Pot hole like this can be real harzard to cyclists and motorists.  When it rains it's even more harzardous; this hole would be covered by water and you cannot see it all !

Holes like these have been there for years and I believe fixing them can be done with some gotong royong effort from the rakyat ? with blessings from the authorities of course.

The secret to fixing big things is to fix the small things first, and fixing it now is the key - I am a willing volunteer, willing to roll up my sleeves to help fix these potholes.  Show me once how its done and provide me with the materials, I can fix it, easy ! But please don't tell me to fill a form and queue up for approval or attend a meeting with the bureaucrats !

Read this interesting article about fixing small things...

"If you want to change big things, you pay attention to small things."
-Rudy Giuliani on C-span talking about the Broken Windows theory

The Broken Windows theory was the catalyst for solving NYC’s crime wave in the 80’s and 90’s. NYC’s administration had been focusing on major crimes, like murder, and overlooking smaller crimes along the way. But it wasn’t working. So the city started going after petty crime that it had been overlooking: turnstyle jumpers, squeegee men, public drunks, etc. The result: All crime rates fell suddenly and continued to drop for the next ten years.

Giuliani says, “The idea of it is that you had to pay attention to small things, otherwise they would get out of control and become much worse.”

In a lot of our approach to crime, quality of life, social programs, we were allowing small things to get worse rather than dealing with them at the earliest possible stage…So we started paying attention to the things that were being ignored. Aggressive panhandling, the squeegee operators that would come up to your car and wash the window of your car whether you wanted it or not — and sometimes smashed people’s cars or tires or windows — the street-level drug-dealing; the prostitution; the graffiti, all these things that were deteriorating the city. So we said, “We’re going to pay attention to that,” and it worked. It worked because we not only got a big reduction in that, and an improvement in the quality of life, but massive reductions in homicide, and New York City turned from the crime capital of America to the safest large city in the country for five, six years in a row.

 Building momentum

 One key component of Broken Windows is that it shows progress. It’s not about miracles or heroic solutions or solving massive problems overnight. It’s about building momentum. It’s showing your audience that you’re headed in the right direction. It’s making visible changes, even slight ones, that show you’re doing something. Someone is on the case. People know that you haven’t abandoned them. You’re giving them a reason to trust you. You’re building faith.

Dshee from www.shopping.howei.com

when G Club organized the 1st Campaign For A Lane ride back in 2009, people asked what was the campaign all about. we told them, we wanted a bicycle lane in Penang.

the amount of negative comments didn't stop but at the same time, a lot of fellow cyclist do believe in our cause and participated.

from the initial 800+ participants, we grown to 3000+ for the 3rd edition of CFAL in 2011.

today, we are proud to say that the state govt heard us, CM heard us and below please find the announcement made by CM on bicycle lanes for Butterworth.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=_V2UlhnnPjY&feature=youtu.be

i'm proud to be a Penang cyclist and played a small part in it.

thanks also to all the G Club committee as well as the paticipants for all the 3 editions of CFAL...

enjoy the video :)

G club have any event or activities bout with folding bike i want join it ya :P

anyways don't bully the new kaki hehe

Can someone help on these?

1) Why we have 16 or 20 inch foldies? Due to riding distance?

2) What about with rear shock and without shock? Rear shock better for uneven road?

Thanks

Kepada sapa2 yg dah reg CFAL tapi ada hal pada 11 sep dan cdg nak jual event tu hubungi aku 017-5486476......ramai member aku x sempat reg tp betul2 berminat....tq

Share the road means ...

Many of this signs erected along state highways in south island, new zealand.

Hi Sifu! I'm newbie. I bought my entry level "Giant Revel 1" bike 3 months ago and now I'm consider to upgrade my Revel frame to XTC frame. If I'm not mistaken the XTC frame is much lighter than Revel frame. Correct me if I'm wrong. Do you think it's worth upgrading or change to new complete bike. Thanks!

Hi everyone.i'm looking for a bicycle.wondering what suits me
the best.i've had hybrid bicycle in mind.but with a budget of
around 2k,wondering if it is enough.n i was hoping u guys could
recommend me of some shops which do provide excellent
after sales service.n i wish to participate in monthly or yearly event
organized by gclub,but not those hardcore like mountain trails.
Preferably on the road,n so would be hybrid bike be a good
choice?pls guide me,thanks

Hello,

My name is Michael, I'm a german traveler who decided to stay in Penang for a while.

Since you cannot truly see a country by bus, car or plane, but only if you take up the effort to either walk or cycle, I decided to buy a road bike here in Malaysia.

I already visited some Penang bike stores, but I was interested if someone in this forum has a road bike to sell. It should have a frame height of around 56 cm.

That would be truly great.

Best regards,

Michael

Kedah

Terengganu

Perlis

1.

KB Keng Enterprise

32 Lorong Tiga Gapura Square 02100 Padang Besar Perlis Malaysia

Khoo Boon Keng hp 012 465 0550 thai hp 084 749 9386 khoochuntat@gmail.com

 Federal Territory

Selangor

Singapore

 Thailand

China

HK

 Taiwan

Most cheap carbon bike frames come in both 3K or 12K versions. Many people ask which is best. Firstly, what is the difference between the two types? Carbon fiber is made of thin carbon “threads”, each of which is made from even smaller carbon filaments.

3K or 12K refers to the number of filaments per thread – ie, 3ooo or 12ooo filaments per-thread. Originally, most carbon fiber was woven using 3K fiber. During the early to mid 2000′s, though raw carbon fiber increased in price as more and more of it was consumed in military and aerospace applications.

New carbon fiber manufactures developed processes to use 12K fiber instead of 3K. This new fiber could be manufactured cheaper, but had the disadvantage of being more difficult to handle and mold, especially on tight circumferences as well as being not as strong as 3K filaments. For example, cstsales.com lists the strength of 3K fiber at 7400 ft/lb while 12K is listed at 1800 ft/lb. (Edit – it has been pointed out that these measurements are actually for weight per length, not strength at all. Doh!)

