Brisbane Bike Week 2018

What is Bike Week?

Bike Week runs from 28th April – 6th May and is Brisbane’s annual cycling festival. This bike festival is aimed at getting more people of different ages and stages riding bikes.

I’ve been really looking forward to Bike Week this year. I had high expectations this year after having such a great time last year and considering the amazing range and popularity of the events for last year Bike Week 2017.

I especially had a great time at the Style Over Speed event and was delighted to be interviewed a part of a radio segment about the event! But alas it was not on for 2018.

However, one of the special events for this Bike Week was the Bayview Staging Area Official Opening @ Bike Week. This was a celebratory half day for family, friends and riders to share and enjoy the public opening of the Bayview shared trails. (Stay tuned for more on this! NG).

Bike Week 2018. Bicycles Create Change.com. 5th May 2018 — Image: Bike Week QLD

Brisbane Bike Week 2018

There have been lots of events this week, like:

Bike Home from Work Party
Wheely Fun (for young riders transitioning from training wheels)
10-Speed Dating @ Bike Week
Safe Cycling with Kids
Cycling – Ferny Grove suburban explorer
Get There By Bike @ Bike Week

I love going to the rides and activities put on by council and bike clubs, but I admit to having a special place in my heart for the smaller, more unconventional events.

I’m also always keen to see more ‘fringe’ events.. like last year’s Style over Speed, or some of the unusual performances or events that are a little more quirky, idiosyncratic, unique and not so ..well… er… conventional.

If I had a say in Bike Week

…I’d suggest for a little more on the ‘festival’ side………

I’d like to see some less polished, less ‘the usual suspects’ and more grass-roots events as well…like….maybe a local high school (or QCA?) hosting a student art show, or UQ hosting a community bike discussion forum, or a Brisbane bike photo competition, or a family bikes games day in the Botanic Gardens, or holding a bike slam poetry afternoon in a retirement villages (bring the festival to those who can’t make it?) ….that kind of thing.

Or ….how about a bike festival ‘official opening extravaganza’ in the city where THEcyclOZ troupe are whipping the crowd into a frenzy …. and the Pedal Pusher Brisbane crew and The Brisbane Penny Farthing chapter (and others!) are alongside local BMX, Fixi and bike polo groups doing demonstrations over the course of the day, so more people can drop in and see the wonderful range and spirit of the Brisbane cycling community.

Now that’s a bike festival!!

Well…maybe next year….

Until then, there is still much to do for Bike Week 2018!

This weekend

Some of the events on this weekend are:

Saturday

Sunday

Brisbane City Council’s website has a good range of Bike Week events – or go to the official Bike Week QLD website (see below).

An impressive amount of hard work and effort has gone into these events.

I’m excited about heading out, getting involved, meeting some new riders, riding my bike at some new locations and supporting the festival.

The weather in Brisbane is amazing at the moment and it is a perfect time to grab the family and have some fun on two wheels.

So Brisbanites – grab a mate, get out there and get riding!

See you out there!

01/05/201808/05/2018

Electric vehicles come to town!

This guest blog post comes courtesy of RevBECCA from Rev-Bikes. I first met RevBECCA at the Melbourne at the Sustainable Living Festival, when I awarded her one of our Environmental Excellence Awards for her incredible passion and work getting more people on electric bikes. She agreed to do a guest blog post about the changes she is seeing in e-transport (she was on her e-bike as we chatted about this!)- and true to her word, here it is! Enjoy! NG.

Coming into e-bikes from the environmental angle, RevBECCA wanted to see people be able to do more than just run their house with the solar energy systems she was selling them. Seeing e-bikes as a great middle ground between bikes and electric cars, she set about 9 years ago to change the perception of e-bikes, through building super stylish custom bikes, to overcome the negative stereotypes and dispel the myths. Electric assistance is about making more possible by bike, by a wider audience than regular exercise-focused cyclists and it creates a fantastic mode of active transport. Rev-Bikes can turn ANY bike into an electric bike, and she especially loves the most custom and creative vehicles (such as hand cycles, recumbents, tandems, and cruisers).

Electric vehicles come to town!

Guest blog post by RevBECCA LEE.

There’s nothing quite like the raw acceleration power of an electric motor, with immediate 100% torque straight off the line.

If you haven’t felt it before, then now is the best time ever to have your chance.

On Sunday, February 18^th, Australia’s largest event focused on Electric Vehicles (EV’s) took place in Port Melbourne, Victoria (AUS).

This is the 5^th time the annual event has been run, with previous EV Expo’s attracting over 3000 people. This one was predicted to be much larger, with much more on offer for guests to learn about and experience.

The new venue was chosen to allow a strong focus on ‘Feeling the EV Grin‘, meaning people could test drive cars, bikes, scooters, and other vehicles, in the safety of closed circuit tracks.

Alongside the track, there were various retailers of the different vehicles available to be ridden and driven and who showed people how they worked, and answer questions.

A variety of electric cars were exhibited, including many of the factory models previously and currently available in Australia.

Electric bikes and more

A large range of electric bikes of all shapes and sizes, some with over-powered motors and long-range batteries (including some from Warrandyte’s own REV-Bikes), were all available to try.

