A Kiwi on a Croc looking for a Pub!
Paul Larkin pushing the concept of the Moots PsychloX as a “go anywhere” bike!
Not sure if that’s an attempted bunny hop or not…
DDCX launches another star….
and he as made the winning pass the Koala to the cyclist said…..?
a) oh the bells the bells!
b) do you think that is Eucalyptus globulus, pryoriana, viminalis or ovata?
c) can you tell I’m wearing Rapha!
Larkin’ about on a MOOTS PsychloX
Paul had been planning this creation in minute detail and when all the parts came together it was a very quick build indeed.
It is a little unusual here (and probably anywhere) due to its Ultegra Di2, its discs and its custom paint and anodised highlights.
It has been out and around quite a bit racing and cruising and is about to hit Rotorua to extend his fear threshold with some mountain biking. Literally right after Sunday’s DDCX.
Andrew Stalder’s Parlee Z5
Well it has been a month or so now since “Stalds” got his hands on his new “every day” bike and new position after a quick review of his fit and pedal stroke. His partner Gemma, a photographer (www.gemmacarr.com.au), took the shots below for us.
You can find Andrew’s reaction to his Parlee on twitter @Stalds or you can ask him at the National CX Rounds in Melbourne this weekend. Alternatively you will find him on Strava here and there….
Can he run? Can he jump?
MOOTS Disc ready PsychloX for sale
We have just had delivered a 55 tt disc brake frameset complete with 44mm headtube and ENVE disc fork.
If you want an amazing bike for this season’s races and the next, and the next ditto ad infinitum, talk with Paul as I know he is ready to deal…
Here are some teaser details:
“Tonite’s the nite we’ve waited for” — DDCX is go!
Racing, laughing, eating, racing, drinking, laughing, racing etc. etc.
2.5 hours to go and the guys who started supporting a bunch ride at 5.00am are ready to roll.
Mitch was last seen levitating above the studio floor whilst channeling Lars Boom and patting his bike which is finally in full racing trim.
Paul will switch to a Moots PsychloX for the Prologue and customer Chris Mason jumped at the chance to race the Parlee CX tonight. Simon “knees” Carey will probably throw stuff at him from the sidelines…
Hopefully the 2N’s will return to fight for the coveted “N1″ designation with the corresponding skinsuit.
Drop by and say hello as if we all huddle together it will be warmer!
Oh yes, here is IF Steel Planet X before he hits the sandpit…
Off The Planet X
DDCX is nearly here and the activity is furious below as one man sweats over his new toy. Here are few snippets of details of the build before the final reveal.
I am told he will be out testing the new “low drag anti-cling” finish in the morning as he has been muttering something about “its just like a Belgian summer” all day!
Faster Scottsdale Az
In March after NAHBS I visited Paraic McGlynn to see what was happening with this concept. My prime interest was continuing education around bike fit but the idea of a fully integrated centre of cycling excellence was compelling. In March it was a factory shell with some framework up.
So having introduced Kung Fu and the travelling VIS Tri squad to FASTER, eight months on it was time to get first hand experience to see how things have changed. As indeed it has.
Remarkable progress, a stunning and cohesive complex, a lot of “Secret Squirrel” IP that isn’t yet for public consumption and a business model that is just charging forward.
Beg, steal, borrow just make a booking with your future success!
IF – focused and flying!
An overnight in Portsmouth NH, a quick drive through the stunning scenery to Newmarket delivered me to the door of the new home of Independent Fabrication.
Well it seems the industry has been awash with ill informed rumours regarding IF’s relocation, indeed demise and to perpetuate the misquote of Mark Twain, “rumours of (IF’s) demise are greatly exaggerated” !
The gestation of the facility from relic to home has been chronicled on the IF Blog and to be frank it doesn’t do it justice! It is stylish, functional, spacious, quirky, inviting, relaxed, focused and aligned with continuing the IF Brand’s heritage whilst raising the bar on production and service values and offering an elevated customer experience. Yep it made an impression and was more than worth the journey.
