Rowan

Not one with your own decals on it?

Thylacine

Hell no! I'll do a CX frame for someone actually doing CX, otherwise, you're better off with a good ol' MTB with skinnier tires.

rockmuncher

Switching topics for a minute: I flicked over to SBS the other day and they were showing highlights of the UCI World Cup (Track) in LA. All the Aussies were off song. Ryan and Anna had particularly poor form. They looked totally legless. And got beaten easily.

It's unnerving to see your countrymen getting a hiding when you're so used to seeing them on top of the dais.

Rowan

But it is only world cup. Their job is done. They have four years to bask in glory.

I bet Oenone Wood would prefer an Olympic medal to the world cup victory she had this year.

ed073

it was on Foxtel, too. I wouldn't worry too much....early days.

Brian

What do you use for your Randy-neering? Tiger says to just put slicks on my spare MTB. I'm back to square one. I need to find an aero bar (clip on type) and some skinny tires and go that route. STI's not looking too cheap right now, even with my connections.

rockmuncher

https://sanityadrift.blogspot.com/200...road-rage.html

Rowan

Fully fledged touring bike. Fuji Touring to be exact. It's a bit heavy for randonneuring, but I need to have a bike that will tour loaded *and* do randonnees.

I would love to have a Dawes or Thorn or some other English frame that is designed specifically for randonnees and light touring. Thinner diameter chainstays and seatstays, decent wheelbase, and a bit more flex in the frame to make the ride more comfortable.

The old Peugeot that's become my fixie would have been fine -- it rides really well, even with a Vitus racing fork, but the rear drop-out width is too narrow and I couldn't be bothered risking spreading the chain/seatstays. I have another old lugged frame that's wider, but it's earmarked for a commuter. I might hit-up Tigerboy and see what sort of deal he could do on an English audax lookalike in steel late next year.

The Fuji has become a grandma's axe after recently clocking over 30,000km in three years of riding. Only the frame, fork, stem, handlebars, seatpost, post clamp, front der, brifters and frame barrel adjusters are original. The original Cyclone 30-42-54 chainrings and cranks were dumped out after an epic loaded Canberra-Melbourne ride in four days over the Great Divide in August 2002 for a Deore 22-32-44 set. Wheels are now Aerohead (OS on the rear with Velocity no-name hub). Brooks B17 saddle. SON dynohub on the front wheel. All the usual randonnee stuff. It serves as my touring, commuting and randon bike.

The old lugger I mentioned above to become my commuter will help reduce some of the annual cost of running the Fuji. Chains and rear cluster are usually replaced prior to every ride over 1000km, although I am going to risk the Giro Tas next week with about 3000km on the current set.

FWIW, the young guy who finished in least time on the Great Southern rode an MTB, with flat bars and narrow slick tyres. The problem always is going to be comfort. Usually, the frame needs to be bigger for comfortable randons than would be good for MTB. However, if you can find something like a late-80s or early-90s Apollo or whatever frame in steel with a horizontal top tube, you might be on to something worth building up. Decent chainstay length, decent top-tube length... I regret sometimes swapping an old Apollo MTB steelie for a crappy lounge suite -- the frame would still be going, the suite is destined for the dump.

Anyway, if you want more info, just ask. I might be an idiot, but I am a knowledgeable idiot for randon stuff.

Brian

Munchie, while I have to admit I appreciate the links, I have to ask - when do you find time to work?

Hitchy

Oi Tiger,

If you're serius about the Arione, I picked one up on ebay the other day for $88USD. Some bike shop in Qld, (he sells in USD even though he's in Oz), I've seen him with a few of these on ebay before & since, so it might be worthwhile either contacting him direct, or pursing ebay for his future auctions...here's the link to the one I got if yo wanna contact him
https://cgi.ebay.com.au/ws/eBayISAPI....e=STRK:MEWN:IT

cheers,

Hitchy

531Aussie

Hey Muncho, where's your 'signature'?

Did you know you got a nomination for the "best signature" award in "Foo"?

badsac

Aww, what a fookin arse.

My bike has Specialized Pro All Conditions on them. Are OEM tires on bikes like the printer cartridges that come with a new laser printer purchase? Only good for a third the milage. I wouldn't have much more than 1000 km on my rear and it's dead. Think I said that after my big ride on boxing day my rear had a bulge in it. Well yesterday had a mate up from Sydney and had to do some riding with him. No bike shops were open so had to ride on the tire. After 90 km there was another big bulge in it and a place where the threads were showing. After 100 I had a blowout 20 km from home.

1000 km from a tire? Is that for real? I don't use the back brake (habit got from riding road bikes for years) so it's not from skidding it. It's just from ordinary, pissweak riding. If they really cost $80 then that's ********. The main bike shop still isn;t open, and the gunshop only had $10 jobbies that looked fit for a 1970's malvern star. So I'm bikeless.

Will be playing golf instead tomorrow I guess.

So you dudes still recon it's worth getting a cheapie in the meantime, then buying a few online from OS?

rockmuncher

No fargin way!

I'd better put it back for another day or two!

I think I only got the nomination for sheer persistence in the face of ignorance.

531Aussie

https://www.bikeforums.net/showthread.php?t=80857

rockmuncher

Yeah, thanks

rockmuncher

I have to go now. I need some quiet time so I can write my acceptance speech.

PaulBravey

Hey Rowan, can you recommend any books on long(ish) distance riding, training and what not? My boss has convinced me to do one of the centuries he's got lined up for march or april.

Now that's something you don't normally see from an aussie The English cycling tour of south africa is looking good so far but it looks like the tour of sri lanka has been cancelled

ed073

100 000 + dead.

Fark me.

rockmuncher

From the Guardian

In Thailand Chcheep Mahachan, who works in the seismological bureau of the country's meteorology department, said it played down the impact of the earthquake because officials were wary about provoking panic. "A proper warning was not given," he said. "If we had given the warning and then it hadn't happened, then it would have been the death of tourism in those areas."

The department did issue a warning of an impending wave but the versions distributed to resorts and towns along the coast underestimated the likely threat.

The bureau chief, Sulamee Prachuab, said that her staff had overestimated previous threats. "Five years ago, the meteorological department issued a warning of a possible tidal wave after an earthquake in Papua New Guinea, but the tourism authority complained that such a warning would hurt tourism," she said.

I wonder if the tourism authority had considered the possible outcomes of not issuing a properly stated warning.

vrkelley

Gee do you think understating the problem may have hurt tourism**********??
Don't expect me to travel there any time soon.

ed073

Anyone get back on the idea of a 2nd Aussie Thread Beach Rd cruise??

climbo

which bike?

Brakes, if you want "real" cross brakes get the Avid cantilevers, cheap and work as good as anything out there. V brakes work OK but have less clearance and you need extra gadgets (travel agents) to get them to work with road levers. Cantilevers are good enough and they are easy to maintain.

With any luck there will be a cyclo-cross race on the Coast in winter 2005, I'll keep you all informed if it comes off.

531Aussie

Hitchy's obviously the nucleus, so, where is he?

Rowan

Best advice I can give is to subscribe to the long distance forum at bicyclng.com

https://forums.bicycling.com/forum.jspa?forumID=16

DrCodfish there will answer that question for you. There are several long-distance books that he is keen on.

mrwhite

Melbournite.

Messenger.

Who stole the jam out of your donut?