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You N+1 you N-1
After a bit of pondering and the like, lookie what showed up on my doorstep this arvo? Shiny new Bianchi Cross Veloce. Actually better looking in the flesh (my pic I mean, than the one on their site) 'cos you can see the nobby tires, and the wheels are black.
For those that don't initially notice, this is an odd sort of bike... the cyclocross machine. It might have drop bars but it also has wider rims with nobby tires and cantilever brakes. Makes it more robust and suitable for both on and off road - our friend Alchemist is a staunch supporter of this kind of caper. Can't say I would have thought of this without a few prods, but after trying a scummer, a flat bar roadie then taking a look at the crosser and of course considering a lightweight hardtail eventually went this way.
Put it together in half an hour and had a quick test. Initial impressions are very favourable, the Campagnolo Veloce ErgoPower shifters (bit of a mounthful) are pretty slick and easy to operate from both above/below the bar.
It's early days but one can think of a couple of changes coming. The brakes will have to be moved around (right is rear as it came - durh!) and while that's happening the bar tape will get replaced with something a bit more pleasing to the eye (think that means black).
FWIW, if you didn't know this acquisition is mainly to save the Rush from commuter Ks. Mr Jekyll looked like doing that for a while but he was hardly suitable for the job. I know he loved the dirt outings so have let him go to pastures green and a new owner who will show the old dog some lovin'.
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thats an awesome looking bike. I've often wondered if a roadie is the answer to this y12 study gut im developing...
one! noooooo! i cant. stop it.....yes you can, no i cant, course you can, no, youve just bought one, dont do it,,,DO IT!!!, PLEASE. STOP THE VOICES IN MY HEAD!! i see dead people and they keep telling me to buy new bikes then they'll go away!
It seems that finally Rob succumbed to a road bike. Half a dozen knobs on the tire do not make this bike more than that.
Will it mean less time on dirt??? Only time will tell…
Of course I was expecting this sort of abuse
And don't worry, like I said, the nobbys are not required for the daily ride anyhow so that wasn't really a factor.
It's not a full on scumm machine though, look at it as some of the more robust parts of an MTB moved to a scummer. Eg, the brakes are bigger and the wheels wider & stronger. OK, so that makes it heavier than a scummer but also more robust - it seems not to mind being ridden up/down curbs, etc. which was the whole point.
I'd imagine it will mean more dirt, few commutes a week will make the dirt easier and therefore more can be covered
So anyhow, next on my list... some lycra nix?
Who said wearing a thong on a bike was a bad idea?
http://wheelworld.com/itemdetails.cfm?catalogId=...
For those of a more purist commuter leaning you might check out Cheeky transport in Newtown. I had a look in there last night and they sure know their town bikes, singlespeeds etc. Lots of good/fun looking bikes!
Seriously, for all the variations that are available for a commuter it looks like you've meshed the best of both worlds.
Come on Rob, no more "Oh I don't have a bike" excuse... road miles here we come!
There is something strange going on here. Rob has posted something here about a new bike... but... this just doesn't compute. I see larger rims and nobbly tyres. But where are the disc brakes? Where is the bash guard??
What could account for this apparent confusion??
Conclusion - someone else has assumed Rob's identity, hijacked his login to the website, and posted all sorts of rubbish here about off-offroad riding. Surely we should call Rob to make sure he is alright. Maybe he has been kidnapped?? Maybe he is in a coma in a hospital bed somewhere??
Let's get our friend Rob back online, riding through our beloved offroad trail Utopia, where he belongs!!
Rob's seen the light my friend... you'll be next...
PS - the custom lycra speed suit you're after, did you want it pink with purple flames or purple with pink flames?
i think he had an accident at the angry doctor liam, and came back to sydney with mixed fantasies about mountain biking on skinny tires and wearing nothing but lycra. all our road riding talk and gossip about that wonderfull fabric from them lovelly french people at du pont has sent him a little crazy! i say just leave him. think i like the new quirky rob, someone else to take the p__s out of instead of ME!!!
Haven't you heard what I said?? Something has happened!! There can be no other explanation for this. There is no "light" to be seen, at all. I will need to investigate this.
once you were the relaxed attitude'd bloke from hornsby, you said racing and lycra was for us girly types. now youve entered your second race( its even 24 hour) youve ordered a tight fitting nobmob "race jersey"! what next? you're moving closer to the city(and all the cafe's) you'll be riding an italian road bike with a name we cant even pronounce, getting your legs waxed at some fancy day spa and hanging out with skinny people who weigh less than thier bikes!!
COME BACK LIAM! YOU'RE SLIPPING AWAY FROM US.
the splinter group NoBRoR the road racing division
Luv ur work John!
.... a bitumen bike!
Northern Beaches Bitumen Bikes
I must be a member of the wrong Group!
Anon
so i guess you'll be joining us in the gong then, 90km, syd - wollongong, under 3hrs?
post it and they will come!!
Don
I think I am feeling sick - for all you freaks.
Skin tight clothes only look good on chicks... 
And Gaz, mine was an XL - plenty of space in there matey.
The new "bitumen club". Well, lets see... can I call you "b*itches" for short?
in head to toe lycra a "b*itch"
I can't see how you are surprised that Rob has strayed to the dark side, I only seem to remember him wearing tight riding shirts.
I think it is brave of him to finally reveal his true persuasion and you should accept him and all like him for what they are and let them draft each other on lonely stretches of road or frequent early morning coffee shops looking for riding companions.
i dont really see the difference between a rush and a road bike anyway
... faster
Or rather, rode the Binachi to the office yesterday and didn't beat my fastest time on the Rush.
It could have been the headwind? Or the after effects of the weekend? Or that I was being a little cautious on the corners and hills due to being on a new bike?
What was noticeable was how easy the ride was. Garmin said I'd used quite a bit less energy on the trip. Although I'm not convinced of the accuracy of that - it said I used quiet a bit more going home.
are you going to give it a go OFF the road on the weekend?
Sounds like the ideal bike for a Saturday ride!
It is a cyclo cross bike after all!!
Great choice for the commute, I can see you bunny hopping kerbs already, get some advice on the shifter/brake swap as the dura ace ones are easily stuffed if you don't know what you are doing, campag are likely to be similar. You'll soon flog the rush's time and we also should be on notice that I think Rob's about to get faster with all this commuting.
Cop u later.
Please keep your discussion to MTB related topics as this is a rode bike isn't it off limits?
Yes indeed, it has had a workout:
If a bike isn't "rode" it's just furniture...
However, if a bike is "road" it should only be "rode" from work to abode (and back ;-})
Pedal Pedant,
Matt