Bottles And Chains

Friday – Track @ Newtown

8 riders turned out, but with 1 escaped dog needing rescuing (?) only 6 riders raced.. and as no Hobart Wheelers were present, well, we held the fort and organised some races.  Andrew took out the 10 lap scratch race with Michael coming a close 2nd, myself in 3rd and Glen in 4th. Ah, next we held a sprint derby complete with heats and finals.. the end results were.. 1st Ben 2nd Glen 3rd Michael 4th Clint 5th Andrew 6th Mat. It was a fun night, Mat Grundy had his first ever crack at track and rode well.. and we’ll all be out there again this friday so come along!

Saturday – Advocate Newspaper 

To the Advocate readers who overwhelmingly responded in the affirmative to the newspapers poll question, ‘should bicycle riders be banned from major roads?’ ..wake up! Shame on the North-West Coast! : (

Sunday – Mersey Valley Devonport Cycling Club Carnival

Attended the MVDCC Carnival on Sunday. Great event.. but one bad fall in the womens Keiren stopped racing for several hours and the program had to be cut short. I don’t know who the rider that fell was or what injuries she sustained but I hope you recover and are back on track soon! Ah, a few riders from Hobart turned out (Justin x 2 & Andrea) and we all made the finals of our respective events (1000m & 2000m), I think Justin McMullins may have placed 4th in the 1000m but I may be wrong? (geez those NW boys are quick!!) Cheers to the blokes from the MVDCC who help with pushing, I owe you a beer!

But most exciting was what I found under the grandstand.. A roller racing set-up! Took a few pics for reference and asked a few questions.. and as a result, we may have secured the first parts for our BnC R.R build!

I’ve just read Manbau’s post on Fixed.org.au (http://fixed.org.au/forums/index.php?topic=3448.0) regarding a 1938 four star Malvern Star track bike he picked up after posting a ‘wanted’ ad in the local rag.. It got me thinking, “How many old bikes are still out there in A-grade condition?”. I imagine that alot of pushies have ended their days on the tip face, replaced by more modern equipment or discarded after the owner passed away.. but surely a few would have survived the passage of time?

I know from my own forays into backsheds and garages that treasure is out there.. I once spent an arvo in a old packing shed sorting through a hundred or more bikes. There were certainly ‘gems’ in there, a Massey Harris track bike circa 1890/1900, assorted track bikes/frames dating from the 1920s to the 1950s, a 1970’s cruiser with GT racing stripe seat and sissy-bar as well as a 1950s Ken Self townbike with sparrow bars and 3spd hub. This collection was owned by an old bloke who had spent the past 40 years rescuing bicycles from the tip and although alot of them were in perfect condition, many weren’t. Regardless, this isn’t what I’m really referring to..

I would love to know the fate of all of those bikes that were loved by their owners , bikes like our own that have memories attached and have been carefully maintained and looked after. For example, what of the track bikes ridden in the 1950s? The owners would now be in their 70s or 80s.. and I imagine that alot of them would have hung on to their rides for nostalgic reasons, there could be a whole mothball fleet out there! Actually, come to think of it, I can think of a similiar example. Only recently I saw a 1970s blue and yellow Ken Self track bike get pulled out of storage after not seeing the light of day since 1978. It was in immaculate condition still.. but the owner, now well into his 50s and highly unlikely to ever race track again was not selling. After an hour in the sun trackside, the Ken Self was returned to it’s resting place in the backshed.

It’s a similar story in my own family.. what happened to the bikes I see in old family snaps? My Great-grandfather rode a wonderful looking bike to work everyday and several of my Grandmothers cousins rode trackbikes seriously in the 1940s ..but where are those bikes? I think I’m going to have to spend a few more sundays going to garage sales. Out.

Track is back! Tonight!! Newtown Oval, 6pm with racing beginning at 6:30pm. No points, no money, no trophies or sashes, just some fun. It will cost you a fiver (got to pay for the track somehow). Anyone who is keen for a second series, come along.. The Dirt Devils/Hobart Wheelers are gauging interest and a second series will depend upon numbers. Bring your friends, bring your families, bring your grandma, it’s on like Donkey Kong.

It’s red.. but will it be fast? With the big man onboard, probably yes.. more (and better quality) photo’s soon..

