You and your whizz-bang off-the-shelf bicycle have already shared a few adventures: bonding as you rode into that killer head wind, agonising over the first scratch from leaning your bike against a wall, and sharing a spill negotiating wet tram tracks.

It is around this time when many bike riders find their relationship with their bike starts to shift. You may have noticed how ‘familiar’ you are riding your bike, pressing the shift lever in a certain way for the derailleur to do its thing. Your friends have been talking about flash new parts and thoughts of making a few changes start to creep in. Customising your bike can be a slippery slope to spending lots of money and your evenings ogling over shiny pieces of aluminium.

There are two approaches to customising your bicycle that need not be expensive and can have a dramatic effect. The first is changing the way you and your bike fit together, and secondly changing the parts on your bicycle.

Get the basics right

Before picking up the tools or diving into a bike shop, there are some straightforward ways to customise your bicycle. Let’s start small and work up. First, give your bike some love with a good clean, degrease and lube. Not only will it look good, but it gives you a chance to check to see what is worn, stretched or in need of replacement. It also makes it easier to use a set of tools to make changes to your handlebars, stem, or saddle to tweak the riding position.

Simple maintenance such as new gear cables, brake cables and grips can be done yourself, or take it to a good mechanic to get it rolling smoothly. This alone can give your bike a new lease of life.

Bars and stem

Your body’s position on the bicycle affects how you ride, how efficiently you can pedal, and how comfortable you are. A personal bike fitting will find the optimum position on your bicycle but may be overkill if you are doing short commutes or using your bicycle for weekend rides with friends and family.

Handlebars should be a similar width to your shoulders. Narrower might be preferred if you squeeze through traffic, or a little wider helps if you are crushing a climb on your singlespeed. If they are cut too narrow the bicycle will handle like a mouse in a room full of cats; too wide and it will feel like a drunken walrus bumping into things.

Handlebars are connected to a bicycle via a stem. The height of your handlebars can be controlled by altering the spacers under the stem, or swapping the stem for one with a different angle. Lifting the height of the handlebars may help to take pressure off your lower back and wrists. It will improve your vision on the bicycle, but could make the steering less nimble. Bear in mind that lifting the handlebars will tilt your hips and affect where you feel pressure on your saddle. Dropping the height of your handle bars will put you in a more aggressive position, providing better power and steering control, but may not be comfortable for people who are less flexible.

Changing the stem for one that is longer will help stretch a rider out and put more weight towards the front wheel. A shorter stem will help a rider un-weight the front wheel, and place them in a more upright position.

Brakes and bums

Your brakes can also be tweaked to perform better. Changing the type of brake blocks or the compound of the disk brake pads to suit the type of riding you do can reduce the effort required to bring you to a stop. Some brake levers come with a set of shims that allow you to adjust the distance your fingers have to reach to the levers, which is great if you have smaller hands. Hybrids and mountain bikes have brakes that often allow the reach to be adjusted via a simple screw that moves the lever towards or away from the bars.

Nothing will improve how comfortable your bottom is like a saddle that fits! Strangely a saddle with lots of padding doesn’t always mean it will be comfortable; the most important thing to look for is one that is wide enough to support your sit-bones (the boney bits you can feel in your buttocks). Too narrow and it will crush sensitive areas and too wide it will inhibit leg movements and cause chafing.

Start with your saddle position horizontal to the ground. Some riders prefer theirs to point slightly up or down, but if it is on too much of an angle, then it is probably the wrong shaped saddle to begin with. Sliding it forward or backwards will also change where pressure is felt on your bottom and how far your body and arms need to bend in order to reach the handlebars. As a guide to saddle height, place the heel of your foot on the pedal with your leg extended. At this height, pushing with the ball of your foot, there is a slight bend in your knee when the pedal is closest to the ground. Many mountain bike riders are now using remotely adjustable seat posts that allow them to quickly drop their seat to get their body position low when riding down technical trails and then pop it back up when pedalling normally again.

Pedals and tyres

Pedals can be customised to suit your colour scheme, riding style, or efficiency. There are lots of affordable plastic pedals which look great. If you are becoming more serious, think about clipless pedals as a way of increasing comfort and efficiency.

Tyres have a huge impact on how your bicycle performs. Keeping them running at the recommended pressure will reduce rolling resistance on the road. Try lowering the pressure when the road is wet or gravelly. This is especially useful if you are riding off-road when rolling resistance doesn’t count for much and harder tyres will rattle you. A lower air pressure will provide much better grip and control. When it is time to replace worn tyres there are puncture resistant, reflective, and even colour options, as well as tread patterns to suit the type of terrain you like to ride on.

Easy does it

When making adjustments to the way your bicycle fits, keep in mind small changes make a big difference. Make incremental changes. Extend your stem by 10mm at a time or your seat by 5mm and gradually find out what works for you. It is not possible to make one change without it affecting your position in other areas. Enthusiastic riders will notice the difference when changing to a new pair of cycling shoes as thicker soles will mean they alter the saddle height, which will affect the handlebar height and fine changes will knock on through the set-up.

As you come to replace parts on your bicycle it is important to be honest about the kind of riding you are actually doing. There is no point buying super lightweight tyres just because you saw a world champion using them, if all you are really doing is cruising to work and back, nor is there any point changing your position to be comfy and upright with great views if you are training for the Scody 3 Peaks Challenge. Choose upgrades that suit you, the conditions you ride in and what you use your bike for.

Simple and low-cost changes to customise your bicycle make your bicycle unique, allow you to go further in more comfort and should ultimately make riding it even more fun.

Ride On content is editorially independent, but is supported financially by members of Bicycle Network Victoria. If you enjoy our articles and want to support the future publication of high-quality content, please consider helping out by becoming a member.

Local news

Bare-headed celebs ride in Adelaide

Sir Richard Branson landed himself in hot water earlier this week when Adelaide police stopped him for riding a  bike in the city without a helmet. He’s the second British celeb recently caught bareheaded after Twilight star Robert Pattinson was photographed sans lid riding along the River Torrens earlier this year. While they might want to check the Aussie road rules before heading out, there’s two more celbs out of their limos and on their bikes.

