We invited five  e-bike retailers from around Australia and invited them to sit around the cyber-table and discuss a range of e-bike matters. You can read their biographies and get their contact details at the end of this article, but to begin the discussion, allow me to introduce our panel:

• Paul van Bellen from Gazelle Bicycles Australia
• Maurice Wells from Glow Worm Bicycles
• Martin Turner from MR Ebikes
• Luke Ebert from E-Bike Central
• George Kazacos from Reef Bikes

The complete e-bike buyers guide is also available as an App for iPad for free.
Visit iTunes to view and download the e-bike buyers guide.

BNA: The e-bike market seems to be growing in Australia and there seems to be two options consumers can choose from: a dedicated e-bike, or an e-bike conversion. If you were going to give some advice to a new rider seeking an e-bike, which would you recommend and why? (And, why not the other?)

Paul@Gazelle: We only sell the dedicated e-bike, so our attention is purely focused on this. I feel that if you can afford it, the dedicated e-bike has advantages over e-bike kits. Often when someone is thinking about using an e-bike, it’s for the purpose of commuting and utility style trips. A ‘city e-bike’ or bike that is practical needs more than just an electric motor. Does your bike have light systems when you ride in the dark? Does it have chain guards so you can wear pants and dresses without the worry of getting clothes dirty of worse get caught up in the chain and falling? Can you carry panniers easily? Is the sit position comfortable and relaxed? The dedicated e-bike has the advantage of being built from the ground up as an e-bike so the finished product looks, integrates & feels better. This is certainly the case with Gazelle e-bikes.

Gazelle bicycles are completely integrated and ready to go

E-Bike kits have the advantage that you can modify your existing bike to an e-bike and the cost is less. Putting an electric kit on your existing bike may work for some but not for others. We find that people who are interested in Gazelle bikes would not be satisfied with the result of converting their recreation/mountain style bike into an e-bike. But for others it’s a good solution. Some bikes are not suitable for e-bike kits as there can be compatibility and safety issues if your frame, forks and wheels are not up the job.

George@ReefBikes: The e-bike market has gained momentum over the past couple of years, and technology has vastly improved. From Reef Bikes point of view, we would recommend getting a ready made electric bike, and not a conversion kit. As our e bike models are set up perfectly, with hidden batteries inside the frame, hidden wires and components, making our ready made models look like regular bicycles, with high performance without having to do any work yourself. A kit can be messy, and not fit onto your regular bicycle as well. Custom kits are only really recommended for enthusiasts that really know what they want.

Martin@MREBikes: Our advice to the customer would be to experience (ride) as many products as possible and choose a brand, conversion kit or e-bike that best suits their needs, is good quality and well supported locally.

Mr Ebikes import both the BionX conversion kits and Danish (complete) Promovec ebikes

Luke@EBikeCentral: From a retail point of view I will always try and sell the customer a dedicated e-bike. The majority of customers are looking for a commuting bike with all the practical components, i.e. lights, rack, chain guard, lock. Most dedicated e-bikes will come standard with these features. It’s simply easier for the customer and for the seller to deal with these ‘ready to go’ e-bikes. However, e-bike conversions also have some great benefits. Firstly, it’s a lot cheaper to convert an existing bike than to buy a complete E-bike. Secondly, this gives the customer the option of choosing a bike that specifically suits their needs. Thirdly, I find people are a lot more likely to invest in the idea of an electric bike if the price is affordable. Seeing as though the e-bike is a reasonably unknown product, customers don’t want to invest $2000 into something they don’t know much about. The conversion kit provides an entry level e-bike option that the average Joe can afford.

Luke Ebert of E-Bike Central in Melbourne

Maurice@GlowWorm: We were asked about this topic so often that we wrote an article about it on our website about it.

Overall we strongly favour the electric bicycle over the conversion kit as it is almost always better value, a better and safer product and more likely to suit the purpose of day to day transport. I don’t subscribe to the belief that the conversion kit is a more affordable option either. Over 5 years of use you’ll spend less on a nice quality electric bicycle than a bike with a cheap kit. And don’t forget to take into account that you could have kept your bike for other uses or sold it. We actually only recommend a kit for the other end of the spectrum – someone who wants to convert an expensive bike and doesn’t mind that the end product will be more expensive than a similar complete electric bike.

Maurice Wells of Glow Worm Bicycles in Sydney

For a consumer I’d be looking for at a complete electric bicycle that has everything you want on it. For most people that’s well integrated lights, lock, mudguards, rear rack, battery and kickstand so that it’s ready for daily use.

For a retailer I’d recommend against stocking kits as I just can’t see it as a long term strategy – selling converted bicycles where the fork has not been tested for use with a motor, where the usual frame and fork warranties will be void etc. Also with new regulations coming into play in Australia, it’s not as simple as popping on a motor and a battery, the bike needs a speed limiter, pedal assist etc and not all kits offer this and those that do are not always easy to fit onto any given bike.

A few years ago a conversion kit was a necessary compromise as a way of limiting the amount of junk you were buying – a low quality kit on a high quality bike is much better than a low quality e-bike. Now that there’s a range of high quality electric bicycles on the market in Australia, I see kits as becoming less useful – something for enthusiasts to use their time and money on or to convert bikes that are hard to find in electric format (BMX, recumbents, trikes etc).

BNA: When buying any bike, it’s important to buy one that’s a good fit and that’s fit for the purpose. Aside from the standard “rules” for buying a bike, what do I need to be looking for in an e-bike? What’s the most important ingredient in the e-bike recipe?

Paul@Gazelle: I think buying from a reputable brand is a very good start. There have been many e-bike brands come and go over the last few years and most, if not all of them, have been Chinese import brands. Buying an e-bike is the easy step however the next question should be, ‘”What is the back up like from the manufacturer with parts”.

We are fortunate that with a brand like Gazelle all the parts are available many years down the track. Being Holland’s biggest bike company means back up is of critical importance to their continued success.

George@ReefBikes: It is important to only deal and purchase from a quality brand, there are alot of cheap fly by night Chinese models coming into the market, that disappear just as fast. Reef Bikes recommend looking for e bikes that only use quality Panasonic or Samsung lithium battery cells. As the battery is the most important and expensive part of any e-bike, it’s extremely important that your battery and electrics are the best quality and a known brand. Also, don’t be fooled by cheap Chinese e-bikes that advertise a 15-20AH battery for long distances, as our Panasonic 10AH battery will perform even better, last even longer, not fail, and only be half the size and weight.

