Is it the bike or the rider?

Wheels of Happiness

Rizal Philippines
October 1, 2018

At Pisong Kape yesterday VM Jun Vic was making kuwento of their Teresa ride last Saturday where he overtook 4 out of five Bianchi riders - (the one he couldn't was a Dr.)   But he was wondering was it because of the bike or because of him. He has a large tummy and slightly overweight

I disposed off my Bianchi because I think Pinarello is a better bike than Bianchi:  in terms of weight, geometry and being aero shape

He had Pinarello F10 with Campy 12 groupset. I would say it is because of the bike. I was on F10 last Sunday. Having gone first from Morong, nobody was near me up to Pisong Kape and even managed to get past by RB and MTB who were much much ahead. I was only at 36 x 11.

On the way back, I got off slightly ahead at Biak na Bato and they caught up with me only at Maybancal Titing Kabayo for the buko juice drink.

At Cardona  up at Callahan I was with the leader.   With VM, Pres Luis, Netoy and Jess.   That was not so bad.   The F10 is a good bike for flats and hill climbs.

I am glad I have one.   No  wonder it is the world's top selling expensive bike.  Wala ka nang hahanapin pa
(Kaya wala na akong motivation for a new bike project or upgrade)

                                              My PInarello took me to Real with the Maws

                                                   Top of the line Groupset  Campy Record 11S

                                                            G3 lacing for CULT Campy Ultra 2 WS

The Real long ride can be divided into just 4 hill climbs

Wheels of Happiness

Rizal Philippines
August 28, 2018

                                                        The riders at Famy crossing

Most of us are intimidated by the Real ride because it is a real ride.  It is long and heavily punctuated by long hard climbs.  However if you analyze it well there are only 4 major hard climbs:  Bugarin of course (the usual climb we practice) at Laguna. Then just 3 at  Laguna Quezon:    1 between Famy and Siniloan before the quarry.  Then from quarry to the DENR check point, and  the last one from Llavac to the crest going downhill to the Real town proper.

I would like to think that going home ride is more difficult and challenging.  The Llavac to the crest of the hill would be about 5 km only but from Real to the pasalubong center is about 15 km.  They are not very steep but long.  With 36 chain ring, I had to shift to 28 and 30.  (Which was noisy as noted by others)  The B screw was not screwed in sagad kaya the jockey wheel was scrubbing the 28 and 30 sprocket.  

                                                  Resting after hard ride at Larry's store

                                                            Nagchain rub ako kahapon

                                                      Naka 3 kami Sunday evening nito

Testing the Pinarello F10, and the Campagnolo Bora Two wheelset at the Real Long ride

Wheels of Happiness

Rizal Philippines
August 28, 2018

The long ride last August 26 -27, 2018 to Real was the opportunity to test the efficacy and durability of my newest project Pinarello F10, Campagnolo Bora Wheelset and the  Campy Record 11 speed GS.  The bike passed with flying colors

The frame was light, the wheelset was slippery and very low in friction.  For some up and down hills, I could free wheel and climb another hill without pedalling. Climbing up in the right gears was effortless.  If I were younger, they would not be able to pass me.

Downhill, the cricket sounding free wheel was great.   The  Campy brakes were responsive and I could counter steer.  The 28 wide tires that expanded well beyond the 25 mm of the rim functioned like MTB tires contributing to stability when cornering and even buzz less riding of pebbled roads.

I could catch up with leaders,  even on hills and most especially on flats.  My back did not ache despite the slammed postureof the bike.

Over all I was happy and very satisfied with this bike set up.   Recommended to friends and acquaintances

(To the supplier I said that with payment, I am still doing the test drive and doing the marketing for him with this post)

                                               Team Sky bike

Bike ride ng 7 Recyclists sa Real Quezon kahapon at ngayon, August 26 -27 2018

Wheels of Happiness

Rizal Philippines
August 27, 2018

                                      Aming homestay:   Barangay Apartalle libre (tubig tulog, CR)

Today is National Heroes Day.  We commemorate yesteryears and current heores. Are you one of the heroes.