Get the full scoop >>

Bike polo rolls into the limelight

Though often thought of as having grown out of bike courier sub-culture, bike polo has been around almost as long as the bicycle itself. The rules were first recorded in 1891 and the game was included as a demonstration sport in the 1908 Olympics. This weekend more than 25 bike polo teams from around the country will face off in the fifth Melbourne Autumn Tournament.

Get the full scoop >>

Truck driver cleared of rider’s death

Earlier this week, a Queensland truck driver was found not guilty of “dangerous operation of a motor vehicle causing death” after his truck fatally collided with bike rider Richard Pollett while attempting to overtake him. The jury’s finding left the judge with an “empty feeling” and sparked a call in the bike riding community for a revision of overtaking laws.

Get the full scoop >>

International news

Ohio gets senior students riding

Ohio’s Century Cycles Bike to School Challenge is proving hugely successful at getting more middle and high school students to start riding to school and to keep riding on a regular basis. While only 13% of US students ride to school, more than 50% of students whose schools participate int he program have become regular riders.

Get the full scoop >>

Bike share law suit

A group of residents from the Big Apple’s West Village are suing the vendors and corporate sponsor of NYC’s new bike share program after a docking station was introduced on their street. The residents claim that the docking station will devalue the street’s historic buildings. However, according to a study by the National League of Cities, “Bicycling facilities can increase home values”.

Get the full scoop >>

Cavendish scores second Giro stage win

British cyclist Mark Cavendish is enjoying early success in the Giro d’Italia. His Stage Six win last night was his second of the race so far.

Get the full scoop >>

Health

Natural light good for sight

Recent research suggests that children who spend more time outside exposed to natural light are less likely to become short sighted.

Get the full scoop >>

Video

Extreme balance biking

Imagine what this kid will be capable of when he starts pedalling!

View the clip >>

Ride On content is editorially independent, but is supported financially by members of Bicycle Network Victoria. If you enjoy our articles and want to support the future publication of high-quality content, please consider helping out by becoming a member.

Photo by Anthony Rodriguez

Riders who have racked up a year or two of traversing the bike routes will have witnessed a couple of trends in bike lights. One is a proliferation of riders with no lights, one light or poor lights. At the other end of the spectrum, there’s an arms race going on, with lights becoming more and more blinding. The result is that a winter ride home involves peering to make out a shadowy shape one minute and squinting into an onslaught of hundreds of on-coming lumens the next.

It doesn’t have to be this way. There are affordable lights that do a great job of making sure you’re seen and lights to see by that are focussed. Take a look at our results.

Ask more of your lights

Bike lights just keep getting smaller and smaller, without losing any of their visibility. In fact, they’re brighter every year.

Their convenience has increased in a number of ways. Just about all lights are USB rechargeable, doing away with the need to charge or replace removable batteries. Most lights are mounted quickly and without tools using an O-ring or loop in their silicone housing. This is great for swapping lights onto a different bike quickly or taking them with you when you park somewhere.

Battery life is generally shorter, presumably because it’s easy to pop them off and charge them regularly. A benefit of this is that the lights can be smaller due to a smaller battery. The better lights will have an indicator of when the charge is low.

Most lights are more water resistant now because they don’t have to have an opening to remove batteries.

However, bike lights aren’t getting less expensive as part of their evolution, in fact the expansion of brands seems to indicate that they are consumable items with a useful margin for the producer.

Ride On recommends

See the table at the end of this article for more detail of the performance of these lights and details of the other lights, which are all also good options.

Humans, not lumens

The Ride On Lights test, now in its eighth year, is a ‘blind’ test relying on a panel of judges to rate the effective visibility of a variety of bike lights in a real-life scenario. Last year we also measured the output of each light using a light meter to compare with the ratings given by the judges in the on-street visibility test. The results were strangely divergent, for instance, the brightest front compact light in lux (17 lux) was rated eighth out of 11 lights. The most visible front compact light according to the judges was 5.8 lux. (We measured in lux because it’s a measure of light on a surface, effectively what light reaches a viewer. Lumens are a measure of the total output of a light across the total angle of illumination – it’s useful for knowing how strongly a light illuminates your way.)

The lights positioned on an inner-city street 200 metres away from the judges.

The difference may be explained by a few factors: that the judges are positioned at 200 metres from the lights for the front-on test (the legal minimum distance of visibility of bike lights in Australia) and at 50 metres from the lights for the angled visibility test, and that the lights are judged in flashing mode, which imparts another aspect of effective visibility. The result is, however, that we are convinced that it’s humans, not lumens, that determine how good a light is for making you visible. We haven’t continued the light meter aspect of the test.

The most visible flashing mode for each light is determined by Ride On staff. Where a light does not have a flash mode, it is displayed in constant beam mode and the judges are instructed to give the light a phase rating of five out of ten. ‘High-powered’ lights are also tested in flash mode rather than constant beam mode. (There’s more about ‘High-powered’ lights later.) A general finding is that a fast flash seems to be more visible and gets a higher score.

Which lights make the list?

The test is primarily concerned with determining the most visible, best quality and best value lights for a variety of bike riders. The visibility test is conducted on-street by a judging panel. The lights are then assessed for durability, weather resistance and usability by a team at RMIT Industrial Design. From these results and investigation of the quality of the lights, Ride On recommends the best lights for bike riders.

The results are cumulative. Each year we test the new models on the market using the same methodology as previous years (see http://www.rideons.wordpress.com for methodology details). Lights from previous years that are no longer available are dropped from the list but lights still current are included in the longlist with lights tested this year. The top 60 lights are published here. All these lights are good options and your favourite bike shop is sure to carry one or two of the top-ranking brands.

We tested 44 new models this year, making a longlist of 85 lights. This has been cut down to 60 by dropping the lowest scoring lights and in a few instances removing a lesser scoring light by the same brand.

This year we have revised our rating system, so the test results of newly tested lights and those included from previous testing were put through the new system. This explains why lights from last year’s article have a different score this year.

We recognise dynamo lights are also good for bike commuting, providing instantaneous light every time you get the wheels in motion. They will be tested separately on a new jig we’re developing.

How much light is about right?

