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14 Prentice Street Brunswick VIC 3056 (map) info@commutercycles.com.au Ph. 9388 1319
We just got in out first shipment of Old Man Mountain racks. They are American-made racks that allow bikes without eyelets or braze-ons to be equipped with panniers. As the name implies, the racks are most often used with mountain bikes – in particular to fit racks to bikes with suspension. However, they are also very useful for fitting to road bikes.
We’ve gotten a few Gilles Berthoud products in. Among them is a saddle that I’m very excited about. The saddle is a Gilles Berthoud. It looks at first a little like a Brooks, and it’s this similarity that excites me. The Berthoud is made from very thick high quality leather, which is screwed down to the saddle body. Where the Brooks saddle body is all metal, the Berthoud has metal rails and a plastic back (called a cantle). The plastic cantle is reputed to be amazingly strong and is designed to have a tiny bit of flex for extra comfort. The looks of the plastic might put some people off though.
Wheel building is one of our favourite jobs. As well as being rewarding work to get the wheel true and strong, it’s satisfying to figure out the best combination of parts and best set-up for a particular customer. As well as the rims and hubs, the spokes and nipples are important things to think about, and choosing the right ones will make a real difference to the reliability of the wheel and how well suited it is to its intended use. Being able to tailor all of these choices to a particular rider is what puts custom wheels ahead in the hand-built vs factory-built debate.
We’re one of the few bikeshops in Melbourne who specialise in custom wheel building and sell far more hand built wheels than factory built wheels at the medium to high end. This post is intended as a discussion of some of the variables involved, and hopefully the huge range of possibilities will highlight why hand built wheels which are custom-built for a particular application are going to do that job better than factory-built wheels. This post is long, and has some technical discussion of both component choices and then of the process of building itself, but it is not a how-to guide, so only click on read more if you’re keen.
VO Porteur racks are back in stock. They’re a great rack for commuting bikes since they can hold a lot and can easily take additional load if you have to grab something on the way home. They’re also very beautiful.
We now stock Grand Bois tyres. These are some of the nicest tyres we know of. Grand Bois is a small Japanese company catering to Cyclotourists with a fetish for nice old French bikes. They offer a very wide range of 650b road tyres as well as some nice 700c tyres, all with a nice old-school look and tan sidewalls.
Sealed Grand Bois tyres
It’s the middle of winter, you’re rugging up for the frosty ride to work, but how do keep your head from freezing when you have to wear a helmet?
With an Otto and Spike beanie of course. 
Their cycling beanies – they make funky scarves too – are made from Aussie Marino blended with elastane. The elastane gives them durability and a bit of stretch. And they’re thin enough to fit under your helmet.
Otto and Spike, part of LMB Knitwear, are one of the last bastions of Australia’s textile industry have been making quality woollen products for over 40 years, and get shipped to us all the way from East Brunswick.
Pop in and have a look at the selection we have instore,
Beanies start at $30.
The complete range at Otto and Spike
If a bicycle is your main form of transport, you should consider a dynamo to power your lighting system.
Dynamos use the turning of your wheels to generate electricity, which can be then used to power your lights (or mobile phone, if you wish to get ambitious). Using the same system employed in windfarms, the dynamos now available have very little rolling resistance compared to those of yesteryear.
We stock both the excellent value Shimano hubs (the new 3N80 is brilliant), and the top shelf Schmidts (the SON 20R is THE dynamo hub). All will give you many years service, and mean less acid batteries end up in landfill.
The virtues of these dynamos are too numerous to mention, so drop in for a chat on how you can go battery free.
for more information on these Dynamos
Schmidt Dynohub
One more thing – Because these dynamos are part of the hub, this nifty device will require you to replace your whole front wheel. A complete wheelbuild will cost around $300 with the Shimano hub dynamo.
Once you’ve settled on a dynamo, you’ll have to pick out some lights to go with them. 
Again the Germans are at the forefront of this technology – their Busch and Müller lights give you fantastic bang for your buck.
Unlike a lot of cheaper L.E.D. lights available, these aren’t just to give you visibility on the road, they’ll illuminate the road ahead of you. Perfect for late night rides down the Merri Creek bike path.
Once you’ve seen these in action you won’t be able to go back.
Headlights typically in stock:
Tailights typically in stock:
We also stock the E-Werk power supply, which allows you to charge and power any device you can think of using your dyno-hub.
As always we’re happy to get in other models to order.
Plenty of information and images are available at the Busch and Müller website.
We also love Schmitd and Supernova lights. The Schmidt Edeluxe is a deluxe version of the IQ Cyo and the Supernova E3 is the brightest thing going.
With Melbourne’s recent cold snap and the dark falling on commuters ride times, we’ve got a few new items in-store that will keep you safe, snug and seen on the road.
It’s easy to overlook your hands when rigging up for a frosty morning’s ride. Considering you need your fingers to control your brakes, it’s best to keep them warm and working. We’ve now got an excellent range of gloves -10 different styles, and in a range of sizes – for you to try on and take home.
The added bonus is that we’ve put the TUFF brand front and centre. An Australian Company, TUFF (by name AND nature) have been designing and selling gloves and cycling socks since 1990.
