The Autumn double

After much huffing and puffing about not having a red jersey, I've finally got my hands on a DHBC jersey from on of the veterans. I like the fact that the jersey has no bloody advertising on it. My racing license also arrived in the mail today, making it an Autumn double. Now I just need to do some training.

My first race

Well, I finally made it to my first race after many delayed starts and rainy weekends. Before the race I wasn’t well prepared as I hadn’t been on the bike for a week and I had a sore knee from a bushwalking hike over the Easter long weekend. I had no idea what to expect but I found the pace of D grade quite easy. In fact I really wanted to speed things up a bit because I don’t like holding on the breaks. If a breakaway had have formed I would have definitely gone with it as I prefer to ride fast race rather than leaving it all to the final sprint. I sat and second and third wheel for almost the entire race until I followed Geoff on his cramp interrupted breakaway and was sprung to the front. For the reminding two and a half laps I would lead the race until the final straight. I was comfortable but I wasn’t feeling too good as the contents of my lunch (salmon on toast) were making themselves known to me. Leading the bunch was tactically stupid but I had no interest attempting to win the sprint. I was keen to first get a feel for racing and then work towards getting some good results in the future.

Improving workplace facilities for cyclists

(Image from SMH online)

While I havn't seen the details, I was pleased to hear that a commercial development has just been approved with the purpose of raising the standards of ecologically sound development in the city. The development will be called Workplace6 and it will be located in Pymont near the Casino. The "6" in "Workplace6" refers to the "6 green star" rating of the Green Building Council of Australia. Amongst the many design measures adopted in the development I was most pleased to see the following sentence:

The building's premium amenities will include showers and change rooms with lockers, 135 secure car spaces and 120 bicycle racks.

Now thats the kind of bike to car spaces ratio that I like to see. The development will be something to be admired but the critical issue is whether the planning legislation will follow it.

Bike eBay

I have watched this bike be stripped piece by piece over the last few days. On Sunday it was just missing the front wheel. Today it’s missing the front fork and headset. Next time I see it, I imagine the pedals will be gone as well. Watch out for orange KHS forks on eBay. Every bike has stories to tell and I’d love to know what happened to this one? Why didn’t the owner collect it? These bike racks at Summer Hill station were only installed two months ago as one of ASHBUGs little victories with the local council. However, the abandoned and stripped bike has quickly turned this infrastructure gain into an advertisement for not cycling.

Chippo trike

'So, you're dreaming of being a f*ckin trackie?'

I guess it was only a matter of time before I hit the track. Maybe there is something in the water? Tonight was my second spin at Tempe velodrome. The previous week I arrived 30mins early. As I was sitting next to my road bike gazing across the velodrome an old guy came up to me and said ‘So, you're dreaming of being a f*ckin trackie?’. I didn’t know what to say but ‘Yes’. In my first week I just got used to riding a track bike and knowing the basic rules of the velodrome. I was fortunate to have Lindsay Monks as my guide. Riding up the bank for the first time was really trippy but within no time it felt second nature. This week I learned how to do sprints, ride in a paceline and stay on the rollers. The track is a lot fun but I’m not sure if I’d take it to the competition level. For roadies at least it’s a great way to learn how to do sprints and its also a good place to get some training in through the dark winter months. I’m surprised that so few roadies ever try it. However, this has not been the case with Dulwich Hill Bicycle Club where track riding has undergone a bit of a renaissance in the last year. I’m just the latest of a number of newbies who have joined the ranks of the f*ckin trackies.

Ashfield Stylin' III

Ashfield Stylin' II

Ashfield Stylin'

Motoring fantasies and the politics of enjoying the road

Last Saturday was meant to be the beginning of my racing career with the Dulwich Hill Bicycle Club. I was going to be racing in the Heffron Park criteriums but it was rained out. Despite this, I did manage to get a spin with my local bug group. It was our ‘Seniors Week’ ride and although I was seriously lacking in seniority, I couldn’t say no to free coffee and cake at the Adora Chocolate shop. There were about eight of us and during our coffee one passing motorist yelled out: ‘I’m going to slash your fucking tyres’. This was third of a number of interjections that I had experienced in the last week. I raised the question of what motivated such behaviour beyond the simple ‘dickhead factor’. One of the Ashbug member (Leonard) suggested that he thought cyclists had become the new ‘outgroup’ because ‘multiculturalism’ had stopped people from expressing other forms of hatred. Cyclists were soft-targets and they had filled ‘the gap’ as objects of societal hatred. One could believe such a hypothesis if one were to only to read articles in the Daily Telegraph, however my initial thoughts were that this was not the most plausible explanation. Cyclists come in many shapes and sizes and I don’t think of the carbon fibre boys as much of a ‘minority group’. They are unlikely to be subjected to discrimination on the basis of ethnicity, gender, race, class or sexuality. Secondly, I was not of the opinion that multiculturalism had really censored racism, rather, it has just made it more unacceptable in public discourse (think John Brogden’s infamous comments on Helena Carr). However, if we are to compare the fate of the cyclist with certain racist fantasies, I do think we could draw some similarities. Both cyclist and some migrants are objects of fear amongst many people. In drawing these connections, my thinking comes from the Slovenian philosopher Slavoj Zizek, who has developed a unique way of analysing racism as a form of psychic fantasy. According to Zizek:

