Biking lang Dad!

The gang were finally able to volt in and hit Mt. Falcon last Saturday. It was my chance to see if my bike-to-work regimen has any effect to my off-road biking. The ride initially went smoothly. The big three (Jamis1v2, Jamis2 and TomacBoy) were like mad men possessed, cranking non-stop all the way to the top. At first I was trailing close with Bob da B a bit behind. But when the trail got steeper and the rocks got bigger, that’s when things got disappointingly frustrating for me. My legs were burning up and my lungs seem to collapse with each breath. Never wanting to give up, I pushed myself as far as I could, and pushed my bike too most of the time. The 2.5 mile ascent took me about an hour and twenty minutes. The big three did it in less than 50. And Bob da B? He passed me around the 1 mile mark and never looked back.

Downhill is an entirely different story though. The gang was gracious enough to wait for me at the top so we can all go down together. All I can say is the hike up is definitely worth it! I got rewarded with 13 minutes of pure downhillI rush. Amazing. Trailing the big two (J2 went ahead, it’s the missus birthday) was just like watching one of those mountain bike youtube videos. Woohoo!

So I guess I need to work more on this bike-to-work thing. Or better yet, hit a real mountain trail in the morning before work, just like what J2 does - idol kasi kita J2!

• Distance: 12.07 miles
• Average speed: 14.3 mph
• Max speed: 31.9 mph
• Total time: 50:42
• Calories burned: 474 cal

A very typical ride to work morning. No mechanical trouble. No accident. Nothing interesting to blog about. Except that I bested my best time by 40 gargantuan seconds! I won against myself by exactly 384 ft. Not bad after a two week hiatus. The afternoon ride home will be a lot different though. With temperature nearing 90F (32C) I may find myself stopping by the community pool to cool off.

Yep! Still a bikeless couple of weeks. I was supposed to ride to work this morning. I had all my stuff ready since last night. The alarm went off on it’s usual MWF 5:30am time. I looked out at the window, perfect pink and purple shade on the horizon. It seemed like a nice morning to ride but the wind was strong. The neighbor’s kiddie swingset were going crazy. A quick check on the weather said it was 54F. But with strong wind like that, it will be too cold for me to ride. Went back to bed and enjoyed another 45 minutes of sleep. Ah, yes!

Haven’t ridden my bike in a week. My butt is itching to get back in the saddle. I’m quite sure my body needs reconditioning again. Hopefully tomorrow’s bike-to-work ride would be enough to get me going for a possible weekend mountain ride.

A couple of weekends ago, the gang did an easy ride at a back country near a friend’s house. The last time I hit this trail a year ago, I was gasping for air as usual. It’s a lot different this time. I was able to do the climbs continuously, blazed downhill, enjoyed the entire ride and actually still have energy to spare after. I can’t say I’ll do the same in Mt. Falcon or Deer Creek Canyon but I feel I can go a bit further next time. We’ll see.

• Distance: 12.09 miles
• Average speed: 14.1 mph
• Max speed: 33.2 mph
• Total time: 51:22
• Calories burned: 477 cal

Today is Colordo Bike to Work Day. But to me it’s just a regular bike to work Wednesday. For the past several weeks I have been regularly riding to work every Mondays and Wednesdays. Sometimes on a Friday too but I usually reserve that day for an early mountain bike ride. I think I have gotten a hang of my routine: wake up at 5:30, hit the trail around 6 and be in the office before 7. Aside from the occasional deer, rabbits and squirrels, I’m usually alone on the trail the entire time.

But today, being a special day with all the ads in the newspaper, radio and television, quite a handful of riders came out. Two miles into the ride, I passed by a couple, then a couple more, then three, until I find myself in the middle of a peloton. Nice ring to it huh? Sounds like a real rider but there were only 6 of us in the pack. It’s a lot different than riding alone. I felt that the pace is relaxed and slower but it’s actually on par with my best time.

I rode with the pack for another 3 miles. At one point there was a police car in the trail escorting us until we hit the E-470 Trailhead in Parker where a free breakfast station was setup. There were probably 20-30 other riders sipping coffee, eating bagels and just hanging out. I took my caffeine shot and headed back to the trail. This time I rode alone passing by two or three riders along the way.

One the way home, I hope they setup free dinner station too

UPDATE: I went down in front of the building to check the bike parking area. Nice turn out too: 7 bikes parked. That excludes mine and probably several others who bring their bikes inside. I have mine resting comfortably inside my office, I don’t want my horse to get sun burned.

As promised, I am posting pictures of my commuter rig for my rabid fans. Click PHOTOS section above.

How many Jamis Flips does it take to change a broken chain? Apparently, three!

The gang planned an early Saturday morning ride to Mt. Falcon. While driving on the way there, last minute changes were made. Called Jamis 2 who was already on his way @ 6:20AM. It was a long 36 miles away from the house so I suggested Deer Creek Canyon instead, which is about 10 miles closer. Called Jamis 1 version 2, bedroom voice, still sleeping. Pass muna ko. Dre, linya ko yan.

