What's in a Name?: April 2012

Saturday, April 28, 2012

It's official..... I'm a crazy cyclist

In case you haven't noticed from the flood of cycling posts on this blog I've kinda got into cycling... Today however I've officially turned into a crazy cyclist. I've packed up my bike into a bag thrown it on a plane and am traveling to Melbourne to do a bike race. As a consequence turned my wife into a #cycling widow.

Just to cement the fact. Today starts the "month of single parenting" as every weekend until June I'm either away for work or out being a crazy cyclist riding 570km in a weekend to raise money for cancer research.

I'm not sure how I'm going to make it up to her but I'm thinking few trips to the jewelers might be a good start.

Riding to raise money for cancer research
Show your support http://www.smiddyfundraising.com.au/cameron_douglassavage

Sent from my iPad

Tuesday, April 24, 2012

Frankenbike (in photos)

Frankenbike, a set on Flickr.

The Ex-Malvern Star Sportif rebuilt as an Avanti Monza (with American Classic AC420 Aero Wheels and Shimano Ultegra Groupset)

Monday, April 23, 2012

The Frankenbike

The Frankenbike (Aka Avanti Monza)

As I posted earlier my poor Malvern Star Sportif frame had met with and untimely end and sadly had it's last ride on the epic commute back from the gold coast.

The Malvern Star on it's last commute

This has all changed now thanks to the awesome work by Bicycle Revolution.

I walked in and said I was looking for a frame to replace the one that was rusting through. He said they might have one that would work out and proceeded to take me out through the back to an enormous shed lined with as many frames as they could fit.

After much deliberation I settle on one hanging just near the front from Avanti that looked in pretty good condition. I had set my heart on a blue frame but everything I found was either the wrong type, size or rustier than the one I was replacing. After a short stint in the shop she came back rebuilt as the Avanti Monza, which I've nicknamed the Frankenbike. It's first big test will be on a few rides this week..

A mirror in it's new form from the last ride as the sportif

A long ride

In what most people would consider a nightmare for their Sunday, I rolled out of bed at 4:30, packed my bike into a car and travelled out to Marburg to then ride the furthest I'd ever ridden.... 183km.

Even though it was a training ride and I spent over 6 hours riding I had a great time.

This was a big test of how my training for the Smiddy Event would go in June The morning started off very foggy, it was so bad with my glasses all I saw was water. It was nice cycling out in the country side with only a few cars passing us on the whole trip and lots of friendly waves from the locals. Almost the whole ride is done as a group rotating through the riders to make sure no one gets too fatigued on the front and just long enough to start a chat with the rider next to you. Every so often there is an "expression session" which is basically code for "king of the mountain" or "Sprint section. I always told myself "just go easy there is a long way to go... no need to smash out a great time". As it turns out I'm not a great listener and always took off as soon as there was a break away.

The pea soup on the way out to Marburg

Waiting for the start

Everyone assess how they went on the first "expression" session of the day

The pack riding through Laidley

Some of the less pleasant terrain, the poor SRAM wheels weren't a fan

A break away pack on a hill "expression"

Not the normal patronage for the Plainlands Hotel on a Sunday

Rehydrating

There are always plenty of riders lending a hand for those who were struggling

The last ride for these gloves... the only real casualty of the day.

Despite my worry about being fit enough and whether I'd done enough training I felt pretty good after the ride and didn't collapse as soon as I walked in the door (that happened about 9pm on the couch). I'm really looking forward to the Smiddy Event now, not that it won't hurt and I'm sure my legs will be feeling it at the end but yesterday was one of the best trips out on a bike I've had.

If you'd like to help out raising money for the cause (funding cancer research) please click here and donate.

Saturday, April 21, 2012

And just like that the holiday was over.....

It doesn't seem like two weeks ago we'd packed up our house ready for new floors and headed down the coast to start two weeks of holidays but here I am mid flight back from Hobart and the sad reality is setting in.

I think the reason is that it's taken me almost the full two weeks to get into holiday mode and now it's time to head back to work and I'm not sure I'm ready for that.

