A cracking pace on a Vivente Tourer

[brumby33]

One of the things i enjoy about my job as a Sydney Bus driver is that I get to check out lots of different bikes and those who ride them ( not in a sick way i might add)
Anyway yesterday afternoon about 4pm-ish i was driving empty through Rockdale heading to the Sydney Uni to start a run into the city, when i was around Banksia, seen this guy riding a Vivente ( I can pick those bikes out from 10 paces) I think it was a reletively late model Deccan.Had i pannier on rear rack and a yellow Volunteer t-shirt.
Could even be a member of the forum perhaps.

Anyway, this guy on the Vivente wasn't muckin' around, riding on the incredibly busy and dangerous Princess highway, riding at a very determined pace, i was stopped at quite a few traffic lights and we basically leapfrogged all the way to St. Peters then i got a good run throigh Newtown where i lost sight of him. When at traffic lights, I didn't have to wait long to see his dyno hub powered headlight in my left mirror...only to have him pass my while i was still stationary. Each time i caught up i gave him at least a metre or so when i passed but jeez it took some time to round him up....he had that Vivente humming along at a pretty good pace...and he was still cranking hard untill i got away from him at St Peters stn.
So i arrived at the uni with a few minutes to spare, setting the bus up for the next trip and whoosh...there he went down City road like a flash.
I don't know where he was going but i never saw him again.
He was a pretty fit sort of guy...but definitely not a lycra lad.

If the guy in question is a member here...I'd like to say....good riding and traffic handling mate...i enjoyed watching you ride that steed....and if you were going into the city....YOU WON

Cheers

Brumby33

[Cyclophiliac]

Vivente tourers are very nice. I've ridden one on commutes for over 110,000km over 9.5 years, and it's perfectly suited for the job.

[brumby33]

Vivente tourers are very nice. I've ridden one on commutes for over 110,000km over 9.5 years, and it's perfectly suited for the job.

Yeah....that they are....feel very solid on the road too....i've got the ' 17 Patagonia but my commute to work is only 4kms each way, sometime in my break i'll go home for lunch so those days i'll do 16kms

It'll take me another lifetime to crack that many K's

[LateStarter]

I also have a 2013 VWR and its arrival coincided with my starting Audax rides, my first 20 or so 200 km rides were on the Vivente, it wasn't until about the 10th that it occurred to me that it might be easier without the mud guards, rack, 1 kg stand, 37 mm marathons and the 8 spare spokes. I don't think I have ever done a cracking pace but adequate, day / night, rain / shine, never a problem except with the rider. Now use a "more suitable" bike for Audaxing but sometimes wonder if the Vivente would be just as good, it gets a run on more "mixed surface" brevets. Damn good bikes for commuting, touring ( and Audaxing)

[roberto73]

I'm thinking there was a commuter derby going on, even if you didn't know about it:)

Could have been Noelbike from Sydcyclist, he crosses cities and continents on his Vivente.

[baabaa]

I'm thinking there was a commuter derby going on, even if you didn't know about it:)

Could have been Noelbike from Sydcyclist, he crosses cities and continents on his Vivente.

Yes that was my first guess, he is fast, shows no fear on urban roads but sits pretty tall on a bike so is easy to pick...
unless it was Olley, who is also fast, fearless and yup, pretty tall.

[brumby33]

I'm not sure who Noelbike is but i'm sure it wasn't Noel McFarlane....and Yeah Ollie is pretty quick but the guy i was referring to wasn't really that tall...he was more a stockier build than Ollie from Omafiets.
And it definately wasn't me

Brumby33