think green

I don't really calculate how much I save on petrol bills when I RTW. Non-monetary benefits that I get out of it, however, I cherish so much:

• Stress buster. A way for me to vent my steam - through the pedals.
• Workout for my health. Remember - health is wealth.
• Disciplined, time-wise. I seldom arrive at the office later than 0740 hours on my RTW days.
• Being green - one less car on the road (and one free parking space in front of my office for others too).
• Saves me money. I'm less prone to divert to hypermarkets or even a sundry shop, compared to if I'm driving the car.

However, you can calculate how much you save by riding a bicycle to work with tips from Azizan.

I'm not really a green guy, but I like to think that I contribute a small part whenever I RTW.

image hacked from my friend T's original.

night ride - 30.04.2009

Night ride is back, a pre-holiday ride before May day.

That's what Panjang's poster says.

This time it'll be from Pasir Gudang to Senibong and back to PG.

I'll be joining the ride from Seri Alam insyaAllah, and complete the loop by riding back to SA from PG.

Or so the plan :)

The other option for me is to go to Kafe Ruza Taman Scientex straight from work and join the ride from there.

Join us!

carbon clavicle, anyone?

inForm Technology Aids in Lance Armstrong's Recovery
from:
http://www.bontrager.com/news/inform_technology_aids_in_lance_armstrongs_recovery/en dated 1st. April 2009.

Armstrong and equipment sponsor Bontrager, jointly announced that he was the world's first recipient of an inForm® Full Carbon Clavicle Upgrade

Few points there:

• Bontrager not only sponsor bike equipment, but venturing into body replacement parts as well.
• Clavicle Upgrade. Yup, you get lighter clavicle. I wonder if there'll be another surgery for the left clavicle - just so to balance things out.
• There are always opportunities for every mishap.
• There are unlimited ways to April Fool

'Nuff said. It woulda be cool, though.
:)

Welcome to Seri Alam

I got an email yesterday from Fitri, a UniKL Seri Alam student. Been here in Seri Alam since early April. Hails from Langkawi, and looking for riding buddies while he's here.

I went out from the office early yesterday and met him with his friend Bob. We talked, and shared stories over roti canai, otak-otak, roti nan, and drinks.
He's a proud owner of an old school Schwinn hapakenamantah full susser. It'll be a cool thing to see such bike being ridden by a young lad.

The main reason for this blog is for me to share my passion for mtb. I'm glad that through this medium also riders are connected. Hope that more good things would come out of this.

Welcome to Masai, Fitri.
Bring along your bike and stuff the next time you come back to SA from Langkawi. And those cheap stuff and jajan over there, too. Meanwhile, join us for pre-ride breakfast on Sundays at Ruza Café.

RTW 15.04.09 - clipless and leisurely

I went out at 0650 hours.
The orange-red rays of the sun cast on the lower clouds greeted me, on the bike after 5 days of resting.
Subhanallah. What a sight.

Stats today (to):

• Distance: 12.33km
• Average speed: 23.6 km/h (this is beginning to be a good habit, beyond 22)
• Max speed: 40.4 km/h
• Ride time: 32 mins 56 secs
• Total ride time: about 38 minutes (traffic lights, crossing the road, etc.)
• Number of doggies: nil

My average is nowhere near 25, but well above 22. Something to be smiled about.
Again, managed to be in 44/11 ratio most of the time. Except, of course at Kg. Baru Masai uphill before the school. I guess I'm a bit faster than most cars, if they give me the chance to overtake them.

A bit of the experiment - clipless and leisurely. Yeah, not really pushing it this morning. Anyway, a 5-day hiatus got me a bit excited. I might have pushed a wee bit uphill towards the traffic light near Masjid Jamek Pasir Gudang. Man, it feels awesome. It would have been better if greeted with the green light, though.

 

RTW 10.04.09

I went out at 0707 hours. Not a good habit nowadays, going out after 0700.
Stats today (to):

Distance: 12.31km
Average speed: 24.4 km/h.
Max speed: 37.1 km/h
Ride time: 31 mins 23 secs
Total ride time: about 37 minutes (traffic lights, crossing the road, etc.)
Number of doggies: nil

My average is about the same as yesterday's.The thing is, like yesterday, I pushed a little more than usual. Stopped for traffic only twice, and managed to be in 44/11 ratio most of the time.

Next ride would be experimental - clipless and leisurely. That is, if I go out real early. Nevertheless, I enjoy having the early morning sun accompanying me with my ride.

RTW 09.04.2009 - clipless

It has been almost a month since my last RTW. I went out a bit late today, and took the shortcut route.

