We’re back! And what a scorching start to the year… not just the temperature but also more people pedalling around town!

I’ve started with some local news from the shop and pasted in this month’s BikeFun newsletter after that.

Happy summer cycling. Cheers, Bill and the crew

MORE BIKES, BETTER BIKES(!)

As always, we’re keeping a beady eye peeled for sweet bikes to add to our range.
1. some of the Kona range have made the grade and are starting to appear on the showroom. Already the Dew City, Dew and Dew Plus are here
2. the Electra range has been rarer than hen’s teeth but they’re coming back in stock real soon
3. the 2010 Gazelle range is trickling in and in general offers even better value (for example the ’10 Chamonix Pure replaces the ’09 Chamonix Plus with the same features for $200 less!)
More and more load bikes
4. Ben from TriSled dropped one of his long wheel base custom load bikes in to compliment the collection. Even if you’ve go no interest in owning a load bike, come and test ride them… guaranteed to make you smile!
5. the Allegro Onya and Onya 8 (single speed and 8 speed hub gear versions) are both on sale

HUMAN POWERED SOCIAL RIDE

So many people have been asking about the next ride so here’s the current plan.
Meet at HQ at 6pm on Friday 22nd January.
We’ll take a scenic sunset ride down the Merri Creek for champagne at Dight’s Falls and pop in to the Abbotsford Convent supper market.
The ride will be relaxing and at a pace Joel’s loaded Surly Big Dummy finds ok (ie not too fast!). Suitable for all fitness levels.

Bring: Yourself and your bike (and friends with their bikes), lights, water bottle, lock
Meet: 562 High Street Thornbury 6pm 22nd January
Ends: approximately 9pm on the Merri Creek in Brunswick though you may depart whenever convenient

And here’s some shots from the ride… what a blast!

AUSTRALIA DAY HOLIDAY

A well deserved break! We’ll be closed on Tuesday 26th January. Not to fear though, we’re open on the Saturday and Monday so hop in and pick up your supplies then.

CUSTOM PROJECTS

Keep your nose skinned and your ear warm to our web site www.humanpowered.com.au
Details about more and more of our custom builds are being uploaded at the moment including:
1. Cat’s Phil Wood fixed hub to Velocity 650c build
2. Joel’s Rohloff SpeedHub on Surly Big Dummy
3. Bill’s “not another Shogun” custom tourer with BlackCat dropouts and generally unnecessarily fancy stuff

4. Moz’s tall bike tandem. Don’t ask why he’s welded all these bikes together to make something so long and high. He just has!

MAINTENANCE TRAINING

Wow! We didn’t realise how popular these trainings were going to be.
We’re offering the most popular two sessions, “Introduction to home bicycle maintenance” and “Intermediate bike maintenance”
but with a fair few improvements, including:
1. We’ll have two trainers at each session and can be even more flexible in delivering content appropriate to the participants
2. We’re now running them on Wednesday evenings 6.30-8.30pm. The workshop is just too busy and there are too many distractions otherwise.

The upcoming classes with room still available include:
1. 10th February – Introductory
2. 3rd March – Intermediate
3. 17th March – content TBC, email if interested it may be intro, intermediate or advanced depending on demand

To register your interest in any of these, please email training@humanpowered.com.au

For the full schedule of bike trainings see our web site at http://www.humanpowered.com.au/wp/?p=1102
I’ll add future dates as they are confirmed.

Tyre recycling

Finally! A local, affordable rubber recycling solution. Your old bike tyres will now be turned into bitumen for roads and speedhubs, and synthetic grass. We’ve got a small surcharge to cover the cost we pay for the recycling service. Alternatively, you may still take old tyres with you.

LOCK IT OR LOSE IT: some thoughts on bike security

Copied from the article at http://www.humanpowered.com.au/wp/?p=1203 which includes a cool video on bike locks by Carlton Reid. Well worth watching and reading.

THE LONG AWAITED JANUARY BIKEFUN: 2010 reasons to have fun riding your bike

Check back at http://bikefun.org/calendar.html for latest updates, or follow us
on twitter @bikefunmelb

Reasonably Fast Ride – Thursday 14th January
6:30PM Town Hall Hotel, North Melbourne. Covering about 20km at a good
clip.
Organiser: Stevie

Goatage – Friday 15th January
6:00PM Mountain Goat Brewery Cnr North St & Clarke & St Richmond

Midnight Mystery Ride & Urban Camping – Saturday 16th January
9:30PM – Royston Hotel – Cnr River & North Sts, Richmond
The return of gutter bike fun. The ride that was rained out on New
Year’s Eve is back on!
At 10:30 we ride. Our destination: a mystery.
We’ll quaff our beverages, make merriment, and appreciate how damn good
it is to be a cyclist.
Bring fun food to BBQ and to share.
Wake up on Sunday with a dip in the Yarra.

Pub Ride – Friday 22nd January
Route to be finalised – more news next email. Keep the evening (and the
following morning) free.