High-powered lights used by commuting riders are for section of their journey that is on unlit paths. Otherwise they are can be a menace: dazzling and disorienting on-coming riders and drivers. They need to be pointed down at the ground a few metres in front of the front wheel in order not to be dazzling to riders coming the other way.  Better still is to have a compact front flashing light for the street-lit part of the ride. It stands to reason that helmet-mounted lights shouldn’t be used when sharing the paths or roads – they are for mountain biking in the dark.

As you can see from the pictures on this page, there’s a great deal of difference between the two focussed beams of the Ilumenox Vega 3w and the Owleye Solar Highbred 40 and the spread of light from the high-powered lights.  The focussed beams are from lights designed for the European market, where regulations such as the thorough German standard for bicycle lighting require the output to be capped, like a car’s headlights, to prevent dazzling other road users. Both these lights provide a constant beam and a flashing mode and would be a welcome alternative to high-powered lights on the bike paths. It should be noted that dynamo lights are also usually capped and focussed in the same way.

Which lights are ‘high-powered’ anyway?

‘High-powered’ is a category named years ago when there was a clear distinction between basic bike lights and lights that had a separate rechargeable battery (connected by a cable) and provided a strong beam. Today this distinction is not so easy to make as most lights have an incorporated rechargeable battery and the cheapest lights might still have impressively strong LEDs.

The distinction we have made is that lights with a stated output of 300 lumens we call high-powered. (Lumen is the unit used to express the power of a bike light to illuminate the way ahead.) Anything less than 300 lumens we included in the ‘compact front’ category.

We test high-powered lights for how effectively visible they are, so we the most visible mode, their flash mode, rather than their constant beam modes. Sometimes the flash mode is a lesser output than their brightest constant mode, but most often the flash is in their brightest output.

Things to look out for

USB rechargeable batteries have some issues to be aware of. While the better lights have a low battery indicator, if you run out of charge mid ride you have no light. Ideally, you will carry a back-up set of lights with your puncture kit – lights are certainly small enough now not to be a burden. Drop hints that they are a good gift option for you.

You can expect five years of optimal operation from a lithium-ion battery. After approximately 400 charge–discharge cycles the battery capacity will reduce to 80 per cent. Near freezing temperature causes 5–10% decrease in capacity and in heat over 40 degrees Celcius batteries permanently lose capacity at a rate of 5% per day.

All the lights are operated by one button yet some have a complex menu of modes. Also, some of the buttons take a very hard push to engage, which could be challenging with a gloved hand. If possible, test the button and menu of modes before buying.

From this test we found that the stated weight of the light was frequently less than its actual weight. Perhaps the weight given did not include the bracket, which generally adds 12–20 grams.

Ride On thanks the following people for judging at the visibility testing this year:

Jacqui Lovett, Victoria Police, Melbourne West Bicycle Patrol

Alex Hender, Ride2School

Iain Treloar, Road Riders, Bicycle Network Victoria

Joel Mayes, Bikes on Brunswick

Michael Hansford, Darebin BUG

Greg Weston, Bicycle Network Victoria member

Sean Wilkinson and Tania Sanchez, Catalyst Design.

Thanks also to Dr Scott Mayson and the RMIT Industrial Design team for conducting the design testing again this year.

The April-May 2013 issue of Ride On is out now – on Australian newsstands and sent directly to our members and subscribers – including this article and many more to feed your bike bliss. 

Ride On content is editorially independent, but is supported financially by members of Bicycle Network Victoria. If you enjoy our articles and want to support the future publication of high-quality content, please consider helping out by becoming a member.

There are many reasons why someone might hire a bike. Business travellers can squeeze in a training ride before their morning meetings, tourists can explore a new city on two wheels and non-riders can experience life on the saddle before taking the plunge and purchasing a bike.

The types of bikes available vary widely from place to place. Generally, hire bikes are of average quality with mid-range specs, but higher-end models are available from some outlets. Helmets and locks are usually included in the price, but it’s a good idea to confirm this with the hirer. If you plan to ride in low light, check if lights are also available. Additionally, many places offer baby carriers, kids’ bikes, tag-alongs, racks and panniers.

Book ahead where possible, especially if you want a certain model of bike or if you plan to hire for a few days or more. Some places will deliver a bike to your accommodation for an extra fee.

Melbourne and Brisbane both have public bike hire schemes, which are great for shorter trips in the city (BYO helmet). A daily subscription to Melbourne Bike Share (www.melbournebikeshare.com.au) costs $2.70 and a weekly subscription will put you back $8. On top of the subscription cost, the bike hire is free for the first 30 minutes, then $2 for 60 minutes. Annual subscriptions are also available for $54.

Similarly, Brisbane’s City Cycles bike share scheme (www.citycycle.com.au) costs $2 for a daily subscription and $11 for a weekly subscription. It is also free for the first 30 minutes, then costs $2.20 for up to an hour. Student, annual and three-month subscriptions are also available.

Australian Capital Territory

Mr Spokes Bike Hire is located in central Canberra on the shores of Lake Burley Griffin, and has a range of bikes beginning at $40/day. Tag-alongs and trailers are also available.

www.mrspokes.com.au, 02 6257 1188

Real Fun hires out a wide range of mountain, hybrid and road bikes, plus canoes and camping gear. Bikes start at $45/day, which includes added services, such as free delivery to and pick up from accommodation, a Canberra cycleway map, lock and helmet. They will also replace the bike if you get a puncture. Tag-alongs, child seats and tandems are available.

www.realfun.com.au, 02 6228 1264

New South Wales

Centennial Park Cycles has a huge range of fairly basic bikes for hire, from kids’ bikes to pedal cars. Prices begin from $10/hour for a kids’ bike to $25/hour for a tandem. Helmets are included.

www.cyclehire.com.au, 02 9398 5027

Bike Hire @ Sydney Olympic Park has a fleet of basic hire bikes to explore the 35km of bike path surrounding Sydney Olympic Park. Prices start at $15/hour for a hybrid.

www.bikehiresydneyolympicpark.com.au, 02 9746 1572

BIKESydney Cargo bike Library is an excellent service for people carting a bulky load or those wanting to try out a cargo bike. The library boasts a few different types of cargo bikes and trailers available to hire. The first three hours are free and a 24-hour loan costs $10.