German brand Stevens has used a number of technologies including BionX

For commuter e-bike, batteries are often integrated in a rear pannier rack

Luke@EBikeCentral: I think the most important ingredient is choosing a brand that will support their product for years to come. I also think it’s important to buy an e-bike from a store who can support the product with parts and servicing (as apposed to Ebay!) And always, try before you buy.

Maurice@GlowWorm: It goes without saying that a high quality product with good backup service will be better than a cheap, low quality e-bike. After deciding you need to get a good e-bike, you still need to decide which one to get.

I think the first thing is to figure out how you want to use your bike and therefore what the priorities are. Every e-bike will have strong points and weak points and not all are related to cost, so if you know what’s important to you and communicate this to a knowledgeable e-bike seller then you’ll have the best chance of getting a bike that works for you. Some bikes are better able to go longer distances by more easily accommodating an extra battery, which is important if you want to commute a long way. Other bikes are lighter or can fold up, which doesn’t help if you want to go a long way, but can be helpful if you need to take your bike on the train daily. Some have space for child seats and panniers, others don’t. The total weight of the bike or the aerodynamics of the riding position are unlikely to be very important when you have a motor to help you along – a touring, hybrid, racing or city style e-bike are all able to go quickly and easily, so use this to your advantage and pick the one that is most comfortable and convenient for you.

Finally, just go and test ride a lot of them! They don’t all feel the same and performance differs, so it’s not a decision to make based on reading specifications. And if you can’t even test ride it, you might have difficulty getting it serviced later!

Martin@MREBikes: Perhaps the most important ingredient for the e-bike customer is “Will the product perform to my expectations over the period of time that I expect?” Unfortunately the e-bike recipe in Australia has been badly tainted by poor quality product. As an importer / distributor / retailer, it is our function to change this perception with brands that are global leaders in product quality and technology.

BionX is used both by brands for complete bikes as well as a seperate e-bike conversion kit

In Part 2 of this article, our experts talk about servicing and supporting e-bikes and talk about the total cost of e-bike ownership. Stay Tuned!

Panelist Biographies

Paul van Bellen – Gazelle Bicycles Australia
I live in Sydney, though was born in The Netherlands, the World’s #1 cycling country. Our business, Gazelle Bicycles Australia, distributes the best bike and accessory brands from The Netherlands. Our interest in e-bikes started around 5 years ago when we visited The Netherlands and saw how the market for this segment was gaining momentum. We believe the e-bike will be a fantastic solution for people in Australian cities who have to deal with hills, heat and less than ideal cycling infrastructure. The beauty of the e-bike is that it makes cycling fun and easy, and if you can get someone to make the step from taking their car to do local trips to the e-bike, then we all benefit from that with less congestion, better health, cleaner air and less noise pollution.

Maurice Wells – Glow Worm Bicycles
I created Glow Worm Bicycles in 2009, motivated by a desire to take electric bicycles into the mainstream. I see bicycles as a unique invention with the ability to transform an individual’s life for the better as well as transform an entire city for the better. For me, electric bicycles are a great way to bring cycling into more people’s lives.

Martin Turner – MR Ebikes
MR Ebikes Pty Ltd was started by my business partner, Rob Brennan and I in 2011 to act as the importer and distributor for Bionx and Promovec. Both Rob and I recognised the potential for e-bikes in Australia given the tremendous growth that has occurred in this sector over the last few years. Our focus is to supply quality products to the Australian market and we believe that the Bionx and Promovec brands offer such quality.

Martin Turner in Syndey with a BionX converted Kona is Mr Ebikes

Bionx is a Canadian company that supplies an Electric Assist Conversion Kit that can be fitted to a traditional bicycle. The Bionx product also powers the electric assist bicycles of OEM’s such as Trek, KTM, Wheeler, Stevens, Smart, Focus and many more.

Promovec is a Danish brand of electric assist bicycle. They are one of the leading brands in Scandinavia and have been supplying e-bikes since 2003. Our business plan is to build and support a dealer network for the Bionx and Promovec brands.

Luke Ebert – E-Bike Central
I’ve been a keen rider since I was a young lad and I manage E-Bike Central in Richmond. I began working with e-bikes when I was 18 for Electric Vehicles Pty Ltd. Whilst at EVS I did a bit of everything including setting up the Australia Post electric fleet bikes. After moving into the city I realised that E-bikes are simply the most efficient form of inner city transport. I wanted to get people out of the drivers seat and onto the bike seat and fitness was no longer an excuse not to ride.  Roughly 6 months ago I set up the retail store in Richmond.

George Kazacos - Reef Bikes
Reef Bikes develops the latest innovative technology in electric bikes, working with Panasonic and Samsung to design and manufacture reliable batteries and electronics, and Shimano to provide top performance in gears, groupsets and hardware.

The team here at Reef Bikes is always on the go with research and development of our products. Producing our own Reef technology with our battery hidden inside frame design.

We produce a huge range of different e-bikes to suit every Australians needs, from the high powered Predator and Bullshark e-bikes, to the classic European commuting bikes, electric tricycles and folding e-bikes.

Reef Bikes enjoys getting Australians back into cycling, back on the roads, and giving people the chance to cycle, commute, exercise at their own pace. We are here to promote an alternative eco-friendly mode of transport, relieving inner city traffic congestion, zero emission electric motor technology, and to keep Australians fit while enjoying the outdoors, while being able to pedal or motor at their own pace.

The complete e-bike buyers guide is also available as an App for iPad for free.
Visit iTunes to view and download the e-bike buyers guide.

Photo Credits:
Bicycles Network Australia (1, 3, 5, 6, 8, 9)
Gazelle Bicycles Australia (2)
E-Bike Central (4)
Richard Masoner of Cyclelicious (7)

Produced by Marty Renwick of Vuelo Velo, you will spot Kahli Morrison in Cyclette women’s cycle wear.

York Lane owner Dieter took a liking to our BNA cycling caps – if Learn, Share, Love Cycling tickles your fancy, we have BNA Cycling Caps available here.

Majorca (Spanish: Mallorca) provides the perfect base for European cyclists looking for some quality early season training. While the rest of Europe is caught in a freeze and mountain passes are buried under metres of snow, the cycling season on the Balearic Islands can begin as early as February. During February, Majorca enjoys calm and clear weather with temperatures typically ranging between 10-15 degrees Celsius. The chance to train at this time of the year definitely gives you a head start; just ask 2012 Tour de France winner Bradley Wiggins, who bought real estate on the island during 2012 and spent early 2013 training on this cycling haven.

When we talk about ‘havens’ though, many Australians may still best remember Majorca as the hideaway for shonky businessman Christopher Skase. The safe haven he infamously enjoyed for almost a decade during the 1990′s no longer taints the island and instead cyclists now travel in their droves to this new cycling mecca.

