God I feel homesick. Nice to see some local content. Linkjacked from Fyxomatosis.

nick

Yes, it’s on again - and this year it even corresponds with the original hell of the north! Make no excuses, just grab all your friends and come along for one of the most fun rides on the calendar: Melburn Roobaix.

Melbourne Roobaix: Fed Square, 11:30am Saturday April 12. [event details]

Intelligent design by Melbournian aesthete, Nick Hawker:

Support Australian based creativity. Buy one or both, here.

n.

"It’s not a race, it’s fun with a result!"

Meet us at Federation Square at 7:30am on Saturday the 8th of December for the Melbourne fixed org au birthday and xmas puzzlecat. This is a team pairs event where you and your partner will need to navigate your way to controls at which you will find answers to puzzle questions. All controls will be optional, some will be worth more points than others and there will be a strict time limit of two hours.

Teams will be given a clue sheet at the rider briefing and will have 30 minutes to plan a route. They will then have two hours to get as many points as they can before finishing at the final control (aka BBQ). Points will be deducted for late return to the BBQ site.

This is not a fixed-only event so everyone is welcome to attend, just turn up at Fed Square on the morning with your partner - or, if you don’t have anyone to ride with, show up and we’ll pair you up with someone. Fast riding will not be required to get high points.

Free entry, everyone welcome. For more information, please email nathan at undershorts dot org or check the forums

.

You are all cordially invited to the opening of the first Melbourne Bicycle Film festival. I’ve been hanging out for this for a long time, and now I’m going to miss it… Someone please make up for my lack of presence by inviting a friend along to help in the festivities. The launch is on the 21st, which means, TOMORROW NIGHT!

Details are (or just click on the image above):

Seventh Annual Bicycle Film Festival Launch, November 21st, 6-8pm, Section 8, Container Bar, Tattersalls Lane, Melbourne, AUSTRALIA.

Not only is it great that Melbourne is getting the BFF, but you’re also spoilt by five days of events, fully detailed in the Program, and media releases One & Two.

Enjoy, nick

Looking for something to do on a lazy Monday evening?

Pop over to DISC at about 5pm on the 26th and help two Australian cyclists to set world hour records!

More information: [Hour Record Blog]

Good luck to all.

nick

Here in Melbourne we are totally spoilt when it comes to track racing: All year round, every Tuesday and Thursday, a small group of bike nuts head down to the Joe Ciavola Velodrome at DISC to compete at the indoor, world-class, wooden 250m venue. Big names and small ones, juniors, masters, elite and novices battle it out. It’s not the world champs, or the Olympics, but the racing is very competitive and excellent fun to watch.

Track cycling is one of the best spectator sports because you can see the whole field all the time. There is speed, tactics and variation in the events - personalities and character. But where are all the fans? Seems a lot of people don’t even know there’s an indoor velodrome minutes from the CBD, let alone racing every week… So here’s the challenge: get into it Melbourne!.

Tuesday nights are run by Brunswick Cycling Club. Brunswick run scratch, points, elimination, pursuits, keiren and motorpace events with junior and senior grades from 7pm. There is a fun, family atmosphere - and some good racing too! Thursdays are run by Northcote Cycling Club. Northcote run scratch, points and motorpace races in A to D grade (depending on the turnout) from 7:30pm.

Both nights are free to watch. There is a bistro at DISC serving food and drinks. You can wander down to the track and chat to the riders, or watch from seating positioned on both sides of the track. If you are interested in having a go there’s always someone around who can help get you started.

So come on down and get into one of the best spectator sports there are. Here’s a few of your potential problems addressed:

Problem: "I don’t know where it is", "I don’t know how to get there", "Is there a tram stop nearby?" … etc.

Answer: DISC is located at 281 Darebin Rd, Thornbury. By bike, DISC is about 10km from Federation square, mostly in bike lanes. There is a bus stop outside the velodrome on the 250 LaTrobe Uni route, busses come about every 40 mins. By car it takes about 20mins from the city, depending on traffic.

Problem: "It finishes too late", "I can’t make it there in time" etc.

Answer: Racing starts at about 7pm and goes until about 10pm. There are a number of events and grades running over that time and there’s no problem at all coming in and going whenever you like.

Problem: "I won’t know anyone there", "I won’t know what’s going on" etc.

Answer: There are plenty of people around and while most cyclists are a bit shy, anyone will be happy to talk your ear off if you smile and say hi. Just come along, introduce yourself or wave hello.

ndf.

Cyclesport Victoria are hosting another Women’s "Come ‘n Try Track" day at DISC:

Sunday 2nd September @ DISC, 281 Darebin Rd, Thornbury (Mel 31 A6) 2-5pm (Group 1 - 2pm-3.30pm, Group 2 - 3.30pm-5pm)

Pre-Registrations required. Please nominate which time/group you will be attending

Please bring you own cycling helmet, knicks and shirt.

Contact Luke Mason CSV Development Manager to register or for more info. Luke.Mason@cycling.org.au or 03 8480 3000

These events are a great way to get into riding on the track, so if you have been wondering what it’s all about - get on down and get into it!

To coincide with stage 13 of this year’s tour, this Saturday’s ride will be an unserious time trial. From Federation Square to Federation Square, via some of our favourite Saturday ride elements. The course is approximately 15km long. Start will be the pedestrian crossing at Flinders St. station.

Starting at the normal time: 7:30am, come along and enjoy a fun individual time trial, where luck and street skills will count as much toward your final time as raw power or speed.

Regroup and casual ride afterward.

For more info, email nathan at undershorts dot org, or check the forums.

Update 18/07: Course Map now available.