For $100 I can get a nice set of Velocity hoops, but then I have to wait 2 months for them to arrive. WTB sealed bearing hubset for about AU$25 to my door. Spokes are probably the most expensive part, but easy enough to source. I was just hoping to get the rims locally, and build them up. I'll keep looking. Thanks.

Munchie, you missed out again!

$100 for a pair sounds worth the wait - if you can. i just got impatient. i wanted everything yesterday - but i had to drive for a couple of hours to get it.

why do velocity take so long? i thought they were australian made.

and how much do you pay for spokes?

I haven't priced them over here, but I can get a sweet deal on them in the states, go figure. I suppose I should check prices here too, and figure out if it's worth the wait. It's the usual deal where I decide my wife needs better wheels, as she has heaps of fun on my old FS. Instead of getting her some new wheels I figure she'll do fine with my lightly used Mavic/Shimano set, and I'll build some new ones for me. Kinda like giving her a new set of spanners for Chrissy...

Hey, I have nothing against carbon fiber. I think it's 'magical qualities' are bullsh¡t, but appart from that, it has awesome potential. My biggest problem with it is this 'five sizes fits nobody' crap, but now that I can do custom sizing......*mwuhuhuhaa!*.....problem solved!

So if anyone is looking for an insane bike and has a huge wad of cash burning a hole in their pockets, you know who to call. Retail will be AU$4995 for frame, fork and headset. ( Mates rates for pre-orders quite considerably less ). Yup, I can see the queue forming now! NOT! :)

Hitchy, cool that you got fitted up. The burning glutes phenomena disappears after a week or so. Basically what you're doing to now using more of the muscles on the back of your legs rather than the front, which before were being under utilised. That's my understanding of it anyway.

What changes did Kennedy make to your set-up? Did you have to change any components, or did he just reposition your cleats, push your seat back and say 'buy a shorter stem'?

In terms of getting bored with the same old routes, yeah, that's a big problem. I can see why people resort to Beach Rd., but I'm just so frikken tired of that stretch. If you want a abit of adventure, here's two new routes for you eastern suburbs types to try -

Werribee South via Williamstown / Altona / Point Cook

Cruize into town and find your way to Footscray Rd. or Dynon Rd. From there, left down Whitehall, continue South, under the West Gate, down Douglas Pde into Williamstown. From there you can do a loop of Williamstown following the coast, down the awful Kororoit Ck Rd, left down Millers Rd to Altona.
From Altona it's West down Queens St to Laverton / Western Gardens, then down the long windy Point Cook Rd / Aviation Rd ( 'round past Pnt Cook RAAF base ) until you hit Duncan's Rd. Werribee South.
Turn left, and follow Duncan's Rd down to Werribee South.
from there you can either ride back or check out the various loops you can do ( I often do a circuit arround W'bee Sth / Hoppers Lane / Sneydes Rd / back to Point Cook Rd. )

This circuit is a bit of a hike - nearly 80kms from my joint in Kensington, so add the distance of however long it takes for you to get to Kens X2 and that's your distance.

Diamond Creek / St.Andrews / Eltham area

This one is a bit convoluted and I have about 4 variations, but this is a good way to get up into the hills.
From my place I go due North until I hit Cooper St Campbellfield/Epping. From there it's East to Yarrambat and Diamond Creek. From there I either head NE to Hurstbridge / St.Andrews way and loop back through Panton Hill / Kangaroo Ground / Research / Eltham.
Once in Eltham it's either go with the flow directly back to the city and then home, or through Lower Templestowe / Doncaster / Kew back home.
See, I told you it's convoluted! But hey, I've done it so often now I don't even need a map.

From my place, there are variations on the theme varying from 70 to 100kms. Not mega distances, but when you add in the hills.....oh boy.

I need to get back on the roadie - haven't done much in two weeks coz I'm doing some work in the garden and been playing a bit of tennis which has wrecked me.

One of these days I'm going to catch a train to Lilydale and ride out the back of Silvan / Monbulk / Emerald / Beaconsfield and maybe catch another train home from Cranbourne. Hopefully the bogans won't beat me up.

HA ha! Were you there? I thinks that's pretty much how it went :)

Go an see if Maurice Matherson has anything for you (sells new and reconditioned bikes). He's at the railway gates at Adamstown. Close to home (for you) and a flat ride too! And if you don't find anything you like there, there's always the Gates Hotel.

When I finally catch up with those female volleyballers I'm gonna have to give them all a thorough spanking :) Should I take a couple of cans of whipped cream?

Nope. they weren't there. No room for them with the Foreshore triathlon. Of course, not eveyone likes extremely fit women on bikes in swimmers...

I prefer them to get off the bike and back into bed :D

Trouble brewing over in the phil ligit and paul sherwin (sometimes bob roll) thread. divekrb is giving some heat to a poor unsuspecting Canadian. Let's hope it doesn't fizzle :)

Had to add my 2 cents worth over there.

Hey, did I read something here last week about flying to Europe with JAL via Tokyo? If anyone does that and JAL puts you up for the night in a hotel at Narita (we stayed at Narita Winds last year), don't buy dinner at the hotel. How's 20 bucks for a bowl of chips grab you? Walk down to the 7-11 instead. Breakfast is a different story though, go the Japanese option, and watch the natives for how to do it. Amazing stuff.

(Oh no, I've finally succumbed to the Aussie thread)

cheers,
Ants

You like to hit 'em while they're sleeping, eh?

Superbowl Sunday! America logged off the internet 2 minutes ago. Should be quiet for the next 3 hours.

Gee, hotel food is expensive? Really? Wow. :p

Luckily, every time I go to Japan, a long term good client of mine foots the bill. Once when we went to dinner with the boss, the wine we were drinking was 200 bucks a bottle. I didn't want to look at how much the food was - luckily he didn't want to split the bill with me or else I'd still be paying it off today. Japan is weird - you have to know where to go to get the affordable stuff. If you're anywhere near the touristed routes or holiday areas or just simply 'Tokyo', you'll get reamed.

I used to follow the 49ers way back when they knew how to play football. Watch the Rose Bowl and all the playoffs every morning on the ABC's NFL-fest. But that was when I was young and brainless, these days I know better :D

i think you were wondering about fit a few weeks ago.
this is from Cycling Forums, in the Aus & NZ section

Wondering about fit is a lifestyle - one I accidently fell into when I thought to myself "You know, I should add a road bike to my lineup"

When eventually I get new shoes and pedals ( anyone got a spare 400 bucks? ) I might go visit Beasley and see what he thinks.

Variety is a good thing, and I reckon anyone fully into this thing should get/do as many fitouts as possible ( although having said that, if they all start charging 250 bucks a fit, they can all go get stuffed ).

I tell ya, this whole road bike thing is making mountainbiking and mountain bikers look real good right about now. ;)

Climbed Kariong in 8:15 this morning, wahooo! I woz flyin'. :) Either that or I'll have to revise my estimate of what a good time for that climb is. :(

damn that is quick !! Did you hold on to a truck or something?

No, just testing out my newfound superpowers :D Coach ordered me to hold an A grade wheel on Saturday, and being the moron that I am complied. Unfortunately that means that I no longer have an excuse for lagging on the hills. :eek:

And when are you coming to Newi again? I'm sure the Senior Citizens Surf Club will be out in full force this weekend.

:p :p :p :p :p :p :p :p :p

Oh yeah, and that would be Newey (as in Adrian). Damned yanks and their infernal bastardisation of the French/Italian/Spanish/Latin/German language (otherwise known as English)

I couldn't resist either :o

I asked my wife how to spell it. My Novocastrian trumps your spelling, sorry.