Majorca – is it really the new Cycling Mecca?
So why exactly have cyclists sought out Majorca of all places? Perhaps it is the stand-alone airport bike carousel, or perhaps street vending machines that sell bike tubes rather than cans of coke. In all seriousness, the first wave of international cycling tourists arrived to Majorca about 25 years ago due its warm temperate weather, sandy beaches, long days, excellent accommodation and fresh food. They discovered a variety of cycling terrain, lightly trafficked roads, and the chance for enjoyable loop rides combining picturesque coastal views, interior scraggy mountain rocky landscapes, and fertile green central fields and pastures.

Majorca offers a range of cycling terrain which means the island is accessible to beginners through to professionals; anyone with an interest in pedal power. The island measures 3,640 square km and has a well organised and interconnected road network; depending on where you call home there will be door to door cycling options available. The island also opens itself to 10 to 12 unique cycling stages which will take you through the flat central sections of the island to the mountainous and remote southern and northern roads. Though “remote” might sound strange for a relatively small island, the mountain roads are exactly that. Cycling switchback after switchback, up and over its ten categorised climbs, the chances of being passed by a professional cyclist on his daily training ride is greater than being passed by a petrol fueled vehicle. Don’t let them get you down though as they speed by. For what it’s worth I prefer being overtaken by a professional cyclist than a car any day!

The Mediterranean island also boasts the spectacular World Heritage ‘Serra de Tramuntana’ mountain range to the north and west of the island. Cycling this mountain range is a treat for those looking for elevation gain. There are seven Category 1 and 2 climbs available which range between 5-14km in length and have average gradients between 5-7%. The two Category 1 climbs to ‘Puig Major’ and ‘Sa Colabra’ are a must do. Puig Major rises to Majorca´s highest point at 1445m and offers amazing island views, and the battle to ‘Sa Colabra’, with its 26 switchbacks, is a test of concentration, all the while though enjoying the beautiful landscapes.

Majorca and its Cycling Calendar
From the 10 million tourists who visit Majorca annually, approximately 70,000 thousand are cyclists. Almost half (40%) of this number are women, so the island is a great cycling destination for individuals, couples and families alike. There are also many events on the Majorca cycling calendar which are attracting cyclists of all breeds: competitive, social and challenge seekers. The fact that professional and recreational cyclists return year after year speaks volumes for the royal treatment they receive and the cycling experience that awaits them at every kilometre marker.

The cycling season in Majorca is split into two periods from January to May, and September to October. A list of some of the key events on the calendar is provided below:

1. Challenge Iberostar Majorca
Pro tour event which is held every February. During 2013, Orica GreenEdge´s Leigh Howard won two sprint finishes at this four stage event, beating quality sprinters such as Tyler Farrar.

2. Marxa Cicloturista de Femines
Cyclo-sportive event solely for female participants. During late May 2013, this event will celebrate its seventh edition.

3. WiW Duva International
Cyclo-sportive ride which is held during April and includes 95km & 135km options.

4. Mallorca 312
Cyclo-sportive event held during April which is a serious challenge and not for the faint hearted. Mallorca 312 takes cyclists around the entire circumference of the island (312km) and includes over 4300m of elevation gain. If you think you can beat the 14 hour time limit, then this could be the next challenge ride for you!

5. Tour of Majorca for Masters
During October, a full week of Masters racing is available for those looking to test themselves against the best ‘veteran’ riders from Europe.

Establishing your Majorcan cycling base?
This is in no way an exhaustive list of regions to choose from, but the most popular towns for cyclists looking to establish a cycling base include Port de Alcudia (Puerto de Alcudia), Port de Pollenca (Puerto de Pollenca) and Portocolom. These regions are all to the east of the island and far away from the capital Palma de Majorca and its tourist masses.

Orica GreenEdge made their first official training visit to the island in February 2013 and called the Hotel Iberostar Playa de Muro home for a week. It is not difficult to see why this hotel has become a magnet for cyclists. With over 2000 road bikes on site for hire, one can quickly see that this hotel is prepared to satisfy the hungry demand for cycling tourists. It is obviously a hit with the tourists as 90% of their guests travel to Majorca without their bikes. The hotel also includes resort like features with many pools, spas, sports training rooms and its own private beach. Not forgetting the cycling memorabilia that is littered throughout the hotel from pro teams including Katusha, GreenEdge, Garmin, and Omega Pharma Quickstep to name a few.

Wesley Sulzberg and Daniel Teklehaimanot of Team GreenEDGE Orica

What does 2014 hold in store for GreenEdge and Majorca?
All reports suggest that Orica GreenEdge will return to Majorca, and Hotel Iberostar, in 2014 for their early European season training camp/racing. The idea of a January/February trip to Mallorca for Australian cyclists however is unlikely to be overly enticing. Australia is already right middle of its home season, a trip to the Tour Down Under in Adelaide with its 30 degree weather is probably more appealing.

However, we could do well to take a leaf out of the book of our fellow European cycling amigos and look for our own pre-season cycling holiday experience. Let your friends back in Australia think that you are lying on the pristine beaches of Majorca enjoying some quality R&R while you’re taking the chance to ‘get one up’ on them. The Australian winter is slowly drawing upon us and as the European cycling season warms up, Majorca can offer much deserved cycling away from the boredom of the indoor trainer. Between June and September, Majorca enjoys average daily highs between 25 and 30 °C.

Cycling is full of tactics and Majorca, while being a fun holiday destination, could well be your next secret training paradise.

My team and I will be in Majorca in late August/early September 2014 running a guided cycling trip and would love to hear from you if you can picture yourself cycling Majorca. Also get in touch if you would like information about self-guided cycling on Majorca and in Europe: information@sierrasportsandtours.com.au or www.sierrasportsandtours.com.au

For a chance to win, participants were asked:
If you had 1 week, a bike of your choice and unlimited budget, tell us in 25 words or less what would you do?

Before sharing the winners, there was a very clear trend, most people would head over to Europe. I had to read every single answer and in judging this looked for the most interesting answers which stood out among the rest. In total there were 948 entries into this competition (with 775 valid survey responses it meant that some had incomplete survey responses though still a valid entry). Our 2010 survey has 266 responses, so this growth is wonderful in getting a larger cross section.