A saving grace is that it's a short week and I've only got two days before I have another day off. From there the next few months will be crazy. Next weekend I'm heading to Melbourne to do a ride over Arthur's seat with my technical director. Then down the coast for pre mothers day mothers day as the next weekend I'm heading to New Orleans for the Knowledge 12 conference (which is actual mothers day) then the weekend after I'm back in Melbourne for our annual conference then one week in Brisbane (probably for a Smiddy training ride) before the Smiddy event takes place. Somewhere in there I've got to fit >300km/week of riding.

I think I'm going to owe Ness a weekend out every weekend for the rest of the year after that.

Riding to raise money for cancer research
Show your support http://www.smiddyfundraising.com.au/cameron_douglassavage

Sent from my iPad

Tuesday, April 17, 2012

Holidaying to Hobart

Today we are off with the two littleones to visit the grandparents.

It's been a crazy time on holidays with our house getting new flooring while we were down the coast. Of course that ran a little late and we compressed the unpacking the house and packing for Tasmania into the same event. I found the whole moving back in part simultaneously depressing and frustrating. I knew that the unpacking the house again was going to be long and hard but I hadn't really anticipated the amount of dust from all the work cutting the floors. After a few hissy fits on my part I got over it and the place looks fantastic now.

The up side of all this of course is we are now on the plane to Hobart for another break. Ness even manage awesome wife +1 by not only organizing the trip but finding bike hire and cycling routes so I can keep training for the smiddy ride.

It did get me thinking on a travel bike solution with a few rides in Melbourne coming up. I even manage to find two folding bikes with bull horns and road style shifters! http://www.evanscycles.com/products/tern/verge-x30h-2012-folding-bike-ec032573 the only downside really is they cost about twice my current bike.

Anyway I'm really looking forward to another break and fingers crossed the weather stays bright! And amazingly the littlegirl managed not the be a banshee on the flight.

Saturday, April 14, 2012

Stumbled onto a time trial

Headed out for another trip to Currumbin valley on the fixie this morning in an effort to keep training up for http://www.smiddyfundraising.com.au/cameron_douglassavage

I left a little bit later so I didn't have to ride in the dark as much. It was much more picturesque in the light and follows a lot more of the creek than I noticed last time.

Today I saw a lot more cyclists as well one of the clubs had organized a strava time trial over the course. I did think the guys in teardrops and skin suits were probably taking it a little bit too seriously.

I had planned to go out to Tallebudgera but the springbrook and 10% gradient signs turned me off.

Thursday, April 12, 2012

The Sportif is no more....

The sportif after its long commute

After it's epic commute back from the coast I noticed a lot of wheel rub on the old bike and I took it in for a service only to discover that the frame near the bottom bracket had rusted through and was causing the wheels to rub.

So for the last few weeks I've been looking for a replacement frame and pestering the life out of the people in my bunch ride on what to choose.

After much deliberation over a new leader/surly/colossi and various others I went for the vintage option and stopped in at Bicycle Revolution to see what they had. Turns out there were only one or two frames to choose from (as you can see from the photo below)

Having only a short time to browse I had a quick look through and pick one with a brand I recognised and without to much rust. I'm sure there were some vintage gems in there (saw an Oxford frame a couple of Peugeots and plenty of Apollo Jaguars) but I settled on a grey Avanti Monza.

The frame cost the princely sum of $70 and now it's just the task of rebuilding it with the Ultegra running gear and the American Classic wheels. I'm hoping it will be ready to take down south to the Arthurs Seat Ride later this month...

Wednesday, April 11, 2012

A trip to Currumbin Valley on the Fixie

Decided to head out on my fixie and explore the Currumbin Valley after finding this post on Australian Cyclist. It was pretty dark to start with only my Lezyne Mini Drive to light the way.

It was a really nice ride through what was mostly open country side and I hardly saw a person on the road. It was more of a climb than I was expecting (or even noticed to be honest until I saw the stats when I got back). Definitely a ride I would do again, next time I might try continuing on and coming back on Tallebudgera Creek Road... Might try that when it's a bit lighter.

Monday, April 09, 2012

Easter weekend in pictures

Sunday, April 08, 2012

PhotoJoJo Lenses...

My Sister very kindly gave me an early birthday present over easter some Photojojo lenses for my iPhone. It's a very cool system. A magnet attaches the lens to the back of phone and you just shoot away with a 2x Telephoto or Wide Angle shot.

Here are some with the Telephoto Lens