The Commuter by Levi's®

Street Racing

I saw this video and just found out that there’s actually an event for bike messenger street racing.

I don’t care if you kill yourself by putting your own safety in line of danger just to feel the excitement and adrenaline. But once you put other people in danger that sport/act becomes stupid. This event is disgusting and does not help other people appreciate cycling as a sport. They’re not only putting their own life in danger but also those car drivers and pedestrians.

You might say “Oh! You’re just some old, fat, lazy guy who can’t appreciate extreme sports!”

Well, I for one love watching extreme sports such as BMX, motocross, skateboarding, sky diving, sanctioned fighting etc. I don’t even understand any of the rules but hell it’s exciting to watch.

I have friends who are into sports: wrestling, jiu-jitsu, mixed-martial arts fighting, paragliding, base jumping etc. I’ve seen them enjoyed the feeling of adrenaline. Even I participated in jiu-jitsu competition and I don’t care if I get hurt or my opponent; because we both know and agreed that this is a possibility.

What say you?

Before Awesome

Neil Patrick Harris before awesome

Poor Pink Bike

A friend of mine bought this bike for 100++ SGD. Rode it just a couple of times and left it parked and ignored outside their unit. Ouch!

Warehouse Sale: Entro Cycles - Singapore

Warehouse Sale at Entro Cycles - Singapore

Surprise Beerhouse

Lab-lab and I celebrated her birthday at L'Entrecote. I'm not an expert on steak but I find their steak a bit dry, bland and not thick as it is already cut when they served it. I'm more of a manly protein steak where the juice and a bit of blood are dripping off my mouth. To justify, the place is marvelous and the service is 5 star quality. The oven-baked bone marrow spread-over the fresh french bread is delectable! You can also ask for a refill of fries.

Steak and Fries

Bone Marrow

J, T and I have been planning a surprise party for Lab-lab. We decided to do it at our friend’s bar Beerhouse. So after our dinner at L'Entrecote I told her that there's a mini-concert at Beerhouse and we should drop-by and have a bottle of beer. Ofcourse, that's not true.

Come and visit Beerhouse located at 28 Bali Lane, Singapore City, Singapore 189864. It's a very chill place to hangout with wide-range of beers.

Beer House.
Owned by a good friend.
Same owner of Mang Kiko Singapore

Surprise!

Oh, I'm not acting surprised here!

Happy birthday Lab-lab!

Cupcakes from J

Blow and make a wish

I'm gonna hug you and squeeze you...

Thanks J and T for making the surprise party possible.

Squats, Cycling and Cramping

Last Thursday I did some leg workout in the gym.

Barbell squat: 1x8 (60kg); 1x5 (70kg); 5x5 (80kg); 1x8(60kg)

Front barbell squat: 3x8 (60kg)

Single-leg squat: 3x8 (30kg)

Usually, my legs soreness will last for 2 days; 3 days maximum. However, my recovery seems a little bit slower this time. It’s already Monday (fourth day) and my hamstrings are still very tight and sore. It’s probably due to aging and lack of supplement such as Ensure :D

It’s Monday and it’s bike day to work. I went on with my usual preparations and gave Lab-lab a kiss and text that I’m already going-off while she's asleep. After 1 km I felt a shooting pain in my hamstring and knee. I just ignored it as I already know that it’s probably because my legs haven’t fully recovered yet. As I’m past Boon Keng/Lavender, I was having severe cramps on my hamstring and inner thighs. I stopped at a gasoline station and parked my bike in front of the convenience store to buy Vitamin-water. I was sweating profusely and my vision is a bit blur due to my body is fighting the cramps it’s going through. I sat on a box at the gasoline station and rested for 20 minutes.

I started pushing my bike after I felt better. I decided to walk my bike for a bit just to feel my legs and straighten it. Then I ride the rest of the way back home when I felt that I can pedal again lightly.

Lesson learned: listen to your body.

Happy 26th birthday lab-lab!

Happy birthday lab-lab!

Delivery boy!

I bought her a Cambridge satchel 14” bag color red at Doorstep Luxury. It came with a very nice box with ribbon and paper bag. I latched it on my rear rack on my way home. Their physical store is located at 127A Telok Ayer St, Singapore 068596. The store is lovely and all the sales assistants were very helpful. We went back to the store to exchange the size from 14" to 13" as she finds it very big for her. She's a happy birthday girl :)

6 candles for 6 years
2 bicycle lights to signify 20 years
Total of 26 years

This morning when she woke-up I surprised her by placing 6 candles and my bicycle front and rear lights on top of the box to signify as 20 years, a total of 26 years. :D

Cambridge Satchel 13"

Doorstep luxury box with ribbon

Reward...later

I always see this bicycle parked near our office building and honestly I have high praise to the person who ride this. That guy ride his bike even if the handlebar is just a piece of wood. Compared to other people that buy a lot of things that are not necessary ‘yet’ when they start a hobby, sport or activity. Note, I said ‘yet’.

