Australian Cycling Forums - Bicycles Network Australia

Hi David,

It came from the Cumberland Advocate on the 15th of September 1934 from memory. There is a tonne of these articles on the National Library website(835 matches when I searched Grant Pye Sprint). I also have some pics of some of the early races at what they called Lidcombe Oval back then, they talk about crowds of 5000-6000 which must have been massive for an event in Sydney back then:)

That is me...I have enjoyed digging up info on Grant, I dont think my extended family realise how good he was...he was just Uncle Grant to them!! I remember reading an article which Im pretty sure said he held the national sprint champ title from 1931 to 1937... and in his later carreer(late 30's) he was writing for the Cumberland Advocate, from what I've read, always talking up his competition and giving them a good wrap. Another interesting snippet I found out was that he became a pro golfer when he retired from cycling and did quite well!!

Cheers,

Phil.

Thanks Phil. Before we do the track relaunch, I'll get in contact to see what historical info I can get off of you. In the meantime, I'm going to trawl the National Library site.

Not a problem David:)

You will be trawling for weeks!!, its amazing how many articles have been digitised from days of old. I just found one for when the council first went to tender for lighting to be installed at the track.

I have a few pics of Grant and have read loads of articles on the National Library site. There may be more pictures with his daughter who lives on the northern beaches now. There may even be one of his bikes still in existence. Grants daughter Joan may be able to shed more light on the track, in the brief conversation I had with her, one thing that she remembered fondly was the parade lap after a win. She said he would sit her on the bars and do a lap of honour as would all the riders of the era with kids.

Anyway, I've probably run the thread a bit off topic now so will look forward to having a crack on the track soon! I've been checking out some track bikes...there are some nice machines out there! I was lucky enough to meet Brad Macgee at work and he showed me his new LOOK track bike, he had just done some work at Dunc Gray on it. Very nice!!

Cheers,

Phil.

One more of interest!!

Now that RAW is over for the year what do we do?

See above. Fridays at Lidcombe in a few weeks time. Until then...it's Thursday then Saturday.

Bankstown do a summer comp on Wed nights, starting up some time in Oct or early Nov.

I've just read through this thread in a new light after having a bit of track time under my belt now...cant wait for winter!!

vander wrote:Bankstown do a summer comp on Wed nights, starting up some time in Oct or early Nov.

I did the whole Bankstown summer series.

Thanks for pointing me there. Had a blast. A lot more relaxed, and plenty of different race formats that you don't get to try at RAW.

How many velodrome are there that run track in the parra area, moving there in the next few weeks

I'd say definitely none at this time of year since the official finish of track season is just about...... NOW.

Do Parra still race at Merrylands in summer or not? Any Parra people?

Since we're in the RAW thread, RAW will be pretty much the only option through winter that I know of - apart from the odd 100 lapper training ride.

lardass71 wrote:How many velodrome are there that run track in the parra area, moving there in the next few weeks

Lidcombe has finished for the season as of last Friday. Merrylands is pretty much a goat track. I think they only use it for kids practice. I haven't seen an senior race on it.

lardass71 wrote:How many velodrome are there that run track in the parra area, moving there in the next few weeks

You'll need to go to DGV at Bass Hill on Wednesday nights for the 160 lap training. It's well out of my way too - but it's the only option.

DGV is open most nights. My mates have been going there on Monday nights the last month or 2 for training, apparently no one is there so you can do what you want. I haven't and as a result am getting fat and slow.

HLC wrote:DGV is open most nights. My mates have been going there on Monday nights the last month or 2 for training, apparently no one is there so you can do what you want. I haven't and as a result am getting fat and slow.

I had no idea it was free on Monday nights. I will have to get back there soon and get familiar again with riding fixed gear. Is it free any other nights (Wednesday excluded)? Tuesday would be handy.

g-boaf wrote:

HLC wrote:DGV is open most nights. My mates have been going there on Monday nights the last month or 2 for training, apparently no one is there so you can do what you want. I haven't and as a result am getting fat and slow.

I had no idea it was free on Monday nights. I will have to get back there soon and get familiar again with riding fixed gear. Is it free any other nights (Wednesday excluded)? Tuesday would be handy.

Yeah i;ve been down the last couple of Monday's, actually $10 but you are there for a few hours and maybe only 20 riders total so you can mostly do what you want. We have just been stuffing around and doing sprints and whatever.

Apparently the lighting cost has gone up a thousand % or something though so that is going to change everything.

Oh well.

Any dates for the kick off of RAW2014 yet?!

HLC wrote:

g-boaf wrote:

HLC wrote:DGV is open most nights. My mates have been going there on Monday nights the last month or 2 for training, apparently no one is there so you can do what you want. I haven't and as a result am getting fat and slow.

I had no idea it was free on Monday nights. I will have to get back there soon and get familiar again with riding fixed gear. Is it free any other nights (Wednesday excluded)? Tuesday would be handy.

Yeah i;ve been down the last couple of Monday's, actually $10 but you are there for a few hours and maybe only 20 riders total so you can mostly do what you want. We have just been stuffing around and doing sprints and whatever.

Apparently the lighting cost has gone up a thousand % or something though so that is going to change everything.

Oh well.

I meant free as in free from clattering dernys zooming around with sprinters following them. $10 is nothing considering.

Cossie Phil wrote:Any dates for the kick off of RAW2014 yet?!

They have struck a complication and its been delayed slightly. Start date is TBD

FB said yesterday June 20 start date. Won't make many this year sadly, but hoping to get a couple of nights in on single-use licenses.

Jim