bikesydney.org/new10/cycling-in-sydney/cargo-bike-library/

Northern Territory

Darwin Scooter Hire offers mountain bikes and kids’ bikes from $20/day, which includes maps to explore the top end’s coastal tracks.

www.esummer.com.au, 08 8941 2434

Queensland

Bike On has bike rental outlets on the Sunshine Coast and in Noosa, with a wide range of Trek bikes available. Prices start at $25/day for mountain bikes, kids’ bikes and cruisers, and $30/ day for road and hybrids. Delivery and pickup are available for an extra fee.

www.bikeon.com.au

South Australia

Bicycle Express bike shop rents out high-quality bikes, including Trek 3.1 Madone road bikes for $75/day and Trek Superfly mountain bikes for $100/day. A minimum two-day hire period applies.

www.bicycleexpress.com.au, 08 8232 7277

Bike About hire out a wide range of mountain and road bikes from their six outlets in the Adelaide Hills and are a great option if you’re keen to explore the region’s trails and paths. Prices start at $30 for 24 hours.

www.bikeabout.com.au, 08 8389 768

Adelaide City Bike is a free bike share initiative from Bike SA and Adelaide City Council. The bikes can be hired from a number of locations and come with a helmet and lock. The bikes must only be ridden during daylight hours when the temperature is less than 38°.

www.bikesa.asn.au/AdelaideCityBikes, 08 8168 9999

Barossa Bike Hire offers Giant hybrid bikes from $50/day, with options to rent for up to a week. Bikes are delivered to your accomodation with helmet, lock and bottle cage included in the price and, for an added fee, can also be paired with a range of hampers of local produce for picnics among the vines.

www.barossabikehire.com.au, 0412 380 651

Tasmania

ARTBIKES available from Arts Tasmania are available for touring the city’s arts precincts and galleries. Hire includes a helmet and lock with prices beginning at $22/overnight.

arts.tas.gov.au/artsatwork/artbikes

Victoria

BikeNow in South Melbourne hires road, mountain and city bikes, complete with helmets, for anywhere between two hours and two months. Also available for hire are tool kits, racks, baby seats and car racks. If something speedy is more your style, they have a good range of carbon and alloy road bikes. Prices start from $35/day for a mountain bike and $65 for a carbon road bike.

www.bikenow.com.au, 03 9696 8588

Borsari Cycles in Carlton are a similar option, hiring out mountain bikes (from $50/day–$220/month), road bikes ($60/day) and tandems ($70/day). Price includes helmet and lock.

www.borsaricycles.com.au, 03 9347 4100

The Humble Vintage Bike Hire Co. is a good choice if a leisurely cruise around Melbourne is more your style. They rent out vintage and retro-style bikes from $20 for two hours up to $190 for a month. Bikes come with a helmet, lock and a copy of the excellent map and guidebook Melbourne for Visitors and Casual Cyclists.

thehumblevintage.com, 0432 032 450

Western Australia

About Bike Hire have an enormous range of bikes, from road bikes to tandems and touring bikes. They also hire out panniers, lights and racks. Prices start from $36/day for hybrids. Touring packages are also available. About Bike Hire deliver and pick up bikes for an extra fee.

aboutbikehire.com.au, 08 9221 2665

Munda Biddi Mountain Bike Hire cater for those seeking a thrilling ride and have a range of dual-suspension mountain bikes – from cross-country all the way up to downhill purposes – for hire. Prices vary depending on the particular bike, but start at $70/day.

www.perthmountainbikehire.com.au, 0429 924 691

Gecko Bike Hire offer hybrid bikes for men and women, available from four locations around Perth and in Busselton, down the coast. These eight-speed bikes are available from $22/four hours, up to $88/week, with helmet and lock included and the option to add a child trailer.

www.geckobikehire.com.au, 0439 989 610

Ride On content is editorially independent, but is supported financially by members of Bicycle Network Victoria. If you enjoy our articles and want to support the future publication of high-quality content, please consider helping out by becoming a member.

Local news

Go card boosts CityCycle use

Since Brisbane linked its public transit Go Card withits CityCycle bike share scheme back in December, bike share trips are up by almost 3,000 trips per month. However, many complain that adding the CycleShare option to the card remains too complicated.

Get the full scoop >>

Top priorities for regional Victoria

Just in case Victorian Premier Denis Napthine and Treasurer Michael O’Brien are wondering what worthy bike projects they should be funding in regional Victoria this year, Bicycle Network has compiled a list of ten projects in need of funding.

Get the full scoop >>

New trial in the pipeline

Bike riders in Hobart have a new off road route to ride, for a little while at least. The Pipeline Track between Fern Tree and Gentle Annie Falls is being trialed as a shared-use path for the next 12 months and, provided bike riders can safely share the track with walkers, it will remain so permanently.

Get the full scoop >>

International news

US targets impostor bikes

‘Fake’ bikes made using ripped-off designs put riders at risk, with bikes not made to the same standard or submitted to the same quality control tests. Just this week US Homeland security shut down ten websites offering counterfeit Specialized products and seized more than US$90,000 in funds connected with the sites.

Get the full scoop >>

250 stolen bikes seized

A London police bust has uncovered a staggering hoard of 250 stolen bikes. Several arrests have been made and police are now in the process of reuniting the bikes with their rightful owners.

Get the full scoop >>

Age of the bike share

From humble beginnings, there are now bike share systems in over 500 cities throughout 49 countries. Most were implemented from 2009 onward, indicating that bikes really are an increasingly integral part of urban life.

Get the full scoop >>

Health

Healthy heart, healthy mind

A new study has found that younger adults who smoke and consume excessive amounts of alcohol and fatty foods not only increase their risk of heart disease, they also risk cognitive decline starting in middle age rather than later life.

Get the full scoop >>

Video

Trick master

Andrew Dickey turns Melbourne into one giant bike park.

Ride On content is editorially independent, but is supported financially by members of Bicycle Network Victoria. If you enjoy our articles and want to support the future publication of high-quality content, please consider helping out by becoming a member.

