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So I walked in to MCC today to buy a chain for the Oxford road bike (see post below) but I walked out with a bike!

More pics and comentary here.

I picked this bike up on the side of the road yesterday. I’ve become the bike saver! I’d much rather see this bike being ridden by someone rather than being flattened at the tip.

Geo ain’t too bad!

Fancy lugs and headbadge.

Shimano Thunderbird II!

Oxford stamped saddle.

Shimano Positron! Check the cabling, 2 cables feed all the way from the shifter to the derailleur. One cable for up, one for down. Unusual! Best thing is it’s perfectly in tune!!!

After some research I’ve found out that it’s most likely a Japanese bike, brought over then assembled in Australia. The date of manufacture is stamped in the rear stays as June 1977 and the Shimano Positron gear dates back to 1975. It’s pretty special gear as it’s Shimano’s first mass manufactured “index” gearing. That’s SIS today, clicking into gears as opossed to old style friction gearing.

“The whole system represented a serious attempt to take indexing mainstream. The chain and freewheel were especially good. A heroic failure, but lots of the incidental details – shaped chain links, shaped teeth, incompressible cable outer – lived to become integral parts of SIS”.

A bit of elbow grease, a new chain, and she’s now ready for a new home.

FUCK YES! They look (and feel) soooo amazingly awesome. I love them. The 3 colour print cost me an arm and a leg but I think the result is way worth it. $30 shipped anywhere in Aus. If you want one (please do help. I hope I can at least break even on these!!!) click here.

The Hoff gives 2 thumbs up.

Mounted to my “spare” Fox Flux helmet (it’s Christina’s helmet LOL but shhh don’t tell her).

I finally spent up on some lights. I was hesitant last year, but after a bit more pressure form Jing and Zi, as well as seeing how awesome Tai’s Ayups were last night I dished out on a set of niteriders (yes doesn’t that remind you of the Hoff + Kit?!) today.

I got:
– MiNewt Mini-USB Plus
– MiNewt Mini-USB

The Plus kit includes the helmet attachment kit and an extension lead so you can put the battery for that light in your pack but I’ve chosen to mount the battery on my helmet. The other light is just the normal handlebar mount.

Both kits plug into the wall OR you can choose to simply plug it into your PC via USB. You can leave them plugged in at all times so they are always charged and ready to go. That’s a massive bonus and sold me on these babies as I will just leave thrm both plugged into the PC at all times and they will be ready to go, at all times.

The kit is super well made, simple and very bright! I’m more than happy.

I got it all from MC Cyclery. RRP prices are: $249 (with helmet kit) and $210 (normal kit).

Looking forward to those night rides now. Bring it on!

What an awesome ride. I had so much energy today it was ridiculous. If only I felt that great every ride!!!

*mental note: Toast, coffee, brunch was eggs, baked beans and toast, veggie juice, lots of water throughout the day, bananna and power bar pre-ride, pack filled with gatorade*

The trail surface was just so hard packed and fast tonight. It made ordinary corners super fun and there wasn’t any sand at all. The air was cool too, and it was slightly grizzling down for most of the ride which was also so nice.

I’m on a high.

Tai’s ayups look the goods. 6.45PM at the carpark. Rain drops, cool weather. Tai and his mate Lam were waiting for Zi and I.

Lam’s feelin it. Lam’s not new to riding but he doesn’t ride much. This is the tree you get to once you do the nasty little gradual uphill trail over the highway. He’s feelin it but he soldiered on!

Tai looking at Zi.

Zi blinded by the light.

Zi and I followed tradition and went to eat some Sizzler. We met Andy there and he made this plate (gross much?!). My eye was stinging from a bit of tree that whipped me naked eyeball. Time to get some clear glasses me thinks.

Zi and I ate the petite fillet mignon, it’s so fucking perfect it puts $100 steaks in fancy restaurants to shame!!!

If Zi ever shows public emotion it’s when he’s eating good food. He giggles and smiles to himself whilst chowing down.

Christina’s moving in soon (finally!) and my bins have been full for a few weeks in a row (yes I’m throwing a lot of my shit out!).

This weekend we did the couples thing (along with the rest of Sydney it seems as it was a shitfight) and went to a few furniture shops for some ideas. First of all we went to SPACE just so I could drool over the same B&B Italia couch I’ve lusted after for over 10 years. The price is still insane at $34,000. We then came back down to earth and went to Ikea (where $34k could almost buy you one of everything in the entire store!).

I’ve always felt shit about buying stuff at Ikea (I like to think I’m too good for their shit), but the hard fact is that their stuff is cheap(er), and some of it works quite well. For example, I love their massive Expedit bookshelves, they’re almost iconic!(maybe the best thing they’ve ever sold?) and so we bought another one of them for my man cave and also a table for Christina’s new office.

Christina’s new office. What the photo doesn’t show was clearing out the room, which was a nightmare as I had constructed a sound proof wall in there as that room was meant to be a recording room. The bay window was completely covered in vines on the outside, ripping them down was mighty fun!

Expedit workbench and tool storage in my man cave.

I was getting bicycle goods deliveries a few times a week at some stage. Now it’s only every now and then, but hearing the courier rock up outside and the rear door sliding gets me excited every time. I love the mail man!

In the box today was:

Thomson stem for Suga’s road bike. It’s shorter because she’s shorter!

White gear cabling for the Paino!

Grippiest shoes in the world but I ruined my plain black pair (washed them, failed to dry them and they grew mould) so I bought the same shoe but the Sam Hill model. I knew they had his name on the heel, which is damn embarassing if you ask me, but in real life these have to be the ugliest shoes I’ve ever owned. Snake skin pattern and check that naff Australia detail!!! GAH!

Same grippy sole from 5.10 but in a more comfy casual shoe for busting around the block duties.

Ardent tyre for the Reign.

Ardent tyre on the front. FAT!

Fixed gear goodness.

Andy dropped in just then to show off his new Surly Steamroller. It’s got a flip flop hub on it but the boys at MC Cyclery forced him to ride it fixed! It’s nuts. I had a little go outside and damn it’s a freaky experience.

1) I found it hard to even get my 2nd foot into the toe clips as they couldn’t stop spinning!

2) Cornering with a toe clip out meant scraping Andy’s lovely new MKS toeclips into the ground.

3) Even with brakes I found it hard to stop. I tried to stop without the brakes (just using my legs) and it was impossible!!!

Excitement!

Caryn sent me photos of this little guy this morning, how cute!!!

Out of control, huh? Click here for a bigger pic.