I'll post something new soon...

...promise! Just kinda busy presently with other interwebbie stuff. Now for your idle amusement, here's a picture of my dog, the One, the Only Miss Betty. She's a lovely smelly old Blue Heeler x Kelpie, at least 18, blind as a bat & farts a lot. She likes kittycats too. Practically adores them. Now if you don't mind I've got to get ready for a bike ride somewhere this evening. Back soon. Promise.

Reasonable News Article on Cyclists in Daily Newspaper Shock!

FunFunFun for everyone!

From Sydney: They're healthy, thrifty and don't give a hoot
Kimberley Francis is part of a small, but growing, minority group. She is discriminated against, she is beeped at, and the Government pays little heed to her needs. She is a cyclist. The executive assistant is one of the few Sydneysiders who bike to work (fewer than 1 per cent, according to the 2001 census). She rides from Newtown into the city most days, depending on the weather, joining a "bike bus" of others heading the same way to feel safer on roads that make little space for cyclists.

Cripes, a noice, positive and reasonably well-balanced article on cycling issues! Now, to the strains of the Mormon Tabernacle Choir........ Hallelujah!!!

Life's safer on a bike

Received a email today from "46" It's a new campaign from the TAC , it involves a composite of TAC's previous ad campaigns to the tune of Powerfingers "These Days". I don't like Powderfinger, but anyway... From the site: It's 46 too many Don't become a statistic etc etc

Then there's: What can I do about the hidden toll? But there's no information directly pertaining to cyclists - except for the injury calculator on the right; Ok, I'll type in Female, Bicyclist, 30-39..

28 people, just like you are injured on Victorian roads every year

Ok then, Female, Pedestrian, 30-39...

65 people, just like you are injured on Victorian roads every year

Then type in: Female, Passenger, 30-39....

251 people, just like you are injured on Victorian roads every year

Now, Female, Driver, 30-39.....

923 people, just like you are injured on Victorian roads every year

Yes, I certainly prefer to be out & about on the bike. Discussion on a.b

Ride with pride

Image courtesy of Fossil Fool

“Nothing to Fear but Fear Itself”
FDR’s First Inaugural Address
So, first of all, let me assert my firm belief that the only thing we have to fear is fear itself — nameless, unreasoning, unjustified terror which paralyzes needed efforts to convert retreat into advance. In every dark hour of our national life a leadership of frankness and vigor has met with that understanding and support of the people themselves which is essential to victory.

And if FDR's stirring words possibly cheer you up from all this talk about terrorists, then consider cycling down to Goat this Friday for a quiet beer & idle chatter with friendly velophiles.

Pix of Carlton Crit

Here's several lovely piccies taken by Bikesoiler and moi at todays Stage 7 of the Herald Sun Tour, plus a few of the a.b "petit déjeuner" crew and poor Tims face. eccchhhh. Apparently in the last lap there was a ugly stomping incident, cyclingnews should have any news of this soonish. Also relating to 'news of this soonish' sort of events, peruse either Armagnac'd, Brownie or His Excellency for reports of last nights Northcote grog blog. Sorry we didn't stick around longer, had the above mentioned event to rack off to. BTW, did Mallrat rock up? Just curious.

Saturday Age: The new golf This article reads like an uninspired composite of similar Melbournites seized by wacky new cycling craze style stories that The Age has published in recent years. And the paragraphs pertaining to CM are a fecking lazy cut n' paste lifted direct from teh interwebbie. Ho hum. Goodluck to everyone on the ATB tomorrow. May the wind be at your back. May the sun shine warm upon your face. May it not be like 2003. Oh, sorry, don't mention the war... :)

Now repeat after me..sit on your monkey bones, sit on your monkey bones....

After reading the very last contribution on todays letters page, it's obvious that The Age have retained that work-experience sub editor. Brings me to the point, can I be bothered tearing off a reply or just have another gentle sigh of exasperation as this Fairfax publication veers ever downwards towards the crappy standards of the Hun or Daily Terror?