Click image to enlarge

Away from the hustle and bustle of cities, bike touring is a unique style of getaway – an adventure on wheels to interesting places, and can be as easy or as challenging as you choose. Touring can take you through a huge variety of landscapes and experiences, from tough mountain climbs and exhilarating descents to slow and relaxing trips with more time spent visiting gourmet wine and food outlets than actually riding.

Australia’s diverse terrain offers ever-changing scenery as you cycle at your own pace and connect with the sights, sounds and smells of the countryside. It’s all about the journey between destinations – about stopping to enjoy and explore things you might otherwise miss.

Anybody can go touring, including young children, on any sort of bike. It’s possible to spend thousands of dollars on a dedicated touring bike or to custom build your own. But don’t let this put you off; you can tour on the bike you own now. It’s preferable to have some luggage carrying capacity, though it’s not essential. A light back pack is often all you need for a short credit-card tour in fine weather. However, back packs aren’t recommended for heavier loads as they can upset your balance on the bike and tire you out prematurely; it’s better to have racks and panniers and let the bike carry the load.

Types of touring

Bike touring is generally thought of as riding for two or more days and staying somewhere other than your home town, but there are many different ways to do this.

Credit card touring

Riders carry very little, just some basic tools, a change of clothes and a few snacks. The trip is planned around staying in accommodation (such as B&Bs, pubs, motels, hostels or caravan park cabins) and buying all meals along the way. It’s the easiest way to tour by bike, but also the most expensive.

Self-sufficient touring

People often marvel at the weight of the loaded panniers self-supported bike tourists use to carry their gear. All four panniers on a touring bike are loaded up front and rear with clothes, camping and cooking gear, food, water and tools. Riders might camp along the roadside, or in a national park or caravan park. They’re happy to ride all day, stop where they want, cook food carried in their panniers and sleep in an outdoor setting. Self-supported tourists usually ride a touring bicycle with a wide range of gears, stronger wheels to carry the load and a longer wheel base for stability and to accommodate panniers. The big advantage of this type of touring is that you can go anywhere you like.

These are two extremes. Many people opt for something between the two. They might camp in towns and eat out at a pub, or carry most of their food but cook it in the camp kitchen of a caravan park or a self-contained unit, or camp some of the time but stay in accommodation when the weather is bad or they feel like a break.

Base camp touring

This involves transporting your bike and gear to the start of a ride and setting up there. Each day you go for a ride and return to the same place every night. Base camps allow you to really get to know and explore an area. You can normally ride further because you don’t need to carry much with you each day. They’re particularly good for groups of riders with differing abilities. You can go on separate rides during the day and meet up in the evenings to swap stories.

Supported touring

This can range from one person in a car carrying the bags of a group of friends, to mass participation events such as the RACV Great Victorian Bike Ride and Cycle Queensland. A mass-participation ride is a great way to tour and meet people. These rides last for several days and can have thousands of riders. If the crowds put you off, many commercial operators run tours for smaller groups. Meals are provided, luggage is carried and there is a ‘sag wagon’ to give you a lift if you get too tired. Accommodation typically involves camping overnight and daily distances are usually about 80 km.

Self-guided touring

These tours are popular in Europe and there are a handful of operators in Australia now. The tour operator supplies maps, riding directions and sometimes even a GPS with the route pre-loaded. They will meet you every morning to pick up your luggage and drive it to your destination that night. They will normally book the accommodation for you and sometimes supply dinner and breakfast. You are responsible for finding your way each day but you can also spend as long as you like taking in the sights along the way. Self-guided tours are often a very cost-effective way for couples and small groups to explore an unfamiliar region.

How to pack the bike

While it’s possible to go touring and carry your luggage in a back pack, it’s preferable to have luggage racks permanently bolted to the bike’s frame and panniers which clip on to the racks. Many people assume that you must evenly distribute the load on each side of the bike, but this is untrue. Just as you can carry a heavy weight in one arm without toppling over, you can ride a bike with only one pannier and not even notice the difference. Having evenly weighted front panniers makes steering easier but you don’t need to spend a lot of time worrying about it. Near enough is normally good enough.

It is far more important to get the weight distribution right between the front and back of the bike. A person riding with no luggage will have about sixty per cent of their weight over the back wheel. When packing panniers, try to keep the same 60/40 weight distribution. Carrying too much weight on the rear is quite dangerous as it upsets the handling of the bike. The front end becomes too light relative to the back which can cause it to bounce around, particularly over rough roads. Steering is also more difficult with all the weight on the back.

I often tow a small trailer when touring because it’s easier to unpack and repack it every day than having everything distributed in four panniers. I still use front panniers or a large handlebar bag to keep the front of the bike down and to make it more stable. Accessing gear carried in my trailer is a bit of a hassle so I keep things in the front panniers that I may need during the day.

Think about what you will need when you are riding and what you won’t need until you stop for the night, and pack accordingly. I normally carry a handlebar bag with camera, maps, iPad and snacks – things I will access regularly throughout the day. Front panniers are for items I may want to get to at some stage: raincoat, first-aid kit, spare tube, etc. Lunch goes in the front too for easy access, as does most of the rest of my food, to keep it all in one place. Camping gear, clothes, stove and other miscellaneous items go in the trailer or rear panniers.

Keeping your gear dry is important too. Even if your panniers are labelled as 100% waterproof, overfilling them or incorrectly doing them up means rain water can and will get in. At the very least, ensure your most important things such as warm clothing and sleeping bag are in plastic bags inside your panniers. Many people will strap large items, such as a tent or folding chair, to the top of the rear rack. This is a good way to save space in the panniers, but make sure they are securely fastened. You don’t want to arrive at your destination to realise that you have inadvertently left your tent behind.

Touring tips

• If you have a mechanical problem, don’t be afraid to ask a farmer or service station proprietor for assistance. These people are often very resourceful and happy to help out.

• Carry some basic tools including a chain breaker. Even if you don’t know how to use them, chances are that someone you meet will.

• Don’t skimp on what you eat – it’s your fuel. The bike rider’s ‘bonk’ can stop you dead. You can easily eat twice as much touring as you do at home.

• Top up your water bottles at every opportunity.

• Put your sleeping bag inside a plastic bag and then inside the sleeping bag cover. The plastic will keep it dry and the cover will protect the plastic from tears.

