A letter from cazzbo

Globe trotting comedian and SBAR Captain Cazzbo was in Melbourne recently and sent us this letter. Yes an actual letter with stamps and everything! She enclosed some amusing bicycle related clippings she found in the newspapers down there. Click on them to see a larger version.



If you have any interesting bike/Art related stuff you'd like to share, send it in and we'll stick it up. write to sbarhq@yahoo.com.au

Melbourne cyclists

I tried typing Byron cyclist into Flickr and this was result number one. Uncanny!

Police love cyclists

Tweed Run

Make some space in the diary and start planning your outfit.

Hit and Run

On Saturday the 7th of February, Iggy Kim, an outstanding young violinist studying at the Sydney Conservatorium was run down and left for dead by a callous Sydney motorist. Iggy suffered massive head injuries when he was thrown from his bicycle onto the windscreen and roof of a parked car, then to the roadway. A plastic surgeon has made considerable progress in repairing serious fractures to Iggy’s upper and lower jaws, as well as to extensive injuries to his lips, face and mouth.

To raise the required funds in order to relieve Iggy’s suffering and to ensure his brilliant future, Iggy’s friends and colleagues have rallied together to establish the Iggy Kim Benefit. The Benefit aims to raise funds for his treatment with a large raffle and a gala concert at the Sydney Conservatorium of Music at 7.30pm on Thursday 23rd April. The Dean of the Conservatorium, Dr. Kim Walker, shocked at Iggy's terrible injuries, has kindly offered the Verbrugghen Hall for the Concert. More than 100 outstanding musicians have already volunteered to perform or to assist with the Concert. It will feature an Orchestra, Chamber ensembles and soloists from the volunteer concert performers, staff and students of the Conservatorium and one or more significant community music ensembles. If you have not been to the Con since its extensive rebuilding was completed then this is the evening to see the spectacular results of the work and to help a worthy effort at the same time. Thursday 23 April from 7.30pm.

Map and directions

Inspired Bicycles - Danny MacAskill April 2009

Wet Weather Cyclists

Winter is here!
I took these pictures this morning on Wilson St. Despite the wet weather there were heaps of people braving the elements. Personally I love riding in the rain, splashing through the puddles and sucking in all that lovely fresh, clean air. I love the idea of actually being part of the living world. Actually experiencing the different seasons instead of riding around in an air conditioned box.

It turns out I'm not Robinson Crusoe either. Over on Sydney Cyclist everyone is discussing the joys of riding in the rain.

So don't be a fair weather cyclist. Get yourself some mudguards and a raincoat and get into it. I can promise you that you will enjoy it. If you want some tips have a look at the Ultracyclist's suggestions.

This photo by Azchael

Great letter in SMH today

Excellent letter today from a bicycle commuter in Dulwich Hill. She even managed to achieve the much coveted "First Word" spot! I guess the only thing she didn't mention was the money you can save by bike commuting but the Subbie has covered that in the headline! If you click on it you will get a bigger version.


Cycling gives you fabulous calves too...
Photo: Jed Jacobsohn

Stuff motorists miss out on

Frangipani Trees
Jasmine, Rain, Orange Blossom
Ride, Breath Deep, Listen

Someonestolemybike.com: Kristy

http://someonestolemybike.com/

Bicycle Poetry

Nikki Giovanni is Professor of English at Virginia Tech in the USA.

In her book of poems, the bicycle is a metaphor for life. The wheels represent tragedy and trauma, because they're always there on the bike spinning. Falling and pain is inevitable as you learn to ride a bike.

In an interview with Bill Moyer, Giovanni says, "When we see the messengers on that bike, that's just trust and balance. They just say, 'I'm coming at it. I don't care if the cars are going to swerve, I'm ...' It's beautiful watching them on their bicycles. But we do that in our relationships. It's the same bike. We are continuing relationships through trust and balance."

"Bicycles" by Nikki Giovanni from her book Bicycles Love Poems

Midnight poems are bicycles
Taking us on safer journeys
Than jets
Quicker journeys
Than walking
But never as beautiful
A journey
As my back
Touching you under the quilt

Midnight poems
Sing a sweet song
Saying everything
Is all right

Everything
Is
Here for us
I reach out
To catch the laughter

The dog thinks
I need a kiss

Bicycles move
With the flow
Of the earth
Like a cloud
So quiet
In the October sky
Like licking ice cream
From a cone
Like knowing you
Will always
Be there

All day long I wait
For the sunset

The first star
The moon rise

I move
To a midnight
Poem
Called
You
Propping
Against
The dangers

Via Cyclelicious

Bicycle powered Seamstresses

Just been reading one of my favourite blogs "Riding Pretty" from California. She always has interesting stuff on there and great photos.

I was reading about these two Dutch Ladies, Karin Arts and Marieke Biegman, who have a Mobile Sewing Studio. It turns out they recently visited Perth and Adelaide. What a shame they didn't make it to Sydney! What they do sounds really cool. They roll up on their bikes and set up their pedal powered sewing machines and a disco. Then they pimp your clothes for you while you sing and dance! Then you have a chance to dance in your new outfit!

The Deadly Nightshades Midnight Bike Crew

The Nightshades are a Toronto based bike crew & design collective combined. They promote ethical and sustainable design, as well as general mischief...

They've got a great blog too.

Velovixens - Best of the web

People you can meet, riding in the street...

















And check out Bike Belles

Alleycat - Timetrial Adelaide

Stay focused

I read an interesting statistic the other day. In over 80% of bicycle accidents the cyclist is in some way at fault. Now that's not to say that the motorist or pedestrian you've run into hasn't also contributed to the accident in some way. For example getting doored, the motorist should have looked before they opened their door right in your face, but you shouldn't have been riding in the door zone.

That affectionate couple that just wandered obliviously into your path, in the dark, dressed in black, should have looked before they crossed the road, but you should have been ready to give them a honk or a tinkle. Pedestrians are strange contrary creatures, you really have to watch them. I've made eye contact with people on the side of the road and they've then proceeded to step out right in front of me!

In particular beware of the now ubiquitous ipod zombie! And don't be one yourself! Riding without your ears is short changing your safety, you should be using all the senses you have to keep aware of what is going on on the road around you. You need to be observing. You can't let yourself fall into a dream no matter how familiar your commute is or how beatiful the weather might be in this beautiful South Pacific City. Look at things. When you’re riding a bike in traffic you need to stay focused. At any single instant there can be a hundred things poised to knock you off balance.

Don't end up like this guy!

It's nice to smile and nod at other cyclists but don't get too distracted.

If you're going to cross an intersection on a red light, stop and have a good look around first. Don't just take your chances and bomb on through. It's just not worth it.

SBAR Photos

Photos continue to arrive. These ones came in the post today from Phil Johnson.





If you have photos of the ride please send them in. Write to sbarhq at yahoo.com.au for a postal address. You can see lots more in our Flickr Pool