Bicycles and espresso

Camberwell's, well Melbourne's, lucky to have new quality bike shop.

Beautiful space including select bikes, quality gear and run by great blokes Lincoln and Cam.

Get in there pronto for the greatest coffee hit around, believe me, and get a new bike while you're there too. They stock and support Specialized and BMC, oooooo.

For details: Bike Gallery

Smiths Gully ride

Eventful? you bet.

Seized bottom bracket on the Yeti led to 2 options. No ride or take the bastard monster x.

There was no way I was going to miss the ride.

Front wheel disengaging on a descent resulting in, luckily, only bruised ribs, hand, pride and cut knee. Coulda been so much worse, I know.

Got lost at the end o the ride, near sun down, and ended up 8k from start/finish point. Called into random house and got a generous lift back to Smiths Gully store.

Burgers, beers and laughs with a great crew. Roll on...

FHDC are off again

Last night saw a massive turn out to participate in the first of the season's nail biting, cut throat competition. An creatively adjusted track to avoid the filth was a great addition.

Don't miss the next one, entries are limited. Details

A time when it all started...

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Jdrh6bM9ce0&NR=1

Recognise anyone there?

Gravity 2010...

We (Tim and I) had to return to Rosewhite and try and back up with another WIN.

This time with the experienced off road talents of the N

orthside Wheelers man o style (ye

s he is a man with a love for the dirt/mud ma

squerading as a roadie).

Apparantly, the tra

sh talk started early from the good men from team 10, 9, 8... and we were neck and neck from 9am till 9pm. We trailed them by around 90 seconds for most of the day but towards the end the never say die attitude from our team eventually rolled over the top to claim victory in our own grudge match.

Officially, we smashed our catagory to take victory and finished 4th overall. Job done.

The track is always great here. In all conditions.

The conditions were fast apart from the many worsening mud patches due to springs and creeks arrising from the recent wet.

Somehow my crafty team mates talked me into the run again. Getting onto the bike in the first 15 riders was a bonus and I chased the our nemesis for the day, Brad Davies up and across the paddock from the get go. No warm up, hard start, buried myself, revisited breakfast during the lap and felt quite sick afterwards. Malachi, 'man o style' Moxon was next followed by Tim 'man machine' McGrath. Rotating in that order for 12 hours like the well oiled machine it is, to victory.

I started on the Yeti ASR carbon but decided to try the 'cx wheeled, 26" framed, sushi bared, rigid bastard bike'. Time was ok and I felt less shelled afterwards so I completed 4 of the 6 laps on it to come to the conclusion that gears, suspension and large volume tyres are, in some circumstances, just not nessessary. The 'bastard' climbed like a mountain goat, cut through the mud and hooked the flowing single track flawlessly. Sure descending Gravity drop and post Heartbreak Hill was a little rough and slower but was still enjoyable. I love the directness and feedback during the ride. It's not for everywhere but that's why you have other bikes. For the time being, I love it.

Hopefully, I can try it at the FHDC tonight.

Well done Carson for his 5th in solo. When he came in for a refuel/break, I reckon his bike weighed 20kgs with the caked on mud. After a wee clean, dropping a few kg's he continued tapping it out consistently. Getting caught in a sprint to finish. Enough already.

Neil R and Ryan M riding one gear to an awesome result to finishing second in pairs.

2010 Rotorua SS Whirlds - (Part 2)

More days of riding on the sweetest o Rotorua track.

More beer and food at the 'Pig and Whistle'.

More coffee and food at 'Zippi's'.

More hits n giggles.

That's all I remember from 2 weeks ago.

That's all I'm happy to remember... till next trip there.

2010 One Speed Whirlds, Rotorua - (Part 1)

Two weeks ago? Yes it was. But busy times are now. Can't let it pass without comment though, belated it may be.

Off at sparrows fart on 6am Wed morning flight. The crew was chipper, as you would be, in anticipation of 'time out'. Including bikes, bike talk and anything bike (occasionally shifting to humorous observations of our kiwi bro's across the Tasman and other trivial random topics).

Short flight, hire car action down to Rotorua, book in to ol' motel with hot springs (that'll be handy post ride) and off to the (use Kiwi accent here)'Pig and Whistle' for beer and big food. The trip's off to a great start!

Thursday saw us off to check out the trails. Most impressed. Even on my bastard, rigid, sushi bared, 700c cyclocross wheeled, 26" framed Kona Unit (yes, it was built by Dan).

The trails flowed as well as I was led to believe by all the glowing reviews I received before I left. Climbs and descents, all sweet!