Winner of the Swiss Side Heidi Wheelset
“CLIMB ALL THE MOUNTAINS! 7 days, 7 continents. European alps, rockies, snowy mountains, Kilimanjaro, himalayan foothills, andes and Antarctica too!” – George Peppou

Winners of the Euride 2 X Catlike Kompact Pro helmets from Euride
“Attempt to break the 7 day record for my age group.” – Darryl Hiron

“Ride from Newcastle back to my parents place in Brisbane to catch up with them, because I miss them” – Jonathan Maggacis

Winner of the $100 Cell Bikes Gift Voucher
“I’d pack our spacesuits and take my Bike Friday Tandem and my lovely wife for a spin around the Sea Of Tranquility.” – Adrian Plaskitt

Winners of the 4 X $50 Cycling Express Gift Vouchers

“I already have most of the parts of the question”I’m Retired” so I would like an electric bicycle for 1 week.” – Mike Stringfellow

“Specialised McLaren, riding to FNQ meeting up with family in various stages to enjoy wife, kids, Australia, and the most expensive bike in the world.” – Juan Gonzaga

“I would buy a bike for every person in Australia who wanted one, which would fix traffic, health and bolster the economy. Then, nap.” – Lincoln Yeo

“It would take me all week to climb Alpe d’Huez ” – Peter Roche

Thank you very much to our prize sponsors Swiss Side, Euride, Cell Bikes and Cycling Express. I will be in contact with each winner.

We are working on the survey results and will publish the top trends and results plus this year will also publish an industry specific cycling report. If you want to stay up-to-date, sign up to our newsletter.

Terms and Conditions

The Swiss brand Assos (greek for ‘Ace’) have been producing their ‘technical cycle apparel’ since 1976 and are a premium brand with a distinctive look. They place a lot of emphasis on the performance aspect in their range of cycle-wear, and you could say, also looking the part while cycling. If you have seen Assos advertising, you will recognise more than just a touch of confident Italian fashion flair.

For Bicycles Network Australia (BNA), I asked Echelon Sports Managing Director Chris Langdon about the Australian re-launch of Assos.

BNA: Echelon Sports have just announced that they are distributing Assos cycle wear in Australia, were you looking at add a line of cyclewear to your inventory?

Chris Langdon: To be honest we hadn’t looked at clothing as a product category option within our plans, when Assos approached us it wasn’t a difficult decision to make ! Assos is such a great brand and held in the highest position in the market, that really made the decision for us.

BNA: Tell me about Assos, what do they have that makes it a good match for Echelon Sports compared with other brands?

Chris Langdon: Assos is a premium cycling apparel company, It is the perfect match for our company, all of our brands are in similar positions in their specific categories. When you look at each of the brands we work with, they are all leaders in there respective categories in relation to new technologies and product development. For us it isn’t just to do another brand, it is imperative that the brands we work with fit our companies profile and passions, at the end of the day your work needs to be fun and if it isn’t you shouldn’t be doing it !

BNA: Will your customers be buying Assos for the look or the performance?

Chris Langdon: I would say that Assos attracts both of those customers, Assos is leading the way in performance, fit and fabric technologies whilst always remaining very mindful of there heritage and the customers they attract.

BNA: Are there risks or challenges of adding a line of clothing to your business which focuses on bikes and cycling equipment?

Chris Langdon: With any type of business there are risks involved without risk there is no reward, We have been overwhelmed with the interests for Australian bike shops requests to become Assos dealers. I think this is a great start for Assos and for me a true indication of how well regarded the brand is within the Australia cycling community.

Dealer and customer requests can be directed to Echelon Sports

In 2010 we ran our last survey the results published in The Ultimate Guide Report received a staggering 10,000 downloads (we stopped counting in 2012). Are there  noticeable trends or even a shift in where and how Aussie cyclists prefer to purchase their gear? What do Local Bike Shops offer that make it worthwhile to buy in-store and likewise, what are the advantages and disadvantages of buying online?

We kindly invite you to take part in the 2013 Bicycles Network Australia Ultimate Cyclist Survey: Start the Ultimate Cyclist Survey (Please allow 15-20 minutes)

To make it worth your while we have secured prizes from some generous businesses; each participant has a chance to win one of these prizes:

Prize Pool
• Swiss Side Heidi Wheelset
• 2 X Catlike Kompact Pro helmets from Euride
• $100 Cell Bikes Gift Voucher
• 4 X $50 Cycling Express Gift Vouchers

Terms & Conditions
Entry into the prize draw is optional and is a Game of Skill.
Start Date 8.2.2013
End Date 5.3.2013
Total Prize Value: $968
Terms and Conditions apply

Forum Discussion
The 2013 Ultimate Cyclist Survey

Download Page
The 2010 Ultimate Guide: Shopping for bicycles and cycling gear online

And then he disappeared. He resigned as CEO of Bicycle NSW, sparking rumours and confusion among the members, many of whom did not renew their memberships or transferred them to other cycling organisations in other states. People wondered what would happen next, but no one knew what Omar had in store – maybe Omar didn’t either.

Omar reappeared on my radar via a mutual contact, with something called the Go! Alliance. Nothing more was forthcoming about this venture until Omar contacted BNA about joining the Go! Alliance. Since we had interviewed him before, we jumped on the opportunity to interview him again and find out more about what he was doing. Like the first time around, he was eager to engage with us and gave us this frank interview via email.

BNA: As the head of Bicycle NSW, you were vocal and pro-active on cycling issues to the point where the cynics were paying attention and smelling some sort of change in the winds – a cycling Barrack Obama of sorts. And then you vanished, almost overnight. What happened?

Omar: It was a great opportunity to lead BNSW and put into practice what I (as a previous member) thought the organisation lacked. I believed I had the mandate and full support of the board to do this. But that turned out not to be the case and there were numerous divisions within the board and with the future of BNSW and its strategy and culture that I ultimately could not see myself being able to work through. As I was only ever there to make a difference, I chose to leave on good terms rather than be left unable to carry out the rest of what I came to do.

Nevertheless, we did turn a lot of things around including flagging membership, gaining better media visibility, improving financial sustainability, better online interactions, more progressive advocacy, better regional presence and turning around our ride event strategy. I was fortunate to have a team that was really enthusiastic and supportive of this new direction. I hope things did improve but I leave it to your readers to decide.

Still, I certainly enjoyed getting to know a lot of wonderful people and a whole different side of cycling and advocacy and so have decided to try to carry on in a different way. Oh, and I became captivated by the amazing history of cycling in Australia!

BNA: I know through mutual contacts that after Bicycle NSW you re-emerged with something called the Go! Alliance. Tell us about that.

Omar: When I left BNSW I was urged by some to start a new organization to compete with BNSW or to run for a board position and to help reform it. However, taking on the organization or the board held no interest for me. I was motivated by all of those folks I had engaged with to take my insights and to see if there was another avenue that would help make a difference for cycling and cyclists.