Keeping your devices charged

Very few of us go anywhere without a mobile phone these days. I normally carry an iPad and there are many people who take laptops and GPS devices too. Keeping all of these electronic toys charged can be difficult. When I bought my first digital camera, I went on extended tours carrying dozens of disposable batteries; fortunately, things are easier these days.

There are several devices available which regulate the power supplied by a hub dynamo and allow anything to be charged via a USB connector. Small solar panels can also be used.

There are simpler options though, such as asking the café owner if you can plug in your phone while you have your coffee, charging your laptop while you’re in the pub having dinner or cooking at the camp kitchen; or buying lithium batteries for your GPS which last significantly longer than alkalines.

Ride On content is editorially independent, but is supported financially by members of Bicycle Network Victoria. If you enjoy our articles and want to support the future publication of high-quality content, please consider helping out by becoming a member.

Local news

World’s longest trail completed

Western Australia’s Munda Biddi Trail which stretches 1,000km from Mundaring to Albany is now complete after more than 12 years of work and thanks the efforts of 600 Munda Biddi Trail Foundation members. To celebrate the trail opening in early April, 26 riders from around the nation were selected to ride the Welldrill Munda Biddi Epic 1000 – the first official end to end ride. They are scheduled to complete the inaugural ride this Sunday.

Get the full scoop >>

Queensland amends helmet laws

A new ruling by Transport Minister Scott Emerson will exempt male members of the Sikh faith from the state’s mandatory helmet law, as helmets cannot accommodate the turban they are required to wear. However, those seeking exemption from the law will have to demonstrate a long-standing commitment to their faith.

Get the full scoop >>

Are you covered?

While riding is generally safe, occasional accidents do happen and it’s important to make sure you and your bike are covered. The Sydney Morning Herald has compiled a list of bike insurance options, which includes memberships with bike advocacy organisations such as Bicycle Network and Bicycle NSW.

Get the full scoop >>

Melbourne gets lock savvy

To battle the problem of bike theft, Bicycle Network has teamed up with Victoria Police to run a month-long campaign speaking to riders on the streets of Melbourne about how best to secure their bikes and how to improve their chances of recovering their rides if they are stolen. Their advice is also published online.

Get the full scoop >>

International news

US woman helps Afghanistan’s women’s cycling team gear up

On a recent trip to Afghanistan, Shannon Galpin, a former Pilates-instructor and founder of not-for-profit organisation Mountain2Mountain, was surprised to find a group of 45 women had formed a national cycling team. However, because bike riding is considered an immoral activity for women, the team has very little resources. Determined to help the team succeed, Gaplin collected 40 duffle bags of tools and kit as well as bikes for the team and is now back in Afghanistan filming a short documentary about the team titled Afghan Cycles.

Get the full scoop >>

Five reasons young Americans are driving less

Driving rates are down 23.6% among young adults aged 16-34 in the US, and it’s not just because oil prices are high. Here’s five other reasons the younger generation in particular are choosing alternate forms of transport.

Get the full scoop >>

Bikes go up, cars go down

According to sales figures, care sales in Europe are down for January and February 2013 while bike sales are on the rise, so much so that there are almost two bikes sold for every car.

Get the full scoop >>

Health

Uni students take drinking to heart

Students who party hard at uni may be increasing their risk of heart failure in later life, as William Abraham, MD, Director of the Division of Cardiovascular Medicine at Ohio State University Medical Centre explains: ”Alcohol can be directly toxic to the heart and lead to weakening of the heart muscle and heart failure… Toxic manifestations take a while to show up in heart detection, but can be serious enough to require heart transplant.”

Get the full scoop >>

Video

Obama rides to purify water

President Obama saddled up at the White House Science Fair to test a bike-powered solution for purifying water in developing countries.

Ride On content is editorially independent, but is supported financially by members of Bicycle Network Victoria. If you enjoy our articles and want to support the future publication of high-quality content, please consider helping out by becoming a member.

Photo by Richard Jupe

Hidden inside the tube that connects your fork to your handlebars (the head tube) are two sets of ball bearings and their accompanying components that combined make up what is known as the headset.

The headset ensures your handlebars and fork turn smoothly and easily, which is vital for precise steering and bike balance. This may not seem like an overly onerous job, but much of your weight is transferred down to the forks and wheels through the headset bearings, and so they’re often under a big load.

The bearings must also keep the top tube of the fork, known as the steerer tube, relatively snug and free of play within the head tube, or else when you brake there’ll be lots of shuddering, which can impair stopping performance and potentially damage the frame.

You should regularly check the play in your headset for looseness, and tighten if necessary. It is a very simple job to do, will take only a few minutes of your time, and can save you money; if bearing components have become pitted and damaged due to poor adjustment, they will need replacing with specialist tools – a bike-shop repair job.

Headset types

Headsets come in two basic types; threaded and threadless.

A modern threadless headset

They both have two sets of well-greased ball bearings, one at the bottom and one at the top of the head tube. Each set is enclosed by a top and bottom ‘race’ that holds them snugly in place and act as the contact surface for the ball bearings’ rolling movement.

Most new bikes have a threadless headset (sometimes referred to as an A-headset), where the handlebar stem is pressed down the steerer tube, then bolted into place to hold the bearings snugly in place.

Classic threaded headset

More old fashioned but still commonly seen on older bikes, some new bikes, and in many kids’ bikes, is the threaded headset, where a bearing race is screwed down the steerer tube until it connects with the top bearings just enough to hold them in place.

This race is kept in position by a locknut that is also screwed down the steerer tube.

Threadless headsets are easier to adjust (requiring only an Allen key), are lighter, and make fork manufacturing a bit simpler. They also add a more rigid link between the handlebars and the fork.

Test time

A simple check for too much headset play is to get behind the handlebars, push down on them while tightly applying the front brake, and rock the front wheel backwards and forwards. If there is movement in the forks, a sort of knocking sensation, it will most likely be caused by a loose headset, but poorly adjusted brakes might also be to blame.

To make sure it is the headset that needs tightening, do the same test as above but with the front wheel turned 90 degrees. If you can still feel knocking, the headset needs your attention.

