Cycling community Archives

14/11/201626/11/2016

Defcon’s Nov Social MTB Ride

Yesterday I went to Gap Greek (Brisbane) for Defcon’s Nov Social MTB Ride.

I got there with husband before the 8 am kickoff and ended up having a great chat to a handful of other riders who had made it there on time. The main cohort joined us a little later and we took off for our ride. There was about 30 in our mob, all different ages, bikes and abilities, and although it didn’t change my ride, I was yet again the only female rider.

The riding itself was good. I like riding Gap Creek. I was looking forward to seeing some of the crew. There was a general group plan of what we were all going to ride, with key points for the group to rendezvous. The fast boys went ahead to cut laps or project sections, with the rest of us zooming around at our own pace. Some riders got a little waysided at a few intersections, but there was always someone else coming down that pointed them in the right direction. It was a really diverse group of riders, fitness levels and quite a show of bikes, which was great to see – after all Defcon specialises in Intense, Banshee, Evil and Ibis, so there were quite a few sweet models milling around. After riding a full loop and exchanging some happy banter in between, it was back to HQ for a breakfast BBQ and hang out time.

Roast chicken

For me it was good to be back on the big bike. After having a season off the Intense and riding singlespeed, it was quite different getting back on plush full suspension, a dropper-seat and a bike that is so responsive and capable. I, on the other hand, was not as capable as my bike. I was feeling the sting of a full week of fitness challenges that I had thrown myself head-long into, which were slowing me down. I kept hydrated, but didn’t eat enough for the intensity of the ride.

By the end – the 35C heat and crazy Queensland humidity ended up knocking me around a bit. I was fine for the ride and for the BBQ, but when we decided to go, we ticked back up Dingo and the steep fire road to where we had parked at the ABC tower. By then it was full midday heat. By the time I got to the car, I was well and truly cooked.

Defcon’s Nov Social MTB Ride – what’s what

I had a good time riding, and I made a point of chatting with a few familiar faces and introducing myself to a few new ones – after all, it was a social ride! It is always interesting to me how riders interact on social rides; who they talk to; why they came; what they get out of it; how much they give away; levels of interaction.

I felt relaxed and confident, so I was in my element. I was happy to quib in places, happy to cruise in others. I know the Defcon team riders because we had raced some of the SEQ Enduro together over Summer. I also knew a few other faces from events and other rides, but there were a few new faces I didn’t know, and I found myself wondering if, for a change, they would introduce themselves to me.

This is always an interesting aspect for me, because usually without fail when out riding in a group like this with guys I don’t know – they will very rarely come up and introduce themselves to me. If I am standing with others, then I might get introduced as a member of the group (i.e., everyone is swapping names). But I am rarely the sole recipient of someone coming up to introduce themselves specifically to initiate conversation just with me. I do it to others, but it is rarely, if ever the other way.

3 Social dynamics

For a social ride, it was fascinating to watch other curious dynamics present – my ethnographic researcher brain rarely switches off! So as well as having fun riding the big bike and enjoying having gears, these are three observations that kept me entertained on the day:

1. Who can (and does) hold a conversation for longer than 5 minutes that does not relate to bikes (and with whom and about what). People who know me, know this is a staple interest for me. I appreciate it is a social ride and thus centres exclusively on bikes as the commonality – hence the interest to see if conversations outside of this topic occurs! For me, it means the interlocutors are potentially testing each other to engage in new topics outside of the obvious and easy – suggesting an extension beyond the immediate (and safe) connection of bikes. The most common topics I see this happening with are; work, movies or music, maybe family – but rarely other topics.

It is equally interesting to see the conversation moves – who starts conversations, who talks to who, for how long and about what. Who mingles, who is more reserved. Are people brave enough to introduce themselves to totally new people outside of the host managing interaction and introductions. How long are conversations with new people sustained for? Is humour used to break the ice – and if so does it work – it is a tricky tactic to use – in case it goes wrong. All manner of interesting social cues, moves and dynamics were happening – enough to keep the most scrupulous of sociologists happy!
2. Reaction to banter and shenanigans
I’m a big fan of the trail banter – when done well. There is a difference between slagging someone off and witty repertoire. It is always interesting to see how people react to another’s banter. Who has the confidence (and authority) to pass entertaining and perceptive witticisms and on what topics?