Bum-brained bikies
Alan Attwood missed a major point in his article (Metro, 10/10) about numb-bummed bike riders: he failed to mention that saddle pressure on the perineum creates an inability to understand and obey most road rules, especially red lights. John Nieman, Monbulk

As for the 'discussion' generated by The Journal of Sexual Medicine mentioned in Attwoods article, it's yet another storm in a tea cup (or should that be chamois?). The same boring discussion gets re-aired every couple of years. And has it's counterpoint on virtually every freaking cycling forum more often than our Gentlemen friends could ahem, point percy at the porcelain. The truth comes from learning to adjust your bikes basic geometry. Not scare tactics. Not choosing to not to ride. Not choosing to stay in the car. Do the authors of the article in The Journal of Sexual Medicine know anything about basic geometry/setup of a bike? Do they even care?

Regardless, anyone who rides around numb or in pain for any length of time without adjusting their bikes basic geometry or seeking assistance must be fecking numbnuts. And this is not an elitist assumption. A certain percentage of the population when faced with a problem probably will take steps to educate themselves in order to solve it. Another percentage can't/won't/shalnt - and unfortunately end up utilising a service industry/medical practitioner to repair it for them. ie: think Podiatrists, Cardiologists, Chiropractors, Cleaning Services, Smash Repairers etc etc etc. It's education vs regulation and legislation. The bike industry has a huge role in designing adequate models for domestic markets - but invaribly churn out cheap lowend imports. Any possible solution for better mass-produced bikes, comes from cyclists, as we are the products end user group. This should take a longterm approach with our 'community' educating themselves and working with industry/government to enforce satisfactory design standards.

If I had my way, the majority of the shite for sale in Kmart etc would be withdrawn & all bikes for domestic market would come equiped with guards, lights, highly detailed instructional manuals (with relevant local information, links and networking tips) and all that daggy unfashionable stuff. Back to the saddle positions for a moment, this again could be seen as an example of the condenscending and ignorant prevailing attitudes towards cyclists and cycling in general. Populist stuff without hard data analysis is relatively easy copy to spin in the media - and we should object to it at every opportunity.

Now go learn something: Revisionist Frame Sizing--by Sheldon Brown and especially these bits: Saddle Front/Back Positioning and Bicycle Saddles

UPDATE: Jovial aus.bicycle thread + Euan gets his letter published, see below in comments.

Spinning the Meedya

Here's an all-too-brief overview of alt cycling media .... given enough momentum I'll possibly start podcasting selected cileo highlights, al la Sheldon Brown. From New York springs forth BikeTV: Like Mulder and Scully, we've investigated a myriad of the bike paranormal and have determined this fact: one day bicycling will save the planet! Possibly. And then there's the wonderful Go By Bicycle: Remember when you first learned to ride a bike? Think back for a second. It's just as much fun now as it was then. Throw a few shekels via paypal & get the zine too.

Cyclemedia: No, it's not a uber dodgy concept selling advertising space on bikes. It's run by one Lauren 'Dances With Cars' Cooper. Is it safe to bicycle on the road? Absolutely! It is safer overall than motorcycles, ocean-swims, horse-rides, climbing ladders and tanning!. Please note that 9 of 10 bicycling injuries are just falls -- no car involved. Despite millions of children who squirrel around unpredictably on bikes, fewer than 1 in 70 car/bike collisions is fatal; and 2 of 3 of cyclists walk away after treatment. Yes indeed.

From Los Angeles: We are totally enthusiastic to present the Fifth Annual Bicycle Film Festival. Up to 7,000 people attended in NYC alone, LA was amazing, and all of the screenings sold out in London. San Francisco is next, get ready. A fervor is brewing for bike culture in global urban centers. The films in the festival reflect the unadulterated passion cyclists have for their rides. The film program is amazing. We have a lot of fun stuff planned as well. Ride your bike over and have a good time. Thanks to all the Filmmakers, Bikers, and Sponsors that help make this awesome event happen. Brendt Barbur, Director
P.S. Bikes Rule!

