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.

Rizoma CEO, Fabrizio Rigolio, was kind enough to talk to Bicycles Network Australia (BNA) to provide an insight into the 77 | 011:

BNA: This is a very striking bicycle. You [Rizoma] are new to cycling, though have extensive experience in motorcycle parts and accessories. Can you describe why you decided to create a bicycle?

Fabrizio Rigolio: First of all thank you for the compliment. For us it is similar to when a fashion brand decides to create a jacket.

We have our own design centre and complete production chain. In the bicycle we saw the possibility to express our values. It’s a concept for a different bicycle. It is about style, something that is close to part of your fashion. You can go to work, to a cafe and drink coffee, or do your shopping in style, and of course with a cool technological bike.

BNA: Can you explain the name 77 | 011?

Fabrizio Rigolio: 77 is a new unit, and 011 is the project name. For the next new products, the unit number “77″ increases, and always followed the project number.

BNA: The most obvious difference to a common bicycle is that there is no seat tube; this bicycle doesn’t have the advantage of a front and rear triangle. Why did you decide to eliminate the seat tube and does this affect the strength?

Fabrizio Rigolio: This, along with the belt drive, are features that people immediately spot when they see the bike for the first time. The choice is both stylistic and functional. The ‘missing’ seat tube has no impact on the performance of the frame because, due to its perfect geometry, it means that the weight is distribute on the whole structure of the frame.

BNA: Many of the parts of the bicycle seem unique: the handlebar and stem, the cranks, the rear dropouts. Can you provide an overview of all of the parts that have been created specifically for this bike?

Fabrizio Rigolio: The 77|011 is produced entirely in our factory; it  is 100% made in Italy. Every single component of 77 | 011 has been designed and developed specifically.

BNA: Can you explain “Monobloc”? What does this mean? How is the frame made?

Fabrizio Rigolio: “Monobloc” means that the frame has no joints or welding; is made of one piece of carbon, so as to have clean lines and, at the same time, performance. We used best practice in carbon forming to make this frame.

BNA: The 97cm wheelbase is short, perhaps optically emphasised by the frame design. Did you consciously aim for a short wheelbase, making it a more maneuverable bike suited to lower speeds?

Fabrizio Rigolio: The 77 | 011 is a single speed developed for urban use, each characteristic aimed to make riding in the city is easy and pleasant.

BNA: You have a belt drive system, Gates Carbon Drive I assume, where does the frame “break” if the chain would need to be swapped?

Fabrizio Rigolio: The belt drive is a complete new system developed by us, guaranteed for 15.000 Km without needing replacing.

The change is really easy, in the bottom rear part of the frame there is the hidden opening system that allows a belt change.

BNA: As this is a single speed, are there already thoughts or even now the possibility to use an internal gear hub?

Fabrizio Rigolio: While Rizoma believes in continuously evolving, we have concentrated on one speed and selecting a transmission ratio that best suits city riding.

BNA: A small detail that is relevant for both the UK and Australian markets, can the mirror be switched to the opposite side for left-side traffic?

Fabrizio Rigolio: Yes sure, you can mount the mirror in the left or right side, as you prefer. And when you ride in the heavy traffic you can also close the mirror to protect it.

BNA: Who do you feel that this bicycle best suits? Who is your audience?

Fabrizio Rigolio: Do you want to be different? Then 77 | 011 is what you’re looking for!

Mr Rigolio, thank you kindly for your time, we wish you all the best with this new bicycle.

Take a closer look at the Rizoma 77 | 011 online.  The 77 | 011 retails online in Europe for €3700.

When you walk in to KNOG you know instantly that they are a design company. The modern building features open plan spaces with a showroom, work areas and meeting areas. It is far from clinical – evidence of creativity is everywhere: sketches, CAD renderings, prototypes and even mockups of point-of-sale displays.

KNOG started about eight years ago as a spin-off brand of a successful industrial design company (catalyst) and has grown so that the company is now 100% KNOG. They began by reinventing the bicycle light and produced the successful silicon “KNOG frog”, but straight away they were faced with a challenge: “Are we one-hit-wonders or are we really good at what we do? Can we reinvent something that we reinvented the first time?”