What is therefore at stake in ethnic tensions is always the possession of the national Thing. We always always impute to the “other” an excessive enjoyment: he wants to steal our enjoyment (by ruining our way of life) and/ or he has access to some secrete, perverse enjoyment. In short, what really bothers us about the “other” is the particular way his enjoyment, precisely the surplus, the “excess” that pertains to this way: the smell of “their” food, “their” noisy songs and dances, “their” strange manners, “their” attitude to work. To the racist, the “other” is either a workaholic stealing our jobs or an idler living on our labour, and it is quiet amusing to notice the haste with which one passes from reproaching the other with a refusal to work to reproaching him for the theft of work. ... What we conceal by imputing to the Other the theft of enjoyment is the tramatic fact that we never possessed what was allegedly stolen from us... (Slavoj Zizek, Tarrying with the Negative, Duke: 1993, pp202-3)

Offering a comparative analysis, we could say that for the motorist, the road has become his Thing. For the motorist, the road is a point of identification and source of enjoyment. The cyclist threatens to ‘invade’ and ‘steal’ his precious ‘road-Thing’. The cyclist, as is so often claimed, doesn’t know how to follow the road rules, she doesn’t pay rego etc. The cyclist appears to have a ‘perverse’ way of being on the road that the motorist does not have access to. The cyclist also has the freedom to get around the city with much ease. The cyclist has simply ‘too much enjoyment’ of the road and is envied for this. In contradiction, however, the cyclist may also be seen as the one who doesn’t have enough ‘enjoyment’ of the road, or at least doesn’t know the ‘right way’ to enjoy the road. Rather than joining in with the line of cars and their air-conditioned bliss, the cyclist risks ‘life and limb’ sweating it out just to get around. She is the strange, smelly ‘vegan koala’ who is determined to ride through the heat, rain, and pollution in spite of more comfortable options. The cyclist doesn’t take the easy way. Her strange ways makes the motorist feel uncomfortable and a little paranoid. What is she doing there? Why does she do it? What it is that she really wants? Is she secretly plotting to steal the road from me?

While I don’t know if such comments makes for a very apt comparison with Zizek’s analysis of racist fantasies, I think that a certain hatred of cycling does provide some form of libidinal satisfaction for the motorist would be otherwise be pissed off for being stuck in traffic. The motorist’s fantasy of having exclusive enjoyment of the road provides an imaginary framework whereby the cyclist is positioned as either a troublemaking trickster or a shady road theft. Rather than recognising the cyclist as another legitimate road user, this framework allows motorist deflect any sense of responsibly for being part of the traffic, being part of the problem, or imagining another solution.

Bicispot Track Carnival

Here are some photos from lastnights BiciSport Tempe Track Carnival. A great event where everyday club riders can mix it with international champions. Unfortunately, my camera's not to crash hot for this kind of fast action cycling.

Simon Llewellyn (from Dulwich Hill Cycling Club) at 4th wheel one lap out in the final of the 2000m Wheelrace.

Ben Kirsten piping out Daniel Ellis in the Men's 2000m Kierin Final.

Ben Kirsten makes a late entry (marked -15m behind the limit man Daniel Ellis) in the 2000m Wheelrace Final .

