Riding to Speed (at 40 kph)

I used to ride at l5 to 20 kph and that was it.  I joined a century ride to Subic and finished it in 6 hours and I must have done 25 kph.  However, as I joining a lot of group rides, I find myself lagging behind, and that the younger bikers just wait for us at the agreed pitstop.  Maybe, I am getting old.  But it is not so.  They are simply riding faster and stronger.

I  bought a book on how to ride faster.  And lo and behold, the last advice there was to ride with a group.  The group ride motivates you two ways:   the social pressure to do well, and to keep pace with the group. 

So solo riders, watch out, no improvement will be visible.

The im;portance of group rides

Health Benefits of Biking

Our family has a long history of diabetes.  My mother my aunt, uncles died of diabetes.  It is no wonder that I too would have diabetes, and so with my cousin, Smith Unidad (thats Rommel for you).  He just joined us lately in bike rides (two years ago) and one day he was ecstatic.  Why?  He said he is cured of diabetes.  From a high of l4, it is down to 4.  That was amazing.

Many riders swear by their experiences that their blood sugar, cholesterol, uric acid return to normal after about a month of biking.  So let us bike everyone.

Our Recyclist_2010 Tours

Our Recyclist_2010 group consist of ragtag members from Taytay, Antipolo, Cainta, Angono ,Binangonan,, and Antipolo.  Richard, Luis, Jorge, Jun Vic, Nolite ,Amigo, Smith from Angono, Edgar from Cardona,  Edwin from Taytay, Joel from Cainta, June Francisco from Antipolo,  Diego from Binangonan,  Gerry and Alan from Binangonan. 
We had done the following tours:   Kennon Road and Marcos Hi way in Baguio, Bitukang Manok at Atimonan (twice) round Laguna Lake (once), Lucban Quezon (once).  Tagaytay (twice)   These long rides were fun and promoted camraderie, friendship, teamwork, and above all strength and stamina.

I was planning long ride to Gen San with Gerry.  But more work assignments prevented me.  I downscaled  it to ride to Sorsogon with Mon Apuya' group this coming June 6, but I have 3x a week teaching load.  Maybe next year....

Finding the Best Equipment or Body Conditioning?

I used to think that buying the lightest (and the most expensive equipment) will make you a great biker.  However, it turned out to be false. You must upgrade not only your bike but your knees, back, and lungs, not to mention upper arms and torso.

Thus it has be at least 3x a week ride or stationary ride.  Doing the stationary bike can do wonders for you by doing at least  the ff prescribed exercises:   spinning at least l00 rpm, hill climb:  sitting, standing, sprint.  if you are serious about your biking, no matter what your age, you cant be left behind.

How I Ended Up (or Started Biking)

I did not start biking on purpose.  I remember biking when I was in high school and I had two terrible crashes, the last one totalling my bike, a racer which I bought from my savings sa baon.  for l40 pesos.  I avoided a child darting out from their yard and I injured myself and the bike was bent and wheels twisted.  I stopped biking since then.  Until about 4 years ago when I could not stand because of rheumatic attack,

I saw an MD (a student at a graduate school of business).  He was Dr. Edmund Martinez of San Juan De Dios Hospital in Pasay City.  He advised me to bike.  Just bike.  No medz.  Just bike.

After two weeks, the immobility and the pain were gone.  That was the start of my love affair with biking....

Carbon Fiber Bike with CAMPY Parts

I have always believed that bikes are the same.  So before, I had five low cost bikes which I rotated in using.However, a lot of fellow bikers have been upgrading their bikes and going for carbon.  So one day, one the heck'  I upgraded a low cost fuji aluminum cum carbon with as full carbon fuji sl l. and fitted it with ultegra group set.  I did not use it for quite a while.  Because  I was afraid I would crash or would be embarrassed if I would be left behind in an expensive bike.

So not conntent, as we all are I had campagnolo, bought second hand at a fraction of what it cost him before (he upgraded into ll speed.  I was used to using Shimano group set and I was amazed that Campy, expensive as it was is a piece of art.  Lightweight, beautifully designed and made of composite titanium and carbon fiber.Wow,  It can steal your breath away.  And you can shift effortlessly and smoooothly.  The front derailleur has 4 postion for trim.  Wow thats what you call the ultimate bike:   carbon fiber with campy group set.