Year end bike cleaning

Wheels of Happiness

Rizal Philippines
December 31, 2016

I did not bike today because I think I over reached yesterday.  And the weather did not look ok - there was a slight shower. I decided I would clean all my MTBs.  The Mosso pedalling was rougher and tougher than the others and inspection of the bottom brackets (the outboard type) look that they have plenty of grime.

So I took apart the Mosso crank first and found out that dirt and some fibers were jamming the shaft and bearing so it could not turn freely.  I cleaned the plastic bearings, put some motor oil and then lined them with grease.  I used 1,200 grit sand paper to clean the shaft and put some grease too.  Then I brushed the chain rings with kerosene, washed with water and wiped with dry rags to remove the grime on the chain ring.   Then I washed the tires with soap and water, trying hard to make the tires all black again (mud had stuck to the sides of the tire)  wiped the rim too. Then cleaned the chain too, and afterwards put some oil on the chain. I repeated the process with SAVA carbon and SAVA titanium.   I noticed that the fitment of SAVA carbon BB was ill made.  (Well Chinese technology)

The bikes were dirty after all.  The undersides which I did not see often needed detailed and thorough cleaning.  Only the bike owner, not the boys in your house, not the maida, or your wife or children can do this cleaning for you.  Only you

Or maybe your mechanic and wait for a week

Practice ride for speed; overtaking every one else making sure no one gets ahead

Wheels of Happiness

Rizal Philippines
December 30, 2016

Happy Rizal Day (120th death anniversary of Dr. Jose Rizal, at Luneta)

I biked today after listening to the first part of the mass at Sacred Heart.   And then when I saw bikers, roadies MTBs i sprinted and overtook every one else. The last one and second to the hardest was the group I overtook at Callahan.  There must be more than a dozen of them. However, they slowed down after the descent at the flats and promptly took the lead again.   I must have overtaken about 6 groups  of bikers until Morong.   At Morong though, one batch of determined bikers right after the market, overtook me. I upped my cadence to catch them  till the Namay hill.  There I stood and overtook every one else.  No one overtook me no more at Sagbat.

At Simples Lugawan, there were Master, Echo, Meong and Joel.  Then Engr June arrived and we talked about the proposed ride to Baguio and his new assignment at his employer.  He is in charge of Region I and III for the distribution sale and service of industrial freezing equipment but with a twist - without the freezer wow.  That is interesting. I promised him to support with former students who are into frozen food, products, or food production, including uncle who in engaged into broiler and poultry products production.

Biking home ( I had to attend the Mariano Unidad Garapon reunion at 10 am at Holy Gardens) I passed at Cardona town proper (first time I did not pass diversion).  I did sprint at Calumpang 2x with the hardest one at Island Gas.

Thereafter I spied a roadie with Canyon carbon fiber bike and Cosmic wheel set.  I gave chase and tried to run him down.  There was too much traffic though that we were able to do some chasing only past Bilibiran until Holy Gardens Angono.  I learned that he is from Cainta Greenwoods.  I must have done a lot of hard work because I am aching all over.  Too much lactic acid in the body

Too much yabang, bragging before the year end?  My apologies to the readers/kapadyak

40 km ride yesterday to Antipolo, 50 km ride today to Tanay

Wheels of Happiness

Rizal Philippines
December 28, 2016

I am taking the challenge of riding to Baguio on first week of February seriously.

Yesterday, I left early for ride up to Antipolo.  It is about 20 km out and 20 km back.   It took more than 30 minutes going up.  At hard gear.  39 x 23.    And going back to tower hills 53 x 25.  I brought my Bianchi bike.

There was somebody who overtook me downhill with a 29er.  But I held my ground and rode on strongly up to Angono covering the distance from Tikling to Angono in 5 minutes.

Today I biked to Tanay up to km 55.   I brought my Sava titanium bike.

Some interesting high lights:

1.   I did six  intervals (sprints)   one going up Callahan on a high gear -   42 x 17, and on the flats from  from Callahan to Morong Market 42 x 13.  Then going up the Baras pantok    42 x 19.  I chased some Mt. Bikers whom I later caught up at KM 54.  They rested there.

     On the way back, I did the following intervals:

     Going up back the pantok doing again 42 x 19.

     At the diversion road, past the Crystal Subdvision  entrance, (after the hard climb) at 42 x 32.  (I had to climb at 42 x 36)

    At Calumpang road:   from Y  going maybe 35 to 37 kph, then finally at the Island gas Hill trying very hard to do something beyond 30 kph and chase the tricycle in front of me.

