THE RIVENDELL LIST OF TIPS FOR BETTER CYCLING.

Learn right away that the front brake is the most effective one, and to never lock the front wheel in dirt (or on the road, but it's more likely in dirt). Learn how far you can lean over without scraping a
pedal.

Learn to keep the inside pedal UP when you corner, and learn to ride safely in all conditions. Be the master and commander of your own bicycle.

Signal your approach to pedestrians, especially if they're old, and a bell is better than "On your left! right" If no bell, try clacking your brake levers. If all you got is "On your left! right" that's fine, but if you ride a lot on paths, get a bell.

At least one ride in 10, go without your sunglasses and gloves.

Sometime next month, put some double-sided cheap-style pedals on a good bike and ride in non-cycling garb. It works shockingly well, and sends a good message to would-be bicycle riders.

Carry an extra tube you can give to somebody with a flat tire and just a repair kit.

If you're a guy, don't try to be a mentor to every female cyclist you meet.

Don't ride in shoes you can't walk through an antique shop in.

Don't wear clothing that makes your sweat stink even more.

Don't think you'll go faster in a significant way if you and your bike become more aerodynamic.

Put a $20 bill inside your seat post or handlebar and hold it there, somehow.

Don't ride until you're confident you can fix a flat.

If you ride more than one bike, have a set of bring-along tools for each one. Learn how to remove your rear wheel (put the chain onto the small cog, etc.).

If you ride in a group, bring food for you and somebody who forgot to.

Go for a one-hour ride underdressed sometime, because it's good to be really cold on a bike every now and then.The reverse (overdressing in hot weather) is not necessary!

Never blame your bike or your health or anything else if you're the last one up the hill or in to the rest stop.

If your brake hoods are black, wrap your bars with a different color tape, so it doesn't look like a one-piece set-up.

Never let your chain squeak.

If you pass another rider going up a hill, say more than "Hi," but if it's a woman and you aren't, don't assume she wants to chit-chat. Treat her as you'd have a generic guy-rider treat your wife/daughter/girlfriend.

If you're a woman and it's a guy, you can chit-chat all you like, they won't mind.

If you see another rider approaching you from the rear and trying to catch you, let it happen. Fun is more important than fast.

Don't put any cyclist up on a pedestal, except Lon and Freddie.


Sometimes, bring normal food on your ride. Sometimes bring none. If you're reasonably
well-rested and have eaten anything at all in the last eighteen hours (and are not diabetic), you should be able to pedal your bike for two to three hours without supercharging your system with carbohydrates.

Believe it or not, carbs really do make you fat, and are necessary only for long, hard rides.

Shoot photos on your rides and give them away.

Feel comfortable mixing high tech and low tech, old and new parts and technologies, and don't apologise to anybody for it.


Compliment other people's bikes, especially if they're new.

Buy the cheapest helmet that fits well.

Try seersucker shirts for hot weather riding, and long-sleeved ones are best.

Don't underestimate fig bars.

If you get a new widget and like it, don't "swear by it."

Don't always shop by price and never ask for discounts at your local bike shop. Every time you go into a bike shop, spend at least $2, and if you ask a question and get good advice, spend $5.

If you buy a rack, don't ask for free installation.

Don't assume your bike shop is making money.

Ride only when you feel like it.

If you know a fast new rider, don't say, "You really ought to race."

If you see a stocky woman rider, don't suggest she race track.

Have at least one bike you feel comfortable riding in a downpour.

Ride in weather that keeps other cyclists indoors.

Never keep track of your pedaling cadence.

If you have a normal loop or ride, count the number of times you shift on it; then the next time you ride it, cut that in half and see if it makes any difference.

Learn to ride no-hands and to hop over obstacles, but not simultaneously.

Never hit a pedestrian. In traffic, be visible and polite. Don't feel as though you must be a role model for all other riders; be polite for selfish reasons.

If you have several bikes, set them up with different equipment but always ride the saddle you like best.

Don't try to keep up with faster descenders if you're not comfortable descending.

Never apologise for buying something that's not quite pro quality by saying, "I'm not going to race or anything."

If you buy a stock bike, do something to it that makes it the only one exactly like it in the world.

Don't think it's important to match front and rear hubs or rims.

If you borrow somebody else's bike, for a short test or a long ride, say something nice about it.

Always bring a pump.

Build at least one wheel.

Wear out something.

Don't ever describe any bike, no matter how inexpensive or dilapidated, as "a piece of crap."

If you get a fancy bike assembled by somebody else, allow them a scrape or two, especially if the bike is really expensive.