In addition, there was a diverse range of one-off custom vehicles on display, in Australia’s only ALL-ELECTRIC Show’N’Shine competition.

This showcased creative and innovative vehicles such as a pure solar car, a home-made Batpod replica, a converted Capri, and the authentic vintage 1917 Detroit electric car we’ve seen attend in previous years.

A description of the vehicles was provided by the owners for the public to read, including the power and range specifications, and the vehicles were judged while competing for prestigious rosettes.

Demo laps were a way to show off many of these vehicles throughout the day.

To satisfy the community’s thirst for knowledge about the emerging technology in EV’s, there was a diverse seminar series, where experts delivered presentations on a range of topics, from introductory level to the more technical.

Special guests – world record holders!

One very special international guest is Eva Hakansson, who designed and built the fastest electric motorcycle on the planet (400+km/h), and she also raced it herself (what a woman!).

Another World Recording holding special guest is Alan Johnson, who converted his 4WD to full solar-powered electric and drove across the Simpson Desert last year. The vehicle was on display, and he was there alongside it to answer questions.

There were also many more technical presentations on various aspects of vehicles, the industry and the potential incentives our government could be offering to increase the uptake of EV’s in Australia.

Awards Electric vehicles come to town. Bicycles Create Change.com 1st May, 2018. (Oooh! Who won that the last category?! Congrats RevBECCA! NG)

What are the next steps and take-aways?

The goal of the EV Expo is to demystify this exciting and sustainable technology, which is indisputably coming to disrupt the existing status quo; the unnecessary burning of fossil fuels for personal transportation.

The organisers aim to empower consumers to make informed decisions in their next choice of vehicle and prompt governments to take action to encourage faster uptake of EV’s.

Other countries are already in the middle of this revolution, thanks to progressive governments encouraging early adopters through financial incentives.

Norway already has more than 20% of new car sales being pure electric (and over 50% are electric/hybrid), a result stemming from decisions made as far back as 1990 to eliminate import taxes on electric vehicles, making them cost comparable to similar petrol and diesel vehicles.

Until they have the target 50,000 zero-emission vehicles on the road, Norwegians also enjoy free parking, free toll travel, and are able to use bus lanes. All policies started back in the 90’s.

Currently, in Australia, we only have about 4000 electric cars on the road, a mere 0.1% of new car sales.

The main barriers to buying an electric car are around the price (higher than petrol equivalents, although much lower ongoing costs), battery range per charge (most models are about 200-300kms per charge) and the limited infrastructure available out there for charging (although there are more powerpoints around than petrol stations, and charging normally happens while the user sleeps).

So, I think the main barriers are really a lack of understanding and the upfront cost.

The EV Expo aims to address the first point directly, and the second point by engaging government in conversation.

“A global revolution in electric vehicles is underway and with the right preparation, planning and policies, Australian consumers are set to be the big beneficiaries,” said Environment and Energy Minister Josh Frydenberg.

In his recent opinion piece, the Minister pointed to what needs to happen to increase the uptake of EV’s here in Australia but fell obviously short of actually committing to any incentives being rolled out by the Turnbull government. So why did he write this piece? I think something is coming.

With the major auto manufacturing industry now officially over in Australia (perhaps due to a lack of investment in future markets), there is little reason not to encourage the importing of cleaner vehicles over dirtier ones. Watch this space for breaking news, hopefully soon.

The Electric Vehicle Expo 2018 was held at the Melbourne International Karting Complex, just near the West Gate Bridge, 5kms from the CBD.

More details can be found at www.EVexpo.org.au

See you all at the next EV Expo!

Video: Rev-Electric Bikes. Riding high-powered.

All Images: @Rev-Bikes and EV Expo.com

28/04/201830/04/2018

Bicycles and ANZAC DAY 2018

ANZAC Day (April 25th) is one of Australia’s most important national cultural holidays. Originally held to mark the anniversary of the first major military action fought by Australian and New Zealand men and women during the First World War, today, the commemoration honours all Australians and New Zealanders involved in armed conflict.

Last year for ANZAC Day, I posted on the Australian Cycling Corps. This post detailed the background and types of bicycles used in WW1 and more specifically the Military Roaster model – Mark IV. Having spent time in Timor Leste working on an aid and development program, I also wanted to highlight the ways bicycles are more currently being used by the Australian Army. For example in 2008, the ADF instigated the Bicycle Infantry Mounted Patrol (BIMP) in Timor Leste to improve for more efficient field patrolling.

I’ve also previously posted about the positive impact riding bicycles can have for returned veterans – a subject not often discussed, but one that is very much needed.

So for ANZAC Day 2018, I wanted to share my latest read, a book entitled The Bicycle in Wartime – An illustrated history by Jim Fitzpatrick.

Bicycles and ANZAC DAY 2018

I am not a regular consumer of military history books. But, this book caught my attention because it is an ‘illustrated history’, this meant that the detailed research was much more easy to understand and digest.

I found this illustrated content much more interesting than a straight ‘read’. being able to see the images ‘from a cyclist’s point of view’ rather than just purely reading text about the military point of view was certainly a more engaging way to interact with the content.

