Pontian-Gunung Pulai

Date: 25/10/09

Distance: 62 km

We knew that there will be a huge crowd at Gunung Pulai 1 since the place was the venue for the MTB hash today. So we switch our route to Gunung Pulai 1. Where elso we can go. Today's ride were joint by Azies, Buyung and Hafiz (black/white jersey). The weather was great too.

When we reached the foot hill of Gunung Pulai, we saw many joggers were entering the site. So we ride up hill. The picture shows the place where we had our first stop (no practice very hard to climb...5 km maa)...

Some of the joggers waving and inspiring us on our way to the top

We had our stop a few time since I got a mechanical problem. The chain keeps jumping down and make me difficult to ride. The mist was everywhere and nothing to be seen up there.

Before we reach the summit the rain falls. it was very difficult to ride uphill ( nearly 3000 meter from see level) but it was nearly impossible to ride down hill...we walk mostly down hill since the road was too slippery.

G Shock DW-56RTB-3

This is a discontinued 2006 released G Shock DW-56RTB-3. This watch is also known as a referee watch. Usually you can find this watch in white colour but to get a green one, you need luck. This watch also have countdown time which is very handy for referees.

The band is not the usual resin band but a leather look alike. I am not very sure if the band can be use daily and I am planning to change it to the normal 5600 resin band.

This watch has a 2991 module inside and has been made in Thailand Y. I bought this watch because I like the combination of matte green with black LCD dial. This watch also has a green LCD back light which is very nice. I will post the picture of the back light soon.

Here's my wrist shot

Here's some translation from the official G Shock Japan website:

The motif of old-school G-SHOCK, "S-KOOL (cool Es)".
Featuring items such as sports bags Orudosukurufasshon be adopted. Embossed leather band adopted the use of primary colors, cool仕上Gemashita.

■ S-KOOL (cool Es):
Stylish, Smart, Sporty means the "S" and, Cool coined combination. Fashion, from the things that have inspired the genre in both old-school music, fashion "SCHOOL" and, HIPHOP be written in "SKOOL" of the two is based on one word.

Campagnolo Chorus 11 speed demon

This is Buyung's newly upgrade group set. This is Campagnolo Chorus 11s group set.

The FD

The RD

The front and rear brake also looks like my 10s record except the colour

A very noticeable change from 10s to 11s is the shifter. This new 10s really different from the previous 10s shifter

Sometime when I follow behind this bike, I felt like it has a thick cassette but it actually has the same thickness as the 10 speed cassette. Also the chain is a bit yellow like copper colour

The complete Pinarello Paris with Campagnolo Chorus 11 speed. Sweet

As a conclusion, these two F3:13 was clearly not in the same league with the Paris above. Maybe something need to be done before it's too late. It's now or never....This is war

Las Squalo helmet

This very good looking helmet belongs to Azies. This helmet was supposed to be mine but it doesn't fits me so Azies took it.

Contador free to leave Astana under UCI rules

Tour de France champion Alberto Contador is free to leave Astana since the Kazakh team have not yet been granted their elite status for 2010, according to UCI regulations.

Spaniard Contador has repeatedly said he wanted to leave Astana in order to join a team with the capacities to support him in his bid for a third Tour de France victory next year.

The UCI has published a list of teams whose ProTour licence, which gives a team the right to take part in the biggest races, had been granted. Astana, along with Team Sky, Caisse d'Epargne, Saxo Bank and Euskaltel Euskadi, were not on the list.

Although they have until November 20 to meet the UCI's requirement to get a ProTour licence, the governing body's regulations state that a rider is free to go if his team has not had their licence renewed by October 20.

"The Rider may terminate the present contract, without notice nor liability for damages (...) if, on 20 October of the year preceding a year of registration covered by the present contract, the UCI ProTeam has not submitted a registration file containing the essential documents," the UCI regulations say.

Contador has been contacted by Quick Step and has expressed interest in the Garmin-Slipstream and Caisse d'Epargne teams.

