We bumped into another group also on the bike lane near Midvalley, with some 16 inch bikes and a Brompton,

The camaraderie was high, with greetings of Good mornings...

And fortunately for one of these cyclists, he found lots of money on the bike lane itself and stopped to just scoop it up.



Trying to outrun the KLIA express train..





This post has been edited by budgee: Sep 23 2013, 10:44 PM

Oh I see! Are you wearing shirt color white, green, orange or blue?

This post has been edited by budgee: Sep 24 2013, 10:32 AM

Hi everyone!

I am trying to gather more information on places where it is not safe to cycle alone. So hopefully this will help others to avoid such places and be alert when cycling in those areas.

Just a short Survey, If you have been robbed before or if your friend has:-

1. Time of the incident
2. Place of the incident
3. Any other info you think is helpful

Do contribute if you have such a bad experience before.
Thanks!

This post has been edited by budgee: Sep 24 2013, 11:47 AM

My new bike, which I am using to ride from PJ to KL. Trying to use it on a daily basis to go to work, but the gearing leaves me pedalling "air" when I am on the level road, worse if it is downhill.

The Problem is: the wheels are 16 inches, the crank is 48T and the smallest rear cog is 14T.

What are my upgrade options? any suggestions?


If you see a guy with a red helmet pedalling furiously along the road to KL, its probably me...



This post has been edited by budgee: Sep 24 2013, 12:28 PM

The Tern Eclipse S11i is a beautiful bike, with its clean internal gears, enclosed chain and disc brakes. Got its dynamo hub in front too. You have to check its total weight, though. Details can be found at Tern's website.
http://www.ternbicycles.com/bikes/eclipse-s11i
Pictured here at RM6,160 during the rodalink sale, which I think is over. So the price is back to normal.










This post has been edited by budgee: Sep 25 2013, 05:00 PM

After I got my XDS FA-16 foldable bike for less than RM750, I find that I can just leave it for hours parked anywhere decent, that is, with people walking around, place must be lighted up at night, but I will have to lock it up chained to a fixed metal structure.

With the Tern, a far more expensive bike at about RM5k , I don't dare to leave it out of my sight, heh heh.

Some more, the XdS with its small 16inch wheels allow it to be folded much smaller and this really make it easier to carry around public areas. Usually I will push it on its wheels, much easier than the Tern because the handlebars are between the two wheels when folded and it makes it more stable.


Just enjoying the cheaper, smaller bike very much ... and of course, I do enjoy the Tern equally a lot with its superior speed and build..

This post has been edited by budgee: Sep 25 2013, 05:58 PM

Welcome, welcome to the folding bike community.

some of the answers are found in Post 2 =>
https://forum.lowyat.net/index.php?showtopi...post&p=62546909


Sessions can be organized, but which City are you in? Mostly on weekends at various locations, putrajaya, bukit kiara, PJ to KL, Ampang, Sekinchan, Rawang-Serendah ...

Many shops that I frequent, mostly My Bicycle Shop in BU.


https://www.facebook.com/pages/GreenBike-Sh...cation=timeline

https://www.facebook.com/VansUrbanBicycleCo

https://www.facebook.com/pages/My-Bicycle-Shop/190359582326

https://www.facebook.com/pages/Rodalink-Mal...ia/481801940182

https://www.facebook.com/SpvBicycle

https://www.facebook.com/ExpressProSriPetal...cation=timeline

Dragon back hill climb looks very interesting !!

How to get there? I may go there on Sunday morning.

Is it in Setia Alam eco park?

I have tried 20 x 2.0 Big apples with Kinetix Pro rims before. It's a little bit tight to mount the tyres onto the RIM but apart from that it runs fine and will offer the most protection to the rims.

Bearing sound? From where? Crank wheel or the Handlepost bearing?

For my Tern, I had no problems until I put some oil into the handlepost clamp, then the creaking sound come out, but once I tighten the clamping screw, sound goes away..

theotheryun

I really like your bicycle adventure.. Really exciting!

That bike, I think you must keep until you old, then you can tell these stories to your grandchildren !!

I think its same problem with mine. Need to tighten the clamp nut more, so that when you unfold the handlepost that time, it takes quite a lot of effort to lock it. Then problem should be solved.

Keep on cycling ! Where your bicycles are made does not matter so much.