Can our adventure considered heroism

Yesterday, 7 of the Recyclists (8 including son of Etoy,  Joshua) rode out to Real with the leaders arriving at 11:40 (Jeff and Allan) and the others short minutes later.  The 7 are:  Alan, Jeff, ,Gerry, Pres Luis, Etoy, Angel and I.  We met 7:00+ in Morong had lugaw, JUS had to have his flat fixed, 8:10 at Pisong Kape, 8:40 at Bugarin, 10:00 at Famy.  Those who were reported to have suggested this ride did not join.

Inihatid kami ni Master Ed hanggang Bugarin.  Si Meong, hanggang Morong

We had lunch at the store of Zaldy Sampaga at about 12:30 and most of our lunch were 2 or more orders of rice plus dinuguan.   (naubos na luto)   Then we took a dip at the Pacific Ocean at about 3 pm. after some shots of Empi sponsored by Alan.    At 5:00 pm the group rode to the Real Town proper and bought only 3 orders of KFC (Kanto Fried Chicken)  Two were for dinner and one order was for pulutan of 3 bottles or red horse.

We slept at the Barangay Hall, which is being administered by Kagawad Larry Sampaga, the owner of the store where we ate.  We also used the CR of the tanod at the  ground floor.  We slept on the desk (at least two of us and the rest on the floor, for fear of falling from the tables.  The Barangay hall is about 20 meters away from the Baywatch 2.

Today we had breakfast at 5:00 am of tuyo ang fried eggs and fried rice. cooked by wife of Larry.  And some coffee.  We paid P50.00 each for the sumptuous breakfast.  Last night we chipped in P100.00 for the fried chicken and the Red Horsse beer.

We left at 5:45 via the same route we took, (some were suggesting we take the  Marilaque route Jarriels Peak but Gerry had broken rear spoke and we would not be sure of getting assistance in case of further mechanical trouble (such as riding the bus going home)  If not having a back up is a weakness, doing the Marilaque route can be reckless.

We were at Famy at 7:45, 9:00 am at Pisong Kape, and home by 11:00.    We were a little bit faster going home.

What does this ride show?  We can see the determination and courage of few people who can ride far out without back up (mga 90 km one way:  50 km to Famy and about 40 km to Real) and we can do this cheap.  That was only about P350.00 for the two day journey.

                              Jamming kagabi after dinner sa tindahan ni Kagawad Larry Sampaga
                                          7 Real Men

Na filter na ba post mo and removed as SPAM by a soc media?

Wheels of Happiness

Rizal Philippines
August 24, 2018

Nanotify ka na ba ng isang soc media na ang post mo ay spam kaya kailangang alisin?  Ako yes. Several times. The last one was about the post on Vesper for fellow rider. How could that be a spam.

What is a spam?  The dictionary definition is that it is an unsolicited advice (dapat sa email lang ito) regarding a product or service offering.  Or worse, an offer of making a person rich quickly.  Very seldom will people do that.  Sometimes they do that on re direct link, or even when you sign in on a fake sign in link. Obviously the admin of the media site does not want other members to do harm to others. Much of the crime now is being done through cyber space.  But in the process, the innocent gets hit.

Fortunately there is an instant appeal window where you can deny and say it is not a spam.

Their filter must not be that effective because I for one has been scammed on line. Beware of prepaid pre order offer of rare hard to time items... Beware.  Do not be a victim

Parangal sa alaala ng kasamahang Ed de los Reyes: Vesper Eulogy at Tribute

Wheels of Happiness

Rizal Philippines
August 23, 2018

                                                         Memory tarp ni Ed

Pinuntahan in full force ng mga Recyclists ang last night (Visperas) ng burol ni kasamahang Edgar. Naghanda si VM ng Vesper program. Bagamat busy siya, nagawa niyang maghanda ng isang parangal.

Simula 630 ng gabi sa pamumuno ni Jimmy Maravillosa, binagyang papuri (siyempre bawa ang negative)
ang alaala ni Ed de los Reyes.  Ang nag invocation ay si Pastor Exequiel Villadiego Nagsalita sina:

     1.  Jorge Saguinsin
     2. Sec. Noe Bigornia
     3.  VM JunVic
     4.  Al Alegre
     5.  Balot
     6.  Nanding
     7.  Papa Ric
     8.  Pres Luis
     9.  Berna Tolentino