The images included are very interesting and they comprehensively outline the ages, stages, uses and applications of bicycles in various conflicts.

If you can get a copy of this book through your library, I would recommend having a look. It is an incredible visual record of not only a specific cultural object (bicycle), but also how bikes have been used in a highly specific context.. one which many people would not normally know or associate bicycles with.

Although this book is very informative, I also found it challenging to read. It stirred up many emotions because of the wartime context. I found myself stopping quite regularly. I needed time to think, reflect and try to reconcile my own very positive love of bicycles and riding, to that of the content. It was at times a tumultuous undertaking.

The book’s Table of Contents (below) gives an indication of the topics, conflicts and foci contained therein:

The book is full of amazing photos, like this one of WW1 Australian and Canadian Cycle troops.

Overall, the book recognises the role and importance of bicycles in armed conflicts. I have read previously about bicycles being used in wartime, but this book really took that to a new level. The book is an astounding collection of research and I was genuinely amazed to see how instrumental and important the bicycle has been in so many wars. I had no idea the full extent bicycles had in these contexts.

Here’s what others had to say about the book:

An intriguing and compelling read, complemented by a multitude of archive photographs. Most important, the book brings together the strategic side of military policy and the experiences of cyclists on the ground.

Paul Rosen, University of York

Impressive breadth and detailed coverage of the use of bicycles in war. Jim Fitzpatrick shows convincingly how often experts were totally wrong in underestimating the influence of the bicycle, even when used against highly mechanized armies. A fascinating and rewarding book to read.

David Gordon Wilson, Emeritus Professor of Engineering

In this memorable tour de force, author Jim Fitzpatrick has, for the first time, traced the history of the bicycle in wartime. His contribution is significant and will stand the test of time … the world’s military forces have long been aware of [the bicycle’s] potential. On occasion it has spelled the difference between victory and defeat: the Japanese in Malaya, the Viet Minh forces of Gen. Vo Nguyen Giap at Dien Bien Phu.

Cecil B. Currey, author of Victory at Any Cost: The Genius of Vietnam’s General Vo Nguyen Giap.

Images and quotes: Star Hill Studios

13/04/201819/04/2018

MTB – Commonwealth Games 2018

For the last fortnight (April 4-15th), the Commonwealth Games (GC2018) has been on at the Gold Coast. The Gold Coast is only 1 hour away from Brisbane, so it is an opportune time to go see some world class cycling!

Australia has 36 riders in various cycling events for the GC2018.

There were many cycling events for GC2018, but I was most interested in seeing the MTB on Thursday 12th at Nerang.

There are two Australian MTBers for GC2018, Rebecca McConnell (nee Henderson) and Daniel McConnell.

The MTB was a free event, so I headed down to cheer them on.

MTB – Commonwealth Games 2018

It was a beautiful, sunny day.

The facilities, track access and the central hub were very well organized. It was super easy to get in and out.

I went earlier so I could do a bit of scouting out for the best trackside spot. I decided on a spot where the track went up the hill on one side, and down over some jumps on the other. It was a great spot.

I ended up running into a few familiar faces, which was great. Always good to see some of the crew and catch up.

I was fully prepared for the day with food, drink and tambourine. I made good use of the tambourine as years of experience means I pace myself so I don’t lose my voice too early (rookie mistake!). It was also great to be able to let fly with my ‘outside whistle’. I only unleash it at certain open-air events due to volume – perfect for this event!

The crowd came out strong to show support and did a good job of cheering.

One particular group of women were such good cheerers that I went up to them after the race to congratulate them .. ‘best cheerers of the day award’. They didn’t move the whole time (most others were moving between two tracks) and they cheered equally hard for every single rider, no matter what country. It was very impressive. Their positivity added such great energy and camaraderie trackside.

But, I was surprised at how small both fields were, especially the women’s. Then again, my experience has predominately been with big international World Cup DH and MTB, Cranworkx and Enduro/EWS races, so I had to remind myself that only Commonwealth countries could complete.

It was awesome to see the riders out on the track… super inspiring to see them charging up the hills and overtaking on the tight technical sections.

Overall it was a really great day. Congrats to all those who rode and for those who made the effort to get out and support – Great job!!

Source: Roostville

Interestingly, Irish rider Marc Potts was the only rider to compete in all three disciplines of MTB, road and track. Epic!

There was an official website for updates on the GC2018 cycling events and news, but it had little MTB coverage.

Final MTB results for the GC2018:

Men
1st. Samuel Gaze (NZL)
2nd. Anton Cooper (NZL)
3rd. Alan Hatherly (RSA)
4th. Ben Oliver (NZL)
5th. Frazer Clacherty (ENG)

Women
1st. Annie Last (ENG)
2nd. Evie Richards (ENG)
3rd. Haley Smith (CAN)
4th. Emily Batty (CAN)
5th. Isla Short (SCO)

Here’s the info the GC2018 released for the MTB

GC2018 – Final Overall Medal Tally

31/03/201831/03/2018

MAMILS (Middle Aged Men In Lycra)

This blog prides itself on staying true to the essence of community and grassroots cycling and presenting the more local and personal side of riding bikes. This means on this blog you will not find any advertisements, product reviews and very little road riding – all of which are already overrepresented by cycling mainstream and online media. The road riding fraternity is often criticised for being elitist, alienating other codes of biking and being the sole domain of ‘rich white guys’.

