Beginnings

Story is...I used to cycle a lot, ever since I saved up from my paper round when I was eight and finally convinced my mum that I wouldn't die under the wheels of a truck when I became the proud owner of a Speedwell Mustang Dragster with a Sturmey Archer 5 speed.

I loved it! The freedom, the speed, the sights, the hours in the garage tinkering (breaking), modifying and fixing. Many adventures followed. Next, as I'd outgrown, and let's be honest, broken the Mustang came a racing style bike in 1981, an Apollo III replete with Shimano Altus centrepull brakes and derailleurs, Sugino cotterless cranks, Dia Compe brake levers and alloy wheels with quick release. This bike carried me enormous distances for many years and was my daily commuter, touring and recreational bike. It really flew.

But then life got in the way and the riding became less frequent and as it became less frequent it got harder as I got less used to it. Familiar story no doubt.

So after a long while of at best infrequent rides, a couple of years ago we found ouselves newly arrived in Wollongong. I hung the Apollo on the garage wall and got myself a nice shiny new aluminium MTB - Avanti Montari. Nice bike. I did ride a bit more, but time, oh time - If you don't make it it isn't there.

That is until late last year when I turned 40 and getting fat and lazy began to beome a likely reality. As motivation I rejoined Bike NSW and began cycling more regularly. My partner, Sue chimed in a gave me a ticket to the NSW big ride for christmas 2006, so I have to get fit. So ride I did.

But enough 0f the back story, (I'll post my story of the big ride later on) these days I'm finding myself more and more interested in Audax (or randonneuring) and in the art of bicycle construction and framemaking. Recently and as a result of this interest, I've been renovating the Apollo for long distance riding and I hope to document that process as I write on. It could be boring, but its supposed to motivate me to ride and write, and I at least will enjoy it.

In case you're wondering, redux means to restore or bring back. The OED says "of crepitation or other physical signs indicating the return of an organ to a healthy state" which pretty much sums it up.