Cold

Winter is kicking in.......big time.

Now - for the European, Canadian and North American readers I might sound a little soft........but bugger me - it was bloody cold this morning! Australian's don't like it cold........

Just as I was heading out the door ........outside it was the coldest temperature recorded for the day....2.4C - that's about 36F.....


Not only was this the coldest temperature for the day.....it's currently the coldest recorded temperature for Melbourne this year.....


Great......



I hadn't got far down the road until I realised that the "fog" on my ugly-fish riding glasses was not fog......it was ice.....bah! I took the first side street....took them off and stuffed them in my pocket.......hitched my neck-sock over my mouth and nose like a balaclava......keep going...

Then my hands started to freeze......literally. My fingers were like dead, white, blocks of wood - no feeling - minimal use for clutch and front brake.........bugger.

Over the years of winter riding and commuting you learn little tricks to keep your hands warm, mobile and tactile......

Of course you could always just pony
up the dough and get heated hand grips......but for the majority of the Australian winter they are really not NEEDED.....they are NICE....but not essential.

My little "keep warm trick" is to stuff my hands under the seat - into the gap above the trellis-frame......onto a nice, warm, rear cylinder head.......

ahhhhhh - that's better!

The only downside? I do get some strange looks from Cagers when I'm stopped at a set of traffic lights, slumped forward over the tank......giving the Ape a hug.......

But hell..........who cares what Cagers think......for that matter.....I'm not sure Cagers do think.....

\BitSar
--hugging his Ape

ABS....Vs......the iWalker

A couple of mornings ago - on the daily commute into work I had a moment........not a nice moment.....and it was one where I was thanking the Shiver for its' ABS......

Traffic was very heavy......so much so that every CBD intersection was full - packed......bumper to bumper.....at this point Traffic lights were incidental....mindless cagers just crowded out intersections and hey - if they got stuck in the middle between two red lights....who cares! They have a nice mobile lounge chair to sit in........hmmmmm....

So as any commuter rider will attest - heavy traffic is a dangerous proposition....cagers, with their small minds, can get impatient and hesitant - at the same time - making them even less predictable than usual.......not something you want to be involved with.....engage GTFO.......

I was nearly at the office and was approaching the street with the entrance to the car park......I was filtering through traffic and switched to the outside of the left lane - in between the gutter and the traffic - to make my left turn < 10m ahead......mind you this is a legal use of the road shoulder........

As I came up to the corner - albeit a little on the throttle - I encountered an iWalker who popped out of the stationary traffic..........BAM! - or should I say.....Baahhhhh

This guys had his iPhone glued to his face......his AWESOME oversized DJ headphones over his ears - looking super-fly as he wandered through traffic.......good job fella!

My eyes had already spotted movement from my right and my right hand reacted before my brain processed the situation - I set up the brakes and squeezed......and squeezed.....a little rear brake to stabilize.....and squeeze....

With the aid of ABS the front pulsated slightly as did the rear - the bike pulled up hard and remained stable......by this time I was pretty much stationary.....balancing the bike using rear brake...keeping the chain and chassis under tension.....rocking, rocking, rocking....

The iWalker looked at me with bewilderment.....I was adamant not to put a foot down.....he scuttled off through the traffic.....live to iWalk another day.....

\Thanks ABS

--BitSar

Moments............Ape style

Since the GOR run all the riding I've been doing is daily commuting and errands etc...........

Inner city work........urban jungle bullshite.........yes - still fun with the right attitude - but not the natural environment for an Ape.....

At first this was getting me a little irksome.....feeling a little impetuous........I need release!

But then - just today.........I walked back to the Ape after picking up groceries. She's a little dirty, needs a good wash and detail.....but she's such a stunner......and - she's mine.......my bike......

I rode home like there was a wasp up my arse..........can't tame that Ape!

Even the mundane is magic..............with the right attitude.....

\Realises the ride is not where you go - but what you make it
................frame of mind.....the moment
-- BitSar

Pilot Road 3

So I've been meaning to post on the Michelin PR3's.....................here it is.

I've had these boots on both ends for well over 5,000kms now...

At first they felt a little strange - not bad, just a bit odd......this soon passed...

When they were fitted I originally ran them at "normal" cold pressure of about 32/34 F/R......this was a huge part of my problem......Sport Touring tyres - as these are - have a heavy carcass and require higher cold pressures......once this was rectified, the PR3's validated themselves and lived up to hype.....I now run 40/42 F/R cold pressures.....

