THE AUSTRALIAN BICYCLING MAGAZINE NUMBER TWENTY EIGHT SUMMER 1984/85 $2 .50 Touring bike reviews ·-··'~ong Ride photos .. ' Bicycle travel ongolia _,_, I ~ - ff 'PCDCJrC E ~ "4PR1',yt----A -. - _!Jl_VA_I_ B_!-_£':~ROW, LEA~ltl_G f' YCL/f;A . ERS 1 _ 1 1 ; 1 1 _ 1 _ _. 1 $ SUBJECT TO CHANGE wn HouT ~ OTICE , f ATION ' 1sPEC1F 1 1 , t , , I ' I I I ! I I I I Freewheeling is published six times a year in CONTENTS SUMMER 1984/85 the months of January, March, May, July, September and November. ISS N 0156 4 579. FEATURES Editorial and travel service offices: Rm. 57 THE GRASSLANDS OF MONGOLIA ............. ........... 11 Trades Hall, Dixon & Goulburn Streets, Sydney NSW. Address all correspondence New frontiers in bicycle adventure travel and mail orders to PO Box K26 Haymarket FOUL WEATHER FRIENDS ... .... .......................... 16 NSW 2000. Telephone 1021 264 8544. Coping with rain and wind is a matter of attitude? Publisher/Editor: Warren Salomon A HIGH TECH TRAVELLER .................................. 33 Production: Solar powered computing on the road Philip Somerville SUMMER GIFT IDEAS ........ .. .. ... ........................ 34 Material in this publication may not be Suggestions on what to buy your bikie friends stored or reproduced in any form with out permission. Request for permission should RIDE TO ROXBY ....... .. .................. ......... ..... 47 be directed to the Publisher. Editorial con­ The anti uranium movement is still pedalling tributions on all aspects of cycling are SYDNEY TO THE 'GONG ..................................... 41 welcomed. Send an inquiry or write for guidelines. Freewheeling can not accept Colour pictures and words on this year's big r ide material previously published in other BIKEPLANNING IN LONDON ................................ 58 publications. Letters from readers for the How cyclists are getting a better deal in London Write On column are also welcomed. Typesetting: Pavilion Press Set l021 211 0252 Printing: Offset Alpine Printing P / L, Derby & BICYCLE TOURING Wetherill Sts, Silverwater NSW. Ph: 1021 647 BICYCLING VICTORIA ...................................... 1000. Distribution - Newsagents: Gordon 21 & Gotch Pty. Ltd. l02) 667 0466 or offices in A bicycle travellers guide to the Garden State your state. Controlled circulation and MYALL LAKES TOUR ............................... ...... 31 Bicycle Dealer Distribution: Freewheeling Pleasant riding in the Great Lakes area. Mail Order Box K26 Haymarket NSW 2000 1021 264 8544. Cover price is recommended retail price ROAD TESTS AND REVIEWS only. Registered for posting with APO THE IMPOSSIBLE RIDE ................... ................ 36 Category B, Publication No. NBH2266. SYDNEY BICYCLE TOURS ................................... 39 SPENCO SADDLE PAD & GLOVES ............................ 56 SHOGUN 1500 .. .. ........................................... 62 TRAVELLER 300 . ........... ................................ 6 4 FREEWHEELING 28 GEMINI RANDONNEUR ..................................... 6 4 DEPARTMENTS EFFECTIVE CYCLING ....................................... 66 FROM THE PUBLISHER ... 5 SOMERVILLE .. 27 TANDEM TALK .. .... ...... 32 RAMBLING .. 5 r Cover photograph: Rob Fletcher poses for the camera with members of a Mongolian family out­ FAT TYRE FANATIC ..... .40 side their yurt. This structure is made of felt and is the traditional form of habitation for the AUSTRALIA A WHEEL ....... 67 Mongolese people outside the busy cities. Photo this page: Riders setting out on this years Repco BIKE EVENTS CALENDAR . 67 Freewheeling Sydney to the 'Gong Bicycle Ride. Colour pictures and words on this event are in the centre pages of this issue. Photos: Christine Fletcher, Ric Bolzan. CLASSIFIEDS ... 81 Copyright © 1984 Freewheeling FREEWHEELING 3 Australia Publications a~• ~Y1.1: TAKES ALL THE KNOCKS YOUR HEAD CAN'T • Un iquely constructed . this helmet has a twin ABS shell with a thick layer of styrofoam in between . giving lightness without compromising st reng th. The Apollo Dalyte cycling helmet is outstanding adjustable headband ensures a comfortable fit in its field. Superbly light and comfortable, this for all sizes . helmet offers one of the highest degrees of • Meets NZS8601 and AS2063 . safety available. • A distinctive air flow ventilation system - no • Weighing only 490 g.rams , the helmet can be need for holes in the shell . The helmet is worn all day in complete comfort suspended away from the head - a design • The Apollo Dalyte was recently subjected to engineered to allow the flow of cool air to strenuous testing by the prestigious American circulate between the top of the head and the Snell Foundation and was recognised as one helmet. Testing also proved that a full shell of the best examples of protective headgear design without holes provides optimum available on today 's market. structural strength while preventing branches , • The Apollo Dalyte is head and shoulders above gravel and pointed objects from entering the the rest in protection , visibility and lightweight helmet, (not