THE SECOND INSTALLMENT IN OUR GRIPPING SAGA

Fortunately before too long Mischa’s keen eyes spotted what appeared an ancient, overgrown horse and buggy road which lead away down the hill. We decided to follow it figuring it must join up to a road somewhere. We were right. A raucous bash down the dodgy old road ended in an abrupt halt when we were confronted by a barbed wire fence that cut right across the path. As we desperately skidded to a stop and the bracken settled we could clearly hear the sweet sound of tyre on asphalt. We had found the highway. Ben lead on AS Mischa and I followed and we carried our bikes over one last fence, through a ditch and over a blackberry bush to finally stumble out onto our own ‘yellow brick road’. Never mind that this road was black and sticky with the heat, it was going to lead us straight to the Longley hotel and sweet relief. Continue reading “Riding our luck. PART 2”

I’ve been loving the daily commute to work, Margate via the Channel Hwy through Taroona to Hobart (27kms) and back each day.. although I may be becoming known as the ‘smelly guy’ at work (no showers on site). Commuting is a great thing, I’ve met two single speeding roadies this week.. one guy (sorry I forgot your name) on a Langster and Jess on his Pista Solo, yarned with a few other commuters, had time to think about things other than work or domestic issues (bikes) and at the same time practise my ‘spin’ for track. Can’t believe how much it’s improved my fitness as well, it is the best type of training eh.. each morning I race against myself, I put on the same album on my mp3 and see if I can be at a further point along the road before it finishes (I was short by about 20meters today).. And I quite enjoy ‘duels’ with other commuters, especially the ‘faux-lypians’ on their carbon/titanium bikes with their shaved legs.. Haha.. nah, no disrespect, I’m just jealous.. and can’t afford an uber-bike. Oh, the picture? ^^^ What has it got to do with this post..?? Nothing really. It’s just a cool pic of a bar at Parattah next to the former Velo-track. 

A SORDID TALE OF THIRST AND PUNISHMENT IN THREE PARTS.

After a brutal bender of a Christmas/New Year period it was about time to get back into the saddle and finally get more blood than booze pumping around the old arteries. Saturday morning was the designated time and Treadlies bike shop in Kingston the place. Early on there seemed to be a fair bit of interest in the mountain bike run which would take us climbing up out of Kingston, paddock bashing down to Longley and back again via some beautiful flowing single-track.

The fist obstacle of the day was the heat. Hobart really turned it on for us with a cloudless 32 degrees. Too brutal for a ride? Most obviously thought so because when we set out there were only 3 hardcore B’n’C faithful churning the pedals.
Continue reading “Riding our luck. PART 1”

Hobarts ‘Bikes and Spikes’ carnival was held on sunday at Newtown Oval. BnC were in attendance, with one team rider (being myself) entered.

Before anything is said about the carnival a few ‘thank you’ are in order..

– Tim Smit: Mate ta for getting out of bed early Sunday morning and driving me to track.

– Clint & Jack Turner: Cheers for picking up and delivering my errant seatpost in time for my 1st event.

– Dave Dennis: Thank you soooOOoo much for loaning me your bike, the advice and for acting as my pusher.. Can’t thank you enough mate.

– Simon Va Der Aa, Dave Welsh & Nathan Fraser: Ta for the advice boys, Dave I’ll stay low next time, Vanders ta for the heads up and Nathan I’ll try not to almost kill you next time!!

Ok.. now the event. Well.. The 1000m handcap, I came last. The 2000m wasn’t much better.. (I was so nervous that I was shaking like a drunk with dt’s). Went ok in the Miss ‘n’ Out race (reckon I was about middle of the field), but it was in the Sprint Derby and the C Grade Scratch that I started to calm down, relax and get my head around what needed to be done.

I drew Steve Rossendell and Jeremy Hills in my heat of the Sprint Derby.. I knew I was pretty much screwed, I mean Rozzie won the wheel yestreday and Jez won one of the northern carnival wheels (Burnie? Devonport??).. so what else was there to do but sprint ‘BnC Style’ from the outset and make them earn their win!? Well, that tactic kinda worked.. Dropped Jez and the rest of the field off the back but was mowed down by Rozzie. 2nd wasn’t a bad result.

The C Grade Scratch field was pretty strong (eg: Danny Pullbrook) so I wasn’t liking my chances.. There were ‘suprise’ sprint laps where the winner could pick up a cash prize. These laps were indicated by a whistle blast as we crossed the line.. well I was hanging off the back when I heard that whistle blow and I went for it.. a 450m sprint later and I was $30 richer!! Yeah! A sprint lap win!! BnC represent!!

Throughly enjoyed my first ever carnival, met some great people (Nath & Brent give us a call next time ya down eh?), learnt ALOT and it was great to have all the BnC boys in my corner backing me! Bring on St Helens…

Canberra?? Yep, it was the phone call I didn’t want! My wife just rang me to say she’s been offered a job in Canberra.. Well at least it has a velodrome^^^^