Dej wrote:
"Stuart Lamble" wrote in message
...

Second question relates to routes. Anybody have any suggestions on good
roads/bike routes to take, heading south from Mitcham (call it about
halfway between Mitcham and Heatherdale stations, on Brunswick St) to
Monash Uni Clayton? What's (eg) Springvale Road like during peak-ish
hour (~7-8am, ~5-6pm) for cyclists?


Third question: is there a reasonable route for cyclists to take from
that area to get to the CBD? I don't need one right now, but it might be
useful to know down the road if/when I move jobs. Public transport is,
well, public transport.


I'd seriously avoid blackburn rd, its pretty ugly between high st rd and ftg
roads.
The lanes are narrow and theres usually heavy traffic (cars, busses, trucks,
you name it)
I ride from surrey hills to notting hill just north of monash. Whenever i've
wanted to take the long way, i've gone down ftg to springvale then left and
straight up springvale to maroondah in preference to riding blackburn rd. I
find springvale rd to be just as busy, but the lanes are a bit wider.
The only problem part for me is riding east along ftg road between blackburn
and springvale, you get all the ppl coming off the freeway onto ftg road
still belting along

from mitcham to city, i'd go to cantebury and straight down cantebury, maybe
cut thru camberwell and get onto riversdale / swan st
there's the path that follows the eastern freeway but its pretty twisty

on the bike prices issue, you should be able to get some reasonable
discounts on 2004 model roadies at the moment.
maybe look at the scott, giant etc. those $1000 roadies seem to have pretty
much all the same components.
ive been told shimano sora is no good tho? but until recently i was using
old rsx7 speed gear and it worked ok for commuting



If you like the Scott.. very nice frame... mix of compponents.. the base
version in last years model is about a thousand.

Oddly Bike life in Hawthorn have em

Dave