I went out at 0710 hours. Stats today (to):

Distance: 12.45km
Average speed: 24.6 km/h. Unsangkarable.
Max speed: 38.7km/h
Ride time: 30 mins 25 secs
Total ride time: about 37 minutes (traffic lights, crossing the road, etc.)
Number of doggies: One. She was actually startled when I rang my bell while she was about to cross the street after peeing on some rubbish by the roadside :)



At 0630 this morning, it was pouring down for a while. By the time I was out of the house, it stopped, leaving the road a bit wet. Never mind. I'm riding clipless to work today, for the first time.

Virtually riding with 44T in front and 11T at the rear for most of the time. Thanks largely to the magic of clipless pedaling system. It actually helps to pull up the pedal and gain more pushing power. Thus, the high gearing and high speed henceforth. So, I could more or less maintain my speed and momentum. Also by the grace of Allah, I stopped only thrice (usually 5-6) at the junctions and traffic lights - seems like that traffic lights are cooperating for this historic day(!).

Well, perhaps reaching above 25km/h someday? Not a target, really, but I'll post about it if the day arrives.

clipless

Yesterday's ride was a 2-in-1 event for me:

• Brothers and sisters from MR MoBiC came riding with us (along with local riders from around JB - lost count how many of us actually went in).
• I pedaled clipless offroad

Well, not all the way, and not all the time. Still in the learning stage. Most of the time I couldn't attach the cleat on my right foot. Only the left foot was attached to the pedal, and that was after struggling a bit to get it right. I need to adjust the setting of cleats on my shoes, especially for the right one, to get it right. Right? Right on...

Errr.. shoes? Yup! Finally got hold of 'em shoes. A pair of SH-MT41G. Thanks to advices from Dino, BC Kelolo, and Panjang, I got a good pair of shoes to begin with. I'm happy with the purchase, and even more happy to experience the clipless riding.

What awed me was the really light feeling when climbing up. Bukit Panjang felt a short distance uphill, and my bike felt a bit lighter. That was with only my left leg 'clipped' onto the pedal. I wonder what it'd feel if both are secured to pedals. Looking forward to that.

And perhaps also I should get a pair of clipless pedals to replace the pair of 'training' pedals I'm currently using: VP 2-in-1 clipless/platform pedal. Crank Brothers Mallet or Candy are on top of my list.

Aiyahh... would there be any end to this biking stuff? Anyway, for now, it IS getting more exciting.

bring back our wrappers

Tonight, at 8.30pm households and corporation buildings (or any building for that matter) would observe the Earth Hour. I'll cast (rather, switch) my vote insyaAllah.

However, I'll extend my vote to the outdoors as well. I'll never leave any trash however small it may be, on the bike trails and road wherever I pedal. Simple, and hopefully a constant effort from me, insyaAllah.

You can join me too. If we can bring our loads of wrapped food, bottled water, wrapped spare tubes and boxed cigarettes into the trail, we can surely bring the much lighter wrappers and cig butts out, and dispose them responsibly.

RTW 13.03.2009 - upped my average speed

I went out at 0648 hours. Stats today (to):

• Distance: 12.43km (huhu... a little shortcut today)
• Average speed: 22.3 km/h. Finally, I hit above 22.
• Max speed: 37.1 km/h
• Ride time: 33 mins 28 secs
• Total ride time: about 40 minutes (traffic lights, crossing the road, etc.)
• Number of doggies: nil

Thanks largely to Borhan, I took a little shortcut today, an abandoned road from PG to Masai, along the TNB quarters. Also I went along the shophouses in Taman Mawar, before hitting the traffic light and the long flat road towards Stadium Pasir Gudang, Police Station and Fire Station. The twist saved me about 400 meters.

But that's not all to it. Due to the flat terrain, I managed to increase my average to above 22 km/h - some sort of a small goal of mine. Of course, my ride time is also shaved a few minutes. More to it is the exhilirating feeling that you get when you achieve something, however small it may be.

The next goal: not set yet.

Marsya rides!

my heart leapt to see her riding her bike all by herself.

Only a few weeks earlier she begged me to take of the training wheels on her red bike. She was adamant (and confident) that she could ride the bike on two wheels, having ridden it for many short trips to the playground in our housing area. I have my doubt, but seeing her with such confidence, I couldn't say no.

It followed with a few rounds of back and forth on the street in front of our house. Me guiding her with her first foray into two-wheeled balancing experience. Of course, not much progress on the first try. Perhaps too, I'm not that good a teacher. After that, I was a bit busy and couldn't attend to her acquiring the balancing skills.