What matters most, to me anyway, is that I spend more time on my saddle taking in the scenery and enjoying the friendships that I make along the way.

Every now and then, taking a pause to stop and stare, just to admire, whatever it is, ... could be an old building still standing tall and grand, a relic of the glorious past, could be a beautiful sunset, or a kingfisher waiting for the right time to dive to end up with a satisfying catch from the river, an exuberant caricature drawn along public walls for one and all to enjoy, or a flock of migratory birds flying in formation overhead, with a distinct leader of the pack. Could also be the well seasoned and worn out face of a senior citizen, waiting out her days, sitting by the pavement, with stories to tell that go far before the second world war...


just keep on cycling...

Hope all will end well for your friend and that he makes a full recovery.

Yes, bicycling will always have a high degree of risk.
Just take a bit more care when cycling downhill. I just know that with small wheels, light frame and at a speed of anything above 20 kph, it will be extremely dangerous and life threatening too if there is an accident, even with a bike helmet (and helmets are not full face and styrofoam filled at that)

An accident can be caused by a small pebble or a small pothole which you can't see at high speeds, or even a brake cable can snap, or you can get a puncture rolling downhill, and you will lose control.

I always try to keep in mind "Murphy's Law" when I am on the road.
Better safe than sorry...

I am now quite settled in to cycling to work from PJ to KL. In the mornings will find me cycling to KL. In the evenings after work, whether I cycle back will depend on what time I knock off and whether I have to rush to pick up my wife or not. If I have to rush, or if it rains, I will fold my bike and take the LRT back.

So yesterday, after a close relative asked for a loan, I withdrew a lump sum of money to be given later in the night.
So after work, as usual, I took my 16 inch two wheeler, and got down to cycling the 13 km home.
It was nice and cooling as it had rained earlier. Then suddenly my rear wheel, gave a 'dub, dub, dub, dub' sound. Disaster! A puncture and it was in the midst of Brickfields. There were quite a lot of people hanging around, some waiting, some chatting, others walking.

So I got down and pushed it to the corridor of one of the shops nearby which was closed for business. The metal doors were closed but there was a ledge all along the doorway where I could sit on. I took off my back pack and put it on the floor. At first no one was sitting down on the floor ledge. Only me. I then put my bike upside down so that I can take off the rear wheel. Then slowly more and more people started to sit down beside me.

Argghhh!! This is not within my comfort zone. I took my back pack and brought it nearer towards me and my bike.

They were like talking to each other but then turning round to notice what I was doing. Also my pants where my pocket was protruding with a big lump. My cash of over 4k was swollen in my wallet and it was showing. How to hide, ah?

Sei foar!

I took the tyre out easily enough from the frame. But it was so hard to get it off the rims!!! What the heck! 16 inch wheels are very, very hard to take off and put on! Compared to my 20 inch tyres of course.
My flimsy tyre levers did not help as well. I sort of threw them on the ground and then took the tyre and put it between my legs and started to use my bare hands to sort of force it out!! slowly it was done!

Took out the tube and put in a new one.
Thank god for my spare tube! And also for my Topeak portable floor pump!


Now got big problem..... I could put the tyre in one side, and with the inner tube inside, I now just had to put the wire bead of the tyre for the other side into the rim... with my tiny tyre levers, it was next to impossible.

I put the tyre on the floor and started to use my shoes and step on it to force it in, but no way. There was one guy, quite elderly who had earlier asked me lots of questions like where I worked, where I came from, then now offered to get a screw driver for me.

I thanked him but said no need, as I had spotted a motorcycle shop about 10 shoplots away. I put my back pack on. Then I took my wheel in one hand, the bike in the other and walked to the motorcycle repair shop. I showed some of the guys there my wheel, explained that I had changed the inner tube but just could not get the tyre mounted.

Then the boss who was sitting inside then asked his workers to take the wheel to him and he told me that he was a cyclist as well, not foldable bikes but he rides a road bike! He took my wheel and with a large tyre lever, got the tyre in. I asked him how much, he said no charge!
I thanked him and happily put back the wheel on my bike and cycled away. On the way home, I again passed the group of men who were still sitting on the ledge and they waved at me. My Cateye bell, rang three times, and I waved too.

It was just another ordinary day in Brickfields and it was quite an experience that I will not forget. Those

guys were not well to do but appreciated that I was having a problem and offered to help. I will no doubt be happy to have another puncture in Brickfields again.