Mixed blessings

Sydney Body Art Ride has posted a really nice blog about the difference experience of life that comes froms driving cars and from cycling in the city. These the words and image resonate with my week on the bike. On Sunday, especially, I had one of those amazing days on the bike. I’d left home at 6am to ride the Royal National Park loop with DHBC. I then meet up with my friend Pete and we rode down to Wollongong. During the day we caught up with several friends, went to the beach, visited my Gran and were showered with hospitality by all we meet. I just managed to get home before 10pm, only two minutes before the massive electrical storm broke. Yesterday, however, was not one of those perfect days. I left Uni at 4 pm to avoid the storm and as I passed down Wellbank Street in North Straithfield, I was blasted by a motorist honking his horn. I had taken the lane and was turning right within another 50m. I had indicated my intention to turn but the thought of waiting another 10 seconds was too much for this hot-head. He blasted his horn again and again and called me a fuckwit. Of course if I were turning a semi-trailer around the same corner, there is no doubt that this idot would wait patiently for several minutes, but idea of the cyclist asserting their right to the road was out of his comprehension. Thankfully, these things only happen every so often and a cool head can overcome the sense of moral outrage and indignation that stirs at such times. This was only the second time such an event had happened this year. Oddly, the previous event was also around the same time and place. I have come to call it the ‘ute hour’ and I even joked about it with my workmate as I left the office yesterday. It encompasses the lull before the storm of peek hour traffic. At this time, thousands of aggressive rat-running motorists hoon across Sydney’s backstreets trying to outrun the impending doom of total congestion. It’s not the best time to be on the road. Later at Lyons Road West, I signalled to turn right and was thankfully let into the lane just before I turned at roundabout onto Harris Rd. The driver acknowledged my presence, I acknowledged his with a nod and I felt much better in the knowledge that only some of Sydney's motorists are complete psychopaths.

A Cheeky exhibition?

It's not everyday you see a recumbent pulling a trailer laden with paintings on the way to Cheeky Transport. A bike art exhibtion perhaps?... I hope so.

[nb: looks like its on this friday night.]

3 bike family

(Photo from Barcelona 2006)

Grafton to Inverell Cyclosportif Challenge

After spending two days driving up from Sydney I finally registered for the Grafton to Inverell Cyclosportif Challenge on Friday night. At this point I was very annoyed to find out that there was no bus to get us back to Grafton the following day. The event organisers claimed that they didn’t have enough people to warrant a bus. That’s ok, but they didn’t bother telling anyone that this was the case, so a few of us were left scrambling to try to organise lifts with other cyclists. I was fortunate enough to find two meet two kind cyclists from the Grafton Cycling Club who were able to drive me back that night. My co-rider Sergio – who’d also driven up from Sydney – was also stuck having to beg for a lift. There were some other problems with the event, but I had a wonderful time so I won’t dwell on them.

On Saturday morning, Sergio and I started the ride at 6:50am. We were a bit late and missed the first three bunches. The morning was dark and foggy. Unfortunately I left my sunglasses in my back pocket and they fell out somewhere over the first 20km. Expecting that they’d probably been turned into roadkill, I pressed on and did not go back to look for them. At the beginning of the ride there were many rolling hills that made it hard to work together. Sergio was setting a cracking pace and I suggested we slow down (at least) until after the climb. At 70km we were at the base of the Gibraltar Ranges National Park. From this point, there was a 1000m climb straight up onto the tablelands. Thankfully, the gradient was just right and my 42/25T granny gear managed to make it up without forcing me to stand out of the saddle (very often!). We hit the summit in around 1hour 15mins (maybe less?) and we passed a lot of riders on the way up. From there, we passed along some nice downhills and flats out to the Mt Michell feed station. At 120km we had our first feed, but I didn’t feel that hungry.

On the road to Glenn Innes we joined up with two cyclists from Sydney (the brothers Davin and Joel) and established a little bunch that would ride together for the next 100km. It was nice riding in a group as our chatting was a distraction from all the effort we were making. As we passed over the tablelands it was amazing how quickly the scenery had changed from lefty rainforests into dry open cattle country. There was one cowboy herding cattle along the road. This was the first time I’d even signalled to the bunch to watch out for a cow on the road. At approximately 170km we passed through the town of Glen Innes. Our bunch had grown to around 6-7 riders and we did some really nice group riding over the last 50km. I was feeling stronger as ride continued and so I was keen to set the pace at the front. Although there was one rider (nicknamed “Sponge”) who didn’t make even the slightest effort to share the work. The only thing that was bothering me over the last 20km was a cramp in my left foot. I tried to move it around as well as off the pedal but I was in agony over the last 10km. As we came towards Inverell I passed the 200km mark for the first time. There were only two minor hills that we climbed over from there. Sergio and I ended up riding ahead over the last 5km, however, I had to stop 1km from the finish when the sensor from my bike computer fell off the fork. I’d already lost my sunglasses so I wasn’t going to loose this as well. We finished the race in 8 hours and 30mins. The distance was 228km with an average speed of 27.1km/h. After the ride we jumped in the Inverell pool to cool off and do some stretching. Despite a few hiccups at the beginning it was a great day and I’d easily do it again. We were very lucky to have perfect riding conditions on the day. My only regret was carrying copious amounts of weight on my bike, however I was prepared for anything that day and the only prize was finishing.

On the road again

After 15 years in retirement and two months of fiddling, the Star has finally made its way back onto the road again. Thanks to Mark and the people at the Nunnery for helping me make the final adjustments. Here are some photos from its maiden voyage to Ashfield shops this morning.

