2006 Tour Of The Fireflies (I)

They say a picture is worth a thousand words...
but what if that picture is of several thousand riders?

Here's the first set. Starting point was in Tiendesitas, Pasig. We headed off towards Quezon City via San Juan...

2006 Tour Of The Fireflies (II)

From QC our motley assortment of riders turned towards the old city of Manila, where we cruised through Intramuros, and cycled past Luneta. The organizers set up a rest stop along Roxas Boulevard, allowing the 3000-or-so bicycles to consolidate ranks.

Different spokes for different folks...there was a recumbent bicycle, lots of BMXers, a guy ona vintage town bike (complete with hat, suspenders and saddle shoes), mountain bikers, road riders...name the tribe, and for sure it was there. My bro even took his folding bicycle! AND Yes, even the 29er singlespeeder was representin' hehe.

2006 Tour of the Fireflies (III)

From Manila we took EDSA and the South Super Highway en route to the Makati CBD. It felt empowering riding our bikes on these normally busy thoroughfares. Instead of being gridlocked with cars and buses, the bikes ruled!

We took a well-deserved break in Makati, and passed through Mandaluyong, and finally back to Tiendesitas via EDSA and Ortigas Avenues. We finished the ride at around 1pm, and rewarded ourselves with a hearty lunch.

All in all, a fun, albeit hot day, but the cause and the camaraderie, was well worth it.

Looking forward to next year!

of marathons and such

No dirt rides this weekend for me and Spanky the Monkey. I'm leeching off a Wi-Fi hotspot right now, test-driving a dinky Sony VAIO VGN-TX27P for work. It's pretty neat, and tiny...perfect if you're say, commuting to work on your bike.

Speaking of test drives, I just came back from a drive to and from Donsol, Sorsogon. The King and I, along with the T3 gang, got to swim with the Whale Sharks that are prevalent in the area at this time of year. It was surreal seeing them emerging from the murkiness (water was murky due to plankton blooms these gentle giants feed on). Total mileage is a bit over 1000km, and driving time was a shade over 24 hours, round trip. Yes, I was at the wheel of a Ford Escape the whole time. Lovely.

Oh this weekend is also the Cecon Twenty Four Hour Mountain Bike Challenge. King is competing as a solo rider. He is crazy. During the drive to Donsol he was also blabbing some nonsense about doing it on a single-speed. Hehe. Good luck King, and show em how it's done!

I am riding tomorrow, though, along with a thousand or so other riders, for the 8th Tour of the Fireflies. The Firefly Brigade is made up of driven individuals who promote cycling as an alternative, enviromentally sensible means of transportation, as well as other outreach programs. Helmets off to them. Our country needs more people like the 'Flies.

I'll be taking a camera along for the ride tomorrow, so expect some photos :)

Holy Thursday ride, Batman!

Today Jay, myself and Manitou headed out to Survival Trail - a short, intense 15km trail system that has its share of ups, downs, and technical sections...

The first bit is a steep dirt road climb, that, due to a recent construction of a school at the top of the hill, has been partially cemented. We normally stop at the midway point to catch your breath, but this time, I was in for a surprise. The monkey just wanted to keep on going. This isn't seated climbing we're talking about folks. This is stand-up-and-pedal-for-all-you're-worth-coz-you-ain't-got-no-gears territory. We cleaned the climb without stopping - something I've only done once before, on the Salsa Caballero (full-suspension+gears). Yes, I was in shock, and in awe. The more I ride the Surly, the more I'm enamored by it hehe

We crossed a "river" and I decided to test the monkey's stability by motoring through the shallows...no problems there. My virgin-white Sidi's got wet, though! They did seem to stretch, and fit better, after at least.

Here's Manitou gingerly crossing the river. I swear, the next time, he'll be pedaling through it! Well, at least his feet stayed dry!



There's more than a few technical sections to have some fun on. Here I am "dropping" the monkey - the big wheels just roll over stuff!