Humour is critical for group cohesion, refreshment and distraction – it helps identify character, provides clear indications as to taboos or boundaries, and often sets a groups’ tone. When it is done well and is genuinely funny and clever, it can entertain and raise the mood of the group. On this day, we had a few wags having a good crack – with husband leading the charge – and it was very interesting to see people’s reactions, interactions, follow ups (if any) and who deferred participation in the face of cheeky overt sagacity. What are people comfortable with sharing, how is it received and what impact/if any does it have on the collective?
3. Elder elephant influence
A phenomenon was observed, whereby park keepers had to remove the elder male elephants from the rest of the herd in a wildlife park in Africa. The remaining juvenile male elephants began getting violent and destructive – hurting themselves and causing extreme damage and killing other animals. The keepers reintroduced the older males and the bad behaviour stopped. The moral is that younger males socialise better when they are in the presence of older males and thus can learn acceptable social behaviour. (Amazing f ull story here).

On the Defcon team there is one junior, a young hot-shot rider called S. I like S because he loves riding, is always out on team and social rides, and can hold a conversation. I think there is great value in mentoring juniors, but this needs to be done in a strategic and purposeful way. It is not just having out with ‘the guys to go riding’ there needs to be more to it than that. Much as Steve Bidoff recommends in his remarkable book Raising Boys and as exemplified recently in the powerful 3 part TV series Man Up (episode 2 is amazing for young men S’s age)– the importance of young boys having positive older role models who are not their fathers is critical to positive masculine development and socialisation through sports. Every time I see S, I smile. I think he is a very lucky kid and he is definitely making the most of being in the company of the other older riders – for motivation, for veneration and for socialisation. To this end, I can see the immense value that MTBing and these kinds of social ride provide in socially scaffolding and appraising bike-civic behaviour – and social interaction in general.

Thanks heaps to Stu from Defcon for putting on the ride and BBQ. He is so welcoming and inclusive. Great to see all the other stirling lads as well who came out to ride, have fun and share a laugh on such a super hot day.

So next time you attend a social ride, check in see if you can spot any of these dynamics. What other social dynamics are most obvious to you when you ride in a group?

But, don’t get too serious … after all, you’re there to have fun with your mates. So relax and get happy riding!

11/11/201626/11/2016

2016 Super Sunday Recreational (Bike) count

In a couple of days, on Sunday 13th November, Australia’s Bicycle Network is undertaking its annual bike path user audits. These counts are done each year to collect bicycle use data that help local councils accurately monitor and plan for current and future bicycle path use and infrastructure. This week will be the Super Sunday Recreational Bike Count.

Each year nationally, there is a Super Tuesday Commuter Bike Count (usually held in March) and a Super Sunday Recreational Count. These counts contribute to informing and guiding bike riding investment and initiatives across Australia and local councils self-nominate to participate. It is always interesting to which are the progressive councils that opt in and see the value and necessity of investigating urban bike path use (ideas to consider when you are looking at buying your next property?). It is great to see a rise in the number of local councils participating in this initiative, but yet again, not bloody enough interest or effort from QLD authorities to support ANY type of bike use!

As a research and activist working at the intersection of bicycles and community development – these kinds of initiatives are right up my alley. Although they may seem lame to some, the political and policy making power that this kind of data can leverage would be surprising to the average joe.

If you have ever found yourself muttering about the condition or lack of bike paths, or about the absence of council support and understanding for your particular bike riding needs – this is a small, but proactive and immediate action you can take to effect sustainable and positive change in your local area.

Specifics about the 2016 Super Sunday Recreational Bike Count.

This particular audit is being held in various locations in Australia this Sunday 13th Nov from 9 am – 1 pm (7-11am in NT & QLD) to ascertain:

numbers of uses on trails and paths
Which trails and paths are being used
When trails are being used and by/with whom

To collect this qualitative data, a visual count of recreational bike riders and other users of the bike paths is required. To this end, the Bicycle Network has sent out an invitation for volunteers to help count and monitor selected sites to count rider (and other user) movements through particular sites. All equipment is provided.

What do I get out of it?

Although you do not get paid as an official ‘volunteer’, each data site is allocated $120 to go towards a charity or NGO that you can nominate. as well as contributing to supporting and informing productive bicycle use in your local area. It is not a particularly taxing activity, on the contrary, it is a great day out. As a data collector, you get to see and meet lots of like-minded people in your area, brag to your mates that you were out making a difference to make their daily rides better – and there is also the bonus that you are actively contributing to generating data and outcomes that are integral to the maintenance and sustainability of future bicycle use for everyone Australia wide.

Get involved!

