New member in Western Sydney - advice on riding to/from work

korokorohumbug
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New member in Western Sydney - advice on riding to/from work

Postby korokorohumbug » Thu Jun 12, 2014 1:54 pm

Hi guys,

About a month ago, I was hit by a car on my motorcycle and I'm now with out transport as I will need to give up my hire car soon. I don't plan on buying another motorcycle for the time being as I already have a motorcycle and car that I am supposed to finish building :p so the plan is to save the insurance payout I get. (maybe in the next week or so)

So catching a bus to/from work will take at least 1.5 hours. I'm only going from Glendenning to Seven Hills (East side of Powers rd) so I'm thinking about riding down the M7 daily to get to work for the next 2-3 months.

The bike I have - I found dumped on the side of the M7 cycleway in some bushes but I'm hoping to fix it up. Steel frame, big skinny wheels. So I'll need to give it new tyres, brakes, a seat and some handle bars. Maybe a new chain too.

I'm by no means as fit as I used to be, but I have ridden a mountain bike on the M7 (I only rode for about a 10km) but I was faster than some guys riding their carbon fibre racing bikes with aero helmets while I was wearing only jeans/t-shirt on a summers day with chunky tyres. lol. I guess I have youth on my side as I'm still only 27 yrs old. Plus I'm a lightweight (like 60~kgs so not caring any spare tyres).

My guess is the daily commute would be roughly 15km? (not sure how to measure on google maps) So if I have an average speed of 20km/hr I should still get to work under an hour. Question is: Does this sound like a crazy idea to start out with? I think I will only have about a week to get my bicycle ready and I have not done any training for years lol. I think I will soon regret my recent beer and chocolate diet :/

Thoughts? Advice?

Let the flaming begin! *Dons flame suit*

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g-boaf
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Re: New member in Western Sydney - advice on riding to/from

Postby g-boaf » Thu Jun 12, 2014 2:21 pm

No it's not a bad idea - and getting to Powers Road from Glendenning won't be that hard - I know the area. You could just ride the length of the M7 from Glendenning heading North and then take the North-West T-way cycleway. It will get you near Powers Road, or direct if you want to jump onto the busway itself for the final bit and then do a right turn to Powers Road. That I'd recommend against, some of those bus drivers are very, very aggressive.

If you are already light, then all the better. Just the only thing I'd recommend is that if the bike you found doesn't work out, use your mountain bike or get a newer entry level road bike and get it fitted to you. That will prevent any injury woes that might happen.

Seems like a very ideal commute to have. Have fun racing the guys on carbon fibre bikes with aero helmets. :wink:

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bychosis
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Re: New member in Western Sydney - advice on riding to/from

Postby bychosis » Thu Jun 12, 2014 3:18 pm

Don't worry about training, the commute will take care of that! A 15km ride at 20km/h should be achievable on a road bike without to much struggle, unless it is all uphill :o

Couple of tips:
Give it a test ride before your first day commuting to check the route and see how long it takes.
Allow yourself some time to cool down and shower (if required) at the end before your normal start time.
Take a pump and spare tube and know how to fix a flat.
bychosis (bahy-koh-sis): A mental disorder of delusions indicating impaired contact with a reality of no bicycles.

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Re: New member in Western Sydney - advice on riding to/from

Postby wombatK » Thu Jun 12, 2014 4:52 pm

It's a pretty easy ride, and you can find the safest route by using this Ride The City website. Put in your actual address details, rather than the scant details you've given above. If you follow the "safer" route, along the M7, there's a few short sharp hills, and a overall increase in elevation between Glenndenning and Old Windsor Rd. But nothing that a skinny boy like you couldn't eat for breakfast. I'd be very surprised if you can't beat your motor vehicle or motor bike commute times within weeks of taking this up.
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g-boaf
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Re: New member in Western Sydney - advice on riding to/from

Postby g-boaf » Thu Jun 12, 2014 5:08 pm

Lol at WombatK's comment on the hills. :)

When I get home, I'll see about plotting a route. There are a few decent options.

