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| Meet the Riders |
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Merlin Spranz
We're delighted to welcome local legend Merlin Spranz to the BMCR rider ranks! Active on both road and dirt (his training schedule will make you feel tired just reading it), Merlin's most recent placings were at the XC Nationals at Shepparton, coming fourth in both Sport and Under-23 men.
Discipline(s)
Cross-country (MTB) and road. If I could, I'd do cyclocross too.
Funky nickname
Magic Man
Motto
Dirt is where it's at.
Currently riding
Liteville 301 (full suspension MTB sub-11 kg), Rossetti roadie (6.6 kg), Scott Scale (7.5 kg), Scott Speedster (trainer), and a KHS fixie.
Favourite loop
Must have hills 'cos they cure a boring ride. My local MTB trails at Prospect Hill are pretty sweet, but the fav loop that is unbeatable is Dead Horse Gap at Thredbo. It's a nice technical climb with rock step-ups and bridges across creek crossings, and an awesome descent.
Training schedule
Set alarm, sleep, sleep, sleep, eat (lots of dairy, of course), ride (mtb or roadie), eat, work, and - you guessed it - eat again... Oh, training? I guess my schedule includes a Ride Monday, Hard Ride Tuesday, Endurance Ride Wednesday, TT Smash Thursday or MTB ride, Friday Recovery Ride on the roadie or a MTB ride with my little bro and the pup, Bella. You guessed it: Saturday and Sunday usually include some riding if I'm not racing. I aim for 13 days on the bike a fortnight!
Pre-race snack
Water, no. Lots of water. Afterwards I love a carton of Paris Creek Strawberry milk; I can down it in 30 seconds flat.
Odd pre-race ritual
Time... I can never get anywhere on time.
When I'm training, I like to listen to...
The Rasmus.
Most painful crash
When I put a dent on the top tube of my new MTB in its debut race at the MTB National Champs early in January.
Essential bike accessory
Rollers for warm up, and, yes, I ride my MTB on them. I've also mastered time trialing on them with my eyes shut which I was pretty stoked about.
Dream riding destination
The Moon - just imagine the 'in air' (which would re-word to 'float') time one could get when doing a bunny-hop. But to stay realistic Offenburg, Germany.
Most useful riding tip you've ever received
In a corner, look to where you want to exit.
Most useless riding tip you've ever received
Cannot really think of one at the moment; get back to me on that one, guys. I'm looking out for that useless tip now!
Tubes or tubeless?
Tubes all the way.
And, finally, why do you think Tim is so cool?
Tim's the man, if he can't do it, no-one can! (He's that guy who loves the fixie, right?)
Thanks, Magic Man!
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| Dear Subscriber,
It seems that last month's e.newsletter struck a nerve. So many emails! So many "me too!"s! So many bike riders whose cheery greetings have been ostentatiously ignored by a  fellow cyclist. No more, we say! Don't Be A Dickhead month has now officially evolved into a movement. T-shirts and stickers are imminent! However, we have been also heartened to see signs of a D-BAD recovery: just the other day we were loudly hailed by a fully lycra-clad roadie on our daily commute along Anzac Highway. Thank you, mysterious stranger! On less behavioural matters, we've got new products, a brand new rider profile, a special offer, and a special announcement! Read on, friends, and remember to say 'howdy' to your fellow bike peeps. :-) |
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It's one before 'ten' |
For a long while it was merely a whisper on the wind, but now we can confirm it... BMCR has taken on Niner Bikes! Reader responses will probably fall into two camps: 1) "OMG!" or 2) "...Eh?" For those who are none the wiser (nine the wiser? Ha ha!), 29ers are mountain bikes which take a 29"/700C wheel instead of the  usual 26". "...Eh?" you repeat. Well, 29ers get extra ground clearance, serious momentum, increased traction, less chance of bogging, plus you can roll over bigger things (e.g. your race competition, should the opportunity arise). Also, if you're a rider on the taller side of things, the extra wheel circumference is a godsend as it gives the bike a more balanced feel. Niner Bikes are the pick of the 29er bunch - beautifully designed, well made, and now landing in Australia for the first time over the next few months. Curious? Slightly confused? Check them out here or come and try out our demo RIP 9 bike! (You know you want to...) |