Now, most handling problems have been overcome and for bicycle frames the molding problems are not an issue. The finish on the frames looks different though, because 12K filaments cannot be woven as tightly as 3K fiber. 3K carbon fiber weave. It is impossible to weave 12K fiber as tightly as this because it will not flex into the tight circumferences required. 12K carbon eave close up 3K Carbon Weave close up

Unfortunately, for most bike frames it can be difficult to know how much of the frame is manufactured from each type of carbon fiber. Carbon fiber frames are manufactured by laying down layers of fiber weave with resin, and we can only see the outer, cosmetic layer. Without destructive testing and/or a forensic investigation of a cut up frame it’s impossible to know what (if any) effect weave has on a frame’s riding characteristics. In conclusion, you are probably best off buying the type you like the look of, or whatever is available.

Your Heart Health: 13 Numbers Everyone Should Know

By Sarah Baldauf, USNews.com
Thu, Feb 03, 2011

A long life free of heart disease does not come just from controlling the standard measures like blood pressure and cholesterol. Sure, keeping tabs on these indicators is essential to gauging your heart's health, but a few other numbers—some surprising—can be meaningful as well.

It's awareness worth having. The American Heart  Association noted in its annual review for 2010 that while the death rate due to cardiovascular disease in the United States fell between 1996 and 2006, the burden of the disease is still high. More than 1 in 3 deaths was related to heart disease in 2006.

U.S. News consulted with cardiology experts to round up the target numbers you should strive for to keep your ticker in good working condition over the long haul.

1. Alcohol intake

Those fond of tipple may be dismayed, but the science on alcohol as an agent to promote heart health is just not definitive. "If you have heart disease, alcohol plays no role in your medicine cabinet; if [you do] not, alcohol is not the right way to reduce your risk," says Jonathan Whiteson, director of the Cardiovascular Rehabilitation Program at New York University Langone Medical Center. Some research has suggested that drinking red wine may increase one's HDL, or "good" cholesterol, but Whiteson notes that the boost is minimal. "Exercise [offers] a better increase in HDL," he says.

While he's not against a drink in a social setting, it's certainly not something folks—especially those with heart disease—should engage in with the idea that it will offer a heart benefit, says Whiteson. In fact, medications' effectiveness can be either hampered or heightened by alcohol, sometimes to a dangerous extent. (Common herbal supplements can interact with heart drugs, too). And drinking too much can lead to high blood pressure or increased blood levels of triglycerides, a type of fat.

Bottom line: The American Heart Association suggests that otherwise healthy individuals who drink should do so in moderation. That is defined as one to two drinks per day for men and one drink per day for women. And be careful with that pour: The AHA defines a drink as one 12-ounce beer, a 4 ounce glass of wine, 1.5 ounce of 80-proof spirits, or 1 ounce of 100-proof spirits.

2. Salt intake

Some experts say that the pervasive use of sodium in the America diet is wreaking havoc on our cardiovascular systems. "Sodium causes retention of fluid within the circulation, and if you're sodium-sensitive, it expands your blood volume and can contribute to high blood pressure, stroke, and other heart disease," explains Clyde Yancy, medical director of the Baylor Heart and Vascular Institute at Baylor University Medical Center in Dallas and spokesman for the American Heart Association.

A report in the New England Journal of Medicine suggested that if Americans reduced daily salt intake by 3 grams, we could significantly lower the annual number of new cases of coronary heart disease (by between 60,000 and 120,000), stroke (by 32,000 to 66,000), heart attack (by 54,000 to 99,000), and even the number of deaths from any cause (by 44,000 to 92,000). The paper's authors noted previous research that showed the average American man consumes 10.4 grams of salt daily, while the average American woman gets 7.3 grams.

3. Sugar intake

It's not just the savory flavors that'll get you; sweets, too, can ultimately become a cause for concern, says the American Heart Association. Like salt, sugar creeps into the processed foods that make up much of the American diet, and sweetened beverages—soda, juices, and sports drinks—are especially loaded with the stuff. Here's some disturbing math for you: A 12-ounce can of soda has about 8 teaspoons (or 33 grams) of added sugars, totaling about 130 calories. (A gram of sugar translates into 4 calories.)

A can of Coke or Pepsi, then, basically takes you to the AHA's new upper limit on the recommended amount of added sugar Americans should ingest on a daily basis. The association's primary concern is the number of excess calories that added sugars sneak into our diets and pile onto our waistlines, which can contribute to metabolic changes that increase the chances of developing a host of diseases.

Bottom line: According to the AHA, women should get no more than 100 calories per day of added sugars and men should stop at 150 calories per day.

4. Resting heart rate

How hard does your heart have to work—and how fast does it have to pump—to get oxygen-rich blood throughout your body? A lower number suggests your cardiovascular system is more efficient at doing this. Thus, a highly trained athlete can have a resting heart rate in the 40s, says Whiteson.

And while the research is still emerging on what one's resting heart rate predicts about heart disease risk, a picture is beginning to take shape. "There is certain evidence to support [the idea that] a higher resting heart rate is associated with heart disease," especially ischemic heart disease, he says, which involves reduced blood flow (and oxygen) getting to heart arteries and the heart muscle. This effect seems to be more pronounced in women than in men, but a study in the Journal of Epidemiology and Community Health suggested that in women up to the age of 70, every 10-beats-per-minute increase in resting heart rate boosted the risk of dying from ischemic heart disease by 18 percent. In men, the risk was increased by 10 percent for every extra 10 beats per minute, and age didn't have an impact. The study also found that women who got high levels of physical activity were able to reduce their risk of death considerably, compared with those who did little or no activity. The same effect was not found in men, but the researchers suggest the results may have been skewed because men tend to overestimate how much exercise they get.

Bottom line: A normal resting heart rate is between 60 and 100 beats per minute. Check yours by finding your wrist's pulse, counting the beats in a 15-second period, then multiplying by four.