A new Mr Sydney?

A recent article in the Sydney Morning Herald has created a bit of debate on the Sydney critical mass list. Professor Jan Gehl has been commissioned to undertake a study of the city that will focus on the needs of both pedestrians and cyclists. The study will cost $210,000 and take 10-months to complete. Several cyclists expressed a concern that the new study would just delay time and money from the existing bike plan policy which has already been lagging over the last year. Put another way, the perpetual attempt to solve problems by coming up with new plans stops any plans from ever being implemented. This is true, but I don't think we should dismiss Professor Gehl too qucikly. He could do some really exciting things in the city, but one wonders how he could ever make logger-heads of the complex web of intrigue that is Sydney’s planning culture. Even the smallest road change is likely to require the cooperation of city council, the RTA and the Department of Planning. However, as we saw in the fiasco over the removal of bike lanes in William Street, there are some very powerful and competing agendas within the city and so the possibility making even minor urban policy changes is likely to run into trouble. Professor Gehl’s appointment represents an exciting opportunity for the city to tackle many of its urban woes, however, his appointment could be seen as a symptom of the city’s problems in that we repeatedly hope that international experts will give us 'the cure' rather than confront the real issue of just how the city can be governed in a coordinated and democratic way. If Professor Gehl is not to go the way of his Danish predecessor he will need to focus on the complex political ‘life between buildings’.

More fun playing with bikes

On Saturday I sawed through the stem to get the rusted fork out. Hacksaws are fun especially when you don't know what you’re sawing into. I striped the bike back to the frame and sprayed inside with WD-40. I also cleaned up the wheels with WD-40, metal polish and some fine steel wool.

On Sunday I headed over the Bicycle Recycle, where Karen was able to give me all the bits and pieces I needed – a Malvern star fork, stem, axles and a bottom bracket. She also gave me a new frame for a fixie. Fixing up bike is a lot of fun when you can get the right parts. It helps if you can make contact with the right people. A lot of bike enthusiasts are only too happy to help share their knowledge. On Sunday afternoon I got back to putting it all together. I picked up some industrial grease for the bottom bracket. It was a little bit like playing that boardgame 'Operation' as you push the ball bearings around the cup with a pen and aim to keep them all in place. The grease makes it easy and I got it to work on the second attempt. This time when I put the chainring and crankarms back on there was no wobble. I then cleaned and regreased the ball bearings in the fork and headset and put it all back together with the new fork. The bike is basically ready to go, I just need to put the chain back on and do a few tightening adjustments. Will head over to the Nunnery this afternoon to finish it off.

Back to work

With some encouragement from Karen at Bicycle Recycling, I've got back to work on the Malvern Star. The odds are that it is older than I thought and could be from the 1960s or earlier. While I’m still looking for a new/old axle, I’ve realised that I shouldn’t waste time and use this opportunity to do other things such as clean up the chainring.

This week is the one year anniversary of my ‘conversion’ to cycling. Its easy to remember because I started riding the first week I started a PhD at Macquarie Uni. A bit of a 'lifestyle change' as they say. I’ve gone from being a ‘haven’t cycled since I was a teenager’, to a ‘200-300km a week commuter/leisure/sporting cyclist’ and some would say ‘cycling evangelist’. I’ve gone from just one bike to four (but only two or three ever work at the same time). Yes, it’s a bit of an addiction but I’m trying hard not to become a 'cycling fetishist’. I used to drive everyday but now only once a fortnight. I’ll get rid of my car soon. What prompted me into cycling was a simple mixture of factors; 1) time it was quicker than driving and less stressful; 2) costs: when petrol went over 1.40 a litre I knew I was wasting too much money, and; 3) fitness: I hated gyms, got bored with swimming and was not into team sports. Getting into cycling has completely changed the way I see the city, in fact I like Sydney a lot more than I used to. Its a much more interesting place when you get around on a bike. I can talk the benefits of cycling forever, but at the end of the day, I simply enjoy my time on the bike.

Sydney Body Art Ride

So here i am in silver making my big exit into the world of body art at the Sydney Body Art Ride. All for a deserving charity... well yes... that and the $5o bet I made with Therese. The day was heaps of fun although I did sense some irony in that we were standing out in the sun for three hours in an event that was to raise money for a cancer charity. As a ride marshall, I only dealt with one irate car driver (4WD of course). Everyone else loved the spectacle. Going for a swim at Maroubra was just the best. Felt like I was in some strange religious festival as 200+ coloured cyclists ran into the water to wash off their painted bodies.

If your reading this T, the check can be made out to:

Children's Cancer Institute Australia
PO Box 81
Randwick NSW 2031