aus.bicycle FAQ Version 1.0.0

aus.bicycle FAQ
Version 1.0.0, Last updated 03-NOV-2003

Welcome to the aus.bicycle FAQ

This is a compendium of Frequently Asked Questions from
the newsgroup aus.bicycle, some of them even have
answers. The lastest version is always available from:

Text
http://maddogsbreakfast.com.au/ABFAQ...icycle.FAQ.txt

HTML
http://maddogsbreakfast.com.au/ABFAQ...cycle.FAQ.html

This document is Copyright (c) 2003 Kingsley Turner.
Permission is granted to distribute this document on the
criteria that it is remains unmodified, and it is not
sold for profit.

1 - Internet Bicycling
1.1 What other bicycle newsgroups are there?
1.2 What are some good cycling websites?
1.3 What are some good mailing lists?

2 - Riding

2.1 Miscellany

2.2 Kids
2.2.1 What are the options for carrying
(non-riding) children by bike?
2.2.2 Which is better: child seat or trailer?

2.3 Touring

2.4 Organised Rides

2.4.1 Clubs & BUGs

2.4.2 Polaris

2.4.3 Road Racing
2.4.4.1 The TdF: What do the coloured
jerseys mean?

2.4.4 Critical Mass
2.4.4.1 What is Critical Mass?

2.4.5 Couriers

2.5 Accidents & Road Rage
2.5.1 I've been involved in an accident, what do I
do?
2.5.2 I've been a victim of road rage, what do I
do?

3 - Gear

3.1 Miscellany

3.2 Shopping
3.2.1 What online bike stores are there?
3.2.2 Can I save money by importing gear myself?

3.3 Frame Building/Builders
3.3.1 Does anyone know a good framebuilder?

3.4 Parts & Maintenance

3.4.1 Miscellany

3.4.2 Lights

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1.0 Internet Bicycling:

1.1 What other bicycle newsgroups are there?
1. aus.bicycle
2. uk.rec.cycling - Much like aus.bicycle
3. rec.bicycles.marketplace - Bike stuff for sale
4. rec.bicycles.misc - General bike discussion
5. rec.bicycles.off-road
6. rec.bicycles.racing
7. rec.bicycles.rides - About touring, but sometimes not
8. rec.bicycles.soc - The social ascpects of cycling
9. rec.bicycles.tech - Technical Q&A
10. alt.collecting.bicycles
11. alt.rec.bicycles.recumbent

1.2 What are some good cycling websites?
1. Cycling News: www.cyclingnews.com - Packed with news &
reports.
2. Audax Australia: www.audax.org.au
3. Bicycle Fish: users.chariot.net.au/~gloria -
Australian Bicycle Touring.
4. Aussie Cycling: www.aussiecycling.com.au/cycling -
Books, links & forsale.
5. Tandem Club of Australia: home.vicnet.net.au/~tandem/
6. Bicycle Victoria: www.bv.com.au
7. Bicycle NSW: www.bicyclensw.org.au
8. Pedal Power ACT: www.pedalpower.org.au
9. Bicycle SA: www.bikesa.asn.au
10. Bicycle Tasmania: www.biketas.org.au
11. MTB Review: www.mtbreview.com - User reviews of bike
gear.

1.3 What are some good cycling mail lists?
1. Phreds Bicycle Touring:
www.phred.org/mailman/listinfo/touring - Bicycle
Touring, and sometimes unrelated topics (can be very
high volume).
2. Hobbes Tandem List:
www-acs.ucsd.edu/home-pages/wade/tandem.html - Tandem
Everything (moderate volume).

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2.2 Riding: Kids

2.2.1 What are the options for carrying (non-riding) children by bike?

This mostly depends on your childs age and capability:

Child Seats:
There are two types of child carriers, the
ubiquitous rear-rack mounted seats, and the seats
that mount on the handlebars so that the child sits
between the arms of the rider.

Trailer Bikes:
A trailer bike is basically the back-half of a
diamond-frame bike. There is no front wheel, but a
tow arm that commonly connects to the seatpost or
under the seat. These require some bike riding
skills and balance, but not steering.

Trailers:
These are typically tethered to the bike by a
socket-jointed tow-arm to the left chainstay. They
can hold one or two children, who are held in with
a seatbelt, but are still requried to wear a
helmet. It's common for trailers come with
instructions that specify the minimum child age of
1 year.

2.2.2 Which is better: child seat or trailer?
Kingsley Turner wrote in aus.bicycles:

Both of these have pros and cons:

Both:
* Child needs decent head control, approx 1 year
old although I read about someone who strapped
their car capsule into a trailer.