5. Hours of sleep per night

An overcaffeinated America seems to perpetually crave more shut-eye. And evidence is cropping up to suggest that a poor night's sleep is not only felt the next day but could have implications for one's heart over the long term. It is well established that sleep apnea, which results in numerous interruptions to breathing while asleep, is associated with stroke and coronary artery disease.

The reason is not clear, says Whiteson, but it's been hypothesized that people with disrupted sleep breathing have higher blood pressure overall because they don't get the restorative sleep that normally allows blood pressure to go down and gives the cardiovascular system a break during slumber. And a study in the Journal of the American Medical Association showed that middle-aged people who got five hours of shut-eye or less a night had a greater risk of developing coronary artery disease than those who got eight hours. The clue was the beginnings of calcium buildup in their arteries, found by CT scanning long before the disease process would normally be picked up.

Bottom line: Get eight hours of sleep per night. Making it happen isn't easy, we know.

6. Exercise

You've heard it a thousand times over, and the message stays the same: Regular, heart-thumping exercise offers a multitude of health benefits, particularly for cardiovascular fitness. Perhaps clinicians (and health writers) keep bashing us over the head with that fact because of the eye-popping number of American adults who reported getting zero vigorous activity in a 2008 Centers of Disease Control and Prevention survey: 59 percent.

7. Cigarettes

A 2009 study of Norwegians found that heavy smokers—those who puff at least 20 cigarettes per day—were 2.5 times more likely to die over a 30-year period than nonsmokers. But the cardiovascular risks associated with smoking aren't just seen in chain smokers.

The more nuanced message that doesn't always get across is the risk that the occasional smoker is exposed to. Even 10 minutes of secondhand smoke exposure may affect cardiovascular function. Just because you might not smoke a pack a day or even a week doesn't mean you're in the clear. "There is no safe level of exposure" to tobacco smoke, says Yancy.

Bottom line To protect against heart disease (not to mention cancer, stroke, and reproductive problems), the goal is to smoke exactly zero cigarettes.

8. Blood sugar

Over time, high blood sugar levels associated with diabetes can damage nerves and blood vessels. This can spur the buildup of fat on blood vessel walls, which can impede blood flow and promote atherosclerosis. Having diabetes increases one's risk of cardiovascular disease considerably. Three quarters of those with diabetes die of heart or blood vessel disease.

Your body's ability to use glucose (blood sugar) properly can be tested by getting a fasting blood glucose test, which is a snapshot of your blood sugar at the time, or by getting a hemoglobin A1C test, which measures overall blood glucose over the previous three months. Both can be insightful. "There is data to suggest that there is a significant decrease in the risk of heart and vascular disease with every 1 percent reduction in hemoglobin A1C," says Whiteson.

9. C-reactive protein

Inflammation is a process our body uses to fight off an assault, like a cold or injury, in order to heal. But over the long term, chronic inflammation plays a detrimental role to health because the nasty byproducts—inflammatory molecules like cytokines—are believed to be part of several disease processes, including atherosclerosis, obesity, and Alzheimer's disease. In the realm of heart disease, much ado has been made of c-reactive protein, a marker for one's level of inflammation that can be picked up through a blood test called hs-CRP, for high-sensitivity c-reactive protein.

Who should get the test, and what are doctors to do with the results? Those are matters of considerable debate. "We can't treat high [c-reactive protein]," says Whiteson. It's an indicator of potential heart trouble, but medicine doesn't have the tools, via medications or procedures, to bring an elevated c-reactive protein down to normal. It is possible, however, to directly treat other critical risk factors like high blood pressure and high cholesterol. Doing so can bring down the risk of future cardiac events and death. A landmark study from late 2008 found that subjects who did not have heart disease and had normal cholesterol and who took statins had a lower risk of heart attack and stroke and also had fewer angioplasties and bypass surgeries over the course of the study, compared with the group who took a placebo. But too many questions remain about the study to make a blanket statement that folks should be taking statins more liberally.

10. Waist circumference

While not a direct measure of heart disease, a high waist circumference tracks with increased risk for high blood pressure, high cholesterol, and diabetes—all of which have a direct impact on heart health. And the bigger the belly, the heavier one tends to be. Obesity, of course, is a well-known risk factor for a range of diseases, including heart disease.

Importantly, a higher waist circumference indicates distribution of fat around the abdomen and packing fat around vital organs, which research has indicated is more dangerous than carrying weight in the thighs or buttocks. Be sure you're measuring properly. The correct waist circumference measurement is taken by wrapping a measuring tape around the natural waist at the belly button, not around the hips.

Bottom line: Men should have a waist circumference of less than 40 inches. The figure for women is less than 35 inches.

11. Body mass index

Your weight matters, but it has to be considered in the context of how tall you are. Body mass index takes the two numbers into account. Like waist circumference, BMI is an indirect measure of risk, but a higher measure correlates with greater risk. The catch, however, is that it is not always entirely accurate. A person in excellent condition who has a lot of muscle mass may have a high BMI.

Too much excess weight is associated with diabetes, heart disease and stroke, some cancers, sleep apnea, osteoarthritis, fatty liver disease, and complications in pregnancy.

Bottom line: People with BMIs less than 18.5 are underweight. Target BMI range is between 18.5 and 24.9. Overweight is considered between 25 and 30, and a BMI above 30 puts you in the obese category.

12. Blood pressure

This one is critical to heart health. According to the National Heart Lung and Blood Institute, 1 in 3 Americans have high blood pressure. When a nurse wraps the cuff around your arm, she's taking a reading of the force on the walls of your arteries, which is subject to fluctuating pressure as the heart beats to push blood through your body. The trouble is, high blood pressure doesn't have any telltale symptoms, so a person might be living with hypertension unknowingly. Over the long haul, elevated blood pressure can damage organs and fuel a cascade of problems.

Action to lower blood pressure can include medications, but diet and exercise can really beat those numbers back into submission. The DASH diet (Dietary Approaches to Stop Hypertension)—high in veggies, fruit, fish, and whole grains but low in red meat fat and sugar—has been shown to lower blood pressure significantly. And research has suggested that the DASH diet packs an especially powerful wallop when people simultaneously work to reduce salt intake, a known blood pressure booster.

