To The Land of The Shimano

They upgraded the pumping track at Tamp MTB park recently, plus they really repaved and added lots of nice rocky trails for the BikeAsia race last week.

Plus, after the recent close shave at the ribs, I've never been more of a wuss. I was stuck at the pumping track's first main hump, too scareded to go up, lol. After 4 about-turn attempts, I just went for it, and managed to complete the circuit. I went another 3 rounds, faster and faster. But I guess, one must know their limit.

I sped up towards the first hump, leaned forward, in anticipation of the feedback from the climb towards the apex and... I caught AIR! Woohoo.

My front tyre was off the ground. Unfortunately, this never happened before, and before a smile could form on my face, I was about to land, and WHUMP, I fell like a smelly jackfruit.

I wasn't badly hurt, just a scratched knee, but what was ravaged was my already shaky confidence.

Either two things happened. Either I didn't straighten the bar upon impact, hence the front wheel skidded OR I put too much body weight to the front. But if you ask me, I think its both. LOL.

Anyway, I later met up with Isyraf and we went to the BikeAsia trail. 1 lap was 10km, but the trail was so disjointed, we ended up going about it the wrong direction.

But back to the trail. It was spectacular. The climbs are not killers, so you can cycle up without using back-breaking effort, enought to snap my chain. And the descents are long and gradual, allowing you to pick up speed if you're good (Isyraf) or meander around at a comfortable speed (me). Haha.

But they did add lots of rocks and ruts, making it more challenging than it looked initially. I'm definitely going there a few more times to shore up my confidence before heading back to Ubin.

Anyway, ppl, I'll be going to Japan again. My sister needed help in looking after the children while she's there on vacation, and since my brother-in-law is on a business trip while we're there, she needed me to help. Hoho. Free paid vacation. Though my leave for ORD is consumed. but who cares? Japan!!!

Maybe Shimano parts are cheaper there. Can I get an XTR derailleur for like $30? Oooo. I'll buy on the spot.

Hoho. leaving this Tue, coming back the following Mon. See u ppl!!!

A New Dawn

'Hope won't counter pure inability.' That was what I said at the end of the previous post.

Haha. How right I was.

We went to Ubin 2 weekends back, I forgot to bring my helmet, but we attempted the trail anyway.

And I must say, so far, things were going fine. I even beat Mamat to the halfway point. Haha. New bike, more willpower to endure the climbs. We finished the trail, everyone relatively unscathed, save for Muhd who I think slipped cos his brakes weren't working cos there was a branch stuck in between the brakes and the rim. Bro, you got to check why, can't let it happen twice in a row. LOL.

After a toilet break, ala 'field camp' I was the one who wanted to go another round.

We started off from China Bowl, this 40m long STEEP slope that's just super kickass. My Juicys were spectacular. Finally after moving along, we reached a technical part of the trail, where there's a 5m long extremely freacking steep slope down, and right after, its a left turn almost perpendicular. If you miss the turn, there's a nice set of rocks that seem shaped like ramps to propel you to your untimely demise.

This is the point where Isyraf (who's always the first rider) gets off and climbs up to the point before the slope to make sure we (or me) doesn't plummet to my death, cos I like to speed, though I don't think I have the skills to speed.

Normally Muhd and I would stop and just push the bikes down. But this time we decided to try it. Muhd cleared the slope, albeit with feet at the sides of his bike for balance.

I decided to do it the proper way, and proceeded to lower down my seat. I moved a little further behind, mounted my bike, stood up, shifted my weight back, and hoped that I could clear it.

I pedalled slowly to the edge of the slope, braked a little, and went down. Man, was the slope scary shit! I was too fast, I jammed my back brakes. My back wheel dragged, but I was still moving fast. 'Quick, feather the front brakes!' I thought to myself.

Hoho. All I could remember was that I jammed the front too much, the front wheel dug into the ground and I was thrown over the handlebars and then a rock was coming to my face and..... PAIN. Like a thousand lumbar punctures into the spine, the pain was coming from my ribs.

I tell you, I was screaming like a crazy suicide bomber, and rolling on my back like I was on fire.

All I heard was something like, "Quick Muhd! Zul fell." from Isyraf. And I was still yelling, cos my ribs felt like they were broken.

"Take his bag off," Isyraf said. But I was too busy rolling, clutching my ribs for them to do anything.

"Oh, it looks bad," said Muhd, as he lifted my shirt to assess the damage. Coming from a CD paramedic, it wasn't very comforting.

Thankfully the pain subsided after a few minutes, I got up, and we quickly proceeded down to the end point.

Wah, I tell you, the next day, when I woke up, my left ribs were totally black, and swollen like want to die. But it wasn't broken la. Cos the pain wasn't that severe. The MO in camp gave me 2 different pain killers and 2 muscle relaxants.