His brother and agent, Fran Contador, told www.as.com: "If this clause exists, we must look at the options that it offers."

Reuters

Spainish dominate 2009 cycling ranking

Tour de France champion Alberto Contador finished the official cycling season as the top ranked rider in the UCI world calendar released on Monday.

In an all-Spanish podium Contador, who rides for Astana, finished top on 527 points, ahead of second placed Alejandro Valverde (483) and Olympic road race champion Samuel Sanchez(357).

In the teams' world ranking Astana ended the season on 1,100 points, with Valverde's Caisse d'Epargne second on 1048 and American outfit Team Columbia third on 957.

Spain also topped the nations world ranking on 1,756 points with Italy (984) in second and Australia (960) third.

The Tour of Lombardy, won by Belgium'sPhilippe Gilbert of Silence, brought the curtain down on the official 2009 cycling season on Saturday.

AFP

Tour de France- Contador relaxed

Tour de France champion Alberto Contador said he is totally relaxed despite French prosecutors opening a preliminary investigation after suspicious medical material was seized during the race.

A source close to the investigation specified on Tuesday that police were particularly interested in Contador's Astana team but the Spaniard was unfazed about the probe.

"In France, the fight against doping is total and Astana was the most scrutinised team in the Tour," Contador said after the route for the 2010 race was unveiled in Paris.

"I heard they were looking into our waste but I'm absolutely relaxed."

Seven-times Tour winner Lance Armstrong, who came out of retirement to finish third overall with Astana this year, said: "I don't have any answers because I don't know anything about the case.

"But I'm confident that our team has been racing clean. We just have to deal with it and get on with it."

The investigation was opened after syringes and transfusion material were found in a container used by the Kazakh-funded team to dump medical waste during the last four stages of this year's race.

Under French law, a preliminary investigation is launched to see if there are sufficient grounds for a formal investigation.

The French Anti-Doping Agency said earlier this month a report on testing procedures during the 2009 Tour suggested Astana were given preferential treatment during the race.

Astana and the International Cycling Union dismissed the suggestions as groundless.

Reuters

Tour de France- Lovkist rubbishes Contador talk

Team Sky's Thomas Lovkvist has told Eurosport that there is no truth to reports linking the new kids on the cycling block with a renewed bid for Alberto Contador.

Contador's future at Astana is up in the air despite him having a further year to run on his contract and reports have linked the Tour de France champion with a move to Team Sky.

Lovkvist believes a host of teams are interested in the Spaniard, and admitted his name came on the radar in the spring, but says he will not be racing in the same team as Contador in 2010.

"That is not correct," Lovkvist told eurosport.se in response to talk of a move for Contador.

"He is a very good cyclist that every new team wants to sign, he is always a hot name.

"I know that Team Sky had a discussion regarding Contador in the spring, but now that's history.

"Probably every team has been in contact with Contador. I think his agent is playing a game to push up the price. There is no truth to that rumour."

Team Sky have also been linked with Garmin's Bradley Wiggins but team manager David Brailsford denied they had made a bid for the Olympic champion.

"We are pretty much there and happy with the composition of the team," said Brailsford. "Brad is under contract and has another year to run at Garmin, so we have to respect that.

"That is where we stand at the moment."

Eurosport

Tour de France route 2010

Alberto Contador will have to contend with treacherous cobblestones and blustery North Sea winds before sinking his teeth into the mountain stages of the Tour de France after organisers unveiled the route for next year's race.

But Spaniard Contador, Tour champion in 2007 and 2009 and arguably the best climber in the world, can look forward to stretching his rivals in the Pyrenees, which will be the highlight of cycling's showcase event in 2010.

Four stages, including a gruelling 16th stage with four daunting climbs, will be held in the mountains that form the border between France and Spain.

A hundred years after first featuring on the Tour map, the Pyrenees could be the scene of a classic battle between Contador and seven-times champion Lance Armstrong.

"The route is better than last year's because there are more mountains," Contador said.