13. Cholesterol

Your cholesterol level is a measure of the fats circulating in your bloodstream. With out-of-whack cholesterol levels comes greater risk for coronary artery disease and stroke. Reducing saturated fat, trans fat, cholesterol, and total fat can help bring down your cholesterol level. And exercise, says Whiteson, "is one pill that treats all ills. It can touch all risk factors for heart disease," including reducing weight, reducing stress, improving blood sugar profiles, bringing down high blood pressure, and lowering total cholesterol, lowering LDL (the "bad" cholesterol), increasing HDL (the "good" cholesterol), and lowering triglycerides, a type of fat in the blood.

I came across this 1939 Bianchi Foldie last week in Milan in the Leonardo Da Vinci Science and Technology Museum.  Thought some of you might find it interesting!

I am back.Finally.I feel very wried of the calculator does not show up with my leg length cause my leg is 90+ cm and the scale provided is just 86 cm.by the way i am 175cm tall,wanted to buy a road bike frame.anyone experience before the Proton T-sprint road bike frame? how is it? By the way,webster if u are reading this,do u have the young male guy,juz grad from USM(if not mistaken),riding a white merida road bike,cycle before from Sg Dua to Teluk bahang ride together in March (2010).can u please gave me his contact number?This is my email (seng.chiang@hotmail.com)

thank you

During my ride to Klang, when we have a stay at Jeram, Selangor, i met one man named Azman. He dragged my memory back to 80's era when we have one type of bicycle that we called it ' Basikal Lep or Basikal Rugged '. This type of bike is very popular at that time. Azman called it ' poor man racing bike'.

To me, it was a fondest memories to remember again. I used to be and live with that type of bike when i was at form 2 ( 1980 until 1985 ). I and my friends in Teluk Kumbar and Bayan Lepas was a proud owner with our bike and we use itt o ride to school, to ride round island at weekend and also join a race  at district level and during Piala Pesta Penang  under Basikal Biasa / Ordinary Bike category. I had a few won with it.

This bike emerged from ordinary bike we use daily. It start when we takes out both front and rear mudguard, carrier, dynamo, light  and change everything we afford to buy with racing bike parts and accesorries that can fit with the frame.

The frame is a steel boys bike. Mens bike also can be use but most popular is boys type because of its size and comes from any brand we can have. It use a single speed 16t flywheel at rear and 52t crank as main gear. No derailleur and toe clip ( this is prohibited in the race ). Rim size is 26" ( as i can remember ) with ordinary black tyre. Brake lever is from road bike but for it has a caliper that fit with the frame ( that time we can buy from Aik Seng at Carnavon St and at bicycle shop at Sungai Ara. For it handlebar, it comes from an original bar that had been modified to become straight and then we put a bar tape to cover it and then attach a brake lever on it, similiar as road bike handle bar. The rest, just ride it!

At that time, it was a proud to own one. Got scolded by parents because of destroyed a complete bike, we rode it all around Penang Island. By the end of 1987 , this bike dissapeared with the start of MTB era with models from LeRun and others brand starts rolling in the street.

Anybody knows about this type of bike?

You can also find the orginal article at the following:

http://www.bicycling.com/maintenance/repair-maintenance/5-common-bike-maintenance-mistakes
----------------------------------------

The Art of Making Mistakes

At the DIY-wrenching classes I teach, I encourage my students to mess up as much as possible while they're learning—because when you make a mistake, the memory of what went wrong stays with you. I've heard tales of simple blunders, grand catastrophes and everything in between. But most of the time, my students tell me different versions of the same five stories over and over again. With luck, you'll remember them—and these simple fixes—to avoid making the same errors yourself.

Don't Hang Yourself
THE MISTAKE: When one student's shifting suddenly went wonky, he thought adjusting the derailleur's cable and limit screws would do the trick. But during a ride, his chain fell off his big cog and flew into the spokes, breaking six of them. Then the derailleur broke off, spun around and exploded against the frame.

THE FIX: Aside from cable stretch, which occurs naturally (especially when a cable is new), a bent derailleur hanger is the cause of most shifting problems. To diagnose, shift to a middle cog in the rear, then hop off your bike and squat behind it, holding it upright by the rear wheel. Look at the cage of the rear derailleur (the part that holds the two pulleys) and compare it with the cogs. They should all line up vertically. If it looks bent inward or even slightly twisted toward the wheel, the derailleur hanger needs to be straightened or replaced. To prevent the aforementioned catastrophe, stay out of the largest cog (your easiest gear) on the cassette until you can get to a shop.

Love Your Chain
THE MISTAKE: Many students come to their first class with dried-out chains chirping like birds. Then there was the guy whose rear rim, frame and even brake pads were splattered with lube. He cleaned and reapplied lubrication perfectly on schedule, but never wiped his chain down afterward, causing the lube to coat most of his bike.

THE FIX: A poorly lubed chain has a shorter life span and diminishes the bike's performance, so oil it about every 100 miles or whenever your bike gets wet. For every minute you spend greasing it, spend two holding a rag lightly against both sideplates of the links as you spin the chain backward. Excess oil attracts dirt, and over time that dirt will work its way to the moving parts inside, leaving you with a gritty mess that creates almost as much damage as no lube at all. With proper care, your chain should last 1,500 to 2,000 miles.

Know the Lingo
THE MISTAKE: The intricacies of cables and housing confuse my students. Inside the housing there's a thin plastic sheath that helps the cable move smoothly--but the sheath eventually collects dirt particles, which cause friction and interfere with the cable movement. Got that? Here's the thing: You can't replace your housing without replacing your cables, because it's basically impossible to thread a used cable through new housing. So rather than trying to explain all that, bike shops usually just tell you that you need new cables. Which is true, sort of, because you need new housing. (Sigh.)

THE FIX: Replace your cables and housing once a year, at the same time, especially if you ride off-road. And any time a cable is frayed, switch it out as soon as possible.