I STRONGLY urge you to get involved.

If you have not already registered to count, please consider doing so – take a mate or the family and make a morning of it.

Or conversely, make and extra point this Sunday to get out on your bike and ride paths in the locales listed below to get counted as many times as possible to add your “voice’ to increase investment in urban bicycle facilities.

The paths most focused on for these counts are key recreational paths, particularly along waterways, beaches and parks – so get out there on your two wheels!

For more info, check out the Super Counts – see the Bicycle Network.

Areas involved for the 2016 Sunday Super count

NSW

Canterbury- Bankstown
Inner West
Lake Macquarie
Northern Beaches
Parramatta
Randwick
Southerland Shire

Darwin

QLD

Whitsunday

Mitcham
Norwood Payneham St Peters

VIC

Ballarat
Boroondara
Frankston
Greater Bendigo
Greater Dandenong
Greater Geelong
Hobson’s Bay
Maribyrnong
Melbourne
Monash
Moonee Valley
Nillumbik
Stonnington
Whitehorse
Wyndham
Yarra
Yarra Ranges

Perth
Cockburn
Cottlesloe
Fremantle
Mandurah

09/11/201626/11/2016

Griffith BUGs (Bicycle Users Group)

Yesterday I did something that I have never done before.I rode to work with the Griffith BUGs (Bicycle Users Group).

There is a back story to this. Last month, I meet up with for breakfast with some cyclists (who I’d never met before) who work at my campus, to celebrate the Ride to Work Day 2016. I work at Griffith University (NA) and it was the first time that I had deliberately connected to other cyclists at my workplace. No one in the office I work at rides bikes, so it was a good opportunity to meet up with some new people in different departments from mine, who ride to work.

I arrived late for breakfast, but still with enough time to have a chat and exchange contact details with one of the organisers of this group dubbed Griffith University BUG (Bicycle Users Group). On the Ride to Work Day, they mentioned that once a month they meet-up at 7 am in Brisbane city and ride together out to Nathan Campus and then have breakfast. I was invited to join them.

Tuesday morning ride to work from Brisbane city

So yesterday I joined them. It was the first time that I had ridden from the city centre to Nathan. I ride from my house the Uni campus, which is about 28 kms each way, but it does not go anywhere near the city (in fact almost in the opposite direction). So it was good to go with a group heading out of town to see what route they took and to widen my orientation about the surrounding bike routes.

I usually avoid the city, but for this ride, I made an exception. We met at the Goodwill Bridge, and after waiting alongside another group for more than myself and another rider to arrive, we finally realised that the group of other eight riders who were waiting across the road were actually the other riders we were waiting for! So we introduced ourselves, teamed up and got started on our journey in high spirits.

It was an interesting dynamic for me. I have had the winter off road riding and heard about some bad accidents. I was wrestling with inner safety demons and was happy that the group took the bike path route and not the road. It was great to see so many cyclists riding into the city and whizzing past, but also also a little treacherous trying to navigate the steady stream of riders turning in all directions and coming on and off the bridge and funnelling into the city. There was a lot going on and I really had concentrate. I had forgotten that it can be a tricky on high-volume trails, crossing busy streets en masse, traversing bridges wiht lots of others, and weaving in and out of tight, steep corners. It had been a long time since I had ridden inner city peak hour – so, I was much more relaxed when we started heading out a little further and the intensity – and density – of bike users settled down a little.

Source: @likeey_m

Riding with the Griffith BUGs

I was surprised at how quick the trip took and it was useful to learn where certain turn offs and link ups were. I was happy cruising with the main group, chatting and meeting a few new folk. It was good to hear the riding gossip about a new bike trail development, the completion of which is anyone’s guess. It was nice to ride at a leisurely pace and although there were different levels of ability, the group was cohesive and attentive and waited at opportune times for this behind, but not to the point of holding up the group up as a result.

There is a long, consistent hill right at the end, right near the final turn off to the Uni. I like pushing up it. At the risk of looking like a competitive wanker, I kept a steady, but respectable tempo on the way up with another rider– just enough to feel the reminder twang of a physical challenge set by a mate the day before. I rode with a few to the cafe on campus and I arrived happy, relaxed and very content.

Breakfast at work

At breakfast, the conversation was lighthearted and engaging. I was invited for another social ride in the city on Saturday night. I sat there at breakfast enjoying the camaraderie and marvelled as I usually do, at how an artefact such as the humble bicycle can be so effective at bringing such seemingly disparate people together. It was a real pleasure to ride to work with the Griffith BUGs, and I appreciated their friendly and inclusive nature.