For starters, I had come to appreciate that:

1. Individuals, BUGs and other groups working at the local or regional level were under-resourced and often struggled to engage broader support or even modest financial backing for their initiatives. We are a sorry bunch in this way – often leaving a few amazingly dedicated people to do a lot of the tedious and under-appreciated work that benefits us all.

2. While new online petition and fund raising tools were coming online, that little effort had been made to re-purpose them for advocacy activities for improved cycling and other transport options – locally or nationally. Resources to help advocates were not easily found when needed.

3. There was no coordination among the various state and national groups across the sustainable transport sectors. Some even undermined each others’ efforts to get their agenda at the head of the queue.

4. With leaders like the Lord Mayor of Sydney making a push for better transport choices in the face of strong opposition; and some states balking at doing more, this was the time more people had to be engaged to help see things through.

5. Australia had a fantastic cycling history – a now nearly forgotten time when cycling was at the centre of every day life and sport and quite literally helped build this nation. This was a legacy that deserved to be celebrated and also honoured through our actions today.

After engaging with others and wondering who else would address these issues, Go! Alliance was formed. It is an online based initiative focussed on helping others activate change at the community and national level through leverage of tools, information and one another.

It is by financial necessity a modestly scaled effort that will seek to be responsive to changing needs and using primarily an online engagement approach. Our constituents will by and large be reached through existing online communities and other organised groups. We hope to attract all forms of resources that will donate time (legal, financial, design, sponsorships) or effort towards the goals of Go! and to share both the challenges and successes of group effort. We have already suceeded in securing matching funds from BIKESydney for crowd funding projects there and hope more will do the same.

Success is not certain in any new initiative, but if the community finds that we can accomplish more working in this new way, then it will have been well worth the effort.

BNA: You mentioned the goals of the Go Alliance; What are they? What does the Go Alliance do and plan to do?

Omar: Go! Alliance’s purpose is facilitating effective transport and mobility solutions through collaboration, funding and information sharing. Enhancing the capacity and capability of individuals and communities to enhance travel options. Inspiring, mobilising and activating change. Our motivation is that effective and efficient transportation, travel and mobility options are essential elements of our everyday lives and key to the vibrancy of our communities, our cities, our economy, our health and our natural environment.

Go! will also strive to fill the gap between online communities, BUGs and clubs and finding new ways to achieving results – a critical missing link. The scope is national and includes all transport modes as we are about re-balancing not exclusion.

BNA: So how does the Go Alliance sit on the organisational spectrum? Is it a non-profit? A consultancy? A community voice? A tool of big business? Basically, who is behind it and how does it operate?

Omar: As a starting point, Go! has been registered as part of a business though profit is not the primary motive for doing this. We do want to have the flexibility of a business and be able to finance what we need. While I suppose that we are indirectly advocating a general direction the primary output of Go! Is to make it easier and more effective for others to get involved themselves or to support activities of others. Part resource centre, part consolidator, part adviser but 100% about achieving better outcomes.

Our advisory board is headed by the former mayor for Bogota and world-reknown advocate for better urban transport, Enrique Penalosa. We also have CPF board member and ex-professional cyclist Stephen Hodge; previous Sydney Councillor John McInerney and Cycling evangelist, Nick Bonich. A number of others have made themselves available to help out and I welcome approaches from others who believe they can contribute.

BNA: BNA has decided to join with the Go! Alliance. Why should we (BNA) or other organisations be involved in it? What are we going to get by allying?

Omar: BNA has a great national following and is a natural constituency for Go! Alliance to be engaged with. We look to support those who will be inspired to take action. Whether it is a local issue or a national one. An invention or a new guide book. So, rather than looking for members, we are looking for those willing to either lead or support others who want to take action towards our overall stated purpose.

So far we have helped raise money for a CPF campaign, paid for a talk by cycling historian Jim Fitzpatrick, and helped fund a new pedle tram for Sydney. Through an online petition we have also helped overcome a decision by North Sydney Council to shut down its sustainable transport advisory group and are now doing a submission to the Commonwealth in the petition format.

We are hoping to ad legal support to assist assessing or challenging counterproductive measures. We are also hoping to have in kind support from transport consulting companies that may assist in design issues. We also invite suppliers of products and services that can help to play a part to make themselves known. By consolidating we can expect to leverage everyone’s efforts.

We are also open to ideas from the BNA community on how else we can be effective – at the end of the day this really is about being effective. We will not solve everything or much right away, but we believe that we can help do more.

BNA: On the BNA forums, one user (jules21) has opined that, with most cycling advocacy, there is an elephant in the room: “the embedded cultural tendency for Australians to view cyclists as second class road users”.

Omar: While I can empathise with that view, I don’t buy in that this has to be the way it is. Cyclists once created and ruled the roads and trails of Australia. Most of today’s roads were classified as cycle tracks first. Australia grew on the back of a bicycle in the early 1900′s and kept us entertained, took us to war, challenged and answered the characteristic wanderlust we have always had as a nation. The fact that bicycles were shunted aside with the advent of the motor vehicle does not mean it needs to always be so. The returns are fast diminishing for more cars and more roads. That monotheistic approach has quite literally run out of road.

However, he time is now to find a new balance and to help create a base of support that is not only about cycling but about more liveable and sustainable places to live, work and play. This is what is happening in Sydney and in a few other areas but it won’t happen with much enthusiasm if it remains without galvanised and ongoing support.

BNA: While developing cycling infrastructure is a useful way forward, how is the Go Alliance going to address the battle for hearts and minds?

Omar: The current model of advocacy is running out of time. Many leading advocates have told me that there are few young people ready to step up to replace or help them – through the countless submissions, council meetings or planning briefings. The “clock speed” for many people today is just too high for accommodating or supporting this engagement approach.

The large cycling organizations are effective in some states and not in others. At best, they can focus efforts on large impact priorities but must defer others. This leaves much of the needed work still undone and too often just single transport mode focussed.

Go! is about supporting incremental change backed by pervasive change. My hope is that at the very least, Go! prove that there is value in new approaches to activating change and to appeal to people like the BNA community to get more involved. But Go! can’t do this alone, we need people who want to help with financial support, matching funding or in-kind services and heaps of individuals willing to lead or support actions. We will soon see if this formula works!

BNA: So if traditional advocacy is dying off, what can the motivated individual do? Are there avenues for small voices, or do they have to ride the coat tails of a bigger organisation and hope they get where they want to go?

