A Decline in Cycling in Australia?

Can this be true? Why is it we are seeing more lycra clad groups on the roads every morning and this appears to have has increased over the past decade. We frequent routes with our group and can pass (or be passed) by hundreds of other enthusiasts within a short distance. The number of shops, online sites, bike fit services are growing. Corporate and charity events are held almost every weekend yet the stats suggest a decline....surely not! There are over 1 million bikes sold in Australia alone and now outselling cars......this has to be a myth!

This one had me perplexed when it was brought to my attention by an influential person in the local Brisbane cycling community last week. "the stats show it, Australian cycling is in a decline". I called him on it, giving the above superficial observations to why it wasn't. Is it because we are more recognisable in a riding group that I had this belief. Was it because the lycra we wear is now brighter and more noticeable?

The World Transport Policy and Practice published a detailed report (found here) in 2011 which incorporated statistics from the ABS. The basis of their conclusion is comparing bike trips and regularity of rides to total population on a 20 year comparison.

The findings were that between 1986 and 2006, the Australian population grew by 58%, yet the daily average of bike trips only grew by only 21%, representing a net decline in cycling. Yes, the actual hard number of trips is up, yet the percentage of people participating to total population has declined over 20 years.

So that guy is technically right when comparing it to population growth over a period of time. Makes me think what does means for the next 20 years if that 21% participation rate continues to decline at the same rate.

Here is the conclusion that was made in the report: "Cycling participation has not kept pace with population growth, representing a per capita decline in cycling over the past 25 years. Reasons for this are unclear, although a historical lack of investment in cycling infrastructure coupled with mandatory helmet legislation may have contributed. It will be important to repeat the 2011 cycling participation survey"

Infrastructure and population density around our cities certainly are leading reasons when compared to overseas countries that have embraced urban development with the bias towards other modes of transport other than cars. Australia has always been behind in this area of development and there would be a linkage between our high rate of deaths and serious injury stats per capita compared to other countries.

It is fair to say that there are pockets of higher participation and growth within the types of cycling that are included defined in the report - those that ride to commute to work, mountain biking, road cycling for fitness and other recreation groups.

Interesting when considering what we observe around us.

That First Group Ride

Every rider never forgets those first few group rides. For me it was back in 2007 introduced by a mate who took me on a few sessions on our own to run through a few of the etiquettes and techniques after dropping a cool $1,000 on the first road bike. This was an initiation of the senses between the buzz of the road, feeling comfortable on tyres as wide as ice skating blades and coping with the nervousness of coming up to a red lights and hoping those cleats unclip in time to avoid embarrassment!

So the first Saturday morning arrived and a regular 5.45 am ride around the Brisbane River in Queensland Australia was about to take off. A traditional ride that has been going since the 1990's with a 35km distance and a moderate pace with some elements of sprinting here and there. If I recall it was only 5 km in and the first climb of a short yet sharp Dornoch Terrace gave me that reality check. One lonely ride for the last 30km! This wasn't going to beat me and the next Saturday came and I managed to hold until the sprint on the Corso, where the pace picked up to 40km/hr for over 2kms. The combination of whirling wheels around you and your heart rate pounding harder make the outcome inevitable. Being dropped isn't a great feeling but every week gets that bit quicker and before you know it your latched on like a dog on heat and not letting go!

Most of us are introduced by others and can be brought into an established group of riders with their own rules and nuances. Whether this is the case or not, there are a few things to consider to make the ride enjoyable for all involved:

Find the right ride for your fitness level - From my own experience above, its wasn't easy and took time to get that rhythm and match the fitness of those more experienced. Most local bike stores will have regular rides that will involve an element of coaching. You need to ensure you know the average speed, the route taken so you know what hills (or mountains) await. Some group rides won't always have a rule of waiting for the laggards, so take the time to find out.


Introduce yourself - It's always hard to fit into an clicky group, but going head first and making yourself known is a quick way to find out more about the expectations of other riders. They too will know you are new to this and adjust their riding to suit. This could mean help by dropping to a slower pace to allow you draft or, if you are in front, them leaving a few more centimetres from your rear wheel to ensure they have time to react to any of your nervous reactions.

Stay consistent - No sudden moves is the name of the game and having some foresight and vision looking a few riders ahead rather than looking down at the rear wheel is the safest way to ride in a group. Soft touches to the brakes when rolling and constant pedal stroking, even when descending is a sign of being in control.

Be Vocal - Whether it's hazards on the road or talking and learning from others, being aware and getting to know other riders will help you build confidence at a rapid rate.

Get over the fears of the first group rides can depend on the expectation you set on yourself and the people you surround yourself with. A welcoming environment will fastrack your confidence.

Riding Etiquette - the Big Three Group Rules

We have all been guilty of making a ride difficult and dangerous to others, whether intentional or not. There's a lot of group riding rules out there and every country or region has a variation of the same set. I thought to focus on the most important - the top 3 that can make the difference between a great ride and a debacle.


Half Wheeling - the single most frustrating move that can turn a group ride into an aggressive smashfest in a heartbeat, and it only takes one person to ruin it for the group. Certainly makes for an interesting conversation post ride. For the uninitiated, this is when one of the two leads decides to pick up the pace by only a very short distance (half wheeling the rider next to them), and the other lead picks up the pace to maintain the new faster speed. If this pattern continues, before you know it the group is at Mach speed, slower riders are dropped and the group has imploded. Totally defeats the purpose of riding as a group to start.

