Confirmed: I’m a bike snob …
- Kalgrm
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Confirmed: I’m a bike snob …
Postby Kalgrm » Wed Jan 23, 2008 2:25 pm
I jumped out of the car and started chatting to the guy, soon realising he was from Europe (probably from the Netherlands, judging by the accent). He’s over here on a working holiday and had been in Bundaberg before embarking on his ride. He’d ridden from Bundaberg to Alice Springs and was now heading to Adelaide to meet his mum in three weeks or so.
So how does this mean I’m officially a bike snob? I looked at his bike before I looked at him, as most of us would do. Like most of us, I would have expected a serious rider setting out across Australia in the heat of a Central Australian summer to be riding a high end tourer at the very least. Not this bloke though: he was on an Avanti Discovery. Not familiar with the bike? Here’s a picture of one:
Yep – the mighty “comfort bikeâ€, AKA a hybrid. Cheap, heavy suspension forks, nasty suspension seat post, plastic platform pedals. The only non-stock item on the bike was the cheap pannier rack. His load was carried by the “BOB†style trailer (again, the cheap one from TW Bents) True, the seat was looking a bit ragged around the edges and the comfort grips were wearing in nicely, but by and large, the bike looked in pretty good nick (as did the rider). His only complaint was the width of the tyres: they were too narrow to really go off road and see the “real parts of Australiaâ€!
Seeing all this in a roadside rest area 200km south of Coober Pedy in the middle of summer made me realise how soft I am. Here’s a bloke who has spent less than $1000 on his cycling odyssey to cross the harshest parts of Oz on a bike which I had (until now) dismissed as unworthy of even a 20km city commute.
From now on, I vow not to dismiss hybrids as being unworthy of serious riding. I would rather not ride one myself, but I’ve been humbled by meeting a madman from Europe.
Cheers,
Graeme
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Music was better when ugly people were allowed to make it ....
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Postby Aushiker » Wed Jan 23, 2008 2:39 pm
Scary stuff. I think I would rather be bike snob but.
Andrew
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Postby sogood » Wed Jan 23, 2008 4:26 pm
We've all been brainwashed by bike snobs and marketeers.
One disposable bottle of water and no clipless pedals!
RK wrote:And that is Wikipedia - I can write my own definition.
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Postby Mulger bill » Wed Jan 23, 2008 8:26 pm
Goes to show that you don't have to spend big to get about, only to do it faster, in more comfort and more style.
Shaun
London Boy 29/12/2011
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Postby sogood » Wed Jan 23, 2008 8:43 pm
I would take out "faster" from that sentence.Mulger bill wrote:Goes to show that you don't have to spend big to get about, only to do it faster, in more comfort and more style.
RK wrote:And that is Wikipedia - I can write my own definition.
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Postby heavymetal » Wed Jan 23, 2008 8:51 pm
He only had trouble with the tyres which he changed in Albany. When we last heard from him he had made it to Sydney.
Yet more expensive bikes can give you no end of trouble, but I'm happy with my $695 Mongoose Randonneur, now that it has a new front derailleur
Kev.
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Postby Mulger bill » Wed Jan 23, 2008 9:28 pm
Finally got rid of the linkage activated icypole sticks?heavymetal wrote:Yet more expensive bikes can give you no end of trouble, but I'm happy with my $695 Mongoose Randonneur, now that it has a new front derailleur
Kev.
Shaun
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Postby Aushiker » Wed Jan 23, 2008 11:46 pm
Anyway this guy had a loaded bike of some description (panniers that is) plus a trailer plus a trailer (yep two trailers!). His load included 15 litres of water (15 kg) and a case of stubbies!
He was riding an average of 100 km a day apparently.
Regards
Andrew
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Postby Kalgrm » Thu Jan 24, 2008 12:16 am
He might be riding 100km per day, but I bet he stops every 60km on the road. Those stubbies make it a long and winding road ....Aushiker wrote:His load included 15 litres of water (15 kg) and a case of stubbies!
He was riding an average of 100 km a day apparently.
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Music was better when ugly people were allowed to make it ....
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Postby toolonglegs » Thu Jan 24, 2008 7:56 am
Kalgrm wrote:He might be riding 100km per day, but I bet he stops every 60km on the road. Those stubbies make it a long and winding road ....Aushiker wrote:His load included 15 litres of water (15 kg) and a case of stubbies!
He was riding an average of 100 km a day apparently.
mmmm.....hot beer....yum
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Postby Leigh_caines » Thu Jan 24, 2008 1:38 pm
all that time I've been look and trying for the "perfect" touring bike...
now your telling me I could of bought a bit of crap and saved all those $s
No that can't be right
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Postby khendar » Thu Jan 24, 2008 1:56 pm
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Postby Leigh_caines » Thu Jan 24, 2008 2:10 pm
Whfreeee... he said with sweat on the brow
"and I thought it was the bike"
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Postby Leigh_caines » Thu Jan 24, 2008 2:14 pm
Your right
we're just been "bike snobs"
First bike I toured on cost $25 at the Salvos
and I had the time of my life
and I wish I still had that bike
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Postby tallywhacker » Thu Jan 24, 2008 2:19 pm
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Postby sogood » Thu Jan 24, 2008 3:09 pm
Amen!stryker84 wrote:Well, we're all mental.sogood wrote:It's all mental!
I've linked in some of the photos of that girl doing Shanghai to Indochina via Tibet. Take a look at her bike and the amount of equipment... All that's necessary for a solo effort across the Tibetan plateau.
RK wrote:And that is Wikipedia - I can write my own definition.
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Touring bikes
Postby hesse » Sat Jan 26, 2008 9:17 am
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bike snobs
Postby jet-ski » Thu Jan 31, 2008 7:07 pm
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Postby Kalgrm » Thu Jan 31, 2008 7:37 pm
Cheers,
Graeme
(I'm assuming you're now in Kalgoorlie ....)
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Music was better when ugly people were allowed to make it ....
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