Last Sunday, Sydney Bike Polo held the our first demo at the Vic on the Park pub in Enmore.  It was a lot of fun to play and also to watch people jump on a play their first games of polo. The balcony viewing deck was a great place to enjoy a cold beverage and wait for your next game. Thank so much to Cy Norman for letting me use his photos!

This week we feature some of the best looking wheel covers I have ever seen. The one above is from Carlos Gray from my home town Sydney who painstakingly hand painted his.

The ones below are from Martha Heneghan of Decatur Bike Polo.  Martha said “The owls have never made it to a bike, too nice to wreck, so that cover has been on our wall since I got it back. The fish was played for a while but is now on the wall across from the hoots.  I currently roll a tree, but haven’t got a pic yet.”

For more amazing wheel covers go here.

Got a favourite wheel cover?  We’d love to see it.  Send your photos to goalholepolo@gmail.com

Brian Wagner wrote this back in 2008. It perfectly describes the craziness that was Sydney Bike Polo when a lot of us were first starting to play.  Starting to really miss those days (but not the wooden mallets).

Every Sunday afternoon in Sydney a group of bike fanatics meet to sweat off their hangovers with a clash of mallets and bicycles.  Players of the Sydney Bicycle Polo League can be found laughing, pedalling, wincing in pain, and crossing mallets; all tucked away on a basketball court just off King Street in Newtown.

Hardcourt Bike Polo has only recently become a regular event in Sydney but had been played on and off during the last few years after local messenger, ‘Smokin’ Joe Cavanagh first saw it in the States.  “I first played in Seattle in 2003 and I quickly fell in love with the game.”  European and North American Bike messengers adapted the game from the original bicycle version, invented in 1891, which is still played on a grass field.  The hardcourt version, played on an asphalt or concrete surface, can be found played in most major cities with a healthy bicycle messenger community.  Mallets are homemade, the length of which is usually a ski pole, golf club, and sometimes a broom handle.  The mallet head is made of high density plastic piping or timber.  Most games, including Sydney’s, have spare mallets for people wanting to give the sport a swing.  Just remember to bring your own bicycle, the more beat-up the better.

At two-thirty some of the players put down their beers for bikes and start the first game.  Teams are randomly selected and they retreat to face each other from opposite ends of the court.  After a brief countdown the court starts to seethes with skidding bikes, swinging mallets and boisterous howls.  Players from both teams sprint head-on and lunge out with their mallets to try and claim the roller hockey ball from centre court.  Orders along with encouragement and more than the occasional sledge come from those on the court; and as loudly from the other side of the fence, where a small but animated crowd watches from the grass.  The game is definitely one for spectators.  Six riders scramble around the cage in pursuit of an orange ball and hopefully a goal; and with courts usually having at least three sides to view from, the action is non-stop and close up.

Rules here are few and easily picked up on.  Teams are usually three a side.  Put a foot to ground and ‘get out of it!’, then tap the centre of the side of the court with your mallet before re-joining play.  A goal can only be scored when striking the ball with the round end of the head of the mallet.  After a goal, the scoring team has to circle back around their goal to give the opposition time to reorganise.  Rules can vary slightly from city to city though, “That’s the beauty of the game – you play it how you want to.  The less rules the better so you don’t need a referee.” explains Joe.

The Sydney league is quite physical when compared to much of the play in Europe.  Shoulder barging, mallet throwing and front wheels being hooked out from under riders is common practice.  With the level of physicality and team names like ‘Justifiable Genocide’, one might get the impression that riders new to the league would leave with their tail between their legs.  Anything but however, a friendly and all welcome attitude runs among the fifteen or so regulars.  “I’ve improved a lot, but even my first game was heaps of fun.” says bike mechanic Lewis Ciddor, who hasn’t missed a game since his first.  After heated disputes over the validity of goals (during which the game never slows) and rather harsh revenge challenges, you half expect a fight to break out after the winning goal is cracked through the narrow posts.  However, after wiping sweat and blood from their bodies, the players seem strangely satisfied.  They joke over follies and congratulate each other on good manoeuvres; score and victory being irrelevant as long as it was a “good game”.

With the bicycle becoming an ever more popular tool for transport and recreation in Sydney, this fledgling sport seems likely to gain a wider following.  Bike messengers are already excited at the prospect of competing against the world’s best in Tokyo, next September, as part of the Cycle Messenger World Championships.  With the emphasis on fun however, most players are content with keep things relaxed.  “I’m not too fussed,” says Joe, “I’m happy for the Sunday league to continue and maybe we could have interstate comp.”

By Brian Wagner

Photographs by Kurt Petersen Photography

Ah Francesco!  A little bit of Italy has found a new home in Sydney.  Always smiling and never angry, Francesco is a joy to have around (which is quite unusual in Sydney). Once he’d mastered the art of polo, Francesco decided one day to switch to being a lefty to get an advantage over the other players.  So far this seems to be working out quite well for him (and not so well for the rest of us). Here’s a little more about Francesco.

City: Sydney, Australia (via Milan)

Years played: 10 months total, 3 months leftie

Super power: Lefty Bullshit

Favourite heckle: Any with the Italian accent

Bike: Charge Plug, freewheel with dual brake and 38:23 ratio

Mallet: Ski pole with Milwaukee head with one cut-out side

Protection: Gloves

What do you love most about bike polo?
The people and the first rule, don’t be a dick!