I felt very welcomed and safe – and I had a lovely time riding with them and getting back on the roadie. I though that this is exactly what the Ride to Work event is for, not just riding one day to work, but building positive relationships and lifestyle habits where active transportation to the workplace is encouraged, promoted and shared. I thought it was a very successful follow-up to the original event day and I was delighted to have been invited. I was also glad that I made an effort to go or a ride with the Griffith BUGs. It was a great start to the day and to blow out the roadie cobwebs.

05/11/201626/11/2016

The Need for Tweed

Guest blog post by Bear Racy.

Bear is a cycling enthusiast, intrepid traveller, social commentator, artist and lover of life. In this post, Bear provides an alternative histo-cultural commentary on Tweed themed bike rides.

The Need For Tweed?

Even when done tongue-in-cheek, the popularity of hipsters wearing tweed and riding bikes together smacks of some kind of post-colonial irony. Why do we feel the need, the need for tweed?

On the 5th of November, the Wellington Bay area (NZ) was the latest participant in the growing trend of ‘tweed’ themed bicycle rides. Pitched by Bicycle Junction (NZ) as an event that celebrates the “inherent style and grace of one of the most enduring of humankind’s inventions in the fashion it was intended to be celebrated”, the ‘Need for Tweed’ bicycle ride saw a return to the itchy clothing made from herringbone woven wool known as Tweed.

All about Tweed.

Tweed was popularized by the Edwardian middle class because of its association with the outdoor activities of the leisurely elite. Apart from its grandiose connotations, tweed is a vintage outdoor textile that is moisture resistant and durable – great for cycling, hunting and riding in the cold British weather.

Once considered expensive and highly sought after, tweed signified that you had the time and the money to afford the most cutting edge of textiles, so you could spend your days hunting and riding in the upmost comfort. From this ideal of leisure came the idealization of leisure as a look, which became fashion. Fashion then drove those less well-off to emulate the image, if not the lifestyle, of their tweed slathered betters.

In the 40’s silk jerseys started to replace tweed in cycling and was invented just in time for the blossoming post-war marketing industry to realise that in the world of television advertising, cyclists could make a prominent moving billboard. The silk jersey was brightly coloured to attract attention to the marketing and to identify the rider within the group. This became particularly useful in televised bicycle races where the spectator was able to easily pinpoint a rider by their jersey. Move forward to the invention of lycra and the colours and marketing have remained. Like tweed, you again have a cutting edge textile used in cycling to promote the comfort of the rider.

Loving Lycra.

At its advent, Lycra symbolised that you were a competitive rider at the pinnacle of your sport -it’s form hugging capabilities leaving no room to hide the sagging beer gut of an amateur, or disguise the gender of the wearer in a sport that at the time was dominated by males.

Wearing lycra meant you were a serious rider. Festooned with the logos of the top cycling brands, lycra began to move out of competitive sport and into fashion. Like tweed, it became popularised because of it’s association as a textile worn by the elite. And like the tweed wearing Edwardians, this elite was characterised by a group of white males that had the time and the money to indulge seriously in a sport clad in the best textile technology of the time.

As lycra became more commonly available, it started to lose popularity. Perhaps in part because in our modern society, wearing lycra is as naked as you are allowed to be in public, and when worn by a group of middle-aged men, slogging it up a hill, is can be a scary sight to behold. It could also be due to the common misconception that groups of lycra clad riders will be unaware of, or deliberately flout road rules, thus hindering the traffic rights of the predominant car.

The main reason I believe that lycra is becoming less popular in the community bike ride is because of its association with elitism in cycling. That is to say; it’s not unpopular because it is being worn by elite riders, but that it is being worn by riders that want to be considered elite.

Ride on.

In cycling, there is a distasteful underbelly fuelled by a competitive seriousness that promotes an attitude of exclusivity, where only the fastest riders with the best equipment are encouraged.

Unfortunately, participants are usually upper to middle-class men, and despite the best intentions of the sport, this stereotype seems set to continue with events like the Tour de France, Giro Italy and Tour Down Under, where there is limited focus on the access, inclusion and promotion of women and cyclists from multicultural (non-Western/European) backgrounds.

The costumed ride is the antithesis to this trend, proving you don’t need fancy gear and a jersey full of logos to get on a bike and have fun.