CMO Michael Lelliott is a cycling fanatic, the type of guy you would imagine to have an enviable collection of urban bikes in his apartment and who loves to cruise through the city on his bike at night. When he talks about the products the company creates it is not just passion, there is also a sense of relaxed methodology. KNOG has created an identity and they know where they are going and how to get there; it involves a good dose of fun.

KNOG lights and locks are born in a relaxed and creative workspace

When I sat down at the KNOG HQ, two of Michael’s marketing colleagues joined us: Englishman Sean and Spaniard Tania. Michael took the lead, but only after getting a supply of locks and lights so that he could hold the products in his hands as he talked about them. I wanted to know about the design progress; how do they get the ideas and what does it take to make a finished product?

According to the KNOG team, from start to finish it takes about a year and begins with the team of designers getting together and brainstorming. The constant process of reviewing existing products and improving the technology leads to new ideas. Michael explained “One side of the brand is having fun and being Aussie in our humour and approach, but from the product design point of view it is about what can we do that is different. What can we do that it is different from a design point of view? What can we do that is different from a technical point of view? What materials can we use to make something that hasn’t been seen before?”

For the current series of blinder lights, for example, KNOG took on customer feedback, such as the light switched on inside people’s bags, and derived a solution: to turn the lights on you need to press the button down for two seconds and toggle modes by pressing once. The initial problem was resolved though at the cost of a small, but easy to overcome learning curve understanding how the new switch works.

USB charging was an improvement from an environmental perspective (i.e. no batteries to dispose of) and it also meant that the lights could become a sealed unit and become (fishtank) waterproof. New smaller lithium polymer batteries allowed a freedom in design without compromising performance.

A team of 20 designers, including industrial designers, design engineers and electronic engineers, sees the team moving from sketches to Computer Aided Design (CAD) before creating prototypes (via rapid prototyping). The electronic engineers further develop the product so that working prototypes can be created and tested. It is a continual process of optimisation and refinement before the factory is involved to look into tooling, electronics and production before they deliver the first off-tool samples which go into testing. It takes about a year from original conception until the factories are ready to deliver the final product into shops.

The KNOG workshop for hands-on creation and testing

Rapid Prototyping is followed by painting to create a mockup of a proposed new light

If imitation is the ultimate flattery, then KNOG have been well and truly flattered; there are a lot of imitation silicon bike lights on the market. At this year’s Eurobike, the team was shocked to see that top German brand ABUS had released a lock remarkably similar to their Strongman lock, a modern heavy duty U-Lock with Silicon over moulding.

“When we arrived at Eurobike this year, ABUS had made a lock that was incredibly similar to ours and that was a bit of a surprise, not really a happy one. Our BNA [laughs], DNA is originality and innovation, so we pride ourselves on that. It is one of our driving factors”

This goes to show that KNOG have grown significantly from their roots in the fixie scene to being a full-blown mainstream cycling brand – you will spot KNOG lights in the bunches cruising up and down Beach Road as well as on commuter bikes and mountain bikes.

Lights make up 80% of KNOG’s global sales and this is where their future lies as well. Tania showed me prototypes of the next generation lights which are not just lights to be seen, they are lights to see with at 220 and 350 lumens. They are well suited to road cyclists who are always demanding more lumens, but minimise weight and do away with external battery packs. Without revealing too many secrets, I can say that they will feature USB recharging and should be released in February 2013.

Tania Sanchez from Madrid is one of the fresh faces of the international brand

Even though they’re an Aussie brand, KNOG doesn’t market itself as identifiably Australian. “Heritage doesn’t play a part in our brand DNA at all” comments Michael “it all comes back to originality of the product, the fun that we’re having with it and more and more the technical prowess”.

Though KNOG have set their sights on becoming the number one bicycle lighting brand globally, they won’t loose the cheeky advertising and fun-ness of KNOG any time soon.

KNOG online : www.knog.com.au

I spoke with the show organiser Simon Head about Ausbike. He was relaxed and had a smile on his face, while we spoke were no mini-emergencies or issues he had to tend to, I got the feeling that all was well.

Ausbike is the bike show that Australia needs, when the Bicycling Australia Bike Shows stopped there was a gap – as time passed it became harder and harder to setup a big show because winning the support of the industry takes time. By moving the show back, after Eurobike and Interbike, wholesalers can return to Australian and present the next seasons gear.