As a counter to this, I think it is important not to tar all road riders with the same brush. So it is my pleasure to host this guest blog post from Denise Raward, as a wonderful example of how a group of road riders used cycling to create more positive personal and community change. Enjoy!

New Film: MAMILS documentary

Let’s be clear, this is not a story about bicycles versus cars.

It’s probably not even so much a story about bicycles, except perhaps as a metaphor for something that keeps you pedalling because if you don’t, you’ll fall over.

This was to be a story about MAMILS, those much derided Middle-Aged Men in Lycra, slowing perfectly clear roadways in their matching knicks, talking loudly about their next carbon frames, polluting coffee shops with their post-ride perspiration.

But it turns out to be a story about a couple of blokes who ride bikes to get them through what middle age can throw at men.

Here is the trailer for the MAMILS film:

Curiously, Australian filmmakers Nickolas Bird and Eleanor Sharpe struck the same phenomenon in their recent documentary MAMILS, a study of men’s cycling groups across three continents. They set out to take a wry look at the male mid-life obsession with expensive bikes but instead uncovered touching stories of camaraderie, community and hope.

Perhaps its most poignant case study was an Adelaide man who credits his cycling group with literally saving his life, staying his planned suicide with each ride. Steve Holmes understands how cycling can keep you hanging in there. In October 2016, he was diagnosed with a rare form of bile duct cancer, cholangiocarcinoma, the same one that had claimed his brother’s life only two years before. It was a blow he never saw coming. He felt like he’d played all his survival cards when he recovered from a broken neck he sustained in a crash of the lead pack during the Gold Coast 100 cycling event five years earlier.

It was during his eight-month lay-up, wondering how much of his paralysed body would return, that he conceived of the idea of an online resource featuring everything you ever needed to know about cycling events in Australia and New Zealand.

He followed it up with another site encompassing Southeast Queensland clubs, recreational groups, regular rides, events and retailers. An internet novice, he started building the sites with his one functioning left hand. “It was a passion,” Steve says. “Cycling is huge. I didn’t know how big it was. I was just the person who was trying to pull it all together. I could see where it could go.”

The sites were just beginning to gain traction in cycling circles, catching the attention of cycling tourists and corporates, when – bang – Steve was back off his bike.”I was on a ride one day when I thought I had a stomach virus and the next thing, I’ve got this cancer where the survival rate is nil – nil! What do you even say to that?”

Here is Craig and Franko being interviewed on Ch7’s Daily Edition about their MAMILS documentary:

Steve Holmes’ Story

Steve’s cancer story is a long tale of operations; complications; unsung doctors who appeared from nowhere to save him within minutes of death and pure, sheer, brilliant luck. The tumours, which an 11-hour operation painstakingly removed, came back with a vengeance and took hold on the outside of his liver. He was in so much pain, he knew he couldn’t have long.

Then his oncologist unearthed a trail for Keytruda, an immunotherapy drug being tested on rare cancers, being run out of Hamburg, Germany. “I was that sick, he virtually had to move my hand on the page so I could sign the consent form,” Steve says. “It was a long shot that I even qualified for the trial.”

The next thing he was in Brisbane hooked up to a Keytruda infusion. Four days later, he was on the floor, sicker than he’d ever been, but with each dose, things improved. One day, he realised he couldn’t feel pain any more but thought he must be just getting used it. “I spent a lot of time lying on the couch,” he says. “And I would think about riding and my cycling sites and how I was going to make them better. I’ll tell you one thing, when you’re preparing to die, it really helps to have a passion.”

Steve still can’t speak about the miracle that happened next without a few tears. It’s still too new and perhaps he doesn’t quite believe it yet. Last month, he got word he was in complete remission, one of only two known people in the world to escape the clutches of cholangiocarcinoma.

“When you’re ready to die and it doesn’t happen, it sounds ridiculous but you go through a ‘well, what do I do now’ phase,” he says. “But I knew what it was, it was getting going with all the ideas that came to me while I was dying.” He’s currently revamping and relaunching his cycling websites and newsletters, creating a BuzzFeed-style app with his curated cycling information and an online magazine. He’s back on his bike too – just twice a week, finding his legs again, being back out on the road with his old cycling mates.

Dave McCrossin’s Story

Retired paediatrician Dave McCrossin has his own tale of riding for life. Dave was an early adopter of cycling for fitness and mateship, certainly well before anyone had heard of a MAMIL. He started out on a sturdy hybrid bike wearing shorts and a t-shirt more than 25 years ago but later switched to lycra and has ridden in many of the country’s major recreational cycling events.

The former Director of Paediatric Services at the Mater Hospital, Queenland’s specialist children’s hospital, took an early retirement when Parkinson’s disease made it difficult to keep up the demands of his work.

He and his wife sold up in Brisbane, bought an apartment on the Gold Coast and Dave joined an old mate’s local cycling group. He found a bunch of blokes who took him under their wing. Someone would hang back with him if he was having a slow day but mostly they didn’t change too much on his account, just as he liked it. But Dave doesn’t move like he used to. Parkinson’s symptoms include shaking, increasing rigidity and slowness of movement. Yet cycling, preferably faster than you’re physically able, is clinically proven to alleviate Parkinson’s symptoms. Researchers believe the action of cycling improves connections in vital areas of the brain.

