New Season Single Speed Steeds Steal Show.

As reported over at bikes, beer, beats we got up to Auckland for the Avanti/Specialized 2009 release. Both makes had several SS's on display, with the big S only bringing in one of the Langster range again this year. This time it's the hideous Las Vegas model, which replaces last year's equally uninspiring London. I didn't get a picture, I must've been more disgusted than I thought at the time. Here's some of the other machines sans shifters.
Josh checks out the Avanti Pista Pro and gets the ridiculous idea that he might do some track racing this year (I hope I don't suffer the same delusions). No doubt he was inspired by the huge success of the NZ track team at the Olympics, where it was a Bronze-rush! Ok, and a silver too.
Pista Solo, basically a entry-level Pista with some brakes and a dodgy 'cityscape' paint job. Still looked better than the Las Vegas Langster though.
Avanti K.I.S.S. (Kylie Is So Slutty) 29er. Actually looks pretty good, a way better colour than last year. Cheap but not too nasty (unlike Kylie).
And the 26" version. I think this one stands for Kevin Is Slightly Stoned. Just like any good singlespeeder (well, fixie rider anyway.)
Tricross Singlecross... I'm not gonna say anything bad about this one, because I wish mine had this paintjob. One of the best looking bikes there in my opinion (which counts for nothing really).

NZ SS Video

Check out this vid from the NZ SS titles earlier this year... if you blink you'll miss the cameos by Chris The Courier and yours truly.

The Museum

Johnny Klink is a bikophile of the highest, and most disturbing order. He turned up for a ride at Killi on saturday with this beast, his latest build project which shal from now be known as 'The Museum'. If you can remember any of the components on this bike, then you've been around mountain biking for a long time. JK will be giving us his take on the project soon, but for now bask in the glory of 'The Museum'.

SSSS S's (the extra s is for stickers)

Johnny Klink had an idea. He wanted to ditch his KHS softail frame which had been utilsed as his SSer for awhile. My SS was sitting in Aus doing nothing, so he hatched a plan to swap his bits onto my frame and sell the leftovers and give me the money. He got the bike stripped down and ready to swap over, so I decided I wanted to keep it afterall....so being the good bloke that he is, he rebuilt the bike for me. He'd taken off the faux Indy Fab stickers and was going to get new ones made. I suggested he get Scared Shiftless instead, and the lad did a smashing job, don't you agree?
We're thinking of getting a batch made up, but they ain't cheap, so if there's any interest in them we'll get 'em in circulation.

My first taste

of a 29er, riding the Kman's Salsa El Mariachi around Glenrock yesterday. I was pleasantly surprised I must say, I don't know if it was just the buzz of riding a singlespeed again, or the big wheels rolling so well, the rigid fork transmitting the trail to me, or what, but it was a blast. I felt I could push it into corners with confidence, and even in tight, twisty singletrack through close-together trees, it still felt nimble and responsive.This thing would rock with a Fox F29 fork on it, I think it would just fly through rough stuff. Although the rigid fork does look way cool, as does the Salsa CrMo stem.

More carnage

This time from Dan back in Aussie, he's been mashimg the 34/16 a bit too much by the look of this... settle down there, big fella! Can any chainring stand up to the power? Between him and Chris, drivetrains are shaking in their proverbial boots...

Some Welly fixies

These local fixies are from Oli's blog... he gets to work on all the nice shit!
An old AS Gillott... as old school as you can get.
This Langster was bought from us, but has been through a remarkable blinging process... Campy Record cranks and levers, carbon tubulars...oww.
A Koga Miyata... there's a name I havent heard for a long time. Apparently ridden by someone named Jenny... where are you, fixie riding ladies?