THE ROAD
WARRIORS
It is fast becoming the "new
fishing" for men. Packs of blokes in flashy lycra riding their expensive bikes along
the bay on weekends are now a common sight.
DONNA COUTTS investigates the attraction.
PICTURES : ANDREW TAUBER and MICHAEL KLEIN
Dawn phantorns : fast, flash. aerodynarnic and anonymous under
helmets. goggles, gloves, jerseys, lycra and funny shoes
Blink and youll miss them as they whiz past in their dozens on
those quick. slick racing machines
More than 70,000 Melburnians ride a bike on an average day, and
though many are no-nonsense commuters and school children happy on any old set of wheels,
thousands are serious-looking road war-riors who set out at the crack of dawn to heat the
traffic.
Hidden under helinets, outsiders can't tell the professionals
from the well-dressed weekenders. But, regardless of the credentials of their riders, most
packs travel at more than 50kmph, a speed that prevents them safely using bike paths.
Riding to keep fit is one of the reasons thousands of Melbourne
men get on bikes.
David Connell, a former fronman and triathlete, says part of the
appeal of road riding is to look after an ageing body.
"Age catches up with all of us," Connell, 38, says
Bicycle Victoria's Harry Barber agrees.
"A lot of people come over from running as they are getting
into their 40s," Barber says.
"They are starting to get some wear and tear to their
joints and cycling is a low-impact thing."
While women turn to power walking and hundreds pound the
pavement all over Melbourne each morning, men prefer the more macho combination of speed
and mechanics. Cyclists love the thrill of moving at speed.
"Cycling allows you to travel with your thoughts,"
says Franc di Lallo, who rides with the Mascot Cycles group from 7am on Saturdays.
"On the bike, thinking is different. Your moughts are
moving along at me speed of your bike, which is usually about 50km/h."
They also talk about the social nature of pack riding. Cormell
says he has met life-long friends through me sport.
"You get to meet a whole lot of people you wouldn't
otherwise meet," he says.
"I started riding and training on the Yarra Boulevard in
Kew and basically sald 'hello' as I rode past Ray and Janet (who run Mascot Cycles in
Bridge Rd, Richmond) in 1997 and we've been friends ever since."
Connell travelled to Italy with Ray and Janet last year on a
buying tour for the store and bought his most recent bike frame from the Bianchi factory.
Most bike shops that cater to the serious end of the market
organise group rides two or three times a week, and there are cycling clubs, such as the
St Kilda Cycling Club, which organise rides, trips away and races.
Apart from the obvious social pleasures of riding with a group,
cyclists discuss the merits of their latest equipment purchases, pick up tips on technique
and enjoy the security of numbers - 30 cyclists moving as a pack are more visible to
motorists than one or two riders.
And, like enthusiasts of sports such as fishing, there's a
certain inexplicable feeling of privilege at being able to see the world in a different
light, usually when other people are still asleep.
"When we get to Black Rock each Saturday morning we have a
sprint," says Connell, still warm from an early Saturday-morning group ride.
"This morning the sun was just coming up and you could see
right to the tip of Mt Martha. It was just magnificent."
But something most road cyclists (the majority of them men)
won't immediately admit is an attraction to the flash gear, Harry Barber says.
Women get to express themselves with fabric every day of the
week, but men are stuck in business suits and have to wait for an excuse, he says.
'You've got to feel like the fellas who do it
professionally," jokes Barber.
"You've got to have gloves, long trousers, the lot. The
sunglasses need to cost you $100 or they don't work properly.
"And wearing a pink shirt with dots on it is fun. During
the week you have to wear the same suit as everyone else and on the weekend you can be a
bit of a peacock."
Connell has no trouble justifying the expense.
'I don't drink, I don't smoke, I don't gamble, but I saved up
and spend my money on something this nice. I might save up for a new set of wheels or
something. That's what's nice for me.
Di Lallo has a similar set of motivations to Connell.
'I ride because I like the equipment," di Lallo says.
'I know that's shallow, but I like the equipment. Sure. it takes
the pressure off my knees and it incorporates a scenic drive, but I like the
equipment."
Why they do it
Franc dl Lallo,
town planner
Rides: Peugeot, worth about $2000, 10 months old.