Arrived at the trail head minutes later. J2 was sleeping in his car listening to some Jazz music. Well at least it’s not Air Supply. Peace Bob da B. J1v2 called back and he’s also on his way. Two others were no shows. After a quick change and stretch, off we go, J2 & J3.

As with most trails, this one starts mostly with ascents. I knew I won’t be able to keep up with J2 so I egged him to go on. Less than half a mile later, clink! The chain broke. Again. Second time in two weeks. No problem, I have a couple of extra links and putting it back on does not even require a tool. But for some reason the damn thing won’t budge. I must have spent 10 minutes with it before J1v2 came, fresh from the parking lot. No luck. Then J2 came back to check on me. He tried too… no luck. And finally, J1v2 insisted on using the chain tool. Clink. Done. So much for a tool-less chain link.

Although momentum’s now gone, we still went on. At first I was closely trailing them. Then I found myself stopping for air and water every 10 yards or so. My legs were fine but my lungs felt like every ounce of air was being sucked out. I pushed myself until we hit The Wall. That’s when I had enough. J1v2 and J2 went ahead to complete the rest of the trail while I waited near The Wall. A couple of times I carried my bike to the top of The Wall and tried riding it down. And twice I carried my bike down. Too scared. Call me chicken or whatever but I didn’t want to end up like this guy. Maybe someday when I have mustered enough courage, I’d try it again.

J1v2 and J2 were still enjoying their sweet ride up in the meadows. So I decided to not wait for them any longer and just enjoy my own short downhill ride to the parking lot. It was fun and uneventful. Got down safe yet still wanting some more. Next time.

Then 30 minutes later, got a call from J2. Man down! J1v2 hit his front tire on a big rock and went over the handle bar. Used his lips to cushion the fall and bam! Busted lip and bloodied mouth. He was OK though. Dusted himself and his bike and drove home. He’s probably more afraid of the spanking he’s gonna get from the missus than the injury. Or maybe thinking, I should have stayed in bed. But then again, experience like this is what makes them better rider than me. The more you ride, the better you get, regardless of whether you make it down with or without a scratch. That’s what makes riding priceless sometimes. But only sometimes.

In order for me to fully optimize my mountain bike for commuting, there are a few modifications I needed to make.

First, the tires. Knobby tires are primarily designed for off-road use. It grips the dirt on the trail to give you more traction as you pedal. It does the reverse on paved road though and does not grip as well as slick tires. Riding knobbies on wet road is not particularly safe either, as I have learned first hand several years ago.

I looked for a compromise between slicks and knobbies, they’re actually called semi-slick tires. Among the different types I saw, Maxxis Overdrive got some good reviews. So I’m gonna give it a try.

Next, cargo. My work does not require me to carry a briefcase to work (thank goodness). I bring with me a notebook which I can leave home since there’s also a desktop in the office anyway. What’s important is food: breakfast and lunch. There is only so much I can pack on the camelbak - spare tube, tire pump, compact tool, cellphone, keys, wallet, work clothes (shorts and shirt only ). I can never squeeze tosilog and adobo with rice in there no matter how I try. Besides, carrying even the lightest load on your back for an hour would feel like carrying a ton of bricks.

The solution? Trunk mounted bag. I liked the Topeak MTX BeamRack since it has a quick-release attachment to the seatpost. I can easily take it off when not needed. I also like the compatible bags that simply slide on and off the rack. No need to get some ropes to secure the bag to the rack.

All these arrived within the last couple of days. I’ll be installing them in the bike over the weekend. I’ll post a picture of what my commuter rig looks like as soon as ready.

Not as if you care!

Interesting looking motorcycle parked in front of the office building. Notice the diamond plate metal saddle? Not only that, there is no suspension at all! Now that will give you some serious saddle sore.

• Distance: 11.98 miles
• Average speed: 12.5 mph
• Max speed: 29.3 mph
• Total time: 57:17
• Calories burned: 448 cal

There were only four other bikers out in the trail this morning. It’s either too early in the morning or there isn’t just that much awareness about it. Or maybe it’s because of the weather. It’s now drizzling as I write this.

Only two of the bikers are actually going to work. One was wearing a pair of running shorts on top of his spandex shorts, tennis shoes, no helmet, carrying a somewhat big hiking backpack and riding a city/touring bike. He does not look like your typical biker but man! He left me in the dust staring at his behind. The other guy was wearing jeans and also no helmet. Tsk tsk.

I tried a different route this morning. Last night I looked at the map and found a trail that takes me to the office without hitting any major roads. It added 1.5 miles to my route but at least I don’t have to jockey position against drivers yapping and text messaging on their phones. It didn’t add significant time to my travel since there are no longer traffic lights to contend with. And more importantly, it’s healthier - I am not within a few feet of vehicle fumes.