Omar: There will always be a role for people to do the hard yards at council meetings and gathering information at briefings and leading protests. However, the influencing side is clearly moving in the direction of effective campaigns that mobilise people quickly and for a clear purpose. Politicians Tweet and engage much more dynamically and want to be seen being sensitive to the pulse of the people.

Reports and submissions are ineffective tools for politicians – unless they want to delay things or look to have been listening even when their minds are already made up! GetUp! has clearly demonstrated that motivating a lot of “small voices” to sing together rather quickly can deliver a strong message to politicians and their departments that they cannot ignore. It has broadened the base of those who are aware and engaged than would have been the case previously.

BNA: The Pirate Party has just been registered in Australia for the 2013 elections, and while small/single issue parties have had some impact on Australian politics, this is really the first time we’ll see a much younger, digitally connected and widely distributed voice. Do you think it’s time for cyclists to use the new advocacy to have their views better represented politically? Will the Go! alliance ever become the Go! party?

Omar: First let’s consider if there is indeed such a thing as a “cycling community”? We are a very diverse set of individuals with different cycling interests and affiliations that just so happen to ride a bike for one reason or another. For many (and this often comes as a shock to some) it is not the most important thing in their lives. Most are not affiliated with any cycling group, a few with BUGs (more so in NSW), some with state organisations and some with racing groups. While there is some common ground there is little to unite us in or our actions and that and that’s not even including looking at other modes of transport. The truth is that we seldom back each other up except in places like BNA. But even then we often fall short of taking united action.

On the other side of the table we LGA’s, road and transport authorities as well infrastructure authorities and Commonwealth departments. They are constantly engaged with an array of providers and those advocating more of the same. Is it any wonder that we don’t get a clear message across?

I believe there are three ways to come to terms with this:
The Shooters Party approach. Go for representation in a seat that can be won, hope for a coalition government that needs your vote and push a narrow agenda with great leverage. The Shooters could not have dreamed of a better situation to get support for changes that are abhorrent to most people.

Pick a party approach. Select one party that we believe most closely aligns to cycling and have them push the agenda and hope they get into power. The problem with this approach is both picking the wrong horse and then when in power, will they stick to their promises? The NSW Labor Party spoke the language of cyclists but did precious little in reality and the participation rates went to the bottom of the table. The Liberals came in and appeared to revel in the fact that they owed nothing to cyclists and in fact looked to be trying to reverse gains at first.

The mainstream, City of Sydney approach. Make the size and enthusiasm of an online and savvy coalition seeking a different approach become a well recognised lever that no party at any level of government can ignore. This is an apolitical approach that presses all parties to come up with ideas and solutions to ensure they don’t lose your vote. This removes the possible stigma of being a “niche” or “green” issue and the knee-jerk reaction that can cause even turn off some cycling supporters. This approach also implies creating a broader consensus that does not exclude other transport modes and attracts more people to want to be a part.

All approaches have their merits but the latter one means that a broader constituency could be built that ensures change comes no matter what party is in power. (As happens in Copenhagen I would love to see a competitive benchmark evolve of how many of each party cycle – or don’t drive – to their offices!). There is no reason that it should not become seen as arrogant and out of touch to be continuing to promote the dominance of traditional motor vehicle use. That’s where I hope Go! can come in to help inform and empower to get effective campaigns going at all levels even nationally as well when required – to help activate change. However, ultimately this will only work if a large enough number are willing to engage and that is far from certain.

But I do have to say I like the ring of a “Go! Party” and we could have some fun with our manifesto!

BNA: So what is Go! doing now? What will they be doing in the near future?

Omar: Go! Has already been testing the basic concepts of deploying petitions and crowd funding in support of community activities and the response has been encouraging. We are going to build on that and hopefully create a supporting web site that brings together these tools and the information and resources to enable more people to engage and activate change. It is our belief that unless we build a constituency that is ready to take action and back action that we are unlikely to motivate governments at any level to do much towards transitioning transport priorities.

So Go! will back others and look for opportunities to engage with those who believe in this approach and would also like to help the community. It could be a business or a BUG or even an LGA that commit in-kind or matching funds to promote activities that help make a difference. Already, BIKESydney is offering to match 1:1 moneys raised in any crowd funding initiative that affects cycling in Sydney. I think this is exciting as a model to get highly leveraged results to do so many things!

BNA: As individuals, how do we get involved with Go! ? If we do join the alliance (sounds like Star Wars, doesn’t it?), how do we get our views heard?

Omar: I think its about being motivated to help change the dynamics that got us in this transport mess in most parts of Australia. The momentum built up from decades of singleminded thinking that placed the motor vehicle at the top of the food chain needs to be thrown into reverse – at least to the point of achieving a more sensible balance in transport spending and options. We also realise that politics and means of influence has changed dramatically and yet little has been done to put those forces to use in this area.

All tha Go! Is trying to do is facilitate a new way for us to build and grow that support base by leading on some issues of broad importance (like the current Yes, Minister! Petition) or an event that may help promote the concept, but mostly by helping individuals, BUGs and others in the community to figure out how to take action, to get the funding and to attract the support that contributes to the common purpose. Over 300 individuals contributed to a Go! assisted online petition to retain the sustainable transport advisory group for North Sydney Council recently. It was a success.

Part of this approach is dependent on bridging the gap with online communities that often talk about issues but seldom have an outlet to truly take it to the next step in a coordinated way. It is a often discussed issue that online social groups are not good at getting behind things together.

I also hope we help those who don’t see themselves as advocates but want to get something done that would help – a bike rack for a school or a transport guidebook for the aged or designing a new mobility aid for someone with a physical challenge. We just helped fund the Pedal Inn, a bar on wheels that is propelled by the guests pedaling!

In the end it is not really so much about single or integrated transport modes but about the other side of the same coin and that is building friendlier and better functioning communities and cities that are healthier, kinder on the environment and a whole lot more fun to live in or visit. It won’t happen if we don’t begin to back ourselves and each other to activate the necessary changes. So, I guess I am just saying it is time for your readers to consider what they can do and how Go! could help them do it.

BNA: I need some straight answers from you Omar. Did you ever take banned substances to enhance your cycling performance?
Omar: You should speak to my doctor, Mr. Lamborghini. He’s got all of the fast answers you could ever need.

BNA: Did you ever blood-dope, or use blood transfusions to enhance your cycling performance?
Omar: I have certainly been called a dope, does that count? If anything I took was meant to enhance my performance then I’m clearly not going to be asked for an endorsement. I mean the Bloodmobile felt so sorry for me that they offered to give me blood.

BNA: Did you ever used other banned substances like cortisones, testosterone, or human growth hormone?
Omar: This is beginning to feel like water boarding… alright already, someone call Oprah and let her know that I want to come clean but it will take three episodes minimum and I want soft lighting and angels singing in the background!

