Self Righteous Cyclist

Mitch Docker; could there be a more honest, loveable and community minded person in Australian cycling at the moment?  I for one don't think so.  Between his insightful commentary on SBS, his Life in the Peloton podcast which gives an insider’s view of the procycling world, running training camps, putting time into his local Lancefield community and just doing epic shit, like riding from Melbourne to Adelaide for the TDU with a few mates and recording interviews along the way.  Mitch's enthusiasm is so infectious, that he strikes me as one of those people, that nobody can say no to, and it's with that innate trust that the Dirty Docker happened.   The inclusiveness of the two-day festival was unlike anything we have ever seen in Australia. Twelve events across XC running races, CX races, novelty races, kids races on the Saturday and the option of 4 gravel events from 15 to 115km on the Sunday attracted a very healthy 580 entrants. Keeping that festival vibe pumping into th

If I had to sum up the Northern Combine Individual Time Trial Championships and Brunswick Road Club Championships at Balliang on Saturday 31st August in a sentence, this is it. We came, we saw, we were blown away and we went home. Even though, not much happened on the racing front, those of us with a nose for a story, can sniff one out or at least make one up.  So hold onto your hats and here goes. During the week, the weather bureau was telling us that these high winds are unseasonably early.  By mid week I’m googling about safe wind speeds for disc wheels and thinking that I really should prepare that tri-spoke in case it's too windy.  Driving out to Balliang with my passenger Tom McDonough and no tri-spoke, it’s 16 degrees but a howling NW wind is bringing the temperature down to near single digits. Now Tom arrived at my place with nothing more than a musette and his bike.  On the way out he's telling me about his aero bars, which has got me thinking, they must be bloody t

After a near blanket finish at the Combine’s last handicap at Broadford for the Jack Wood Memorial it was time to get back to Balliang, the spiritual home of the Northern Combine.   54 riders from 16 clubs signed on for the 3 events, the Junior Handicap, the combined Alf Walker and the Pop Stewart Handicap, honouring a couple of Brunswick Cycling club legends. Significantly, Brunswick CC riders were best represented with 20 entrants. However, signing up and turning up and two different things and one look at the weather in Melbourne on Saturday morning suggested that it would probably be worse out at Balliang.   But there’s only one way to find out, and that’s to go and see for yourself, which 40 brave men, women and children did in a display of true grit and they were not disappointed. 18min bunch Riders were greeted with wet roads and drizzle at the start.   If not for some dry wood, the open fire place in the hall, would have been the place to be, but fortunately for the riders and

Dirty Deeds CX Report, with apologies to Banjo Patterson and his poem Mulga Bill's Bicycle 'Twas a self righteous cyclist, that caught the CX craze; He found a second hand steed, hoping it would serve him many days; He dressed himself in Brunswick kit, resplendent to be seen; He then hurried off to Entry Boss, although his skills were a little green; And as he rolled in to the velodrome, with air of lordly pride, The grinning Mr Pink said, "Excuse me, can you ride?" "See here, Mr Pink," said the self righteous cyclist, "from Brunswick to the sea, From Tawonga Gap to Omeo, there's none can ride like me. I'm pretty average at everything, as everybody knows, Although I'm not the one to talk - I hate a man that blows. But CX is my special gift, my childhood delight; Just ask a wild duck can it swim, a wildcat can it fight. There's nothing clothed in lycra, or built of flesh or steel, There's nothing walks or jumps, or r

67 riders from 21 clubs signed up for the Jack Wood Memorial Handicap, with Hawthorn CC being the best represented with 16 riders.   The 6-min and the 19-min groups with 15 riders each, clearly had a numerical advantage over the other bunches, with an average of 7 riders each.   But as every experienced handicap rider will tell you, if you are not working as a unit, you are probably just getting in the way.   With weather as good as you could wish for in the middle of winter in central Victoria, the sun was out, and the wind was a light south westerly.   Starter Rae Lesniowska and chief commissaire David Cutajar, gave the pre-race briefing.   Stay together at your peril.   You are all on the same team until you aren’t and you will know when that will be, or words to that effect. As a member of the 10-minute group sitting in between two large bunches, we had our work cut out for us.   Our goal was to avoid being passed before the three big rolling hills at the end of the first lap.

Welcome to the daily commuter cup, happening on city streets wherever you find yourself riding to work.  But first a question, what do you call it when two guys go for a bike ride?  A race.  Yes, many of us are predisposed to turning what should be a social ride or commute into a race. So why not have a bit of fun on the ride to work.  Here's my collection of experiences over the past 18 months on my daily commute to Melbourne's CBD and St Kilda Rd. Riding down Wellington Street, Collingwood some mornings is like a live version of the video game Frogger (if you are too young to know, go and ask someone over 45). My morning commuter cup kicks off on the corner of Alexandra Parade and Wellington Street in Clifton Hill, with an eclectic array of participants.   The E-Bike rider.  Usually dressed in smart business attire, knowing they won't have to break a sweat climbing Col du Victoria Parade. The Scooter rider.   Typified by the millennials amongst us who find the use of a h