By Bike

Hoffy turned 40 last year. A light and sturdy steel frame built for me by Eric Hendren in Brisbane in 1975.

I was studying part-time in Canberra and a mate convinced me it was a good deal. I saved up my coin, sent my measurements through the post, and a month later my frame arrived the same way.

My design brief was for a racing bike that I could tour on: a steep frame with a short wheel base for speed and climbing, and an extended rake to dampen the vibrations on long journeys. I bought all the other components via mail order, the lightest and highest quality I could afford, then assembled the bike in the 2.5m x 1.5m shoe box of a room that I lived in on campus.

The moment I mounted the finished bike, I was in cycling heaven. My sky blue Hoffy was super light and responsive in a way I’d never experienced. Sky blue was an apt colour too, my eyes were always searching upwards. I flew up hills as if they were hardly there. All I wanted to do was ride.

A week later I rode to Melbourne via the Snowy Mountains in 4 days, averaging over 30km/hr.

The early years were full of adventure. Countless rides in the hills and mountains around Canberra. Mountain biking before I knew mountain bikes had been invented. Epic tours over the Australian Alps criss-crossing the Great Diving Range between Canberra and Melbourne. Circumnavigation of New Zealand. A couple of races too – the first a race around the university campus winning a slab of beer, the second a lost $2 bet on climbing 9km up a steep dirt mountain track with fully laden panniers in under 40 minutes (lost by 30 seconds).

After 40 years of faithful service, inevitable prangs, repairs and face lifts, I faced a choice between Hoffy’s graceful retirement, restoration circa 1975 style, or an upgrade with modern kit.

I opted for the last which meant major structural work – new forks and changes to the rear stays to accommodate the modern brakes which have less reach – as well as a new paint job. Great work by frame builder Geoff Scott from Sydney, who also sourced some old style Hoffy stickers to give it a more retro look. 

This time, new light and high quality components were sourced online. The end result a bike about a kg heavier than a modern carbon racer.

Still the same feel, it fact the new forks and wider tyres have made the ride smoother. Still searching upwards for the sky blue…