For example, a person that signed-up for a gym membership; starts buying sporty clothes, latest model of rubber shoes, arm straps, support belt, shoe bag, water bottle, compression shorts, supplements and the list goes on. Some of these are probably necessary but honestly you can just workout using any plain, old, comfortable clothes that you already have. Ninety-nine point nine percent of those gym members already have some old lycra shirt and rubber shoes. So why buy new ones? --- Because they think that buying new things related to their activity will make them motivated. But when they realized that they have to put extra work to this new activity, they give up. They stop.

The same thing applies with cycling. If you’re just an ordinary bicycle commuter why do you need to buy the fastest gear, expensive panniers, carbon parts etc.? Don’t get me wrong, if you have the money then go for it. But for majority of people that are average earner why bother with unnecessary upgrades and gadgets. It’s not about the gadgets that you put into your toy. The important thing is if you were able to attain your goal: TO COMMUTE by BICYCLE.

Do it. Commit to it. Then you can reward yourself...later.

Morning commute with a Brompton

Around City Hall area a guy on a Brompton suddenly appear beside me on a red traffic light. I checked his ride but we did not give each other a nod. Probably too early for a fellow-folder courtesy, haha! No offense taken. Anyway, he’s wearing formal long sleeves, pants, shiny black shoes and no helmet. Once the light turned green he pedaled so fast I can’t even catch-up to him. I was like: ‘What kind of Brompton is he riding? Is Brompton supposed to be faster than my Dahon Speed P8?!’.

This happened for a couple of lights, which is the only time I can catch-up to him, then he breakaway near Cross St.

Next time I see him I'll definitely ask why he's faster than my ride. :D

Oh, it's good Scottish weather, madam

I got caught in the middle of the rain when I reached Lavender this morning. I decided to stop and take MRT station from Lavender to Raffles Place. But it’s only 8:35AM; folding bikes are only allowed starting 9AM onwards during weekday. The rain stopped lightly and I decided to continue cycling but it started pouring when I reached Bugis area. I still pursue cycling since I’m just wearing normal clothes and I still need to take a shower in the office. So why not get soaked for another 15 minutes?!

It was a great experience. Everytime I get caught in the rain I always remember Mel Gibson’s line in ‘Braveheart’ when he’s trying to convince her companion’s parents to go out even if it’s raining.

(raining, outside of Murron's house)
William: Good evening, sir.
MacClannough: Ah, young Wallace. Grand soft evening, huh?
William: Ay, is that. I was wondering if I might have a word with your daughter.
MacClannough: What do you want to have a word with her about?
William: Well, ah, Murron, would you like to come and ride with me on this
fine evening?
Mrs. MacClannough: In this? You're out of your mind.
William: Oh, it's good Scottish weather, madam. The rain is fallin' straight down, well slightly to the side like.





Also, while riding under the rain I had this confidence that I look like this:

Then I realize that people actually see me like this:

Dunearn - Mandai loop 50km

This morning I did the Dunearn - Mandai loop that I saw at Togoparts.com. Started riding at 7:16 AM and completed around 11:30AM. I got lost when I missed the turn to Mandai road and ended all the way to Sembawang & Woodlands. I managed to get back to Upper Bukit Timah but it was a long detour.

It was very tiring but definitely a great experience and an eye-opener that cycling requires different kind of fitness especially when you're climbing hills / incline road.

At Casuarina, Old Upper Thompson.
Lots of cyclist here: resting and eating at Casuarina Curry.
I sat on a curb for a 10 minute rest.

St. Michaels to Old Upper Thompson

After 10 minutes of rest at Old Upper Thompson I got back on the road again. Unfortunately, I missed turning to Mandai road and ended-up further at the end of Sembawang.

Lost!

Figured-out how to get to Upper Bukit Timah by Woodlands.

I had a hard time along Dunearn road's incline. It wasn't that steep but fatigue has gotten to me. My legs were burning at the peak of the incline that I got off the bike twice and walked for a bit.

Finish Line at Whampoa Drive.

Lunch at Loy Kee, Whampoa

Loy Kee

Char siew & roast pork rice.