Channel 7 claim to be doing something with the road race too, but who knows?

If you don't have picture-in-picture, try this for a month, and you'll NEVER GO BACK:
Set up two tellys next to each other, so you can watch "propper" shows on one, and the Olympics
on the other with the sound off.....IT'S GROWSE!! I promise, you'll never be able to go back to one telly.

(once again, I must get a life :( )

Yeah I did. Looks good. Couldn't really find a hint of prices in there though or how exactly the whole operations works. I take it he does you a custom frame and you supply the rest?

Really I'm just getting into road cycling coming off mountain bikes and only have <$3k to spend. So I doubt doing anything through Thylacine at this point would be practical or a good idea. Just noticed his site and liked to look of his kit and got intrigued. I respect quality local product and hope he does well. Who knows, one day I might know enough (and earn enough ;) ) to make use of and appreciate his services. :D

$3000 should buy you a very good road bike, especially if you're prepared to hunt around for something 2nd hand, perhaps with some help of someone who's right into road riding.

There's just too many bikes out there to start listing your options, but, like I mentioned last week, some shops are selling the basic 2004 Giant TCR carbon thingies, with Ultegra, and the slightly cheaper fork (aluminium steerer & carbon blades), and Shimano wheels, for $3000 or a bit less!!

The "custom built frame" option, plus good running gear can get a bit expensive.

Yeah I thought it would get expensive. I'm kind of thinking just to go a bit cheaper, get my fitness up again and get a feeling for what I have under me first then maybe get something better. 2nd hand might definitley be the go.

If you're in Australia, there are a few good second hand shops.

However, if you're in the US, then you were obviously talking US dollars when you mentioned $3000, so......WOW, the sky's the limit!!

No, in Australia. Bathurst to be precise. Where are these 2nd hand shops you speak of.

Tephras using Columbus Zona tubing start at A$2,395. With the high zoot air hardening steels they're A$2,635. ( frame only ). But hey, you know, I have been known to consider mate's rates. =)

Oh yeah, more pretty pictures are here >>> http://www.thylacinecycles.com/gallery

Second hand is a good way to go if you're just getting into the roadie thing. They're usually not thrashed like mountainbikes are, and sometimes on ebay or in the trading post you can find some unbelieveable deals.

That's frame only as well right?

Yup, saw them. Purty! :)

That's good to hear. I still don't really like second hand much though. Ever since I burnt my dream car (BMW 2002Tii) to the ground, 2 weeks after I bought one off some dodgy buggers I haven't had much luck with 2nd hand. I've got a knack for picking lemons it seems. But what can go wrong with a road bike right? :eek:

G'day tigerboy,

some nice frames in your gallery!. You do this for a living or a 'make some bucks on the side hobby'?.....what size is the frame on the completed 'roadie' in the gallery?...it looks 'different' with the space between the top tube & the 'down' tube at the front. I'm assuming it's a 'big' frame?. What would I get for my $ if i wanted a steel frameset,?

cheers,

Hitchy

Ok ladies & germs....who's up for 'round the bay in a day'?.....we could have the 1st annual 'The Aussie thread @ bike forums get together', (except wattsy cos he's a woosy!)......210km on 17/10/04....5.30am start....beer o'clock around 2.30pm. A week after 'warney'....so i should be able to get my leg over a top tube by then!...so who's up....I'm entering now,

cheers,

Hitchy

I'm a consistent rider (my best effort is 61 days without a day off:) ), but I've never done more than 120kms in one day (which was split between a morning and evening "commute plus extras"), so I would DIE doing that. Worst thing would be that I might have to take the following day off!

The guy at Bicycle Recycle says that stacks of recreational cyclists do that ride without properly preparing, then have such a totally horrible experience that they come and sell their bike, and state that they will never ever ride again.

There's a couple in Melbourne which are pretty good, but they're not worth
the trip from Bathurst -- although they do often ship stuff interstate.

G'day,

I know a guy who ahs a 'scapin' frame he's thinking of selling!....If only I could remember who that was..........

Hitchy

Hmmmm....cunning plan!!

Yeah buying a 2nd hand bike from interstate sight unseen would be begging for it as far as my luck with these things go. :(

What's a 'scapin' frame anyway? Is that a frame that has a habit of 'scapin' out from underneath it's rider? Or bits have a habit of 'scapin' off of it? Or it ended up 'scapin' off the back of a truck? ;) :p

G'day,

Eat thy words heathen!...Scapin are an Italian manufacturer of high end frames. They made their reputation on steel, but I think they do ALU as well now. Check this site http://www.scapin.com/
If the 'high-end frame police' see your post you're gunna get flamed, (deservedly so....LOL)

cheers,

Hitchy

Hey Hitchy,
Thylacine cycles is one part of my daytime gig - the other half is as a professional graphic and product designer. One day I'm hoping to give up the consulting work and go full time at Thylacine.
The Tephra in the gallery is my personal bike. It's made from True Temper OX Platinum and works out to be about a 61cm. I'm a tall lad ( 6ft 3.5in or so ). The wheels are Tune hubs ( 76/220g hubs ) laced to DT rims - they FLY.

