Giant XTC Advanced 2009
I have always been a fan of Giant Mountain bikes. Just this week I have now become a true believer in the Giant Bicycle Company. About two weeks ago I was having a chat with Wilson (no not the basket ball from “Cast Away”), he asked when I was coming out for a Mountain bike ride with him. 
Now I’ve had a problem with my XCT C1 from day one, not a huge problem just a small vibration coming from the rear brake. As I was running through the vibration issue Wilson (who is works at a local bike shop who’s website I run for them) said they had the same issue with another customer and Giant replaced the frame!
I wasn’t after a new frame but he did say to drop it off and they’d have a look at it for me. We changed the rear brake assembly and disk rotor and the vibration was still there. So a new frame is sent from Giant under the warranty. Within 5 days the frame had arrived and has been built. The new Giant XTC Advance composite frame looks great. The only negative is it’s only a 20’ frame (making it a Large) my old XTC C1 frame was a 21’ which was a touch small for me, the new frame is now to small altogether and is going to be sold.
The differance is due to the the largest frame made on the replacement warranty frame is a 20′. I’d love to keep it but no point if I can’t ride it. see below the before and after shots. The XTC C1 had only been ridden around 300km, most of it on bike paths!
Before: 2007
Giant XTC C1
After: 2009
XTC Advanced 2009 Frame
When Retro just isn’t Cool
When a work colleague takes up cycling I’ve always found that offering them encouragement when they first start is the best approach.
When they come to you and ask about carbon bikes and advise on other components and accessories you start to feel like the old wise man sitting in the corner.
But if you work with me…. it’s not an option to leave you bike in the office while you are out at a client site for the day. Please be advised I may or may not have been involved in what you are about to see.
May I introduce the Sold By: Schafer’s Cycle Works, Grafton NSW 1990… no 1980… wait, oh look I’m tipping it a 60’s – 70’s model frame, when men where men and technology was a steel works with a brand new Blast Furnace and steel tubes had just started rolling out of the steel mill. They made a prototype.. Ladies and Gentlemen, I give you the “Schafer”, purchase price AUS$200 in 2009 (if you had held onto this from the original day of purchase it would have been considered a profitable investment)
The Schafer has a few core features I need to point out at this time, along with its supreme weight ratio and Shimano
component she has the following no longer… let’s just say utilised features
“Retro Gear Shifters”, not only set in a uniquely functional location for ease of use but cast in aluminium which was revolutionary for the time of this creation. I must admit the modern 105 brake calliper upgrade where a safety requirement as the old brake could not contain the sheer weight and braking power required to bring this stead to a halt.
So when you work colleague asks you to take a look at there bike for the first time, and you are like me presented the flag ship upgrade from the “Penny Fathing”
please be kind. Offer those words of encouragement I started this write up with, 
In my case I used something along the lines of “it’s a starting point!” when on the inside I was thinking, “My word.. what a boat anchor” or “its worth more as scrap metal based on its weight”
The additional lack of a feature was a gears, I was amazed to see a six…. yes you read that correctly.. a (6) speed cluster on the back. Now when I was a kid… oh going back 25 years, I’m pretty sure my Dad had this exact setup.
But to look at this form a positive perspective another cyclist may have been born, if he keeps training on this baby he will be one of the strongest climbers to ever take to the road. Now to the point of this write up. If you work in an environment that requires work mates to let off some steam every now and again, I’d suggest you keep your (in this case) pride and joy out of the office. I or maybe even another individual would have been seen riding the sled through the office, and at the end of the day when you return to the office some additional bling may have been added.
The carboard homemade front basket really did it for me, the amount of value add it brings is truely priceless.
On Top of the Savoie
A view from the top of a climb we did on Day 2 of the six day Mancation, Please use the mouse over the image to view the complete picture. It’s a panoramic shot… enjoy!
Moving the Troops
Being a cyclist, and the only person in the office that has a serious addiction to spending large amounts of cash on anything and everything to do with two wheels (that does not have an engine). The people I work with tend to send me a ton of cycling related spam. On this occasion I must admit I had to post this picture.
Moving the Troops
The Mancation
Well is time to get the trip plans up, Below is a loose look at what I’ll be up to over July, the only dates are that will not change at this stage are any flights (pending airlines having other ideas). Yes it’s Mancation (wikipedia= all-male bonding vacation) time come this July. Well to be totally honest… I’ll be off to Africa to catch up with a few of my family members.
Yes the African family… aka “The African Savages” (niece: aged 9, nephew age 2, Sister: age not to be mentioned!, Brother In-Law (top bloke), and The Phoenix. I will be spending the final Mancation lead up training in the deepest darkest africa. Fear not as I’m sure I’ll survive the first two week as the Alpine Dream will be just around the corner. If anyone else is heading over, drop me a line… a beer and a laugh must be shared.
Wednesday 1 July:
Fly to Durban, South Africa, catch up with family and do some local club rides to keep the legs turning over.
Friday 3 July:
Time to get back on the bike after the long flight over. Hill repeats are on the cards… 1.5 hours
Saturday 4 July:
Heading out with Sharks Cycle Club from Durban North to Ballito… no idea where we are going, just know it’s 85km ride.
Sunday 5 July:
round 60km spin, nothing to fast. Pure recovery ride.
Wednesday 8 July:
Same as the 3rd July (nothing but climbing)
Wednesday 14 July:
Fly to London, bike will be in storage until heading to Geneva.
Saturday 18th July:
fly into Geneva, hop on the tour coach at around 6pm for my transfer to the town of Faverges where we will call home for 6 nights, Best Western Hotel Florimont. It’s time to get the bike built and ready for the first day
Sunday 19th July:
The pros will hit the Alps on a 207km stage (bugger that!). The tour lads will drop us off around Chamonix, we have a 50km day over and down the Col de la Forclaz to the base of the climb to Verbier. From here we will climb back into the coach and watch the Pro’s do there thing as they tear past us, th rest will be watched on the coach’s TV while we head back to base camp.
Monday 20th July:
2nd Rest Day in Verbier for the Pros, from what I can tell we have a number of options open to us kicking off with climbs of the Col du Forclaz, Col des Saisies, Col des Aravis, Col de la Colombiere are all on the table for us to take on, I’m tipping one or maybe two of these big girls will see me having a good sleep this night, a lighter option is a circuit of the crystal blue waters of Lake Annecy
Tuesday 21st July:
Our location in Faverges allows excellent access to today’s stage, and those with bikes will have the choice of riding to the final climb of the stage, Col du Petit St Bernard or the finish in Bourg St Maurice.
Wednesday 22nd July:
Our location in Faverges could not be better for accessing today’s stage, we can roll out from the hotel to the stage (sweet). Today is a self ride tour as we will be able to head off to any of the following mountains: Col des Saisies, Cote d’Araches, Col de Romme or the final climb of the Col de la Colombiere. Or even head over to the stage finish in Le Grand Bornand. Too many options can be a bad thing, I’ll need to research all of the above before making a decision.
Thursday 23rd July:
The hotel is only 8km from Lake Annecy and the time trial circuit. We have numerous options of riding to see the stage, either by the bike path that takes you all the way to Annecy town or via the beautiful Col du Forclaz that takes you to the Col de Bluffy climb that features in the Time Trial. Top day in my book, still doubt we’ll get near the Pro’s as they’ll be locked away in their little safety village.
Friday 24th July:
It’s a quick breakfast and load the coach with nothing more than a cyclist tan, a few photos and some great memories while I head back to London before returning home to Brisbane.
