Cheeky Transport

Now Stocking: Bicycle Quarterly

We’re now stockists for 2 excellent products.

Firstly, Bicycle Quarterly magazine. BQ is internationally renowned as “The Discerning Cyclist’s Resource” – Articles covering all aspects of cycling history,  as well as informative and rigorous reviews of new randonneur, touring and commuting bikes, advice on long distance riding and expertly researched surveys of tires, dynamos and other components.

Volume 8, No 3. is in stock now for $15.

Cameron is riding home… from London

All,

I have been in England for a month now and have spent the last 9 days on the road for the start of my touring. I arived mid-late March and spent the first week or so at my cousins place and looking around London and its many attractions and free museums. During early April I went for my first overnight ride with the bike and then a four day ride from Southend-on-sea (about 50 k east of london) up to Kings Lynn via Cambridge. These rides were approximately 320 km combined with my last weeks riding I have now accumulated approx 900 km fully loaded touring. I have attached two photos that are explained by their tittles.

I have finally managed to get my Journal to a suitable point that I was happy to publish it. The journal can be reached by following the link -http://www.crazyguyonabike.com/doc/premidearth. This will take you to the contents page. New entries are marked by a RED asterik and entries that have been edited in the last week are marked by a GREEN asterik. Jez there are currently no photos on any page. Photos will come in time as I get around to downloading the photos form my camera and sortin them out.

So far the trip has been thoroughly enjoyable except for getting a chest infection that delayedf the start of the main trip 4 days. So far all the right decisions have been made and I am very happy with my choice to come over and cycle around.

I am in a pub in Salisbury having lunch as I type this. The weather today has turned cold and windy again after 5-6 days of virtually no cloud and plenty of warm sunshine. Last night was the first night or day that I have received any run and I was in my sleeping bag 5 miinutes before the rain hit, so now the tent is spread out in a beer garden drying in the breeze. The plan for the next few days is to head off to Bristol via Bath then a train back to London to pick up a replacement bit of equipment before the train back to Bristol and heading north to John O’Groats over the next couple of weeks.

Hope everything is well with everyone.

C (or whatever nickname you want to insert here instead)

Proper touring

So, I’ve just been catching up on Marcin and Rose’s trip from Japan to Poland. Bloody hell it’s good. With Marcins’ beautiful eye and Roses sharp wit, it it a very entertaining and inspring trip report. Check it out and put it on your feedreader.
Keep up the good work Rose and Marcin!!
http://www.crazyguyonabike.com/doc/5756

Now Stocking – Power Grips

Update: January 18th 2010 – Powergrips back in stock!

Update: December 20th 2009 - We’re sold out of Power Grips, the wholesaler is sold out of Power Grips, and the manufacturer is sold out of Power Grips – Should be back in stock in the New Year, fingers crossed for soon.

I’m stoked that we’ve got some stock of Power Grip pedal straps available. I’ve been using them on my bike for a few years and think they’re a great option if you’re looking for an alternative to cleats or toe-cages. They’re $60 a pair for the standard length.

Powergrips are so brilliant, so sublime in their simplicity and economy of material, so superior in function and practicality, that it is a crime they are not standard equipment on all new mid and entry level mountain bikes, hybrids and city bikes. – Practical Pedal

Powergrips are durable, cheap, and effective. The inch-wide webbing straps won’t scratch up your Manolo Blahniks’ the way regular toeclips will; they let you move your foot around on the pedal as comfort demands, and a twist of the foot instantly binds or releases them. They have all the advantages of both toe clips and clipless pedals with none of the downsides. – Momentum Magazine

The most underrated bicycle accessory on this or any other planet. – Rivendell

Some touring inspiration

Meg from Candy Cranks and Tarn from Primate Frames tour of Shikoku Island. Bloody brilliant photos to get you on the mood

I’ve (meg) uploaded a bunch of photos from the Shikoku island tour if you fancy seeing a few more. Check ‘em out here.

Lonely Planet Cycling Guides Back In Print

The new editions of the Lonely Planet Cycling guides are back in print and back in stock for $37 – We’d had to resort to offering photocopies of our battered old copy of  Cycling Australia, so it’s nice to see them revised and updated.

Here’s what they say about us…

What an awesome weekend..

Thanks so much to Kate, Daniel, Damien, Andy, Luke, Phillip, Edmund, Steven, Adrian and Jennifer for coming along with Adam and I for a ride in the Southern Highlands. Our first try at a touring weekend was everything we hoped it would be.

No flat tyres, no mechanicals, only one or two minor confusions on the route, good food, good wine, good coffee, good people, beautiful sneaky camping, a dip in a swimming hole, rolling green countryside, forest and farmland, 80k’s an hour down Jamberoo pass, and a swim in the Kiama ocean baths on Sunday arvo.

adam, jennifer and Damien’s photos are here

We’ll do it again real soon.

If you were there, we’d love to see your photos – upload them and link in the comments, or email them to us.

Latest update – Cheeky Touring Weekend – Bogans to the Blowhole

We’d like to go touring more often, especially with people who have bought lovely touring bikes from us.

We’d like to invite those of you who have bought sweet Surlys, Fuji Tourings or Vivente Randonneurs,  to come for a ride with us over the weekend of the 4th and 5th of April. On Saturday we’ll catch an early train out of the city to Macarthur, and ride the 84 or so k’s down to Berrima.

Sunday will be a roll over the beautiful southern highlands thru Bowral and Robertson down Jamberoo mountain to Kiama, with the option of a hardcore climb over Saddleback Mountain Rd . Then it’s beach, swim, train home.

Accommodation will be camping. Berrima has a not strictly legal to camp reserve on a creek (maybe with water in it?) and it’s an interesting place, moreso than Moss Vale, where there is a caravan park. There are no showers at Berrima though. And there are B&B and motel options all over.

What to bring
Not too much stuff. It’s only overnight, but warm clothes. Raincoat. Food.
Check this list from one of my favourite mags the Rivendell Reader
What to bring on a one-night campout

Itinerary

Get to Central station at 7am to get the paper.
There is an East Hills line train from central that leaves at 7:23 and arrives at Macarthur at 8:27.
We’ll be riding from Macarthur Station 8:40am. Easy pace with everyone.
Nick will be offering commentary for the entire ride to Berrima, with possible stops at the Thirlmere Rail Heritage Centre and others for lunch, coffee cake etc.

Saturday arvo we can check out Berrima , have a cookup, or just go to the pub. Then after dark, we will set up the tents.
What does everyone think?

Sunday morning we’ll get brekky at Berrima bakery then ride over the backway to Bowral and north of the main road then to the pieshop at Robertson, to fortify ourselves for Jamberoo pass. Obviously we will stop for cake at Jamberoo and then check out the blowhole(s) and swim at Kiama.

On Sunday arvo, trains leave hourly from Kiama to Central and it takes about 2:30 to get back eg 4:31pm arrives central at 6:56pm

Looks like about a dozen people are keen at this stage. I am excited!!

Maps below, except we are stopping at Berrima, not Mittagong which makes it 84km on day one.

Map for Day One. Map for Day Two.

Here is some inspiration for you

http://www.freewebs.com/jacandaaron/

best product ever!

zefal strapless toeclips are made so you can still pull up but do not have to worry about tightening and loosening a strap which can cause some problems.

so good we have a friend who put them on all four bikes and i think has a spare set.

thanks to tony for this delightful example. more pics here