Seats:
* cheap - sub $100 for rear model, around $200 for
a front.
* back & front (Bobike mini) available
* child is exposed to the elements
* child goes over with the bike in a crash (seen
this happen twice)
* you can talk quite easily with your child
* must be cautious that legs are properly strapped
in (and not near spokes / wheels)
* weight?

Trailer:
* expensive ($500-$1000)
* can hold 2 kids (Trek models up to 45kg)
* bike can stack, but trailer stays put
* slim chance of rolling it if you clip a gutter in
exactly the wrong way at speed
* difficult to talk to your kids, near impossible
with the plastic weather-shield down
* child is not exposed to the weather (don't forget
hot sunny days too) and is toasty warm in
winter/rain.
* weighs about 10-12kg depending on the model
* has plenty of 'boot' space for nappy bags,
drinks, food, spare change of clothes, big doll,
and the other doll.
* food & drink tends to get trampled into the floor
(but you can just about hose it out)
* high wind-resistance
* makes your bike into a wide load, watch the
bollards on bike paths!
* weight of children is not directly on the bike
* can convert some trailers into a stroller (very
important for touring)

As you can probably guess most of my experience is with trailer.
We towed both the brats 1200km touring last year (and many km
since) When they weren't being towed, they were being
parambulated with the stroller conversion kit engaged.

For quick trips, the seat is probably better/quicker but for
longer ones the trailer is great.

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2.4.4 Riding: Organised Rides: Road Racing

2.4.4.1 What do the coloured jerseys mean?
Yellow - The daily overall leader by general classification
(time minus bonuses).
Green - The sprint leader, by points awarded at specific
locations throughout the stages.
Polka-dot - The 'King of the Mountains', awarded by points are
awarded for each climb.
White - awarded to the fastest rider aged under 25.

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2.4.4 Riding: Organised Rides: Critical Mass

2.4.4.1 What is Critical Mass?

"Critical Mass is a monthly bicycle ride to celebrate cycling
and to assert cyclists' right to the road."

For more information visit: www.criticalmass.org.au or
criticalmassrides.info

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2.5 Riding: Accidents & Road Rage

2.5.1 I've been a involved in an accident, what do I do?
1. You must call the police if anyone is injured. Whether or not you
must call them for other circumstances varies from state to state.
You may be legally required to give identification details to the
other parties involved. You may also have to report the accident
within 24 hours.

Get name, address, and licence (if a car) details from the other
party, you may also want to collect details from a witness.

2.5.2 I've been a victim of road rage what do I do?
1. Report it to the police, try to include details like the rego
number
2. Claire Petersky wrote in rec.bicycles.misc:

One car-full of passing geniuses suggested that I get off the
copulating road.
Only they didn't say copulating. I was a bit surprised that the
road could
do that -- that asphalt certainly doesn't look like it reproduced
that way.

No, no, you misunderstood their intentions. The road does not
copulate with itself. Rather, it is *you* who is partnered with the
road.

Have you not had a day, where you get out there on your bike, and
there is the road before you, warm, inviting? It feels good, it
smells good, it almost seems to taste good to be on it. Some days
you start out eager, knowing what lies ahead. Other days you start
out a little reluctantly -- surely you have better things to do --
clean the house, mow the lawn -- but here you are anyway, your bike
and the road together, and after a little bit you know its going to
be a good time.

There are days when you dominate the road. It does your bidding.
You groove on your control. There are other days when the road is
your master. You submit to its demands. You get a perverted
pleasure from the pain of your burning legs, your oxygen-starved
lungs screaming for air.

In any of these instances, though, you with your bike, and the
road, are lovers. The term, "get off" as we all know, is a slang
term that means to "derive pleasure". Thus, the encouraging, if
crude, words, "Get off the ****ing road" can be understood as
"Enjoy yourself as you and the road make beautiful love together".

To take this a step further -- in many mystical traditions, the
physical act of love is understood as a metaphor for the spiritual
union of human with the Divine. Can you ride as if you and the Road
are One?

The mudra of the single upraised digit is a reminder of this
oneness: unity in Christ Consciousness, being at one with the Tao,
La illaha Il' Allah, Adonai Echad. Thus, when someone makes this
gesture at you, you should understand that they are wishing you the
experience of this ecstatic union.

The horn that is honked as the mudra is made is a meditation bell.
Like a church bell, like the call of the muezzin's voice, it calls
you into this sacred space of union, of you, your bike, and the
road, as One.

Thus, when the motorist honks his horn, raises the single digit,
and makes his sincere invocation, you have but one response: to
smile, to wave, and return to the joy of riding your bike.

