FORESTA Team Time Trial

Engine or no engine, I just love racing!!

I participated at Foresta Team Time Trial late last year at Foresta. The team consist of 7 riders and the team lap time was measured when the 5th rider cross the finish line.

I’ve recorded the highest heart rate of close to 200 Beat per Minutes (BPM) when crossing the finish line. Never before I reach that heart rate.

END

Bali Audax 2010 Video

Check out the youtube video from the Bali Audax’s organizer above. Can’t wait for the 2011 Bali Audax! I plan to participate for sure! :)

Prologue: Finish BaliAudax!!!

The finish line at Jimbaran Beach!! I cannot tell you how happy I was looking at the Jimbaran Beach. After 2 days of grueling rides, through torrential rain and scorching Bali’s heat passing the sea side road and the 365m above sea level Abang’s peak finally the “Advance Cycling Challenge” completed.

It was 410 km in 2 days, about 200 km perday, with close to 8 hours perday of riding. I’ve burned more then 11,000 calories, drunk countless bottles of water with powerbars and bananas. When I reached Jimbaran beach I couldn’t feel anything bellow my waist, my legs was hurting like hell, but the sense of joy overcome all… I’ve completed the challenge, and I brought home the BaliAudax medal!!

TO BE CONTINUED..

BaliAudax… My first cycling tour

My first cycling tour! I’m off to paradise island for an event called BaliAudax, an “Advance Cycling Challenge” take place on the island of Bali. We will ride 410Km in 2 days from Kuta to Lovina in day 1 and back again to Kuta in the second day as the map shown above.

I’ve done bike (as not  to confuse with bicycle) tour in Bali back in 2007 (story in this link), with my fellow Ducatisti we rode in Bali during Indonesia independence day holiday. That time we took north path to the Batur Mountain and explore the central part of Bali, this time with bicycle I’ll took Bali’s coastal road in a clock wise direction.

The growing family… Speed Weaponry

I kept my head down and from the corner of my eye I could see two shadows in the tarmac, close and trailing my rear wheel. I kept pushing pass the right hand first Turn 1. The wind  was strong and together with my labour breath were the only thing that I could hear. Still leading pass Turn 2. Both turns are descending so the speed was quick.  Behind me the two shadows were still close. Finally I couldn’t push anymore, the Garmin GPS and heart rate monitor went nuts, my heart rate (HR) was hitting 183 a bit above my Max HR of 180. Fortunately the two shadows behind me were also getting slower so they did not pass me. When I check the top speed from the Garmin unit it was 50.1 Kph.

That story above was not from the last Kejurnas Race, but from cycling around Sentul Circuit. My friends and I from our local race club are now start doing cycling seriously. So before hitting the track with a Superbike (with engine) we did 3 to 4 laps of warm up with a road bike (no engine). We also did cycling only workout on road or off-road at other location, like Foresta BSD, or  to Telaga Warna puncak for off-road and MTB-ing.

As for me I finally getting my self a road bike. A fast road bike. Trek Madone 6. With SRAM Red gear set and Zipp 404 tubular wheel set. Its 6.4 kg. So it’s not comply with UCI weight regulation (which is 15 lbs or 6.8 kg), but heck I’m not participating on any UCI sanction race for the forseeable future so for me the lighter the better :)

More pictures after the jump…

The growing family… Folding fun!!!

The fun and joy of a folding bike! They simple, fun to ride and this time is for me and the missus. She rides the apple red Tikit Hyperfold and me the green New World Tourist. Both from Bike Friday (BF), a company based in Oregon that hand made all their bikes. Bike Friday’s bike look simple and obviously small, but as their motto said is “Perfomance that Packs”. It even made to the Guinness Book of World Record for the most traveled man in history by bicycle. It ridden by a gentlemen by the name of Heinz Stucke, this link for more about his trip. Impressive eh?

Well for sure I do not intend to start planning for a ride around the world with my BF, hehe, but BF easy and relax ergonomics  make you want to ride for hours and hours and without you knowing it you have ridden for dozens km already.

More story after the jump..

The growing family… Titanium lust..

Titanium stands for strength, it names come from the Greek’s god, Titans. For its strength Titanium is widely used in jet engine, rockets and heavy-duty tools. It’s also completely non rusting and non allergenic, so much so that’s its popular for use inside the body in the form of artificial hip joints and artificial bone, etc.

Picture above is my Titanium frame hard trail cross-country (XC) mountain bike. Hand made in Tennessee USA by Lynskey. The total bike weight less then 10 kg, though carbon frame can be lighter yet the feeling and sensation from riding a Titanium frame is bit different compare to that of carbon. More over, Titanium is build for longevity thus I can pretty much pass this bike to the next generation with out so much wear and tear to the frame :).

Do check more pictures after the jump..