It was something Dave was already onto. Over a year ago, he switched to an e-bike, fitted with a small, silent electric motor, to help his legs keep pumping when he needed a boost. His mates particularly love it when he powers past the A-listers on a Sunday morning.

Be warned, sales of e-bikes are booming as recreational cyclists age and want to keep riding into their 70s, even 80s. Old MAMILS, it seems, never die… that’s why they do it.

Thanks to Denise Raward for this great article, which was originally published in the Fraser Coast Chronicle, on 25th March 2018. Images from the film.

04/03/201807/03/2018

Happy 2018 Sydney Mardi Gras on bicycles!

In homage to the incredible 2018 gay and lesbian Mardi Gras festivities held this week in Australia, this post is about the ways in which bicycles have featured in the Sydney Mardi Gras over the years. Happy strutting and mirror balls all! NG.

Happy 2018 Sydney Mardi Gras on bicycles!

This week was the 40th anniversary of the Sydney gay and lesbian Mardi Gras. I lived in Sydney for 3.5 years and had a wonderful time there. The annual Mardi Gras festival is always a major social and cultural event in my calendar. The colour, sparkles, energy, cheekiness and sheer volume of ..well.. everything ..is truly something to behold.

And this year is extra special because of the historic Yes vote for gay marriages – so there was a gay marriage included in the parade for the first time ever.

Oh… and Cher (at 71) was there killing it as the headline act for the official party – and for the 500,000-strong crowd. Amazing!

If you missed it (or want to see it again!) SBS has the full ‘glitter-filled’ Sydney Gay and Lesbian Mardi Gras broadcast available online here.

Aside from the well-known The Dykes on Bikes (who are on motorcycles, not pushies of course!), on the surface, there does not seem to be much bicycle action at Mardi Gras.

But… dig a little deeper and you will find that Mardi Gras has a heart of two-wheels! Here are just a few examples…..

Sydney Spokes

The Sydney Spokes is a social cycling group for gay and lesbian riders. This cycling club has an amazing history and connection with the Mardi Gras.

In 1987, Sydney Spokes had it’s first official and public recognition when it was listed in the Mardi Gras Festival Guide. The listing described their first bicycle-theme Mardi Gras entry for that year.

In 1991, the club won 1st Prize Mardi Gras Parade for Best Community Float, which entailed Brett Heil (organiser) and three cyclists ‘towing’ a ute with floating ropes of helium balloons. Upmarket bikes were raised high on the back of the ute and Sydney Spokes riders flanked both sides, whilst other members circled the main float on bikes.

According to the club, the Channel 9 Sunday Evening News (then the highest-rating program on Sydney television) led its Mardi Gras coverage with footage of the Spokes float.

In 1995, the club once again took out a Mardi Gras Parade Prize, this time for Most Outstanding Foreplay, which was awarded for their performance which honoured loved ones who had died of AIDS through the clubs ‘Spirits of the Night’ entry.

There are a few rainbow cycling clubs around like Sydney Sokes – for example, the Velociped Salon Team below….

A gift idea for those rides who have a sock/kit fetish …. (joke intended!)

All across Australia, people celebrate Mardi Gras and rock the rainbow on two-wheels in many different ways.. like this lovely free spirit below photographed in Perth.

And these two brave Sydney Spokers below were snapped in the 2013 Mardi Gras….

And, finally, perhaps this guy below SHOULD have been at Mardi Gras??

However you ended up celebrating Mardi Gras this year – I hope you had a wonderfully sparkly time!

Remember, you don’t have to wait for Mardi Gras to rock the rainbow, get happy and get out on ya bike! Happy Mardi Gras all!

22/02/201824/02/2018

Bike Rave Melburn – Pink Flamingo 2018

While I was down in Melburn (Melbourne) for a week performing the Bio Bike at the Sustainable Living Festival (SLF), Bike Rave Melbourne Pink Flamingo 2018 was held. I couldn’t believe my luck! Sarah came with me (her on a flower bike, me on the Bio Bike) and we had far too much fun. To the Melburn bike riding community: you are amazing, I miss you and thank you!

What is a Bike Rave?

For many people, bike raves are the most fun you can have on two wheels! Bike Raves usually follow a route through city streets while pumping out tunes from ‘sound’ bikes. There is usually a theme for each Bike Rave. Any and all riders are welcome (that’s the point!). They stop at predestined locations for a while to socialise, recharge, catch up and have a boogie – GOLD! Bike Raves are highly anticipated, well attended and wicked fun.

Bike Rave Melburn – Pink Flamingo

On Saturday, Feb 10th I rode in the Melburn Pink Flamingo Bike Rave. It was awesome. I would say there were at least 200-250 riders and I was blown away by the variety in the ages and styles of the riders (and bikes) that attended. There were young and old, families/individuals/groups of mates, tall bikes, cargos, art bikes, commuters, fixis, burlesque performers, couriers, bike polo teams.. the list could go on and on – there was everything (and everyone) imaginable!

