Coolalinga coffee

I have not been sleeping, my nervous system keeps triggering early morning jitters, the heat is rising and the cockroaches scurry.

Pillow soaked in sweat if the fan is not full the nerves in my leg start to quiver.

It's coolest just before dawn, maybe I could get an hour sleep... but I don't want to miss the dawn.

The buildup. Waking in a sweat at regular intervals. By 4am starting the day is a viable option. Why lay in bed any longer?

Dim pre-dawn light on the Darwin rail trail

No point waiting for sleep. I'm compelled to ride to use up some nervous energy, listen to music, be under the open sky and to witness the dawn. It's become a compulsion. Distances are increasing, most morning's I do about 30km.

My wife and kids are still in bed. They won't be up for a couple of hours, despite the fact that I only seem to be in the way during the morning routine, I feel guilty for not being there when they get up... But it is true, I just get in the way... The time for trying to figure these conflicting emotions has passed. Whatever errors I have made have been made and there is no going back. I am what I am. I'll see the kids after school. No room for guilty feelings. Just action. Do what you feel is right. This feels right. Sitting, waiting, trying to do what you think is expected... is like a slow miserable death and it pleases nobody. "Don't question what you thinks others expect or what you think they want you to do, If you can't be true to yourself you can't be true..." (Internal thought buble) The questions and doubt rage within me. I must make my decisions and live with the consequences. 

This morning instead of following the coastal trail I decided to ride out to Coolalinga along the Rail Trail. 

I've been doing these early morning rides for a month now and my body seems completely tuned to the exertion. My mind and soul crave the activity it's like a drug for me now and I get really restless if I can't get out.

Cycads and Salmon Gum beside the path

Freshly cleared and graded rail line, steel track and ballast removed. Next will come bitumen

Although it hasn't yet been opened I thought I'd check out the new section of the trail leading from Howard Springs to Coolalinga. There are about three bridges on this part of the trail that haven't been opened yet. The bush tracks in this section are so dusty or muddy they become too difficult to ride a lot of the time and leave the bike covered in abrasive crap. 
When riding south I usually choose to take the Stuart Highway, I never feel comfortable riding the highway on this section so I'll be very glad when they finally open the cycle path.

The original rail line was closed down in 1981 and the land has been vacant since but judging by the number of bush tracks sprawling between the line and adjoining bush, locals have made use of the area for recreational, motorbike riding, 4x4 and hooning around. 

Adjoining properties that had probably enjoyed a certain amount of  privacy are now easily viewed from the cycle path. There's a pretty section near Howard Springs where Mango and cashew orchards extend all the way to the edge of the trail. I found a few trees fruiting. The Cashew fruit is very pretty and has quite a sweet scent. 

I hope these plants survive the development process, there is a tendency around here to destroy non productive orchards.

Cashew fruit. I picked and ate the soft fruit of this pant, very sweet but leaves the teeth furry

Arriving at Coolalinga I had to leave the serenity of bush riding and enter the madness of Coolalinga shopping centre. Headed straight to the el-cheapo coffee vending machine, grabbed a double hit and sat by a road train to sup my brew before heading back the way I came as the sun revealed it's splendor through tree trunks on the horizon.

It was another nice ride. Beautiful country for the most part. As I came closer to Darwin the intrusions of unfettered development began to close in, I needed to travel closer to busy roads and morning commuters and tradesmen. It was inevitable that I would be confronted with one of the nastier sides to riding a bike. Malicious drivers. As I was riding on a roadside bike lane, a truck came towards me in the opposite direction. He was fully in the bicycle lane traveling at over 60kmh! I slowed down to give him time to move across. He drove his  vehicle directly towards me and moved only slightly into his own lane and passed me with only centimeters to spare! I was seriously shaken, it's not the first time and it probably won't be the last... but there will possibly be a 'Last' time it does happen. 

I finished the ride with a loop of Charles Darwin Park and a great view over the city. clocking up 58 km before work. 

An interesting morning.  

Sweet Spot

Rolling into the dry season of 2017 the drive train on my long bike is entering the twilight of it's life. It's an curious thing to reflect on. The chain and chainring are intimately linked. For a comfortable and efficient pedaling experience the chain must glide smoothly across the teeth of the chainring and then fit snugly into the cogs of the gears on the rear wheel. If these are not suitably matched there will be much grinding and jumping of the chain resulting in a most unsatisfactory pedaling experience. When changing gears the chain is also expected to move freely across the cogs at the rear and front of the drive train. When a bike is new and all components are suitably matched it is expected the bike will function this way. However with a bike like mine that has been dragged together from salvaged parts at the tip shop, coupled with new chains linked together to bridge the unusual distance between chainring and the cogs of the rear cassette harmony is not always achieved.

