The SinC®dicate Site

Happy New Year 2011

2011-01-01T23:56:00.002+08:00

To all Blog readers,

I would like to take this opportunity to wish all of you,

"Happy New Year 2011"!

New place, new living room (beginner stereophile setup)

2010-12-30T14:10:00.007+08:00

It has been a long long long time since I updated this blog. Due to hectic working environment and also moving to new place, finally I manage to spend some time for my last post before 2011. What's new this time? A Fully Custom-Configured Home Entertainment System!

For my humble living room, I have set the following home entertainment centre, minus game console:-

Display: Panasonic VIERA TH-P42X28K Plasma HDTV

Networked Media Jukebox: Popcorn Hour A-200

Integrated Amplifier: Cambridge Audio Azur 340A SE

DAC (Digital/Analogue Converter): DacMagic Digital to Analogue Converter

Bookshelf Speakers: PSB Alpha B1 Monitor

Subwoofer: Mordaunt-Short Carnival 9 subwoofer

RCA Interconnects: QED & Cable Talk

IPTV Box: Supplied by Unifi (High Speed Broadband Service Provider)

Speaker Cable: Acoustic Research HT Pro Series 16-Gauge (Oxygen-free copper)

Speaker Stands: Cannot be used currently due to the size of my TV rack and Living room width

Having these items are really challenging for me to tune my audiophile music up to my preference and trust me, it took me days to do it! Even so, until now, it is still not 100% and this is the enjoyable process of testing and tuning the audio output.

Since my current cabinet is too long, I cannot use speaker stands, and temporarily I have to rely on the cabinet. The best solution in near future would be a proper AV cabinet with a pair of nice speaker stands for my PSB Alphas.

SSC 2010 Trip: Gem Island ( a.k.a Gemia Island )

2010-07-29T15:07:00.328+08:00

It has been a long long time since I updated this blog. I find it very difficult to have the proper time and place write events or happenings due to work and family commitment.

One of the reason could be,... I was so busy arranging island trip for sports club members. This year, I manage to find a kind of a secluded Island from the cluster of Redang, Perhentian and Lang Tengah. This is because I prefer to find an exclusive place for my 2010 Siemens Sports Club members - one island equals to one resort only. For this year, I have choosen Gem Island (Gemia).

The name Gemia has been around but strangely, not many people aware that this island exists. It is situated a few kilometre north of Pulau Kapas (Cotton Island). The recently renovated island resort looks classy and comfortable. I have booked around 12 water villas for 35 sports club members.

The night before:
We boarded the bus from our office around 11.15pm and we started off our journey to Terengganu sharp at 2330hours. It stared raining when we were at Karak highway. With multiple stop for breaks along the way, we managed to arrive Marang town around 0530hours. It was too early for us and one of the members requested the bus driver to bring us for early morning breakfast. It took him almost half an hour to travel 10km away from Marang town for our breakfast.

Day1:
After the very early breakfast, we continued our journey to the Jetty and we had to travel 10km all the way back to the Marang Jetty. It was still raining and we waited at for the boats for at least one and a half hour due to bad weather.

Approximately 15-20 minutes of boat ride, we arrived at Gem Island Resort and Spa. Weather was getting better with slight drizzle and soon the sun came out. Upon checking-in into our rooms, one of the guys invited my room mates and me for a 10 o'clock dive. We had to travel to Kapas Island because there is no dive centre at Gem Island.

First dive was not that pleasant as I had tough time to remember on how to setup the dive equipments plus some necessary skills in the water such as equalization, buoyancy and hand signals. With some help by the dive master, I manage to plunge myself into the water with confidence. Unfortunately, the water was a bit murky due to early morning rain. The only thing I could highlight is the Leopard Moray Eel we saw hiding near the reef.

Once done with diving, we went back to the resort for lunch. Next was the snorkeling session at 2.30pm and the weather was getting better. Sun already up and shining and we could expect that snorkeling session could be much better than our morning dive.

Snorkeling was good, with only few spots of murky water. The rest was okay and my mates saw a school of bumpheads at the second snorkeling site. In the evening, we had nice dinner followed by a nice guessing game at the dining table.

Approximately around 10pm, we explored some other parts of the small island with my super bright torchlight and released the hatched baby turtles into the pool before calling the night off.

Day 2: We woke up a bit early for breakfast and then we proceed for the kayaking session since the snorkeling trip will only happen around 11.30am. Weather was superb and sunny all the way! My friends and I took few kayaks and we cross over to a secluded spot on Kapas Island. We took some funny pictures, and then we raced back to Gem Island.

The second snorkeling trip was awesome. Visibility in the water was about 12 meters. We spent quite some time on the second site even though we spotted quite a number of harmless jelly fish around the reefs.

