants and predictions are that up to 900 riders will be competing, with up to 10,000 spectators viewing over the five days.”

A series of significant infrastructure improvements will be made to Eagle Mountain Bike Park in preparation for the championships.

This will include an upgrade of the park’s internal access road, establishment of a permanent, world-class four cross (4X) track, expansion of a downhill finish area and minor upgrades to existing courses.

“This is another great result for South Australia and further strengthens our reputation as the centre of cycling in Australia,” said Minister Lomax-Smith.

“The Australian Mountain Bike Championships will kick-start a fortnight of cycling action in South Australia, with the event preceding the Tour Down Under.

“The final day of the five-day competition will coincide with the Tour Down Under’s prologue event, the Down Under Classic, on 17 January.

“The opportunity to host two significant events back-to-back is a real bonus for the state and will create a festival of cycling excitement next January.”

The event will be the largest event yet staged at Eagle Mountain Bike Park, following on from the World Police & Fire Games and the Australasian Masters Games, both in 2007.

Mountain Bike Australia Executive Officer, Tony Scott, said he was thrilled that South Australia had been chosen to host the pinnacle of Australian mountain bike competition for the next three years.

“Judging on the professionalism with which South Australia has run the previous two National Series rounds in 2007 and 2008, we have all the confidence in the world that the championships will be a great success.”

The event will decide the national mens, womens, junior and other category champions in each of the five main disciplines of mountain biking – Cross Country Olympic (XCO), Short Course Cross Country (XCC), Downhill (DH), Four Cross (4X) and Trials (OT).

The 2012 event will also serve as a major qualifier for selection of Australian representatives in the cross country event for the London Olympic Games.

[stumpjumper]

Perfect timing!

[jesuswalrus]

good one stumpjumper I whould love to see gravity in south australia . there is a IGSA world cup round being held in NSW in november this year held at bathurst with gravity bike as one of the catagories .The boys have been talking about holding an event here for a while I have a few spare G bikes in the shed just get in contact with me and you can borrow one of mine . I am keen to help you in this pursuit and have some experiance in organising this type of event

walrus

[cinema4]

a cycle rally down linear park - from civic park in tea tree gully to henley beach - one bike every two minutes along the torrens with endless vantage points. call it cyclinear 20 10.

i'd spectate cos i'm too lazy to ride or organise.