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Re: New member in Western Sydney - advice on riding to/from

Postby korokorohumbug » Thu Jun 12, 2014 8:36 pm

Wow thanks for the replies, guys! Some good info - even some basic stuff that I would have over looked. Caring a spare innertube? It didn't even cross my mind! I'm sure that would be a great way to start the working day :p
Taking some measurements of my rat bike - pics anyone? :p

Oh yeah, as for possible injuries from the rat bike - I've almost recovered from a broken foot from my MC stack but is on the mend. Lets just say I bounce well haha :p but yes, I will keep my distance from buses. Its scary enough riding around them in full gear or even in a car for that matter lol.
Last edited by korokorohumbug on Thu Jun 12, 2014 9:47 pm, edited 1 time in total.

korokorohumbug
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Re: New member in Western Sydney - advice on riding to/from

Postby korokorohumbug » Thu Jun 12, 2014 9:34 pm

So this is the beast!

Image

I just took some measurements. Any thing seem unusual here?

Wheel OD = 644mm (hard to measure exactly)
Rim inner width = 17.5mm
Seat tube mounting clamp ID = 25.7mm
Handle bar OD (measured at the centre near the clamp) 25.1mm
Sproket shifting mechanism = Suntour Honor brand... never heard of them but actually doesn't look rusty - the Chrome is holding up well considering what this bike must have been through!
Chain pitch = 13mm approx (The links look very skinny compared to the pushbike chains I've seen)
Pedal thread OD = 14.12mm (must be an imperial thread but I didn't check the thread form)
Pedal crank is Aluminium and is SR brand - again never heard of it.

So the plan is to get her up and running this weekend - I'm very temped to sand back and repaint the frame as it looks absolutely disgusting lol.

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leximack
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Re: New member in Western Sydney - advice on riding to/from

Postby leximack » Thu Jun 12, 2014 10:55 pm

i wouldnt waste your money on that bike, looks like i needs everything replaced
you can get a brand new bike for $400 and will be more han fine for a 15km commute.
something like this http://www.this link is broken/Cell-2014-O ... gory=12632" onclick="window.open(this.href);return false;
Glendenning to seven hills you can do entirely by cycleway (m7 then cycleway along windsor rd then right onto powers rd), take that route, its safe and easy and stress free, dont go up richmond rd, you will be run over again.
Enjoy :D
Don

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QuangVuong
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New member in Western Sydney - advice on riding to/from work

Postby QuangVuong » Thu Jun 12, 2014 11:02 pm

They look like 27" wheels, so find 27" tubes and tyres accordingly.

You don't have a seat post? May be hard/ easy to find. I'm thinking this one just takes the same as what a BMX uses. Then again, try a bunch of posts to see if it fits.

Handlebar clamp should be 25.4mm.

Suntour Honor is usable. Nothing special. Your shifters are not indexed. So you have to shift and set it at the correct place manually. There are no clicks to tell you the correct position of the shifter.

Just lube up your chain. No need for a new one really. But if you want, find a 5/6/7 speed chain. The current one is not skinny. It's one of the fatter ones you can get.

It most likely has standard pedal threads(whatever size they are(most pedals will work), and Is reverse threaded on the crank with the gears). SR is Sakae Ringo, nothing special.

You are missing brake pads too. Find some pads for steel rims. However, regardless, the braking will be weak as.

Don't strip and repaint. Ain't worth the effort. Try it with a better frame if you ever decide to upgrade. And make sure that this frame fits you. It looks fairly big. Measure the top tube and seat tube centre to centre and see if it is correct for you by using the online bike sizing calculators.
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Re: New member in Western Sydney - advice on riding to/from

Postby korokorohumbug » Fri Jun 13, 2014 12:03 am

Yeah, I probably wont bother painting the frame - every time I paint or polish something it always gets destroyed or stolen. ha! If I keep it though, maybe when its stripped, I'll give it a scrub with some kero and iron wool then spray paint flat black.

Whilst that $400 cell bike looks like a great bargain - I think its a bit much for what I'm prepared to spend at this point in time... but I will keep it an option.

I might be able to pinch some brake pads and a seat from another junk bike I found leaving me with only new tyres and possibly bars on the shopping list.

I just measured the frame to be about 57 to 58cm on the top bar. I'm only 172cm tall so I would need a 53cm frame... but it seems pretty close... but is it close enough?

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g-boaf
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Re: New member in Western Sydney - advice on riding to/from

Postby g-boaf » Fri Jun 13, 2014 5:29 am

korokorohumbug wrote:Yeah, I probably wont bother painting the frame - every time I paint or polish something it always gets destroyed or stolen. ha! If I keep it though, maybe when its stripped, I'll give it a scrub with some kero and iron wool then spray paint flat black.