My body aches now and I am sure that I developed some strength and speed for the Baguio ride

Preparing for Baguio Ride

Wheels of Happiness

Rizal Philippines
December 27, 2016

Vhen Apran relayed to me the information that during the Christmas party which I was not able to attend (di ko nalaman,, no one informed me.  Nasa facebook daw, I missed that post surely) that we shall have a bike ride to Baguio.  It was initiated by Engr. June Francisco daw and he volunteered to have his place in Urdaneta as a stop over point.   VM daw will provide SWAG vehicle.  That is very comforting.

Time to have increased mileage, at least 100 km  on a long weekend.  Last Saturday, I did 80 km.  This morning I did Antipolo. Mga 30 km lang yon pero ascending.

I noticed increased strength in myself all ready.  Because I was able to climb that 39 x 23 (medyo hard yon) And going back I managed the Manila East Hill up to Tower Hills at 53 x 23 without huffing and puffing  I am and bike in oneness.  Getting ready again Baguio climb.

Vhen told me last night, he would join this one .  He and I are both 65 and in the years to come, we may not be able to accomplish this.    I was able to talk to Master E today too. We three will be team mates for this ride.  We will not be at peloton but we will finish the ride

To be stronger in biking you have to develop your core muscles - strengthen your abs

Wheels of Happiness

One of the observations among cyclists is that they have large abdomen.  The riding wont remove the flabs or fats.  But perhaps, these exercises will.  They will be better looking too. And you will get stronger and faster too:

Merry Christmas - is it safe to bike with the arrival of typhoon Nina?

Wheels of Happiness

Rizal Philippines
December 25, 2016

Merry Christmas every one.

This joyful greeting despite Catanduanes being placed under signal No. 3?  Typhoon Nina is a strong typhoon with maximum wind of 185 kph.    It is expected to produce storm surges of up to 2.5 meters along coastal areas.    Rizal and NCR is under signal No 1.  I have bad feeling, it may pay us a visit tomorrow.  So Kapadyaks be ready.

Special coverage by Rappler

Below is the full list of areas under warning signals.

Signal number 3:

• Catanduanes

Signal number 2:

• Camarines Norte
• Camarines Sur
• Masbate including Ticao and Burias Islands
• Albay
• Sorsogon
• Northern Samar

Signal number 1:

• Metro Manila
• Bataan
• southern Zambales
• Pampanga
• Nueva Ecija
• Bulacan
• Cavite
• Laguna
• Batangas
• Rizal
• Quezon including Polillo Island
• Aurora
• Romblon
• Marinduque
• Occidental Mindoro including Lubang Island
• Oriental Mindoro
• Aklan
• Capiz
• Samar
• Eastern Samar
• Biliran
• Leyte
• Bantayan Island

As I biked only 20 km today (10 km out and 10 km back), a kapadyak said that the typhoon is delayed because it has weakened.  But a PAG ASA NDC briefing at about 10 am said that the typhoon could be super typhoon with Signal No 4 raised at Catanduanes.

So ingat po

Getting farther and faster - on the way to full recovery

Wheels of Happiness

Rizal Philippines
December 24, 2016

Merry Christmas tomorrow.

Today, I biked to Niogan Pililla.  I left at 6:40 and reached Pisong Kape at about 8:10 and finished my lugaw (now P25.00 no longer P20.00) and finished by 8:30. I met Boy Naval (he has a new Mosso Alum 720 bike with Tiagra group set) and Papa Ric.  Papa Ric said the rest of Recylists were at Maybancal but wont bike to Pisong Kape  By 9:00 I was at Niogan Pililla and back again at Pisong Kape by 9:30.

On the way back I rode with a MTB rider from Bilibiran.  But I lost him somewhere in Morong.  Then I passed at Cardona diversion for greater challenge.  Again 39 x 32.  I thought I would stop at the right hand turn. But I did not (I was tired from the long ride to spot almost at Jala jala)  However, I made for that near miss by sprinting up the hill of Crystal East and then to the next hill before descent (maybe at l5 to l7 kph)

There was too much traffic from San Juan up to Pantok and even at Barrio road.

Riding a bike is like riding an airplane.  I hour of maintenance and cleaning for every one hour of ride.  After eating:   I did the following:  

1.  Swapped the front and rear tires.  The rear tires were wearing faster than the front tires

2.  Regreased the front axle (it looked lazier)

3.  Repaired the bar tape. (The wrapping became loose)

4.  Cleaned the chain, sprocket and chain ring

Repair of head post of the Bianchi bike

Wheels of Happiness

Rizal Philippines
December 23, 2016

Before I rode out yesterday with the Bianchi bike, its handling and safety was suspect.   The head post and the steerer were loose.  I tried to tighten this but everything came loose.  The flower together with the bolt for the headpost came out.