Yowie 2010

Gez and I came up from the excitement of the UCI Worlds to race/ride the Yowie at the You Yangs. Anyone who knows me or reads this blogage (why would you? but anyway) will know how much I love riding there. So when I was available to race, that I did. Well, until at the far side of the Currajong, it became evident that I had taken a wrong turn somewhere. Aargh! So upon finishing the lap I realised i had logged a 30k lap instead of a 33k lap. I told the timing crew and headed back out, forgetting my fresh bidon. Aargh. It's too long a lap to go without so I turned around, rode back and searched the start finish area for the one I left there, no joy. So back to the car mix a new one and back out on the course. Good one idiot. Never mind, just enjoy the ride. I found a great rhythm on the second lap, less back pain too.

The race was on though to get back to Geelong and watch the Granny and sink the beer, and that I did.

God of Thunder

Well...

The UCI world road champs in Geelong were fucking great!!!

The hard men and women of cycling on a great course, awesome weather and sharing it with many cycling buddies. Gold.

'nough said...

2010 - Year of the Magpie

Yes this generally is a cycling blog but it's also my blog and that means I'll put on it whatever i like (or love)...

And I love the Collingwood football club.

Congratulations to the players, coaching group and admin on their relentless commitment to achieving the ultimate goal in our most wonderful national football code.

A team spirit, game style and belief in one another that is the new benchmark in footy.

Go Pies!

Single Speed Urban Epic - just a ride? or an event?

Sunday 8.30am at the Gipps St bridge saw a gathering of 22 riders (I think) on varied 2 wheel equipment head off on a journey. And a journey it was, through some well known trails as well as some lesser known link sections. There was mud, but not as much as there has been recently.
The ride was reasonably incident free with the bunch shrinking in size as the ride progressed. My food quota of Torq gels x4, Torq bars x2, 2x bidons of Torq Energy and 4x water just got me through with the last couple of k's hunger flat. Around 10 riders completing the whole 80 k's. I put some proper pedals on the rigid 'Unit', a bike that gets me around town during the week and recieves no love. Until now, as inspiration and encouragement from yesterday spawned the plan for me to join the motley F.H.D.C. crew on their trip to Rotorua for the World single speed championships. What fun is install for us on the "choice" Rotorua single track and, no doubt, some s/s related activities (including Cam Wells b/day! celebrations).

Photos by Cam Wells

A fine Sunday

Quite a group we had at the Yangs today. B. Dickey, J Dickey, J Jackson, A. Hayat, N. Robinson, D.C (Fitzroy Revolution), P. van der Ploeg and I cruised a lazyish 30 odd k lap. Great bunch, great fun. Feeling ok, felt like staying out there all day.

Saturday was an enjoyable social road trip to the Wall for caffiene early the a gentlemanly pace to Mordy and back. Hooking in with the tail end of the Hell ride just to lift the pace for a few k's. Pace lifted again through Elwood, then turning into Beaconfield Pde BP straight I had a great lead out from the man/machine T. McGrath,
then remembering I didn't have my two highest gears, leaving me to sprint in 54/14. Just got pipped on the line (or sign as it is). Again, feeling good and wanting more... Let's just see if I can actually string a few weeks together. Could be hard with the big work move and set-up in Collingwood (ch, ch, ch, Collingwood, ch, ch, ch... eh hmmm...)

A buonissimo feast awaits at the destination

Norfcote to Rosebud on the beautiful Scapin today, solo, strong tail wind, fine most of the way. I did get soaked from Dromana on, sure, but I was greeted by my Italian future grand parents in-laws hot shower and more tasty food than I could consume, even after the 80 odd ks I'd just smashed out. And I didn't have to ride back in the wet as 'the good lady wife to be' was nice enough to make room in the car for the trip home (even if Mimmo cried the whole way). She's good to me, I would've made me ride back.

Castlemaine discovery

After a heads up call from master of MTB photography, Camo Wells, yesterday arvo saw a quick trip up to Castlemaine with 'the good lady wife to be', Domenico Jr and I. A dual purpose trip it was, with a relo visit for 2 of us and... a discovery of new trails with the local MTB club knowledge for me. About 20 riders on a very chilly Saturday arvo enjoyed the fresh but damp trails.
The only other place I would like to have been was at the G enjoying the Pies belt the suitcase out of the Saints.
Roll on September...

Renshaw out of tour???

What the? What's wrong with a bit o headbut action to keep your sprint line?
I've watched it over and over and I reckon a stage relegation to last place or a fine, sure, but out of the tour? Come on!
If there was a reason for disciplinary action, I reckon it's Mark's shut out on Farrar.
Looking forward to tonights action, again. The 2 nights up and 1 night sleep pattern is working well.

Off to Castlemaine tomorrow with one Cam Wells to hook into some apparently new trails with the Rocky Riders Club crew. I am excited by this, yes.