2010 SSWC in NZ

The 2010 Single Speed World Championships will be held in the Rotarua in New Zealands North Island at a date to be announced.
That's a weekend of riding and beer drinking that I need to be apart of. As soon as more info comes to hand, I'll let you all know.

There is hope!

Colin Charles Burke; President and co-founder of the BSS&SS, has regained status of a cyclist in the last couple of weeks. Although his position of President is under question due to his use of a gearded bike, to be fair, he has come back from a major injury so we might let this indiscretion pass for now. Col tore the tendon off his knee cap while playing on his north shore style platforms at Burkeville, on a cold and icey morning. His story is a little more graphic; he say it is because he is an artist; he friends say it is because he is a sook. Either way, emergency surgery was required to stop his tendon/muscle rolling up his leg like a venetian blind. But nothing that some weekly love from a red headed pysio and plenty of Coopers Pale Ale couldn't fix. Hopefully, we will see Col back on his ventana around the trails before Christmas.

3 rides in for me last week, and hoping for 4 this week. The plus for me is whilst I haven't been riding, I have lost about 8kg's. I have lost some muscle/strength, but need less to push myself around. It's gotta be a bonus right? The home tracks are getting smoother and sweeter, and the weather is better for riding. My beer fridge is cranked and my supplies are ample. Life is good.

Andrew Hearne, our gay mate from the South Coast chapter has just taken ownership of a monocog redline fully rigid black beast. He loves the 29er concept, he has also ordered a new giant 29er, and has plans to trash the gearded bits to make a super light beast.

I am on the lookout for a Salas Dos Niner. My plans are to sell my Cannondale Rush SS after the Scott 24 and take the time to get the Dos Niner pimped out to be my bitch.

I am about to resume the arm wrestle with CORC to get insurance cover under the blanket of CORC umbrella as a sanctioned event. So whilst there will be no Bungendore Single Speed Championships for 2009, we are still all systems go for 2010.

cheers
Scotty

Mid year hiatus

Shit, life can turn on a dime!

6 weeks with the mind, body and soul completely removed from the bike, and it is not a space that I am comfortable with. I have had the shits with the administration process of getting the inaugural BSS&SS championships sanctioned (but overwhelmed with some of the committee pushing hard to get some decisions made - thank you PC and AH), I have changed jobs and this is my first day off in 5 or so weeks. But a 12 hour sleep, the odd chore around the house, and an hour or so around the front nine trails has put me back in a good place.

The sun is shining, birds are singing, and less that 4 weeks to the SCOTT 24hr. The bike felt good, the trails are in pretty good shape and I am excited.

If anyone out there is keen for a night ride in the coming weeks, drop me a line and I would love to join in, have a beer and catch up on all the goss over the last few weeks.
Cheers Scotty

our belovant sponsor

Mal Bennett ( one 'L', two 'Ts') and his bike shop, Mal Adjusted Cycles is worshiped by singles speeders throughout the country as pound for pound, the greatest avenue for sales, service, the forbidden dance and advice for all single speed related subjects.
Mal has selfishly offered to fully support the 2009 Bungendore Single Speed Championships and promised to wash my car on numerous occasions. There is no denying that Mal and the single speed underground are joined at the hip.

SO WHY WAS MAL RIDING A GEARDED BIKE AGAIN THIS WEEKEND AT CORC 4?

It has been put to the masses earlier tonight on a separate chat forum, and the single speeders have responded with 4 possible reasons why the guru of single speed riding in the region has turned his back on his followers;
1. Mal has developed a nasty rash somewhere between his belly button and the top of his butt cheeks. Whilst the cause of the rash is only known to Mal and a cute looking Llama called Bambi, Mal feels he is not worthy to mix it with the chosen one gearded brethren until he is given a clean bill of health from his local GP.
2. Mal has only recently learnt to count, and he wants to use his skills by telling everyone around him what gear ratio he is currently riding. He was heard changing numerous of times on the weekend and yelling"43 x 16 = 688, Changing to a 43 x 15 = 645".
3. He has sold out, and transforming his single speed emporium into a knitting co-op for the senior citizens of Dickson.
4. He has gone soft in his old age.

Only Mal knows the real answer to the question, but the entire single speed fraternity hopes to see Mal on a one gearded bike at the coming BSS&SS events.

