Australia post pushbikes ...

[Joel Mayes]

TimC <[email protected]> writes:

> On 2006-05-04, Bleve (aka Bruce)
> was almost, but not quite, entirely unlike tea:
>>
>> My ongoing saga of trying to get the ultimate shopping bicycle ...
>>
>> It turns out Australia Post bicycles are made by Southcott Cycle
>
> Anyone got a picture of one of these? My google-images foo, combined
> with a very lossy interweb today, is consipiring to not allow me to
> find these.
>

A couple of photos of my (slightly mod'd) postie bike

http://0rz.net/740JZ
http://0rz.net/d70HN
http://0rz.net/f20Ik

Cheers

Joel

 

[Rory Williams]

Plenty of framebuilders out there that would make you one. It would be more expensive but much better quality tubing, better components, just a much better bike and just as functional.

CC

As far as I know Aust post have discontinued the use of bicycles in and around Melbourne and sold them all off. I saw one once in my LBS for repairs he was getting in a Sachs Hubs for them from Greenspeed.

From reccolection, the basic frame was nothing special, jus had the wire cage and reinforcing stuch on the front

For a basic shopping bike the Raleigh 20 and things like it are not bad options - Sheldon waxes lyrical about them in his website. I do have two, but they aren't in use at the moment. The low centre of gravity for the load and low step over height makes them a good load carrier. I welded V brake bosses onto one of mine and used it for child seat duty

If you ever saw the ABC cooking program with Stephan Di Pieri in Mildura he was getting about on a modern version of the classic English delivery/Butchers bike with a Large Basket over a reduced size front wheel. If you were going down a full custom build I think one of these would be the go. A few years back there was an auction of a lot of this type of stuff from the back of a shop in Glenhuntly Rd. I was notified of it by a workmate who was in the MBTC. There seemed to be a lot of interest so there must be people out there restoring thse things as well

Rory W

 

[Kev]

"Bleve" <[email protected]> wrote in message
news:[email protected]...
>
> My ongoing saga of trying to get the ultimate shopping bicycle ...
>
> It turns out Australia Post bicycles are made by Southcott Cycle
> Division South Australia, *but* they only sell to post offices - I just
> spent some time on the phone to some bloke with them, no website that I
> could easily find ... but their ph no. is (03) 9558 5449 and I said "I
> want one", he said "we only sell to post offices". And around we went
> a couple of times, but a brick wall.
>
> I wonder why that would be? Any theories? They just said "no" over &
> over and would give me no explanation as to why. It must be possible
> to get one if I can get past the lackey and talk to someone with some
> authority though ... I don't want to have to steal one from aussie
> post!
>
Hi Bleve,

Ooops big P on chest.

The manufacturer is correct. Indeed they are manufacturing 500+ new ones to
replace the fleet of bikes which are used in the flatter metro areas eg
Collingwood, Fitzroy etc in Melb (not too sure about other states. The
bikes are designed to carry 30+kgs of mail. The front carry basket is fixed
to the frame to prevent the weight from swinging the forks around. They
also use a smaller front wheel to keep C of Gravity low. Yes and one size
fits all!

The bikes may become available when the new ones arrive. I am not sure of
the disposal process but I am close to the acquisition. I doubt Southcott
will be bothered with any private orders, the bike is made to Post
specification which probably would require approval to manufacture and this
is not likely.

Cheers

Kev

 

[phleep]

Bleve wrote:
>>Bleve Wrote:
>>
let's just say the aussie post is a bit
> lax in the assets registry department and let sleeping dogs lie.

Nope.
Just about everything AusPost owns is individually barcoded and scanned.
Hell, we've got to sign an aquisition form to get a new pair of ****
sunnies.

 

[Bleve]

Kev wrote:
> "Bleve" <[email protected]> wrote in message

> Ooops big P on chest.