By having a dress-up theme for a ride, organisers can create a sense of fun and silliness, while also providing an atmosphere of cohesion. Having the option to wear a themed costume creates a more open inclusive dynamic in a group, suggesting that any and all are welcome.

The need for tweed?

So why choose tweed? I can understand that it’s meant to celebrate and idealise the invention of the bicycle and that on the surface it looks pretty darn classy when worn en-mass, but the deeper connotations of tweed and the inherent sexism and exclusivity that come with it, could arguably be also perpetuating some of the worse traits that have dominated cycling culture for the last century.

If you look at the advertising for many of the tweed-themed rides, the repeated depiction is a white guy on a bicycle, while many of the flyers and media for other themed rides are (one would hope) inadvertently exclusive.

Most of the promotional material and media for tweed rides is independently generated and created in a diverse range of locations globally, demonstrating the insidious nature of exclusivity that is still so predominant in cycling culture. It gives evidence to the inherent sexism that is part of the hipster renaissance around cycling; that promotes a certain stereotype of the ideal rider. It is this stereotype alone that defeats the purpose of the community ride.

Why are groups of community riders trying to separate themselves from a culture of elitist white males on bikes, by celebrating a historical group of elite white males on bikes?

Comfort is key.

Most important when dressing for cycling, is ease of movement and protection from the elements. While wearing a great costume would warrant a certain amount of ill ease, the idea of wearing woollen cycling clothing that when wet, would turn into a personal sauna, (also known as an itchy moist skin sack) is my idea of hell on wheels. So why go back to tweed? Who would actually feel the need for tweed?

I suppose there is a certain amount of irony involved in hosting a bike ride as an inclusive event that celebrates an era of cycling epitomised by a time in human history when a bunch of English dudes owned everything and lived off the backs of the less fortunate. It could even be that this irony makes the ‘moustache competitions and gender specific costume awards’ a subversive form of protest, but that message is lost on me.

As we experience a culture increasingly being ruled by hipster trends and shifting memes, the irony of the ironic is so muddled, that all anyone can do is ride – and wait for good weather and the next naked bike ride.

01/11/201626/11/2016

Melbourne Artbike Grand Prix

Prescript: I was so excited about the cruelty-free Melbourne Artbike Grand Prix when I posted this, but have just found out (6.40pm on 1st Nov) that this event got postponed because of rain!! What a bummer! It has been (tentatively TBC ) moved to 10th Dec – but the awesomeness still rates, so here it is!! NG.

Today is the Melbourne Cup.

I was impressed to see that the Coburg Velodrome is holding a animal-free alternative to Melbourne Cup, by offering the inaugural Melbourne Artbike Grand Prix. If only I was still living in Melbourne!!!

Community event

This event is most certainly a community activity. First conceived by Bradley Ogden (Tower of Babel Burning Seed 2015 and Synesthesia), this is a wonderfully designed event encouraging active participation. It is a very well thought out and promoted event. From the gorgeous graphic design by Lauren Massy of @masseydesign (as seen above in social and media and online promotions) to the clear and informative website content, this is an exemplar bicycle inspired community event.

I hope they have a massive turn out, have far too much fun and the event is an outrageous success and is held for many years to come!!

For me it ticks all the boxes; supporting respectful and ethical lifestyle choices that do not harm animals, supports a charity in a productive and meaningful way, advocates for increased positive bike use, uses local cycling facilities in an innovative way that draws people to the location, has teamwork and creativity as a participatory prerequisite, is a celebration of ideas and expressions that are unusual, personal and innovative, supports a bicycle charity, creates a space for the community to come together to interact, share, have fun and be creative with unique bicycles as the central focus, and a whole host of other benefits – what more could you want?

Melbourne Artbike Grand Prix

All are welcome to come on the day to spectate and be part of the event. To enter, you need a team of 4 people to register ($25 per person, $100 per team), you fill out a survey and then create your art bike. As long as you follow the race rules and your bike passes the race check – you are good to compete in a relay style knock-out competition! Riders need to interchange after each lap and the first team over the line advances to the next round. There is also a solo category. Any profits made on the day go directly to Bicycles for Humanity.

Artbikes

By definition, an artbike can be cosmetically altered or purpose built – it is only limited by the owner/creators imagination. As a lover and producer of artbikes, I am particularly excited about this event. For this event, the focus is on producing creative, fun and inspirational bikes that met the criteria to enter and complete the event.

More info on the event:

All details are on their website where you can check the About page, Get Involved (Race, Create, Donate), Registration, Partners and the Event. There is also a blog page.