By Virginia Castellan

If you want to see more player profiles, you need to go here

Mallet #3 – Virginia Castellan (Sydney, Australia)

Now retired, this hot pink beauty was my first ever “proper” mallet. It was built just for me, not a hand-me-down from one of the boys.  My sister found the ski poles in an op shop in the burbs and Locky and I decided to make matching mallets for our first tournament together, All Good Things Come In Twos.  This mallet was responsible for one of the lamest team names we have ever used – Team Panther – as in Pink Panther, as in woeful.  Strangely we kept that name for a few more tournaments after that.

I played with this mallet for years – it travelled to Berlin with me for the World Championships in 2010 and to many other tournaments in Australia.  Looking back now, I can’t believe I played with it for so long – the St Cago head was tiny and although it hit really well,  balls kept jumping over it into the goal when I blocked.

About halfway down the shaft there is a huge dent which was caused by Jamie Barber mallet hacking me at a Brisbane Throw-Up tournament.  He kept yelling at his team to take me down and when no-one did he came up behind me and hit my mallet so hard it went flying into the crowd.  Such a dick!! I chased him up the court and tried to put him into the back fence but before I could make contact, he turned and offered me his own mallet.  This is one of the reasons why I love playing in Brisbane (but that’s another story).

The fabulous Team Panther

By Virginia Castellan

Team panther photograph by Damon Rao

If you missed Jamie’s shaft, you can see it here.

Jamie will soon be leaving our fair shores and returning to England, the victim of an expiring visa.  This sucks because I really like having him around. Although he sometimes plays polo, more often than not you will see him on the road near the court practising keos and other such tricks.  Here’s a little more about Jamie.

City:  Sydney, Australia

Years played: 10 months

Super power: Sydney mallet toss

Favourite heckle: Penis!!

Bike: Potential of Hydrogen, brakeless, fixed with 44:17 ratio

Mallet: Ski pole with uncapped head

Protection: None

What do you love most about bike polo?
The people…  and the beer

By Virginia Castellan

If you want to see more player profiles, you need to go here

Owner:  Tsz Wan

City:  Cabramatta, Australia

Frame/Fork:  Giant Ballsa / Onza Smart Guy

Bars:  Kalloy 70mm risers

Seat/Post: Fully sick adjustable

Pedals: Time

Cranks/BB/Chain ring:  34T/22T XTR M950

Sprocket: 13T

Brakes: XT Sorvo Wave Lever / BMX style Gyro Double Cable

Front wheel/tyre: Duro 26″ 1.75 / Mavic 317 36h Disc brake

Rear wheel/tyre: Duro 26″ 1.75 / Shimano Shitty 36h rim brake

Why did you choose this bike?
Sentimental value. I’ve had it since high school. It was stolen out of my garage twice and returned by police and I have couriered with it.

How long have you played on this bike for? Have you played on anything else?
Two years.  I would like to play on someone else’s once in a while.

What are the best things about your bike?
The saddle – it’s got a gorilla on it!

What are the worst things about your bike? What would you change?
The tyres are too skinny

By Virginia Castellan

Photographs by Virginia Castellan and Brook Tait-Styles

Want to see some other players’ bits?  You need to go here.

Not too many girls are brave enough to play in Sydney.  In the four years that I have been playing, I would say there has been less than ten.  I am very happy that after relocating from Melbourne,  Nikki has become a regular.  Always smiling and not afraid to put a shoulder in, she is definitely one of my favourite people to play with in Sydney.  Here’s a little more about Nikki.

City: Sydney, Australia

Years played: Nine months

Super power: Losing ability

Favourite heckle: Don’t worry, it’s just Jack

Bike: Cyclops frame, freewheel with back brake and 34:22 ratio

Mallet: Ski pole with uncapped closed sides head

Protection: Elbows

What do you love most about bike polo?
Not having a boyfriend and getting out of Sunday family lunches.

By Virginia Castellan

If you want to see more player profiles, you need to go here

Owner:  Locky Sheriff

City:  Sydney, Australia

Frame/Fork:  Gary Fisher with Redline forks

Bars:  Crowbars

Seat/Post: Scor

Pedals: Shimano SPDs

Cranks/BB/Chain ring:  Shimano / Azonic 34T chainring

Sprocket: 17T freewheel

Brakes: Avid dual brake lever and barrel

Wheels: Velocity with Maxxis tyres

Why did you choose this bike?
It had similar geometry to my last polo frame and was the right size.  It was free and it is a Gary Fucken Fister!!

How long have you played on this bike for? Have you played on anything else?
I have played on this for 2 weeks.  Before that I played on a Jamis Dragon for 3 years.

What are the best things about your bike?
It has a better turning circle than my last bike and no cross over.  It’s orange and it’s lighter than my previous frame.

What are the worst things about your bike? What would you change?
The disc mounts are obsolete so I have to run v brakes.  Also the chain is too loose.

By Virginia Castellan

Want to see some other players’ bits?  You need to go here.

Louis has been playing polo in Sydney for the past month.  He first played the game at the demonstration that Sydney Bike Polo put on at the Bike & Lifestyle Show.  5 days later he was back at our local court with a modified bike including a dual brake lever he built himself and his own mallet.  Louis is 13. This weekend Louis debuted another upgraded polo bike with his younger brother Xavier (9) taking over on his old bike.  The two of them are picking the game up at lightning speed and I think, in a couple of months, they’ll be teaching us a thing or two.  Here’s a little more about Louis.

City: Sydney

Years played: 1 month

Super power: Youth

Favourite heckle: Ouvre les yeux

Bike: Giant – Awesome with freewheel and dual brake

Mallet: Generic shaft with uncapped closed-sides head

Protection: Gloves, knee pads and shin guards

What do you love most about bike polo?
Everything! Especially beating my brother!

By Virginia Castellan

If you want to see more player profiles, you need to go here