Take it All Off
THE MISTAKE: One student thought he'd mastered the tire change—he could even do it with one bead left on the rim. Then he flatted five times on one ride. Finally, before putting on a sixth tube, he removed the tire from the wheel, thoroughly inspected the rim and rubber, and found a tiny metal wire poking through.

THE FIX: Remove the tire completely and run your hand along the inside of the tread, both clockwise and counterclockwise. Otherwise, it could turn out like the time your dad said, "Hey, I know a great shortcut!" on a family road trip.

A Clean Bike is a Fast Bike
THE MISTAKE: A student who'd used a pressure hose to clean his bike learned a tough lesson as we disassembled each set of bearings. They had all rusted almost to the point of seizing. "Oh," he said as we took apart the headset. "That's why it's been so hard to turn."

THE FIX: Applying water under high pressure blasts dirt into your bike's sensitive hidden parts, or blows out the grease and lube that prevents contamination and rust. Use a hose running not much harder than your granny's watering can. Or use a bucket with soapy water, a sponge and an assortment of brushes—even old dishwashing scrubbers and toothbrushes.

.. fulcrum Racing zero 2-way-fit less than 2 months old for sale (front + rear wheel weight 1460g ). Looking for upgrade . let me know if anyone interested . MSG me ( 65-90115744 )

Skywalker

The original article can be  found on http://www.bicycling.com/training-nutrition/training-fitness/evies-eleven?cm_mmc=BicyclingNL-_-2010_10_15-_-trainingnutrition-_-evies_eleven

------------------------

1. Quality over quantity. My coach always says that when you don't have a lot of time, focus on shorter, quality workouts that include more speedwork.

2. Invest in a trainer. No matter the time of day or the weather, you can fit a bike ride in, even if it’s for 45 to 60 minutes.

3 And find ways to enjoy riding the trainer. Good music or your favorite tv shows or movies are almost mandatory for passing the time.

4. Schedule your training into your day and make it a priority.

5. No matter what, no matter how into riding you get, once a week take a day off. It helps to keep you fresh.

6. When you are riding or training, switch completely off from work — really enjoy the time.

7. If possible, ride or bring your bike to work along with a change of riding clothes, so it is easy to squeeze in a ride at lunch, after work, or whenever a window of time opens.

8. Ride with a friend or a group a few times a week. You’ll feel more committed to making the ride because it’s almost like an appointment.

9. Sleep. Being rested makes riding, exercising, work and life better! Rest is one thing you shouldn’t sacrifice for riding.

10. Relish in the suffering that inevitably comes with hard training. Associate the difficulty with positive improvements in your weight, speed and health.

11. When these tips fail you from time to time, and you miss a training session due to work or other commitments, don’t beat yourself up to much. Just get back to it.

<!-- /#article_pager -->

Hi there, can I know which floor in G Hotel do we collect our t-shirt on 15th and 16th Oct ?

Looking for 700c 622x17 old or new rim/wheel

	SUB Features new tall Aero shape Lighter than our G6000 profile Road bike, trekking bikes, hybrids Tech Spec Pinned joint, 32,36 hole Silver/black 700C-600g ERD 579.7mm, ETRTO 622X17

Used but like new rear bicycle racks. Black color. 2 units. Good condition. RM 4 each !

2 brand new 700x35c for tour bikes GOING CHEAP RM 18 each !  (Bought by mistake; does not fit MTBs)

. 

Buyer to pick up from me in P Tikus, Penang HP 012 423 1163 Daniel Shee

You can now view a rider's experience under 'Members'.  Click on the column experience and you should be able to view the details of the member.  However unless the member updates the 'riding experience' section in My account (Go My account--> Edit -->Riding Experience), no information of the rider's experience will be shown. So please click on this link now to update your 'riding experience'; sharing you experience, be it good or bad, is valuable information to other members.  Terima Kasih terdahulu!

In future we will also allow personal details to be shown too.  But of course this display will be optional.  By default the system will not show any personal data but if the member chooses otherwise he or she can just uncheck a button in My account.

Another new feature of "award" will also be added to members profile.  In future when a member has broken a record or received an award, a virtual medal or token will be inserted into the members record and this will be displayed in the member's profile, viewable under 'Members'

Anyone heard of this Compatti MTB foldie?  At usd 200, it's a bargain !  Company is based in US California!

http://www.compattibikes.com/main.sc

Susumu san is GClub's newbie champion! 

His goal is to advise and help newbies (those who are new to cycling) learn the basics of cycling

Newbie prerequisites

1) You must register as GClub member

2) You must have a bicycle (and a helmet) 

Susumu will soon announce his plans of when and where to meet.  So newbies please stay tuned. 

for Susumu,

DShee

As it now stands the Round Island Ride is 1771 and Fund Ride 209.  This must be a record !!  And registration is still going strong !!!

Hi every brother & sister here...

Im from KL... Nice to meet u all...

On  4 wheel drives jeep??? On super bike in a convoy ???

No, one of us is seriously contemplating doing the above ride solo or with a partner unsupported by motorised vehicle. To make it more interesting he is planning a RACE not a "makan angin" tour where one has no time limit to reach the final destination. I am thrilled that this adventurous spirit still thrive in our young ones. I would very much would like to make this trip but I promise myself if this trip materialised I would probably wait for our good friend with my bicycle at Lijiang (Yunnan) and accompany him on his victorious ride to Shangri La a mere distance of about 150+ Km but at an altitude of about 3000 metres and traversing a few mountains across treacherous terrain.

It is still at a planning stage and the route from Penang via Thailand until Laos has been plotted out. The final part across Dali,Lijiang and home run to Shangri La is still been plotted......We believe this will be the first time this route is been try on a bicycle. We may consider contacting the Guiness Book of Record for this. (Please correct me if I am wrong here. Anyone there in the wide wide web??)

If any of you have any ideas, contributions or experience do please contribute. I know of our Webmaster Daniel Shee has gone through this path before albeit on hitch hiking on buses but so far his experience has proved invaluable.