Thanks to the http://www.adelaidecyclists.com/ for this interesting list from Rivendale website.

Commuting worth trying.

When you drive a car all the time you forget to see(or do not notice) some of the beautiful sites of your own town. Just a couple of examples of what I am talking about. A couple of photos of my extended commute home last night after dayshift.


Definitely better than being in a climate controlled box stuck in traffic!!

Raelene when she first started riding.

I just found this photo of when Raelene first started riding.







Wait for it!



















No not really. I found this photo on this interesting cycling Blog
http://saddleupbike.blogspot.com/

Anzac Day 2010 Ride

Short notice ride this morning. A small group of us went to the Dawn Service for the remembrance ceremony. We then returned home and returned to Arteyria with our mountain bikes. A nice ride out the Parnkalla trail to the National Park entrance followed.


Here we were met by Kingsley with a coffee and some snacks including some Anzac biscuits.


The spot he had chosen was perfect out of the wind and in the sun allowing us to bask in the cool but lovely sun. The three of us then returned to Port Lincoln along the trail to DGs for a coffee.
All of us paused to reflect on the sacrifice of our Servicemen and Servicewomen that allow us to enjoy democracy and freedom in this great country.
"Lest We Forget"

Mountain Biking at Port Pirie Masters Games 2010

Karen Lahestorfer and Sylvia Dansie travelled to Bundaleer Forest near Jamestown (60km East of Port Pirie) to compete. Support crew, Phil Dansie, helped at the event with reinflating punctured tyres, Cross Country race support vehicle and Dirt Crit lap counting & timing – much appreciated!




On the way, the Mawson Trail between Quorn and Melrose was explored, with a view to riding in the Blinman to Melrose Trail Ride in June. Interest still remains and the Flinders landscape certainly inspires.
We stayed in a Jamestown cabin Saturday night, only a short drive from Bundaleer Forest where you could camp. It was very refreshing to visit and ride in a different location.



A small group prepared for this inaugural event and soon discovered Three Corner Jacks were plentiful around the assembly area!
The 8 competitors (5 men & 3 women) suffered multiple punctures before the Cross Country Race! Those with self sealing Slimed tubes (Karen & most others) weren't too concerned as little beads of green slime bubbled out of their tyres but those without (certainly Sylvia) were, as tyres softened! The Start was delayed while tubes were changed & tyres pumped!



The excellent 18 km Cross Country race took Karen (W50-54) 1 hour 7 minutes with Sylvia (W55-59) 3 minutes later. Apart from deflating tyres, Sylvia was also a little concerned about her damaged, partially ‘mended’ front suspension. It was granny gear work up the first climb just after the start, with a single track zig zagging up and up. (The support vehicle had to find alternative routes when the going got tough.) Then undulating fire trails through pine & eucalypt forest, tracks through sheep country to another high point then back via the forest. Tyres stayed up for the duration fortunately and suspension coped.
Coffee & BBQ lunch preceded the afternoon Dirt Crit, a 1 km circuit around features including a dry creek, house ruin, trees, mesh ramp and sheep trough. Sylvia & Karen had serious doubts about starting, after struggling around a practice lap, but with medals on offer went for it! Final medal tally was 2 Gold each.
The Dirt Crit was a 20 minute ride plus 1 lap and skills mostly improved each lap. You had to stay between a roped course that wasn’t always easily seen. It amazes what can be done on a MTB! Rough drop into narrow, leaf littered creek bed section, sharp turn & between twin trunks of a gum with a steep creek bank behind, back across the creek and up bank, to the ruin and through the back door, no flooring so over steel mesh, out front door, avoid steep front steps by sharp turn after door sill onto narrow veranda and down a steep mesh ramp. Next a double creek crossing where you can use descent speed to carry you up the other side with a little practice, then turn to renegotiate the steep banks. Sylvia got a little cocky on her 3rd lap and with too much speed up stacked it spectacularly on the first up bank, alarming watchers. Back on bike to squeeze past the sheep trough and down a step, down, around , along and steady to conquer a steep mesh bridge, then along the creek, out of, then turn back in, down and up banks and through to the start for the next lap.
It was definitely a steep learning curve and looking forward to the next time!
This masters competition is on again in 2012 and it’s a great day but make sure your tubes are slimed! Sylvia has 2 very flat tyres now!

11th April Dene's Pillaworta hill MTB ride.