“You can’t run a bike show in September because of the AFL finals and NRL final” notes Simon Head. “We responded to our exhibitors and if they want the show on at this time of the year so that they can get their [new] product, then that what we do.”

The new location has been welcomed by exhibitors and visitors alike. “We have been able to make the move from the showgrounds which doesn’t attract people to the royal exhibition building which is a magnificent expo and suits the bike industry.” says Mr Head “It’s light and airy situation in beautiful parklands in central Melbourne. All of the exhibitors are very excited that we are here and we have just signed on for the next three years.

“They have allowed us to do a lot more next year, in particular a demo track upstairs [in the 2nd level observation level that circles and overlooks the hall].”

Based on the exhibitor list on the Ausbike website, I was expecting a few brands to be exhibiting that were however not at the show (as exhibitors) and asked Simon Head about this.

“It is not as if we don’t invite them. Trek bikes don’t do shows, they don’t even do Eurobike or Interbike, they do Trek World. Giant was listed as an exhibitor and you will notice that they have bikes on some of the stands. Giant had other commitments.”

Simon Head continues “There are probably about 20 top companies, mainstream big companies. If we can get ten of those each year we are really happy. From the trade perspective, most retailers have stitched up their number one big brand so they come to look at niche markets, second brands, parts and accessories. The show started for the small to medium wholesaler who cannot afford a fleet of reps driving around the country. The shops come to look for things they haven’t seen before. Certain products in certain years have just excelled because they have been the product of the show, people who don’t have them, they miss out.”

There was a healthy mix of products, both SRAM and Shimano were well represented along with top brands such as BMC, Focus, Felt, Fuji, Specialized, Jamis, Rocky Mountain, Cervélo and Zipp. The stands for these big name brands were big with lots of gear on display.

Simon Head discusses the stands and response from exhibitors, “One of the biggest things we have notice this year is the amount of effort and resources people have put into their stands, it is really noticeable. And the amount of work that exhibitors have put into getting trade here such as with show only deals for the trade. I know that some of the exhibitiors did very well [getting orders on the trade day]. Like all of the trade shows, you only need one really good retailer who you don’t deal with to come to your stand and it can make an amazing difference for the whole year.”

Ausbike Show Organiser Simon Head

The trade visitors day was also conveniently placed on the Friday followed by General Public days on Saturday and Sunday. Even with the improved schedule it remains tough to encourage interstate retailers to visitor Melbourne for the show: retailers already get regular visitors in their stores from brand reps and bigger brands often have roadshows in each state to present the next season gear.

The trade day this year was particularly cold, an open door out to a test-ride area put some exhibitors in this area on the test, many returning of Saturday rugged up and prepared though warmer weather made it more bearable.

As expected, on the friday with entry restricted to trade visitors, the visitor numbers were low though many of the stands remained busy. On Saturday a long waiting line out the front was welcome news for exhibitors now looking to present their products to the public. It was a busy day and I asked Simon Head whether he was happy with the attendance.

“Yes very, we charge $5 [concession] and $10 [adults] on the door, it is not about making money on the door tickets, it is about getting a good crowd in. I am happy if the exhibitors are happy, and the exhibitors are happy.”

I spoke with exhibitors and received a lot of good reports, for smaller brands exhibiting and trying to get into stores, some confided that they were able to connect with retailers who were interested in taking them on board. As expected, visitor numbers on Sunday were down on Saturdays numbers.

I was expecting a well-executed show, assuming that the organisers were able to build on their experiences since first launching in 2009 and wasn’t let down. I hope to see growth and more big wholesalers and brands committing to the show next so that it really is “the place to be”.

This also makes it more attractive to the general public and retail visitors, including interstate visitors who can then justify the time and expense to come to Melbourne. This however shouldn’t be at the cost of loosing younger brands and entrepreneurs. Though the exhibition was well planned and spacious, it was also booked out so brings the challenge of how to use the available space to cater for more exhibitors.