You know what I learnt ladies and gents? NEVER JAM THE FRONT BRAKES! Ever. Feather it. But I guess I was to panicky that time I just jammed my Juicys. And being hydraulic disc brakes, one finger is enough to fully jam the brakes. Isyraf saw me use my whole god damn hand to squeeze the front brakes. I swear, sometimes the strongest brakes aren't the best.

Anyway, last weekend, I dint go Ubin. Wasn't free. Could've have made time for it, but the bruise from the previous week and the cuts from 2 weeks before weren't properly healed yet. I took a pass.

But I did go cycling at East Coast with that arrogant marathon runner from my office. I thought he would leave me behind, but the self-declared stunt biker was like shit. He dint even know how to change gears on the bike, and would panic when small children overtook him. I could cycle ahead, sit down and wait for him.

The next day he went to the office and told everyone that he has never seen a fat guy on a bike ride that fast before. Hoho. Please, you're making me blush.

But seriously, this shitass of a person insinuated I was stupid for buying an expensive bike, saying that his $300 Haro bike can do better. he can do all sorts of stunts, and at the beginning of the outing he said he'll try not to,leave me behind. LOL.

I doubt he has a bike, cos he can't cycle, nor change gears on FLAT East Coast Road. LOL. And he couldn't keep up with me, when I was actually cycling and stopping to wait for him. If he were to follow the speed Isyraf, Muhd and I actually go, we'll be able to cycle from end to end of East Coast, go to Macs to eat and make another round before he can even finish one round at the beach. Hoho.

Of course I thought that cycling with this moron would shore up my confidence in biking, and it did. I was fast again, cos after the fall I was very very scared.

That was until Isyraf brought me to the freeride park at Pasir Ris. We attempted another steep slope. Isyraf went down like nothing, I had cold feet. I think I turned and stopped at the top of the slope 3 times, pondering whether I should go down. In the end I did, and I emerged unscathed.

I guess that's the problem with me. I rarely encounter failure because I do the things I know I can do. I'm not a huge risk taker and that is a fault I need to correct. And if I do fail, I get scared and discouraged.

Not going to Ubin again this weekend. Going to the freeride park and Tamp MTB park to practise. Isyraf said my head was close to hitting the rock that day in Ubin, thank god it was the ribs and not the head.

Lesson learnt. Its a new dawn, its a new day. Feather brakes, wear helmet... LOL.

The Aftermath

Wah leow. I still cannot get over the smoothness and the agility my Iguana has. And I thought the brakes sucked initially, because it had 50% efficiency until its bedded in.

You know what else I can't get over? Bveing totally broke. LOL.

I think its almost fully bedded in and just 20 minutes ago, I nearly got thrown off the bike cos I jammed the brakes.

Haha. Truly, Juicy brakes are the best! And I can keep saying 'juicy' when I'm safely speeding down a hill with the knowledge that my brakes have enough power to stop my colossal speeding mass.

Maybe that's what I bought it for. Anyways, just 4 days after its purchase, I upgraded the bike, haha. Sort of la. I bought Specialized handlebar grips. Ok la, I know my bike is not from Specialized, but its nice enough to pretend...

Could've have bought the Scott grips but that'll just scream 'wannabe'.

Oh, I bought a Lizardskin chainstay so the chain won't scratch the frame on bumps. Giant hardtail frames are prone to chain-rub, according to forums. I think its sort of good, cos it lowers the bike's CG, making it stable.

I feel so damn bloody satisfied right now. Tmw, I'm going to ubin again. Really hope I don't fall and damage my bike. But so far, I find my confidence improving. Yay!!!

We'll see how la tmw.

Hope won't counter pure inability. LOL.

The IGUANA Arriveth

Holy shit. What did I just do? Why did I pay $1500+ to get a bicycle?

Cos I got a damn good one. Holy shitty shit shit!

The ride back home from the shop was a dream. The bike coasts so smoothly, the Juicy hydraulic brakes require a tap from my middle finger only to stop.

And if a stupid pedestrian blocks my way, said finger will go pointing in his direction.

My god. The hand assembled Mavic Crossrides are just plain HEAVEN. My bike has no drag at all, save for the needed contact between ground and tyres needed for braking and movement.

The LX drivetrain changes gear so quietly, I thought it was spoilt. LOL.

What was once a dream to own Mavics, Juicys and a Deore LX drivetrain, on a pristine white frame, was accomplished in 3 months.

MONEY truly does make the world go round. And now I have none left. Haha. 9 months of tuiton, gone down the drain on driving and my 2 bikes.

Anyways, I've learnt a valuable lessons from NS, cycling, and investing.