This most recent chainring/chain combination has been on my bike for the past three years. In that time my front gear shifter has seized and so the bike has only functioned on the middle chainring (most people's preferred option anyway). 

As I recall I had to replace the whole kit and caboodle about three years ago after a loose chain jumped off the rear cogs, tangled in my back wheel and tore off the rear deraileur. 

After replacing the rear wheel, deraileur, chain, front and rear cogs (FYI the chainring is the word they use for the front cog/s) it was like riding a new bike but there was a definite lumpiness rising through the peddles. 

Now, about three years and a few thousand km later the bike is feeling remarkably smooth to peddle! Like there's no resistance at all between the chain and the cogs. That's because friction has done it's work on both and they have now well and truly found their groove. It's all feeling wonderfully in sink, like I've found the bike's sweet spot... Ironically there is a very fine line between 'Worn in' and 'Worn OUT'. Realistically when the teeth on a chainring become as worn as mine are there comes quite a bit of free play between chain and the teeth of the cogs which drive it. Likewise the constant grinding of steel on steel with a paste of greasy grit rubbing between them has caused the chain to stretch and warp to the point where the combination of both can lead to the chain jumping off the cogs and causing a very inconvenient and inefficient malfunction in the forward motion of the bicycle. 
 
At this moment though, I am in that very pleasant in between place, where all I feel is the smooth effortless sensation of a temporary illusion of equilibrium. (A bit like my life when I think I've had a good day...)

I am calling this moment the sweet spot. Be it ever so transient there's no place like the illusion a finely tuned machine (similar to the car that purrs like a kitten just before it runs out of oil!) 
That beautiful time in the twilight of the life of a much used machine when it all seems to be working beautifully, powered by karma and hopeful vibes of the rider. I have no idea how long this will last, I'm guessing another 1/2 year, maybe a 1,000 or so more kms before I have to find a new set of running gear to keep my beloved long bike on the road.

Oh another important element in the drive train is the peddles and crank.

I mostly ride in thongs so have maintained a rather old set of nylon peddles that don't have any teeth for gripping into the hard sole of a shoe. They have been very comfortable but finally split down the middle while I was on my last trip around the harbor. So I actually went to the bike shop and purchased a set of really lovely alloy flat decked peddles to replace them.

The bike was creaking a fair bit recently so I installed my new peddles, diligently tightened the crank (3/4s of a turn, that's a lot of play in a crank bolt!) and adjusted and tightened the saddle for good measure. 

The result was a smooth silent and sturdy ride that made the bike feel almost new again! 

Of course as my major transportation I know I will have to do this all again when time and wear take their toll, and somewhere in the middle I will be enjoying that magical space hovering in two wheeled bliss before everything is bust!

Spur of the moment

On Thursday of last week, as we were enjoying some rather cool and overcast weather, the thought occurred to me. THIS is the perfect weather for a ride around the harbour.

It's a hollow man who rides nowhere for nutthin!

Cycling long distance day rides in the Top End require a little bit of forward planning. Basically, it’s hot! Services are few and far between and shade is often non-existent. There are very few options for a long ride which don’t involve riding on the Stuart Highway for at least some of the journey especially if you want to do a loop rather riding to a location and back along the same path (Boring!) 

So for lack of creative ideas I decide to go with the same old route! Cox Peninsula road! 

There are several matters to consider when choosing which direction to take. I tend to prefer to catch the ferry across to Mandorah and cycle home from there, taking care of the long stretch without services at the beginning of the ride, which means I don’t have to carry much water or other supplies, there’s plenty available as I get nearer to town. However, because I didn’t decide to do the ride until late on Thursday night, had made absolutely no preparations and wanted to leave pre-dawn I figured my best option was to go the other way round, beginning with the Stuart Highway, so I could grab some food and drink when the shops were open at Coolalinga. 

Standard attire (Clobber... underwear is a big NO on a long ride! Learned that the hard way)

 

It was a perfect day for riding, I woke at about 4 am after a fairly restless night, I could hear the faintest sound of rain on the trampoline in our back yard. Dreading the sleepless hours I remembered I had a plan! Launched myself out of bed and put the kettle on. The first cup of coffee warned the body it will soon be put to work, some toast lined the stomach and settled the nerves as I prepared for my ride. Grabbed a water bottle, chucked on my shorts, thongs and new lycra cycling shirt ($5 at Vinnies), slurped down another coffee, checked the flashing lights on my bike, replaced the batteries in my bright headlamp and hit the road which glistened from the light mist of early morning drizzle. 