Threadless play

To reduce play in a threadless headset, the only tool you’ll need is an Allen key.

At the crown of the handlebar stem you’ll see a bolt inside a small cap. Loosen the bolt off (anti-clockwise turns) and remove it and the cap. Lubricate the bolt with grease if necessary and then replace it and the top cap, turning the bolt by hand only; do not tighten.

Stem attachment with a threadless headset

Now loosen off the bolts that clamp the handlebar stem onto the fork steerer tube (anti-clockwise turns as you face the bolt head).  Remove the bolts, inspect and lube if necessary, then replace them by hand only; do not tighten.

Straddle the front wheel facing the handlebar, lock the wheel in place between your legs, then use the handlebar to try and rotate the stem around the steerer tube. If it won’t rotate freely because the steerer tube and stem have seized together, you’ll need to get your bike shop to separate them.

Remain in this position and align the handlebar and its stem with the front wheel. Tighten the stem cap bolt (clockwise turns), but stop as soon as you feel any resistance. Now tighten the stem bolts.

Repeat the check you initially made to identify bearing play. It is likely that initially there will still be some movement. Loosen off the stem bolts, then tighten the top cap bolt by an eighth of a turn clockwise. Retighten the stem bolts and test again.

Repeat this process until there is no play in the bearings, but don’t over tighten; the handlebar and fork must still turn smoothly and easily, with no notchiness.

Note that it is the top cap and bolt that initially squeezes the components together to tighten the bearing pressure, but it is the stem bolts that lock and hold that pressure in place. Once the stem bolts have been secured, you can do what you like with the top cap and bolt, but it won’t affect the bearings’ pressure.

Threaded headset parts in place

Threaded play
To adjust the play in a threaded headset you should first loosen off the pressure on the bearings by unscrewing the locknut that holds everything in place, then backing off on the bearing race (see illustration).

Some races need a headset spanner to hold them in place as you loosen or tighten their locknut with a large adjustable spanner, while another style of race has a simple finger thread to grip it by.

Loosen off the locknut (anti-clockwise) while holding the bearing race in position. Now loosen off the bearing race a half a turn anti-clockwise, then screw it back down again until you feel it hitting the ball bearings. Back off a quarter of a turn, hold the race in place, then tighten the locknut.

Do your check for bearing play; it is likely to still be a bit loose at this setting. Back off on the lock nut and tighten the race (clockwise) a tiny amount, then tighten the lock ring back in place and test again.

Repeat this step until the play has been removed, but be careful not to over tighten; the handlebars and forks should be able to move easily, without any feeling of tightness or notchiness.

Seeking help

If you don’t have a front mudguard and ride in the wet, a lot of water and muck can be thrown up at the bearings at the bottom of the head tube, which may mean they need cleaned and greased.

You’ll know this is a potential problem if, despite all your careful adjustments, you can’t take up all the play in the bearings without them feeling tight and grippy. When faced with this situation, hand the job over to your bike shop; they will be able to check your bearings, and clean and replace parts if necessary.

Ride On content is editorially independent, but is supported financially by members of Bicycle Network Victoria. If you enjoy our articles and want to support the future publication of high-quality content, please consider helping out by becoming a member.

Local news

Buses return to Swanston Street

Melbourne riders have been angered to find tourist buses illegally parking on Swanston Street. The buses were originally banned from the key bike route, which is used by almost 5,000 riders a day, after a rider fell into the path of a bus and died in 2008.

Get the full scoop >>

Adelaide parking fees on the rise

The South Australian government has proposed a new parking tax that could see the cost of parking in the CBD rise as much as $6 a day. The Government claims they hope the fee hike would encourage more people to ride, walk or take public transport to the city centre.

Get the full scoop >>

Victorian State budget for bikes

New Victorian Premier Denis Napthine and new Treasurer Michael O’Brien will be having a tough time getting this year’s State Budget ready so soon after taking the reins, so to help them out, Bicycle Network has completed the bike budget for them. Check out the details.

Get the full coop >>

Veteran victim of bike theft

ACT World War II veteran Les Cook wants to know if you’ve seen his bike. The white Giant mountain bike with a list of modifications “as long as your arm,” which the 90-year-old uses as his primary mode of transport, was taken from outside a friend’s house in Curtin. Anyone with information is urged to contact the Woden Police Station on (02) 6256 7777.

Get the full scoop >>

International news

Scotland considers new road law

Already in place in most European countries, the “strict liability” road law deems the least vulnerable road user responsible for an accident unless they can prove otherwise.

Get the full scoop >>

Olympic legend hangs up his cleats

After winning six Olympic gold medals and 11 world titles, Britain’s most celebrated Olympic cyclist Chris Hoy has announced his retirement, explaining: ”I’ve got every last inch of energy and effort out of me”.

Get the full scoop >>

Chicago turns green

The Windy City plans to revamp its industrialised image by creating 800 new parks, recreation areas and green spaces, which will include many recreational bike trails, over the next five years.

Get the full scoop >>

Health

Younger adults less healthy than their parents

A new study from the Netherlands involving over 6,000 participants has found that younger adults today are less healthy than their parents were at their age, with younger generations reporting higher rates of obesity and high blood pressure as well as a greater risk of diabetes in men.

Get the full scoop >>

Video

Piano on a bike

We’d love to take this San Francisco resident’s job!

The City Exposed: Piano Bike from San Francisco Chronicle on Vimeo.

Ride On content is editorially independent, but is supported financially by members of Bicycle Network Victoria. If you enjoy our articles and want to support the future publication of high-quality content, please consider helping out by becoming a member.

Photo by Jon Miller

The Main Yarra Trail starts in Melbourne’s Docklands precinct and winds its way north east to the leafy suburb of Templestowe. From here it connects with the Diamond Creek Trail to Eltham and the Mullum Mullum Creek Trail to Ringwood.

This off-road cycling and walking trail follows Melbourne’s famous Yarra River fairly closely as it winds its way for 40km through the suburbs. It also passes by or comes close to some of Melbourne’s best tourist attractions. There are the well-known ones such as  Polly Woodside, Southbank, the MCG and the Royal Botanic Gardens. Some of them are lesser known but well worth a visit: places such as Herring Island Sculpture Park, Abbotsford Convent arts precinct, The Collingwood Children’s Farm, Fairfield Boathouse, Heide Museum of Modern Art, Mia Mia Gallery and more.

