Hellbound And Pedalling
Young Jono Miller is hosting his first B’n’C group ride, ‘Full Moon Fleet’ on Sunday October Four. Get yourself along to Salamanca Lawns @ 10:30pm, bring a few beers and headout for a luna-lit ‘Tour De Back Streets’. I’m sure the crew will have an impromtu skid comp, ‘townhill’ event or similar act of pure fun whilst out on the pushies in the evening. Do yourself a favour, embrace a spring night in the city from the saddle of your bike.
Wow. What an Alleycat. I haven’t laughed that hard in ages. The photographs that were being shoved in front of the judging panel were nothing short of amazing. Policemen astride brakeless track bikes, the Flippers Fish Punt crew ‘flipping off’ a fuck load of cyclists, random dogs getting some lovin’, Dicko, Thommo and MP swimming in the Franklin Square Fountain (Nic in his specially purchased Budgie Smugglers), Roy IN a Hummer, Mad ‘Thrasher’ thrashin’ by a far from sober and underpant clad Hunnibell, the ‘Top Gun’ lads and (possibly best off all), Thommo throwin’ down a backflip outside Customs House Hotel. Continue reading “Alleycat and Photohunt.”
Those familiar with Bottles and Chains favourite clog wearing, dyke pluggin’ Dutchman, Tim ‘Danger’ Smit, will be suprised to learn that Timmy has actually completed a race without breaking himself or his bike AND managed to win the bloody event at the same time!! Tim took out some unpronounceable 6 Hour event in the land of legal weed, Grolsh beer and over the counter magic mushrooms. How the fk any BnC’er could remain upright on a bike in that country let alone win a race is beyond me. Above is a shot of the kid being interviewed on the podium. Well done Timmy.
Look out Sister Matt, Captain Benny Von Trapp and the Von Trapp children will be bringing the SS artillery across the ditch.
For those that haven’t heard, I’ll be returning to the Southern Isle for six day in September.. and of course, I have a radventure planned. Here is the wood.. Rain or shine, on Monday 14 September I’m planning to cycle from my parents home in Margate to Ouse, overnight, then return the next day.
Not sure on the exact route, but after much discussion, the following route seems the most likely: Hobart, Rosetta, Collinsvale, Molesworth, New Norfolk, Plenty, Glenora, Westerway, Ellendale, Ouse, Hamilton, Elderslie, Broadmarsh, Brighton, Teatree, Richmond, Cambridge, Rosny, Hobart. According to Google Map, it’s about 230km’s return (approx +/-) …not exactly huge, but enough to wet the palette.
The overnight arrangements? not sure. …but there are a few options, the two best being; a) ‘camping out’ and b) ‘a room in the local pub’ ..but should you choose to follow the Faust Coppi cycling regime option c) ‘the footpath outside the Ouse Hotel’ may suffice? Haha, nah.. Reckon I’ll pack a tent. Campfires rule. Open to discussion on this one..
Any punters want to come along for the ride?
Email me at: benny@bottlesandchains.com
Enough is enough. I’m flying home to educate the B’n’C new-school in the ways of the old. Bike + camera + mates = 1 awesome alleycat race. Be there, become enlightened.
I’ve been a year in the desert. I’m taking every opportunity to explore this part of the world. Last weekend I busted out an un-supported century ride south of the Park, so this weekend it was time to head north to Owen Springs for a 5okm spin through Lawrence Gorge and along the dry Hugh River. Continue reading “Owen Springs”
Paul Kelly’s line, ‘from little things, big things grow’ is well applied to our Community Bicycle Workshops, our small-scale wrenching sessions have begun to sprout into something much bigger..
Three bike repair workshops have been run, the result being kids from Mutitjulu with the sufficient skill to repair their own bicycles given the opportunity and tools. Long term Rangers are saying they can’t ever remember seeing soooo many kids on bikes.
Help has come in (un-sought) from various quarters.. Mission Australia has provided the venue and spare parts, NT Police kicked in some bikes and labour, Phil and Yvonne from Penny Farthing Avanti Plus gave us a few bikes and offered to save us a box of tires and tubes, MacDonell Shire have cleaned up the BMX track, and the Bicycle Institute of South Australia have offered assistance.. All awesome.
This weekend I was in Alice Springs hoping to pick up a few BMX’s from the Recycling Centre when I ran into Mark Swindells.. Mark had heard what we’d been doing out at Mutitjulu, so when Deadly Treadlies keeled over this week he rushed in a grabbed us what ever he could. Mark handed me a big box of pedals, a box of seatposts and another of saddels before inviting me around to his house to help myself to his collecting of bicycles… and what a collection of bicycles (my vote for best backyard ever).
This is my favourite bike. It’s the longest serving of my current stable and has been built to many different guises. The present incarnation is the best and most practical by far.. My friend Tim has helped me greatly with creating this ride, welding on front and rear pannier mounts to which I added a front end ‘Surly Nice Rack’ (Cheers Timmy and big thanks to Elvis for the rack hookup). Tim totally inspired the practical nature of this bike and to finish a beautiful build I’d dearly love to purchase a scmidt dynamo, but that will have to wait..
The bike has evolved greatly from ‘Emo’ to ‘Ugly’ to ‘Track-attack’ to ‘Desert crosser’ and now ‘Mr Practical’. A carton of beer will nicely fit between the 44cm wide bars and the Ortliebs will happily accept another two 6-packs each.. and thanks to the front and rear Cane Creek brakes, I can stop the Steamroller with all this beer weighted on the front end.. another great aspect is the wheelset, it’s over-built as fk. Surly hubs, champion spokes and deep-v’s, totally capable of taking the weight of 2 cartons and a 82kg Benny. No gears or a freewheel to worry about, fixed all the way. Geometery is somewhere between ‘road’ and ‘track’ which is perfect as I need to race home asap to ensure the beer remains cold.
Fk I love this bike.
Lust. Coverting another man’s bike. Goddam, I neeeeeed at least one of these next two bikes! The first, a mean-as-fk-fixed gear. 26″ Hookworms? On a fixed gear?? Oh fk yes! Please tell me they are dirt jump or street mtb rims as well. Such a tight ride. I need…
The second, a street ‘sprint’ bike. Again 26″, this time with NYC ballon tyres. Plus, ‘Albatross’ bars are the ultimate shit!! I neeeeed, I neeeed…