Although there are major roadworks along Vanderlyn Drive the bicycle path was clear and I had a great pre-dawn ride all the way to Howard Springs. 

The sky was still dark as I headed out on the Stuart Highway, which even at 6am was buzzing with commuter traffic in both directions. This is the most dangerous part of the journey as far as traffic is concerned. Quite a lot of rural commuters, frantic and erratic drivers generally, even in the early morning. Negligent drivers combined with a 100km speed limit and very narrow shoulder on the road; a cyclist can easily lose his/her nerve running the gauntlet between Howard Springs and Noonamah! 

With the light of oncoming traffic in my eyes, three multi trailer road trains passed me as I hugged the 20cm gap between the white line and a stony dark oblivion! I noticed them veering in as they passed me, it was obvious that they’d seen me and made way, but still the volume and sheer inertia of so much weight passing so close to me on my bike caused me to shrink and desert my position on the tar. I can usually hold my nerve as a heavy vehicle passes but with three long trailers following a massive prime mover, a cyclist can feel like a butterfly in comparison to the wheels of a Mack Truck! (or Kenworth or Mercedes or whatever) If one of those rigs gets a bit of sway on, the last trailer can easily flick from the middle of the road to the dirt verge without any warning. (I know this is not why they're called 'Dogs' but it could be, the last trailer wags wilder than a puppy dog's tail!) Leaving the road isn’t such a big decision riding the long bike, It copes quite nicely in the dirt. 26 inch Schwalbe tyres can cope with pretty much anything Territory roads care to throw at them! Glad I wasn’t on my road bike. 

Despite the presence of several heavy trucks on the road, once again my biggest fright came from a tourist towing a caravan. Seriously I wonder how many of them survive their retirement traveling around the country thinking they’re king of road! Thankfully there was only one this time! Typically the retired Grey Nomadic Road Worrier, is headed out into the universe on his voyage of discovery. He’s going nowhere of any consequence but he’ll be damned if he’s going to let anything slow him down... In his 4X4 luxury wagon he tows his private resort behind him, a retirement plan cashed in and contorted into a flash little aluminium box on wheels, with TV, and microwave oven and en-suite to save the misses from the indignity of late night journeys roadside ablutions. He’s worked hard all his life and is now going to see His country. No pissy little bicycle rider will get between this guy and his dream! So he doesn’t move an inch, or slow down in the slightest when he passes a cyclist on the road! (possibly even drives a little closer to the left just to give the stupid bugger a fright!). So I'm back on the road after making way for a three dog wagging it's tail and a car comes flying past me way too close, and then comes the corner of his house! I stay on the bitumen but am tightrope riding the rough edge with a two inch drop to the dusty verge... Stupid bastard still hasn’t worked out his van is actually a foot or so wider than his vehicle! OK I survived another dickhead with a caravan. God bless his Ausie flag! 

Sporting - sexy lycra shirt (OK I give in, I now approve of lycra cycling shirts!)

 

Got to Noonamah right on dawn, 7:00am on the dot. Took a 5 minute breather then set off again still full of energy but a little worried that the vicious tropical sun would shine on my parade. Believe me, it’s much nicer to ride in the rain or at night than to contend with the cruel sun. Thankfully the sky remained overcast. 

outside the rodeo yard at Noonamah

As usual I struggled up the slight incline headed into the township of Berry Springs. I stopped for a few minutes and had a banana and a drink of water then, reluctantly got back on my bike and headed off again. (I don’t know why but no matter how much energy I think I’ve got for riding, I always feel beat by the time I get to Berry Springs!) At 8:30am I had reached the Blackmoore River Bridge. I always stop at the Blackmoore river, it’s a beautiful spot and right near Tumbling Waters resort and the last reliable mobile phone reception point on the trip until I reach Mandorah another 60 km ahead. (Damn! I've written about this ride so many times I think I say the same things every time! Don't check!)

 

Blackmoore River.  I always stop here

For the rest of the journey I just settled into a rhythm of peddling at a regular pace. I allowed my mind to relax and just keep the momentum of cycling. As usual I started to get tired, my legs began to weaken, groin started to ache… but the sky remained overcast so I didn’t end up with heat stroke or severe dehydration, which has happened to me in the past. 

The country is beautiful at this time of the year, everything is still green but a lot of the heat has dispersed. There was a slight sprinkling of rain, but only enough to keep my skin moist and cool. Without the harsh sun beating down on me this was a very comfortable ride. I passed Sweet Harlot River (East Charlote River, someone had been creative with the signs!) and knew I had made pretty good time. 