As for Around the Bay in a Day, yup, I'm doing it. Not signed up yet, but I will next week - doing it with the proud owner of the mean green Thylacine in the gallery. 531, the longest ride I've ever done is 85kms, so 210kms is...err......madness, yes, but farkit. I'm up for a challenge. I will die a horrible death and barely be able to walk on Monday, but hey, sounds like most weekends anyway. ;)

heretic!! :)

Oh okay sorry. Forgive my noobness. Had a look at the site and they sure are nice lookin frames though. I see what you mean when you say you've got a frame to sell. Nice as they are, you'd get sick of Fred Flinstoning the thing around with no gears, brakes, or pedals. :p

Actually, I only heard of Scapin about 5 years ago, and that's only because I live right near their main retailer here in Melbourne (Pro Motion, Ormond). Seems Scapin have been making frames for about 40 years. The "S8" retails for 6 'grand', or so....rediculous, in my opnion.

Anyway, Olympic road race on all night, tonight, on SBS.

Nice win by Bettini and a courageous Silver by that Portugese dude. Awesome performance! I was relieved to see that Backsteadt is actually bigger than I am, meaning of course, I have the potential to be a champ :rolleyes:

Gold! Gold! Gold! In the womans' road race. Fell asleep with 30mins to go - just don't have the late night stamina that I used to. Hoorah for replays.

Oh, hey, I just came back from a super nice ride all you Melbourne folk. I live in Kensington right, so I went directly North up Ascot Vale rd until it hits Sommerton Rd - a truck hell, but at least it has a bike lane. From there, its a long hall East to Yarrambat / Diamond Creek ( beautiful part of the world ) before heading south through Eltham and Templestowe. Before long you hit Westerfolds park where you turn West, scoot past The Heide gallery ( if you haven't been there, you're a heathen and must be killed ), through North Balwyn, Kew, Studley Park Rd, Johnson St....then around the Zoo and back home. 75 lovely kms through hill and dale.

My legs hate me right now. There are some bastard hills out that way.

Anyone done any nice Melbin rides recently ( ones that don't involve Beach Rd.) ?

Have you done the Dandenongs lately? In the old days I used to do it two or three times a week, but the last time I went there (about a year ago) the traffic scared the sh1t out of me, so I turned around and came straight home -- but at least I got to ride up Wheelers Hill on the way back. :)

I used to enjoy the Diamond Creek ride, although it was about a 90km round trip back to East Bentleigh. I had a rule, which was if I started seeing dead wombats on the side of the road, then I'd gone too far, and it was time to turn back.

I know I'm a "Beach Road Bozo", but it's so fast it's hard to resist. If I don't stuff around, I can get my 60kms done in under two hours, but 60km anywhere else will take an extra half an hour.

G'day,

Beach rd?......that's not a ride, that's a 'pose off'.......I'm surprised they don't pull over to the cafe's & sit around in the lycra showing off the latest 'go faster gear' & comparing calf muscles, talk about the time they did Pt melb- mordy in 28 minutes (by themselves with no witnessess!)....oh s**t, .......sorry, thats exactly what they do, do!.........sorry 531, most of 'em have gone home by the time you get there!...anyway, you guys want some real riding? come out macedon ranges way.....great roads, little traffic, good cafe's (yeah we do it too!) some good hills...all in all, god's gift to cyclists!!....best club ride in the state leaves 'pedallers west' bike shop Sunbury, 8am every Sunday....all welcome for a leisurely 90 odd k's at around 25kph average, (some hills)...cafe stop at Woodend....(mmm vanilla slice )....all welcome...good bunch of blokes (except me!)......531 can just leave straight from the pub on Saturdee nite!,

cheers,

Hitchy

Thylacine,

I was going through some boxes on the weekend and came across an old Aus MTB mag ( with Paul Rowney on the cover) and ther inside was, well you i think! at hte least it was a profile on Thylacine cycles. made ofr an interesting read. so how much would one of those frames set me back?? or should i just not asK??

You're right, I just got up!! Was up all night watchng the Olympicseses.

Before I start hanging sh1t, do you wear "bike shop" gear, that displays the name of a particular chain of bike shop retailers? :D