Next, we went back to the resort for lunch and proceed with the 3pm dive. It was really rush hour and non stop action from kayaking, snorkeling and to diving. The second dive was a big group with additional divers out of nowhere, haha.

Our second dive was at Coral Garden near Gem. Visibility was good and I spotted a black tip shark, giant puffer fish and bleaching corals. Corals bleach when the water is getting warmer, thanks to global warming cause by us.

Dinner was with barbecue style on the second night. No one complain about the food at all. I am sure couples or families would love this kind of place with luxurious accommodation plus variety of delicious meals.

Right after the dinner, we explore another part of the island again. This time, more members joined us for the fun. The night ended with a drinking session accompanied by the same guessing game we had the night before.

Day3:
I woke up late and missed the last kayaking session. I had my last breakfast in an alfresco style before taking some pics around the resort with my humble camera phone for blogging purpose.

We left the island at 11.30am with 3 boats with 35 members on board. The only thing we missed was the group photo at the resort.

At around 2pm, we stopped by Chukai town at Kemaman for Tong Juan Restaurant's famous stuffed crab before headed home.

Even thought the food there was a bit pricey considering its location, I still feel worth it after tasting the stuffed crab. It was heaps good!

New HD Toy: Popcorn Hour A-200 NMT

2010-05-17T00:09:00.003+08:00

To those HD (high definition) media player owners out there, the Popcorn Hour could be a weird name and I was having the same thought too. One thing for sure, this player has yet to disappoint me and I love to play HD movies with it.

The Popcorn Hour A-200 Network Media Tank

Well, I just had mine 2 weeks ago with the assistance of one of the forumers in Low Yat. He has a friend working for SYABAS [http://www.syabas.com/] and managed to get a unit for me with staff price (50% off).

In the box...

Before this, I was having WDTV which is also capable of displaying 1080p full HD videos. My colleague borrowed over one weekend and refused to return it to me (with the intention to purchase it from me). I had no choice but to sell him a little expensive simply because I told him that I need a better player.

Menu list...

Due to some info search from several websites such as [http://www.mpcclub.com/forum/] and [http://www.mpcclub.com/], finally I decided on Popcorn hour due to the fact that it is more than a media player. It is actually a... Network Media Tank!

Full High Definition Video Playback...

Coincidentally, this unit has been highly recommended by the main reviewer of MPC Club and available through my forum friend.

Recommended by MPC Club reviewer...

Glowing remote for theatre mode (dark room)...

Specs and features can be found here...
http://www.popcornhour.com/onlinestore/index.php?pluginoption=productspec&item_id=20

Blu-Ray Disc Lite Menu...

Reason for choosing PCH A200 over many other players in the market...
- Latest Sigma 864x based processor with 667MHz of processing power
- Supports BD.iso with BD Lite Menu
- Supports almost all video/audio/HD/image formats
- Compact size for travelling to other places
- Supports 2.5" and 3.5" internal hard drive (I dumped 1TB of 3.5" Samsung drive into it)
- Plenty of webservices provided like CNN, BBC, Picasaweb, Youtube, iPodcast and much more
- capable of bitstreaming Dolby True HD and DTS HD Master audios
- Linux based firmware for stability
- Good firmware support from SYABAS

The screenshots in this post were actually sent to me by the seller during his A-200 testing.

HD Audio bit streaming...

Thanks to the seller and also ZH for allowing me to test the wheel-type menu on the Sony Bravia display.

Wheel-typed main menu...

New Car

2010-04-30T00:35:00.004+08:00

I have been so buzy lately I can hardly find the time to post nowadays.

Just few days ago, I collected my wife's car from Perodua outlet. It's an Alza car (not MPV, I repeat, not MPV). It is not a luxury car, but good enough for my wife / family to travel around safely as compared to our older cars.

To cut it short, the reason why we chose this car is because:-

- Need not pay so much tax as compared to other brands such as Toyota, Nissan & Honda
- This car is also known as Toyota Passo Sette / Daihatsu Boon Luminas (try google)
- Toyota cars are more reliable in terms of engine performance
- Maintenance should not be high as the parts are the same as Toyota/Daihatsu

Picture taken from: http://paultan.org/photo/albums/toyota-passo-sette/toyota-passo-sette-12.jpg

The picture above is only a sample to depict roughly how Alza looks like. I have yet find the time to take pics of the car, LOL.