The past 5,000kms have seen lots of commuting, a fair bit of wet stuff, a multi-day ride and lots of weekend scratching in the twisties.....

The harder compound centre band means the commuting miles aren't killing the tyre and squaring them off......the deep sipes in the tread of both the front and rear make wet weather performance simply astounding! I have never felt so comfortable and confident with a tyre in the wet........seriously.......

For the faster stuff on more technical roads......yes....they are not a super-sticky, super-sport tyre......the shoulders do have a softer compound which heats up quickly......but yeah.....these are no Pirelli Rosso Corsa's........they make you work a little bit harder to keep the bike compliant when pitched over.....but hell - you can still get rid of the chicken strips.........

For longer rides and touring they are brilliant.....very solid on the road - comfortable and long wearing......

After the distance travelled I really struggle to find any appreciable wear....for anyone looking at a great "all-rounder" which is focused slightly towards longevity, all weather riding rather than balls out blats......take a look at the PR3's

\BitSar

Wet

So today I woke up to this.......

I was scheduled to have a morning push-bike ride before heading into work but as any avid cyclist knows - two things are common on pushies in the rain......punctures and crashes.....usually in that order........

I was already up so I turned the pedals over on the trainer while watching the morning news.......Damn - I hate static/wind trainers....... boring as hell.

So the rain had already peeved me off once this morning......no pushy ride......

It was going to peeve me off at least a couple of times more......

I've had my RST Touring gear through three Winters now - it has always been rock-solid, dry and warm.........after this morning I think it may need to be retired......

About half way through the commute I could feel water getting in.........DAMN!.......I usually leave a spare pair of boxer shorts and socks at the office - for some reason I had taken them home recently and not replaced them...........I remembered this as my crotch was becoming increasingly cold and wet.....D'oh!

Oh well.......nothing for it.......get in nice and early and use the spare chairs as makeshift clothes airers.....then......do the trick with the hand dryer to get the boxers back to a wearable state.....

I've just recently had the jacket re-zipped and of course......the new zip is where it failed.......great!

But that's not the worst part.......the trousers are done......It was not long after I set off that my butt started to feel a little damp......a little further into the journey and it I felt a "zing" of cold water get in...........arrrhhhhg......

At this point it was game over......the boxer shorts were gone....my socks were soaked and the boots were filling up.....a noticeable squelch every time I put a foot down at a set of lights....Yippee!


Definitely time for some new gear......

Although the Trekker helmet is great in the Sunshine.....it really is NOT great in the wet.....I've never had a helmet which fogs quite this badly.....


<-- Just giving the gloves a chance to "hang out" and dry.....





I ride an Ape but this morning.....once again.....I felt like a Duck....

Quack quack....

\BitSar

Anti-SMIDSY campaign

Unfortunately I had a great SMIDSY this morning...............I can't believe how some people react when they've committed the SMIDSY sin......

I was waiting to turn right through a busy CBD intersection, I had a large queue of cars behind me also wanting to turn right.......

The on-coming traffic was very heavy, so much so that the intersection was barely clear........

The lights turn from green to amber......I creep forward, stand the bike up and balance her through rear brake, throttle and clutch manipulation......rocking, rocking, rocking.....

I see a woman in a Silver Astra hatchback entering the intersection.......no intention of stopping......I'm still balancing and edging forward VERY slowly as I rock the bike......I catch her eye to eye.......she SMILES!? and waves......the lights turn from amber to red......the bonnet lifts......she's on the gas...........slams on through intersection.....running the red.......

Shaking my head and thinking what hope do we have I continue my LEGAL turn through the intersection......live to fight, and ride, another day.......

What really gets me about this is the driver attitude........She clearly saw me and had time to smile and wave.....as if to say "I know, I'm sorry I'm performing a potentially deadly manoeuvre..........I'm sorry you might not get home tonight to see the Missus.......but I've REALLY got to make this light.....you understand, right?"

Wrong.......

The silver lining to my rant?..........................Over the last couple of years a prominent Law firm, Maurice Blackburn, have been campaigning against the SMIDSY killer........

Each year I buy a couple of T-Shirts for myself and fellow riding buddies.....all proceeds go to supporting riders and their families with Pro-Bono legal fees etc.......

Maurice Blackburn are also doing a fantastic job with some very simple, effective and meaningful ad instalments in response the recent almost fraudulent TAC campaign.......

C'mon guys........stop the SMIDSY

\BitSar