BNA thanks Omar for his time and for being a good sport. Omar is keen to answer your questions and you can engage him in a discussion in the comments below.

More information about the Go! Alliance can be found on their site.

I arrived in Rotorua, on the North Island, on an Air New Zealand flight, where I first enjoyed some of the finest Mountain Bike trails in the southern hemisphere. Taupo is located 100km south of Rotorua and is well known by outsiders for the annual Lake Taupo Cycle Classic and the New Zealand Ironman. These major events send the towns population temporarily skyward. Outside of these events, mountain biking is growing as fast as the development of the trails in the area.

The two big options for MTBing in Taupo are the W2K (Whakaipo to Kinloch) trail, which is one part of the well funded NZ Cycle Trail Project, and the Huka Challenge course, which forms part of the MTB leg of the Lake Taupo Cycle Classic, which centers around the Wairakei Forest and Craters Mountain Bike Park, just minutes from the town of Taupo. I arrived without any clear idea of what was awaiting me, though the local tourism department is dedicated to the raising the profile of mountain biking in the area, so decided to show me the crème de la crème.

My first port of call on arrival was my accommodation in the exclusive Acacia Cliffs Lodge on the north western corner of the lake, about 15 minutes from town. The lodge is a modern designer house perched on a hilltop overlooking the lake. Hosts, Linda and Rick, cater for small numbers of guests who are personally welcomed to enjoy luxury accommodation and dining. Rick is an accomplished chef who can prepare your meal personally and presents some superb wine, courtesy of top winegrowers. While you are more likely to find top European bankers and golfers at Acacia Cliffs Lodge, mountain biking is no longer the domain of young radicals.

W2K – Whakaipo to Kinloch
After a great night’s rest, waking up to views over Lake Taupo, it was time to go cycling. In town I met Mark Gibson, the owner of Top Gear Cycles in town. He divides his time between family, running the bike shop and establishing the local cycle trails; the long term vision is a mountain bike track that circles the entire lake. Currently it is planned as a 93 kilometer Great Lakes Trail on the north western corner of Lake Taupo, starting at Whakaipo, and suited to multi-day riding. To date, it is about a third completed. Building and planning a trail of this magnitude involves a lot of learning. One challenge, for example, is how best to organise access rights through traditionally held Maori land and farmers property. The planning team are doing an excellent job.

With two full suspension bikes packed in the back of a rattling old hatchback, we drove out of town to our start point in Kinloch. This is a small picturesque town with a protected yacht harbour, and is a popular starting point to take mountain bikers up and onto a headland loop. The cycling can be easily paced to suit ability in both the speed and the distance.

Mountain biking in this area is special for a few reasons, one of the most interesting is that it offers all weather riding. The natural pumice stone in the earth means that the trails drain quickly, which means fewer muddy bogs. The approach to trail building is not just to build it and leave it, rather it includes an ongoing maintenance component. Trail builders have equipment that ‘belongs to the trail’, such as quads and diggers, to build new trails and repair existing sections.

From Kinloch into the headland loop there is fun single-trail riding. After ascending, the trail becomes a well flowing series of turns following the land contours up and down. The good surface lets you focus your skill on speed and cornering rather than dodging roots or technical sections. This construction means that it is more forgiving for less skilled cyclists, though good cardio fitness and concentration make it more enjoyable.

As the trail crawls over the headland and loops around, the lake is often completely hidden from view until you ride into a picture postcard scenic outlook. From one vantage point Mark and I peered over to the distant shore on the peninsular poking into the lake; Mark already has a clear picture of where the trails there would be created. While the actual riding is not extreme, the idea of circling the entire lake by mountain bike is extreme.

Mark Gibson of Top Gear Cycles in Taupo and Christopher Jones of Bicycles Network Australia

W2K is popular among the locals. It won’t take you to your limits, though it gives you a workout, especially if you extend and ride the K2K (Kinloch to Kawakawa) section as well. I took a few tumbles around tight corners where the grippy trail floor gave way to a muddy patch. My reward, though, at the end of the headland loop, was a choice of doing another loop or enjoying the downhill trip back into Kinloch.

Huka Challenge, Wairakei Forest and Craters Mountain Bike Park
When I first visited Taupo during my honeymoon many years ago, the local i-site info center pointed us in the direction of some 1950′s style cabins. When we arrived at the cabins, it didn’t seem that much had changed since the cabins were built and we appreciated the simple furnishing, original oven and a veranda that opened directly to onto the lake. For my MTB trip, the local tourism board wanted to share another one of their gems, so I left Acacia Cliffs Lodge for one of the newest hotels in town, the Hilton.

You could argue that the Hilton is better suited to golfers and well-to-do guests, though the hotel manager went to great lengths to explain the comfort and facilities for their sporting guests. Particularly during major events, the Hilton hotel hosts a lot of guests who want to enjoy its comforts after competition.

For the Huka Challenge trails I was due to meet with the legendary Bruce Jaine. Everyone knows him in town and they nodded with approval on hearing that he was showing me the trails. I was delighted when he pulled up in front of the Hilton in a beat-up van.

Bruce is a veteran mountain biker and even rode in the first ever Lake Taupo Cycle Challenge in 1977 at a time where riding a bike in Taupo for more than a few kilometers was a ridiculous notion. If you ever get the chance, have a chat with Bruce about the early days of off-road riding, pre-suspension. Bruce has taken on the task of planning and building trails for the mountain biking races in the lake Taupo Cycle Challenge, which includes a 40 and 85 kilometer route. This is a job where he competes directly with natural disasters and logging.

As my guide for the day, we began in the center of town, close to the start line of the official MTB route for the Huka Challenge, and after about 10 minutes left the sealed paths as we followed the Waikato River downstream. One of the sections was appropriately named Junk and Disorderly as a tribute to people who have trouble finding rubbish bins and rubbish tips. Since the trail-building, it has now become cleaner than it used to be and, as a direct route from Taupo to a hydroelectric plant, the mountain biking employees of the plant took responsibility for building part of this trail.

This trail took us along a canyon following the river and included a few steep drops on the edge of the trail requiring caution. The trails continue along the river, though we turned and headed towards the Wairakei Forest and Craters MTB Park. A creative section takes riders through a tunnel underneath the road and Bruce had me ride in front so I could experience the WOW effect. Craters of the Moon is a geothermally active area and though the MTB trails don’t go directly to these hot spots, a large network of trails winds through forest, recently cleared forest areas and over three ridges. Sixty individually named trails are interconnected and offer enough for a quick morning or evening spin, or an entire day grinding.