It was wicked cruising Melbourne city in a massive gang of cool katz with cool music.

Riding along Southbank just after 7 pm meant that the Bike Rave were passing all the cafes, restaurants and bars at dinner time – on a Saturday night. They were packed. It was hilarious to see the reaction of diners and this massive line of pink, fluoro-wearing bike ravers passed them by!

Pedestrians and tourists stopped to gawk as well. People in cars were honking. At the lights halfway through, I got chatting to a father and son who were out riding along the Yarra River and convinced them to join us for an hour, which they did -and they had a ripper time and said they would be back.

I rode and chatted with heaps of people along the way. I love riding near the massive speaker bikes. Because I was riding the Bio Bike, people were offering me drinks all night (bless!) of which I only accepted once we had stopped. Navigating bollards (wings up!) and some of the tighter walking bridges was a little tricky, but other riders were happy to wait, helped out if they could and looked out for me on the road and footpaths. Bloody awesome!

It was super safe and super fun. And I danced my arse off!

I got extra kudos when bike ravers heard that I had come all the way from Brisbane for the event (well.. and the SLF). The Bio Bike was a smash hit – and I got extra points for flat-packing it down into a bike bag and travelling with it from Brisbane. Talk about bringing it to the party!!

I caught up with some familiar faces and also met some wicked new people. Everyone was super welcoming, happy and up for a chat. As the night wore on, lights were turned on. I saw packed dinners and food being shared along with drinks, compliments and laughs.

Around 8.30pm, some of the families started to filter back home, leaving the ragers to push on. The later it got, the more people were looking after each other, until we reached our final destination at Flagstaff Gardens where everyone parked it and hung out until they decided it was time to go home.

(*Sigh*)

Bike rave with an added purpose

Bike Raves are usually free events – but for this particular rave, organisers invited punters to bring along a cash donation for charity Bicycles for Humanity, which they collected throughout the evening. Given my PhD research and predilections of supporting community and international development projects – I was super impressed. Go Melburn!

Here is the official Melburn Bike Rave FB link.

How does the Sound/Music work?

Bike Raves are DIY events. You grab your MP3 player/phone and download the mix (for Pink Flamingo it was a curated a 4-hour mix). The mix is usually full of pumping party tunes to keep the crew bopping and dancing all night long and specifically made for the bike rave. KUDOS!

Just before you leave the meeting place there is a countdown so everyone can sync their music to begin at the same time. This means that where ever you are in the rave you are all listening to the pretty much the same thing (plus or minus 10-15 sec). It also means that if you arrive late, join in or miss the countdown, you can ask another rider what timestamp the track is up to and sync it that way.

For the Pink Flamingo Bike Rave, people had a range of sound setups. Some of the organisers, couriers and Christiana bike owners had especially large speakers setups. They were wicked! There were a few of these rigs dotted around and they really pumped out the tunes. They were awesome fun to ride with if you didn’t have your own music on board.

Other people had basket, booms or computer speakers zip tied to their bikes (or themselves!). There were some pretty impressive creations and some speakers were integrating into costumes, helmets and bikes.

Having a consistent power source and charging batteries was a key consideration for most speaker setups (as was size/weight).

The music for the ride was great! I’m still listening to the track now!

Here’s the Soundcloud link to download the 4hr Bike Rave track.

Image: @neaderstaal

Image above: Soundcloud

Where we went

Meet-up: Bike Rave Melbourne – Pink Flamingo 2018
Start: Saturday, February 10, 2018, 6:00 pm
Finish: Sunday, February 11, 2018, 12:00 am
Meet at: Riverside Skate Park, Alexander Gardens (parkland opposite side of the river from Birrarung Marr), Melbourne, Australia.

After meeting at Riverside Skate Park, we headed off at 7:00 pm.

Here’s the route we took.

Here’s the same route, but in Google Maps.

Other interesting titbits

There are a few videos on Youtube of the event – here’s an example:

Here is some of the info the organisers released before the event. I really dug their straight shooting and fun style of communication and promotion!

THE WEATHER
If it’s nice out, we ride. If it’s cloudy, we ride. If it’s raining a little, we might ride. If it’s pouring, we don’t ride. Our speakers will get messed up. If you aren’t sure, show up anyways. Someone will be there from 5:30 pm to let people know if the ride is cancelled.

DRESS UP
Pink Flamingo. Now that your bike is a shining beacon, time to fix yourself up. Dress in anything that’s pink. Flamingo, Pink, Flamingo, Pink, Pink, Flamingo. Pink. Flamingo. Sqwuak. One Legged Stand. Beaks Out. Pink Flamingo.

RAVE RULES
There are a few rules that we would like you to follow to ride the rave. This makes it safer for everyone and avoids problems on the night. We’ve never had an issue in the 6 years of running this event, so let’s work together to keep it that way.

