Perth Voice Interactive

THE most chilled out and least urgent bike tour in town is back for another year with the Giro d’Perth kicking off, Sunday March 15.

Toby Hodgson created the ride, described as a back-lane bike odyssey, after watching the gruelling Giro d’Italia on TV.

It’s one of the hardest bike races in the world, so he set out to create one of the cruisiest.

The idea to show off little-known areas hit him when he was riding through a quiet alleyway in the rain and he thought it would be great to set a route that’d show people such hidden and forgotten areas.

He says a key thing is this is well suited to “bike riders” rather than mad-keen cyclists, so casuals are very welcome and there’s no need for lycra, unless you really feel you need to.

“We say spirit not speed, so we’re trying to encourage people to get into the day and dress up and be silly and have fun on their bike,” Mr Hodgson says.

They have three options for length, 11km, 17km and 31km, so people can choose how hardcore they want to go or take it easy.

“In the past we’ve had penny-farthings do it.”

They’re starting at Banks Reserve and heading through East Perth this year, and Mr Hodgson hints the routes will involve “sculptures, cemeteries, bridges and cafes”.

All the info is at http://www.girodperth.com.au

by DAVID BELL

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Cyclists vs bike riders: A helpful chart

Cyclist: Wears super-tight lycra showing off the meat and two veg.

Bike rider: Wears full-length pants that get caught in the chain.

Cyclist: Pays thousands to reduce bike weight by 40 grams

Bike rider: Fits a cast-iron basket to the front to carry a Henry Miller book (cover facing out) and a ciabatta loaf

Cyclist: Rides on the road, rarely dipping below 40kph

Bike rider: Rides, weaves, meanders dreamily on the road, the footpath, the bike lane, and that extra-skinny little bike lane made up of those two white lines in the middle of the road. Occasionally stops to chat

Cyclist: No drink bottle holder: too bulky. A hydration pack strapped to the lower back will suffice

Bike rider: Two drink holders, a king brown of Melbourne Bitter in each, and another bottle in each hand, steering with wrists.