Photography by Fletcher Media
Fires... Covid... it's time to get back to (retro) racing in South Australia!
Back in 2019, Inside Line Incorporated were celebrating our 25th anniversary and we had been discussing various ways of making the State Champs a memorable one. Club President Ben Anderson came up with the idea of holding a retro class to honor the many racers the club have come trough our ranks and also entice the old crew to come back to racing. Some general rules were drafted up for the category:
- 2006 frame or prior
- Components from the same time period
- 26 inch wheels or smaller
- 680mm bars or narrower
- Some leeway allowed to make sure the category filled up
- Period costumes recommended!
Last year Oscar Baulderstone took first place and the state champ jersey, with Nathan Bridgewater taking second place and Oscar's brother Fergus rounding out the podium with 3rd place. So the table was set for a massive showdown to see if Oscar could defend his title jersey in 2020.
This year we seen a much larger group of racers including some familiar faces who go back to the mid nineties of the club. Although the rain held off, what wasn't expected was the trails turning to dust and becoming incredibly hard to ride, especially on bikes that had not seen the best of times! After some fairly intense racing in increasingly wild and windy conditions, it was Reagen Higgins who took the top spot, followed by Jack Cavanagh in second and Oscar Baulderstone rounding the third step.
Edit - Sean actually races under 13's!!
I told him the story of my first bike which was a 1995 Raleigh M-50 that I bought brand new in college. I told him that it didn't even have a suspension fork. He couldn't believe it. He didn't even know that was a thing. They I went through the upgrades, the next bike, the bike after that... I told him how awesome it was the first time I got a full squish.
It's great to have today's tech, and in my son's case, really nice stuff. However, the fun of moving up (financially and technology wise) has also been pretty cool.
I used to race one of those Scott Octane dh rigs, bizarre things even then, didn’t take kindly to a little incident with a tree mid flight I remember! Top tube cracked right open
(Gawd I love that skit)
Those were still light years ahead of my UBrake rear and Cantilever front setup that actually accelerated when you applied the brakes in the wet. The brakes scraped the mud off the rims making them lighter and faster haha.
V- brakes were so good after using canti's or side pull caliper brakes?
P"
www.whip-mtb.com/feeds/596e8bf8535ea1395426e17d/greg-minnaar-and-all-of-his-great-bikes-on-the-wall-in-his-shop-includ
The one in Minnars shop is just a "derailleur-in-a-box" model.. I believe all the true gearbox bikes were destroyed.
Either way, it was such a cool bike and design and it was a huge bummer that it just got burried at the end of Hondas test period..
photos.app.goo.gl/9v65VDk8eNr16PRh9
Only thing is that makes all gearing parts last too long?
Funny that it is almost too easy?
It is not that it does not work?
But reasons why are more to do with how much longer gearing parts will last?
worldwide.espacenet.com/publicationDetails/biblio?CC=GB&NR=2434565&KC=&FT=E&locale=en_EP
Patent did not go through, because was worded wrong, but being Dyslexic, I did not word it?
There are a few vids on youtube which show the interna derailleur well enough to understand how it owrks. Now with 3D printing the case should be achievable too without any worries.
The real problem is getting it working with wide range of gears that riders now want?
but from talking to racers, sponsored riders are not allow to ride it?
Or even talk about it
So, recon would be classed as a faring, but works surprisingly well
Would be serious advantage in muddy conditions?
The more we talk about it, the less it makes sense.
Tried getting someone to model parts, but they got their computer hacked
but no reason you can not do it your self?
Works best on elevated chain stay bikes like Orange, but can work on any bike
But only real problem is having to remove rear wheel for puncture etc?
Have a better solution, but since no real interest & very obvious that reasons are all about makes parts last longer which manufacturers do not want that to happen?
(gotta shake out the snakes and spiders before riding but).
I believe, club racing with older bikes can be pure happiness, especially for not so young guys. I am jealous…
Many youngsters probably wondering if it is possible at all to ride something like this. Aren’t they steep, short, tall, heavy?? No worries, mates, you can still have (lots of) fun...
I’m sure my Azonic double walls I had in 1998 were wider than that ????
I always wanted a small frame with a long top tube, like every bike you get now?
And like I mentioned in the article often things don't go too smoothly when getting these old bikes up a running so sometimes comprises need to be made. We would much rather have people in the category rather than being overly strict!