Great Bower Bird - Bower

Bower

Along the way I was lucky to see four pairs of Northern Rosellas and sighted a few bowers belonging to the Great Bower Bird. Saw a wallaby or two and as I approached the final 10 km leg of my journey a pied butcher bird followed me for a stint singing the most beautiful song. 

Quick little cat - Ferry

Rode the final km with a local fella by the name of Bob. His bike was in a pretty sorry state, typical of the bikes left at the jetty by local commuters, a 20 year old Kmart unisex bike covered in rust, flatish tyres, broken peddles and in desperate need of some chain oil. Bob explained to me why I wouldn’t make it to Darwin by 12:30 as I’d hoped. 
“Low Tide… Ferry doesn’t come on such a low tide”.
So instead of sitting at the DASSAN vigil outside the Immigration Building, I spent an hour and a half chatting with Bob (whom I’d never met before) about absolutely everything you would never have imagined! We started on town planning worked our way through key behaviors of the psychopathic personalities of bureaucrats, corporate kings and politicians and ended with speculations about the repressed sexuality of homophobes! I must confess that, although I had missed the most extreme effects of the sun, by the end of my ride I had in fact become quite dehydrated, 3 litres of water isn’t enough for me even on a cloudy day… Lack of water combined with the physical fatigue of doing such a long ride, without any training on my heavy hulk of a bike is bound to lead to some pretty odd thought patterns. I think I can be confident in saying… I was tripping when I got on the ferry. 

Sadly I missed the vigil, which was disappointing on two levels, one because if I have an opportunity to be a dissenting voice against systemic human rights abuses I try to turn up! And admittedly, for the utterly non altruistic reason of simply bragging to my friend that I traveled 130 km by bicycle to join him. Thankfully the Good Lord has a sense of humour and delivered me to the ferry terminal just in time to smash that little ego trip. 

Looking forward to the next ride.

Bog

Domestic bliss has been killing me lately. I guess I'm just one of those people who is compelled to roam... (That's compelled! Not I occasionally like to get out and about, but I fell a strong compulsion to break out and roam the streets, get on a bus, go for a drive, ride my bike or... if limited to the confines of a house, pacing around the joint till I've warn a groove in the linoleum floor! I CAN'T Stand being confined!)

So after missing out on several opportunities to attend some of my favorite activities and fulfill my obligation to contribute to a few significant community responsibilities... finally I was able to get out and just ride...

After a recent visit to the Leanyer swamps I thought I'd try to make my way across the 'dry' salt flats to an isolated patch of hard ground near the sea. It all looked so easy from Google Earth!

It was a cool morning and the sky was dark with the stuff which shouldn't be here at all, not this time of year. 

As I peddled through the 10ft high Gamba grass, I felt the first few drops of precipitation. Just a few drops.... nothing really.

The rain had barely wet the ground. I didn't even bother putting my phone away, by Darwin standards this was not rain. 

Enjoying the coolness of unseasonable shade I peddled on, blissfully actually, and unaware of the the effect a few drops of moisture can have on hardened estuarine mud! 10 meters after crossing the open drain which separates the clay from the bog I discovered the amazing sticking properties of slightly moist mangrove moosh! The peddling got harder, mud gathered around the front brakes and packed against the forks... peddling got heavy, very heavy.... the whole rig came to a sliding halt!

I couldn't believe it! I was stopped dead by a few drops of rain! While I could peddle it the bike was slipping and sliding all over the joint! When it stopped the full weight of the seized bike and conglomerate of mud made it nearly impossible to move! I tried walking on across the marsh grass but every time I stepped on the ground my thongs gathered a ton of gloop which wouldn't come off, in the end the bog sucked my thongs clean off my feet! 

Front brake cable zero clearance

I couldn't believe it. My one opportunity to go exploring foiled by a 5 minute rain shower. I turned the bike around and trudged back, dragging the clogged up mess sideways across no man's land while the black kites looked on eagerly, knowing fools make good pickings for a cunning bird perched and waiting in spiky wetland spiralis Pandanus.... 

Hot and sweaty from my slippery struggle I washed the bike in the creek... surrounded by long grass in an area where crocs are known to wander.

'Another tale from the tangle(d mess)

What's so special about my long bike?

I keep posting about this bike because after 7 years of riding with the Xtracycle FreeRacial system attached to my bike I still find it an amazingly versatile and useful machine!

