Sydney Rollin

Bridges and Opera Houses

My olympus gave up the ghost last night, it refuses to take shots for no reason. Here are some of the shots from yesterday that I dragged off it. I have Kate’s camera as backup today. off to have coffee at Deus Ex Machina and see what builds they have in the shop.

Exploring Sydney

Hey ho. I’ve been in Sydney hanging out with Chris, we went riding around the harbour and central suburbs today it was awesome. There are so many cyclist friendly loop roads and bike lanes which mean you can keep good speed up in light traffic, Auckland could learn alot from this planning. I took some shots and clips hitting the banks under the harbour bridge, I’ll post them tomorrow when I juice up my camera. Not alot of fixie activity even couriers don’t run fixies much here. Will go and check out the Deus Ex Machina spot tomorrow. The White Horse has been good, used to the 50/16 gear now. We are going to ride across the harbour bridge tomorrow, it’s pedestrian mainly but we have seen some cyclists so will hit it up when it’s quiet. I have to call around and spread some word about the Asylum Criterium, I hope it’s going to be a good first gathering. Chris and I are working on the spoke card design over here. A southerly came through and it’s freezing here tonight- will be riding in a hoody tomorrow> I’ll drop some shots in and update soon.

MANCAVE

The mancave is coming together. My makeshift workbench is going to get replaced and Justin wants to have roller races right there in my garage. I’m into it. Especially since we can’t ride tonight in the rain, it will only get worse.

Here are shots of the usual supects lined up on the wall. The shelving and tool situation is good – I just need to get the bottom bracket tool’s lock ring spanners and crank extractors. Then we don’t have to take our bikes into stores to strip them back.

Cullen emailed me from Florida saying he just rode another alley cat in Miami, he’d been on the booze with Thomas all afternoon but still did great. Cullen – I promise your package will leave NZ tomorrow with your SR goodies in it.

 

 

Behold a Pale Horse

We took the bikes up the hill on Friday and rode around in the dark. White bikes are good in bad light.

I went for a ride yesterday – the 50/16 gear ratio on my white bike is definitely alot harder than I thought it would be for all round riding and climbing hill. Still getting used to it. Simon called yesterday- it’s pretty rad that they are selling standard Bianchi Pista completes on Torpedo7 for $695. That is a pretty cheap entry level bike right there. Hedgehog are renting me a travel bag for my bike for Sydney this week. It’s cold and raining over there but I’ll endeavour to get some shots.

 

 

RIDE THE WHITE HORSE

Our steeds are now assembled and ready to roll. We are off up to the TF after work to drink beer and ride around. I had some issues with mine but it’s all locked in now. I changed it to a 1/8 drive line. I also powder coated some MASH barends white and they look sick.

I’ll document our semi sober shenanigans this evening so you can see Justin and Mike’s rigs too. Justin has half the campagnolo factory on his. It even smells Italian.

We are definitely riding when it’s dry this weekend. I’m off to hang with Chris next weekend in Sydney. I’m going for a week and taking a bike over so we can get some riding done. I need to find a bike bag to borrow so I don’t have to ghetto box it up.

 

 

JUSTIN

Steady Wheezin’

 

I’m going to have to rename the criterium “can I get off my couch and rock a single lap of the course without making my lungs bleed?”. I think I am going to take a bit of a tourist pace and then retire to the training facility for some foamy beverage refreshments. We are also thinking that we might project the MASH DVD onto the wall at the TF start point after the race for whoever wants to hang out and watch it.

Justin and I rode in between rain showers yesterday and I wasn’t feeling too fit after a quick lap.

Mike, Justin and I have a frame each in the powder coaters getting turned into white stallions. RIDE THE WHITE HORSE! Should be built up by the weekend.

Was great to ride with Justin again after his brief hiatus as he went out to become National Champion of NZ wakeskating. Nuff said!

 

THE ASYLUM CRITERIUM

Ok – I finally have a date in mind for the first Steady Rollin Asylum Criterium race.

SUNDAY MAY 4th from 12pm to 2pm at Unitec off Carrington Road, through Point Chevalier lights, A to the K.

Here is the rough map of the circuit and the best way to get to the start / finish point (aka The T.F. or training facility) is through entrance 4 to Unitec, follow the road down and then hang left at the top of the hill.

This first race is pretty much just to get some of the crew together and see if the circuit works. From there I hope we can make it semi regular and get some crew coming to hang out talk shit and ride laps.

The race is 3 laps each around 3.5km so the whole thing is pretty much a 10km sprint. I hope some couriers come to kick our unfit asses.

At the top of the loop there will be an energy station where Red Bull sampling girls will be handing out paper cups of 50% 50% Red Bull and water for the racers, then they continue the circuit.

The prize is a case of Red Bull and a Steady Rollin’ tee. It can either be delivered to the winner or taken on the spot.

The only rule is that it has to be a fixie. Helmets optional- ride at your own risk. And brains not brakes. No entry fees for this one. But in future I might make a special race tee for the riders in exchange for a nominal fee.

If you want any other details or want to let me know you are coming along just email me at:

ivan.mennim@nz.redbull.com

Oh yeah and if you want to come out and ride the circuit we will be doing some training rides on the weekends- just email if you want to hook up.

The map is sketchy – don’t worry I don’t plan to be riding on the grass- my path routing is rubbish.

 

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