Inspirational oldies on foldies...

Both pics courtesy of Chris Wee

When I'm not on the saddle, one of the things I love doing is to drool over other people's bicycle adventures on CGOAB. There is this couple who are exceptional in every sense of the word. Suzanne and her husband Janos are ardent touring cyclists and have put in at least 12 overseas trips in Asia and Europe in the last 3 years.

Suzanne and Janos, with my ride buddy Chris in Lampang, Thailand (CGOAB).

They have great taste too when it comes to their bicycles. They used to ride Koga Miyata and now they have switched to Bike Fridays. Their present tour around Thailand have proven the convenience of the very packable New World Tourists as the weather has been very hot and it helps that they can just chuck the bikes into public transport with no worries. You can follow their exciting and entertaining account here.

Pic fm CGOAB

When you consider they are in their 70s, I have nothing but awe and the highest respect for this inspirational couple. True oldies on foldies indeed!

Frying in one's own fat

We are experiencing a super hot spell these few days. It was 39c yesterday and today, it hit 42c. The next few days, according to the weather forecast, will see no reprieve. Definitely not a pleasant time to be on a bicycle as the heat causes one to literally fry in one's own fat.

Where are you Fall? Can 't wait for cooler days to come.

Most liveable city in the world - cycle wise?

If you are into rankings, the local newspaper reported that Perth, Australia got voted the top 8th most liveable city in the world, according to the Economist. Most of the top 10th cities came from Canada (Yo, Vik!) and Australia. This is based on -

"30 indicators of relative comfort in five broad categories: stability, healthcare, culture and environment, education and infrastructure."

Not bad I reckon for a small city of less than 2 million located in the remote Western desert of Australia. While I can definitely agree that Vancouver (Ranked No. 1) is a really cool place to live, having been there several times, Perth, if measured in terms of cycling, can probably be in the top 5. Flat terrain, mild climate, scenic rides by rivers, sea, vineyards as well as excellent dedicated cycle tracks make this small city a cyclist's little utopia.

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I dare say Perth aces Sydney (too hilly) and Melbourne (too many people). I'm curious to know if you think your city is tops in cycling, or not. In Singapore, the Park Connectors are great but cycling along public roads can be harrowing, with heavy traffic plus hot, humid weather.

Therefore, coming in 8th is truly a respectable position. And speaking of number 8, this is most appropriate for the coming Lunar New Year as in Chinese, it sounds like prosperity. For all of you who celebrate the Year of Tiger, I like to wish you a very blessed Lunar New Year!

“From the dew of heaven and the richness of the earth, may God always give you abundant harvests of grain and bountiful new wine." Genesis 27:28

When a bicycle is more than just a bicycle

Saw this most interesting video on bicycles in Africa - a project by Cadbury Company. Thanks to this uber stylish bicycle blog - Ecovelo!

Injecting new life into an old friend

Its nice to be back in Australia. The first thing that was greatly appreciated is the nice, cool, non-humid weather. Even though it hit 30c today, it was so pleasant compared to the hot and sticky humidity of Asia.

Being away for nearly 2 months, I found the faithful Bridgestone XO5 in a sorry state. The overgrown grass had covered it, cobwebs everywhere and big cracks on the saddle no thanks I'm sure to the 40c summer heat. Parking under the shade apparently did not help.

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My Singapore friends are amazing! The ever kind Joseph of Cyclemax passed me a used but good condition saddle.
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My ride buddy Chris generously bought me a pair of 700c * 28 brand new tires,

which he got from the biggest bike shop in Malacca in our trip 3 days ago. There, we enjoyed a morning ride together exploring that heritage city but that's another story altogether.

Since the 3 year old Panaracer tires have seen better days, I decided to put on the new rubbers and the seat. A few adjustments and lubing the chain with Finish Line Dry Teflon gave the XO5 the new life it needed. A short test ride along the beautiful Canning River confirmed its renewed vigor and she's ready to bring Jem to school and back, quickly and safely for 2010.

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More about the rich heritage of Bridgestone bicycles in the 1990s here...

Scratching itches together

Pic courtesy from En Route

Planning is FUN!

There is something addictive about bicycle touring. Reading about Mike Khor's itch to tour again after his amazing European trip on his blog Wheelsopher, got us boys together to plan for our next big ride at Christoph's new home today.

The Bolaven Plateau, located 1000m high up in Southern Lao, promises a ride that is unforgettable. ChrisT who has done this in 1997 still remains awed. It is a must do for all of us with any taste of adventure. Amazing waterfalls, gradual climbs and descends, challenging unpaved roads and the best coffee this side of heaven. Throw in the kindness and charm of the lovely Laoatians, one must be daft to miss making a trip there, if given a chance.

Weather wise, the rainy season ends Sep so thats when we plan to hit the Plateau. Still undecided on which bike to use as some of the unpaved roads, especially after the rains, can be daunting. The Surly LHT seems like an obvious choice but we forsee a lot of travelling on planes, trains, buses and perhaps even Tuk Tuks (motorbike taxis) due to the difficulty of reaching remote Pakse.

I'm plumbing for my Bike Friday Expedition as it seems the perfect weapon for this mission. Wide tires, exceptional gearing, generous carrying capacity with front and rear racks plus the world famous folding ability into a Samsonite.

So far 4 of us, Chris, KG, ChrisT and I have signed on! Mike, care to scratch this itch together with us?

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Pic courtesy of Factoidz.

Belting Up in Cambodia

I've often wondered what is the perfect drivetrain for conditions like Cambodia. Hot and dusty during the dry season and wet and muddy during the rainy season. Many of the bikes used at COSI Orphanage disintegrate under such hash conditions, with a reported life span of 6-8 months of regular use with the traditional chain/sprockets drive system.

On my last trip, I was fascinated when I came across a Bridgestone Albelt bicycle when the kids were playing. It was parked non-descript with the other bikes and what caught my eye was that it had no chain. Instead, it uses a belt system cleverly matched to a 3 speed Nexus hub.

The belt system is not new to the world of foldies and the Strida, designed by Mark Sanders, incorporates it from day one since 1987. Its benefits - greaseless, maintenance free and quiet in operation, seemed perfect for the Cambodian conditions.

Lion riding a Strida - seems that way from this pic!

I didn't have the chance to take the Bridgestone Albelt for a ride but I would stick my head out to say this is much more suitable for the the kids at COSI. Sure, it won't give the direct feel or power delivery system of a traditional system and may squeak a little from time to time, judging from my 1 year ownership experience of a Strida. However, I will postulate that when dust and mud are part of your daily riding experience, this is the obvious choice. Even better if its fully enclosed.

Belting up in Cambodia seems the only way to go!

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Harsh but serendipitously beautiful - the Cambodian countryside.