While we were not about to attempt the 85km course circuit, the shorter route that Bruce chose wove in and out of pine forests and open sections and was a wonderful taste of the riding in this area. Though we avoided hefty ascents, there was hardly a flat section in sight. It was all up and down, left and right. The forestry company who own the land wipe out the trails when they clear trees, though they actively support their rebuilding. Completely new trails are developed during rebuilding so the mountain bike trails, along with the trees, have a life cycle.

One of the real highlights of Craters MTB Park is a recently cleared section called Tourist Trap. Once Bruce and his team built the trail, other engaged mountain bikers chipped-in to create banked corners and jumps so it can become fast and furious if you want to take it at pace.

Unless you decide to head up the ridge, the trails are classed as suitable for beginners to intermediate. While the trails are not technical, a fair dose of concentration and skill means you can really power through them. Conditions change as you enter pine forests from pine needles and pine cones (“grenades”) coating the floor, to new flat pack sections and then onto loose gravel. After 50 kilometers of brisk riding, you can appreciate the stamina required of elite mountain bikers riding 85 kilometers at a time. It is easy to become fatigued, which makes the annual Huka Challenge so challenging.

The Craters MTB Park and surrounding trails closer to town are naturally busier than W2K. We rode on a weekday, though, and they were far from full. With this at their doorstep, it is hardly surprising that mountain biking is so enticing for the locals, and for visitors very rewarding.

I actually returned to Craters of the Moon by car in the evening hoping to catch a close-up glimpse of steaming geothermal area. Instead, I stumbled on a night mountain bike race in this section and met one of the event supporters, Nigel Tipene, of the the local bike shop Phoenix Cyclery. This was a strange coincidence, as I had organised to meet him the following day for a coffee and chat about cycling in Taupo.

There are detailed maps that are worth studying, particularly for the Huka Challenge and Craters MTB Park trails, which can seem like a maze. It is worth picking up a hard copy for a few dollars when you are in town, most of which flows back into the trails. The ride from the town of Taupo past the Huka Falls is worth it, though going by car to Craters of the Moon gets you straight into the action.

It wouldn’t be New Zealand without even more adventure activities. There were sky divers dropping from planes the whole time I was in town. I’d been there and done that, so happy to give it a miss. Though the region boasts world class golfing, that was too passive for me. Instead, I took to the skies in the Taupo Float Plane and remained in the cabin for a spectacular loop over the volcanoes. This flight from Taupo headed to the southern end of the lake and circled the ice capped peaks. On the return leg, we passed the hidden W2K trail and flew over the Craters MTB Park returning to town along the Waikato River.

New Zealand, all in a day’s fun
I couldn’t leave New Zealand without a bit of jet boating. A little way north of Taupo, I joined the New Zealand Riverjet on the Waikato River. All of the passengers, bar myself, stopped in at the Orakei Korako thermal park midway. I was booked in for The Squeeze; dressed in a wetsuit, we explored a small tributary, squeezing between rocks that had been carved by the stream over millions of years.

Another source of adventures in this region are the kayak trips on Taupo, and I was particularly looking forward to seeing the Maori Rock Carvings which I heard about when I first visited Taupo but didn’t get the chance to see. Lashed by the wind and increasing swell, the kayaking required the same energy as mountain biking; the kayak doesn’t paddle by itself. I was mistakenly under the impression that the Maori rock carvings were ancient, when in fact they were created in the 70′s. This reflects upon my limited knowledge of Maori history,  though the locals and guides helped to fill in my knowledge gaps.

The best general starting point for the Lake Taupo regions is the Great Lake Taupo Visitor website. For all things mountain biking, the Bike Taupo Advocacy Group is a central information portal with maps and events.

The most convenient flight is the bi-weekly Sydney to Rotorua with Air New Zealand. There is the option of flying to Auckland and catching a small plane into Taupo Airport, though with this option you would need to hire a bike locally.

For Aussies, Simon Gerrans of Orica-GreenEDGE took a highlight win on Australia day up Old Wilunga hill just ahead of Slagter, a stage that has legendary status.

The other highlight of this years tour are the four stage victories of German André Greipel of team Lotto-Belisol. His team in top form for lead-outs, the pacing and finishes were without equal so that most sprint finish contenders were fighting hard just to follow Greipels’ wheel to the finish. Mark Renshaw had a solid chance in the final stage getting some led in the final stretch though was no match for the power of the big German.

Greipel is a crowd favorite and in Australia with this stage victory takes the number of professional stage victories to 100. Another favourite German, 41 year old Jens Voigt of Team Radioshack Trek was a real crowd pleaser taking part in a number of break aways during the tour.

The Tour Down Under organisers announced a turnout of 750,000 people

Photo © Santos Tour Down Under

The second part of the interview was more focused on Lance, how he is feeling and his family, it was familiar territory for Oprah Winfrey as a talkshow host. More about emotion and less about situations for which observers are still seeking answers.

While the interview was heavily edited before broadcasting, it seems to have been linear – there was a lot more repetition as Lance reconfirms that he is sorry, there were however a few snippets that will raise eyebrows.

When asked whether he deserves to be able to compete again, Lance responded “I think I deserve it” and suggested that others had received 6 month bans and he receives a “death sentence”. The magnitude of his actions against his competitors hasn’t registered yet, not only with the number of competitive victories over such a long time frame, but also the side stories of bribery (accusations) and his legal fights and suing people which is now clearly based upon the lie.

The donation attempt to the USADA was discussed with Lance denying knowing who would made the offer. Oprah asked “Were you trying to pay off the USADA?” to which Lance responded “No, that is not true.”

In fact, Lance points the finger back at the USADA asking why this wasn’t included in their reasoned decision. Extremely murky territory though we are asked by Lance to believe him even though he has become a serial liar.
In short, the second part lacked the substance, included a lot of repetition and spent little or no time on topics that may have legal or financial implications.

The interview comes across as an orchestrated event, at least from Armstrong’s side while the Oprah team have every interest in promoting this, even if they haven’t the power (or jurisdiction) to delve into the details to deliver a complete and more truthful picture.

John Fahey, the chief of the WADA (World Anti-Doping Agency) said after part one “The evidence shows variations in [Armstrong’s] blood that show with absolute certainty that he was doping after 2005. Believe Usada or believe Armstrong. I know who to believe.”

There is very real doubt about the extent of the truth that was revealed. Armstrong said in Part One that he wouldn’t be sitting here if it wasn’t for the USADA action – he would not have confessed. Have we heard the convenient truth or entire truth?