The event blog page gives details about:

Some inspirational artbike pictures
What an art bike actually is
What to expect from the Grand Prix
Support for Bicycles for Humanity
Ticketing
Event location and timing

Bicycles for Humanity

Aside from being a brilliant day out, promoting bicycles and providing an ethical alternative to ‘riding’ to the pervasive horse racing Spring Carnival Festival, this event is a collaboration also to support Bicycles for Humanity. Aside from the event supporting this charity, there are also options to the community to support Bicycles for Humanity either financially or by bringing bikes on the day to donate.

From their website, Bicycles For Humanity explain their volunteer-run, grassroots charity organisation as being focused on the alleviation of poverty through sustainable transport – in the form of a bike.

They do this essentially by collecting bicycles in develop countries and shipping them developing nations so that “each of the 40 ft shipping containers that Bicycles For Humanity sends becomes a bike workshop – providing employment, skills, training, business, opportunity and economic development for the community in which it’s placed. Each of these Bicycle Empowerment Centres (BEC) becomes a self-sustaining entity – fitting very cleanly into the model of micro-financed small business that is lately seen as one of the central ways for the developing world to move away from aid dependence”.

I wish them the best of luck, would be attending with bells on if I was in Melbourne. I cannot wait to see some pictures!

For any follow-ups email: melbourne@artbikegrandprix.

26/10/201626/11/2016

Invite to SSWC 2016 riders to be research participants

I am hoping to collate some ideas, reflections and experiences from SSWC 2016. Hence an invite to riders involved in the SSWC 2016 to participate in an academic research project.

At this stage, I am still formulating possible research directions as I have been very disheartened at the lack of interest and exposure that singlespeeding has had as a cycling community. Coming from a community development and academic research background, I am hoping to positively contribute to this oversight – and the SSWC event is a good place to start given the concentration of passionate enthusiasts.

If you would be interested in being involved (Australian or overseas), please send me an email so that if/when this project gets off the ground, I can contact you to invite you to participate in the project. I will email you more details as the project comes to hand and this shout out is just a preliminary Expression of Interest (EOI).

Contact for SSWC 2016 Research Participants

So, if you participated in the Singlespeed World Championships 2016 in Woodend and would be interested in being part of a research/community project about the event and other Singlespeed culture and lifestyle explorations, then please send me an email at: <sswc2016.bicyclescreatechange@gmail.com> with ‘Count me in‘ as the subject line.

At this stage, there is no guarantee that this project will eventuate, but I will most certainly be pushing for it to happen in some shape or form and will email you with details so you can make an informed choice moving forward. You email contact will not be given, sold or used for any other purpose – only for contact my me (NG) only for this research project. If you know of other riders who maybe interested in being involved, please pass this on to them. This invite will be active until 1st December 2016.

Thanks so much of your interest. Happy riding until then!

17/10/201627/11/2016

Singlespeed World Championships 2016

I’m gearing up (pun intended) for this weekend’s Singlespeed World Championship (SSWC) 2016 – the Carni-velo festival of the bike in Woodend, VIC. I’ve been so looking forward to this weekend – and have been getting more and more excited about it since I entered back in July (with a post of my favourite Singlespeed videos ). Last year I didn’t go to the Nationals, (but I did post about it), so it is extra special that the World Champs are in Australia this year.

Cancel everything…

I’ve turned down an acceptance for me to do a poster presentation at the Australian International Education Conference (in Melbourne on Sun) and I’m not going to the HDR Student Conference that I am on the organizing committee (on Friday) – as this opportunity is too good to miss! I could well go to another WSSC, but certainly not on home turf as well as being physically willing and able and having the means!

So, packing up the singlespeed tonight. I took her for a ride out in the rain this afternoon. She’s riding like a dream and I can’t wait. I’m decorating her in a similar vein to Leki (my flower bike) and you can see a prototype of when I rode my single speed at an MTB event last month. I’m going with colour and flowers so that she will be easy to see at the starting line – just in case there are any shenanigans. I’ve also bought a beard to wear, which I am very happy with and am very excited about catching up with some old and new crew. See some of last years photos here.

There are apparently 1,000 registered of the event form all over Australia and the world. Checking the latest weather updates this morning, showed that it is going to be raining and between 1-12C! After being in Brisbane’s balmy and sunny 26C – this could be a real challenge and reduce the actual riding cohort on the day – but certainly not the festivities!! Just more people to cheer on those who are game enough to ride!