"Finishing with the Tourmalet is great for me," he added, referring to the last mountain stage which ends at the top of the 2,115-metre high Col du Tourmalet.

Armstrong, 38 and third this year, reflected: "Well, it's not your traditional Tour. (But) I was never one to say I like this Tour, I dislike this Tour. It's the Tour.

"The best man always wins and you always do the Alps and the Pyrenees and you always have some demanding time trials."

The three-week race over almost 3,600 kilometres will start with an 8km prologue in Rotterdam before diving into the heartland of cycling - Belgium.

The first stage will take the riders along the North Sea, with 12km and 6km sections on an embankment, with crossing winds likely to split the peloton.

"With these two sections on an embankment, with the strong winds blowing, there could be some trouble," said Prudhomme.

The opening stage to Brussels will also go through Antwerp and Meise, the hometown of five-times winner Eddy Merckx.

A tribute will be paid to the classics, with the second stage going through roads used on Liege-Bastogne-Liege.

Leaders will have to be extremely cautious in the third stage, which features treacherous cobbled sections used for Paris-Roubaix, the Queen of the Classics.

"There will be 11km of cobblestones in the last 30km. There will be some damage," said Prudhomme.

Contador, who has never taken part in the Paris-Roubaix race, said: "Cobblestones are nice on TV, but not on the bike."

Armstrong, who has more experience in the one-day classics, should not suffer too much, according to his mentorJohan Bruyneel, who is set to leave Astana to join Armstrong's RadioShack outfit next season.

"He (Armstrong) feels good on these kind of stages, for him it's not a problem at all," the Belgian said.

Although the Alpine stages will not prove too arduous, a single-stage detour in the Jura mountains is expected to prove tricky, with 56km of climbs over the last 120km in the seventh stage to Station des Rousses.

"That could cause havoc," said Prudhomme.

Those that survive the Pyrenees will then head to Bordeaux for the last rest day before a final individual, 51km time trial to Pauillac through the Bordeaux vineyards.

The race will end on the Champs Elysees in Paris on July 25.

Tour d'France 2010 stages:

July 3: Prologue - Rotterdam, 8 km

July 4: Stage 1 - Rotterdam - Brussels, 224 km

July 5: Stage 2 - Brussels - Spa, 192 km

July 6: Stage 3 - Wanze - Arenberg Porte du Hainaut, 207 km

July 7: Stage 4 - Cambrai - Reims, 150 km

July 8: Stage 5 - Epernay - Montargis, 185 km

July 9: Stage 6 - Montargis - Gueugnon, 225 km

July 10: Stage 7 - Tournus - Station des Rousses, 161 km

July 11: Stage 8 - Station des Rousses - Morzine Avoriaz, 189km

July 12: Rest day - Morzine Avoriaz

July 13: Stage 9 - Morzine Avoriaz - St Jean de Maurienne, 204km

July 14: Stage 10 - Chambery - Gap, 179 km

July 15: Stage 11 - Sisteron - Bourg les Valence, 180 km

July 16: Stage 12 - Bourg de Peage - Mende, 210 km

July 17: Stage 13 - Rodez - Revel, 195 km

July 18: Stage 14 - Revel - Ax 3 Domaines, 184 km

July 19: Stage 15 - Pamiers - Bagnes de Luchon, 187 km

July 20: Stage 16 - Bagneres de Luchon - Pau, 196 km

July 21: Rest day - Pau

July 22: Stage 17 - Pau - Col du Tourmalet, 174 km

July 23: Stage 18 - Salies de Bearn - Bordeaux, 190 km

July 24: Stage 19 - Bordeaux-Pauillac, individual timetrial 51km

July 25: Stage 20 - Longjumeau - Paris Champs Elysees, 105 km

Reuters

Pontian-Gunung Pulai 2

Date: 11/10/09

Distance: 55km

Time: 8.00am-12.00pm

This was our first outing since Ramadan. As usual, some of us have done some upgraded. Let's check it out

Buyung - new helmet and jersey

Azies - new saddle and handlebar...+ hand phone

Bogor - new wheels and tyre

No wonder they performed well today. I told them that the pictures were for Hari Raya greeting. So we wish our friend and viewers Selamat Hari Raya. Only Bro Encun was not with us today. Hope he will make it for our next ride.

