Drifting

This one from the Kingdom of Saud, you need a little wind blown sand on the road to make it happen...

be your own pet - bicycle bicycle you are my bicycle (live)

Have fun, and be safe with it
Just do it, mosh me up
We ride bikes, cars are for idiots
All because, all because
We're on two wheels baby
We're on two wheels baby
We're on two wheels baby
We're on two wheels baby

BYOP's first gig

Katie's back in town!

Beautiful bicycle photos from Katie's trip to Europe. Click on the photo to see the whole collection.

SBAR Project

A group of TAFE students led by Sydney Body Art Rider Reshan submitted their project to their class this week. They undertook a comprehensive study of ways to organise and help promote next year's ride. The students have come up with some great suggestions.

Come and see the Junk Band

Sydney Body Art Rider Cazzbo's band is playing the Empire Hotel on Friday the 30th of June.
Described as "The sex pistols meet Bing Crosby" The junk band are virtuosos of the bizarre, layers of insanity, lunacy and anarchy combine with swinging saws, flying chooks and irreverent satire to provide a passionate musical experience like no other.

Road deaths are no joke

Well to my surprise my letter got printed, it seems to have hit a nerve as you can see from the editor's comment. I did like the headline she (or he) thought up for it.

Today's Herald

Pedaller's humans are in the paper today! SBAR wishes them every success with this fantastic venture. Hopefully we will see a couple of pedicabs in next year's Sydney Body Art Ride.

Sydney Body Art Riders in Fremont Solstice Parade

SBAR volunteers Liz and Woody are over in the USA, guess what they've been up to lately...



Liz and Woody were some of our best volunteers so we were pretty sad to see them go but at least they are keeping up the good work over there!
More pictures here

Bicycle Buddha

A Zen approach to the bicycle experience appears in a story about an old Zen master who questioned each of his five bicycling students, “Why are you riding your bicycles?”

The first student replied, “The bicycle is carrying this sack of potatoes. I am glad that I do not have to carry them on my back.” The teacher responded, “You are wise, for when you grow old, you will not walk hunched over as I do.”

The second student replied, “I love to watch the trees and fields pass by as I roll down the path.” The teacher commended the student saying, “Your eyes are open, and see the world.”

The third student replied, “When I ride my bicycle I am content to chant nam myoho renge kyo.” The teacher praised his pupil, “Your mind will roll with the ease of the perfectly true wheel.”

The fourth student replied, “Riding my bicycle I live in harmony with all sentient beings.” The teacher was pleased: “You are riding on the golden path of non-harming.”

Finally the fifth student replied, “I ride my bicycle to ride my bicycle.” The teacher then sat down at the feet of this child and said, “I am your student!”

My cat hates cars too

Chaika




Send me your cat with bicycle pictures

Big Red

A red kangaroo bounding through the desert is the symbol of the outback. With males weighing up to 85 kg and standing as tall as a man, they are Australia's largest native animal. Except during drought, most females will have a joey in the pouch or one beside her, and males will be 'boxing' to determine the strongest. Except in very hot weather, red kangaroos can go for several days without drinking. Does your bike have a name?









Messing around with the camera this morning I realised my chain is FILTHY! Must get around to cleaning it at some point...

William St Bike Lanes

In the continuing fiasco over the cross city tunnel Premier Iemma has in his wisdom decided to scrap the bike lanes on William St. I swear the NSW ALP Right are kept in power only by the extreme religious right currently running the NSW Liberals.

Anyway we are determined to fight for any cycle infrastructure we can get (however pitiful it is) so Paul Johnson is organising a BUG ride from Morris's electoral office on Sunday the 25th of June. As Paul says...

"This really is about more than just William St. Politicians are gearing up for the election. The Cross City Tunnel has been a high profile ill conceived stuff up. The political cure seems to be to shaft cyclists. If we don't cause a stink over this and make it an issue, other cycle paths, lanes and facilities around Sydney and the whole state are up for getting degraded whenever it is politically expedient."

Ride details:
June 25 Sunday - Backpedalling on William St
Distance: 55km (27km one way to Kings Cross)
Grade: some traffic, includes cyclepaths, includes cycleways, moderate pace
Contact: Paul Johnson mobile 0438536458 or pauljohnson@pacific.net.au
Starts at: assemble 9:30am opposite Premier Morris Iemmas office in his local electorate, 48 Thurlow St, Riverwood (visible from Riverwoodrailway station entrance). Ride leaves 10:00am sharp! Don't be late!

