Category: Bikes

Social ride – BnC AGM 24

Hey Folk, it is that time of year again – BnC AGM!

This year we’re hosting the AGM as a social mixed terrain ride out to a secret swimming spot in the suburbs. Plan is hit the waterhole, drink a tin or two, cast a vote for the BnC Presidential candidates (announced on the night) and see who will lead us into 2025.

We’ll conclude the pedal at one of our usual haunts for a yarn and feed. All welcome. Ride any bike. Bring your boardies. Direct message your Presidential nominees to @TEAMBNC on Instagram.

#bottlesandchains #bottlesandchainssocialdivision

What is best in life?

The Last Thursday ride for November found us threading a loop through urban spaces knitting together the pave, dirt and gravel hidden behind Sandy Bay’s sealed roads. ‘Under-biking’ was a theme throughout; vintage road bike slicing up muddy trails in Lambert Park? Check. Fixed gear descent of Lampton Avenue? Tick. Sending a stone staircase on 23c tyres? (…can’t claim an affirmative on this as it ended in blooded knees). Thanks to the nine riders who rolled out at the end of a soggy day for a very fun evening turning pedals. See you all again next month.

Monday

A dreary and overcast Monday in Hobart. Stuck in a drab, fluorescent lit office in the northern suburbs. Needing a break from the screens I slipped outdoors, threw a leg over my track bike, stomped the pedals and rolled away into the urban expanse. For thirty minutes I hopped off curbs, slid between cars and coasted through a maze of side streets. My mood immediately lifted. With each rotation of the cranks I felt better. I watched the shadow cast by wheels play across the pavement, a flickering film of dark and light. The buzz of my freewheel in sync with the industrial sounds of this northern neighbourhood. A beautiful window of time to play and feel. With a smile I returned to the workplace, rejuvenated and ready for another stint on the keyboard. What a panacea a bicycle is.

Wizards of Dirt

The ‘Wizard of Dirt’ alley cat race was run (and won) this past Saturday on a blue-sky spring afternoon. 17 Adventurers set out on a quest to locate 5 scrolls scattered across the land… On each scroll was recorded a single word of power, collect the 5 words to form a spell needed to defeat the Wizard of Dirt and claim his magical sword. Adventurers had to memorise the spell and quickly cast it, or risk being struck down by the Wizard. What ensued was a very fun afternoon of riding and laughs. Adventurers were stumped finding the Trolls Lair scroll (hidden INSIDE the old Beaumaris Zoo site) and anyone over 40 struggled to memorise the words of power. Paul was first to defeat the Wizard and raise the sword but nearly all successfully completed the quest.. (…do recall Matt, Jack, Kiwi and Mitchell cooking their spell casting). Thank you to all that attended and to Tinker General Store for being the major sponsor. Love!

Thank you:

  1. Mischa Pringle – event admin.
  2. Loki Carey / Tinker General Store – major sponsor

Checkpoints:

  1. City of the Dead (Gas Road) – ‘ALAKAZAM!’
  2. Forest of Doom (Northern Fire Trail) – ‘ABRACADABRA!’
  3. Wizards Tower (TCA Ground) – ‘SIMSALABIM!’
  4. The Trolls Lair (Beaumaris Zoo) – ‘HOCUSPOCUS!’
  5. Mermaids Rest (Gunpowder Jetty) – ‘KABLOOEY!’

Results:

  1. Paul Kennedy – 47m
  2. Loki Carey – 47m
  3. Arwen Atkinson – 50m
  4. Brodie Atkinson – 50m
  5. Chris Atkinson – 50m
  6. Evie Atkinson – 50m
  7. Nic Fitzgerald – 59m
  8. Samm Atkins – 1:30
  9. Rowan Trelibco – 1:23
  10. Laurel Trelibco – 1:23
  11. Myrtle Trebilco – 1:23
  12. Juniper Trebilo – 1:23
  13. Dan Panek – Dead On Arrival (DOA)
  14. Kiwi (John Bown) – DOA
  15. Matt the Hooligan – DOA
  16. Jack Deformed – DOA
  17. Mitchell Wednesday – DOA

Team BnC – The renaissance

Our little bike gang is certainly going through a renaissance. In 2024 we’ve hosted the monthly ‘The Last Thursday’ social rides, played a major role in delivering the Australian Single Speed Nationals, threw the first of two AlleyCat races, and later this month we’re putting on an old school CX event out at Dodges. ….but what I’m liking best about this hubbub of activity is the regrowth and gathering of our alternative cycling community. You can feel the love for bikes and their people in Hobart right now.

Saving the track bike..

Tarn Mott (Primate frames) whipped up this custom track bike for Melbourne based courier Corey Putkunz back in 2007. It spent a few years on road as a work bike before being hung up in the shed to gather dust. I purchased the frame from Corey last year, built it up and returned it to a life of urban jungle adventures. The tyre clearances are TIGHT by current standards, I can squeeze a 28c into the rear but not more than 25c up front. Thin slicks make my dirt forays a little exciting… Rollin’ on 58 gear inches the whole show is ‘spin to win’ but in hilly Hobart this is a sensible choice. Fabricated from Dedacciai steel so it sings under pedal (Jan Heine would say it ‘planes’). Thomson cockpit. Lovely Australian made Velocity NMSW rims laced to Surly hubs (one modern, one NOS). An original Skin Grows Back top tube pad (complete with the texta mantra ‘Prettyboy sucks’) illustrates the frames late 00s vintage perfectly. A beautiful bicycle.

Team BnC, saving one track bike at a time.

What is best in life?

“The open steppe, fleet bicycle, Yoshida grips at your wrist, and the wind in your hair“.

Team BnC present a social ride this September to discover what is best in life. Thursday 28 November. Meet 17:00 @ Franklin Square. Primarily rollin’ on tarmac. Post ride burger munch at the Overland Brewery. No drop. All welcome. CRUSH YOUR PEDALS!

#bottlesandchains #bottlesandchainssocialdivision

‘The Last Thursday’

The last Thursday of the month @teambnc social ride is inbound – Thursday 29 August, meet 17:00 @ Franklin Square. Mixed terrain social ride – no drop – all welcome.

Post ride plan is to find some pizza and a few drinks, probably hit @deepsouthbrewingco again, the half price pizza is killer.

Hope to see all your faces there! Benny

#bottlesandchains #bottlesandchainssocialdivision