A tradition has grown up amongst some of the mountain biking folk of old Brisbane town. On a Sunday afternoon (or a Monday if it's a public holiday) people will gather for a SRAD, a Short Ride At Daisy. Daisy Hill is a local mountain biking area where the main areas are not too steep and not too rocky, just right for a casual cruise. Some of the people who attend will have ridden two or three times that weekend already, maybe four if it's a long weekend, but for others it's a last minute sneak out of the house to at least get a little dirt under the wheels. For some it's the first ride back after injury, overwork or holidays and for the lucky it's a breaking-in ride for a new bike. The overall pace is casual with plenty of breaks for everyone to catch up (both physically and metaphorically), but on most of the descents (and on a frisky day some of the climbs) the pressure to catch the leader is most definately on.
Most SRADs are also followed by CITC. Cans In The Carpark is another venerable tradition where those who have been lucky enough to ride that afternoon gather round the vans & utes to carbo-load (for recovery purposes only of course) and re-live their favourite moments.
Today was a typical ride. Three On-ones (two running singlespeed with 29" wheels, one my aluminium-framed geared Scandal hardtail) and a hand-built Lynskey titanium framed belt drive singlespeed. The Scandal is a gorgeously fast bike that makes me feel like I have to work hard to keep up with it up hills. It accelerates like a gazelle on crack, feels solid & planted on singletrack and the idea that 'this is a bike for riders who like to keep their wheels on the ground' is an impossibility. Sadly it is held back by the rider, who failed to keep a rigid singlespeed in its sights on the way down Ripleys and who will be haunted by the buzzing of the freewheel of the singlespeed that seemed to be coasting its way down behind him no matter how hard he tried to drop it.
There's no better way to spend an Autumn afternoon :).
Most SRADs are also followed by CITC. Cans In The Carpark is another venerable tradition where those who have been lucky enough to ride that afternoon gather round the vans & utes to carbo-load (for recovery purposes only of course) and re-live their favourite moments.
Today was a typical ride. Three On-ones (two running singlespeed with 29" wheels, one my aluminium-framed geared Scandal hardtail) and a hand-built Lynskey titanium framed belt drive singlespeed. The Scandal is a gorgeously fast bike that makes me feel like I have to work hard to keep up with it up hills. It accelerates like a gazelle on crack, feels solid & planted on singletrack and the idea that 'this is a bike for riders who like to keep their wheels on the ground' is an impossibility. Sadly it is held back by the rider, who failed to keep a rigid singlespeed in its sights on the way down Ripleys and who will be haunted by the buzzing of the freewheel of the singlespeed that seemed to be coasting its way down behind him no matter how hard he tried to drop it. There's no better way to spend an Autumn afternoon :).
No comments:
Post a Comment