Photo Highlights from Ausbike

The 2013 BMC Roadbike Range

Brown Jersey Machined Wheels

Calfee Bamboo Roadbike with Mad Fibre Wheels

Cardo Bluetooth Cyclist Communication

Cervélo is now under Derby Australia

Emma of Cyclette for Women's Cycle Fashion

Jono and Rob of Tineli

Lombardo Best Quality Imports

Lombardo prime exhibition stand at Ausbike

Long Haul eBike test ride at Ausbike

View of the Exhbitition Halls at Ausbike

Lots of bikes on display

New Shimano Hydration Backpacks

Rubena Phoenix Road Tire

Schindelhauer at Ausbike

Shimano Mechanical Training

Simon Head at Ausbike

Specialized S-Works Road Shoe

SRAM stand at Ausbike 2012

SRAM Rockshox Australia

Test Rides at Ausbike

Thule Roofracks and Shimano Australia

2012 Ausbike in Melbourne

The Hornit is a battery powered warning device that mounts on your handlebars and is triggered via a pressure switch that you can mount close to your hand grips. On your bars it looks a lot like many front lights, which is to say it doesn’t look out of place on a recreational or commuter bike. It runs on 2 AAA batteries and weighs, all up, about 100g. The main unit is easily removable from the mount (well, easily with a little bit of practice) and is just as easily reattached. So, as far as commuter utility is concerned, the Hornit ticks all of the required boxes. I’m saying all of this about the Hornit to get the basics out of the way before I get down to what I really want to say: the Hornit is loud.

When I say the Hornit is loud, you really don’t get a good idea of what I’m talking about. If I put “loud” in all-caps, it would visually represent some sort of loudness, but still wouldn’t get the idea across. Likewise, if I told you that the Hornit’s loud mode is 140 dB and its soft mode is 130 dB, that would be just numbers. So what I’ll do is get you to imagine a car coming up behind you while you’re riding and giving you a blast on their horn. If you have ever ridden on the road, you’ll know what I mean. Now double that loudness. That’s loud, right? Good, now double it again. Wow! Pretty good, eh? That’s the Hornit’s soft mode and also the threshold of pain. Now double it yet again and you’ll have the Hornit in loud mode – 8 times louder than a normal car horn. The manufacturers claim it’s the loudest bike horn in the world and I’m not going to argue with that.

So, it’s loud. Very loud. Very, very, very loud. Very, very, very…well, you get the idea (it’s loud). But that’s not what you’re reading this for. You want to know if it works. I wondered the same thing, so to give it a fair trial on busy Sydney streets, I’ve used it on my commutes every day. I have also used it on some pedestrian populated shared user paths, which I normally avoid. Here are my findings:

The Hornit vs Pedestrians

As mentioned above, the Hornit is loud and it’s also quite directional. When you’re in front of the Hornit you’ll really hear it. What this means for you is that the pedestrians on the path ahead of you are going to hear you a long time before you’re near them (at least in theory). The Hornit operates in two modes (130 dB and 140 dB) and these modes have different sounds; the quiter mode is a single high pitch tone and the louder mode is a two tone twittering sound, sort of like a car alarm. I used both tones in a variety of circumstances and had some mixed results.

On the positive side, the Hornit is loud enough to be heard over personal music devices, telephone calls and conversations. On the negative side the sounds the Hornit make are not immediately associated with a cyclist coming up behind. Pedestrians are used to a lot of loud noises when they’re walking around, and everyone is used to car alarms going off. It’s been ingrained in people that bikes have bells or horns and that’s the sound they identify with, when they actually hear it. This isn’t to say the Hornit is not effective, you just have to be aware of how to use it.

A short single blast from the Hornit, in either mode, didn’t seem to make an impact on many pedestrians, but multiple short blasts, in either mode, seemed to make a difference. It’s really about creating something different in their heads as they’re walking/wandering and getting past the programming that immediately ignores loud alarm like sounds. A few short blasts does that since it’s not a “natural” suburban sound.

Obviously, if you snuck up behind a pedestrian and gave them a blast on the Hornit, they would “react”, probably right into your path. The benefit of the Hornit is that you can actually do it from a lot farther away than you can with a bell. It’s easy to tap out a little tune as well, since the push button for the Hornit can be placed right under your thumb and you don’t need to move your hands off the grips to use it.

 The Hornit vs Animals

One thing I noticed when using the Hornit is that dogs really don’t like it. A blast or two of the Hornit stopped a couple of annoying dogs in their tracks. They didn’t look like biters, but I’ve had my fair share of those in the past and I’d rather keep any sort of angry dog at bay. I know they’re only protecting their territory, but so am I.