This is a very busy trail with the section from the end of Gardiners Creek trail in Richmond into the city very popular with those commuting to work by bike. If riding the trail for recreational purposes, it is best to avoid the peak periods – before 9am and between 4 and 6pm on weekdays. Further out, while still well patronised, the numbers of riders drop off quite a bit.

Cartography by Wayne Murphy

Distance 40km

Surface A mixture of concrete, bitumen, gravel and boardwalk.

Difficulty Easy

Scenery River views, open grassland, native bush.

The trail has no clearly defined start point. I chose to start my ride in the Docklands at Webb Bridge, the cycling and pedestrian bridge built to resemble a Koori eel trap. The trail heads east from here on both sides of the river. I prefer riding along the southern bank because it’s a lot wider than the path on the northern side and less congested. Also, if you need a coffee before you start, there is no shortage of places on Southbank.

After passing in front of the boat sheds and underneath Swan Street Bridge, cross back over to the northern side of the river via Morrell bridge at the end of Anderson Street and the edge of the Botanic Gardens, Still heading East, the path is on floating pontoons next to the Monash Freeway. Look out for the coffee van and mobile bicycle repair stand set up here on week days. There’s also the artificial rock climbing wall built on to the freeway supports. Not only this, but there are excellent views back towards the city and the Botanical Gardens.

Photo by Jon Miller

At Walmer Street, the path zig-zags up on some wooden scaffolding before crossing over the Yarra at the Walmer Street Bridge. This bridge is quite narrow so
you may have to walk your bike if pedestrians or other riders are about. There’s a very steep but mercifully short climb just over the bridge but then the trail turns left and enters Yarra Bend Park.

This park is the largest area of native bush in the inner city. It is home to many native plant and animal species and it’s hard to believe that you’re so close to the heart of Melbourne.

Soon you will cross over another bridge at Gipps Street. Here there is a break in the path and you must walk your bike down three or four flights of steps to rejoin the path at river level. Money has been allocated by the state government to redesign this section of the trail to eliminate the steps. Design work has begun and construction should start later in the year, finishing in 2014.

You then pass by the former Abbotsford Convent, which is now a renowned arts and cultural precinct. Many people stop off for a drink and snack at the Convent Bakery but it is worth spending some more time exploring the heritage listed buildings and gardens. Often there are events on at the convent, so check their web site before your visit to check what’s on.

A little further along is The Collingwood Children’s Farm. This is a working farm only five kilometres from the city, established in 1979 to provide a taste of rural life to city folk. There is a well-regarded café on site and once a month there is a farmers’ market.

Dight’s Falls is the site of a weir and Melbourne’s first water mill built in the 1840s. The remnants of the mill are still there but the weir was completely replaced in 2012; a new fish ladder was also constructed allowing fish to migrate up stream. Cross the narrow bridge over Merri Creek at Dight’s Falls, turn left immediately afterwards and ride up the hill towards Fairfield Boathouse. This is another good place for a break as there are picnic tables, toilets and the restaurant and tea rooms at the boathouse.

Continue on the trail by crossing over the pipeline bridge and rising up the steep hill to Yarra Boulevard. This is quite a steep climb and you will probably want to stop for a breather at the top to admire the views back over towards the city skyline.

Follow the path adjacent to Yarra Boulevard down to the junction with Chandler Highway. There are more steps to negotiate here but many people choose to ride on the road for a short distance, crossing the highway at the pedestrian lights and rejoining the path by the Guide Dogs Centre.

There is another longish climb as the trail runs parallel to the Eastern Freeway. The trail surface is rough and uneven here, sections are gradually being replaced. Bicycle Network Victoria keeps riders informed of major trail works.

Heidelberg School Artists Trail

For part of its length the Main Yarra Trail coincides with the Heidelberg School Artists Trail.

The Heidelberg School was Australia’s first significant artistic movement, dating back to the late 19th century. Artists such as Fred McCubbin and Tom Roberts studied the French Impressionists in Europe and brought their ideas back with them. The first works of the Heidelberg School were landscapes painted around Heidelberg, which was then a rural area. The style soon encompassed landscapes painted in other areas of Melbourne.

The Heidelberg School Artists Trail consists of a series of explanatory signs depicting reproductions and descriptions of the most famous works.

Leaving the freeway, ride through some native forest then make a left turn over a footbridge just before the Burke Road underpass. The path soon turns to gravel as you enter Yarra Flats Park. This area was cleared for farming at the time of white settlement. It is now being revegetated with native flora and is one of the most attractive sections of the trail.

There is a short but very steep winding climb at the Banksia Road underpass. It is very difficult to negotiate and many people have to walk. The surface of the trail is quite rough here as it passes in front of The Greenery nursery and heads into Banksia Park. Turn right immediately after crossing a small footbridge, there is a small Main Yarra Trail sign here but it is very easy to miss. Just stay as close to the river as you can.

Banyule Flats Reserve is an important wetland very popular with bird-watchers. There are good views of the birdlife from High Hill which is a small rise in the trail.

You will soon enter Westerfolds Park near the end of the trail. Navigation can be confusing but if you stay as close to the river as you can, you can’t go wrong. Alternatively, you may wish to visit Mia Mia Gallery and Café at the high point in the park – just head uphill and you will find it.

The Main Yarra Trail finishes a couple of kilometres after Westerfolds Park where it meets up with the Mullum Mullum Creek Trail which will, one day, connect with the Eastlink Trail. Many people cross over the Yarra again just after the Fitzsimmons Road underpass and head north on to the Diamond Creek Trail. This takes you to the suburb of Eltham 3 or 4 kilometres away, where you can catch a train on the metropolitan network.

Photo by Jon Miller

The April-May 2013 issue of Ride On is out now – on Australian newsstands and sent directly to our members and subscribers – including this article and many more to feed your bike bliss. 

Ride On content is editorially independent, but is supported financially by members of Bicycle Network Victoria. If you enjoy our articles and want to support the future publication of high-quality content, please consider helping out by becoming a member.