Beach Road is a very popular 27km Bayside Bunch Riders coastal stretch between Brighton/Port Melbourne and Mordialloc.  On a fine weekend between October and April, around 9,000 cyclists ride Beach Road.  Over 50% cycle in one of the many 'bunches', generally riding two abreast and at times less than 60cm apart.  A few bunches sometimes exceed 100 cyclists and are sometimes three and four abreast, often with an average speed in the mid 30km p/h and occasionally around 45km p/h on a downhill.

   

In August 2006 a cyclist from the Hell Riders’ Bunch Riders ran a red light in Mentone along Beach Rd and killed 77-year-old, James Gould.  The negligent cyclist, William Raisin-Shaw, was fined $400 for colliding with Mr Gould, prompting the Victorian Government to commission a report by Monash University Accident Research Centre titled Cyclist Bunch Riding ¬-- A Review of the Literature which reported inter alia 89 serious cycling accidents along Beach Rd in the 5 years ending 31 December 2006. Of these 19% involved a cyclist riding into the back of a parked vehicle, and 12% cycling into a motor vehicle waiting to turn right. Were these ‘serious cycling accidents’ suffered by the over 50% who cycle in bunches?

Pro cyclist struck and killed on Beach Road  -  Deborah Gough   July 24, 2011

     

"Cyclists are accidents waiting to happen." includes comments by head of emergency at Sandringham Hospital Melbourne, Dr James Taylor

You Tube - Beach Rd Dec 2012 - riders in a 100+ 'bunch' are 4 and 5 abreast and often close to the wheel ahead 

You Tube - Beach Road Cycling Saturday Bloody Hell Ride Tour de France fantasy 8.27AM June 5th 2010

You Tube - Beach Road Bunch Cycling Hell Ride Tour de France fantasy What's this BMYC Sat. 8.24am 15.5.10

You Tube - Beach Road Cycling No Stopping Zones large bunch 8.44am Sat. 17.4.10 Bayside

You Tube - Beach Road Cycling Hell Ride Tour de France fantasy 8.34AM Beaumaris Bayside July 17th 2010

You Tube - Beach Road Cycling No Stopping Zones over the top 3 wait for me 7.43AM Sat. 15.5.10

You Tube - Beach Road Cycling No Stopping Zones Hell Ride 8:29AM Mentone Lifesaving Club 7.8.10

Beach Road Cycling No Stopping Zones Hell Ride Mentone LSC 8.26AM Nov.6th 2010.mpg

Beach Road Mayhem An Update on Beach Road. Murray Thompson MLA State Member for Sandringham

One accident too many... Beach Road Mayhem

Newspaper Articles & Blogs on Beach Rd Bunch Rides

Beach Road bucks the trend for bike crashes. Adam Carey, Transport Reporter for The Age (December 27, 2014)

RICHMOND CYCLERY RIDE - Tuesdays - Heaven and Hell
Meet at the corner of Barkly St and Carlisle St in St Kilda at 6.30pm. Through the back streets of Brighton, along Beach Road to Mordialloc and back. The pace down is a strict easy 30-32km/h. The return is 25km sprint and can average 50kph, the final BP sprint is a cracker. Back at St Kilda by 8.00-8.15pm.  Participate at the front of this ride if you are experience, skill and fitness.

Ban The Bunch?
"
As a cyclist I love joining in some of the typical bunch rides you see taking place early in the morning in most cities in Australia.
These bunch rides range from being well behaved and manageable to being absolutely insane."

Break the cycle

Triathlete, John Cornish, dies in accident on Beach Rd - 24 July '11

Michael Forbes was involved in a serious bike accident just before midday on Saturday 28 June whilst riding by himself north along Beach Rd in Brighton

 

Central Park NYC Cycling Crash