My Xtracycle back in 2008

 
Xtracycle have lead the way in longtail cargo bikes and various other bicycle innovations. The FreeRadical has undergone some changes since I bought mine and now it seems they've discontinued production but... are in the process of developing a new design called The Leap, (It seems MegaRack has been dropped). Check their website for some great videos documenting the history of the Xtracycle. HERE


 Here's Ross Evans CEO and designer of the Xtracycle to talk about production of TheLeap

If you want to see some Xtracycle longtail bikes in action check out Riding The Spine.
There are weaknesses in the design of the original FreeRadical and it does have weak points but I've never had any problems at all. I have carried some seriously heavy loads and have been a bit worried about the strength of the forward mount but it's held out so far.

I believe the main reason my rig has lasted so long is the frame I've attached the kit to. This 1990s steel Raleigh frame is a standard diamond design with the old style bracket across the chain stays which suits the FreeRadical kit design perfectly. I'd love to get into the nitty gritty of the versatility of this bike, how many kms I've done, how effective this bike is at carying loads commuting etc... etc... Maybe some other time...

FreeLoaders welcome

Last year when I went to Melbourne to join the Great Victorian Bike ride I dropped into the Cargocycles store in Collingwood, where I met the owner and he showed me his awesome collection of electric cargo bikes and other useful stuff we don't see here in Darwin.

The reason for my visit was to get replacement bags for my Xtracycle, not many places in Australia stock them. I think the bags (called FreeLoaders) may have gone out of production. I would have liked to have tried to make my own but I haven't used a sewing machine in years, don't have a sewing machine and don't have the time so... I ordered a new set from Garry at Cargocycles and stuffed them into my crowded tool shed until the bike was ready.

Long bike with FreeLoaders attached

Now that I've got a new bottom bracket, the bike is ready. FreeLoaders attached. Ready for some cargo hauling action!

First ride with the new BB, Drive train is much stronger than before but I need a new gear shifter and cable.

Long bike rescue. Pt3. Job Done

Back to the bike and the spanners.

Over the past several years I've been doing my best to keep my bikes maintained essentially using bits and pieces scrounged from the tip shop or by cannibalizing my old bikes. Of course there are times when it's not possible to find what I need on the re-cycle heap in the time that I need it (everything turns up eventually) so I am forced to purchase new stuff.

Tip Stockpile: Not much to choose from lately

Thankfully since I've owned the long bike I have managed to keep her rolling on mostly re-cycled parts. However I have had quite a bit of trouble with the second hand bottom brackets. I think I've gone through three of them so far. They're one of those items which are doomed to wear with use. The cheaper bikes come with such poor quality bearings it's not worth using them at all!

As you could see in my recent posts about the long bike, it appeared that the bottom bracket had completely stripped its thread in the frame. I was sure my frame was stuffed and have been searching for months to find a replacement. Nothing I have found has been suitable, so I bit the bullet and went to the bike shop for some advice. They suggested that if the thread was stripped they could install a special bottom bracket which didn't require a threaded frame! Cool!

I stripped the bike down to just the frame and forks and carried it over my shoulder on my commute to work, thinking I'd have to leave it with them for a few days. The master mechanic took one look at the frame and said it'd be fine and a standard sealed bearing bottom bracket could be installed. It turned out that all the pressure I'd applied to the crank (carrying super heavy loads) had cause the cup to split and separate from the thread, or something like that.

Oh to have such a workshop!

He had the thing out in a matter of seconds, cleaned up the thread in the frame and installed a lovely brand spanking new sealed bearing unit! In 20 minutes I was riding to work with my precious frame complete with new bottom bracket slung over my shoulder and a grin on my face!

Sealed Bottom Bracket installed and ready to go

Yesterday I threw a tarp down on the pavers in the back yard and in 34 degree heat and 90% humidity put my bike back together. I sure wish I had a sheltered place to work! By the time I'd finished I had a sunburned neck and my shorts were about 500 grams heavier from the sweat! But the long bike is back on the road!

Bits of bike on my home workshop floor

Coming together

All rigged up and ready to go

Now, sinice the bike is fully functional again I've decided to install my new Xtracycle freeloaders (I'll tell more about them in another post). Looking forward to some dry season riding!

Long bike rescue... pt 2

OK I changed the title, Big deal.

I've decided to post the progress of fixing the long bike here on account of I want the Rickshaw Way blog to be focused more about utility bikes and rickshaws in action... not all being pulled apart. 

(Is blogging about what I'm blogging about just a little too boring? Ha!)

Back to the bike.

Progress so far.