Hi All

Been in Penang for 18 months now and only just realise your club rideouts are from the next door building

OK, so have years of 2 wheel riding experience, errrrrrrr on motorcycles ha ha.

But as they are soooooooo expensive I think I need to get fit and having looked at some advice off another forum I think I would like to buy something similar to the;

Giant Anthem X2

I'm 6'1 so if anyone has any advice on correct frame size and shop in Penang where I could locate one Please let me know

Thanks in advance

Gary

Hi everyone from G Club , im new to this page and nice to know you all, hope can joint on future event and cycle together with you guys!

Anyone cycle to Air Itam dam or Teluk Kumbar?

Cheers,

David

I have been taking this route from Pulau Tikus to Queensbay quite frequently, suddenly just had the urge to take a couple of photos to update gclub members...

Except for the open drain (see last photo) it's quite comfortable and safe now to ride to queensbay.  Only problem still exist when riding back.  Just coming off the cycle path after E-Gate I have to break the rules by cycling against the traffic using the motorcycle path.  At times I had to cycle on the grass to avoid aggressive on coming motorbikes...

Previously was mud and gravel...

Nice tar road linking the old section opposite E-Gate all the way to Queensbay

Just after E-Gate on the right

Notice the open drain, its dangerous!! Cyclists need to keep your eyes on the path and try not to go too close the drain ! If there is on coming traffic, slow down should even stop.  Something urgent needs to be done to this drain before an accident happens!

Build your own bicycle..

First, we have decided to build a MTB (Mountain Bike) with a budget of around RM 3000

We will also give it a name : Howei (DIY) MTB

We also need to be more specific about the MTB we are building.  Is it a Hardtail? (only front suspension) alloy frame (carbon will cost too much) ?  what is the targeted weight of the bicycle ?

Answer is :  a hardtail, alloy/aluminium frame and is possible, less than 10kg?

Let's get the ball rolling.....

What sort of frame size?  What's needed to determine the frame size?

Sex --> Adult, male Height (H) --> 5' 6" or  168 cm Leg Length (I) --> 29½" or  75 cm

Fortunately we have a free website that can automatically calculate the frame size for us. 

Key in these figures into http://www.ebicycles.com/bicycle-tools/frame-sizer

And the answers...

Frame Measurement This is the length of the seat tube, measured from the center of bottom bracket to top of the seat tube. Center to Top (C-T):   16.5" OR 42 cm
More sizes to consider: 16.5", 17", 17.5", 18", 18.5" 42cm, 43cm, 44cm, 46cm, 47cm

Crank Sizes Longer cranks give you more leverage, while shorter cranks allow you to pedal faster. Cranks are measured from the center of each end. Crank size required --> 175 mm

So, finally with CT: 42cm or 16.5" and Crank size: 175mm we can start to search for the parts !!

Next, create a spreadsheet to compare prices and to allow us to juggle our budget !!

Hi all , i saw newspaper this recently got a young guys cycling from Penang to Taiwan. This is known as Bicycle Touring . Yeah , this sounds nuts but i was fun. Maybe G-club should organize some Tour like Penang to Pahang with Camping along . I hope to cycle touring, and give some help and information to those who might consider cycle touring as an alternative type of holiday. Cycle touring with a tent is a great way to see and explore a country. Here are a few things to recommend it.

*It's a relaxing way to see the country side, you tend to see and experience more of the country side from a bike than a car!
* There's more chance to explore the countryside by taking quieter tracks and lanes.
* You can go at your own pace, we have a brief idea of a route, but adjust it to how we feel and weather conditions.
* If we find a place that we like, we often stay for a few days and explore before moving on.
* It's not as expensive as some holidays. It's a healthy and environmentally friendly way to travel.
* By staying on local campsites and tourist farms there is more chance of getting to know the local people and understanding their culture.

For more infomation , please check out :

http://www.bicycletouringmalaysia.com/ for local bicycle touring info

http://www.cycletourer.co.uk/index.shtml for more about Bicycle touring

Just my 2sen from Jack a.k.a jwbiker .

Looking for a wide array of choices of bikes when I come back to Penang! looking for a cannondale/ Scott frame and will work it from there...where to go?....permission from wife has been confirmed !

No I am not into triathlon.  But I do find this homepage useful...:)

http://www.slowtwitch.com/Bike_Fit/index.html

Anyone considering to buy a 10 years warranty bicycle or a unique one can now go and add 1 bamboo bicycle in cart.

I wish there will be one in penang.Please visit to http://www.calfeedesign.com/bamboo.htm to have more details on bamboo bicycle.If you wish to see the price list,visit the following website.http://www.calfeedesign.com/pricelist.htm.

Ps. I wonder when will it have a bamboo brain bucket.....

regards

seng chiang

This slide show should show you how to pass the cyclist safely on road.

Link:  http://www.bicycling.com/bke/slide/home/1,8155,s1-1-562-0,00.html

Found this article.  Think it should be helpful for those who wants something that could go faster than MTB on slicks but don't want the agressive posture that associates with the racing bicycles:

http://www.bikecyclingreviews.com/flat-bar-or-racer.html

Have found this web site www.viner-asia.com you will LOVE it MTB & Road Bike all Campagnolo MADE IN ITALY and all in RM$$$$$$ good Luck.

Hi All,

I'm a newbie n started to ride just a month ago when my sis opened up her own bike shop. Before purchasing my 1st Bianchi MTB from my sis, I did a survey to all local bike shop in penang. To my surprise, her shop is at the top of my bike list!The reason Im sharing this info is because her shop offers outstanding customer services, quality bicycle, parts n accessories and good repairing services with the lowest price in penang! U can contact her and mention my name to get a great deal : )

Below is the shop detail:

Click to view MIMM Bicycle Shoppe

ps: Moved to forum under Bicycle shops by D Shee.  Note that contacts of bicycle shops are allowed only in the forum.  Currently it's free listing.