1. Wear a helmet.
2. Get working bike lights.
3. Watch out for each other. If someone falls over, pick them up and see if they are ok.
4. Don’t be a dick to the public or Police. The public will most likely be confused. The Police have been quite understanding over the last few years, so don’t be rude. This could ruin the event and any future events.
5. Be safe and sensible when we are crossing at red lights.
6. Clean up after yourself – bring a plastic bag for your rubbish, we are not your parents – we ain’t picking up your shit.
7. Have fun

Check out more photos on Instagram using: #bikeravemelbourne #bikerave #bikerave2018

A massive thank you to the organisers, the riders and Melburn general public. A great time was had. Safe, super fun and a wonderful way to bring riders together and show city Melburn how fun riding bikes can be.

More Bike Raves, please!

This image from Soundcloud. All other images my own, a few pics are drawn from Freedom Cycling & Andrew Rance‘s Youtube videos of the event – thanks guys.

16/02/201821/02/2018

Have your say: Survey on Australian Bike Riding Conditions

This post was going to be on the Melbourne Bike Rave 2018 I had the delight of participating in last weekend while I was down for the SLF. However, I am putting this quick post in as it is time sensitive. Bicycle Network is surveying Australian riders and cyclists to gauge what people feel about the current Australian cycling conditions. The survey ends in a couple of days, so I thought I would put up this quick post with the link to the survey, so if you have not already included your voice, here is your last chance to do so! We’ll get back to the Bike Rave in the next post! See you then. NG

Image: Bicycle Network

In September 2017, Bicycle Network conducted a national survey about people’s views on Mandatory Helmet Laws.

The Nov results of that survey indicated a few surprising results and also stimulated some very interesting discussion , counter-arguments critique within the cycling fraternity.

Bicycle Network often undertakes surveys – not just of its members, but for all cyclists and riders.

Given that Bicycle Network is Australia’s largest bicycle advocacy group, and has over 50,000 members, the organisation likes to keep abreast of current cycling issues and help to push for more positive riding change for all cyclists – hence the survey!

Are Australian riding conditions better?

Do you think the cycling conditions have changed? What about over the last year? Five years?

Bike riding conditions in Australia are always changing, and it is interesting to see if bike riders notice any differences.

What changes have you noticed?

Do you think things getting better for bike riders?

What needs to be done?

Add your ideas and experience to the survey below and let’s see what kind of changes you have seen on the bike.

TAKE THE SURVEY HERE

The survey closes Monday 19 February.

28/01/201807/02/2018

Sustainable Living Festival – Bio Bike ACCEPTED

Image: SLF 2018

Hey, bike nuts! Welcome back!

The last week has been super crazy getting ready, because…

A while back, my regular creative collaborator and friend Claire Tracey and I put together a roving performance idea and application for the upcoming 2018 Sustainable and Living Festival (SLF)- and we got the news it was successful!

Sustainable Living Festival – Bio Bike ACCEPTED

The Festival’s Program Coordinator Big Weekend emailed:

Thank you for your Festival application. We are pleased to inform you that your event application has been accepted! The team at the Sustainable Living Festival are delighted to have your event as part of our program.

Woohoo!!

So, we are heading to Melbourne to perform the Bio Bike at the 2018 SLF!

Previous SLF adventures – Leki & the Ova

The phenomenal Claire Tracey and I have previously collaborated for the 2014 SLF, where we created the roving performance/art bike Leki & the Ova.

This project used Leki as the basis for a pedal-powered no-money/barter/trade/swap, mobile op shop. It was sooooo much fun!

Leki and the Ova will be very familiar to regular BCC readers, given it is immortalised as the central feature image for the Bicycles Create Change homepage.

We roved the Festival and went out twice a day. We had a brilliant time and were a roaring success – the punters loved being part of it … and so did we!

It was a wicked project to make and present – and Claire and I knew we worked well together and have since joined forces on a number of ventures.

So we threw our hat into the ring for this year with our concept of the Bio Bike … and hey presto! We’re in!

So, no time to waste – we have to get organised!

But first a bit of background.

What is the SLF Big Weekend?

In it’s own words, the Festival’s signature Big Weekend event will be staged between the 9th and 11th of February. Held in the cultural hub of Federation Square and Birrarung Marr, the Festival’s Big Weekend showcases the main attractions of the Festival’s calendar.

Featuring interactive workshops, talks, technology demonstrations, art, film and live performance pieces (of which our roving Bio Bike performance will feature! NG).

One of the main attractions of the Big Weekend is the Exhibitors Market featuring over 100 exhibitors, including vendors showcasing the very best of organic food, beer and wine. Ethically-sourced clothing, sustainable building designs and gardening options will also be on show.

Treadlie and Green Magazine will be back to host the always popular Treadlie Bike Hub, with bikes, accessories and even a test track to help you make the switch from horsepower to human-power.

Click here for a sneak peek at the SLF guide highlights.

Our Bio Bike Project Aim and Overview

As an arts collective, we aim to educate, encourage and empower participants to seriously think about their ability to affect positive environmental change.

Our event is focused on raising awareness about the necessity of transitioning to a ‘below zero emissions’ society and examines creative solutions to creating this widespread societal change as soon as possible.

The Bio Bikes roving performance uses positive reinforcement and humour to create public awareness about climate change and encourages viewers to participate in the performance by interacting with the sculptural bikes when they are stationary.