Erosion has played a big part in shaping the area - deep ruts and ravines dominate some sections. A few are rideable, a few are stricly hike-a-bike.

Watch out for the rut, Manitou!


Strictly Hike-a-Bike


Oh, here's the obligatory disco-daddy shoe shot:



For a short trail, this place has everything. Lots of shaded sections, technical climbs, steep descents. It's also rideable in reverse, so you can effectively double your mileage, and fun at the same time.

Here are the three of us goofing around:


And here's the monkey after the downhill run. My rims were hot to the touch - seems I need to brake a bit harder (or earlier) going into turns with this bike - it feels much faster than the old SS 26er...


Survival trail never lets me down! And we had our post-ride celebration in Hosseins - with some Lamb Curry and Kebabs. Yum!

Later that afternoon I decided to experiment. I flipped the Mary bars (once again) and rode around the city, taking advantage of the Holy Week's lack of automotive traffic. I think I can get used to the bar that low. Wheelies and lofting the front end need a different technique, though.

I'll probably give it a shot in the dirt this weekend :)

Thanks to Jay and Manitou for the recent pics!

next day, same place, strike 3

I ditched the bolt-on skewers and slapped on the Ringle QR's that came with my hubs, in the hopes that these would cure my skewer blues. Closed them down good, and I think they should do the trick.

Polly and I met up with BJ and hit the trails in Sta Rosa once again. Just like the day before, the bike performed flawlessly, until...

After regrouping at a shady spot, we were preparing to push off towards Duck trail, when I noticed my front tire was flat. Turns out a big-ass thorn had pierced both tire and tube - my precious Salsa tubes! Anyway, a quick patch job and a lot of pumping action (dang these 29er tubes take a lot of air!), and we were back in business.

On another note, my adidas shoes, which I got on a "spesha dear" from Hup Leong Bikes in Singapore last year, finally kicked the bucket. Here's a brief history:

- after 2 months, the soles came unglued. Luckily the friendly neighborhood cobbler was able to sew the soles back on. Good job on it too.
- on the 3rd month, the retainer holding the ratchet strap on the left foot delaminated. Soon after, it's opposite number followed suit. Superglue to the rescue!
- not even a year into its use, the sole and other rubber bits have begun to crack. not good.
- earlier today, I lost the left racheting strap when my foot caught on some vegetation. That was the last straw.

BJ had an inside line on some nice Sidi Bullets in Cycling Zone in Alabang. So we swung by on the way home and I tried them on. Fit like an Italian glove, and they were the last pair. The only catch? Well, they're disco daddy white!



Groovy baby. Definitely will take some getting used to hehe

Not too bad a weekend, I think we've tamed the monkey!

i think i know why it's called the monkey

The short road-ride up to the trail head showed off the rolling advantage of the 29er. I ran the same gear ratio as the Tingle, 32:18, but due to the larger wheels, I had gained 10% more gear inches – in essence the equivalent of 32:16. Great for the flats and cement roads, but the taller gearing and added weight of the steel frame had me worried about the dirt climbs ahead...

Same basic tenets of singlespeeding apply here - maintain momentum, and pick your lines carefully. Suffice to say, the monkey loves to roll. Once you get it up to speed, it just keeps on going. Here's a series of pics taken by Manitou on the second climb in Sta Rosa, which was a surprise right hand turn near the end hehe







Yes, it's called a Monkey coz it likes to climb. Despite running my old gearing, I have to admit, the bike dispelled all my doubts about it in that single climb.

The rest of the ride was on dirt roads and single-track. I did get bogged down a few times - one during a tight switchback to a short climb and another on a short but steep rise - nothing major, just have to get used to the bike.

Bombing down dirt roads, the bike was super stable, where the Tingle would be a bit skittery. Smooth is how I'd describe the ride. This bike plain ROCKS.