However, buildings don’t make great bikes, people do. More correctly a team does. Toni and Gary gave me the run of the place and the opportunity to introduce myself to and spend time with all of the team. From Jesse and Ryan at “the front end” to Benny in shipping (Director of First Impressions?) one can only be impressed by the clarity of purpose and Mutual accountability for the finished product.
So let the good frames roll!
Parlee and Moots ‘Cross Wang
Two bikes went to Wang for the race last Saturday and, with a fair measure of luck, we got them back!
Niether rider had tried ‘Cross before and both of the thoroughly enjoyed the experience and the bikes to the point where they didn’t want to send them back. Here are some shots from the day.
Moots/Health One synergy!
This ad has gone to air in the Rocky Mountain Region and says a lot about MOOTS!
Pre ‘Cross Melburn skills tip
Well its Westgate Park this sunday and without access to the video of Hayden Kerr’s bunny (no hop achieved) at the State Open, we thought this would provide a great guide to the height that can be achieved over the barriers but more importantly to the timing of the leap…..click here.
The Moots and Parlee CX are back from R&R in Wangaratta and will be there.
PARLEE and MOOTS ‘Cross bikes to race at WANG
This Saturday ‘Cross comes to the northern Victorian Town of Wangaratta and our PARLEE CX and MOOYS PsychloX below will be run by a couple of likely lads from Bright.
Doctor Chris will carry the Parlee mantle while Dave P is excited about the Moots since we assured him that it would retain his preferred pink bartape.
Casey Munro takes “Mr Moots” to the top step
In conditions not quite as cold as the top of King Lake (according to our roving reporter Dan Moore), #CVCX was run with small fields on firm track (sounds like a country horse meeting).
Casey and Simon had a great day taking the Moots PsychloX and Parlee CX to first and third on the podium in the A Grade race. They were split by “Alby” who used spray on mud to do a great impression of a rider from a wet Paris Roubaix and was the only rider on the same lap as Munners at the end.
For the many who asked, N1 and N2 thought they would “warm up” on the KingLake ride and were wrong and DNS.
Given the recent turn of weather, N2 informs us that he has gone back to the drawing board, is using a “greasy” wool and is now using a tighter stitch on his “patent pending” knitted skin suit which will appear at the next Melburn Cross round under the Westgate on the 24th of this month.
BTW Lewis the Rat(tray) was sighted yesterday muttering “what do doctors know”,gnawing at his arm splint and trying to drag Giants from their riders – or is that the other way round. All good signs of impending recovery!
N1 and N2 @ Melburn ‘Cross 2
Snozz was onto them straight away – “A Grade for you two!”
The former N1 had made rash promises of recovering his status and took N2 on a 5.5hour MTB ride on saturday to soften him up!”
These guys work and train together and the strength of the bond can be seen in the photo above where I heard N1 assuring N2 that had there been a stand alone women’s race “Yes you would have won it mate!”
Once it got started, how much the plan had backfired on N2 became more apparent with every lap.
In the photos above, half way through the first lap of a 1 hour race, you can see N1 at the top charging with bike high while N2 below asked “how much has he got on me”
The shots below further highlight the adrenalin rush enjoyed by N1 with his new status as he leaps the pipe while N2 does a pipe dance!
When it came to the rollers, N1 went hard while N2 was heard to utter ” great downhill!”
N2 had worked up a team from work to come watch but N2 assures me they couldn’t stand to watch the slaughter and went to lunch instead.
Word has it than N2 has gone all out for the next round at Westgate and is busily knitting himself a skinsuit.
All of the above is factual, names have not been used to prevent embarrassment and no further correspondence will be entered into.
PS See you soon for the bike fits – N1 is shouting!
MOOTS mounted “Munners” mauls Melburn CX
Well it was always going to be tough to draw a crowd on Fathers’ Day and Lysterfield being a “whole 45 mins minutes away” seems confronting to the Urbanites even though the Dandenongs seem to be a fav road bike jaunt!