But this time, there is a gigantic tyre lever for my 16 inch wheels !!



- - - - - - -




My 16 inch two wheeler, with Kenda Kwest. The tyre is really quite soft rubber and is good at absorbing uneven road surfaces, but is not puncture resistant like the "expensive" Schwalbe tyres...





My puny metal tyre levers and the red plasticky levers ( which works fine on my 20 inch wheels but is no match for the 16 inch wheels)





My puncture repaired, now I have back again two inner tubes to bring everywhere I go, in my saddle bag...




Another biking adventure to cherish.... and more to come in the days ahead.. this time I better not carry too much cash...

It was a small metal pin, like those you use to pin pieces of paper onto the bulletin board.

My guess is that when my front wheel rolls over the pin, it will somehow lift the sharp end upwards and just in time for my rear wheel to roll right into it.

Take note: Bicycling on busy roads are not without risks. Lots of cyclists have been killed.
So in my mind I am always thinking of this "what is the 100% way to avoid getting hit from behind by some crazy driver or biker or bus driver". You all heard of drivers reading sms or texting on handphones while driving.

As such, I will always use the quiet residential roads whenever I can to avoid the busy main roads with heavy traffic such as buses and cars, even though it may be take more time and further to cycle.

But there are times when I want to take a bit of risk and use the motorcycle lane along Federal Highway just for kicks - just enter the bike lane from Jalan Universiti and get out to Jalan Pantai Baru stretch only, a bit harrowing experience as the fast bikes zoom past inches from you - just make sure you get a good rear light - mine's Knog Blinders Road rear, its blinding bright, heheh)




From PJ Section 14 / Paramount area, ride towards Jalan Utara.
- then towards Jalan Bukit 11/2 going past Alam Shah primary school. (may take breakfast at Sri Paandi restoran a bit off further up)
- reach Jalan Universiti (I will use pedestrian pavement on opposite road) to head towards the entrance to UM - towards Jalan Ilmu
- Now inside Uni Malaya, the roads are fairly quiet and just cruise downhill towards the exit to Jalan Pantai Baru
- now on Jln Pantai Baru, go right to the end (at the end of this road is a corner where cars will zoom like they are race drivers, so another option is to use the pedestrian pavement to go round this corner but there are overhanging branches which needs some skillful cycling skills to avoid !)
- Go on to Jalan Bangsar which is a busy road but most of the time its jammed up and cars are moving slowly, so I will overtake the cars on the left (there will be buses and also motorcyclists who want to overtake you - just stick to the side or use the pavement if you like, but be careful of potholes or metal covers where small wheels can drop into the fairly large slots, also watch out for plastic covers which may just give way due to ageing process)
- along Jalan Bangsar is the Bangsar LRT station, can just park and take breakfast at Old Town White coffee nearby UOA building or just rest somewhere there to cool down a bit
- moving on down Jln Bangsar, will now reach the Klinik Pergigian Bangsar and once past that, will reach a pedestrian crossing, and press the pedestrian button to cross the road by push/walk towards Jalan Travers.
- now downhill on Jalan Travers to join Jalan Tun Sambanthan
- this Jalan Tun Sambanthan is a long road so I go slow ride as there are lots of buses, but I may stop at the side to let the buses pass me before I continue on my slow ride ( my MyBikeShop mirror is really a valuable accessory now as I can see whether any buses are coming up behind me or not, can't believe how I managed without it all this while)
- Keep on going until I reach the Central Market (lots of pedestrian pavement to use along Jln Tun Sambanthan, so its very safe)
- Once reach Central Market, I can then use the small back lane roads to Leboh Pudu and then Medan Pasar
- then to Lebuh Ampang or the small road beside HSBC just next to the Klang river / Masjid Jamek
- destination reached ( can walk / push the bike if crossing busy roads)


I will take a few stops here and there whenever I feel the sweat is coming, just need to cool down so that I won't turn up in the office dripping wet.

I am considering buying a portable USB powered Fan to cool down faster!!

Ya man, you save a lot of money like this! Maybe you can think of making this to sell to those who don't want to spend rm38 on mirror!

This post has been edited by budgee: Oct 3 2013, 04:19 PM

If too heavy, cannot climb hills like Frasers Hill, Genting perez...

just asking when all of you cycled up to Fraser's Hill, where do you park your cars??

At the Gap?