Si Jorgeus Biker (Jorge) ay nagpakita ng 6 na minutong tribute sa saliw ng awit na Born Free (favorite ni Ed) at Country Home (ang diwa ng pag uwi ni Ed sa sinapupunan ng panginoon)

Natapos ang programa sa pamamagitan ng pag awit ng lahat ng Born Free

Salamat po sa lahat ng nagsidalo pang iba:   Armin Zapanta, Angel Balubar, Ado Gonzaga, Berna Tolentino

                                          Hinhintay ang oras ng program:   Jimmy Tito and Berna

                                          Extreme right:   Ado at Pastor Exequiel Diego

                                                      Si Jorgeus Biker naman ang pumalit kay Ado

                                         Hinahangaan ang mga uwak sa telco tower (nagtext daw)

                                                  Mga ibang kamag anak na nakiramay

                                             Pres Luis nag eulogize at si MC Jimmy

As Pall bearers and honor guard

                                                   Selfie courtesy of Pres. Luis

                                      Sumakit baywang, braso sa pagbubuhat ng casket

Smooth bearing for Bora wheelset shod by F10, mahaba matagal ang free wheel downhill

Wheels of Happiness

Rizal Philippines
August 23, 2018

The short ride I planned today took me until Pililla Km 58 or 62 km out and back. I planned to ride only till Maybancal

What was the reason? Well, it seems to me that the wheelset, the Bora Campy Two I have on the F10 works very well.  As Joel had said madulas bukod sa tunog mayaman (cricket sound)

I tried riding down a hill to test how far it goes.   From Baras Tanay boundary going home Km 52, I tried free wheeling.  The bike stopped  some 50 meters short of Km 51.  From atop the hill of KM 51, I freewheeled to KM 50 this time 100 meter short.  Imagine freewheeling for 900 meters

I tried a sprint on flat. After sprinting for 10 seconds on flat from km 57,  I tried to reach km 58.  The bike stopped some 150 meters form km 58. That makes the bike very efficient, I save a lot of watt power and enable me to enjoy my ride.

May bago silang model WTO. Essentially the same:   ceramic bearing, U type not v as in Bora one.
WTO is just ramble of TWO (hindi ba) Wheel Technology Optimized.  Kita mo parang Pinoy sa naming
(GMA, PNoy, Du30 galing nating magbuo ng acronym)   Marketing game talaga

Pictures of Recyclists giving honor as pall bearers of beloved Ed de los Reyes

Wheels of Happiness

Rizal Philippines
August 22, 2018

Here are pictures of the Recyclists as honor guards/pall bearer of the remains of late Edgar de los Reyes at the chapel and cemetery

We I biked early in the morning.  Many assembled at Maybancal or went to Pisong Kape.  And then went early to the chapel at Looc, Cardona.  I went first to SPLP and later on joined the motorcade from Calumpang to Looc

                                       Tito Fabay, Victor, Netoy and others not seen carry up
                                                    the casket up the ramp of Looc chapel

                                                 Delivered na casket in front of the Altar;  there were
                                                        two other ladies who joined Edgar, Isabelita... and...

                                                  Pres Luis and Gerry Cataps sprinkle Holy Water
                                                             on the casket of Edgar, Joel looks on

                                                      Finally nasa loob na ng Estate nila
                                                         after 300 meters of carrying the casket
                                                         up the hill

A popular GS that is value for money and used by masses of cyclists is not without its defect

Wheels of Happiness
Rizal Philippines
August 20, 2018

Epic failure of an 11 speed model Ultegra cranks


This post made link to an article which  enumerated the list of winning  framesets  at recent TDF.  All of a sudden there was a query/comment as to winning GS at each stages.  Of course that it is an unfair question because I am not a witness to TDF, nor do this post have data on the query.

Obviously the commentator is pro that Japnese brand.  Yet data shows that for the entire TDF history the winning brand is from Italy 41 as against only 7 for the Japanese brand.   I might speculate that many people worldwide are using the affordable Japanese brand.

But if you have used the Italian brand, you will not use any other brand because of its beauty and superior performance brought about by long learning curve (manufacturing and quality prowess)

The Japanese brand is also not without its defects like crank parts separating from the other crank parts as reported    NB.   We are not brand bashers.  But hindi perfect ang Japanese brand na ito...

Musing on S hollow tech

That is why the cranks now are wider rather than round.