And yes, we're riding again tomorrow!

skewered (aka strike 2)

This morning started like any other riding day. Met up with Polly, Vic, Jay and Manitoo. Introduced the Monkey to the boys (and other riders who happen to notice the big-ass wheels), invited them to take it for a spin while I put my gear on. It’s interesting to see their faces as they tool around with the Monkey – feedback was positive, mostly. Note that some of these guys ride high-zoot bikes…well, Vic was riding a vintage Trek 8500 hardtail – since his Jamis had a cracked pivot! Manitoo was on board his equally classic but trusty Cannondale SE1000, Jay took his rigid singlespeed Specialized Hard Rock, and Polly had the Turner 5 spot.



After adjusting my chain tension, I proceeded to torque down on my bolt-on skewer, then – SNAP! The axle sheared, scattering skewered skewer bits and the Durly TuggNut everywhere... and there I was with an unrideable Monkey! Talk about starting off a relationship on the wrong foot. Luckily there were several options: purchase A DT Swiss skewer (pricey), an XTR skewer (pricier), or borrow a rear quick release from the bike shop’s rental bike (free!)…guess which option I took? I thanked the folks at Sabak profusely, and we set out on our merry way...

slight hiccup (strike 1)

While tweaking the positioning of the Mary bar (trying to run it inverted), I noticed that one of my grip’s lockrings had the remnants of an allen wrench embedded inside it. Looks like the LBS’ mechanic forgot to mention this slight detail. This made grip removal nigh-on impossible. I resorted to some creative persuasion – which consisted of a block of wood, a hammer and some lube at midnight, to remove the offending part. I think I woke the household (and the neighbors as well), but after brief struggle, it was free. Changed my mind on flipping the bars, as the position seemed a bit too aggressive for the rough stuff, and I figure I need to get used to the whole 29er deal first...and adjusted the spacers to drop the bars down slightly. Looks like we’re all set for the inaugural dirt ride...

Spankin' New Monkey

Finally, it's built, and it's ready to rock:



The Tingle was the "donor" for a few parts - namely the Mary bar, Boone ti cog, crankset and Ti BB. I'll build the Tingle up soon, I promise, just have to wait a while for a few bits...and will it be geared, or shall it remain single?

I'll have to fine-tine a few things, namely bar height. It's either I swap spacers or flip the Mary. If I flip the bar I'm thinking of wrapping it in white Salsa grip tape. Hmmm.



The headset and red Magura brakes came off the Caballero (which was sold to fund this project hehe)...



Tires are Maxxis Ignitors, and I have a spare set of Kenda Klaws for the wet season, as well as spare tubes...




Had to use a chaintug (Surly TugNut)...the rear wheel would slip whenever I'd try to pull a wheelie...



Initial ride was on tarmac, and a short jaunt on a grassy field nearby...and there's something to say about how stable the big wheels are. Handling surprised me, no sluggishness at all, and you can feel the wheels keeping their momentum. Hmmm...

True test will be this weekend, when the Monkey gets its baptism of dirt!

Ride on!

the day of the monkey

Henceforth, I hereby decree that April 2, 2006 shall be declared as such. After securing my car in the airport parking lot, I boarded the first flight out of Manila, bound for Hong Kong, on a "surgical strike" to pick up the Karate Monkey.

I travelled light, with just my Deuter backpack crammed with the bare essentials, and strapped to it a folded pair of wheel bags which I borrowed from All Terra. Boarding the 0800H flight was slightly delayed, as our aircraft had just gotten in from SFO...



The flight was uneventful. I got a window seat but the window itselft was quite scratched up, making photo taking a hassle, so sorry, the usual airplane shots of engine, wing and sky won't be put up here :P

Touched down at around 1030H, and soon after, I was queuing up for HK immigration. Twenty minutes later, it was my turn at the booth, and Mr. Immigration Officer asked me how long I'd be staying in Hong Kong:

