Category: Bikes

Meat is Murder, so is this heat.

Poke the nozzle of your partners hairdryer into your mouth and turn it on.. there you go, now you’ve experienced summertime cycling in Centralia. Well, almost.. while we’re in the bathroom playing with the hairdryer, turn the ceiling mounted heatlamp up to 100, set the indoor trainer up beneath it and we’re getting closer to the oven-like sensation of riding out here…

Never thought I’d think it, but I’m lusting after some mud. Cold mud. Full blown winter muddy mud. Roost up your back and in your eye type mud.   …and some Cyclocross. Cyclocross in the mud. Yeah, thats it.. mmmmnnn.  Fixed of course, no gears to clog up, a simple ‘pedal harder’ style of racing. All day I’ve been thinking about that ..er, ‘skaty’ feeling of 28c knobblies trying to hook up in mud. That little squirt of adrenalin that comes with the uncertainty that you and your bike are going to remain the correct side up. I want that.

For the first time in Australia (as far as I know) a full blown Cyclocross series is being held. Details of the series is availble at: http://www.tailwindpromotions.com.au/cyclocrossaustralia/ What interests me most about this series is the inaugral National Cyclocross Championships that are being held at Peppers Hidden Vale on the 4th of October this year. There is no specific singlespeed or fixed gear category but with classes ranging from Elite to D-grade I’m sure DFL won’t be on the cards. Clint, Lingy.. Does this crank your chains boys? Maybe we should send a B’n’C team over for this one.. we have the skin-suits.

Anyway back to my walkman and Smiths cassette. Out

Eating shit sucks. It hurts (alot) and leaves your pushie looking less than ‘shiny and new’.

Had my first decent ‘off’ @ the Alice Springs velodrome during friday nights club meet (next level up of ‘off’ from the infamous Rossi v Beans ‘off’ on Elizabeth Street last year).  I had just crossed the line at the end of a flying 200 and was swinging up to wash off speed when I clipped the fence at the top of the bank with my pedal. This threw me and the bike head first into the fence (post). My helmet took the brunt of the spill being cracked in two and my shoulder followed through next… rag-dolled down the steep 37degree bank leaving a  trail of jersey, bib knicks and skin behing me. Shaving your legs really does work as my legs were totally intact, unlike my arms, bum and shoulder that were all now bleeding profusely.

To the surprise of the onlookers I did walk away from this crash.. only to keel over a few minutes later when the adrenalin wore off. Took a trip to Alice outpatients and yep, I’d been broken. Bloody shoulder blade. Too cranky to write anymore..

This book was easily my favourite as a kid, and I don’t reckon I’m alone in that. The upcoming movie was exciting news, the fallout between Jonze and the studio seemed to be tragedy, and the (so-far) movie-like happy ending is all that we could have wished for. Now we just need to see the damn thing. I feel like a kid with his first bike, totally in awe of the posibilites ahead, yet a little worried about ending up bruised and broken.

Go read this interview with Jonze, it’s probably pretty good. The screeners look awesome and I get the feeling this movie won’t disappoint.

New Zealand: Awesome mountain biking and honest burger joints. What more do you need?

Thanks for all the feedback on the jersey design, and Timmy, are you sure you need an XL? Must be in a good paddock eh mate? I’ve extended the window of opportunity.. If you want one of these jerseys you’ve got until 09:00am Tuesday 27 January to shoot us an email with your order! The address again is: benjamarn@hotmail.com I’ll need your size and a postal address.

The bell for last drinks is ringing, so gentlemen, place your orders!!

From Nein Lives to Hairy Bald. Bike related ramblings, read away.

Go.

That’s right you mugs, the kids way over on the West coast are running this year’s annual excuse to smash beers and ride around wearing big bags whilst abusing pedestrians and skitching cars. While most of us do it anyway, there’s power in numbers and it’s more fun when you’re not alone. Word is that you don’t have to actually be a courier to enter, which seems a little odd, but who’s going to argue against inclusivity? If I wasn’t an absolute pauper with zero holiday hours I’d be over there faking it up with the best of them, but life is cruel. These events are always awesome and end up as hazy memories that are cherished for years to come, and probably a few scars that’ll take some explaining to future significant others no doubt. GET ALONG AND GET INVOLVED!

There are some bikes you see and want immediately and forever, usually despite the fact that they cost more than the country of Iceland and you’d probably do them about as much justice as a Palm Island cop. Nicolai just happen to make several such bikes and frequently have me lusting over heavily welded, pastel green triangles and chunks of red anodised metal. Safe to say I’m generally shit house when descending dirt at speed, have the airborne grace of an emu and have yet to wear out a set of brake pads, let alone something built to withstand abuse. That said, I desperately want a Nicolai all mountain bike. I also want a Nicolai DH bike. I’d probably like a Scott DJ bike too, or maybe a Black Market. A Jamis Dragon steel hardtail would be nice, as would a Soma Rush built into a trend-whore-hipster love beast. A nice Felt F-series road bike wouldn’t go astray, and a Surly Long Haul Trucker built up with full XT and racks front’n’back. That’s just the start, and it’s sure to be a long way from the end. God help me.

Oh, and sorry about the links looking wrong. Upgraded WP and now it hates me. Fixed shortly.

Get along, it’s in memory of a kid who’ll be sorely missed.

Finally! We’ve got our shit together and Bottles and Chains Jerseys are about to go into production!! We’ve hit up the boys from www.sprintdesign.com.au to whip ’em up.. Sprint are Australian owned and manufacture their product locally and ya can’t do better than to support Aussie business eh? I saw a few of their jerseys in action at the Christmas Carnivals and they looked well made and fit the riders spot-on with no bunching under the arms or riding up at the back (problems that seem inherant with alot of other brands I’ve seen).

     

The thumbnail images I’ve attached are the first two mock-ups of the jersey. The final design is being drawn up tomorrow, being a blend of these two versions. The final design will have the large B’n’C logo on the back, a Shifterbikes logo on either arm, a B’n’C logo on the left brest, the Disconnect Records logo on the right brest and the B’n’C wording up the side panels without the bottles and bike chain image.

These jerseys will cost you $150 (AUS) delivered to your door within Australia. Overseas buyers will be stung and extra $10 for international post.  For the hardcore Trackies, skinsuits will be availible on request (but they’re not cheap at $280 AUS).

If you would like one of these jerseys, here’s what you’ll have to do…

• Look at the sizing chart (see thumbnail above) and decide what size you need.
• Shoot me an email at benjamarn@hotmail.com stating your jersey size, intention to buy and postal details, I’ll reply with our bank details. You can then direct deposit some coin into our account (but make sure you put your name in the transaction description so I know who the money is from).. and as soon as it’s there, a jersey will be winging it’s way to your door in the next 3 to 4 weeks! Easy.

All pre-orders MUST be emailed to my inbox by 5pm Thursday 22 January 2009. The order with FINALISED numbers will be submitted to Sprint @ 5:05pm.. so if ya keen.. get on it ’cause there may not be a second run!