This morning on the way to work I dropped into the bike shop and had a chat with the master mechanic. He reckons it's too much hassle to try and re-cut the thread to suit a french style thread, because it's a bit of a gamble and he doesn't have any bottom brackets to suit anyway. But apparently there's some other bottom bracket thing that slides in and is fixed by external mounts... No idea what it's called or how it's going to work or if it will even fit but it's time to do something and make a decision so I figured I'd strip the bike down and take it to the bike shop to see what they can do.

longbike deconstruction begins

 I started stripping her at dusk but had to help the kids with homework and found myself dropping nuts and bolts in the dark. So I took the whole mess inside. No my wife wasn't home... yes there is now grease on the floor.

I got most of the stuff off it except all the bits that were rusted on.
  

Just an old Raleigh frame with a bung bottom bracket

No turning back now!

A possible upgrade

If you're into the history of the Xtracycle brand then you've probably heard of this fella Kipchoge.
He and a bunch of his musician friends had a crazy idea to ride their Extracycles from Northern California to Belize performing music powered entirely by human and pedal power everywhere they stopped along the way.
OK I'm still waiting for my copy of the film 'Ginger Ninja's Ride Mexico' or 'Stuck on Earth: Going where no band has gone before.' (As promised via Kickstarter 5 YEARS AGO!)

No hard feelings about that by the way, but I'd really like to at least see the damn film whatever you decided to call it in the end!

Anyway back to what the post was actually about. Kipchoge has just posted a video on Youtube which features a bike a bit like what I ride and an interesting story about a fella who charges his electric powered bike using solar power.


The point of my post is to consider if I want to install an electric motor on the Long Bike and would it be possible for me to charge it via solar panels.

Seriously Kipchoge I don't care about the kickstarter stuff, I'll buy a copy of the film... I just want to see it!

Rescuing the long bike

It's time for another rebuild on The Long Bike.
I'm not sure how far I'll go with it this time but I have a dilemma about how to deal with a stripped thread on the bottom bracket. I would like to keep a log of the life of this bike and am a bit unsure of where it will be kept. See HERE for now.

Long bike

Busted Bottom Bracket

I may wind up posting on my other blog Rickshaw Way. Hopefully my repairs will be more decisive than my record keeping!

Lazy rider

The Long bike is back on the road again and rolling better than ever!
I thought I'd do a super quick post to say that I've finally got her back on the road.
I wasn't sure if I'd keep using the same bike frame since I haven't been able to find a suitable bottom bracket, but I decided to persist with the old Raleigh frame. It's been reliable and the other frame I've got, which has a decent bottom bracket, has got rust poking through the paint and it's bubbling all over the place.

Last week I stripped the long bike down to basics to see what could be done. Most of the parts were totally worn. Although I'd only recently refurbished the drive train I tried to avoid replacing too many parts and the result was a pretty inferior ride! Besides the exploding chain, which I've used again except this time I've joined it with an appropriate link, I've realized that the bottom bracket had worn out prematurely, there was quite a bit of lateral movement which was wasting energy and causing extra wear on all the other bits. The 'Biopace' chain ring set had worn out sooner than should because I used it for too long with a worn chain and a wonky bottom bracket so I decided to ditch that too!

I knew the bracket I'd recently installed was not so great but I didn't realize how bad it had become. When I went to turn the axle by hand it would barely move! I'd seen a decent one at the tip shop a couple of days before so went back to get it but discovered some other womble had already taken it! Eventually I found one that seemed OK so I pulled it out hoping it would be worth the trouble. Having installed the bearings and packed the lot with some pretty old marine grease I found it much better than the last set but it still has more give in it than I'm happy with. I reckon a decent bottom bracket must be the rarest bike part to find at the tip and too expensive to buy new! I'll keep tightening this one and hope I can find something to replace it with soon. 




Finally, with a few days to play I managed to clean out my bike cupboard/shed and re-discover all the bike parts I'd been hoarding for the past 10 years. Amongst the mess was a decent set of handle bars with gear shifters, brake levers and some nice hand grips so I decided to rip out the old bars, replace the cables and install a whole new handlebar unit... Yeee Haa!



I ended up keeping my simple 6 speed shifter since I'd managed to find a couple of decent rear wheels with 6 speed cogs which meant I didn't need to replace my chain or anything else... besides less gears less worries I reckon! After attaching a brand new, from the shops, gear cable and reconnecting the chain, bottom bracket etc... I took the bike for a bit of a test ride and was in a state of bliss as it shifted gears effortlessly! (Of course this time I made sure the chain was attached properly and the derailleur was tuned perfectly!)

It seemed to take no time at all to attach the other cables and have everything tuned nicely and ready to roll. I was so glad to get the panniers back on and to actually start riding again. For a final touch I cut the pink hand grips off the kids bars and put on a $5 set of blue foam ones. The blue matches other bits of colour on the bike... Not that I've ever cared about the way it looks but now that I'm so happy with it I'm starting to think about adding some more blue. ;) Its the colour of our school team Gudbilling ( the snake) so the kids are keen to turn the bike into a mascot!