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3.2 : Gear: Shoppping

3.2.1 What online bike stores are there?

Limited to web sites where you can actually complete a purchase
online:

* Phantom Cycles - www.phantomcycles.com.au
* Dean Woods Direct - www.deanwoods.com.au
* Cecil Walker - www.cecilwalker.com.au
* VicMtb - www.vicmtb.com.au
* Wooly's Wheels - www.woolyswheels.com.au
* Ferntree Gully Cycles - www.ferntreegullycycles.com.au
* Bicycling Direct - www.bicyclingdirect.com
* Netti - www.netti.com.au

3.2.2 Can I save money by importing gear myself?
1. Well, sometimes yes.

Local stores must charge you GST, and have already paid
most of the shipping. Depending on the value of what you
import, you will be charged GST by customs and perhaps
customs duty too.

Before you buy, ensure sizing and specifications are
absolutely correct, and for electrical equipment (e.g.
battery chargers) are compatible with the local system.
Also work out what will happen for warranty returns.

So factor in shipping, GST, possible customs duty, currency
conversion charges (especially with credit card
transactions), compatibility and then compare the cost.
Less calcuable costs are warranty return problems, and
discounts you might accrue via shop loyalty. Certain shops
will also give a significant percentage discount to
state-bicycle-body members, for example: BNSW card holders
can get 5-10% off gear most places.

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3.3 Gear: Frame Building/Builders

3.3.1 Does anyone know a good framebuilder?

* Name and address here
* Name and address here
* Name and address here
* Name and address here

Good work.

Looks like you have put a load of work into this...very well done.

I thought of a third option at 5.2.2....it's called a 'babysitter'.



--
Nil illigitimus carborundum

--------------------------
Posted via cyclingforums.com
http://www.cyclingforums.com

Good stuff - glad someone got this started.

How do we contribute to it? Should the FAQ have an email link for this,
or should there be a message board somewhere where people can chip in
with various Q and A's?

&roo

"kingsley" wrote in message

Snipped bits
1.0 Internet Bicycling:

1.1 What other bicycle newsgroups are there?
1. aus.bicycle
2. uk.rec.cycling - Much like aus.bicycle
3. rec.bicycles.marketplace - Bike stuff for sale
4. rec.bicycles.misc - General bike discussion
5. rec.bicycles.off-road
6. rec.bicycles.racing
7. rec.bicycles.rides - About touring, but sometimes not
8. rec.bicycles.soc - The social ascpects of cycling
9. rec.bicycles.tech - Technical Q&A
10. alt.collecting.bicycles
11. alt.rec.bicycles.recumbent

Don't forget alt.mountain-bike

On Sun, 09 Nov 2003 10:21:28 +1100, Andrew Swan wrote:

How do we contribute to it? Should the FAQ have an email link for this,
or should there be a message board somewhere where people can chip in
with various Q and A's?

It's probably easier to post to this group (news:aus.bicycle)
or email me , I read most of
aus.bicycle, so will probably see important stuff float past
anyway.

-kt

"kingsley" schreef in bericht
newsan.2003.11.08.05.40.22.484974@maddogsbreakfa st.com.au...
aus.bicycle FAQ
Version 1.0.0, Last updated 03-NOV-2003

1 - Internet Bicycling
1.1 What other bicycle newsgroups are there?

1.1 What other bicycle newsgroups are there?
1. aus.bicycle
2. uk.rec.cycling - Much like aus.bicycle
3. rec.bicycles.marketplace - Bike stuff for sale
4. rec.bicycles.misc - General bike discussion
5. rec.bicycles.off-road
6. rec.bicycles.racing
7. rec.bicycles.rides - About touring, but sometimes not
8. rec.bicycles.soc - The social ascpects of cycling
9. rec.bicycles.tech - Technical Q&A
10. alt.collecting.bicycles
11. alt.rec.bicycles.recumbent

12. nl.fiets
Ok it is in Dutch, but if you put up an question in Englisch most of the
time you will get an answer back in Englisch.
So if you need to know about biking in NL or Belgium (BE), a lot of them
look over at our newsgroup.

Greetings

Olav

On Sat, 08 Nov 2003 16:40:22 +1100, "kingsley"
wrote:



great job mate

Excellent.

One thing the FAQ could do with is a preliminary (section 0?) item
explaining who maintains the FAQ, how often it is posted and how to
send corrections/additions.

Also, some common FAQs over the last year or so that I have been
subscribed include:

* recommendations for hard shell bike cases;
* recommendations for indoor trainers (esp. differences between the
various types); and
* tips for carrying bikes with airlines.

The first two might be a bit touchy, given that it might have some
perceived bias, but the last item is probably a worthwhile one.

Cheers, Ben

Fantastic work.

Another section might include the annual ideas about avoiding/deterring
magpies!

Rob