Ours is the Premium unit and it comes with:-
- Blue Optitron meter
- ABS with EBD and Brake Assist
- Dual SRS Air Bags
- Twin Cam fuel injected engine with Valve Timing technology (same engine model as Toyota Rush)
- and etc... (check out Perodua's site or click on this post's title)

Even though Alza's engine is the same as Toyota Rush, Perodua has actually de-tune the engine by several horsepower in order for the engine to be more reliable on RON 95 petrol. This is quite strange, but as long as it is for the purpose of extending the reliability, why not? :)

This car was chosen over Kia Forte mainly because of the resale value of Kia cars @ Malaysia. We got the car pretty fast as my dad's friend is the sales man. Very reliable person and whoever wants to get Proton / Perodua without much hassle, just contact me. :)

First medium distance drive...review
I had the first drive... back to hometown on Friday 30th Apr 2010. Mileage is below 1000km and surprisingly, the car manage to clock 7.2 litre / 100km fuel consumption(FC). Average speed on the highway was around 90km/h (cannot rev hard below 1000km mark). Weight load on the car is equivalent to 3 adults and each wheel is on 31psi pressure. I didnt expect the FC to be lower than 10 litre / 100km. I am quite happy with wife's new car. :D

Ghost Express Bus

2010-04-11T01:00:00.002+08:00

I was on my way back to hometown at night few weeks back when I came across a crazy express bus driver overtaking so many passenger cars like the one I am driving at the speed of over 110km/h.

That joker was driving recklessly along kilometer 260 - 198 towards south direction of the North South expressway and until now, I am still wondering why there is no action taken against these jokers.

I believe, many people with family like me would prefer to drive at night as it is cooler and more relaxing to drive. My advise to all of you when travelling on highway at night or daytime, please be aware of these bus drivers.

It is either you stay far behind them or they stay far behind you. Never ever go parallel/beside with them as I have seen a bus skidded and hit the divider, and then the driver managed to recover the bus' direction again. Just imagine if you go beside the bus... :P

Holts Lubricant

2010-04-01T22:23:00.002+08:00

I have been searching for quite sometime for rubber lube mainly because my bike is equipped with more rubber seals now especially on the suspension fork, disc brake calipers and also the pivot bearings on the frame.

I was doing some shopping with my colleagues during lunch time @ 1Utama when I saw Holts Rubber and Nylon lubricant.

Thinking that the weather is getting hotter and hotter nowadays and to prevent the rubber seals from cracking due to wear and tear, it is good if I grab a can from the DIY store.

I brought back home that night and I applied to the seals using the below method:-

- Spray the lube onto a cotton bud

- Lube the seals gently without letting too much oil absorbed into the inner part of fork

- Lube also the pivot bearings' seals gently

- Wipe away the excessive oil with clean and dry cloth

That's all for the lubing part and do click on the title above for the link to Holts' website. :)

Telekom Malaysia's High Speed Broadband (HSBB)

2010-03-11T01:02:00.001+08:00

Yesterday was a tiring day at work, and as usual, I am a bit quiet when I get home. Just before dinner time, my wife gave me surprised that she received an invitation card from Telekom Malaysia in the afternoon for free upgrade. That's a shocking news! She passed it to me and I read it immediately as I am exited to know any upgrade promotion for our current broadband line.

Well, it turned out to be a different story. I don't think she read it carefully, ...sigh :( . Telekom is actually inviting us to try out their new pre-launch High Speed Broadband service. Details about the start testing date was not given but we have to respond back the invitation by end of March 2010.

The testing will end somewhere around June and it should be at least 3 months for me to test out the new 20Mbps service. I shall confirm to them ASAP as I am pretty exited to be the first group to test it. Hope the result will not be a dissapointing one. :P

Showcase Model: Porsche Bike FS Evolution

2010-03-09T23:33:00.000+08:00

I was at home (Melaka) last weekend when I notice something that I have not paid much attention to... in the showcase cabinet. I found my old bike model, the Porsche FS Bike. I got it many years back from Jaya Jusco's points redemption program - thanks to my girlfriend (now my wife).

During those years, it was nearly impossible for people like me to own an FS (full suspension) bike, simply because FS bike was still new in Malaysian market and they were tagged with premium price.

I still keep that model in my showcase cabinet to tell me how lucky I am to have the chance to own a full suspension mountain bike. :)

Gift from Prudential

2010-03-04T00:18:00.002+08:00

Recently, my wife and I secured a premium for our baby from our Team TMK agent. This is inline with the purpose of getting a medical card for our boy. Medical cost is really pricey nowadays if you are dealing with private medical centres!

It was during the end of Chinese New Year and she got us a small Chinese New Year gift. I didn't even notice the box until someone place it at the dining table. My first impression was "Wow... a pack of food on da table!". LOL.

The packaging is neat and nice with good latch design. After figuring out on how to open the latch without destroying the gift box, I manage to open it and the soft toy is a cute, smiling tiger. :)

Thanks to our award winning agent CLK again!

*Note*: Let me know if you guys need a reliable financial planner/insurance agent... they (the couple) are heaps good! Hehe.

