Author: Ben

Leave the bike in the shed today… Just like ‘Point Break’,  the proverbial ‘Ten Year Storm’ has rolled into the Derwent River and will be lighting up all the southern points over the next two days.. The swell is expected to peak late Thursday or early Friday morning. Currently there is a small wave on 7 Mile Point and a dag on a few of the southern reefs (hint hint) ..I’m waiting for the word and I’ll bail on work and hit some waves with the Old Man. It’s worth taking a look at the current off-the-richter swell charts https://oceanography.navy.mil/legacy/web/cgi-bin/graphic.pl/metoc/311/21/0-0-1/0 and also perhaps keep an eye on the Cremore Point web cam http://www.coastview.com.au/site/cremorne/ Just to whet the wave appetite here is a pic of Nutgrove Point in Sandy Bay doin it’s thing last time a swell like this one rolled in..

I’ve often flagged my interest in hitting a few Audax events on the fixie.. and I’ve even done a few 100’s fixed.. Maybe even a bit of fixed cycle touring one day.. but this really cranks my chain. Racing FIXED across America. This is a wet dream for me. Oh YEAH! Check the blog for more pictures and details.

http://www.kaisercycling.com/

http://www.news.com.au/mercury/story/0,22884,23882890-3462,00.html

ONE of the highlights of Tasmanian cycling has been cancelled this year, for the first time in its 111-year history.

Organiser Ray Slater said the Launceston City Cycling Club had to call the $7000 Launceston-Hobart race off after Tasmania Police refused permission to race on the Midland Highway.

Mr Slater has been the race’s driving force since 1972, putting in about 100 hours of his time each year — while his tax accountancy business has donated prize money of $1000 a race.

Mr Slater, 78, said his unsuccessful battle with Tasmania Police to secure a permit this year caused him nightmares. Continue reading “Pigs Halt Launceston-Hobart Race”

http://www.abc.net.au/news/stories/2008/06/04/2264271.htm

Yo! Check the ABC online story ‘Cyclists saving Govt $200m in health costs: report’ and read the the comments below it. Unbelievable. My favourite comment has to be the one made by ‘Mark’..

Michael:

04 Jun 2008 7:35:04am

I think it time for compulsory registration of bicycles (even at a nominal cost of $1 per annum) with identifiable number plates visible from the back – only then will cyclists show respect for other road users and be accountable for their selfish and idiotic manners and actions on the roads.
Healthy or not – have some respect!!!

woz:

04 Jun 2008 7:46:43am

Pedestrians too. I often see them running across busy intersections – I even have to slow down or drive carefully sometimes to avoid them.

mark:

04 Jun 2008 8:23:48am

Yeah, when will car makers get real and start building cars like the ones in the film ‘The cars that ate
Paris’. Then all these recalcitrant walkers and bike riders would show us drivers the respect we deserve.

Haha.. ^^^ stupid.

A new addition to the B’n’C stable. It’s mean and it green, just like Kermit the Frog. Baptism of dirt this saturday. Clint, Grundalingus and I will be hitting some new (recently dug) trails in the arvo.. If anyone would like to join us, well shoot us a post on the B’n’C Facebook page and I’ll sort it. Anyway, wanna know how it rolls? Sweeeeet.

After spending five days riding sweet ACT singletrack I decided that a move to the nations Capital perhaps wouldn’t be as bad as I first thought. Upon my return to work this week, I got pro-active and followed up a few employment leads. My fishing paid off as second cast a big fish bit and I’ve been offered a desk jockeys job. Nothing’s set in stone just yet.. negotiations are being made and we’re also waiting to hear if Mishmash has scored a job in Hobart.. (if she lands that one, we’re staying put!) ..but it looks as though Beans could be a Canberraboy within two weeks!

If the move north eventuates it’ll mean a third Bottles and Chains Chapter… Will a grass skid comp on Parliament House will be the first B’n’C event to be held in the nations capital? I wait with baited breath…

In the aftermath of the 2008 Australian Singlespeed Nationals in Hobart last weekend the BnC gang have hit the road..

Clint and Grundalingus are rockin’ some singletrack somewhere around Winchelsea in Vicco. It’s big Matty’s birthday this weekend so I can imagine the boys arvo will adhere to the beer n bike mantra BnC roll to.

Mishmash and I are rollin’ in the countries capital this weekend.. Took on the Canberra Off Road Cyclists ‘Anzac Day’ short track dirt crits @ Mt Stromlo this morning. Hooked up with fellow Taswegian BnC bandit Jimmy to take on the might of the ACT’s xc set.. …in C grade.

Ran into a few Singlespeeders from the ASSN’s ..big Michael Davidson who was riding the Haro 29’er was there as was Simon the Dane who was again smashing out super quick laps.. I left before the A grade final but going by all the previous heats it’s safe to say the Dane cleaned up.. Bloody quick rider that boy (He needs to drink waaaaaay more beer!)

Jimmy and I didn’t do particularly well but we didn’t disgrace overselves either.. The 4 lap short track didn’t really suit either of us and we both kinda messed up the 4x track hill climb.. the real hero of the day was Mishmash.. Mash lined up in her punk rock t-shirt and jean shorts amoungst a heap of lycra clad ladies for the 5 lap short track and then again for the 4x track hill climb and at the days end she ended up 5th on the leaderboard! Fkn awesome work Mash! Photo’s of the event can be found here: http://picasaweb.google.com.au/lematelot56/corcanzacdaycrits25apr08 and if ya keen to read how badly we went, well the results are here: http://www.corc.asn.au/news/index.asp#1004

Canberra is really the home of the city cyclist.. Buses come equipped with bike racks and cycle lanes run EVERYWHERE! Awesome! and best of all is the singletrack.. Shit, I have NEVER seen this much singletrack! We hit the Majura Pines singletrack last this arvo and were blown away by the quality of the trails.. Freakin’ amazing!

Neil has written up a post regarding his experiance @ the 2008 Australian Singlespeed Nationals. His post, ’08 SS Nationals’ can be found at: http://www.baumcycles.com/ under the link to ‘mtb team’. From this page is a link to a whole bunch of pics from the event: http://www.flickr.com/photos/entyrity/sets/72157604733843610/

Also more pics have been posted on the Bottles and Chains ‘Facebook’ page which can be found at: http://www.facebook.com/group.php?gid=5896591318 This is a open Facebook group so join up and check out the shots. There are some real classics.

Here are a few shot’s Mishmash punch-out of the 16″ MTN-X Heats at the 2008 Australian Singlespeed Nationals held in Hobart on the weekend. As the Bottles and Chains crew so busy running the shin-dig not too many pics were taken.. sooOOoo if you have any shots of the event we’d love to see ’em @ BnC Headquaters so email them to us please! info@bottlesandchains.com Also it may be worth checking the Baum site http://www.baumcycles.com/ and Tony the photographer’s site http://www.tonyjross.com for photo’s of the event over the coming days. Thanks to all that attended and made the event so special. Cheers to all the crew that kicked in and helped over the weekend! Looking forward to next year! (I hear Neil is building a pump track in his Mum’s backyard and will be hosting the 09 ASSN there?)