By the way, cats don’t like it either. They really don’t like it. No, I didn’t meet any cats while out riding, but I do have some cats at home and while I didn’t deliberately chase after the cats (my wife wouldn’t let me), while I was showing the Hornit off to the kids the cats decided to bolt like there was a hell hound chasing them. The wife wasn’t impressed by the Hornit, but the kids loved it.

The Hornit vs Motorists

Pedestrians and dogs are one thing, cars are quite another. Bells and yells don’t always work against cars, where they almost always work against people and animals. I began my experiments against my wife in a stationary car. She had just dropped the kids off at school and I was heading out late to work. She had just parked the car and was looking through her bag when I rode up behind her and gave her a short blast of the Hornit on the soft mode. She was slow to look up, looked around and then noticed me. I was a bit dismayed by this and she said that it sounded like a car alarm, so she ignored it. Given that this was the first time I had used the Hornit against a car, I wasn’t impressed.

A few days later I had occasion to use it again against a car reversing out of a driveway. They stopped before they saw me, which made me feel safe and a little bit empowered. The Hornit this time was on loud mode, the twittering mode, and I gave it a good long blast. Later the same day I had a taxi turn across double white lines in front of me, attempting to do an illegal three point turn. I slowed, gave him three blasts on high mode and he stopped reversing while I was still a good distance away. I passed slowly behind him and gave him a death stare. A few cars had caught up to me and also passed behind the taxi, keeping him there for a while. Shame there weren’t any cops in the bunch.

I’ve used it several times in the way described above against motorists in a variety of circumstances, all to good effect. I also found it good for drowning out “conversations” such as “Keep off the r-TWEET-TWEET-TWEET. You’re a TWEET-TWEET”. So, the Hornit works, but it doesn’t give you the same sense of power that a car horn would. You can use it to identify yourself, to say that there’s something there that they didn’t see, but you really can’t use it to get rid of your frustration or express your annoyance. It’s too high and twittery to sound angry, but experience has shown me that it does work a lot better than a bell, and a whole lot better than nothing at all.

Sound like a good idea?

The Hornit is a very well designed warning device, but it’s not a horn or a bell and it’s not a sound that people immediately associate with a bicycle, whether that person is in a car or on foot. If you use it in repeated short bursts, it seems to get through to people that there’s something they should be looking at. Because it is so directional, people will know where it’s coming from when they do hear it and decide to look around.

As a commuter device, the Hornit is quite easy to use and has a few nifty features that show that it was designed by a commuter. The trigger switch on the Hornit is a great innovation. The button is attached to the handlebars via a Knog light style rubber band “thingy” which means it can be attached almost anywhere. It’s connected to the main unit via a wire and plug which you have to remember to plug in when you attach the Hornit, otherwise you’ll be pressing the button and nothing will happen (guess how I know this). If you frequently take the Hornit off the bike, as I do every time I lock it up, it doesn’t take long to incorporate the extra device into your routine.

The only thing I would change on the Hornit is the length of the trigger cable. As is, it’s fine for flat bars, but I ride drops and I would love to have the trigger near the hood where I can hit it without moving my hands from them. It took me a few days to work out a good position for the trigger, one that I wouldn’t hit accidentally while moving my hands around, but when I finally did find it the cable just wasn’t long enough. If I put it under the bar tape, it might just reach, but I want to be able to move it between bikes and a slightly longer cable would be a better option for me (that, or flat handlebars, and that’s not happening). I think I’ll just add a bit to the cable myself, since I really like the trigger idea. In fact, I would love to have something like this to control my lights and enable me to switch modes.

The inventor of the Hornit was inspired to create it after experiencing London traffic. According to the company, it works in London. I’ll confirm here that it works in Sydney, at least as well as anything else does. The Hornit is functional and sturdy and it certainly lives up to its promise of being loud. While it’s not going to make everyone on the road or path aware of you, it’s certainly better than a bell or a yell in many situations.

I typically wear hi-vis clothing when I ride and when it gets dark, along with my lights, I also throw on a safety vest with lots of reflective material on it. I’m always brightly coloured and I try to ride visibly and predictably. Obviously, all of these things won’t save me if I get hit, but each one of them gives me that extra little bit of presence that will hopefully keep me safe on the roads. The Hornit means that I can ride both big and loud.