New Air Conditioner - Panasonic Envio

2010-03-03T18:32:00.008+08:00

Recently, my wife and I just replaced a new air conditioner unit, thinking that the weather is getting hotter during and after Chinese New Year holidays and my baby feels a bit uncomfortable during day time when we got back to city. The decision was made shortly after the >10 year old air conditioner was making so much weird grinding noise from the indoor unit at night.

I have chosen Envio series from Panasonic as this model comes with air purifying module, quick-cooling and energy saving mode. After the installation, we switch it on and tested it for an hour and the Envio is not bad as it cools the bedroom quickly considering that this as a 1 horse power unit.

Some relatives came over to see my baby when the air-cond technician just left the house. Oh my, I was busy cleaning the room and they came. I felt bad as I could entertain them as I needed to clean the bedroom ASAP before my son could take his afternoon nap. Sorry folks, daddy was buzy.

The most irritating part was whenever some relatives came over, not only they come to see the baby but then, they also try to give tons of unnecessary suggestions to us, as if we do not know how to take care of our first child. Oh common, please! My mom has been baby sitting so many kids since I was at young age (I do helped her) and I definitely know a lot more than these bunch of people trying to be the doctors and chinese medical practitioners! Whenever they throw out those suggestions ("you should... this, you should... that"), I get really really pissed off and I just kept quiet!

*** I'm sure there will be some busy-body (NBTD) people in the family that will read this post and broadcasts all over to everyone they meet in the big family. Thanks for being such group of people - so annoying! ***

Some of them did change the napkins (as if they were so pro) but that piece of cloth came loose just after five minutes! @%$#%$#^%%@$!!!!$#@$#!!! Tell me.. what do they know? -Nothing! LOL!!! Give us the chance to learn as we are young couple. We would have asked if we needed assistance or tips.

I would really like to thank my mom for being there when my wife and baby discharged from the hospital. She got ready all the necessary stuffs at hometown and we just drove back there from hospital (PJ). My wife and I learnt a lot from my mom and we are so thankful that she guided us all the way since the day one of confinement period.

Day by day we are learning ... not easy being parents, hey. :)

The most expensive coffee in the world?

2010-02-20T01:22:00.002+08:00

One of my adopted younger sisters recently brought home a miniature bottle of "Coffee Luwak" and showed to us in the kitchen while I was helping my mom to cook.

I got a bit surprised when there were some texts written as "Coffee Luwak is the most expensive coffee in the world" ! and "A cup of Coffee Luwak could cost USD 60" !

After going through some readings in the net, the selection process of these expensive coffee beans were made possible by a type of mammal known as "Asian Palm Civet".

These beans are eaten and then passed through the Civet's digestive tract in which these beans yield an aromatic coffee with much less bitterness.

It is a bit strange for me to know, nevertheless it is an interesting topic. What do you think? :)

Toy @ Office

2010-02-11T00:56:00.001+08:00

Last few weeks back, I discovered a toy on top of the cabinet near my cubicle. It belongs to my friend, a printing subcontractor a.k.a the Xerox guy.

It took him a while to transform the truck into a robot just like Transformers cartoon in the nineties. According to this bloke (the owner), the toy is more for showcase than to be used as normal toy for kids.

The black coloured lorry/robot which is also known as Optimus Prime is the limited edition model and I guess that bloke could be paying a lot for these toys as he has already collected a few.

This hobby could be interesting for some, but not for me because, you will never know when you will stop collecting. :P

Joshua: My baby boy

2010-02-06T19:43:00.001+08:00

It has been a while since my last post as I am now so busy after becoming a father. Here's a pic of the Little Baba :)

Few days after his delivery, baby Joshua has to be admitted to Pantai Hospital for Jaundice check as I sensed his eyes were a bit yellowish. It was not so serious but we (my wife and I) prefer to send him for early treatment.

The next day, he was allowed to be home after an overnight of UV light phototherapy. Once back home, there were good signs of recovery. He has been drinking (milk) and sleeping well so far. Being a father is not that easy and I am still learning day by day ... :)

Happy New Year 2010!

2010-01-04T23:45:00.009+08:00

Hi and Hello... Happy New Year to all!

Well, I hope this year 2010 will be a good year for all bloggers, forumers, bikers and surfers.

It was yesterday when I had mud fest with Hong & Peter Wong at Kiara. We did a slippery and muddy epic loop. Trail was good and we met some aboriginals along the way and we greeted them. The entire journey took us about 2 hours and then we exited to the Hartamas Highway and head to the carpark. The mud fest was terrible and I had tough time washing my bike after the ride. Here's how I usually do it...

Prepare the stuffs:-

- Water

- Degreaser (I use Arrow Biodegradable Degreaser)

- Bike Hand Drive-Train Brush

- IceToolz Chain Scrubber

1) Get the degreaser and chain scrubber ready.

