Wainuiomata Coast Rd (Wgtn)

[skelstar]

Yesterday I was having a bad morning so I decided to go for a ride at lunchtime. I work in Gracefield so a trip down the Wainui Coast rd is definitely an option.

I have been out there a couple of times when I was really new to riding and I found it quite difficult and unpleasant to ride. Now, having gone over the Rimutakas often and gaining some more handling skills, I decided that I would give it another go.

It was still quite unpleasant. Why?

Is it because quite a few corners are off camber?

The road is quite rough (re: bumpy) and screws up the bike's handling (susp needs to be adjusted admittedly)?

So whats everyone elses thoughts? The ride out there should be great! (crap in a head wind).

[Hitcher]

I love this road. It's my new-tyre-running-in track. I was down there last Thursday evening and thought that it was in the best nick I've seen it in for a while. Yes, it has some tricky undulations and off-camber corners -- one right-hand sweeper (heading towards the coast) is deceptive and particularly tricky if you don't get your line right. But there's nothing wrong with a good technical ride, surely? It's a road that can be appreciated at any speed. But those who want to go hard out at it should treat it with utmost respect, as it has several opportunities to hurt you badly if you get things wrong. Not to mention Wainui boi racers. TOTNR will probably head out there at some stage.

[skelstar]

Yeah, I know you liked the road. Your post the other day inpsired me to give it another go. A great view of Mt Tape should be a good excuse.

Maybe I just have to follow someone out there who knows what they are doing? Roll on Thursday!! (weather looking marginal).

[el milanes]

Don't miss sunsets in summer down there, impressive.
I think the sorroundings of wainui are magic. But also just the road to get up there is quite fun too! and you never know if you'll meet one of the future all blacks

[Clockwork]

Last time I went down this road I noticed that toward the coast end, the road was heavily covered in pale green lichen(sp?)/moss. I was concerned about loss of grip so I slowed right down...... I've since noticed this stuff growing elsewhere although in lesser amounts. Were my concerns justified, has anyone any experience of this stuff causing them problems in the wet or dry?

[merv]

I like that road, but then I like any road that is not straight and boring.

[madboy]

Only done it once on the bike. I'm not a fan of the bumps and off camber corners. But in saying that, I know the road fairly well from a mispent youth in high performance cars. And I know what those bumps do to a high performance car at high speed on that road - getting crossed up at 195k might be exciting when you've got a lot of metal protecting you, but not so exciting when it's only leather and CE armour.

I like the road at up to 8/10ths pace. Anything higher is outside my comfort zone.

Except the big jump - that's cool in car or on bike!!! 200k+ wheelies (or air as the case may be).

[Hitcher]

Last time I went down this road I noticed that toward the coast end, the road was heavily covered in pale green lichen(sp?)/moss. I was concerned about loss of grip so I slowed right down...... I've since noticed this stuff growing elsewhere although in lesser amounts. Were my concerns justified, has anyone any experience of this stuff causing them problems in the wet or dry?

It's not to my lichen at any time...

[Sniper]

Watch out for Chloe wandering the streets

[skelstar]

Watch out for Chloe wandering the streets

And bad lichen puns apparently.

[et al]

I enjoy riding Wainuiomata Coast road too - always good for tyre scrubbing and suspension sorting. Bit of a pain getting there and back though (trolling through Wainuiomata). If you want a real challenge, I suggest you try Whitemans Valley road.

[Jonty]

I enjoy riding Wainuiomata Coast road too - always good for tyre scrubbing and suspension sorting. Bit of a pain getting there and back though (trolling through Wainuiomata). If you want a real challenge, I suggest you try Whitemans Valley road.

or that dodgy road through Akatarawa. I did that in a car once and was sh*tting myself the whole trip (especially when I met a bunch of cyclists!!!)

[skelstar]

If you want a real challenge, I suggest you try Whitemans Valley road.

Yeah I think Ill will sometime. In from Pinehaven end and out at the far end?

[el milanes]

What's the name of that long road that connects Upper Hutt to Waikanae?

[loosebruce]

What's the name of that long road that connects Upper Hutt to Waikanae?

The Akatarawas, i've done whitemans and the Aka's and if you wana go fast they are not the roads for it, single lane roads are just asking for it. Whitemans isn't too bad, rather openish, but still, mate chucked his near new 749 under a stock truck round there, he was lucky. Nice cruisy ride, go for it, wana go quicker than normal, go piecock or the rima's.
Coast rd is fucken good fun, but yeah treat it with no respect and you'll come out hurt, know more than a few who have had incidents down that way and been badly hurt or died.