She kept on trying, though. One day she came in the house and showed her chest red with minor scratch and bruise from a bike fall. Her tone was unlike asking for a sympathy. "Macam Ayah dengan Adam luka jatuh basikal", she said, sounded almost like an accomplishment.

And she told me she could already ride her bike. Assisted by the boy next door Rahul and his sister Natasha, she learned how to ride. Thanks, guys.

Marsya on two wheels

And last Saturday, I watched from upstairs for the first time, Marsya riding her bike - on two wheels. I smiled.

RTW 11.03.2009 - New Route

Few events related to cycling happened during the Maulidur Rasul weekend:

1. I finally saw (and took photos of) Marsya riding her bike all by herself - more on that later.
2. Got news that Yad (a colleague at work, also an RTWer and MTBer) met with an accident at PCP on Sunday - still collecting facts.
3. I discovered a new route for RTW.

So this morning I went out and tried the route. It's only halfway to work, and continued at Taman Mawar.

I went through Kota Puteri, Megah Ria, Taman Bukit Rinting, Taman Rinting, heading towards U-5 Sports Complex, and the small bridge ontowards Kampung Pasir Gudang Baru. There it clocked 7.2 km. Headed out to the interchange towards Taman Mawar. Then continued the usual route from there.

I went out at 0645 hours. Stats today (to):

• Distance: 12.93km (ehhh... actually a bit farther by 100 meters)
• Average speed: 20.0 km/h
• Max speed: 39.7 km/h
• Ride time: 38 mins 40 secs
• Total ride time: about 46 minutes (traffic lights, crossing the road, etc.)
• Number of hills: 2
• Number of doggies: nil

Though the route seems to be shorter, the number shows otherwise. There are hills and a few traffic lights at cross junctions which eats up the ride time and total ride time (5 minutes idling time). Anyway, the differences are not quite big.

Alas, it was quite a high feeling, with the new route. Now I have an alternative, whenever I feel the urge to attack hills and enjoying a relaxed ride with stops at traffic lights, that is.

for sale

used Schwinn Mesa hardtail

24 speed

V-brakes

lightweight RTW machine

price: RM1k negotiable

option: new hardtail replica frame of your choice (whatever available)

- add on the price as per the frame

kindly email for more photos/spec/details

parking in the pantry - got noticed

That's my hardtail parked in my office pantry, my usual spot whenever I RTW.

Notice the notice? Yesterday someone put it up (the white rectangle, top left in the photo, and below) on an unused office cubicle divider in the pantry. From the text, it is directed towards me, and also my office mate Yad who also RTW once in a while.

I talked to my boss, and found out that he's not the one putting up the notice. He's okay with me stashing my bike there. No problem for me, then.

So I jot down a reply on the notice and asked the person to contact me to discuss the matter further. For the record, I receive no call from anybody about the matter, so far. Hence I'll continue on parking my bike there. At least as long as the written off chairs and unused dividers are still there, to be fair.

Err... notice the new wheelset?
:)

the notice from anon.

RTW 04.03.2009 - with Taiwanese-Italian and a pair of Chinese-French

Nearing end of Jan, I started RTW with my Schwinn Mesa. A dedicated RTW machine. No computer installed, hence no stats could be logged for my RTWs. Until today.

I rode my Taiwan born Italian white Bianchi to work this morning. I decided to have her for all my biking activities - on road and offroad. And for that, may I introduce (cue drumroll) my new pair of Chinese-French wheelset: Mavic Cross Ride. A birthday present, from myself.

So, a pair fitted with road tires (Specialized Mt. Baldy 26/1.9 semi-slicks), and another pair with offroad tires (Panaracer FireXC Pro 26/2.1 knobbies). The Cross Rides are intended for offroad usage, but for now I'm using it on road just for the fun of trying new stuff. Anyway, still waiting for the cogset & rotors to arrive to make the other pair complete.

By the way, I am still short of 12 PIECES OF T25 ROTOR BOLTS. If you do have them lying around anywhere, new (preferably) or old, kindly be in contact with me. Need them urgently. Thank you.

Out of the house at 0650 hours (as usual). The bike feels light and agile. I had tremendously high feeling on the road this morning.

Stats today (to):

• Riding to work, distance covered 12.82 km.
• Average speed: 21.3 km/h.
• Max speed: 37.4 km/h.
• Travel time: 36 min 08 sec.
• Number of doggies: nil.

By the way, the Schwinn Mesa is up for sale. Anybody interested?

Schwinn Mesa - 8 speed SRAM drivetrain with Azonic 100mm stem and Ritchey Comp Riser handlebar. Johhny the cat not included in package.