Bike Move & Picnic! – Tuesday 26th Jan, 10am.
10AM 9 Chapel St, Fitzroy
In the great Australia Day tradition of house moves by bike, we will be
moving house by bike from Fitzroy to Brunswick. Assemble in an orderly
fashion with bike trailers (if you have one) at 10am. If you don’t have
a trailer but would like to be involved, please come along! Panniers
and backpacks will also be appreciated. The move will be followed by
refreshments at the destination in North Brunswick. Note: This event
incorporates an official UN Festival of the Trailer 2010 event.
Organisers: Geoff & Tan

Critical Mass – Friday 29th January
5:30PM – State Library. – Start the new year right with your friends at
Critical Mass.

Yarra Full Moon Ride – Saturday 30th January
8:33PM departing Eltham Railway Station (Hurstbridge Line)
Catch the 7:28 or 7:49 from Flinders St Station Platform 1 last carriage
natch (don’t catch an Epping train by mistake).

Yes, the First Full Moon Ride of 2010, bringing giddy fun, bikey
comradery, and light perspiration. It’s been quite a while since we’ve
done this route so join us to ride along Diamond Ck and the Yarra back
to the city (~35km) by the light of the full moon.

Bring: Nibblies Drinks and good conversation to share.

Don’t forget to register for beach rides
Text “Beach Rides” to 0411437137 and you will be notified the day before
a beach ride is planned. Join other cyclists for a ride from the City to
the beach on a hot night.

REGULAR EVENTS:
Bike Polo!
Playing in North Carlton during January, Sundays and Tuesdays (until dark)
Check back at http://www.bikepolo.com.au/
Darebin Bug Social Rides – Tuesdays and Thursdays
9:30 a.m. corner plant and union street, northcote. 40 -60 km rides mainly on
bike paths and quiet streets for experienced cyclists. Bring lunch, snacks and
water. Contact Norm on 9484 4767 to confirm start time and location (usually
departs from Jika Jika). http://www.darebinbug.org.au/rides.html
Darebin Bug Port Melbourne Ride – Saturdays
9.30am Meet at Jika Jika Neighbourhood House, cnr Plant & Union Sts, Northcote.
Slow ride suitable for beginners. http://www.darebinbug.org.au/rides.html
The Crosskeys Crusiers – Strathmore – Friday rides
The Crosskeys Crusiers are a group of retired men and women who meet in the
Crosskeys CarPark near the Strathmore station at 9am on Friday mornings.
The rides are decided each Friday and the adventure begins. Some riders go till
morning tea while others ride till lunch and then home at about 3pm. New
members most welcome to chat and share the experience Telephone Max 93783501
or John 93707829
Cyclic Bikes to Mountain Goat – Fridays
6pm sharp Cyclic Bikes, 56 Pin Oak Cres (opposite Newmarket Station)
Ride from Flemington to Mountain Goat Brewery (Richmond). Different route each
week, faster than your average bikefun ride.
YarraBUG Radio – Every Monday on 3CR
Broadcasting every Monday at 10-10.30am on 3CR Community Radio 855am

http://www.yarrabug.org/radio

Have an idea, want to be interviewed or have program feedback? We welcome your
contribution, after all YarraBUG Radio is here for you to help you make your
cycling safe, fun and infectious for others. YarraBUG Radio- streaming live on
the web at: http://www.3cr.org.au/3CR_streaming
Along For The Ride – 3RRR
3RRR’s bicycle podcast is riding along every fortnight! Download the newest
podcasts at http://www.rrr.org.au/programs/podcasts.

******************************************************
Most rides go at a social pace, run rain or shine, and are free (like the
streets themselves).
BikeFun depends on people like you to create events and contribute to
Melbourne’s creative bike community. Organise a ride (or whatever) and BikeFun
will promote it. email details to: bikefun@nikdow.net
To subscribe to the Bike Fun email, send a blank email to:
bikefunmelbourne-subscribe@lists.riseup.net

And, a final note of caution, forwarded from the Cycling Advocates’ Network, NZ

BEWARE, IPOD ZOMBIE CYCLISTS ARE ON THE RISE

29 November 2009- WATCH out for the iPod zombies. Cyclists distracted by
music blaring in their ears have become the latest menace on Britain’s roads.

The fashion for cyclists to wear earphones on crowded city streets is
being held partly responsible for the recent upsurge in cycling injuries and
deaths, as well as collisions with pedestrians.

Read more here:
http://www.timesonline.co.uk/tol/news/uk/article6936280.ece

To have your bike events added to this newsletter, email them to
bill@humanpowered.com.au

Invite your friends to join this once a month newsletter… Newsletter
subscribers are eligible for discounts at Human Powered Cycles.

To join, go to
http://www.humanpowered.com.au/mailman/listinfo/hpc.newsletter

You can unsubscribe from the same address

–

–
Bill Bretherton
Managing Director
Human Powered Cycles | GIVE A BIKE A HOME!
bill@humanpowered.com.au| Great range of city bikes
(03) 9029 6504 | Practical parts and accessories
www.humanpowered.com.au | Bike maintenance training courses
562 High Street, Thornbury VIC 3071

Join our monthly newsletter for the latest news and updates
http://www.humanpowered.com.au/mailman/listinfo/hpc.newsletter