Pacelining & Sharing the Front  - Every group will have riders with different skills and fitness levels. An effective way to improve the average speed and efficiency of the group, even for the slower riders, is to work together by rotating through to the front of the group. Different groups have different methods, 3 of which are shown here. Subject to the group size, road conditions and local road rules the single or circular pacelines are perhaps the safest as the group do not ride wider than two abreast at any time. The best thing about a rolling paceline is the weaker riders can do a short session at the front and rollover to the left and back when they want. This is also a great way to also be social with all riders in the group. Remember not to half wheel when on the font!

Communication - This is includes the pre ride brief and the verbal and visual signals during the ride. A big part is knowing the people you ride with, what the group rules are, as there could be some faster points along the course and clear communication during the ride, including calling hazards such as potholes and parked cars. Too many times accidents can be avoided with quick warnings. Other times sh#t happens and the call goes out too late - that pothole looks shallow but with 20 riders going over it chances are one rider is not gripping the bars well and the dominoes start to fall. The sounds of carbon and steel scraping the road does send shivers down the spine of all of us.

And lets be honest, following the simple rules above looks professional and awesome when a group are uniform on the road.  The following video is testament to this.

STRAVA MADE ME DO IT !!!!

Strava – the site that has turned you and your mates into competitors and given athletes a reality check.

There’s been a lot of conversation for past couple of years to whether this app has been good for cyclists, the local groups they ride with and the broader community. Thought to share some of the bold statements we have all heard within our groups at one time or another:

Strava promotes reckless riding  - Just like tobacco companies don't shove cigarettes down your mouth Strava doesn't endorse bad habits or law breaking. Although the business model is based on gamification, including segments, KOMs and sponsored challenges, nowhere within its application does it promote or glorify recklessness. Strava have been very careful in the language used and way the information is presented first promoting who you rode with  then your personal performance and segments completed within a ride. If you want comparisons there’s a few clicks to get there. If you are one that races home after a group ride, run through the house to upload your file you may fall into one of two categories - one that is happy to be acknowledged by others that you rode today or the second that is eager to see if you took out that KOM on a fast segment. If you fall into the latter group, remember “Strava didn't make you do it!”. This won’t hold up in court like a recent case in the US where a cyclist was killed on a downhill going at breakneck speeds.

Strava has turned us against each other  - I am sure there have been some fallouts of friendships, particularly the hardcore top 2% that live and breathe this cycling as much off the bike as they do on it. If there is a fallout due to a KOM being taken, that says something about the rider more than the app.

Our social rides have become a race! – Has the etiquette on a Sunday ride changed? Do we stop as a group when a rider gets a flat any more? Do we surge ahead on the next corner out of nowhere and for no apparent reason but to get a fast start on an imaginary line on the road? I am sure we have all seen some changes in behaviour to some degree within the regular ride when the majority of the group are on Strava. Depending on the group average pace, this may be a good thing for all, not just the fit 50%. The advice given for years has been "ride in a faster group than your own ability to get results".

Strava has encouraged me to ride more - Some view this as only a personal tool, not a group/competition tool using it to set milestones over the course of a year. Kudos to those that fall into this category. For you its more about the personal win rather than the social one.

Keen to hear other rider's thoughts on this topic and some of the situations they have come across. Please leave your comments below!

Follow up from the "Cyclists Upgrading Dilemma" post

Following on my previous post about the upgrading dilemma cyclists face, I thought it timely to share this review from Cycling News

When we are faced with temptation like this, its hard to say no....

Specialized S-Works Roubaix SL4 Disc Red C2 - first ride review

Original post - the Cyclists Dilemma

The Cyclist's Dilemma - to Upgrade or not to Upgrade?

As a cyclist, the one thing that can keep us up at night and distract us from work is the constant urge to keep up with the latest bikes and components. We all know that feeling when we see a shift away from the old yet reliable groupsets, frames and wheels of the past within our riding bunch to the latest reiterations that have just hit our shores. There are those that lead the change and those that are envious, and some that are happy to be two or more years behind the cutting edge. And lets be honest, the cost of upgrading isn't cheap, with some of us spending more on the sport than on our own cars!

Dura Ace 7800 Series

The strategic direction of the big 3 groupset manufactures (Shimano, Campagnolo, SRAM) has a big part to play in this, particularly their rate of product development. Our post ride conversations over coffee have been about continually comparing, researching and reviewing what's on the market and what rumours are circulating in upcoming versions.

As an example, lets take a simple look at the history of the Shimano Dura Ace series over the past 20 years. The 9 speed 7700 was released in 1996 to critical acclaim and stayed at the top of the range for Shimano for a staggering 7 years until 10 speed 7800 was released in 2003. Pro riders praised this groupset with its quick shifts and weight and its uptake to the masses was confirmed with Shimano smashing their sales turnover for their whole of business well in excess of $2b during its reign.

Dura Ace 7900 Series

5 years later in 2008 we saw the first in the 7900 mechanical series introduced (5 years after 7800). There was a slower uptake to the market based on cycling commentary as there where whispers of something revolutionary to follow in very quick succession. There was a buzz in the air and the sound of a electric shifting one year later and 2 variables of the same series has now become the norm. The 9000 Series in both mechanical and electric were released in 2012 and here we are today with a constant craving to keep up with the pros and our peers.

This is only looking at Shimano's top of the range series. Multiply this velocity of change by the entire Shimano range including Ultegra, 105 and the rest and before you know it we are now in a market with unprecedented turnover of bike components. Then we add our friends at Campag and SRAM into the mix and before you know it, the pace is hard to keep up with (let alone the cost!).

We all look up to the Gods of the Pro Tour and try to emulate their feats in our our regular local group ride. This includes dropping big cash on the same bikes, wheelsets and components. Will we gain that .01% improvement upgrading our frame from last years model to this years? Actually, does it really matter? Is the pain of a domestic argument at home justifying a $4,000 upgrade on a groupset worth it all?

For the true enthusiasts and believers, yes. That is why we ride.