to mention rain or bees). The comfort. Apollo Dalyte also incorporates safety reflector • The strap up harness has a quick release strip . catch and removable chin cup ; the fully Manufactured by Taranaki Equipment Distributors Ltd., New Zealand. Marketed in the USA under the Bailen label. Distributed in Australia by the World of Wheels group of specialist bicycle retailers. Check the Yellow Pages for your local WOW dealer or contact: Apollo Bicycle Co. Pty. Ltd., P.O. Box 167, Wahroonga NSW 2076, Telephone (02) 487 1900. SHA384AP 4 FREEWH J:.'ELING From the Publisher Frewheeling magazine has agreed to 1984 The year of the ATB or act as a clearing house for information the year of the touring bike? and ideas and to provide support for the At this years end it is much harder to setting up of a national organization to see the trends that have recently shaped foster the activity of all-terrain bicycling. the bicycle scene in Australia. The in­ As proposers of the Wilderness Trail we dustry is in the middle of its busy season hope that a new ATE organisation will so the successes and failures of 1984 take on its development with the wont become apparent until the winter enthusiasm that the Australian Cycle sets in next June. Trails group has shown for its road At this stage the fifteen/eighteen­ based network. speed specialist touring bike which has If we still have to wait another year for only this year m ade its Aussie debut the touring bike or the ATE to claim seemssetforgeneralacceptance.Many their places in the spotlight then perhaps people in the touring scene have said 1984 could rightly be called the year of over the years that the development of the computer. It was during this year their sport has been retarded by the lack that a number of Australian bicycle ad­ of the proper hardware, namely good vocate groups and and many overseas specialist bikes. took the plunge and introduced the The fact that these bikes are now micro chip into their operations. available added to the phenomenal Flyers. A report of this event appears in Though there are many fallacies about sucess of large touring type events such this issue. As yet there have been no what computers can and can not do it is as the Sydney to the 'Gong ride, the organized touring type events but this certain that their use will take care of the Great Victorian Bike Ride (which has magazine intends to eventually stage a large mechanical tasks such as member­ attracted over 2000 people to a nine two day tour for fat tyre fanatics and ship listings and mailouts thus freeing day ride) and others means that we are no doubt others will do so likewise. up precious volunteer labour for more on the brink of a recreational cycling Possibly the most exciting proposal important tasks. Already the Bicycle In­ explosion. Shall we say the fuse has that will act as a focus for the develop­ stitute of Victoria has one and at least been lit. ment of the all-terrain touring scene Australian Cycle Trails is using theirs to Over the coming years there will be is the surveying of a wilderness route store the large amounts of data collected many opportunities to test the accuracy running up the east coases remain­ in their trail research. The Bicycle of this prediction. At present work is ing forested areas and linking the Institute of NSW is at present survey­ proceeding in a majority of states on the metropolitan regions of Melbourne, ing the market before making its formidable task of mapping and Canberra, Sydney and Brisbane. The purchase decision and many of the cataloguing the nations roads as suitable route would avoid all forms of habita­ smaller groups around the country bicycle touring routes. This is principal­ tion where possible and only cross main already have access to a machine ly part of an ambitious scheme to stage roads at right angles. In most cases it through share arrangements. a series of large scale event rides to would traverse State Forests and the We are yet to see the commencement celebrate the Australian Bicentennial more remote National Parks and use a of a public videotext system but in 1988. mixture of tracks and fire trails. Telecom 1s British Prestel system is at Though the Australian Cycle Trails organization is spearheading this impor­ tant work many of the larger touring groups are in some ways involved. ACT Executive Director Michael Burlace estimates that his organization will have completed at least a preliminary study of all the trails to be used in 1988 by the end of 1985. The first completed guide book of the country's oldest rural bicycle route, the Pacific Coast Cycle Trail, is expected to be available by winter 1985. The developing touring scene is not the only recent development set to ig­ nite a bicycle use explosion. Another fuse was lit during winter this year by a large group of fat tyre fanatics when they met in the sleepy NSW town of Sofala to stage the first public event to show­ case use of the all-terrain or mountain 1985 marks the one hundredth anniversary of the Safety bicycle.