New to cycling

[vk3hjq]

Combining HAM Radio & Bike Riding, Mobile (Cell) Phone/Bluetooth ear piece + the EchoLink App for comms, I talk around the world while doing my 30km bike ride every day on the High Country Rail Trail.

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[roKWiz]

I was used to riding the "Murray to the Mountains" trail for so long that we haven't ridden the "High Country" trail yet even though we have friends who live in Cudgewa.

The other great Rail Trail is the "Great Victorian" trail from Tallarook on the Hume to Mansfield but have only ridden a small section so far through Bonnie Doon.

[vk3hjq]

Originally Posted by roKWiz

I was used to riding the "Murray to the Mountains" trail for so long that we haven't ridden the "High Country" trail yet even though we have friends who live in Cudgewa.

The other great Rail Trail is the "Great Victorian" trail from Tallarook on the Hume to Mansfield but have only ridden a small section so far through Bonnie Doon.

I have ridden from Ozzy Flats to Yack & back last August 2024 for something different to do, I could not get over how much money they spent on all those flashy looking bridges that cross the creek there.

I do like all this new signage they have put in everywhere as well, I now look out for them, seen another at Chiltern in the park there while driving around.

John vk3hjq

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[roKWiz]

Originally Posted by vk3hjq

I have ridden for Ozzy Flats to Yack & back last August 2024 for something different to do, I could not get over how much money they spent on all those flashy looking bridges that cross the creek there.

John vk3hjq

Attachment 107791

They had to due to all the wash outs which happened in Yack and couple of years ago now.
It's great they will eventually link the 2 major trails together using that route via Osborne Flats, and hopefully through Keiwa and onto Huon.

[vk3hjq]

Originally Posted by roKWiz

They had to due to all the wash outs which happened in Yack and couple of years ago now.
It's great they will eventually link the 2 major trails together using that route via Osborne Flats, and hopefully through Keiwa and onto Huon.

I have been working up on getting from Tallangatta to Wodonga on the rail trail.
Made it as far as Ludlows Reserve at Ebden on the 1st attempt, the problem is you then have to ride back as well ...
John vk3hjq

[roKWiz]

Originally Posted by vk3hjq

I have been working up on getting from Tallangatta to Wodonga on the rail trail.
Made it as far as Ludlows Reserve at Ebden on the 1st attempt, the problem is you then have to ride back as well ...
John vk3hjq

Some of those trails are hard yakka when the wind changes direction.

We would ride from Everton to Mytleford (56km return) on a regular basis for brekky. (60km if you turned around at Happy Valley)

Most times on the way there it would be a gentle tail wind from the west, if you hadn't finished eating by 11am and started heading back you would be confronted by strong Westerly once you reached the top of the Taylors Gap climb.
Certainly made you work off the effort of pedalling home.

[vk3hjq]

Originally Posted by roKWiz

Some of those trails are hard yakka when the wind changes direction.

We would ride from Everton to Mytleford (56km return) on a regular basis for brekky. (60km if you turned around at Happy Valley)

Most times on the way there it would be a gentle tail wind from the west, if you hadn't finished eating by 11am and started heading back you would be confronted by strong Westerly once you reached the top of the Taylors Gap climb.
Certainly made you work off the effort of pedalling home.

At least now they have put all these unused Rail Lines to good use, & its a boost for local tourism, we have heaps of riders every day stopping here at the local bakery for a feed, they have even put in a Bike Repair Station with drinking fountain. (1st Pic I posted with the Tallangatta sign)



John vk3hjq

[roKWiz]

Originally Posted by vk3hjq

At least now they have put all these unused Rail Lines to good use, & its a boost for local tourism, we have heaps of riders every day stopping here at the local bakery.

John vk3hjq

Yes, has been great for tourism. Money well spent.

[prydey]

My folks live south of Brisbane and I travel up every year. A goal of mine is to ride the Brisbane Valley rail trail.

Agree, it's good that old rail trails are being repurposed.

[DJM83]

Had me new bike about a month.
Brakes that came on it were bloody horrible (Shimano SLX 4 Piston)
I grabbed a set of brakes from a bike we had at work (Shimano XT 4 piston)
Now these were no better than the SLX it came with, and turned out i also cracked a piston on the rear.
So i gave up with them.
Fitted some SRAM Code RSC, one of SRAM's best brakes IMHO. I have them on my 4 year old Norco, they've not been bled once have amazing feel still.
Coupled the brakes with the same SRAM HS2 220/200 rotor combo on my Norco.
I dont think ive had a bike that ive been happy with Shimano brakes.
The newer 4 piston brakes have a well known issue also where they have a wandering bite point. That coupled with the poor lever feel, they had to come off this bike also.
Much better now.



Id love to put a better fork and rear shock on it as both are pretty basic with no high or low speed compression adjustment.
Theres a few races coming up soon, the usual 2 i enter. Both have ebike categories.
But i dont think ill use me ebike.
The enduro race here, i dont think my ebike is aggressive enough. (if i do ill take the bigger fork out of my Norco and fit to it).
Then theres the issue if the battery will go the distance.
When i take it out i usually only use the lowest 2 power modes, dont need any more than that.
But in race mode i dunno, probably dont need it in full power mode also. We'll see. But im looking forward to it

[roKWiz]

Originally Posted by DJM83

Had me new bike about a month.
Brakes that came on it were bloody horrible (Shimano SLX 4 Piston)
I grabbed a set of brakes from a bike we had at work (Shimano XT 4 piston)
Now these were no better than the SLX it came with, and turned out i also cracked a piston on the rear.
So i gave up with them.
Fitted some SRAM Code RSC, one of SRAM's best brakes IMHO. I have them on my 4 year old Norco, they've not been bled once have amazing feel still.
Coupled the brakes with the same SRAM HS2 220/200 rotor combo on my Norco.
I dont think ive had a bike that ive been happy with Shimano brakes.
The newer 4 piston brakes have a well known issue also where they have a wandering bite point. That coupled with the poor lever feel, they had to come off this bike also.
Much better now.
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Id love to put a better fork and rear shock on it as both are pretty basic with no high or low speed compression adjustment.
Theres a few races coming up soon, the usual 2 i enter. Both have ebike categories.
But i dont think ill use me ebike.
The enduro race here, i dont think my ebike is aggressive enough. (if i do ill take the bigger fork out of my Norco and fit to it).
Then theres the issue if the battery will go the distance.
When i take it out i usually only use the lowest 2 power modes, dont need any more than that.
But in race mode i dunno, probably dont need it in full power mode also. We'll see. But im looking forward to it

Have never really liked Shimano and their planned obsolescence been that way for as long as I can remember.
I think I have 1 97' Super V using XT but that's it.

Probably before you were born........SRAM merger, came about with SACH's bicycle components years ago and have always made good brakeset's be it mechanical disc (like I use) hydraulic or old style canti's.

Years ago I bough as much SACH's road "New Success" and "Plasma" MTB group sets as I could afford and have run it ever since. It being totally rebuildable.
Along with SDG, Roffoff chains, Avid and Blackspire.
Their stuff was based on Campagnolo from earlier than that and was super reliable so lasted years.

Back in the day Campag was king, followed by Huret SACH's, Mavic, then Suntour and Shimano.
Both the road grouppo's of Campag and SACH's made mountain bike groupsets.