God, please give him strength!
AMEN

National SS Championships date announced

The 2009 National SS Championships, run by the Sydney Single Speed Club has been set for AWABA(Newcastle) on the weekend of the 28th November. As soon as further information and links are provided, they will be posted on this site.
With the 2009 Bungendore SS Championships penciled in for Sept 20, The solo 24 SS Championships on October 10 & 11, and the national Titles locked in for November 28 & 29, it's time to muscle up and start riding that bike!!!

20th September - pencil it in

You know what I am talking about.
Just a couple of details to be finalised and then the registration process will begin.

WATCH THIS SPACE IN THE COMING WEEKS TO FIND OUT MORE.

Ride Day Postponed

A bit of fiddly knee surgery had delayed the ride day that was pencilled in. Sorry to dick you all around. But the day will happen in the next few weeks, so please keep an eye on the site for the upcoming date. Gotta do a bit of juggling – you know the family stuff – but all’s good, and I will get a few extra track marks on the altered trails before too long; and share a beer or two as well.

'Y&J' has received some construction work last Saturday. Mum was at work and the boys and I made 'Y&J' flow a lot better and maintain speed as it snakes through the natural bush.

‘The Ellerington’ will be getting a berm on the Western end this weekend, to help in hitting that last corner at point three of a negative G force. I am trying a different method of making a berm – now that I don’t have a bobcat sitting in my driveway, but if all goes to plan, the 2 tracks will be smooth and fast come Sunday evening. I call it part of 'save the brake pad' foundation, and like saving the whales, it will make the world a better place.

And, to cap it all off, I have found this photo on some dodgy old CD when my last hard drive fried itself. It was taken last time I was at the Ellerington – Majors Creek on a coast ride from Canberra.

And the Resches was cold; and it was good! My three at least!!

Mr Fairweather finally gets it!

It took a postcard from an old mate of the BSS&SS's to get the message to our South Coast associate.
If the sightings and the reports are correct, Mr Andrew Hearne (aka Mr Fairweather) swapped his sunscreen for his rain jacket and braved the elements on the weekend.
"I got muddy", Andrew said excitedly,"and it even rained when I was out. It was really really cool and dirty".
Thanks to people like Chopper, Andrew is developing a range of riding experiences. Soon we will teach him to do a big skid.

Wombat 1 - Col 0

First blood has been drawn in the 'War of the Trails' at Burkeville.
Currently, Mr Wombat is drinking ice cold Crown Larger while snacking on BBQ chicken wings, all nice and snugly in one of his many holes.
Colin Charles Burke however, is laid up in bed, left leg in traction, whacked to the eyeballs on prescription drugs, with a dislocated knee.

On Wednesday morning - Colin went left to dodge the wombat poo on one of his North Shore ramps; changed his line; pushed him wide; ended way out of control. The wombat snickered; Col turned to see who was laughing; landed wrong; and popped his knee from its socket. Mr Wombat backed up; flicked dirt in Cols face; snickered again; and off he trotted.

Whilst some may say that the wombats win was a shallow victory; Colin has always been shit on those obstacles. Other will say that a win is a win, and currently the wombat sits on top of the competition ladder.

All I know is that the 'War of the Trails' at Burkeville has only just begun.

The challenge has been set

Rain, hail or shine, Andrew Hearne, AKA Mr Fairweather, will be travelling up from the Bay this weekend to smack the butt of any and all the single speeders that Canberra can muster.
In a taped phone conversation earlier this morning, Andrew set the challenge to all local riders to 'muscle up' and ride at this weekends CORC race at Kowen Forrest.
"I am fit, hard and ready to race" Hearne announced."I have changed gearing for this weeks course, and I will be on fire. LOOK OUT!".

Lets hope that the weather predictions of fine and sunny come true, and we will see Andrew deliver on his promises.

Singleator problems

I need help. Running a dual suspension single speed relys on a spring loaded chain tensioner to take the slack when the suspension is active. When the spring is new, it works like a treat, and provides all the advantages of a dual suspension and the simplicity of a one gearded bike.
Where the problem lies, is that after about 4 months of riding, the spring tension rel ax's, and when under load, the chain skips through the jockey wheel on the singleator. It annoys the shit out of me.
I have spent the big bucks on the Surly singlator - but can't get a replacement downward spring, needed after 6 months. I have tried the cheaper versions, and they just seem to get to the 4 month time frame and throw their hands in the air. I have tried installing an old Shimano 105 rear derailleur spring, but that doesn't have the same grunt either. I have been recommended to go to speciality fasteners and get a stainless steel spring manufactured - and currently that seems to be my best option.
Can any one else help me out with a suggestion, or a decent brand?