2) Use some degreaser and drive-train brush and brush the cassette and chain rings repeatedly.

3) Fill up 1/5th of the container max capacity with degreaser and 4/5th with water.

4) Slide the chain into the scrubber and cover it tightly. Turn the pedal anti-clock wise slowly for about 30-40 strokes for best results.

5) Rinse the drive-train with plenty of water.

6) Once done, you can notice that they are shining.

*Note*: Special thanks to my mate for helping me to get the IceToolz Chain Scrubber from Taiwan :)

New items from Taiwan Wellgo Magnesium & IceToolz

2009-12-25T23:38:00.002+08:00

A friend of mine recently flew back from Taiwan. While he was on business trip, he managed to get me a pair of Wellgo sealed-bearing pedals and a chain scrubber. I need these items due to current wear and tear (too much riding, 25km a trip in the woods).

My current pedals are already more than a wear old with worn of bearings. It's time for me to experience sealed-bearing pedals for efficiency when pedalling.

As for the chain scrubber, I have yet to test it. I shall review it in the next post.

Merry Xmas '09 !!!

A new frame for new year... Giant Anthem X3

2009-12-12T15:22:00.003+08:00

It has been a while since I updated this blog. Recently, I met a friend nicknamed XY through forum and he has intention to ride again. Each one of us gave opinion to him for getting a new bike.

I then suggested Giant Anthem X series to him as this is a nice bike with 4.0 inches of rear travel. Giant company has been manufacturing bikes since my day one of mountain biking. In year 2005, I was amazed by the introduction of Maestro suspension technology. At that point in time, the whole bike would cost a bomb to me considering myself a part-time student and full time working employee.

Here's a quote from Giant's website about Maestro:

"The three core benefits that set Maestro apart are the result of careful placement of four key pivot points that neutralize both pedaling and braking forces, yet allow the suspension to remain fully active over all types of terrain." [http://www.giant-bicycles.com/en-us/technology/Maestro/32/]

After visiting some bike shops, he found out that US branded bikes look so good but he has funding problem at that time and so bought Anthem X3 after asking me about the size.

After riding twice, he found that he needed bigger travel bike for weekend ride. XY then decided to sell off his frame to me in order to purchase hand-made frame from USA. The negotiations took place for several days before I decided to take over the frame.

I fnally said 'yes' to him when the price was right. At the same time, I managed to scout Rock Shox Tora SL Solo Air 100mm fork from BBS to complement the bike frame's geometry. The moment I got the parts, I went over to Local Bike Shop around my place to transplant the parts.

Here's a pic from Giant's Official Website (Greece):

And... here's my custom Giant Anthem X3:

The test ride:

The bike can really deliver/perform towards my XC-Trail riding style and I am fully satisfied when the bike could enable me to climb as good as my previous hardtail Fuji Tahoe SL. Maestro works!

Tifosi Forza

2009-11-23T00:54:00.002+08:00

Here's my latest new pair of shades for safety usage. I got it from a seller from BBS named Briko280. After some discussion and negotiation via MSN, I managed to settle the price to minimum inclusive of shipping. The package arrived my office on Friday 20th Nov 2009.

The Forza comes with Decentered Lens for Optical Clarity. The reason why I chose clear lens was because I always ride along shaded area in the forest and 98% transmission is really good enough for me. It is also very light and suitable for those wearing safety helmet.

I tested it the next day when riding with a newbie @ FRIM. Tifosi Forza works astonishingly during riding and it doesn't fog even at low speed. It only starts to fog when I stop riding. I guess this is normal unless those Polycarbonate lenses are treated with some sort of anti-fogging chemical.

I cannot expect this pair to be as good as my other Rudy Projects but I would say that this pair comes very close to those on the top range. It is worth buying as the price is one sixth of my Rudy Project Hyde's price.

Checkout the specs below from [http://www.tifosioptics.com/single/forza.html]

Tifosi Forza Specs...

Weight: 20 grams

Fit: Small to Medium Faces

Frame Features:

- Grilamid TR-90 Open Frame Design

- Hydrophilic Rubber Ear & Nose Piece

- Lifetime Warranty

Lens Features:

- Polycarbonate Decentered Lens for Optical Clarity

- Glare Guard™ Glare Reducer to Decrease Eye Fatigue

- 100% UVA & UVB Protection

- View Lens Chart

Cleaning your bike chain with Finish Line Chain Cleaner Kit

2009-11-15T01:16:00.004+08:00

Lately, my colleague lent me his Finish Line Chain Cleaner [http://www.finishlineusa.com/products/chain-cleaner.htm]. The unit has simple design in which, the case comes with internal brush on both top and bottom sides.