The weather during setup looked ominous – dark clouds, patches of rain and strong wind – ideal for ‘Cross. The fields were smallish and in the Juniors very predictable.
Come the Elite/A Grade there were about 30 entrants with the prospect of a hot start from Dan “the one lap wonder” Moore and with Lewis Rattray out to restore the order following the last Dirty Deeds Round. With his first non bitumen race under his belt, Casey Munro asked for gears so we moved him from the Cielo Cross SS to the Moots PsychloX and Simon Carey had recovered from his whooping cough and would race the Parlee CX after a warm up swim across the lake and back.
The race started predictably with a very fast pace given the hardpacked conditions. Munners, Lewis, Dan and Simon establishing a break and then after two laps the two front runners went for it, swapping places and gapping each other. Lewis had a fall recovered and got back to Casey before disaster struck.
I didn’t see it, but Lewis had “the big one” at warp speed on the straight while trying to grab a bottle. Exit one Lewis and one Giant. It was amazing to see how casual the approach was generally to what were potentially serious injuries before he was eventually whisked off to hospital. We wish him a speedy recovery.
Thereafter Casey had to drive himself to learn what it was like to go hard for the hour and he finished with an excellent win and a whole lot more knowledge going into this weekend’s State Champs. Pommy Dan proved he can count beyond 1 and continued on to well earned 2nd while Torq were represented on the final Podium spot and Simon recovered from a fall and a dropped chain to finish 5th.
Well done to Snozz and the gang and we look forward to the next round at Westgate where I think a lot of riders might find the ante has been upped considerably.
Team Trailmix ‘Cross
The “guys” from Trailmix not only promoted a great, if under patronised, event today, they were prominent in the results of many races. Here are some examples:
After Dirty Deeds you….?
You seen the bikes before and after, so now how do you get your bike and you back to shiny as new. The DD CX Flyer is a pointer to the ritualised clean up routine following Sunday’s mud fest.
We held out as long as we could but have been prevailed upon to offer a secret viewing here (sorry about the orientation – tips on correcting welcome!):
Face up to it – ‘Cross hurts
Last lap, half a lap to go and a rise to get over – the faces said it all!
N1 and N2 @ DDCX
Prior to last Sunday I raised the question whether the two “B Grade” standouts (N1 and N2 to protect the innocent) at the Trail Mix Cross race would be moved up to “A” at Dirty Deeds.
Well, the former N2 (above) fronted and nominated himself in “A” while N1 found, in the face of the prospect of tougher competition, that he had to stay home and wash his hair or darn his socks! Therefore, the former N2 is now the “NEW N1″. Hail the new N1!
New N2 see you at Trailmix Specialised Cross at Lysterfield on Sunday September 4. It is Sunday so you can redeem yourself.
Cielo, Moots and Parlee CX Shots by Brian Mangano
Here are Brian’s great shots of Casey (Cielo Cross SS) who was second in “A Grade”, Cam (Moots PsychloX) who was third and Simon (Parlee CX) who had a strategic flat while trying to breath through a straw!
You can visit his facebook page here or see the vast array at Dirty Deeds CX
Dirty Deeds CX reveals surge in “Pushy” parents
The great thing for me around these events has been the diversity of participants and the number of kids who just had to be involved.
On Sunday there was young racer on his kick bike who had his mum chasing him the whole way and he just did not want to stop! And you thought it was a long way on 700c wheels.
In one shot it actually looks like mum is trying to take over the bike… a senate committee has been formed to investigate so no result likely anytime soon.
My favorite shot below is of the dad who is either playing the pantomime monster or is sneaking up to steal the bike….
The dedicated dad award must surely go to this man below although there were reported sightings of a cattle prod from within the trailer.
‘Cross Dressing
Creativity takes many forms and these two have been consistant “achievers” in the inappropriate dress competition.. – can you be too good at dress ups?
‘Cross when your front wheel is missing..
Well how do you get around the the race distance on a bike with just one wheel – you ride ride like breaking a horse and these guys have it nailed! Great to watch – will the State Open have a race for their talents?