 All this fiddling with decrepit bikes might seem like a waste of time to some people but who cares what they think! I know there's plenty of people who could easily have told me about all my mistakes before I made them but, how would I really know? (well there's some mistakes I'm happy to learn about from others). I have been on the edge of tossing this old bike out so many times, but once again I have played around with it for a while and learned a bunch of new stuff about how it all goes together. Maybe next time I'll chuck it out but right now I'm in love with my old heap of junk bike again!



On Wednesday I took the bike for a ride and discovered to my disgust that I've already become unfit and out of shape. Sweat pouring off me. It seems more effort to peddle now than it did when the bike broke down, even though the rear wheel and bottom bracket are smoother than ever and the old bearings had virtually seized! Too bad so sad. At least I'm back in the saddle.

Is it getting hot in here?

Darwin is on the cusp of becoming an industrialized Gas processing 'hub' and is already swarming with opportunists and mercenaries in fluro green and orange shirts. Hoards of blokes getting paid too much to aid the last hoorah... despite the warnings of global warming our Government is overjoyed at the prospect of converting what remains of the planet's safely stored carbon into CO2 for our pleasure and comfort and their profit. Profits will overflow from the booming Fossil Fool industry which, apparently is good for the economy but for those who live where the money is being made the prices are going up up up... With so much money around we've all gotta pay! An escalated price of living at the centre of the next boom means if you're not riding the gravy train you'd better get off their tracks!

Darwin changes all the time! Who are we who came so recently to demand that it remains the way we liked it? ...I've only been here 16 years! When I got here people would say "The Town's not what she used to be..." Well... In another five years will anyone even remember any of those old places we used to know? They knocked the Darwin Hotel down in the middle of the night and within a couple of weeks it may as well never have existed at all. One by one the elevated fibro houses on stilts with louvered walls and cypress floors were carted away, another 50 soulless sarcophagus slivers take their place... more military, more cashed up construction workers, gas workers, no families no homes.
Will any of them stay long enough to feel the goose bumps rise on their skin when the Mills family stand together one more time and sing Arafura Pearl? Has that time already passed? No more black fellas on Mitchel Street... Just franchised replicas of English bars, police dressed like SWAT thugs in intimidating blue, bars open all hours down at the Broken Jaw, drunken white tourists, shaved heads and muscles, half empty schooners, abusive losers, two pot screamers no room for dreamers! Takers, wasters, demanding more beer and one last shot it's time for Hunnypot! Oh dear I think I've lost the Plot...

Now I forgotten what I was posting about...
Oh yeh. So the rent is going up and the domestic lifestyle has had me against the ropes so for the past few months (well since last year actually) I've been looking for an alternative way to live. The romantic fantasy that's been following me around since... Well I can't remember how long actually,  has reared it's head again. I went out last week in search of a boat. There was an unreserved auction to be held on Saturday so I made arrangements to check out the boat. A 40 ft Steel hulled yacht. It was pretty close to what I thought I was looking for but I had no idea what I should actually be 'looking for' when it comes to sea worthiness. I had a rough idea of what it would be worth (if in reasonable condition) but I couldn't tell if it was actually any good below the waterline and what do you do with a diesel engine that won't start? After a lot of deliberating I decided I'd have to be mad to just go out and blow all our savings on such a whim so I baulked. I went along to the auction and it sold for a bit more than I thought it would. When it had sold I felt relieved but then I felt a deep regret. Ha! Well I'll just have to suffer and keep on looking!

As I was leaving the marina I had a chat with the Lochmaster who reminded me that marinas are places full of broken dreams. Every yacht has got a story and every owner will have paid a pretty high price for the privilege. At the time I was comforted but as I consider the life I am living ashore, more and more something is gnawing at me and demanding that I persist with this crazy idea! Besides, pretty soon ashore will no longer be an option!

Failing to completely drop out I decided I would at least take this week off. I mean compared to committing my life to the sea, a week of gardening and fixing my bikes is pretty tame isn't it! So On the weekend I climbed to the top of a ladder and cut the top off a carpentaria palm with a machete and a hatchet... The tree fell without the usual warning signs and I had to leap off the ladder and run for my life!  I've strung up some bamboo to use as a trellis between the stump and the tree next to it and will hopefully grow some snake beans and winged beans.