Mr Fairweather

It has now been confirmed that the Batemans Bay Chapter is water soluble. When a little bit of the wet stuff falls from the sky, Mr Andrew Hearne changes his name to one of his many alias; 'Mr Fair-weather', 'Mr Snuggles', 'Mr I'm going back to bed'



The 6:22am phone call created the beginning of a complete new chapter in the book of shadows for 'Mr Fine and Sunny', as his reasons NOT to ride flowed effortlessly off his tongue;
".....it's still dark outside"
".....it's really raining"
".....I have to straighten my hair"

Doctor Harden-Up has given him some Viagra for future rainy days.

A good weekend

A couple of good rides, a bit of track work, and some ice cold beer.




..........life is good.

CORC 3hr - June 27

It's not official, but I reckon it is about as official as you can get without being official - so I reckon the mail that I have recieved is pretty damn close to being official.

The CORC 3hr race scheduled for Saturday June 27 will have a SINGLESPEED SOLO category. Check out the corc web site for the details.

CORC has, thanks largley to Andrew Hearne from the Bay, included a Single Speed category to all of the 2009/2010 series races. So spread the word and lets ensure that this is an ongoing and legitimate category. The easiest way for this to happen, is that we get as many riders to these races and compete in the SS field.

A Camel named Neil

At 4.30pm - life sucked pretty much. Typical Monday - inbox overflowing.

2 phone conversations latter, and the single speed grape vine blows my mind. I think it is kinda cool that a simple phone call can turn a pipe dream into reality, (or at least a bigger pipe dream!)

A couple of guys from up Sydney way are organising a Single Speed National Championships for latter in 2009, and combined with the Bungendore Championships, we all of a sudden have a national series.

Soon we will have cheer leaders, a brass band and a cool old camel as a mascot.

Immediate start to Y&J upgrade

The track upgrades of one of the signature tracks at Prestontown has begun immediately thanks to the direct deposit of the promised $1.21 million spending spree announced in the 2009 budget.


As most tracks in Prestontown are named after iconic Aussie pubs that have added to the skeletons in the founders closet, a return trip to Melbourne's Young and Jackson Hotel, and a rendezvous with 'Cloe' in late July, should see completion of the first of 3 major upgrades to the trail network.







With all work due to be
completed 34 days before the Bungendore Single Speed Championships, it is all hands on deck in the Preston Household to get the tracks just right.

Extracts of note

Last nights ride through Sparrow Hill gave great insight to the world in which we live.

• Bobsled has a head, body and tail.
• It is nice in the tree's. No wind.

Probably the most profound conclusion that can be drawn from last nights ride is that bikes with gears stuff all conceptional reasoning and communication skills.

....and that is why we ride one gearded bikes!

Elder Statesman gets older

The President and fashion advisor for the Bungendore Single Speed and Social Society turns 41 this week. Colin Charles Burke has definitely seen the best of his athletic and sexual performances, and realises his exploits in these 2 key performance indicators is on a fast downward slide.

These is an upside to his aging however. Only 26 years till the pension!

Federal Budget provides financial windfall for the BSS and SS

The Rudd Governments 2009 Budget and associated stimulus packages have provided the funding to expand and perfect some of Prestontown's developing trails.

$1.21 billion dollars was promised in the Budget for the upgrading of Y&J, Trucks Turning and The Ellerington, which are 3 signature tracks that have been neglected with the expansion to the trail network.

It is unsure how much of the windfall will be spent on actual track upgrades, with suspicion from the opposition government that the money will be spent on cold beer at the Hoskinstown Inn.

Bungendore Singlespeed Championships

Watch this space!

The organisation for the inaugural Bungendore Single Speed Championships is in full swing.
For all the news, event dates, ride days and registration process, bookmark this site and check in regularly.
The entire membership base and committee of the Bungendore Single Speed and Social Society are committed to riding one geared bikes and drinking cold beer. If this dynamic combination tickles your fancy, the private singletrack havens of Burkville and Prestontown may be calling sooner than you think!