This is from something that came out of another FB page this morning.
This is from something that came out of another FB page this morning. So before I forgot I posted it here. 1986 Brisbane Metro titles. I was off the front with Blair Stockwell and Steve Rooney for a bit and I got shelled out on the quarry hill coming out of Petrie. I was thinking that it was all over for me, sigh, failed again. Then along came Jeff Leslie and Greg Dwair, they had left the bunch and were going across at a great rate of knots to the Blair and Steve, I groveled and did as much as I could. We got to Blair and Steve not long after going through Daybora. "hi I am back" (on the Jeff and Greg bus!) We had the steep climb up Mt Samson to do before we doubled back to Daybora. I was concerned that hill would be the end of me (I know it well as I trained all my life on those roads) so I skipped turns for the last km drag to Closeburn before we turned onto the hill. (the shame of that eh!) We went onto the hill, with me last wheel and half way up Steve and Greg were losing the wheels of Blair and Jeff, I was actually thinking they were backing me off to jump again and so dagg me off so I went straight around them. They were feeling the effects of driving the race and the group hard and this I could not blame them, they drove the race all day so damm hard! I prayed that Jeff or Blair did not accelerate on that hill, because if they looked back they could see I was all over the bike like a thrasher to stay on. Three of us went down the other side of Mt Samson Jeff actually broke a spoke (24 spoke wheel) in his rear wheel and I thought the tyre was rubbing on the CS, I was pondering if the tyre would last and then it would be just Blair and myself to the finish. YAY! The tyre held on. DOH! The three of us swapped off to the finish, and I did what one does when they know they will be toast in the sprint, launch off before the real sprint got going, but not too far out, trying to bag it hoping Jeff and Blair would fiddle about looking at each other. Of course that was a snow flake in hell's chance, I was not kidding myself but what else could I do............Well, I had the grunt of a snow flake and the speed of a constipated snail and did not go far. Jeff went after me pretty quickly, they got me some 250m or so to go and they paused and then sprinted. I got up off the saddle again and gave everything for 50m with that awful sensation of giving it all, but seeing no result and thus I watched them sail away in the distance and then I sat down to watch my superiors race for the victory. I had a good line of cotton mouth and snot down the sides of my face at the finish that day. I never liked finishing last in a front group that I scraped along in, be it three for the dash and then be last, that is depressing for me, but I was very pleased that I survived that day. It was the best Qld racing for me when Jeff, Blair Stockwell and the lads drove it so hard in the lead up to the CG 1986. I just tried to be alert and on the moves when they occurred and scrape up some thing. The pic I think is by Steven Grice's Parents.
I also I remember a chap I know by the name of Bill, he said to me while I sat on the tail gate of my station wagon wiping snot off off my dial "when are you going to learn to sprint?" I nearly got up in a rage to give him a Glasgow kiss, but I would have fainted if I got up quickly, so I replied meekly along the lines of "yeah, but you first you have got to get yourself to the finish in the front group to fu--ing sprint for the win and you are right, today I was a second place loser in the front group". (please go away till I feel better)
https://c2.staticflickr.com/8/7258/2...92f35f43_b.jpg
The photographer had to try hard to get me into the picture. Most of the spectators were behind the line, not in front it, hanging about the car parking
https://c2.staticflickr.com/8/7402/2...0e400154_b.jpg
Re: This is from something that came out of another FB page this morning.
How old was Blair then Dazza?
Re: This is from something that came out of another FB page this morning.
Quote:
Originally Posted by
progetto
How old was Blair then Dazza?
I think he was
37 give or take a year.
from another conversation but I feel it needs to be said here
A few builder mates encouraged and poked me for some time to to speak up about the following, so here I am, head above the parapet, willing to have my head shot off.
One can make a very pretty bike, sweet paint job, nice head badge, go to a bike show, and the kid press go "awesome". The builder goes away thinking "I am effing awesome"
but the builder has no experience of how to apply biomechanics, design the bike fit to all the various customers that will come through the door. The bike is not quite right but that is OK, I have got a LASER etched 3D printed head badge and the tubes are made of unobtainum...................
"I am a genius, look at what I have done!"
Do they never ponder
"I wonder why those old prehistoric life timers never do stuff like I do? never mind I am a genius, look at what I did!"
Bespoke shows are populated by the large number of enthusiastic new starters, they are seeking attention to get a start, which is fair enough
but the problem is the product is becoming more funk than time at the toil to make a reliable, proven reputation, giving good value to the customers hard earned dollars. That is hard to get up to speed with when one does not learn via the journeyman process under an established shop. This is a problem for the those starting out, no easy answer for them.
One knows there will be tears for some builders and their customers, example when you see the multiple piercing of main tubes, fork blades and chainstays, poking brass tube through for cable routing with a bit of silver around it in critical stress and strain locations with no reinforcements at all! Oh, that tube will never fail.................Actually these failures have started, but the press who told them they are a genius will never, and cannot report on the "that was a bad idea eh!" The builders who have been around or the ones that are intelligent with an eye on the long term all sound like we are just moaning curmudgeons or "prehistoric pretentious pr--ks". I and others are concerned that the rush to be a genius bespoke frame builder may do some harm to the niche industry. A new builder must have a vision of their path and that is understandable, I did when I was 16yo, but being hot with social media, and drilling holes and poking brass tube through willy nilly does not mean the builder has got there yet let alone make a product that returns the investment to the customers hard earned gold coin by surviving many of years of hard riding. Actually, one never gets there. One is always progressing.
OK, was that harsh? Spit it out if you think so. Different font today, for a different emotion to the day.
Llewellyn stainless stem lugs polished
It is bling bling, is it art? A Llewellyn Lugged Stem, using a pair of my first casting design. The stainless steel lug shore lines have been reworked by my hands, here is no loss of function. Just a lugged stem to compliment the lugged frame set.
https://c2.staticflickr.com/8/7650/2...e57a9cc8_b.jpg
https://c2.staticflickr.com/8/7323/2...0565034d_b.jpg
Re: Llewellyn stainless stem lugs polished
Llewellyn stainless fork crown
Re: Llewellyn stainless fork crown
Re: Llewellyn stainless fork crown
Stuff from the Llewellyn Work Bench