The Hornit is imported by Cassons (enquiries@cassons.com.au) and available through all good bike stores.

Asia-Pacific-Cycle Congress : 10-13 March 2013
This Gold Coast (Queensland) event is in its second year and positions itself with a slightly more global approach. Backed by the Queensland government it brings an underlying aim of increasing cycling participation and growth in the cycling culture. Guest speakers, presentations, think thanks and panel debates will be used to explore key themes:
• cycle planning, safety and innovation
• education, health and behaviour change
• community, industry and tourism

The organisers are currently seeking abstracts for inclusion into the program.
Further details: www.cyclecongress.com

Bike Futures 2012 : 18 – 19 October 2012
In its forth year, Bike Futures is presented by Bicycle Network*. The event is promoted as “Australia’s leading bike conference for national and local leaders, planners, architects, urban designers and builders who use bike transport and recreation to advance their communities.”

The themes are similar with overall approach recognising growth in cycling and looking at the transport and planning response that is now required. A featured guest speaker in 2012 is Johan Diepens from the Dutch transport and mobility consultancy Mobycon. Workshop themes for the conference  include: new and innovative bicycle treatments, bicycles and public transport, motor vehicle speeds in neighbourhoods, cycling and liveability, bike planning, shared paths and shared spaces, cycle tourism and bike separation.
Details and registration: www.bikefutures.com.au

*Bicycle Network is not to be confused with Bicycles Network Australia who have been around longer under this name.

Let’s cut to the chase, the TiGr bike lock will cost you about $250 (AUD) for the lock with delivery to Australia and there are heavy duty bike locks out there that are cheaper. The TiGr lock is however very different to any other type of lock; it is beautiful, it is like a work of art. It does what other bike accessories (such as lights) have been doing for a while; it was designed to integrate well with the bike, something which it does remarkably well. Oh, and lets not forget, it is a really tough lock that does a few things that a chain or U-Lock will not do.

The TiGr in Detail
The lock has two parts: the titanium bow and the cylinder lock. The bow goes through the spaces in your frame and/or wheels, while the stainless steel cylinder lock is pick resistant and has a non-conventional mechanism to secure the lock and keep your bike safe from theft. Don’t just take my word for it, you can see for yourself in these comparative lock attacks comparing a U-Lock to the TiGr.

In the world of cycling, titanium is synonymous with premium and custom made bicycles. Not only is titanium tough, more skill is required to weld titanium compared with steel or aluminium, plus titanium is a more expensive metal. The TiGr lock, as the name suggest, is made of titanium. It is much harder to penetrate than steel so, while not invincible, it offers more protection than a cable, chain or U-Lock.

The titanium bow is available in two sizes, the broader 1.25″ (3cm) which I prefer because of ‘the look’ and the slimmer and also cheaper .75″ (2cm) version. The titanium bow is coated in a clear PVC sleeve. This takes a little of the shine from the titanium, though protects the bike frame from scratches.

Storing & Transport
In transport, the ‘bow’ is fastened with velcro along the length of the bikes top tube , a good look that beats hanging a U-Lock from your jeans or lugging a heavy chain, and the cylinder is carried separately, stored in say your bag or jacket pocket. Because this lock has two parts: the bow and cylinder lock, this gives it a slight disadvantage over one-piece locks as you need to remember to bring the cylinder with you. On the flipside this can also be an advantage, the bow is stored on the bike which saves you from carrying a heavy lock around. If you’re a regular commuter or urban cyclist, it will become second nature.

The TiGr in Practice
It takes a little while to become familiar with the lock since it’s quite unconventional. I had to practice locking and unlocking to get used to the mechanism. While it isn’t hard to lock and unlock, the cylinder needs to be angled so that the ends of the titanium ‘bow’ can fit inside the cylinder before it locks tightly.

It is also a little fiddly when first mounting the bow along the top tube. My gear and brake cables got in the way and required a clever twist and turn, but this is just a matter of habit; in no time you will be able to mount and unmount the titanium bow blind-folded.

Though the TiGr lock looks great, where it really shines is that it can secure the frame and (usually) both wheels easily. When using other locks I typically recommend that cyclists take the front wheel off the bike so that the frame and both wheels can be secured. The TiGr avoids this hassle quite cleverly.