SWWC Weekend Events

The events run all weekend and on offer are activities for riders (and competitors), non-riders and kids. There are heaps of entertainment and satellite events in the week leading up to the main event in Melbourne. If I was there, I would be getting down tomorrow for My Mechanic Rules.

General Run Sheet for the weekend.

Tuesday 18 Oct: My Mechanic Rules heat 1 (Melbourne)

Wednesday 19 Oct: Melbourne pub ride (Melbourne)

Thursday 20 Oct: rides, early bird drinks at Holgate Brewhouse (Woodend)

Friday 21 Oct: social 12 kms ride and Opening Extravaganza at Holgate Brewhouse (Woodend)

Saturday 22 Oct: Group ride, Carni-velo at Hanging Rock Reserve (Woodend)

Sunday 23 October: SSWC 2016 race day, hosting rights competition and after-party

SSWC Social observations – new directions

I find the singlespeed community so welcoming and interesting. I love how it seems to naturally evolve and is so accepting of all types of people, with minimal pretension, yet in its own way, maximum membership identification. This aspect in particular is very curious to me. I’ve often thought that its a pity there is not much accessible, authentic, respectful and insightful work undertaken about the singelspeed lifestyle – sure popular media and advertising has gone to town – but not so much from academia.

As I ride along on my single speed, I’ve often thought about this. I’ve got a few research ideas that I am hoping I might be able to put into motion about some sociological work and/or possible collaborations using the SSWC as a basis for participant recruitment. There are a few areas within the ethnographic literature that are void of original voices and narratives – and none more so than within cycling subculture communities.

After reading work discussing alcohol in sports such as Ultimate Frisbee and Roller Derby (as opposed to Football and other sports which use it as a way of team-bonding or representations of hypermasculinities), I’m curious to see how this might factor in at SSWC. I’m not a big drinker myself, so I’m interested to see if/how that will factor into my experience of the event.

In considering such deliberations, I’ve come up with a general list of sociological perspectives I’m keen to keep massaging and working on. SSWC is a great opportunity to see it all in action, add some new ideas and reevaluate others. I’m interested in seeing what the social functions and mechanisms of the SSWC as a singular event is, as well as singlespeed culture as a whole, such as:

The role of alcohol as a social integrater: drinkers, abstainers, defer-drinkers and under-aged
How SSers self identify individually and collectively – aspects of social distinction – what are the differences between hipsters, fixies and singlespeeders??
Role of gender (women/girls and hypermasculinities?) within the SS community
Values, indicators and central themes to the singelspeed lifestyle
Networks, groups membership and representations of self and image (as opposed to media diffusion?)
Subcultural/Subsocial artefacts, behaviours, norms and signifiers

However, this weekend I am going to enjoy, relax and get amongst it all – who knows what might come up!

16/10/201627/11/2016

‘Starry Night’ Bike Path

I am often equally baffled and concerned riding bikes around Brisbane. It is not a city designed for easy bike use. There are areas and bike path networks dotted around, but the amount and ferocity of the road traffic is of leviathan proportions. Finding and linking the Brisbane bike paths to ride to work has had a remarkable positive impact. Which is why this new Polish bike path not only useful for urban mobility and to promote bike use, but I also see it as an fantastic aspirational challenge to other cities worldwide to lift their game and invest in more infrastructure to support cycling and walking. It serves as a wonderful precedence for other urban developers, city councils and political lobbyists to use as an example of what is possible – not just for resident use, but also as a tourist draw card and showcase of national technological advancement.

Starry Night Bike Path

This is the new glow-in-the-dark bike path that was unveiled this month in Poland (near Lidzbark Warminiski). This bike path is revolutionary in that it made of synthetic particles call ‘luminophores’, which charge in the sunlight during the day, and glow at night. Luminophones can emit an arrange of colour, but designers decided on blue for visibility and to blend into the surrounds. Once charged these luminophones can radiate light for up to 10 hours – making it a beautiful and safer ride home at the darkest time of night.

This next offering in the evolution of safer, more eco-friendly and cost-effective bike lanes drew on inspiration from the Dutch solar-powered TPA Instytut Badan Techniczynch Sp. Z o. o bike path from 2014, however, unlike the Dutch path by Studio Roosegaarde, this Polish contemporary requires no external batteries or power – which really steps up the innovation and utilisation factor. Find more info about the Polish Starry Night Path here.

