Category: Bikes

Idea’s have a tendency to pop up at the same time in very different geographical locations. In cycling circles, the debate as to who first thought of taking bikes off road (Mountain Bike style) has been raging for years. Was it Gary Fisher or Mulga Bill who first coined the notion? Personally, I don’t think any one person can claim it.  I feel the concept of  Mountain Biking was an idea that evolved as riders in different regions pushed their bike love into new arena’s.. So where am I going with this? TRACKLOCROSS.

I stumbled across this website today http://tracklocross.blogspot.com/ It’s a website devoted to the discipline of riding trackbikes on grass-tracks.. Whilst the term ‘tracklocross’ is new, the idea is not unique.. Across the other side of the globe in Hobart, we have been talking for months about doing a trackbike grass-track event, blissfully unaware of events in NYC and assuming our idea was fairly original. I’m pretty stoked to discover that there are likeminded bike nuts coming up with what are practically ‘stupid’ ideas independantly of one another on opposite sides of the planet. Now..  can anyone point me in the direction of an FX-MX blog?

Over the Easter break I headed up to Mildura to see all the outlaws. Not ever content to sit still, I hassled Mildy Farkineer,  ‘Floz’, until he agreed to lend me his road bike and then hit up the Mildura-Coomealla Cycling Club for a ride. I joined them for a Sunday Criterium race at the 800m Airport Driver Training Circuit. The crit was a 29 lap affair and the boys thru me and my too large bike into B-grade.. not ideal, but hey, ya got to deal with the cards you get dealt! I wasn’t coping too well with the heat and what the fk? Gears?? Huh??? I think my lack of experiance in changing gears showed early as I tried to spin to victory in the first sprint lap and was promptly mowed down by half a dozen ‘clicking’ riders.. (what WAS that noise?) Anyway, ah.. lets not dwell on the poor showing by BnC (2nd last) and instead thank Nigel and Pete from the MCCC for letting me join in and Nath for loaning me the bike! Cheers lads!!

Check out  http://www.m-ccc.com.au/ for more hot Mildura cycling action!

                  

Yo! Hot off the press!! Bottles and Chains present the “B’n’C/ASSN-08 Stubbie Cooler“. This limited edition (50) and classy piece of Bottles and Chains/2008 Australian Single Speed Nationals merchandise could be yours for the bargain basement sum of $10(AUS) plus postage and handling!! Carefully designed by master B’n’C Stubbycoolersmith’s to double as sweatband that can be worn around your wrist! Awesome and practical!!

If you want to own a piece of cycling history, email us at B’n’C (info@bottlesandchains.com) and we’ll tell you how one of these amazing stubbie coolers can be delivered to your door!

On Sunday April 6th, the Tasmanian Audax club will be holding a ‘Century Ride’ around the Channel. A few of the boys from Bottles and Chains will be riding the event, fixed of course! If you are up for doing a fixed century here is your chance!! (I’m keen to put a six pack of premium on the line for the fastest fixed century on the day.. any one keen to take the challenge?) If you do want to come along shoot us an email and we’ll put you into contact with the event organiser or check www.audax.org.au for more.   …Anyway the event details are as follows:

Start time is 8am @ the Longley Hotel.

The route is: Longley – Sandfly – Margate – Snug- Oyster Cove – Kettering – Woodbridge – Middleton -Verona Sands – Cygnet – Huonville – Ranelagh – Longley.

Registration will be at the start, cost is $5 and this is an unsupported ride so you’ll need to be self-sufficient with food and spares. Time limit for the 100 is 6h40m.

 

Ol’ Ken Self made a few frames back in the day and as you probably know, we’re big fans. I ride one, Ben owns one, the image up the top is a close-up of one, etc. They’re brilliant bikes with a great build quality and very sweet geometry. Luckily we keep managing to find more of them!

The latest find comes from John over in Perth, who picked up this beautiful example of Ken’s Work. A slightly older frame judging by the fork crown, but as sweet as ever. One of the special things about Ken’s frames is that every example we’ve seen so far has had hand-painted lettering lovingly applied. No decals here, just paint straight onto the frame. This one’s no different, with a beautiful white serif outlined in gold and tastefully shadowed. The elegant ‘S’ on the head tube is more than worthy of leading the pack around the velodrome.

The bike (and John) is going to be hitting the boards over in Perth soon, so if you’re from the far West, be sure to keep your eye out for it.

You can view the rest of the detail photos over in the BnC gallery on Facebook. Do it!

Will we see one of these on the streets of Hobart now that a certain un-named member of BnC is working at the LBS and gets wholesale prices on bikes? I hope so.. just don’t rock a top tube pad ok?!

Vlad and Greg rode the 100km on their fixed Hillbrick Pista’s rocking 71 gear inches and a front brake. These blokes were top fellas. They were stopping a waiting for one another along the course and even took the time to help one ‘geographically challenged’ Bottles and Chains rider find his way around the Tea Tree Road loop (albeit in reverse!).

                 

Three Bottles and Chains riders turned out for the 100km. I rode my Steamroller, fixed with 63 gear inches. This ratio was a tad low but I’m so glad Danger Tim talked me out of riding the 74 inches I had initially picked. Cheers Tim. Next was Dave Killick on his Cross Check Cyclocross rig.. Dave went for the slow and steady approach, saving his energy for his upcoming tilt at the Hubert Opperman 360km (correct Dave?).. and finally there was Dutch import Danger Tim who rode his full springer Mountain Bike. Timmy’s effort was doubly hardcore because he had put SALT in his drinking water to avoid cramps.. not a bad theory except the water was so saltly he couldn’t drink it and was forced to ride 25km to find a house where he could stop and refill!!

Dave Buckingham also rode the 100km fixed on his Cecil Walker conversion on 72 gear inches. Loved his bike. Totally ghetto. Anyway, to thrashed to write anything usefull or interesting (1ookm will do that).. Anyway the BnC boys finished in: Benny 3hrs:41mins – Timmy 4hrs:10mins – Dave 5hrs:2mins. we’ll be doing another fixed 100 on April 6th – The ‘Channel Century’. Look out!

    

A quick heads-up for the Hobart crew. Most of you will know about the track from Shoobridge Bend to Junction Cabin on Mt Wellington that’s been under construction for a good while now. It’s very close to complete but it’s not finished! Word is that the track will be open in about a month, but currently needs to be assessed for safety stuff. The rangers are currently keeping a very close eye on the track and illegal riders are being fined! A few people got done on the weekend, so don’t imagine that you’ll get away with it. The track is going to be a great ride once it’s open, so don’t ruin all the good work by riding it prematurely.

Ok, enough mothering from us. Go get drunk and ride!