So if you’ve got frosty phalanges, pop in and have a look.
Prices range from $30 to $45.
More about TUFF, over on their website
We’re always banging on about bicycle safety, so we should give a plug for some of the high visibility jackets and jerseys we’ve got in store. Netti, an Australian company have been producing bicycling clothing and helmets for over 60 years, make up our current range.
On our rack, and in various sizes we have a selection of tops suitable for a variety of conditions. All with night riding in mind, they’re perfect as the days shorten in ‘Old Melbourne Town’. All garments have long torso size, and over-length arms, perfect for the reach to your handle bars.
A lightweight Jersey that can be worn on it’s own or snugly over your daily garb, is made from breathable micromesh fabric. It has a Sun Protection Factor of 50 plus, so is ideal all year round.
Deep rear pockets are perfect for your phone and wallet, and a 30cm chest zipper, means added value for this simple and elegant jersey.
More information at the Netti Site
Sunshield: S-XL – $60
The Netti shift jacket is the sort of thing you’d like to have in your pannier for those unexpected moments: you’re caught out after dark, Melbourne’s weather lives up to it’s reputation or you need a second jacket. Showerproof, windproof, and underarm ventilation, it’s quite roomy and is ideal as a shell.
More information at the Netti Site
Netti Shift Jacket – S -XL – $60
If Tenzing Norgay were riding round Brunswick, in the cold and wet, we reckon this would be the jacket he’d wear. This jacket with it’s heat sealed seams and front zipper guard, has all the marks of quality and is built for all conditions. The Netti D3 jacket with its breathable and waterproof fabric, is ideal for those who don’t use rain as an excuse not to ride to work. It even has a hood (that is detachable) for those really heavy downpours.
Double Plusses:
This jacket has just about everything built in, and only weighs 370 grams, so would be ideal for touring cyclists too. This is about as heavy duty as they come, so if the weather’s too heavy for this jacket, you probably shouldn’t be riding.
More information at the Netti Site
Netti D3 Jacket S -XL $230
If you think kickstands only belong on kids bikes, think again.
Commuter Cycles just got in of a couple of Pletscher dual leg kickstands, the sort that will keep a fully loaded bike upright. Undoubtedly the Rolls Royce in their category, these attach just behind your bottom bracket and both legs cleverly fold to the left hand side of the bike. By lifting the front wheel off the ground the stand distributes the bikes weight on it’s points of contact and your bike’s back wheel. Pretty nifty!
If you’re in the habit of carrying a load, this might be the solution for you.
Pletscher’s Website leaves a little to be desired, so feel free to drop in or call to find out more about this nifty device. We’re currently selling these beauties for $115, and they fit just about any bike setup.
In partnership with Moreland City Council, Commuter Cycles is helping people stay safe on the road this winter. 
With the loss of sunshine and the end of daylight saving, it’s time for cyclists to consider their visibility on the road.City of Moreland’s Lights on Ride On campaign is designed to do just that. We’re taking 20% off the price of our ‘Planet Bike’ light range.
Planet Bike lights represent excellent value, with a variety of lights for different uses and budgets. Tail lights, headlights and helmet mount lights are all discounted, including our favourite, the ‘Blinky Superflash ‘.
There’s also a $100 service voucher up for grabs. This Monday’s Moreland Leader newspaper (13/04/2009) has all the competition details. You can also download a voucher from the City of Moreland website. Roll into the our Prentice Street Workshop, pickup a ‘Blinky’ or one of his friends, and you’ll be in the running. $100 dollars gets you a fair bit of bike love at Commuter Cycles, so it’s well worth the effort!
Simon Stainsby, Sustainable Transport Officer at Moreland City Council popped into the workshop on 6th of May 2009 to pick a winner for the competition. In great impartiality, blindfolded (almost), he announced Michael of Fitzroy to be our winner!
Congratulations Michael, we look forward to seeing you and your bike soon!
By now, you’re probably familiar with the Dutch Gazelle Bicycles we’re so proud of, with style and function in one package. 
Now we’ve got some bike bags and baskets that fit the same template. Basil, also from the Netherlands, have a huge range of pannier bags and baskets for every sort of shopper, commuter and touring cyclist. They even make a basket specifically for your dog, cat or iguana. No more searching for a car park at the vet!
More information on Basil range can be found online at the Gazelle website, or read on to see the selection we currently have in stock.
Christmas has come early at Commuter Cycles. Cathy from Ron D Swan dropped in today with their latest invention – the Commuter Pannier. 
Aside from looking the business, it has an ingenius mounting system and shoulder strap which means that the pannier doubles as a funky bag when it’s off the bike. It also has a PVC inner making it completely waterproof, and a front pocket so you don’t lose your wallet and keys.
All Ron D Swan gear is handstitched in Melbourne and made from a combination of reclaimed and new materials. Learn more here.
We’re also stocking their great legbands and reflective vests. The legbands come in a range of colours and all feature two reflective strips, so they save your life as well as your trousers. The vests have an extra large waist strap so you can wear it over you back pack. Clever really.
Commuter News 
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