Magpie swooping season

If you wanted yet another reason to hate Collingwood, magpie-swooping season may be just what you're looking for.



If you've ventured outdoors in recent months, you may well have experienced the indignity of being dive-bombed by an overly-agressive bird with delusions of grandeur. That's because it's nesting season and by walking or cycling past their tree, you're a threat.

Some facts (that I stole form this Australian Geographic article):

• 9-12% of all magpies swoop aggressively.
• Nearly all attacks take place during nesting, between August and November.
• 99% of swoops on humans are by male magpies.
• 52% of swooping magpies target pedestrians and ignore cyclists. They’ll also let most people walk by untroubled, swooping on just 35 per cent of them.
• 8% of aggressive birds target only cyclists, showing no interest in pedestrians but going for 65 per cent of passing bike riders.
• 29% of aggressive magpies target both cyclists and pedestrians.
• Sometimes swooping magpies target specific individuals – repeatedly attacking one person in a family and leaving the rest alone. They have long-term memories so can continue attacking an individual years later.

So, are there any ways to avoid being attacked? Well, some people seem to think so. Like this person;

Police to "target" safe cycling

"Police will this month put their wheels in motion and target bike safety as part of the 29th annual Safe Cycle Month." - VicPolice website

So, this month, safe cycling will be "targeted".

Let's break that down a bit;

Target: verb (used with object)

• to use, set up, or designate as a target or goal. 
• to direct toward a target: The new warheads can be targeted with great precision. 
• to make a target of (an object, person, city, etc.) for attack or bombardment.

I guess they're going for the first reading, however, I can't help but think they could have chosen a better word, like one that isn't a synonym for dropping bombs. Perhaps something like "promote" or "champion" or "advocate".

Especially when on the very page they are targetting promoting their campaign they have this at the bottom;

Now it's as though if you're a "target", you've either recently robbed an ATM or you're a cyclist.

What's more,

"Cyclists who are observed displaying safe cycling behaviour during Safe Cycle Month will be given an information card by police. This card contains road rules and safety tips, and cyclists will have the chance to win a number of prizes."

Ah, shouldn't cyclists displaying unsafe cycling behaviour be the ones to receive this information? I guess they'll just get a fine.

So, what tips are offered by the five-O on being a safe cyclist? Well, there's this;

“Bike owners need to check that their bike is in roadworthy condition and that their helmets are well fitted.”

So don't go getting one of those $5 helmets from 7-Eleven because I can assure you they will not fit.

"Wearing bright clothing and planning journeys in advance along safe routes will also reduce the risk of injury on the road."

Under no circumstances should you make an unplanned journey. I once made this mistake and I can tell you it was not pretty. I didn't have any food supplies or wet-weather equipment. I only had a vague idea of what direction to head in and the sun was beating down. If it weren't for the existence of street signs and thirty years of local knowledge, I don't know if I ever would have made it. I guess god does exist.

Oh, and the fact that I was riding to a rave was also helpful as I was wearing a becoming fluoro ensemble that warned all and sundry that I was there.

So, if you plan on riding around this month, watch out because “Police will be watching, acting and enforcing the road rules for the safety of all.”

I think @Treadlie Magazine summed the whole thing up pretty well with this tweet;

Bike-Changing World Champion

Blink and you'll miss. Don't blink and you'll probably miss it too. Here is a video of Quentin Jauregui riding for France in the recent Junior World Road Race Championship.

His mechanics clearly find it pretty impressive too as does a bystander who asks whether the rider actually just changed bikes.

Here's another video which shows the change a bit more clearly;



Apparently, Jauregui has a cyclocross background which explains his skill somewhat.

For the record, while he may be a bike-changing world champion, in the actual race he came 46th.

MoreArt 2012

Wall pastings by Sadie Chandler

I went on a bike ride today to check out MoreArt, the Moreland City Council Art Show. As part of the show, the friendly folk down at the Squeaky Wheel are taking cyclists on tours of the Moreland area
showcasing art that has been displayed.

Today we began our exploration at Coburg train station and meandered our way southwards on the train line. Along the way we saw various paintings and installations, each with a story and a local bent. Some of the artists even came along for the ride to explain their works.

Details and photos below the break.

Trials of bicycling

Here's some nice footage of Melbourne trials rider, Andrew Dickey, jumping on things all around Melbourne.

The only thing that would improve this video is if he jumped onto the Ferrari at 2"45'. Oh, and if the music were different.

Enjoy.

MKS Titanium Aero Bell

Every once in a while, a new product comes along that makes so much sense you can't help but wonder why it took so long to be invented.

This is the case with the MKS Titanium Aero bell. I'm sure I'm not alone when I say that I've often looked down at my standard non-aero bell and cursed it for being heavy (making the handling of my bicycles unpredictable) and substantially reducing the aerodynamics of my hybrid.

The MKS Titanium Aero bell solves both of these problems. Made from aerospace-grade titanium, this little beauty tips the scales at a measly 16 grams.

And its aerodynamic properties are truly mind-boggling. The Weekly Cycle tech department have conducted tests in a wind tunnel and found that over a 40 kilometre time trial, the MKS Titanium Aero bell will save a cyclist between 45 and 60 seconds over other leading bells.

What's even more extraordinary is that it's actually faster running the MKS Titanium Aero bell than no bell at all. 15 seconds as it happens.

Unfortunately, due to UCI Article 1.3.024, which states "Any device, added or blended into the structure, that is destined to decrease, or which has the effect of decreasing, resistance to air penetration or artificially to accelerate propulsion, such as a protective screen, fuselage form fairing or the like, shall be prohibited", professional cyclists will not be able to take advantage of this new piece of equipment.

That said, there's nothing stopping us mortal amateurs (and triathletes) from using one. And at only $60, why wouldn't you?

Keirin racing

This is a fascinating documentary about Keirin racing in Japan. The sport was developed there in 1948 (according to the internet) or 1949 (according to the film) as a way to raise money to help the war-ravaged nation recover.

It's interesting to see such a culturally-specific and unique interpretation of the sport of cycling.

The doco features the Japan Keiren School. Apparently, the 10% of applicants who are accepted into the school endure intensive 15-hour days in the hope of graduating to become professionals.

The Japanese spend close to 10 billion dollars on bets each year.