A failed Desaru Ride

October 26 we planned to cycle to Desaru, Malaysia. From east coast park we cycle to Changi Ferry Terminal arriving around 6am, as usual Mang Jing hit 35+ kmh after we told him to take it easy! Unfortunately, the ferry is only opening at 7am. Had some light breakfast nearby and when we got back, the terminal is full of people. Ah, it's holiday in Singapore and everyone is trying to get into the boat.

After an endless wait and carb loading we arrived at Pengerang ferry terminal around 12 noon. The scorching heat is unbearable, riding condition in Malaysia is way different than Singapore. The ride started immediately; after 30km Kuya Silver had a flat tire. It's already past 1pm and there's no way we can reach Desaru then go back to Pengerang to catch the last 3pm ferry. Thus, the group decided to continue riding all the way to Desaru then Johor Bahru to Singapore. Unfortunately, just less than 30km reaching Desaru we had to stop and go back as one of our riders is having leg cramp and can't continue anymore. We decided to go back to another ferry terminal, Tanjong Belungkor which is 30km from where we stopped.

The ride was tough. It was a never ending climb. After you finish a slope another one is just meters away.

Lesson learned:
Ride early.
Bring enough water and consume it wisely.
Make sure all riders in the group almost have the same stamina, endurance and mental push. A group riding in the same speed makes the ride easier.
Pack some bread and power gel supplement. Yes, power gel. I believe in science of supplements.

Unfolding to Road Bike

Last Sunday I sold my Dahon Speed P8 for a lower price by 20%. I decided that I want to start riding road bike. Sad day for me but a very huge smile for the new owner. The buyer intend to use it for touring; he definitely got the right folding bike.

Using the money from my Dahon I bought a Polygon Helios 300. I was eyeing for Helios 400 as all of its components are Tiagra with Richey stem, handle bar and seat post. However, my budget won't fit as I need to buy necessary kit for road bike. Helios 300 is a decent entry road bike unless you're brand name conscious.

I got my road bike at Rodalink Commonwealth assisted by Sammy. He did the bike fitting and made sure I got reasonable discount. He included free bottle cage and pedals. I highly recommend Rodalink as I noticed that their price on bikes, accessories and apparels are cheaper.

It was also the first time I got to touch a Colnago frame. Oh man! I also saw a full carbon Colnago and I can lift it with two fingers :D

Kit: Topeak saddle bag, Topeak multi-tool, Topeak pump and extra tire tube.

MODEL NAME	HELIOS 300
MODEL CATEGORY	ROAD RACE – TIAGRA 18SP
SIZES (CT)	46 / 48 / 50 / 52 / 54 / 56 CMS
COLOR	BLACK WHITE GLOSS
FRAME	ALX 6XXX ALLOY RACING FRAME
FORK	COLUMBUS TUSK LIGHT CARBON
REAR SHOCK	-
HANDLEBAR	POLYGON XPERT
STEM	POLYGON XPERT
BAR END	-
HEADSET	FSA ORBIT IS-2
SADDLE	POLYGON STEEL RAIL
SEATPOST	POLYGON XPERT
CRANKSET	SHIMANO FC-R450 52/39T
PEDALS	-
BOTTOM BRACKET	SHIMANO BB-ES25
CHAINGUIDE	-
CHAIN	KMC X-9
CASSETTE SPROCKET	SHIMANO TIAGRA CS-HG50-9 12-25T
FRONT DERAILLEUR	SHIMANO SORA FD-3400 BAND TYPE
REAR DERAILLEUR	SHIMANO TIAGRA RD-4600 SS
SHIFTING LEVER	SHIMANO TIAGRA ST-4501
BRAKE LEVER	INTEGRATED BRAKE LEVER
FRONT BRAKE	SHIMANO TIAGRA BR-4600
REAR BRAKE	SHIMANO TIAGRA BR-4600
ROTOR	-
TYRE	KENDA KONTENDER K-196 700X23C
RIM	-
SPOKES	-
FRONT HUB	-
REAR HUB	-
WHEELSET	SHIMANO WH-R501

Dahon Bike: Tighten those nuts

I'm not sure if this was written before. I've been searching on Dahon site and forums on what are the screws/nuts that should be tighten on a regular basis on a Dahon folding bike but I can't find one.