I went around to the city to get the bio-degradable degreaser. I could not find the Holy Cow [http://www.holycowproducts.com/] degreaser @ Ace Hardware as recommended by CK.

After few days, I decided to try my luck at Jaya DIY hardware shop situated near Section 17 area. There, I managed to get myself the Arrow degreaser recommended by the shop owner. He said "you will not know about good degreaser until you use arrow and all my customer will not use other brands". I look at the price and bargained a bit. I got the 1000ml bottle at the price of RM23.

Fully satisfied with the purchase big bottle degreaser, I took it home and read the instructions. It says:-

Heavy Cleaning >>> 1 cap of arrow with 3 caps of water

General Cleaning >>> 1 cap of arrow with 5 caps of water

Light Cleaning >>> 1 cap of arrow with 20 caps of water

[I used around 10ml with 200ml of water]

I tried the light cleaning method for my dirty chain with the chain cleaner kit. Just before i clean the chain, I took an old tooth brush and brushed off the dirt on the jockey wheels. Then, I place the chain into the chain cleaner loaded with the degreaser and start pedaling.

After many rounds of pedaling with with some shifting to various gearing combination, my chain is now shining like a necklace! Lastly, I rinsed the drive train with water (even though it does not require rinsing).

Now I know the quality of Arrow degreaser, made in Malaysia, reasonably priced and most importantly... environmental friendly!

The Big Nite: First Nite Jamboree in Malaysian MTB history

2009-10-27T23:12:00.009+08:00

It was Friday nite when I rushed back to hometown with wife right after work. It was an exciting weekend as the Nite Jamboree will be held the next evening. We got home around 9.30pm and quickly unload my bike and other stuffs from the car. Not long after that, I went to meet my ex-colleague from Bangkok at Malacca town. I got home around mid-night. It was quite tiring as I had to prepare myself for the next evening ride.

The next day, I woke up early and prepare my bike for the run. I did not manage to get ECC cycling jersey as the shop was closed that morning. They must have closed the shop to organize the big event! I came home and rested for a while before going for the Jamboree registration @ Dataran Bersejarah around 1pm. I had to go there twice for separate registration when AL's team cant make it.

Once AL and company arrived, they parked their expensive bikes @ my place and then they went of for check-in @ the hotel they booked earlier. I decided to take a short nap as I needed more rest before the terrifying nite ride.

At around 6.20pm, Kelvin arrived my place with his bike. He did some quick maintenance to his bike. AL, Awang and Alex arrived minutes later all of us rushed to prepare ourselves for the check-in. We decided not to drive there and we rode our bikes to the event venue instead due to the fact that it is only 3.8km away from my place.

When we arrived at the scene, there were not many riders around the starting grid. We checked-in and later we positioned ourselves at the front area near starting grid. This is to avoid as much bottle-necks as possible during jamboree and it is our no.1 enemy for killing our time. While waiting for the race to start, the organizer played nice songs and there was a Loy-Kratong dance by a pair of Thai Ladies from Chieng-Mai. I took the opportunity to do some stretching minutes before the race started.

At 8.30pm sharp, the organizer flag us off and we rode slowly along the highway escorted by motorcross bikes and a SUV. Policemen also assisted us to block the traffic so that the huge bunch of riders can cross the busy highway. We entered the offroad trail after few kilometres of highway ride. There was a small bottleneck as some are afraid to go to the first steep downhill section. I try to keep the pace and I could roughly estimate that there were about 60 - 70 riders in front of me.

I managed to pass several riders on each uphill sections at the oil palm plantation area but my right calf was cramp and I had to stop at Check-Point 1 (CP1). I rested for a while feeling sad because I could see riders passing through every second. I quickly refill the water and added the Booster Blitz to my hydration pack for the entire journey.

I continued to CP2 by keeping the RPM slowly so that my muscle does not overworked. I knew that I had to drink plenty of water to recover my musle and I slowly sipped the hose as I ride every few hundred metres. The Booster Blitz worked!

I regained some strength after less than half an hour and I felt so good to ride fast. I didnt stop for fuel @ CP2. From CP2 onwards, it was like a roller coaster ride at the single tracks. I charged my bike fast as there were less people on the singletrack trails. There were few DH sections whereby some riders in front of me crashed badly. I was able to avoid the contact and continued charging to CP3.

At CP3, I didnt stop as well as I could feel that my hydration pack still full with water. There I came across a big group riding into more technical sections. Since I am afraid to ride alone, I tried my best to keep the pace behind them. Soon after crossing some rubber plantation, paddy fields I landed at CP4 and I didnt stop for fuel because I still okay.

The chase was still on until CP5 when I again didnt stop for fuel(water and bananas) but I was having a minor problem right after the checkpoint because the batteries have caused my headlight to become quite dim. I knew I had to ride faster and faster before it runs out and all of a sudden, i felt cramp on my left thigh followed by the right thigh.