Transport wise I've gone to the dogs! With my best bikes off the road for the past couple of weeks and and excess vehicles just sitting around at work I've weakened and have been driving a dirty big stinking gas guzzling car to and from work every day! This really pisses me off because it's so easy to do! Jump in the car, there's aircon, I can play my CD's and just sit in a comfortable capsule, insulated from the world while I drive to work, or work related places like that... There are many things I hate about it and I'm not being a martyr! Consumption of fosill fuels costs money! There are also hidden costs like the speeding fines I've received! (How can I be righteous behind the wheel of a large automobile?) I am also getting fat.

So now that I'm off work for a while I've decided to try and fix the long bike one last time before ditching the old bike it's attached to. I managed to grab a pretty decent steel rim and a very nice derailleur from the tip shop for under $10. If I can get a long gear cable tomorrow I could actually have the bike back on the road ready to use for the rest of the week. Hallelujah!

 

Get me a bike!

This month has been a doozy for bike repairs!

I've already mentioned the Avanti with the broken spokes and the badly adjusted rear derailleur. 

On the weekend Sam called from the Uni, the folding bike with the new Tyres got a puncture... 'What do you mean you got a puncture!". I went out and picked her up and there it was. A punctured rear tyre. With a great long piece of brazing rod running through it! No wonder. The bike is resting in the back yard now.

Tire Piercing Brazing Rod

Now my trusty Long bike has bit the dust!
A couple of weeks ago I decided it was time to replace the chain and sprockets on the long bike. The bike still had it's original chain plus the extension provided with the Xtracycle kit, the rear sprockets came with the bike but I put them on a decent wheel I bought from the old bike shop in Darwin about ten years ago. After nearly 20,000 km of cycling the chain and sprockets had become worn out! The chain kept slipping and the teeth on the sprockets were worn to a sharp point! By now I've re-packed the wheel with grease at least twice... Basically the whole kit has had it's day.

Two chain pins bottom one is newish the top link is from my worn chain having done nearly 20,000 km (It appears that the new pin is slightly longer than the old one... they should be the same length)

Some left over chain... (After pulling them apart I got to appreciate the quality of the steel and the various components)

Long Bike all messed up!

With stuff all money to spend I had to improvise and unfortunately compromised a little too much. Having an Xtracycle means that my chain is longer than the usual bike. I needed two. The tip shop is usually pretty good for parts and I managed to find a couple of decent chains and a barely used 6 speed sprocket. I took them home, replaced the sprocket and was reinserting the final pin of the chain when I snapped the chain breaker! I got the pin in but was not happy with the job and was worried it would not stay... It didn't!

Messing up the gears! (The shiny chain is the result of no oil and rubbing on the disconnected front derailleur...)

  
Last night on my way home from work the faulty connection came away and the chain broke and got caught in the rear wheel. Luckily I had some tools to fix it and a joining link (The part I should never have compromised on!) I fixed the chain bent the derailleur back into what I thought was a suitable position and proceeded to ride on. No problem. Clicked her into a lower gear, OK... clicked her down again into first and WHAM! Chain came off and tore through the spokes on the rear wheel, seized the wheel and bent the derailleur all the way! One look and I could see it was terminal. The Long bike will be off the road for a long time this time! Now I'm wondering if I should resurrect her or start again and just attach the Xtracycle to a whole new bike!

Oh yeh one more rear wheel casualty. A couple of weeks ago I spent a few days wandering around Darwin on the old Shogun road bike. I did a lot of miles and traveled across some fairly uneven ground with a panier bag full of my gear... (Don't ask why!) As I was riding I noticed a creaking sound coming from the rear wheel. I Stopped and had a look and discovered that the wheel was starting to buckle under the load and a couple of the spokes had become loose. Not a good sign if you want a wheel to hold together. Wouldn't it be funny if I ran out of bikes to ride! Actually I'm a bit sad about that. The Shogun has been with me for years and the rear wheel has stood up to several trips around the harbor.

Actually I'm kind of happy about all of this. Through trial and error I have learned first hand several things.

1. Fine tuning the low gear of a rear derailleur is worth it.
2. When joining chains they should be very very similar in width and match the sprocket set you are using. (I probably should have found out more about this before I replaced the old chain)
3. There's nothing wrong with using a chain joiner. (Don't be a hero and think you've got to get all the pins back in!)
4. Chain breakers break if you apply them on an angle... particularly when trying to replace a pin rather than extract one!
5. A good quality chain breaker is much better than a crappy one! (short handles mean poor leverage, long handles are good!)
6. There are actually times when not having oil on your chain is an advantage

So there you have it. Another inventory of stuff that's gone wrong. ;)  I suppose I'll have to post a happy story next.

Cheerio