HKI: How long you staying in Hong Kong?
Me: Well, I plan to fly back to Manila tonight, since I am just going to the bike shop here. But if something comes up, and I can't, I'll be staying overnight.
HKI: Can I see your ticket?
(I hand him my ticket)
HKI: (raised voice in pidgin Engrish)YOUR RETURN FLIGHT IS TONIGHT, HOW COME YOU SAID YOU ARE STAYING OVERNIGHT?! TELL ME THE TRUTH, ANSWER MY QUESTION, HOW LONG ARE YOU STAYING IN HONG KONG?! AND WHY YOU SAY YOU MIGHT STAY TILL TOMORROW?!
Me: (In a calm tone) Well, I just want to be sure, just in case I can't do what I am supposed to do. It's OK, if I need to stay longer, I can re-book my flight.
HKI: (shouting in pidgin Engrish)WHAT YOU MEAN JUST IN CASE?! HOW COME YOUR RETURN TICKET IS TONIGHT?! ANSWER ME HOW LONG YOU STAY IN HONG KONG?!
Me: (In a calm tone once more, but looking at dead into his slanty eyes) I will leave tonight. There isn't a problem. Translated: You are the first HK local I have a face to face, human interaction with, and you are either power-tripping on me, do not understand English, or just a real acupuncture needle in the ass. Since you are doing such a bang-up job welcoming someone who is going to spend his hard-earned cash in your little island, I want to get the hell out of here as soon as I conclude my business. Just chill out, and pick your nose or something
He then shakes his head and stamps my passport, and hands it back to me along with my airline ticket. I glance at the stamp and it says "eligible to stay in Hong Kong for 14 days. I wanted to show it to him and say: I ONLY STAY ONE DAY! HOW COME YOU STAMP 14!!?!?!?

What a real buzz-kill, but am all optimistic as I secure my travel documents, and get my bearings.



1111H and I am on my way to catch the Airport Express train to Tsing Yi. From there I switch over to the Tung Chung line, get off at Lai King, then hop on the Tsuen Wan line and get off at Cheung Sha Wan...





Sorry, no pics of the rest of the train ride. They might think I am some sort of camphone perv. And I don't want to piss-off more locals hehe

I step out onto the streets, it's good to get some "fresh air". The area where Flying Ball is located is a mixed residential/business/school district, and thanks to their map, finding the shop was no problem at all. 1207H I hit paydirt.



The shop is chock-full of high-end goodies, with matching price tags to boot:

Hope components from the UK:


Ultra-light Tune components from Germany:


Speaking of ultra-light, they also had a carbon-fiber Pace rigid fork - for a 29er! The thing was crazy-light. Don't ask about the price tag!



They did have a speshar half-plice dear though (for half a frame haha):



Refusing to get side-tracked, I look for my contact, named "Bikeman", but found out it was his day off. So instead, I ended up talking to Mr. Lee, the shop's proprietor. I told him the first time I was at his shop, it was 15 years ago, when he was still located near Prince Edward station. We shared a laugh about how small his shop was, yet it was full of stuff. His shop is much bigger now...and it has more stuff too!

While Mr. Lee sorted out the Karate Monkey frame and rims, I looked around for other components I may need. Here is my haul:



- 1 pair of Salsa Pneumaticos Sympaticos inner tubes
- 1 pair of Kenda Klaw 29x2.1 Kevlar beaded tires
- 72 peices of black spoke nipples
- Surly 18T wide base singlespeed cog
- 1 set of Monty special compound brake pads for Magura HS33's
- 1 set of stock Magura HS33 pads
- 1 Karate Monkey frame
- 1 pair Salsa Delgado Cross rims

I had to control myself as it is easy to go overboard in a shop like Flying Ball. I had to stick to my game plan!

Everything was expertly packed by the FB crew. They didn't recommend that I carry-on the rims with the bags I borrowed, and instead gave me a taller Cannondale box to fit everything.

1332H Grabbed a taxi for a relaxed ride all the way to the airport, and if I play my cards right, I might be able to get on an earlier flight back home. HA! If that Immigrations Drone could see me now!



