The other mans bike is always better?

Wheels of Happiness

Rizal Philippines
January 8, 2018

Fuji superlight bikes

My recent journey of looking for new bikes and hunting for carbon bikes reminds me of the stories about the "Acres of Diamond about envy and wanderlust and the  idea that the other mans lawn is always greener.  The story of "Acres of Diamond" was about an Indian who dreamed of riches from Diamond. So he sold his land and set for South Africa where stories were rife with diamonds that can be mined from rivers and beaches.   But lo and behold, a mining company laid the stakes all ready to all the sites and the poor Indian could not get his hand on diamonds

Poor and feeling a failure, the Indian returned to his native land India where he eventually died. He was buried in the land where he used to leave and lo and behold, the grave diggers found plenty of diamond, now the  center of diamond mines in India.

Moral lesson:   you do not have to look far for opportunities or better deal.

Now for the past several weeks being afflicted with upgraditis, I have spent a great deal of time searching for better bike frames especially carbon:  Cannondale, Scott, Bianchi (it all started with that)   mag aabang sa bike replica ni Atty. Fortun etc.  I must have looked like a fool doing that.

I even planned to return the Fuji carbon bike yesterday to its original seller. And the seller offered to give me only P30,000 for the carbon frame set, Campy Record and the carbon fiber frame and fork.

But after  reviewing the video and other literature, I have in  my hand one of the lightest carbon frameset in the world.  (Mga 700 grams nga ba?)  One of the lightest bike in the world weigh less than  5 kg   and its made by Fuji.  Mine weighs about  less than 7 (6.5 kg)   The Mosso bike weighs about 8.2

Ano kayai ituloy ko ang proposed deal ko sa Willier owner?

Reducing the number of bikes

Wheels of Happiness

Rizal Philippines
January 7, 2018

I plan to reduce the number of bikes I have so that  I can focus on a few of them, and have less maintenance time  and expenses:

These are:

                       Fuji SL 1        with Cosmic Wheelset, Campy group set,  super lite
                                              SL 1 frame set, weighs approx 7 kgs;  Conti tires.   I am returning
                                              this to VM who would offer this to his friends or Recyclists
                                              who are interested

                                              I was told by VM before that  the original price was:

                                             Frame      -                P75,000
                                             Campy group set       P100,000
                                             Cosmic Wheelset          80,000
                                             ITM cockpit                  12,000
                                            Ritchey seat post
                                            Selle Italia Saddle             7,000
                                            Total                            274,000

                                            May leave premises at  40% off

                    SAVA 580        Carbon Fiber bike.   Pricing this at P24t with Acera group set
                                              mura  for a carbon fiber bike, di ba.  Parang frame lang price

                     Bianchi Alum bike     With Ultegra group set, Alex Rims 22 wheel set, Conti
                                                      Tires.  Superlight for alum bike  Weighs may be 8 kg.
                                                       Will part at P30t.

                 

                   

Solving missing shifts problem of Campy at my Fuji bike

Wheels of Happiness

Rizal Philippines
December 29, 2017

I rode today up to Morong to fulfill my mileage requirements for the Vigan ride  I had 50 last Wednesday, and today 40 km. I rode on the Fuji Carbon

I was trying to ape Alberto Contador who boasted of standing up going uphill (on slight or medium hills) at 53 x 17- 19.  However, as I used the 6th gear (the 19 teeth) it jumped.   I tried to adjust the cable tension from the front adjuster, to the barrel adjuster, then the screw adjuster.  But the bad shift kept on.

I avoided the 19t and used 21 or 17t to experiment the standing up when climbing the hills (instead of 34 x 25) which was slower and lazier way to climb.  Surely such a practice makes one stronger and faster

So I peered at the gears and I suspected a broken 19t gear. (Whew where will I find a 19t spare Campy cog?) What is saw surprised me:  there is an uneven space between 17t and 19t.   So I removed the cogs from the free wheel.  The trouble was with the spacer.   The first two spacers with the groove was between the 25 23 set with 21 19, and  17.   I placed the flat spacers which caused uneven spacing.  When I rearranged the  spacers and the cogs looked of even spacing, I tightened the nut and tried to shift  It was perfect.

Without this observation and analysis, this problem would persist and the mechanic could have fooled me and recommended something expensive.

Ride to Morong today using FujiCarbon

Wheels of Happiness

Rizal Philippines
October 8, 2017

I rode to Morong today using a road bike.  The FujiCarbon. I had not used this for the last 2 months and molds and mildew were growing on the tires and other parts  I decided to use the 50 chain ring and the 13 to 15 sprocket even while going up Callahan. (a hard gear set day).   There is a big difference with MTB ride because pedaling is relatively light and was not left very much behind by a fellow road biker aboard a GTS alum bike

As I saw in a bike contest in Lombard, when the gear is harder, all I had to do was stand up

I met Jimmy and Sec Noe and both wore the same windmill uniform.  There was a slight drizzle as I rode home.   Many I think did not ride because there was light rain/shower early in the morning

Dapat talaga lahat ng bikes ginagamit

Now I understand why some bikes and group sets are more expensive than others

Wheels of Happiness

Rizal Philippines
May 20 2017

Last Tuesday I rode to Km 53 solo with my Fuji Carbon bike shod with Campy group set and Cosmic wheelset.  For the first time, I appreciated its smooth and silent operations.  As if I was riding a V8 TLC.  No sounds of chain on the sprocket, the wheels were whirring smoothly. I and the bike were one riding the smooth asphalt surface.  I swear I could be faster by say 2 kph vs the other bike I have. Couple with the fact that I relubed the chain with wax.

For an extra one hundred thousand more, experience ride of a life time (ha6 really?)

Robust repair of Campy front derailleur

Wheels of Happiness

Angono, Rizal  Philippines
June 1, 2015

                         It looks like its an electrical prong

Yesterday  I used the Fuji bike with Campy groupset.  Twice, the chain was derailed:  one before Cardona Iglesia and another after descending at Namay.  I was even trying to catch up with Richard and Ariel.  (VM passed me at the last derailment)  The culprit - the repair on the front derailleur using fiberglass broke down and so the chain was jumping.

So after going back via the Cardona diversion (strengthening ride) , I put all my efforts into having the front derailleur repaired. I found copper prongs of an broken down socket which needs little cutting and drilling.  I used snip to trim the excess metal and scissor to enlarge the hole.  It took some time to enlarge the hole so that the attaching screw will fit.

I now have a robust repair (vs the old  fiberglass repair which set me back by hundreds of pesos and which was pretty fragile).   So sometimes, relying on others to repair your bike may not be a good idea after all.

New wheelset for the Fuji Bike - now a complete expensive bike

Wheels of Happiness

                               Bike guapo


Angono, Rizal, Philippines  |  February 23, 2014

The Fuji bikes now has now  Cosmic aero wheelset.   I bought it on credit at 1/2 of its original price.  It looks guapo.  However, when I tried this for Antipolo Teresa ride, it had "sometimes"  When ever I ran over a bump, it would squeak.  I tried to oil the hub (the front hub)  it disappeared for  a while, from Morong to Binangonan.  But at convention hall of Binangonan, the squeaking (like the bearing was seizing) returned.  I put WD 40 when I got home.  Or maybe I would put some grease.  I hope that disturbing noise disappear.

But the bike looks guapo and now is drawing comments, as when I was at the Antipolo church.