I hope that having such beautiful, productive and eco-friendly developments such as these, that promote city bike riding will go far to set the scene for other major cities as a means to inspire and stimulate policy discussion about encouraging and supporting increased urban bike use.

12/10/201627/11/2016

National Ride to Work Day 2016

Today is Australia’s National Ride to Work Day 2016.

Last year was my first year registering and it was one of the best things I did since coming to Brisbane. I registered last year thinking I would give it a go, support the event and try something different. I was a little unsure of how I was going to get there, as I find the Queensland roads spectacularly challenging and unsafe – especially when you have no orientation or experience in the area. So to find the best route, I ended up using the Bicycle Network’s quick and easy Brisbane City Plan my Route – and it planned my whole trip door to door, while linking up all these backroads and bicycle tracks that I had no idea even existed. I have been riding to work ever since.

This year

So I am excited about the event this year and registered as a co-ordinator for my department. Although many of the teachers are supportive of bicycle riding, very few actually engage with it – so I did as much email promotion and talking to people as I could and looked at it as a awareness raising campaign. The event has a lot of activities and associated initiatives that go along with supporting riders to ride to work on the actual day – and the list of resources, info and details on the Ride to Work website is quite impressive.

Breakfast BUG

Although I was (regrettably) was unable to ride myself this morning, I met up and joined the Griffith Uni BUG (Bicycle Users Group) for the tail end of breakfast at Nathan Campus. It was lovely to meet some new cycle-minded staff and I felt very welcome. A number of them introduced themselves and thanks especially to MD who ended up inviting me to join their monthly ride with them all from Brisbane City to campus. I am now on their mailing list and look forward to more potential future cycling adventures with some new faces! Overall, breakfast was cheap and cheery and I am looking forward to seeing what other groups did for the day – and of course keen to see how the daily stats and results end up. I hope that it was as popular this year as last year. Click here to see some great photos from the fun last year. I know that last year 43% of all new riders who took part are still riding to work – so I am hoping that this statistic will improve.

Happy riding!

08/10/201627/11/2016

OTEC E-bike research

This rise of the e-bike is a polarising phenomenon. Some people love them, some people hate them, many don’t care either way. Currently in a number of places in the USA, there is a concerted interest and investigation into the potentiality of the e-bike market. One such study was undertaken by OTEC and is particularly interesting as it provided 120 bike set up with GPS tracking as well as engaging the participants in a very interesting survey – the results of which are below.

I have had very little contact with e-bikes. A few years ago, my brother was using an e-bike to get around Melbourne, which, after getting over my initial amazement that my brother had been on a bike (ever – at all), let alone had bought one (even if it was an e-bike) was my first direct contact. I tried his e-bike on a track and was surprised at how comfortable the ride was. I had to admit that, although I am one of those people who has an immediate staunch mountain-biker aversion to e-bikes, I could see how and where there was a place for their use.

Recently I was in a mountain-bike event where one of the competitors was on an e-bike. In my opinion, that was not the time, nor the place for and e-bike. Based on the responses of other competitors, I was not the only one. However, I did find myself recommending to my 74 year-old father, that utilising an e-bike conversion (for uphills) on a tricycle (for stability) was a sound alternative for him to get around and stay active – an idea of which he loved. In the cases where age, mobility restriction, or those who are severely overweight but want to get out and start exercising, I can see the cost-effectiveness, comfort, mobility and access arguments for using e-bikes.

So it was no surprise that the infographic below caught my eye. It is a quick and easy report of the results of an online survey about e-bike usage in Portland, Oregon (one of the most progressive and up-and-coming bike friendly cities in the world). This infographic details in a succinct, balanced and visually appealing way, the responses, concerns and reasons for e-bike use. This is understandable, as it was produced by the Portland State Transportation Research and Education Center, which I applaud for undertaking as an online initiative and in the effectiveness of community awareness raising/promotion of e-bike use. I think this image goes a long way in helping to better explain to those who maybe totally resistant to e-bikes some of the more practical or uncommon dimensions of bike use.

I know many mountain-bikers who completely dismiss e-bikes for a variety of reasons (most often cited are accusations of laziness and ‘cheating’). However, this perspective is a knee-jerk reaction to something new based, and is based on their own personal fitness and lifestyle situation – which is certainly not the experience for millions of other people who may want to get out and about on a bike, but for whatever reason, may not be able to on a conventional bicycle.

To this end, I think this infographic is quite successful in being able to collate and communicate some of the more interesting aspects of e-bikes, so that people can have a better appreciation for such factors.