So come on people, don't be shy let's hook up and make ourselves heard. Should be a fun day out anyway. Paul's made a poster you can print here

Bicycle capital of the World

The industrialized nations made a terrible mistake when they turned to the automobile as an instrument of improved urban mobility. The car brought with it major unanticipated consequences for urban life and has become a serious cause of environmental, social, and aesthetic problems in cities. The urban automobile:

-Kills street life
-Damages the social fabric of communities
-Isolates people
-Fosters suburban sprawl
-Endangers other street users
-Blots the city's beauty
-Disturbs people with its noise
-Causes air pollution
-Slaughters thousands every year
-Exacerbates global warming
-Wastes energy and natural resources
-Impoverishes nations

The challenge is to remove cars and trucks from cities while at the same time improving mobility and reducing its total costs.

With over 60% of commuters travelling by bicycle Groningen is the World's best example of what can be done.


Today, the main form of transport in Groningen is the bicycle, and 60per cent of inhabitants travel by bike - compared with four per cent in the UK, and a national Dutch average of 25 per cent. But Groningen used to be anything but bike-friendly. The city's love affair with cycling began in earnest 16 years ago, when politicians backed radical proposals for digging up city-centre motorways to rid the city of traffic chaos and create a virtually car-free centre of green spaces, pedestrianised streets, more bike paths and separate bus lanes.

At first, the move was far from popular with the retail sector, which feared a mass exodus of shoppers to faraway shopping centres and a fall off in trade. But, in fact, the reverse has happened and businesses are clamouring for even more "cyclisation" of streets. According to city planners, the reduced congestion in the city has steadily benefited jobs and businesses. Faster journey times for employees have meant better productivity, and a nicer environment has brought in plenty of happy shoppers.


Bicycle-friendly urban planning is good for business

A letter to Inner West Weekly

When I got home tonight I was annoyed (but not surprised) to discover that our local newspaper was waging a campaign against the recent attempt by Ashfield Council to introduce a 30kmh speed limit in residential streets. It made me a little bit cross so I wrote them a letter...

"Dear Editor,

I was dismayed to see the headline on the front of Inner-West this week, "we're a joke" I call that biased and tabloid, not good enough guys, lift your game.I think we should all be proud that our council is taking these steps to protect the community. It is very easy to find scientific evidence that a 30kmh speed limit saves lives. I found this in just ten minutes on the Monash University website

"Several studies have shown that the risk of a pedestrian receiving fatal injuries at an impact speed of 50 km/h is approximately 10 times higher than at an impact speed of 30 km/h."

When little Sophie Delizio was run down recently the commercial media jumped on the story in a frenzy of hand wringing but now when the community trys to introduce a measure that would have prevented the accident they howl with derision. As a father I find it very disappointing that anyone could value a slightly faster trip to the shops or to work over the life and safety of our children. Cr Lance Dale should have supported this motion but instead chose to use it to play petty politics. So much for his green credentials... "

Here is a link to the article that I was responding to. Why don't you write them one too?

Lance Armstrong Just Glad International Cycling Union Doesn't Test For HeroinJune 8, 2006 | Onion SportsAUSTIN, TX

—Seven-time Tour De France winner Lance Armstrong, who was yet again cleared of doping charges last week by the International Cycling Union (UCI), said Monday he was just glad that his former sport's governing body does not currently test for the use of heroin. "I'm not saying I was a regular user, but let's put it this way: Without smack, there's no way anyone could finish the Tour De France, let alone win it," Armstrong told the audience at a cancer-awareness banquet. "Trust me, the human body can't put up with that kind of punishment day in and day out over an entire month of hundred-plus-mile days without something a little stronger than bananas and massages." The UCI would not respond to Armstrong's comments, saying only that under current policies, any cyclist caught in possession of heroin within three days will have the drug confiscated by race officials.

Party at Chas's house

Chas got a new BBQ so we all went round to help him try it out.
For some reason it was a very sporty party as you can see from the pictures.

Sam's backhand over the shoulder shot


The girls watched "Bend it like Beckham" yesterday


Carlo is not hitting a peace dove, it's just an optical illusion...

World Cup Fever

Sorry I forgot to get a shot of Chas's new state of the art BBQ

SBAR Paint Team

We sent Jen along to do some painting for Sydney's recent Hair Expo, looks like she did a great job.

Riding in red

Red Dynasty


Red Gown


Red Jacket


Sleepy Red


Red Coat


Red dress


Red Beard

Polly

This is one of my favourite photos of PJ because she looks a bit like Natasha