No film festival is complete without an award ceremony, and the Melbourne Bicycle Film Festival is no different. As part of the BFF, Commuter Cycles is hosting the 2009 Treadly Awards.

Just like last year, this event is to celebrate everyday cyclists and their bikes. We’re rolling out the red carpet, and will  be awarding prizes to the folks (and their bikes) who stand out in the following categories.

• Sexiest Commuter Bike
• Biggest Load Carrying Capacity
• Most People on a Bicycle
• Fastest Puncture repair
• Best Dressed (+ least lycra) on a bicycle

Gear from Knog and Crumpler is amongst some of the prizes up for grabs. But if you’re not entering, this will be great day for spectators too. We’re firing up the BBQ and putting on drinks, and afterwards rolling down to the Bicycle Film Festival screening in the city.

It’s bound to be a a lot of fun, we hope to see you on the day.

Details:

• 3-6pm Saturday 28th November 2009
• @ the Commuter Cycles  workshop, 14 Prentice Street Brunswick.
• Registration for Award Categories - just turn up!
• BBQ  (Vegetarian and Meats), Drinks – Gold coin donation in our Movember jar
• We’ll be leaving the Workshop for Saturday Night’s BFF Screening - Program Here

More information on the 2009 Melbourne Bicycle Film Festival -here

Download our 2009 Treadlys poster for your fridge - here

National Ride to Work Day 2009 is just around the corner on Wednesday 14th October.

An important day in the commuter cyclist’s calendar, it’s a fantastic opportunity to encourage others to give cycling a go. For those of us already bitten by the bug, it’s a day to pat ourselves on the back and remind the bean counters that cycling is a valid form of public transport.

With some help from Moreland City Council we’re offering commuters a free tune-up, breakfast and REAL coffee.

All we ask for is that you register – this way the statistics are in that people are actually riding on the day.

So bring your bike and empty belly, and we’ll provide the fuel and chain lube to get you going for the day….

The details:

• Wednesday 14th October 2009 – From 7:30am 10am
• Hot and cold breakfast provided – Coffee too!
• @ 14 Prentice street Brunswick -The Commuter Cycles Workshop
• Register here

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

Shimano Nexus

Schmidt Dynohub

• Schmidt’s Webpage (mostly in German – not a lot of info)
• Peter White -The world’s #1 Schmidt advocate

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 currently in stock:

Plenty of information and images are available at the

Busch and Müller website