Hope this will help.

Unfold your bike. From the floor grab it in the middle fold then slightly lift it up and down. If you feel there's some movement in the middle then you should tighten the hinge screw. Fold the bike, there's a Phillips screw that will allow you to stiffen the locking hinge. Try to find the right amount of tightness. Making it too tight will not allow you to close the lever. Unfold it and check if there's still movement in the middle.

I hope Dahon used an allen head instead of Phillips. I feel that it's easy to mess the Phillips head since the bolt is a bit hard to turn. If you have a small spanner, i think it is better to tighten it on the other side.

Always spray WD-40, wipe it, then lubricate these hinges, bolts/nuts as they can easily corrode.

Filipino Cyclist in Singapore

It's almost a month since my last entry. I've been busy trying to look for a new job. A huge change/decision was made by our employer and lots of people were considered redundant.

Anyway, as they always say - "change is always good". I'll definitely miss working with my former teammates especially my boss which is one of the most considerate team leads that I've ever worked with.

Moving on. A friend of mine recommended this cycling group on Facebook: Filipino Cyclist in Singapore. I joined the Dunearn - Mandail loop group ride; meeting point at Novena Velocity. Great, as I'm just 8 minutes cycling away from the meeting place.

The ride was epic!  There were road bikes, MTB and 3 folding bikes (including mine). When we arrived at Mandai road a guy on a road bike suggested that we change the plan; instead of taking Bukit Timah - Dunearn, it will be better to take a longer ride since a lof of construction is happening at Bikut Timah. The organizer (Mr. A. D.) asked us newbies if we're okay with it and we said --- YES!

I always wanted to see if I can push my body on a longer ride. There was a time I was pedaling really slow and Mr. A. D. advised to lower my gear so I won't easily get tired. He also recommended to focus in increasing my cadence by 80 - 90/minute. It really helped. My legs felt better.

The best part is that the road bike guys asked if we want to climb up Mt. Faber. Oh man, I was so excited. The only incline I had is at Chancery lane, ha-ha! I completed the climb using my lowest gear. Sick man! I love it! I love the burning sensation in my legs!

Lesson learned: Go join a group ride. You can learn a lot from other people by asking, advise and observing. Also, I find it safer since vehicles can easily see a long line of cyclist.

I like this group of riders, they strike me as serious riders in a way that they don't chat too much and take pictures. They just wanted to keep riding. The same rule that my jiu-jitsu coach always tell us, avoid talking much and just keep grappling.

Thanks to Mr. A. D.. The guy in blue jersey and bike that talked to me when I was pedaling very slow. Thanks to everyone that joined the epic 67 km ride :)

Mandai

Mt. Faber

67 km

ElectroLux Man

I'm gonna knock on your door. Ring on your bell. Knock on your window too.

My bike main purpose: grocery / market, going to my friend's bar and to relieve stress.

Hipster Handlebar (narrow)

Bike made of 9$ cardboard boxes

When engineers told Izhar Gafni it was impossible to build a bicycle from only cardboard, he didn’t stop trying — he just stepped up his game. He ended up with a fully functioning, fully ride-able bike made from cardboard scraps.

Check out the video http://mashable.com/2012/08/02/cardboard-bike/

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.

2XU Sale at Takashimaya

I bought a 2XU sleeveless shirt that I can use when cycling. It's currently on sale:1 for 19 SGD or 2 for 30 SGD. I bought 2 pieces both color black. Another available color is red. 2XU performance compression top and pants are also on sale. Great fit.

Here's a write-up about 2XU - Compression Clothing for Increased Performance and Improved Recovery. It's a good read.

Front

Back

Front - fitted
Nipple patch required :D

Back - fitted