So I removed the stem from steering post, and examined the flower.  The flower petals were all tightly compressed. So I took a long nose plier and tried to straighten out the flower by 2 to 3 mm or about the same amount of degrees.  Then having determined that the flower were exact or slightly tighter fit, I drove down the flower using the long nose plier, and the head post bolt to drive down the flower.

I tried reinstalling the head post and the stem, and everything was nice and tight.  I was able to ride today using the Bianchi bike and saved about a P100 in repair bills.

How nice

Steady recovery I was able to bike 50 km out and back yesterday

Wheels of Happiness

Rizal Philippines
December 23, 2016

Yesterday I rode the road the bike.  I was able to ride a little bit longer, ending my ride at Tanay at KM 53.   This is 25 km from km 28 which the km post in Angono.

This is a far cry all ready from the previous ride up to km 46 in Morong.   This but is 7km longer.

But wait on my way back I passed by diversion road, using 39 x 32.  It is a hard gear compared to what I use with MTB 32 x 36.

But that is a sign of progress and steady recovery from the illness I had in October and up to late November.  The doctor said I had to be careful because in 6 months period I can still have symptoms (pain as they do now) and redness of eyes.  So plenty of Vitamin B and avoiding contacts with dirty environment

Who says that you can climb San Carlos Gate 2 only using 24 (granny gears)?

Wheels of Happiness

Rizal Philippines
December 14, 2016

Whenever I climb SCH and climb Gate 2 (the one that  leads to the Sacred Heart church) the steepest part of the climb to SCH, they say you can only climb that using the triplet or the granny gear.  And sure enough the last times I ascended that hill, I used 24 x 28 or 32.

This morning though I used 32 x 36 and it was more than enough.  How did I know I can do this?

Last week I tried the diversion the Morong side using 42 x 36.  I was able to do this comfortably.  Early this week, I tried the foot of the SCH II using 42 x 32.  I was able to negotiate the same well.
So if I shift to 32, I concluded I could do this.  Morever, I can do 5 to 10 minutes standing on the trainer using 39 x 17 on medium heavy setting.  That is strength and endurance.

Challenging rides today December 11 and yesterday the 10th

Wheels of Happiness

Rizal Philippines
December 11, 2016

I had two challenging rides:  yesterday and today.  Yesterday, I did the Botong Francisco hill climbs at Medalva.  I must have done the climb 4x and a distance nearly as long as Taytay.  I joined our staff on a PE.  And as they climbed, I climbed up, down and climbed again.  As they descended, I rode slowly, rode up again and descended with them.   I came out of the ride, perspiring one and a half hour after the event.

Today I happened to be towed by Meong on the way to Morong. I still was wearing my slippers but Recyclists tops.   We were together until the convention center when he left me. (He rode a road bike)  He lost me but I caught up with him after Callahan where he got a flat tire.   Then came Weng, Papa Ric and then Ado Gonzaga.  I learned that Ado has not biked for the last 1 1/2 months because of kidney stones.  He said he got cured by eating apples.   Please take note of that cheap cure

On the way back I rode up the diversion and I was able to do the first part of the climb before the bend using 42 x 28 and then completed the climb with 42 x 36 for easier (that was the biggest chain ring.  And then I practiced riding with my elbows bent and and forearm straight for speed.













    1.  Aerodynamics
    2.  Clothing
   3.  Posture during rides







       1.  Clean your bike;
       2.  Remove other accessories
       3.  Brakes correctly installed
       4.  Bearings

Resumption of normal biking distances

Wheels of Happiness

Rizal Philippines
December 8, 2016

Happy Immaculate Conception Day of Virgin Mary

It is feast day of Ateneo, although yesterday, they were reminded of their fraility as they lost to the more superior basketball team to DLSU.  It was a gallant fight though

So let me talk a little on my resumption of ride distance up to Morong.  The week before, I could only ride at max to Cardona at Callahan.  But I try to maintain a rapid pace say 25 kph and sprint up to 35 kph (estimate only but that is the perceived effort when I have my bike with cyclometer)  I rode up diversion and I used 32 x 17 and stood up. and went down to lower gear as I coasted up further to 32 x28.  (Laspag na)  I rode up to Sagbat and Taghangin to visit a business site, had some talk and rode back at almost 9 am.  On the way back it is still via diversion and went to low gear to 32 x 32.    (I had 36 t max low)  And then two mighty sprint at Calumpang highway (say 35 kph with the last one going uphill at island gas)  Rapid and furious pace from bridge of Bilibiran to Tagpos and from Tagpos to Pag asa barrio road.

Finished the ride panting and profusely sweating even up to 2 hours after ride.  On the way back to being fully recovered (although the doctor said the symptoms of my illness could last up to 6 months) Dapat daw maraming vitamin B.