Whilst that $400 cell bike looks like a great bargain - I think its a bit much for what I'm prepared to spend at this point in time... but I will keep it an option.

I might be able to pinch some brake pads and a seat from another junk bike I found leaving me with only new tyres and possibly bars on the shopping list.

I just measured the frame to be about 57 to 58cm on the top bar. I'm only 172cm tall so I would need a 53cm frame... but it seems pretty close... but is it close enough?
Seems too large. I'm 174cm and on a 54cm Giant TCR SL1 (with a quite high seat post). I have tried a larger bike and it wasn't good. Maybe you can manage however.

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bychosis
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Re: New member in Western Sydney - advice on riding to/from

Postby bychosis » Fri Jun 13, 2014 7:04 am

As an alternative to spending up on an old clunker to get it going, you might be better off shelling out on a second hand bike. The money you will need to get tyres, tubes, brake pads, seatpost, and anything else will get you pretty close to the magic $100-150 mark that any decent older bike should cost.
bychosis (bahy-koh-sis): A mental disorder of delusions indicating impaired contact with a reality of no bicycles.

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g-boaf
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Re: New member in Western Sydney - advice on riding to/from

Postby g-boaf » Fri Jun 13, 2014 8:40 am

korokorohumbug wrote:Wow thanks for the replies, guys! Some good info - even some basic stuff that I would have over looked. Caring a spare innertube? It didn't even cross my mind! I'm sure that would be a great way to start the working day :p
Taking some measurements of my rat bike - pics anyone? :p

Oh yeah, as for possible injuries from the rat bike - I've almost recovered from a broken foot from my MC stack but is on the mend. Lets just say I bounce well haha :p but yes, I will keep my distance from buses. Its scary enough riding around them in full gear or even in a car for that matter lol.
What they do is come up behind you quietly and then blast the horn to scare the crap out of you. Oh, and in 50 zones, they do more than 50... time for a speed camera sting on them! :twisted:

Anyhow - here is a route that should be decent:

http://connect.garmin.com:80/course/embed/6908359" onclick="window.open(this.href);return false;

It's a bit shorter than using the T-way. About 15.5km which at 20km/h should take you around 45min. The off-M7 paths near the end through those parks are very dark at night and often littered with smashed glass.

You could also go off the M7 at Sunnyholt Road and take a left turn at Devitt Street and then join the cycleway/path that goes along the railway line to Seven Hills Station. I'm told that Sunnyholt road is pretty slow with lots of road crossings - so that might be shorter distance, but could be slower too.

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Re: New member in Western Sydney - advice on riding to/from

Postby korokorohumbug » Fri Jun 13, 2014 10:07 am

I guess a second hand bike is another option - Do you know where I should look to find one? I don't really mind if its vintage from like the 80s. I guess if I can still use modern tyres etc, all should be good :)

Thanks :)

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g-boaf
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Re: New member in Western Sydney - advice on riding to/from

Postby g-boaf » Fri Jun 13, 2014 11:43 am

Bike Exchange would be one place to start.

Just looking there now at used road-bikes, the better ones are fairly costly - $400 or more - going up to $3000 for the exotic stuff.

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Re: New member in Western Sydney - advice on riding to/from

Postby korokorohumbug » Fri Jun 13, 2014 12:10 pm

I seriously considering this one:
http://www.gumtree.com.au/s-ad/stanhope ... 1046892287" onclick="window.open(this.href);return false;

Its local and cheap. I'll be lucky if it doesn't need too much TLC. Would need new tyres though you think?

I'll have a look into bike exchange. now googling.

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QuangVuong
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New member in Western Sydney - advice on riding to/from work

Postby QuangVuong » Fri Jun 13, 2014 1:06 pm

Gumtree and eBay are good.

Do not buy that Repco. It's as bad as your current one, and way too big. Find something with 700c sized wheels, and it should be ok. Not many listings will have what wheel size it is, but you will soon work it out. For about $100, you can get a good enough one to use.

Frame size is important. So don't look for anything that's bigger than 55cm.

Something like this. Try offering $100
http://www.ebay.com.au/itm/331232025919" onclick="window.open(this.href);return false;

Or bid on this
http://www.ebay.com.au/itm/161331731009" onclick="window.open(this.href);return false;
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Re: New member in Western Sydney - advice on riding to/from

Postby korokorohumbug » Fri Jun 13, 2014 2:23 pm

That repco one is a 55cm frame. the cell one is 51cm. I think my best fit size is 53cm so right in the middle. i doubt I could get the giant brand one... I can never seem to win biddings >.< but I offered the guy $100 for the cell one. wait and see what he says.