NS has opened my eyes. I'm old. Some ppl are already WAY behind in the rat race. ITE, pri sch dropouts etc. And some ppl are scholars awaiting Harvard. And some like me, will be NTU business school undergrads in slightly over a year.

And some struggle to even be in the position I am in.

As much as it does comfort me to know that I am doing considerably alright in the Rat Race of Life, I realise that others are so far ahead, I'm the one who can barely catch up.

So I have to work hard, to achieve what I know I can, BUT at the same time, I must be thankful to God for what I have.

Cycling has thought me that something may seem scary, a slope down may seem insane, a slope up may seem impossible, but you never know how far you can go without trying. Dare to FAIL.
And success will come. Till you smash your face against a wall and split your lips open. LOL.

Investments have thought me that following the crowd will lead to meagre returns. Be your own man. Be a contrarian investor, and money will flow like free.

And lastly, as materialistic as I sound, you can never find full happiness when poor. But neither will wealth guarantee complete happiness and fulfillment.

So I realise now, that I need to be more prudent with my resources and my finances. I need to be thankful for what I have, yet strive for that next big thing. (Audi R8 by age of 35, hoho.) And I need to dare to fail, to taste success.

And for that, wish me luck when I take the Iguana out to the double black diamond singletrack at Ubin. Hope I don't fall in the singletrack called Life.

Rise of The IGUANA, Fall of The AGGRESSOR

I write this entry with a heavy heart. After serving me so loyally for 3 months, the Aggressor is......... DEAD!

I was cycling at Seashell Park, a gradual hilly area. As I pedalled up the slope, a loud "CLACK" was heard throughout the Pasir ris neighbourhood, breaking the silence of the night.

Little did I know that that was the dying scream of my Aggressor.

I dismounted, reluctant to see what had happened. It had been making funny noises before I went to Ubin on Sunday. After the trip, the noise became worse, gear shifting to the highest 2 gears imposssible. Yet, I still went cycling, the day after that.

I inspected the damage. The rear derailleur was bent. I attempted a hasty repair, checked and mounted the bike again. As I was on a slope, I stood on the pedals.

"CLACK!! PAP!!" I almost lost my balance as my Aggressor screamed its last painful cry, pleading for death.

I got off, and the derailleur looked like this:

It was impossible for me to fix it. And then I knew... Its dead.

I went to Isyraf's house nearby, lugging the dead chassis. We discussed funeral plans, and the new girl I'm going to get.

I took a cab home, with the chassis in the trunk. I knew... A lot of thinking would've have to be done that night.

And here I am, welcoming the new addition to my otherwise uninteresting life, the IGUANA Disc 2008.

What the shit? Isn't it the same as your Aggressor, you may ask? Not exactly. The frame is much lighter and stronger. The parts suck like shit, although its 3 levels higher than the Aggressor in terms of components.

Haha. But my Aggressor will not be forgotten. Instead, the Iguana will be a commemoration to her. A salute to the lessons learnt, the falls she made me make, to become the rider I am today.

Still sucky components? Hoho. I upgraded almost the whole bike.


I swapped out the stock parts for these:

• Full Deore LX drivetrain, $400 (4 levels higher than current)


• Mavic Crossride Wheelset, $400 (Incomparable to the Jalco rims and brandless hubs now)


• Avid Juicy 5 Hydraulic disc brakes, $450 (Its Avid, Juicy 5! Its an insult to compare it with my Tektro rim brakes)

Total Price after an hour plus of haggling: $1,550 including the frame.


If I had bought the Trance ($2,000), I wouldn't have been able to afford the high end wheelset (brandless on Trance), brakes (Tektro hydrualics, won't have enough stopping power for my mass plus weight of full suspension) and drivetrain (Normal Deore derailleurs, generic Shimano Cassettes and cranks). I would've have been back to a broken derailleur in 6 mths, maybe slightly more? A broken derailleur on a $2,000 bike. Lol.


Finally, my dream bike is here, albeit the lack of full suspension. Though 'Iguana' is not as 'fierce' as 'Aggressor'. Haha.


Collecting it tmw. Oooo. Can't wait to try the Juicy brakes. Mwahaha. Enough stopping power to stop my immense mass and ass downhill the China Bowl at Ubin. Woohoo!!!!!!!


The stupid thing now, is that I'm kinda scared to go Ubin on my new, expensive Princess.


Well, at least it didn't come with clipless pedals. If not, I'll fall like some enthu ppl I know. LOL! No offence, brother, but clipless on trails is suicide.


Can't wait for this weekend. Gonna bed-in my hydraulics Juicys before I head down to Ubin. Yay.

Some pics of my Aggressor before her untimely demise:

And guess what? You know how much it'll cost to repair my Aggressor's derailleur? $25. Lol. I think I may trade it in, or let someone deserving ride her.

Are you deserving of riding my first bike? I think you are.