Few can narrate like Andy from FYXO. I can only imagine the stories he’ll tell his daughter when she is all grown up. My recount of Shifter Dan’s Birthday Bush Bash Day 02 pales in comparison to that of Fyxomatosis’ efforts.
Head over to Fyxomatosis now to check out more great photos and a pretty great ride recap. I already miss that place…
Melbourne’s Dirty Deeds CX league is something I’ve yet to experience in person. Once a rogue group of riders hitting trails in unsanctioned races is now a full blown ‘cross league. Pick up one of these Creux collaborative jerseys here.
I don’t think I’ve shot a better photo of Dan from Shifter Bikes before. Out of all my Mamiya 7ii photos from Australia, this might just be my favorite. There’s a full set coming soon, once I finish scanning…
Regular scanning will commence today. I’m trying to wrap my head around jetlag and emails.
The wood is a magical place. It turns fat bloggers into slightly less fat raconteurs. It clears your head, makes your chest pound, legs throb and palms sweat. You bond with your mates and let the beauty of nature envelop you. The first day of Shifter Dan’s 40th Birthday Bush Bash set the stage for the second…
After a much-needed 12-hours of sleeping, I awoke in my Courthouse Hotel bunk bed to the call of the Magpie and the ruckus of Cockatoos around 7am. We showered, packed and went over our bikes. Which, after the rutted, bumpy and dusty descent into Jamieson, were in disrepair. A little bit of lube and a quick tightening of the bolts and we were ready to take on the second day of Dan’s 40th Birthday Bush Bash.
The course this year was the reverse of last year. We left climbing over the Great Dividing Range and ended up on the very track that caused so many flats on the previous ride, but this time we were climbing up, rather than flying down. Our spirits were bright, our legs were loose and all we could do was soak in the sights and sounds of the bush.
We finished the day at 76 miles and over 14,500′ of elevation gain. There was only one thing, wait, a few things that I wanted after the ride: a bottle of ginger beer, a coffee and a pair of mushroom and steak pies!
Enclosed is the ride report for the first leg of this 19.33 MP/C* ride.
Check out a bunch of narrated photos in the Gallery!
When I posted a few photos of this bike, a bunch of people emailed me, asking about its history. To be honest, I’m not 100% sure what the history is, other than it’s a Sun Graphics respray in the less common Telekom livery. That and it’s got a great built kit. See that stem? Instant classic. I’ve seen a lot of Merckx bikes in Melbourne, but Paul’s is one of my favorites.
Photos by Andy White
Many years ago, Andy had his first love affair with the ‘Wood. You can read about it here (seriously, do it). I remember the first time I read that ride report. My mind was blown. “Those Aussies are insane”. This year was the first time a large group went on the ride and it won’t be the last time. Before you read about some brand claiming the roads are their own, go out and do it yourself. These roads are yours for the taking.
If you need any more motivation, head over to FYXO for the full checklist of how to get into the ‘Wood as well as more incredible photos.
Great photos Andy. Let’s do it again in October.
Malachi’s Northside Wheelers porteur is one of the best examples of how you don’t need to spend a lot of money to have a classy ride, just a little creativity and insight. It doesn’t hurt to have Danny Hale of Shifter Bikes on your side though…
This bike is very similar to Dan’s own singlespeed porteur (which was stolen last year). It’s a Taiwanese frame, painted matte black but has some sneaky detailing. A coaster brake keeps the bike’s silhouette clean, while a Shimano Nexus 3-speed hub aids in scaling Melbourne’s hills.
How the bike shifts is one of the most clever details: a Campagnolo downtube shifter is mounted to the seat stay, allowing Mal to “suicide shift” this sleek beauty. Other details include a Northside Wheelers saddle, crafted by Mick Peel of Busyman, pinstriping on the hub / rims, pink nipples, Campagnolo Strada cranks and custom painted fenders. It’s a sleeper! See for yourself in the Gallery.
Let’s rewind a week or so ago. I had just “escaped” from China and landed in Melbourne via a hellish flight, filled with turbulence, a pesky, smelly neighbor and suspect food. Andy picked me up and after noting an “off smell” (me), he asked what I felt like doing. What came out of my mouth never felt more right: “a ride”…
You know, like 30k or so. Just a pleasant spin around the ‘hood. With FYXO, there’s no such thing as short and sweet. We went here, then there and ended up on Bald Spur road, one of the many areas that was ravaged by the Black Saturday bushfires of 2009. Trees stripped of their leaves, half-charred houses, melted water towers littered the roadside.
It was around 60 miles and 6,000′ or so. I didn’t have my Garmin, so my legs, the elapsed time and post-ride appetite were the gauge. To think that this was all in Andy’s backyard…
Check out some narrated photos in the Gallery.
Tools of the trade:
Yashica T4 (the last photo is my Leica M7 with Zeiss 28mm)
Neopan 400
The story with this bike in particular is a common tale. As a youngster, the owner used to race at the velodromes here in Melbourne. Like many kids growing up, he rode what he could afford to and when the time came, he sold off his bikes to buy new ones.
As adults, many people track down their distant memories and relive their youth. The owner of this gorgeous 531 Cecil Walker track just recently put it together to get back onto the boards and what a build. A brand new frame, complete with Dura Ace track parts, Zipp 1150 rear and a Zipp 3000 tri-spoke front would bring out the inner child in any track racer.
Beautiful Bicycle: Jesse’...
Afternoon Cup at Flat Track Co...
Beautiful Bicycle: Woody’...
Beautiful Bicycle: Raffy’...
Recent Roll: Austin Randomness...
Beautiful Bicycle: My Argonaut...
Beautiful Bicycle: My FBM Swor...
Beautiful Bicycle: My Geekhous...
2013 NAHBS: Head Shots and Hea...
Interbike 2012: Gallery 02...