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It's about friggin' time |
The Shimano 2010 shoes have landed! To celebrate, we've whacked four new models onto our mighty  slatwall. For the serious MTB rider, the M183 features a carbon fibre sole, reinforced upper, low-profile armour, replaceable toe spikes, and a micro-adjust buckle strap, so your foot is stable, snug, and comfortable. The M063 was created with  recreational riders in mind but sacrifices none of the pedalling efficiency or comfort of its higher-level brother; available in a fetching charcoal/black combo, it's got a fibreglass sole, mesh panels, and Velcro straps. If you're the kind of crazy person who doesn't like their bike shoes to advertise that they're bike shoes, the MT42NV has your number. (Apparently that number is '42'.) It mimics a trekking shoe in the  style and sole, but has a removable recessed cleat plate so you can run clipless or flat shoes on your bike, and then get off and stroll along the footpath without that familiar ' scrrrik! scrrrik! scrrrik!' soundtrack. For roadies, the new R086 is a welcome addition to the Shimano (Shoe-mano? Ho ho!) range if you're looking for a more serious mid-level shoe; it's got a micro-adjust  buckle, fibreglass reinforced sole, breathable mesh layers, and is both SPD-SL and SPD cleat compatible. Whether mountain bike or road, each shoe now has a more accommodating toe box to keep your pinkies from being squished, plus reflective detailing on the heel, 'cause visibility is your friend. |
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So, what else is new? |
Why should you bother to clean your chain? Oh, so many reasons. Dirty chains mean a shorter life span for your  components, and also mean the gear system doesn't work very well. Plus they make your bike mechanic cranky. With 104 rotating and fixed brushes to scrub every nook and cranny, a big toothbrush for extra polishing, a bottle of quality degreaser, and a bonus bottle of Ice Wax (which I'd probably buy just for the name), the Pedros Chain Machine will leave your bike bits sparkling. Best of all, you don't have to remove your chain from the bike to clean it! No fiddling with quick links for you, no sirree. If March Madness has stiffened your resolve to get the hell out of Dodge, may we suggest you take the Topeak MTX TrunkBag DXP with you? (Extra Xs means eXtra storage capacity.) Perfect for tourers or commuters or anyone who wants to be able to fit their  groceries in one bag, the MTX has a central storage compartment as well as two panniers which fold up when not filled with cornflakes packets. In addition to being able to carry 20 litres of stuff, this nifty bag has a huge bottle holder, shoulder strap, carrying handle, elastic bungees, rear light attachment, zipper expansion panel, and reflective strips. Best of all, it uses the QuickTrack system which means it clicks into place on compatible pannier racks. Once it's in place, it's not going anywhere. Unlike you, you lucky thing. |
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Burn rubber |
The roads are a brutal place, especially if your tyres aren't up to scratch. If you're tired (tyred? Hee - OK, I'll stop doing those now) of  spending yet another stretch on the side of the road waiting for your glue to dry, perhaps we can tempt you with 15% off all stocked tyres for March?
We've got Continental, Schwalbe, and Maxxis on the shelf, and everything from ultra-slick road racing models (Durano, Ultremo, Ultra Gator) and workhorse tourers (Town and Country, Hurricane, Marathon, Big Apple) to heavy duty dirt bombers (Ignitors, Swamp Things, Minions) and more. So say goodbye to your cracking sidewall and non-existent lugs, and say Áhola! to new rubbery goodness. | |
And there's March for you! All we need now is a new shop (yes, we're still looking... It's like bloody Brigadoon) and we'll be set. We must also give BMCR props to our very own Andrew who not only won Veteran Men (50 km) at the recent Otway Odyssey but also came second overall. (We would also be remiss at this point not to mention Andrew's lovely wife Michele, who won Veteran Women.) The Fields are powerhouses! Fear their mighty quads! Keep riding, and stay safe. Cheers, Pete, Lia & Andrew
Bio-Mechanics Cycles & Repairs
Home of the Niners and other bright and shiny things | |
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