The bow is flexible and while you can lock it onto poles and bike racks, it does have some limitations over a chain lock which can, for example, be looped around a large pole. With a bit of lateral thinking, or rather, lateral rotation, you can secure at least one wheel and the bicycle frame around a larger pole using the TiGr lock. The shape of the lock means that there is very limited slack or space in which evil thieves can use tools to leverage and attempt to break the lock. The TiGr will give you the same or better protection than U-Locks or chain locks in a much more convenient and stylish package.

Not to be forgotten, a killer feature of the TiGr is the weight: under 750 grams for the lock (bow) and cylinder. The bow is mounted on bike so doesn’t need to be carried separately, nor does it become an unattractive necessity on a beautiful bike. If you opt for the smaller 0.75″ bow, the entire lock is well under half a kilogram. In comparison, the simple Kryptonite Evolution Mini is 900 grams while the heavy duty Kryptonite New York Fahgettaboudit Mini is 1.9kg

Is the TiGr right for you?
This lock works, it is comparatively light and has style, so will best suit cyclists who appreciate fine things. This includes city, urban and commuting cyclists who love their bikes: perhaps a classic Cinelli road bike, a hot Bianchi Pista fixie or a trusty Surley commuter.

The TiGr lock does come at a price, though you should think of it as a long term investment in a great looking and functional bicycle lock. TiGr locks and parts are available from the online store with secure paypal payment. Find out more about the locks on the website: www.tigrlock.com

Tips for Preventing Theft
No one likes the low-life thieves who steal bikes (or anything else, for that matter) and we have put together an ongoing FAQs for preventing bike theft as well as what you can do if your bike is stolen. Remember, however, that prevention is always better.

“Cycle-Space is where architecture and urban design can begin to optimise conditions for cycling, and take inspiration from the aesthetics and ethics of cycling as well. It is where cities can begin reducing emissions, commute times, ill-health and sprawl. With portraits of major cities and their cycle secrets, Cycle-Space is the first book to view the city through the lens of the bicycle, and offer a new ways of designing better cities.”

To make this book a reality, Dr Fleming is using the crowd funding portal Pozible to attract funding and from the $8000 required already has half of the funds required. The $50 pledge will get you a copy of the book when published.

View further details and make a pledge >

For $1395 you can pick up a handmade, handpainted lugged chromolly bike with the NuVinci N360 hub that is described as an infinitely variable hub. Very basically it means that from the lowest to highest gear there is no selecting individual gears, instead the plantary drive allows you to use a gripshift like a dial to go up and down the gears. The change is seamless so you don’t select a specific gear and are not limited to 10 gears or 21 gears instead you can use the entire range by just rotating the shifter. A handlebar mounted display gives you a visual clue whether you are in a high or a low gear range.

One of the reasons Fixies became popular is the simplicity, no gears means less maintenance and fewer problems. Most of these bikes you see on the streets are in fact single speeds rather than actual fixies meaning that unlike a track bicycle, there is a freewheel hub so you don’t have to constantly pedal. With the popularity of fixies and single speeds, the look and feel of these bikes were retained by some brands though an internally geared hub such as the Shimano Alfine or Nexus was integrated that then gave the rider a range of gears but with hassle-free low maintenance. Not to mention making them more practical for urban riding.

Typically Chapelli bicycles are sub $500 and they already offer an internally geared Sturmey Archer 8-speed bike for $555. The Chapelli NuVinci raises the bar with attractive optics and higher quality components. Exact spec’s are not yet available though the custom built lugged frame alone seperates it from mass produced frames. The chrome plated deep V rims are an eye turner though will need care and cleaning to keep them looking good.

The technology of the NuVinci has not yet been explained in details and the best way to understand how the gearing works and seemless shifting is achieved to to watch the video from the manufacturer, take note of the second part where they describe how torque is transferred.

Chapelli retail online and you can take a closer look at the NuVinci model on the website.

BWA is calling for more State Government funding to be released from the Perth Parking Fund to inprove cycling infrastructure including end-of-trip facilities in CBD workplaces. BWA is also working with the City of Perth to finalise it’s bicycle plan and highlight cycling routes around the CBD that will make cycle commuting more attractive.

More information from www.bwa.org.au