I stopped after few hundred metres near a rider who was having punctured front tire. I swiftly tried to replace the batteries but i couldn't open the cover! Oh my... I had to ask the man to open it for me. Once done, I thanked him and left the place. By this time, so many riders overtooked me already!

Lastly, I exited the plantation area to the highway and there I got the third cramp on both thighs! The RELA guy who was guarding the exit wanted to assist me but I told him that I was okay. We smiled. I rested just for few minutes before riding the last 5km tarmac stretch to the finish line. I was the 138th person to complete the jamboree and it took me exactly quite close to 3 hours.

It was a memorable event and it could have been better if my flashlight could last longer and my legs were without any cramps.

Final preparation: Nite Jamboree 2009

2009-10-22T22:45:00.008+08:00

It was a quick decision to sell off my newly bought Velo saddle when I saw WTB Rocket-V being posted on BBS. I bought Velo because Rocket-V was out of stock at TScycle.

It was 2am when i saw the ads and I quickly texted the guy for negotiation. After exchanging few SMSes, we finally settled on the price and COD (cash on delivery) place. I got the saddle for RM80.00. That guy took it out from his new Giant bike.

Here's my WTB Rocket-V installed on my Kona seatpost. It is now ready for long hours ride of 45km stretch.

The next day, I managed to sell my Velo to a guy named Harry from UUM Kedah. I shipped to him my Velo via Post Laju. The same goes to my FSA XC 170 90mm stem.

I lost my pump recently @ Kiara with the LYN boys and it is much hassle to ride to petrol station everytime when I need to pump my tires. I got this Carbon Beto for RM40 from TSCycle. Lightweight and small enough to carry around for Jamboree / weekend rides:

Another sudden upgrade was the spokes for my wheelset. It was on Wednesday afternoon when I dropped by KSH TTDI bike shop for chain cleaner set. The seller named Leung informed me that all the sets have been sold out. Not a lucky day for me.

I then just asked him for fun about the DT-Swiss spokes whether the price is still the same or not but he replied "increased already". I am not surprised as usual because the prices will increase due to the local demand around Klang Valley. My spokes rusted after 1 year of riding. That really bothers me! I never like rusty parts.

I then negotiated with Leung to give me the old price so that I can help to clear his stocks fast, and it worked! LOL. I got the following package:-

Type: DT champion (for rough/tough usage without butted design)

Price: RM1xx.00 for a set of wheels (front and back) inclusive of lacing and truing

I collected one of the wheelset and the workmanship is not bad. The attached image depicts on how to identify genuine DT Spokes.

I hope to collect the other wheel (rear) in time so that I can rush back to Melaka early. Hope everything will be smooth for me to complete the Nite Jamboree, 24th Oct 2009!

Nite Jamboree Preparation 02: Fuji Tahoe SL 2007's Cockpit Redefined!

2009-10-09T22:21:00.009+08:00

After joining LowYat.net's MTB group for riding, I begin to realize that Kiara is like a Shaolin temple. Definately it is not an easy place to ride.

The climbs are non-stop, the down hill sections are killing and the single tracks with lots of roots, narrow path between trees, and the sudden drops are madness! This is what I can conclude in mixture of several trails for a half day ride.

The video below depicts how technical Kiara is...

In order for me to have better control at these challenging trails, I refined my bike further on the cockpit section as this is one of the most important area for bike handling.

Reference reading material: [http://www.bikeradar.com/gear/article/mountain-bike-stems-2492/].

The Stem...

Model: KCNC Bear Arm

Clamp size: 31.8mm clamp size,

Extension: 70mm stretch,

Rise: 5°

Material: 6061 - T6 Aluminium

Price: RM85

The Handlebar...

Model: Bontrager Crow Bar

Type: Low Riser - 25mm rise

Length: 600mm

Material: 6061 - T6 Custom Butted Aluminium

Price: RM45

After spending few hours removing the current components and replacing them with new ones, plus balancing of the bar, I could sense instant difference. I have yet to try it and hopefully the new XC+Trail riding style setup works.

Riding with LYN forumers @ Kiara Trails

2009-09-29T22:54:00.003+08:00

Last weekend's ride was fun @ Kiara. Why? Well, because it's so dry that you can ride a little faster than usual but still, if you are not careful enough, your rear section will slide off to the side easily. Since I am not so familiar riding at Kiara, I had to play safe all the time.

We started of as usual from the Kiara Park's uphill section to the inner tarmac section of the biker's playground. There you will see many people parking their car and then walk up for a tarmac loops surrounded by the green lungs of KL - Kiara Hills. We saw a long skinny snake during the initial climb, at the bushes parallel to the road. We just stood there watching the snake pass by and then only we continued.

