Bunch Rides

Regular road group rides around Ballarat. Here's some information about group rides that occur in Ballarat each week throughout the year, so long as the weather isn't too bad. In some cases, even if it is. There's some variety: groups that cater for beginners, intermediates, club racers, pros, and social cyclists. All these rides welcome visitors, so if you're visiting Ballarat, or if you're a local looking for a new group ride, please come along, introduce yourself and join in. Follow the group back to its preferred cafe for a bit of bragging about your cycling prowess!

Basics

When you're new to a group ride, usually they know the way and you don't. Please remind the person you're riding next to that you don't know the route, otherwise you'll probably get some surprises. The rides that have been going for a while on the same route do it their way. Please do the ride a few times before smashing everyone. Attacking on the re-group bits is never popular. And if you show up 2 minutes after the scheduled departure time, bring your time trial bike. Enjoy!


Tuesday

The Yabby Divers leave from the main gate to Ballarat Grammar School on Forest Street, Wendouree at 6 AM. They do a loop around the White Swan Reservoir and return to the starting location by about 7.15am. Many of the core group are middle- to back-markers in local races. It's two abreast, conversation pace on the flats, brisker but still disciplined on the two or three 3- to 5-minute climbs, and rolling regroups after each climb.

Gary's group meets along Main Road in Ballarat East just before 6am. The group forms along Main Road heading north (towards Ballarat), and departs for a ride of about 1 ¼ hours. The core group are national-level vets racers, with guest appearances from local pros. Depending on the route, weather and whims of the leaders, the ride will include moderate climbs, sprints or a straight-out hills session. If you're at the roundabout near Canadian Lakes by 5.50am you’ll see them blast past. Bring a hammer.

The Mount Clear Group meet at the Sovereign Hill roundabout at 5:50 AM on Tuesdays for a tough hill workout. They ride up Peel St., Walker St., past the water towers to Five Ways to Longs Hill Road, descending White Swan Road and then do it all again on the way back. The ride leader says that the pace is "honest but not excessive." The ride finishes at Cafe Bibo at 6:55 AM. WednesdayGary's group meets at the same place as on Tuesday and rides for about 1 ¼ hours around town.The Mount Clear Group meet does their Dunnstown Loop on Wednesdays. Click here for a map of the route.
Meet at the Sovereign Hill roundabout at 5:50 AM. Return to Mt Clear by about 7:10 AM.

Thursday

The Yabby Divers leave from the main gate to Ballarat Grammar on Forest Street, Wendouree at 6 AM and do (almost) the reverse course of the Tuesday ride. Same pace, same people mostly!Gary's group meets at the same place as on Tuesday and rides for about 1 ¼ hours around town.

Friday

The local Friday ride is called the Serenity Loop. The pace is often not so serene - harder than the Yabbies, not as hard as Gary's group. Meet at the Sovereign Hill roundabout at 5:50 AM, and returns for a coffee at Cafe Bibo by 6:50 AM.

Saturday

The Yabbies Divers meet at the City Oval Hotel at 6.30 AM and ride for about 2 hours. The route varies depending on the wind (the local convention is always tail wind home), but common rides take in Creswick, Learmonth or the Buninyong area. Two abreast, solid conversation pace, and there are always a few hills (but rarely either of the "big" ones) on which the pace is brisker, rolling regroup afterwards, brisk again the last 10 km or so. Sprints are rare. Each week this group concludes its ride at Cafe Lekker on Doveton Street North for coffee, toast and general banter.

Gary's group leaves from Main Road just before 7 AM, once again meeting up as you head along Main Road towards Ballarat. This group rides for about 2 hours. The pace is solid.

The Myer bunch leaves from the portico of that store on Sturt Street at 6.30 AM. Similar to the Yabbies or the Lake View ride: core group of vets, two abreast, some brisk bits, few big climbs, two hours or so, coffee afterwards.

Lake View Hotel group leaves from the hotel on the east side of Lake Wendouree at 7.30 AM. Similar deal to Myer and the Yabbies.

Sunday

City Oval Group

The Turret Cafe group leaves from the corner of Sturt St. and Errard St. North at 8:30 AM. Many of the riders from the Saturday Lake View ride do this ride. Typically 2 - 2.5 hours, no major climbs, friendly two-abreast, steady pace, brisker at the end. A tad faster in the summer.

The Myer bunch leaves at 7:30 AM from the Sturt Street frontage. This features many of the crew from the Saturday 6:30 AM Myer bunch. Another 2 - 2.5-hour steady ride with little climbing, a similar pace and feel to the Turret & Lake View rides.