Great ride with 14 riders venturing out on the ride. Great to see 14 riders making the effort to join Dene on his ride. This was important to show that as a club that we appreciate the effort Dene puts into finding and developing rides in interesting and different places. Great to have Sylvia join us now she does not have the pressure of her ironman training keeping her busy. Karin and her rode out to the ride and back completing over 100ks for the day. It was good to see Brenton and Richard again. We all met at the Koppio old school site at 9 am. After getting the bikes off of the vehicles Dene rounded us all up and off we went. We rode east from the school site past the rose nursery washaway and up a reasonable climb on a graded road uphill. This allowed us to glimpse in the distance the communications tower on Pillaworta Hill in the distance. This was to be the destination for the day. The sky was kind to us with a few clouds but no significant threat of rain. After regrouping on the top of the first hill we shot down pulling up at the bottom and turning left along the valley floor along the Farmers track heading North. Winding along the valley floor we made steady progress along a very picturesque valley with trees, scrub and open farmland presenting different vistas as we climbed gradually towards the hills. Numerous gates were encountered with Clem getting an opportunity to close several different varieties of cockies gates. During the last week it must have been windy in them thar hills as there was no shortage of sticks laying all over the track. At one stage a whole branch was laying across the track necessitating a dismount to negotiate.






Getting closer to the Tower we started a reasonable climb, rising in stages up the green hills past dams with sheep gazing at those strange things on wheels winding past. Rising to the crest of the ridge a stunning view over the farming country towards Tumby Bay opened up for us.






Numerous photos were taken here. Climbing along the ridge we continued to make our way up towards the communication tower and the trig point at the very top.




Numerous gates later, fourteen of us made it to the top. It was quite cool at the top with jackets being pulled on ready for the descent. Lots of photos were taken of the surrounding views. Leonie had completed her first climb.





A fast descent followed with everyone taking care on the Buckshot gravel sections that Dene had briefed us on at the top. Coming past the farmhouse at the bottom the farmers dog fell in love with us. Jeff picked him up and took him for a ride back to the farmer’s house. The little fellow would not stop at home and chased us for several kilometres down the road towards Koppio. He was very persistent and very fit. Back on the nicely graded road it did not take us long to ride back down the road to get back to the school grounds for one of Kingsley’s legendary lunches.



Here we had a nice feed and several cups of coffee in the nice sunshine out of the wind. It was great to have Faye and Georgia join us here as well to catch up.
A big thankyou to Dene for the time and effort he puts into our MTB rides. It was great to see lots of riders joining us to sample some of Dene’s planning and effort. Thanks to Kingsley for lunch.
Lets keep up the attendance of these rides in the future as it makes them great fun doing them together.

21st March MTB ride

The Third-Sunday Ride for March went off-road again. The weather was perfect for cycling once again and three of us set off along Mortlock Tce, turning up Tennant St, left onto Grantala Rd and crossed N.W. Rd.
We were joined by two more riders in this section. We rode past the Dirt Circuit Track and along part of the access track beside the railway line. Back out to cross the manin road and along Pound Lane, which has been up-graded and much more pleasant to ride on, and on up and up Chapman Rd.
This was just to remind us that you don't get to enjoy a cuppa afterwards without working for it. Hyde Rd took us downhill to the highway where we cruised along the Investigator Trail and back into town. This was a short ride but a good one.
Hope to have more of you on the next ride!
Thanks to Dene for this ride.

10th March twilight ride.

Nice evening ride with seven people riding. Leonie and Max took a more sealed route at times while the rest had some small sections off road. It was a very pleasant evening with several regroups along the way. Max had yak with a French couple at the fuel berth while waiting for those that had taken a more scenic route. We then rode back through town to try out the new cycle path in front of the "Blue seas" motel. Riding back to Del Giornos for a coffee and some Pizza. Thanks to Raelene for leading this ride.

Keens Commuter cycling sandals for sale.

Gidday Fellow Cyclists
Max has purchased a pair of Keens commuter cycling sandals from America. They are a bit small for Max They are SPD compatible and are brand new. Max tried them on and they were too small for him.

They are Bison in colour(Brown in normal talk) size 9 us, size 42 eu, size 8 Aust.

They are the ants pants cycling sandals with closed in toes and with Keens sandals reputation.

They are over $200 in Australia stores and Max is asking just $110.

Max can be contacted on 0428984603.

Nice Sunday morning ride for Easter

Great morning ride this morning for Sunday easter weekend.
The white topped easter bunny was handing out Easter eggs at the end of the bitumen



Trevor the fittest 72 year old I know. Unbelievable good nick for his age.



John telling a joke while at the end of the bitumen.



Mary handing out easter eggs