Simpson Desert Bike Challenge

[irmck]

This has been tempting me for several years now - has anyone else thought of doing it?

5 days and approx 590km across the Simpson at the end of September and every rider has to have a support crew with a 4wd - tough event but seems the perfect blend of using our vehicles and our bikes.

[zuno555]

Mountain bike?

Pedal power across sand dunes? Argh, you must be mad! :)

Either 4WD's motorbikes or even walking, but push bikes and deep soft sand don't mix! :)

I did simpson last year, with mates taking a motorbike. Next trip mate wants to fly ultralight across with me as support 4WD. Will be awesome.

Has anyone done it before? Would be a top effort but you would be walking/pushing bike most of the way I'd imagine.

[clubagreenie]

"Back in the day" i used to cycle, A LOT, around 600k's a week training plus racing saturdays and the sunday "big ride" Parra to lithgow and back along bells rd.

Did the first one of these and damm near killed me.

[Scouse]

Gee, it's been going for a while. Since 1987 :eek:.

Simpson Desert Bike Challenge, Australia (http://www.desertchallenge.org/)

[Hay Ewe]

yeah, I been thinking about it, but the logistics put me off / make it too hard.
I did the 2008 Crocodile Trophy and had a ball, looking for something a bit more challenging.

we have a TD5 disco but we dont use it for off roading nor do we have any recovery kit, that additional cost and lack of experience is also a negative. the getting to teh start and form teh finish, apart from the distance is not a problems.

a mate I ride with some times he did it a few years ago and had a great time too

Pm me if you want to pursue this further

Hay Ewe

[weeds]

interesting......i have looked att his ride as well

i'm guessing the route would have to be along the rig rd which has a good amount of clay top, drift sand at the tops of the dunes would be hard work

[nayto]

yeah, I been thinking about it, but the logistics put me off / make it too hard.
I did the 2008 Crocodile Trophy and had a ball, looking for something a bit more challenging.Hay Ewe

More challenging than the Croc Trophy! Are you insane man! Ive never done it, i couldnt ride that far if my life depended on it but iv read alot about it, what course did it take in 2008?

[Grants]

try the tour de timor mtb - but better hurry as it starts on 13 sep. Once there the logistics are sorted like a military operation ( mostly by military).
I survived it last year and giving it another go. If you like, (1)roughing it; (2) BIG hills up and down; (3) touring in 3rd world conditions; (4) good cameraderie; etc this is the MTB event for you. If you brake down you get to ride in perentie 6x6s for the rest of the trip (almost worth braking down).

[weeds]

try the tour de timor mtb - but better hurry as it starts on 13 sep. Once there the logistics are sorted like a military operation ( mostly by military).
I survived it last year and giving it another go. If you like, (1)roughing it; (2) BIG hills up and down; (3) touring in 3rd world conditions; (4) good cameraderie; etc this is the MTB event for you. If you brake down you get to ride in perentie 6x6s for the rest of the trip (almost worth braking down).

i guy i ride with is doing it again this year......

i might look into for next year

[Grants]

Now that would be a nice accessory to hang off the back- would have to be alloy I spose and that would be a put off- 29er cromo is the way to go.

[Hay Ewe]

Croc Trophy 2008
Mareeba --> Irvinebank
Irvinebank --> Koombaloomba via ravenshoe
Koombaloomba --> Gunnawarra along the powerline track and then to road from Kennedy to Mt Garnett
Gunnawarra --> Chillagoe via Lappa Junction
Chillagoe --> Chillagoe
Chillagoe --> Mount Mulgrave
Mount Mulgrave --> Laura
Laura --> Cooktown
Cooktown --> Ayton via China Camp
Ayton --> Cape Tribulation

you want more information?
do think I set the world on fire on that race, all i did was finish. its not hard but that depends on what a) preparation you put in, b) your goals

a riding buddy of mine told me about the Tour d' Timor last year, we looked at it but it was too close to the start to prepare, the cost would have been ok, time off work etc, but to go there un-preparared for the hills would have been silly. I see that this year, MTBA have set up some insurance deal, dont know too much about it because its not on the cards for this year

still appeals.

for 2011 looking at something else and waiting to hear from another riding buddy. have already been thinking about events for 2011

Hay Ewe

[Grants]

:wheelchair:I expect Tour De Timor will be a goer again in 2011 and if they change the route again it will mean we get to see more of the country( this year we only repeat about 30km of last yrs cse..). I know what you mean about the hills- this year almost twice as much to nearly 2000m, but the downhills are almost worth the climbs. Prepartion for these hills is not possible in Darwin as we only have pimples round here, best we can do is push big rings into headwinds. will report back if I survive.

[malleefowl]

I read a book about an Australian woman who rode a push bike on a roundOz tip that took in the Canning Stock route .She had a 4wd for back up n that portion of the trip.She had previously ridden across Russia.Today on the news heard of an Aut woman who has just ridden Africa E_W.Think it might be the same person .It was a truly inspiring read.Will try to chase up the details.
All of this occured I think early 20's,
Cheers,
Mary