In order to get into the 2K trail, we had to climb up on tarmac road up untill a cross junction is visible. There, you should be able to spot 2 huts on your left and right. The one one the left looks more like a guardhouse to me. There we quite a number of joggers and hikers along the way. The hut situated on the right side of the cross junction was flooded with bikers surrounding it as it is a good place for bikers to rest after a quick thrilling lap in 2K trail.

Most of us panted by the time we reached the cross junction as this is part of warm up before entering the off road trail. We continued further without wasting much time as CK and Adrian gotta rush home early on that sunny Sunday morning.

Once completed the roller coaster ride in 2K, we carried on to the further down after the Bukit Kiara Equestrian Club. There we took an exit out to a section whereby you will be riding along the highway towards Hartamas / Mont Kiara for approximately 3 to 4 hundred metres before heading back to the forest.

At one point, we were tackling a steep switchback towards a stream and CK who happened to be in front of me, saw a barking dog heading towards his way when he was crossing halfway on the narrow bridge.

He jumped out of his bike for safety and before i could proceed further, the dog just passed me swiftly with serious deep wound on its head with the size of a diameter of a small bowl. CK told me that he could see the brain! Yucks! That dog must have been tortured by someone with sharp object - So cruel! I felt so pity and kept on thinking about how long can the dog survive without proper medication.

Adrian Ngiam's bike puncture twice on the way back! One on flat path while the other was during the Rock Garden. The video shown in this post was taken at Rock Garden & Kiara Park(ending of the trail).

I hope to ride more as the 45km nite ride @ Malacca is just around the corner. :)

Nite Jamboree Preparation 01: Fuji Tahoe SL Mountain Bike

2009-09-19T14:32:00.014+08:00

The last Kiara ride was fun but i sensed something wrong with the switchback climb. My front wheel lifted up easily even when using TORA 302 heavy-solid fork. Hmmm, after inspecting my bike, I have concluded that the current Race Face Prodigy could be the minor cause.

Since Fuji Tahoe SL's seat tube is already very close(good for climbing) to the rear wheel, I don't think I should stay with the bent seat post design as my weight distribution will be more towards the rear section and this could cause my front wheel to be lifted up easily during climbs.

I dropped by Tat Seng and found a nice "Kona 400mm XC/BC Deluxe Seatpost" which is pearl in colour. It is also quite light, considering its length of 400mm. After some decision making, I bought it together with "Velo VL 1261 B Saddle".

I purchase the saddle based on the comfort, slim design(for quicker move towards the back prior to downhill section)and also the air vents. The specs of this saddle can be found attached.

Kona 400mm XC/BC Deluxe Seatpost Product Details:
•3D forged 1 piece head & post
•2014 aluminum
•2 bolt clamp design
•27.2mm diameter or 30.0mm, 400mm length

Velo VL 1261 B Saddle Main Features:
•AirThru™ VENTILATION Perforated base and upper for ventilation.
•Crossbow™ SUSPENSION Laterally disperses road vibration.
•HONEYCOMB GEL PADDING Gel inserts at three key pressure points

Once fitted both items to my bike, I took a short test around the housing area. I found that the seating position is a little bit forward in which it exceeds my expectation. I am still trying to get used to the new saddle and hopefully these will assist me to ride easier during the upcoming Nite Jamboree [ http://eccmalacca.blogspot.com/ ].

Too compact? Get Deuter Race !

2009-09-12T23:50:00.014+08:00

Recently, I realized how small and compact my Hydro Lite 2.0 is. Just look at the photo below during recent ride whereby a member named Adrian(N) got his rear wheel punctured.

CK promptly unload his hydro-pack and took a toolkit. By looking at that, I was wondering, what if I happen to puncture my tire and my compact back is without any toolkit?

I was at Summit USJ and I was looking for Adidas outdoor shoes yesterday but that shop was running out of stocks. I then wandered around and found a shop with some Deuter bags. I went in with my wife hoping to get a bag to put junior's stuff.

We found Deuter Race year 2009 on display and discussed about it as I can use if for biking or putting milk bottles for baby... LOL. Since I need a bigger back for weekend riding, I decided to purchase the bag as I know it would be useful. 10 litres capacity is good enough for weekend's few hours ride.

Pics and specs taken from Deuter's website.[http://www.deuter.com/en/products/32009_Race_09_DEU.php]

Specifications:-
Brand: Deuter
Category: Bike
Model: Race
Year: 2009
Weight: 520 g
Volume: 10 l
Size: 43 / 23/ 16 (H/B/T) cm
Material: HexLite 210 / Microrip-Nylon

After many years, I still love Deuter products. It is not so expensive as compared to other brands like Vaude, Solomon and etc. and their products are really high in quality.