Bicycle Network Victoria: Ride On magazine

Feeling inspired

December 2010

I have just got back into cycling after a 20 year absence. My wife bought me a copy of your magazine and I can't put it down, it is so interesting and informative. I will continue to purchase future copies – thank you.

Wayne Boydston, Brisbane, QLD

Tour de force

August 2010

Why have I never seen such a useful article in any periodical in the lead up to the Tour de France before? Watching the progression of the T de F is an annual viewing delight and must for me. It will be great to have a “stage by stage” precis of the event and a map of the “tour route” to consult.

For the uninitiated the explanations of “team tactics” and “the coloured jerseys” are most enlightening. Introduction to “the teams”, “the 'aussies' in the mix”, and the “riders in the spotlight" will help me sort out who I need to watch for in the peloton from my initial day of viewing with the splendid SBS team and program coverage. Thanks for making 2010's le Tour so much more meaningful to this Aussie armchair enthusiast – who has only been hooked on the event for about the past seven years or so.

Any chance that future such articles may include a coloured schema of the jerseys each team is expected to don for the event (like we see in the daily press for riders in the Melbourne Cup prior to the event )? I hope in future years Ride On will make “Le Tour is approaching fast” an annual timely article.

Well done Ride On and thanks so much.

Irene Bilney, Richmond, VIC

Ride On rave

August 2010

My husband and I took up road riding about two years ago and have a new lease on life with our new hobby! We now ride most weekends, have made some fantastic friends and have attended many of Victoria's riding events. We have recently become members of Bicycle Network Victoria and I am writing to congratulate on a great magazine.

We have just received our second copy of Ride On and find it a fantastic read, full of interesting stories and helpful hints. Great to read! Ride On has now replaced National Geographic!

PS. Love the pull out on Le Tour in the last issue, this will make it to the coffee table!

Megan Greer, Langwarrin, VIC

Contributory negligence

June 2010

I have just read the article "Court Triumph for Rider". It was good to read of such a positive outcome to a horrendous event.

The flip side to this is that I have been waiting for Ride On to publish information, possibly prepared by Maurice Blackburn & Co, on bike riders and contributory negligence.

Such an article would point out to riders who disobey road rules and damage property (and people) that they could be liable for damages, and pursued for damages, in much the say way as applied to Keiran's car driver.

Maybe the website could create a Riders' Responsibilities web page to accompany the Riders' Rights page?

Margaret Fievez, Ivanhoe, VIC

Mechanical skills bring freedom

6 November 2009

Laura Williamson makes an interesting point – that it's not what you do in the shed, but out on the trail. It's a fair comment, but the flip side of that is, a little time invested in the shed can pay off on the trail. That it's worth knowing a little of the dirty mechanicals in order to continue being your best on the trail. Laura's position is a valid one, I don't criticise her. She seems happy to let hubby look after the mechanicals, that's a relationship that has worked for homo sapiens for thousands of years. It just worries me that this models dependency on a man to young women thinking of taking up the wheel, and as a rule, the modern bike is about as simple a machine as you get that still has moving parts. What would be really useful would be to bundle this article, another (preferably by women) on how she enjoys fixing her bike and loves learning the tech stuff necessary, and probably one from somebody in between who likes to know the stuff so they don't get ripped off by the local bike shop. Remember, it was Germaine Greer who is attributed as saying, "A woman needs a man like a fish needs a bicycle." Savvy with bike mechanicals is independence and freedom to enjoy cycling with confidence, with or without your bloke.

Stephan Jay

Bentleigh VIC

Group found through Ride On

12 October 2008

I like reading Ride On especially the technical bits as I like rebuilding old bicycles and I also like riding them.

Through your magazine I got in touch with a group of retirees who like riding their bikes on a Tuesday morning. This was 5 years ago, and I still enjoy riding with them. Riding in a group is more enjoyable and an incentive to keep going. Sadly in the new magazine BUGs are no longer listed, and I think it was a step backwards.

Alfred Borchert

St Albans VIC

Too few women

11 April 08

I was reading the last edition of your magazine, and it’s true that there are less women cycling than men in Melbourne. I notice this as a cyclist myself.

Its interesting to compare this to Europe, and I'm referring to countries like Italy, Holland and Germany, where women cyclists are very numerous, ride with all kinds of clothes on, of all ages, and in some very intemperate weather.

As well, in our northern neighbours in SE Asia where everybody rides, women are also very well represented – often in riding conditions much worse than ours, both in road traffic and bicycle technology.

Piergiorgio Moro

Brunswick East VIC