I am planning to bring back a fully suspension mountain bike frame from Singapore next week. It is a used one, any ideas if I will be taxed at the Penang airport ?

I read that bicycle parts are taxable..

Any advise is appreciated.

Happen to bump into this website.

http://www.cerevellum.com/

Batteryless Bicycle Flashing Light System
A Non-Friction Bicycle Dynamo (Generator)  

Why is this better than other dynamos?

Performance: Most dynamos work by slowing down your tires, if they work at all. This Non-friction bicycle dynamo won't slow cyclist down.
No battery needed (save your money and protect the environment).
No friction on any parts of the bicycle.
No drag can be detected in this device on bicycle; it is not a traditional dynamo. With this innovative electrical generating system you will not feel any extra weight when you are cycling. How it works?
2 white front LEDs and 3 red rear LEDs flash as the wheel rotates (even at very slow speed). No need to switch them on/off.
On standby lights version (SPL), 2 white LEDs at front and 3 red LEDs at back will be lit when cyclist holds the rear-wheel brake to stop the bicycle.
The lights are bright enough to be seen in daylight - 24 hour safety lights free!
Very reliable and simple design, no maintenance needed.
The safety lights were always flashing on your bike in any weather conditions (e.g. in a dark day) or road conditions (e.g. under a bridge or inside a tunnel). No hassle forever!
This light system works well in raining days.
We use 8000-12000mcd LEDs on this light system. They are very bright. In fact, the lights are now too bright for the naked eyes in a short distance.

Sources :http://www.freelights.co.uk/

I tried one of this(recipe 2), and it aint taste bad!

Recipe 1

• 1 can orange juice
• 2 tablespoons lemon juice
• 1 tablespoon lime juice
• 3/4 teaspoon salt
• water

Recipe 2

• 1/2 cup honey
• 1/2 teaspoon lite salt
• 1/4 cup lemon juice
• water

Recipe 3

• 10 tbs. sugar (5/8 cups or 120 grams)
• .75 tsp Morton Lite salt (4.2 grams)
• 1 package of Coolaid mix for flavor
• Water to make 2 liters

Source: http://www.roadcycler.com/2006/08/screw-gatorade-make-your-own-sports-dr...

Weeks ago I bought a Silicon based lubricant from a local hardware shop for my racer bike. 

Before using the bike, I would normally spray the lubricant on the chain and gears and then lightling wipe them with a dry cloth; this was to prevent the oil from getting onto the rim of the wheel. But after using the bike for half and hour or so chain would start to squeek.  I got fed up and switched to the cheap and simple WD40, thereafter absolutely no more squeeks  !!  

Hey ladies, think about this.  You walk into a helmet shop, select a fitting helmet, choose the fabric and pick the style(cover) you want ! A tailored helmet ! 

http://www.yakkay.com/Covers/

A gentle reminder to those using car roof rack.

Do you know that you have a apply a permit for your car roof rack ?? It is actually pretty easy to apply and it's free. All you have to do is to fill in a JPJ form, attach 4 pictures of you roof rack fixed onto you car with bicycles. The pictures need to show front, rear, right and left side.

Put a self addressed envelope (with stamp) and once the officer viewed your application together with the pictures attached, a approval letter (2 copies) with be sent back to you. The whole process took about 3 to 5 weeks depending on your luck. Then place a copy inside your car.

With the approved letter, police or JPJ will not "kacau" you  anymore.

However, this only apply for roof rack. I do not know if JPJ will approve the rear bike holding rack or not. I heard you will be in trouble the minute police stops you as some parts of your bicycle will be "blocking" the number plate or your rear view.

Probably someone can tell me if you had tried to apply for the rear rack from JPJ.

Read this on cyclingnews.com.  Thought it's a useful info and would like to share with the rest..;)

You can find the original thread from here: http://www.cyclingnews.com/features/torque-wrenches-why-you-need-one-and-how-to-use-them

-------------------------------------------------

Get one now or potentially pay the consequences later

Torque wrenches were once considered an optional luxury, even in better bike shops. But more aggressive advances in bicycle frame and componentry technology now require stringent handling in terms of service and maintenance and even the most finely calibrated 'mechanic's feel' can't substitute for the real thing. Consider yourself warned...

Today's high-end parts are lighter, stiffer, often stronger, and definitely more expensive, and yet simultaneously more delicate as they’re increasingly engineered to fulfill very specific functional requirements and little more. As you, the market, continually demand more efficient uses of material, designers must prescribe more narrowly defined requirements in how those bits are installed and serviced. Whereas back in the day we used to see snapped bolts and stripped threads, it's become increasingly common to see cracked parts and broken bikes instead – the fasteners are no longer the weak link like they used to be.

"Products of the past were limited in their design by the manufacturing technology that was available to make them rather than the loads the products would see in use," says Garrett Smith, engineer manager for SRAM's California development center and former stress analyst for Lockheed Martin Astronautics (in other words, a bona fide rocket scientist). "Engineers could only make tubes so thin, or forgings so complex, because of manufacturing constraints. So you could say that the strength of the part was driven by manufacturing rather than use. But modern manufacturing technology is no longer the constraint that limits how thin a tube can be; the limit is now being driven by the loads the product actually experiences in the field."

"The design of our frames and components is always oriented towards lightweight," adds Scott engineer Benoit Grelier. "Thanks to our experience and FEM analysis, we can optimize precisely all wall thicknesses and we can use different materials, depending on the forces involved. But this also implies that we have less margin for the tightening torques."

The proliferation of carbon fiber in cycling stresses the importance of proper torque even further.

"While torque specifications are important with all type of materials, the growing number of carbon fiber components has led to an increasing focus on torque specifications," says Pedro's engineer Jay Seiter. "While carbon fiber allows for more optimal design and provides a far higher strength to weight ratio compared to steel and aluminum, it is also more susceptible to crushing and cracking when improperly set up."

Interestingly enough, torque isn't even the thing engineers and designers really care about – it's merely the most readily accessible indicator of the tension in the fastener, and subsequently the amount of force applied to the parts that are clamped or otherwise held together. With that being said, knowledge of what those forces are supposed to be is exactly what is allowing the industry to push the envelope on equipment weights.