1410H I'm back at the airport, and find out that the earliest flight I could catch is at 1800H, which is still a lot better than my original 2100H booking. The counter will open at 1530H, so I chill out, have a late, late lunch, and grab some coffee with my new-found "friend".



I go back to the airline counter and they put me on the stand-by passenger list. They can't say if I will be able to get on the earlier flight, and that I have to come back at 1705H. Fine by me.



1710H I'm baaaaack and they say we have to wait till the last possible minute. The gate closes at 1740H and I wait anxiously as the seconds wind down...



1530H I get the GO! signal and the counter dude volunteers to take my bike box to the oversize baggage counter as he hands me my boarding pass. Gate 15 he says, you must run! What a kind soul, guess it's like karma for that my crap experience with Mr. Uptight.

I'm running but then there's a queue through immigrations! A family of fellow chance passengers queue up in the line next to me, and I start to worry, since their line is moving faster than mine!

1540H and I am through immigrations and x-ray and sprinting down the corridors to Gate 15. As I round the corner I was expecting an empty departure area, but lo and behold, people are lining up for boarding! They're going in by seat number, and since I am on 64E, I have some time to pick up the latest issue of Mountain Bike Rider, a UK mag.

1830H We are taxiing for take-off, and I start to scribble a draft of this post. As I stop to reflect on the eventful day, it occurs to me that I have actually spent more time on an airplane and in an airport than outside either...

2000H After a light dinner that was chased by a glass of red wine, I start wondering if I'll get hassled by my very own country's customs officers. I start to think of stuff to tell them. Oh well, we'll see!

2020H We've just disembarked and am now lining up for customs. At around 2045H I grab a trolley and head for the baggage carousels, and spot my box going round. I race after it and manage to rescue it before it starts another lap. Ok, time to compose myself, and head through customs. One last step...

2047H The customs officer asks for my baggage tag, and takes a look at the box:

Customs:Sir, ano laman niyan? Translated: Sir, what's inside the box?
Me: Lumang batalya ng bisikleta lang po Translated: Just an old bicycle frame :)
Customs: Ah OK.

I wheel the trolley out to the parking lot, grinning all the way. It's only when I load the box into my car that I let out a whoop of victory.

The Monkey has landed.

Now comes the better part: building it.

Then the best part: riding it.

Stay tuned!

Flying Ball Mission

Finally, It's happening. Tomorrow morning I shall be boarding a flight bound for Hong Kong. Destination: Flying Ball Bicycle Co., And if all goes as planned, I'll be back here in Manila before midnight.

With my new Karate Monkey.

Yep, another bike. This time a slightly different beast from the Tingle. For once, the KM runs on bigger wheels - 29ers, in fact. We'll see how it the build goes - the KM is versatile enough to run gears or singlespeed. For now, here is the plan:

Frame: Surly Karate Monkey Frame & Fork
Headset: WTB Momentum GreaseGuard Headset (taken off the Caballero)
Stem: Salsa 21st Element Scandium Mountain Stem
Handlebar: On-One Mary Bar (taken off the Tingle)
Grips: Oury Lock Ons or Salsa Cork tape
Brakes: Magura HS-33 Hydraulic Rim Brakes (taken off the Caballero)
Seatpost: Salsa Shaft Seatpost (taken off the Caballero)
Saddle: WTB SST-XR with Titanium rails
Crankset: Shimano Deore with Salsa 32T chainring and FSA Ultimax Ti BB (taken off the Tingle)
Pedals: Time ATAC Alium Pedals
Cassette: Boone Ti 18T (taken off the Tingle)
Hubs: Ringle front and rear
Rims: Salsa Delgado Cross 700c
Tires: Maxxis Ignitor 29x2.1"

For the weight-weenies out there, I estimate the bike to weigh in at around 25-26 lbs. Not bad at all, considering this is a practical build (mostly carried over parts).

What shall become of the Tingle? We'll see. I can actually build her back up as a singlespeed once more parts come in (they are in transit), or maybe slap on some gears on her (what blasphemy!) hehe.