Weekly distance: At least 50km.
Why I ride: I couldn't afford a Porsche so I got one of
these instead. I ride for the convenience. I've been riding on and oft for about 10 years.
It allows you to travel with your thoughts. The gear has definitely become part of the
appeal.
Jill Gregory, 38,
Communications Manager
Rides: Bianchi, worth $2000, two weeks old.
Weekly distance: At least 50km.
Why I ride: I enjoy the exercise. It's good fun, social
and it's such a good way to see the countryside. I got my first bike when I was eight and
I've been
riding ever since.
David Connell, 38,
Marketing Manager
Rides: Bianchi, worth $9000, eight months old.
Weekly distance:
150-200km.
Why I ride: I've mainly done triathions. I've done four
ironman events but age catches up with all of us. I've always loved riding. I ride for
fun. You get to meet a whole lot of people you wouldn't otherwise meet.
Ben Hawley, 30,
Computer support
Rides: Olmo worth $1500, two years old.
Weekly distance:
150-200km.
Why I ride: I ride mostly for the zing, but what I mean
is the rush you get out of riding quickly and with a group. I didn't end up riding it for
a year or so when I got this bike because I wasn't feeling that secure with the clip-in
pedals and all the gear, so I just practised and practised.
Sharon Burton, 21,
Dance Teacher
Rides: Shogun, worth $450, six months old.
Weekly distance:
50-75km.
Why I ride: For fitness and it's very social. We all come
back after the ride and have coffee. I thought riding would be OK, but it is grouse. I
love it. It takes something you really enjoy doing to get up at 5.3Oam. I live in Mulgrave
and I go to David's (Connell's) at 6.30 for breakfast. I'm looking to upgrade as soon as I
can. This bike is too heavy and doesn't quite fit.
Weekend riders
A survey by Bayside Council in January 1999 counted 172
south-bound and 198 north-bound training cyclists rather than recreational cyclists
(distinguished from recreational cyclists by road bikes, clothing and speed) riding past
Were St, Brighton, on Beach Rd in the hour from 5am. Traffic engineers at Bayside predict
that Sunday numbers would be much higher.
Bicycie Victoria's now out of date count of traffic on Beach Rd
one Sunday in 1997 found there were 1033 cyclists to 954 cars between 7am and 10am.
Because they were on the road rather than the parallel bike path, most would come under
Bayside's definition of training.
Anecdotal evidence from Bicycle Victoria and councils suggests
the popularity of the Beach Rd ride continues to increase.
Most groups complete a loop along the edge of the bay between
Port Melboume and Mordialloc or Frankston. This is popular because there are few traffic
lights, the terrain is flat and motorists expect to see cyclists here. Other popular rides
for serious cyclists include the Yarra Boulevard at Bumley and Studley Park.
HOW MUCH DOES IT COST ?
Met bonded shell helmet
$229
Rudy Project carbon glasses
$169
Mascot Cycles team jersey $89
Body Torque Roubaix arm warmers
$39
San Marco Rolls Titanium Duo saddle
$195
Corima carbon-fibre seat post
$296
Mascot Cycles team shorts $119
Assos Roubaix knee warmers
$66
Padded cycle gloves
$39
Sigma computer
$89
Modolo Anatomic handlebars
$149
Cinelli cork ribbon
$29
ITM Big One headstem
$146
Campagnolo Record Carbon brake/gear levers $706
Bianchi Reparto Corsa team issue EV2 handmade alloy frame with
full carbon-fibre forks $3666
Cane Creek titanium front and rear brakes $386
Velocity water-bottle cages $13
each
Bianchi team water bottle
$12
Bianchi mini pump
$39
Campagnolo Record titanium 13-23 cassette $366 -
Campagnolo Record rear derailleur
$436
Campagnolo chain $96
Bench socks $19
John Luck Master shoes
$166
Campagnolo Record crank set
$59Q
Campagriolo Record titanium pedals
$556
Campagnolo Chorus front derailleur
$149
Campagnolo Record titanium bottom bracket
$286
Campagnolo Nucleon Climb Dynamic racing wheels $1766
Continental Grand Prix 3006 tyres
$89 each
Latex inner tubes
$26 each
American Classic titanium front
$46 each
and rear wheel skewers