Whats wrong with the repco one? I think the spokes are pretty rusty... could cause them to snap if I hit a bump hard enough? I could take a closer look at it tonight... or are you saying its that bad its not even worth my time?

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New member in Western Sydney - advice on riding to/from work

Postby QuangVuong » Fri Jun 13, 2014 2:36 pm

Just about everything. Steel rims = bad braking. Rusted spokes will break sooner or later. 27" tyres and tubes aren't as abundant as 700c. And it's heavy. There's more bad things, but that list would go on forever. It's 59 in the seat tube. I doubt you'd be able to stand over it. It's as bad as your one, and too big. Not worth paying $50 for it. You'd put about that much to get it to a safe usable condition.

The Cell is lighter and more modern, so parts are easy to get. Not like you'd need much for that Cell at all.
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Re: New member in Western Sydney - advice on riding to/from

Postby korokorohumbug » Fri Jun 13, 2014 2:42 pm

He said he wants $112 and to meet him at Randwick... so not exactly convenient :s plus I'm a little worried the bike could be stolen as it looks kinda new... but I have no idea :/

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Re: New member in Western Sydney - advice on riding to/from

Postby QuangVuong » Fri Jun 13, 2014 2:49 pm

He seems legit, sounds like he knows his stuff. It's an old model from Cell now. For that price, it's about as good as you can get. Or take your chances with bidding.
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Re: New member in Western Sydney - advice on riding to/from

Postby korokorohumbug » Fri Jun 13, 2014 3:17 pm

looks like I might be getting the cell one this weekend o_O that I didn't expect lol.

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Re: New member in Western Sydney - advice on riding to/from

Postby Xplora » Thu Jun 19, 2014 10:37 am

g-boaf wrote: Anyhow - here is a route that should be decent:

http://connect.garmin.com:80/course/embed/6908359" onclick="window.open(this.href);return false;
Go this way, you'll get annoyed going down Sunnyholt from the M7. Just a word of advice when you do your trial run (you'll absolutely have to do a trial run to feel confident of the path, that last part from the M7 to the station can be a little confusing as there is virtually no signage) is that the ride towards Seven Hills is a lot harder than the ride towards Glendenning. You might benefit from a rest, maybe grab some lunch when you reach Seven Hills, because there are just enough hills amongst all that to make inexperienced riding legs feel very negative about riding. It's going to take you a couple weeks to cope with that commute. But you'll get there, and you will probably abandon the car and the moto because the cycleway is safer and cheaper. 8)

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Re: New member in Western Sydney - advice on riding to/from

Postby korokorohumbug » Wed Aug 20, 2014 5:26 pm

Well, today was my last day riding to work... the ride was hell. Waaaay too far... but I did it... every day.

Sooo, now that I have some free time, I want to get an electric motor for that scrappy bike. I don't want to ruin the good alloy one... plus I dont have a welder that can do alloy... at the moment ;)

I was going to use the engine from a 30cc wippersnipper that I found but I soon found they are VERY illegal... and I want to keep my licence.

I was looking at this unit 450W (funnily enough it would probably be faster/torque-ier than the wippersnipper and wont be noisy so wont attract any unwanted attention)
http://www.motiondynamics.com.au/united ... 0-rpm.html" onclick="window.open(this.href);return false;

But the thing is, its still illegal. Even the smallest one they have (250W) is still illegal. Ridiculous...

Though what about this one? ONE ENTIRE HORSE POWER HAHA
http://www.motiondynamics.com.au/dayton ... 0-rpm.html" onclick="window.open(this.href);return false;

Holy moly... imagine a 2kW brushless... this is crazy haha
http://www.motiondynamics.com.au/brushl ... ories.html" onclick="window.open(this.href);return false;
Last edited by korokorohumbug on Wed Aug 20, 2014 5:45 pm, edited 1 time in total.

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Re: New member in Western Sydney - advice on riding to/from

Postby korokorohumbug » Wed Aug 20, 2014 5:36 pm

I just looked up the RTA website... and I am shocked! :O I can't believe they even banned segways... what is this state coming to?! :O

I think I might just throw it all in the bin... its not worth getting in trouble over. Such a disappointment :(

http://www.rms.nsw.gov.au/registration/ ... bikes.html" onclick="window.open(this.href);return false;

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