Next steps…

So, it has been action stations to get the foundations organised and prepped for the Bio Bike. We already have a clear conceptual plan of what we want the performance to entail, but it is the props and bike itself that requires time, skills, materials and construction. With the Festival fast approaching, the making of the Bio Bike is a top priority.

So, I’ve been away for the last 5 days visiting a dear long-time friend, called Coolie, in northern NSW. (No internet there, hence the delay in uploading this post- sorry!). Coolie’s technical expertise, insight and fabrication workshop was invaluable in constructing a Bio Bike prototype which will be a major part of our roving performance.

The next couple of posts will be tracking our project development as we refine and work on the Bio Bike, props, costumes and production.

Stay tuned to see how it unfolds – and if you are in Melbourne, we’ll be seeing you at the Sustainable Living Festival in a couple of weeks!

Image: SLF 2018

29/12/201702/01/2018

Bikes at Woodford Folk Festival

Hey Bike nuts! This week I was at Woodford Folk Festival.

Woodford is Australia’s largest annual outdoor cultural and folk festival.

This year, there were over 2,500 amazing musical gigs, performances, shows, talks, demos, roving performances, gardens and activities.

It is a truely amazing experience to wander around Woodfordia.

Bikes at Woodford Folk Festival

Here is a copy of the full program – EPIC!!

There is also the Speakers Program, which has over 70 talks on a massive array of topics – including many current social, political and environmental issues.

It is difficult to tell you everything you can see and do at Woodford, so I’m just going to hit the bike high points and let you explore the full shebang for yourself another time if you are interested (highly recommended!).

On arrival – bike parking

It was great to see that at the entrance, the ‘Bike Parking’ was already filling up and that cyclists had a direct and preferential access to the front entrance – rockstar parking for bike riders!

Wozwaste

I was delighted to see Wozwaste was not wasting anything – and their market stall looked great! I am super impressed at how their product range has increased since I last saw them.

I popped in for a good chat and catch up. they are doing great work with recycling materials. While we were chatting, I asked a few technical questions about issues I was having working with bike inner tubes. They had had the same difficulties I was experiencing and so had decided to switch over to using motorbike inner tubes now as a result.

I really appreciate Wozwaste’s philosophy and commitment. It is inspiring to know people are out there whereby up/recycling is the basis of their business. It was great to see their range first hand and see what they have achieved so far.

Roving Performances

The Rain Cloud

The heat and sun was super hot, so the organisers arranged to have the rain cloud bike roving to help cool off punters.

This is four person, pedal-powered bike which ‘rained’ a fine mist over those who stood near the clouds.

It was a great way to cool off, the drizzle was a very welcome reprieve. When the bike stopped, people were encouraged to sit on the float to rest and cool off – the kids loved it!

There were seven operators, all in various costumes who took it in turns to ride and/ore entertain as needed.

A very effective and impressive roving performance!

The Woodford Postal Service

This roving performance also served a legitimate service.

Within Woodfordia, there is the Post House, from which there is a team of Posties on bikes whose job it is to rider around, interacting with festival goers by ‘delivering letters’.

The idea is that you can stop a Postie (or they might ask you) to ‘send’ a message or letter to someone throughout the day/festival. It can be any message you like and you give a description to the postie and their job is to deliver it – which makes for some hilarious interactions as some of the descriptions are quite vague, so there are many posties going up to people asking them if they are so and so in an attempt to deliver a message.

In an age of instant text messaging, this kind of audience participation activity was inventive, creative and so much fun to be part of.

Everyone was getting into it and the posties did a great job!

Out the front of ‘The Post House’

Festival-goers on wheels

Woodfordia has a great path network and the access is well thought out, so it was great to see a higher number of many festival visitors on wheels getting around.

There were a few wheel chairs, but far more hand-driven chairs and recumbents and a few scooters.

Most notably, there was a very popular trolley stall which hired out wagons for families to wheel their tired kids around. This a great idea for storage, sleeping kids, having some shade, reserving some space and being able to find your people at a distance – GOLD!

Image: Rock n Roller Wagons

Bike Refreshments Stall

Throughout the day, I kept seeing Jeremy and his gorgeous pedal-powered refreshments stall rinding around. I had to go up and chat to him. He is a genuinely beautiful man and was so happy to be out and about. His happiness was infectious. Great shoes and what a smile!

Unknown Pink Bikers

These guys had a compound that was open at certain times and they were entertaining people with tricks, magic and activities.

Later on, I saw them riding around interacting with punters and generally adding to the overall cheer and colour.

Great to see more bikes getting around, but some of the older guys in glitter glam hot pink Barbarella-style costuming might have scared a few of the kids.

Opening Ceremony

I’m sure you will be able to get a hold of some footage of the official opening ceremony for the festival. There were massive puppets, fire work, a latern parade, an aboriginal welcoming ceremony and dancing, various singers to name a few.

Of most interest for this post was the use of bicycles during the later parade to help move the larger lantern around as needed – it was only when you looked closely could you see that bikes were instrumental in the latern below in particular.

Overall – a wonderful time!

Whether you are going for bikes or the music or the culture – Woodford has it all.

It was great to see so much wonderful music, vibrancy, creativity, colour, energy, care and community.

What a great was to end the year!

See you in 2018! Happy and safe riding all!