Sydney Iconoclassic type event ... anyone?

[JonTom]

So I'm looking at the photos from Iconoclassic and wondering if it would be possible to organise a similar event here in Sydney this summer.

Centennial Park seems like the obvious location (easy to get to, lots of free parking, lots of shade, tons of cyclists breezing by, a cafe, loos). But I appreciate it might not be that easy.

I'm not talking about a huge event with a BBQ, prizes, demos, or stuff for sale - just a quiet area visible from Grand Drive where we can show a couple of dozen bikes (maybe) and perhaps get a few more people interested in the retro scene.

Before I look into it further, I'm wondering if anyone else would be interested. From what I can see, this Australian section gets very little use and I've only met one other member from here. It'll be a grim day if I'm sitting there on my Jack Jones ... but at least I'll be winning Best In Show. :mrgreen:

So ... Iconoclassic Down Under / IconOzClassic / RetrOZ ... whatever. Would anyone be genuinely interested in getting their bikes out and getting involved?

 

[alexk]

Hmm, I've thought about it but I'm not sure if my MTBs have enough pedigree for such an event. There is also the Sydney Classic Bike Show which I think is held on the last weekend in March. This event seems predominantly road/track oriented with a smattering of BMX bikes. I haven't been as I've raced in the Mont24 Hour which is held that same weekend.

 

[JonTom]

Re:

Hey Alex,

Yep, I've seen the SCBS before (but I've never been along). This is from the 2015 press release: Event organiser, Marc Rerceretnam comments, “We try to cater towards as wide a demographic as possible".

For the concourse, the following categories are available:
Bicycle pre-1960
Road bicycle 1961-1980
Road bicycle 1981-1995
Road bicycle 1996 – current
Fixie
Track
BMX
Rat
Tourer, Utility and Roadster
Tandem
Novelty & Custom

Mountain bikes not included then? To be honest, I'd rather take the bikes to where the people are. On a summer's day, Centennial Park has hundreds (possibly thousands) of cyclists riding around the 4km loop of Grand Drive. Granted, lots of them are tourists on hired bikes, but Cycle Clubs use it, road and mtb enthusiasts use it.

Just a though ... maybe mountain bikes aren't included in the SCBS event due to lack of interest (I believe some people do have a life outside of mountain biking). Even so, this is a retro forum and so far the response has been almost non-existent (especially compared to the response DoctorStewie's thread is getting about a retro event in the UK).

Perhaps I should include a BBQ? :facepalm:

 

[alexk]

Re: Re:

Just a though ... maybe mountain bikes aren't included in the SCBS event due to lack of interest (I believe some people do have a life outside of mountain biking). Even so, this is a retro forum and so far the response has been almost non-existent (especially compared to the response DoctorStewie's thread is getting about a retro event in the UK).

Perhaps I should include a BBQ? :facepalm:

Yes, I think there could be a lack of interest in some respects, but also I think that the retro MTB scene in Australia is fragmented due to geography (e.g: Hobart, Perth and so on) which makes things difficult for a big gathering like Iconoclassic. There are some retro MTB threads on Rotorburn and Bicycle Network Australia forums which have some pretty cool old mountain bikes posted so they are out there but just not posting to Retrobike.

I would like to enter my Bontrager (or two) in the Sydney Classic Bike Show but I have been racing the one I have built (building the other one now) at the last two Mont24 Hour events which naturally has resulted in a clash of dates. As much I as I would like to be at the SCBS I find it more enjoyable to be out riding the bike as intended rather than looking.

Part of me thinks that getting a few retro rides together in the Sydney area could act as a starting point to initiate an Iconoclassic type event.