The weather was super nice.What was supposed to be an easy ride turns out to be a fast paced. At some point we achieved 50km/h...maybe the energy came from rendang and ketupat we ate a lot during Hari Raya hehe.

As we nearly arrived at out check point, we met a group of mtb rider from cyclemotion group and few riders from Singapore preparing to enter the jungle a the foot hill of Gunung Pulai 2. They are preparing for the Gunung Pulai hash that will be held on this 24 October 2009. This a 32km off road challenge.

We moved on to take our breakfast at our usual place, warong pak Hassan. One of our main topic was Azies new handphone....cool gadget

Only a few kilometre before we finished our ride today, Buyung's rear tyre blown up.

Azies pulling Buyung's ear because not listening to him to check the tyre properly before the ride. At the rear of the picture, Bogor is emptying his water bottle in one gulp. Amazing

Luckily Andy came to the rescue. Buyung looks happy although his tyre puncture. Maybe he get a free ride back home.

Some video taken using my hand phone of our ride today. See you guys again next Sunday

Specialized Silence-Lotto Helmet

Buyong's new helmet. I wish he can ride like Cadel Evans, the newly crowned world road champion. Ride safely, wear helmet.

Newly upgrade Prince

Wow, this is latest upgrade of my friend's Pinarello Price bike. Yesterday, he just installed the new Campagnolo Super Record 11 speed. IMO, this bike already achieved a pro tour status by looking at his bike setup. Another addition for this bike was the red bar tape. I am very happy for him. Looking forward to ride together someday. Good job mate.

Colnago Master 55th Anniversary

Master 55th Anniversary

The Master frame has won most of the world’s most prestigious bicycle races, including multiple Giro d’Italia, World Championships, the Olympic Games and northern classics such as Paris-Roubaix, Liege-Bastogne-Liege, among others. To celebrate Colnago’s 55th anniversary, we introduce the limited edition Master 55. An absolute expression of elegance, quality and refinement from Colnago, the Master 55 will feature gold seatsays, chainstays and head tube lugs. To complete this masterpiece, a special silver and gold edition of the famous Colnago “ace of clubs” logo will adorn the head tube.

Super Record 11

Carbon tubular Colnago wheels

Deda integrated bar/stem

Selle San Marco carbon rails/saddle with groove in middle

Colnago bar tape

Colnago headset

18k gold plated Colnago headbadge made out of platinum

• WARRANTY: 2yr

MSRP: USD11,699.00

weight: 16.5lbs

G Shock G-5600-1JF

This is my third 5600. To be exact, it's a G Shock G-5600-1JF. This watch is powered by solar cell. You can see the different between this watch and the new G -5600 is the power save indicator. The watch power save indicator is like an egg on the top left of the dial.

Like all the new G-5600, this watch also equip with the auto EL function. If I am not mistaken, this watch is for Japanese market.

Probably this watch is one of few G Shock breed that are still made in his homeland. This watch is made in Japan Y and has the 2597 module inside.

Two pictures above shows the different between my G-5600-1JF and the legendary DW-5600C. Of course, both watches are made in Japan.

Here is some article I found about this watch from the internet.

Since the 1983 release features the keyword tough year, and constantly evolving design G-SHOCK.
Popular boasts a simple design of it all "DW-5600" has been tough solar powered. Tough Solar advanced are compact low power consumption solar panel technology, ensuring a conventional LCD screen size without having to oversize the unit. In addition, impact-resistant structural design of the new specially-treated metal reinforcing plate that is inserted into fiber reinforced plastic case, but uses a solar panel, DW-5600E achieved almost the same thickness.