> The manufacturer is correct. Indeed they are manufacturing 500+ new ones to
> replace the fleet of bikes which are used in the flatter metro areas eg
> Collingwood, Fitzroy etc in Melb (not too sure about other states. The
> bikes are designed to carry 30+kgs of mail. The front carry basket is fixed
> to the frame to prevent the weight from swinging the forks around. They
> also use a smaller front wheel to keep C of Gravity low. Yes and one size
> fits all!

Yep, the perfect shopping bike.

> The bikes may become available when the new ones arrive. I am not sure of
> the disposal process but I am close to the acquisition. I doubt Southcott
> will be bothered with any private orders, the bike is made to Post
> specification which probably would require approval to manufacture and this
> is not likely.

It must be possible to get one somehow ....

 

[Skewer]

rooman wrote:
> may we could do a massed perve over the back fence of post offices with
> back yards and see if there are any "rejects" lying about, there could
> be some really good looking, well preserved ones.
>
> I have a feeling the "no sale"to the public is because if there were
> plenty around they would certainly go missing too often and Aust Post
> would get horribly narky about the black market trade in their red
> treddlies...just a theory...
>
> then...maybe my devious mind is suffering guilt from a past life as a
> postie bike black market dude..."stop you blaggard...keep yer purse
> sah!, I just want yer bike...so get orff it now ...there's a good
> postie and be on yer way lud! (fantasy ends...runs off looking for a
> life)
>

Got a reply from a mate who manages a Mail Delivery Centre (no they don't have any pushies).
He says any retired bikes go to Fowles for auction on the first Wed of each month.
There should be a lot listing on the Fowles website.

He used to ride one 20 year ago and you couldn't pay him to get back on
anything that heavy and only single speed.
He is also perplexed by the cult popularity of the CT-110's. His comment "Losers"!
http://www.thecoolhunter.net/lifestyle/NEW-AUSSIE-TREND---POSTIE-BIKES/

Pete.B

 

[Bikesoiler]

My ongoing saga of trying to get the ultimate shopping bicycle ...

It turns out Australia Post bicycles are made by Southcott Cycle
Division South Australia, *but* they only sell to post offices - I just
spent some time on the phone to some bloke with them, no website that I
could easily find ... but their ph no. is (03) 9558 5449 and I said "I
want one", he said "we only sell to post offices". And around we went
a couple of times, but a brick wall.

I wonder why that would be? Any theories? They just said "no" over &
over and would give me no explanation as to why. It must be possible
to get one if I can get past the lackey and talk to someone with some
authority though ... I don't want to have to steal one from aussie
post!

Call Tri Sled & ask about their recently built load bike. http://www.trisled.com.au/home.html

I couldn't find any pics of it but did see it at Fed Square during the sustainable living fair.

 

[hippy]

As far as I know Aust post have discontinued the use of bicycles in and around Melbourne and sold them all off. I saw one once in my LBS for repairs he was getting in a Sachs Hubs for them from Greenspeed.

When I was working for AusPost the bicycles seemed to be on the way out. Most deliveries were made by the motorbikes and the chatter from the posties sounded like once a few old-time riders chucked in the towel, the cycles would be retired.

I think Simon Jamison rode a postie bike at the SS Worlds or Nats(?) a few years ago. When I left Oz he was running the Specialized store in Richmond, Total Recall, Raging Storm, something like that.. I'd look it up but you know, multiple windows confuse me post-op

The German postie bikes are quite cool, with stabilising wheels that hold the bike up when stationary.
See: http://www.ericandjoan.com/worldtrip/germany/ger1px6.jpg

hippy

 

[cfsmtb]

I think Simon Jamison rode a postie bike at the SS Worlds or Nats(?) a few years ago. When I left Oz he was running the Specialized store in Richmond, Total Recall, Raging Storm, something like that.. I'd look it up but you know, multiple windows confuse me post-op

Total Rush:
http://www.totalrush.com.au/

Wildly OT - does anyone know about details for bike polo games in Richmond?

 

[JayWoo]

I see them sometimes near the Oz Post depot in Campsie.

* Booot Booot Booot *
I spotted one in active duty in Abbotsford yesterday. MAJOR HOT female riding it too I'm surprised I didn't ride into something