Hmmm, not quite yet, presently we're more akin to small mammals in the times of dinosaurs. More food for thought from Chris Carlsson: Critical Mass is Thirteen: The Culture War is Older (and far from over)

Amazing to think it's been 13 years since the first "Commute Clot" brought together about 50 bicyclists at "PeeWee" Herman Plaza at the foot of Market Street in San Francisco. Within a few short months it had gained the moniker "Critical Mass" and the excitement and euphoria and sheer novelty of an "organized coincidence" that fills the streets with bicycles instead of cars was rapidly reproducing itself across the planet.

Image courtesy of Moz

More Cycling Meedya: unfortunately if you read the November edition of Bicycle Victoria's magazine Ride On™ , the Critical Mass article on page 22 displays a passive-aggressive approach. Or put succinctly, a longterm systemic misunderstanding. No other cycling organisation in Australia conducts themselves like Bicycle Victoria. No other cycling organisation criticises Critical Mass to the same extent. A professional, pragmatic stance would be "yes, we strongly do not agree, but it's a democracy". And leave it simply at that.

From the BV website: Bicycle Victoria is an inclusive cycling organisation that values your feedback. Our relationships extend from small grassroots collectives – such as local Bicycle User Groups – to large government bodies and private companies. All of these relationships are essential to our aim of More People Cycling More Often.

Consider this, Critical Mass did warmly extend the hand of friendship back in 1996 when a joint meeting was organised with Bicycle Victoria management. Pity, the then CM 'collective' were harshly slapped down for their efforts by BV management, and a potential bridge-building exercise went to shit. I'll leave you with this thought. If Bicycle Victoria had effectively conducted their various roles during the last decade, Critical Mass surely wouldn't have attracted the community support to continue thriving in Melbourne. I bid you all a pleasant weekend.

Bwhahahahahaha

$25 entry?!? Sod off, we rode thru for free. Now where's the pub?

So it's different when the Hun organises a run thru the tunnel and over the Ronald Ryan? Lets pray for the runners benefit, Transurban pumps more oxygen into the Domain Tunnel. From memory, it stinks down there (if riding through on a bike). Yeah, handing over 25 quid and brown nosing to the appropriate authorities/corporate spin doctors makes a world of difference. I suppose from another perspective, when the energy crisis whatever kicks in, CityLink tunnels could be utilised for mushroom farms, wine storage, Goth nightclubs or taking the horses out for adjistment on the 'G and Goschs Paddock....

KittyKittyKitty

It's come to our recent attention that this blog has nowhere near the standard numbers of cat pictures. We now correct that inbalance with three rather spiffy images. Enjoy.


Tiddles checks out the all-new Talon cleats

While we're up & about, peruse this:
Stuff On My Cat

Just don't draft behind me

Wit and Wisdom via iBike: How efficient is Bicycling? Here is an egg-planation.
A bicyclist burns about 25 Calories per mile. One large egg supplies 80 Calories. A cyclist can travel about three miles on the energy of one egg. 0 (symbol for one egg)

A person walking would require three eggs to go the same distance. 000

A loaded bus requires the equivalent of two dozen eggs for each person it carries three miles. 0000000000000000000
00000

Candy Flavourings also available

A train requires the equivalent of three dozen eggs for each person it carries three miles. 000000000000000000000000
000000000000

A car that gets 12.5 miles per gallon requires the equivalent of seven dozen eggs to carry one person three miles.
000000000000000000000000000000000000000000
000000000000000000000000000000000000000000

Even if you double the miles per gallon [25mpg] and double the occupancy a car will still use the equivalent of twenty-one eggs to make the trip -- more than twenty times a bicycle. 000000000000000000000