The other exciting thing we’ve moved onto the floor is our selection of Creme bikes.  Check out their site here.

We’re stocking their Cafe Racer models.  It is available in a men’s and a women’s version and each comes with two different build specs the more expensive Doppio model and the cheaper Solo.  They are all made from steel (our favourite material for bike frames), they have sensible wheels and are intended for regular commuting use and should stand up to it very well.

Their female Caferacer Doppio model is especially cool – a classic Mixte step-through with graceful curves, a steel frame with skinny tubes, nice parts and a great front rack for carrying things around.  It comes with mud guards, a light and a Brooks saddle.  It’s a great bike for someone who loves their old Repco traveler, but wants a newer, higher quality bike where everything just works like it should.  The dropouts on the Creme are forged and the rack and mud-guard eyelets are solid and reliable.  The brakes are powerful, the wheels and tyres are both good quality and robust.  The wheels have internal gear hubs that will be reliable and long-lasting and the mud guards and chain guard are thoughtfully placed and secured.  The front rack lets you carry quite a bit of stuff without it getting hard to handle, and it looks amazing – the whole bike has a very French look to it, and is inspired by some of the old French custom bikes, especially the Porteurs that were used for newspaper delivery and in some cases in delivery races.

The main differences between the two female Cafe Racer versions is that the more expensive Doppio ($1700 as of Jan 2011) has a 7 speed Shimano hub whereas the Solo ($1200 as of Jan 2011) has a 3 speed Shimano hub, the Doppio has a Brooks leather saddle whereas the Solo has a Velo saddle and the Doppio has nicer cranks.  There is also a dynamo option available on the Doppio which is more expensive.

The male versions of the Cafe racer are much the same, but with a few tweaks and the option of single speed hubs.  Mixtes were traditionally considered a unisex design and plenty of Peugeot mixtes get used by men.  Similarly some women prefer the higher top tube of the men’s models, so don’t feel restricted by the gender of the models.

The Melbourne Bikefest is fast approaching, and we’ll be running a couple of the events.    The Bikefest is a celebration of Melbourne cycling culture in all its forms and there are a heap of great events on.  It’s one of the only times of year that hipsters, vintage bike nerds,  cargo bike enthusiasts and lycra-clad racers hang out together in the same building!  Check out the full list of events here: http://www.melbournebikefest.com.au/program

We’ll be running a couple of the events – the Treadly Awards and the (Second) Bicycle Black Market.  They’re both free and they’re both events that we’ve previously held here at Commuter Cycles.  This year, all the Bikefest fun – including the Treadlies and Bicycle Black Market – will be at 1000 Pound bend (361 Little Lonsdale Street), so it’s even easier to get to, and there will be lots of other interesting bike stuff to check out before and after.

Read on for more info or follow us on Twitter for updates…

First up:

Treadly Awards

SATURDAY 27TH NOVEMBER
1:00pm – 3:00pm

COST: FREE

Presented by: Commuter Cycles

No festival is complete without an award ceremony, so for the third year running Commuter Cycles is hosting the 2010 Treadly Awards.

The event celebrates everyday cyclists and their bikes. We’re rolling out the red carpet, awarding prizes to the folks (and bikes) that 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

There will be great prizes up for grabs and even if you don’t enter, plenty of fun for spectators too.  If you love your bike, and ride it to get from A to B, the Treadlies are for you!

And then:

Bicycle Black Market

SUNDAY 28TH NOVEMBER
11:00am – 4:00pm

COST: FREE

The Bikefest Black Market is designed for anyone who understands that the optimum number of bikes to own = n +1, where n equals the number of bikes currently owned.

Get your 2nd hand cycling goods away from the prying eyes of race day officials. Barter, trade or just bring cash. Featuring the rarely seen collections of five carefully selected stallholders. It’s like a swap meet, but black market sounds so much more exciting.

They are made out of stainless steel.  They’re very durable and strong, and the surface doesn’t get chipped or rubbed bare like a powder coated rack would.  The have a large platform (about 36cm x 29cm) on top and a removable rail.  They weigh about 1kg.  You can tie down a bag or a box (a pizza box for instance) or any other large items.  It also has hooks and a rail for panniers.  It has four bosses for attaching your light and one boss underneath the platform for a mud guard. It mounts to the brake bridge on the fork crown and an eyelet at the dropout.

Carrying the load up front is nice because you can keep an eye on it, and because it doesn’t have the tail-wagging-dog effect of a heavy rear load.  It also stresses the front wheel rather than the back, which is good because in the course of riding the front wheel is less stressed than the back and is stronger anyway.

Price as of August 2010 is $250.  As always, we’re happy to ship interstate.  And as always, if you get us to fit it we’ll make sure it’s done as neatly, a strongly as possible.

A customer we sent one to said in an email: “The rack is very nicely made and I’m please to see that there is a bit of subtle triangulation on the support struts – something that had concerned me as this wasn’t obvious in the on-line pictures. Time will tell of course but I’m looking forward to getting a lot more use out of my old mtb.”

You may have read about it in recent press,  RMIT is running a pilot for Bicycle sharing, in the hope it will encourage more folks to consider getting around by bicycle, and to use the service for short trips around the city. 

The various bike hubs allow people to pick up a bike and helmet, and drop them off on the other side of town. Sure beats a taxi, or relying on Melbourne’s PT network. 

Fingers crossed, the success of this program will encourage the bean counters to take this on as part of Melbourne’s long term infrastructure. 

For more information on the project, pop in to the hub (Our Workshop) or check out the common bike website. After a $5 registration, each ride under three hours only costs a gold coin. If you drop the bike off to a different hub, or stay out for an additional hour, another gold coin covers costs. 

For more information, registration, bikes- drop into the hub at Commuter Cycles or read up on all the details at 

commonbike.com

If you were lucky enough to get a new bike for Christmas, be sure to book it in for a first service. Cables  will stretch, and nuts and bolts can loosen up on a new treadly, so a service after a month or so will keep you safe on the road. Our experienced mechanics will make sure you can get your money’s worth out of your investment.  Like a man’s other best friend, a bike is for life, not just for Christmas.

So, as Melbournians return to full speed for a 2009, Commuter Cycles will be there to keep your iron horse running.

Happy New Year, from Huw and the CC team.

After a crazy six weeks of cleaning, painting, building, stocking, fabricating and spray painting bikes, the Commuter Cycles workshop and initial ‘fleet’ or courtesy bikes are now in service.

Thank you to the legion of friends and family who have supported, advised and helped along the way. I truly could not have done it without you all.

Drop in between 7.30am and 6.30pm weekdays to say hi, see what we do, and chat about how we might be able to help you get from A to B by bike safely, reliably and with a smile on your face.