See those little torque markings on your parts? Use them.

Automotive mechanics generally have to resort to extensive reference manuals to determine the proper torque spec on a particular fastener but we're much luckier – most critical parts now have the specifications etched or marked right on them so there's little chance for error. That is, assuming you pay them heed.

A spec of 5Nm doesn't mean 'snug' and 15Nm doesn't translate as 'tight' and regardless of what you may believe, so-called 'mechanic's feel' can at best only provide a close approximation of reality. Even the most finely calibrated hands are still both imprecise and inconsistent, varying by the day, mood, and routine of their owner.

"Having and developing a correct 'feel' when tightening fasteners is still important to the professional mechanic; there are many cases where the part cannot be fitted with a socket, or a torque wrench is simply not available," says Park Tool resident guru Calvin Jones. "[But] I have seen people be off a torque spec by as much as 50 percent, either too loose or too tight. Mechanics, like the entire human race, are susceptible to habit. As a rule, untrained people tend to under tighten the higher torque values, and then over tighten the lower torques.

"Given a limited number of steel fasteners, a mechanic might learn by trial and error, by failure, how much to load a thread," he continues. "Now throw in aluminum threads, carbon parts, magnesium, and titanium, where the feel and even the desired loads are different, and you are asking for trouble."

Studies conducted by torque industry specialist J.H. Williams Tool Group/CDI Torque Products (a division of Snap-On) yield similar conclusions, using a more high-tech test apparatus that accurately measures actual applied torque on a load cell in relation to what the subject thinks he's applying.

"At Interbike [2008], we had a transducer set-up to a ¼” breaker bar and hex bit socket and we asked for volunteers to tighten the bolts at the stem/steerer to the recommended torque value [4.5Nm – a common spec for those types of parts]," said marketing product manager Glenn Kalnins. "Of the nine volunteers, only one person was within spec (+/- 4%) of the 4.5Nm value [and] some people pulled five and six times the value that was set on our clicker. Imagine your stem faceplate needs to be tightened to 5Nm to hold your brand new carbon bar in place and you or your local mechanic tightens it to 25Nm or 30Nm. This variability is totally unacceptable in terms of safety and liability in the bicycle industry."

Given that quoted safety factors in some high-end parts can be as low as 1.1 (meaning that exceeding the spec by just 10 percent can result in failure), it doesn't take much of a ham-fisted mechanic to do some real damage. Conversely, the narrow window also means it's easy to leave a bolt too loose, resulting in unwanted movement or slip.

Torque wrench types – some are better than others but almost any of them are better than none at all

Torque wrenches remove the guesswork from tightening fasteners and their wide range of available types and costs mean that integrating one into your home toolbox is now easier than ever – and strongly recommended if you couldn't tell by now.

So-called 'clicker' wrenches such as the Park TW-5 and TW-6, Pedro's Demi-Torque, Effetto Mariposa Giustaforza, and Syntace Torque Tool (starting at around US$90) are the most common and readily available, operating via an internal spring mechanism that gives way when the desired torque is achieved. Both fixed-torque and adjustable models are currently on the market, and Kalnins stresses the 'sweet spot' for adjustable models is between 30-80 percent of the calibrated range. For more specific applications, small fixed-setting tools such as Ritchey's Torque Key can be had for as little as around US$20.

Proper usage and tool care is essential, though. According to Kalnins, the most common errors are continuing to apply force after the 'click' or applying torque too quickly (which can lead to overshooting the target), holding the wrench incorrectly (he says to always use the designated handle), or putting the tool away in anything other than its lowest torque setting (which can affect the calibration). Used correctly and adequately maintained, though, and clickers' claimed accuracy of around +/-5 percent should suffice for most applications.

Home mechanics on a budget can still find reasonable accuracy in a simple 'bending beam' type of torque wrench such as Park's TW-1 and TW-2, which often sell for as little as US$40. Completely devoid of mechanical joints, these simply operate on the principle of calibrated flex: simply insert the tool bit into the fastener, hold the handle, and apply torque until the indicator needle moves to the desired value.

Though generally inexpensive, bending beam wrenches are prone to damage if improperly stored (the needle is often exposed) and improper readings can result if the user isn't looking straight on at the gauge. In addition, they're often quite big and cumbersome and ill suited for portable use.

For well-heeled mechanics, the ultimate torque wrench is a digital type such as CDI's Computorq3, which offers a +/-2 percent claimed accuracy by foregoing mechanical devices for a solid-state electronic force transducer. Most models include an easy-to-read (and interpret) LCD display that readily converts between various units, too, and in the case of the Computorq3, a three-stage LED and audible tone also warns users when the preset torque is near. Even more useful, however, is that it also stores the actual applied torque, which also serves double-duty to train mechanics on proper usage.

That extra functionality comes at a high price, though. Suggested retail price on the Computorq3 is between US$325-350.

Other notes

Fastener and part conditions can drastically affect torque readings – and the more important actual bolt tension – so be sure to follow indications provided by the component, not the tool, manufacturer. Should the bolt be greased or should threadlock be applied? What if the bolt is rusty? All of these factors can affect the reading and not always in the direction of prudence.

Likewise, clicker-type wrenches should be periodically calibrated for optimum accuracy as values can drift over time. Kalnins also recommends that buyers stick to wrenches that include a calibration certificate from a qualified third party, such as the National Institute of Standards and Technology (NIST) in the US or equivalent. However, even a slightly out-of-calibration torque wrench will still almost certainly boast better accuracy than your bare hands.

Mr Lee (Taiwan) rode his foldable Mobiky Genius Folding Bike to Pearl Hill today.  Quite an amazing bike, the chrome (or aluminium) color gives it a real solid look.  Lee demonstrated to us how easy it was to fold the bike.  And you can push and "walk" the bike around, effortlessly.  At a price tag of rm 2500, worth it?  Would consider buying one for your wife or gf ?