NXT MTB: November 2007

Thursday, November 29, 2007

Midweek Ride 28 Nov. 2007

Hello! this ride was set in prompt tu. Met zaki the day before at the badminton hall (kangar) and decided to have a ride and I call it "Midweek Ride". After asar at around 4.45pm Zaki arrived and assemble his bike. I was a bit late because i just came back from work. Today we have a new rider, he is my colleague and just beginning to love mountain biking.

Distance : 9.58 km

Track: Ulu Pauh

Time : 5.15pm - 6.00pm

Just a post before the ride......hehehe!!!

We welcome Mr. Syafirol to the ride....all the best bro!

First uphill .....streched and quite steep.

This is what happened when you are too concerned

about how you gonna look in the picture.

Whoooppssss....a daisy...!!!!!!!

A view from the top.

Another view from the top.

I got bitten by mosquitoes while posing for this picture

but, what the heck!!

Then came the downhill..... i've already reminded syafirol

to make sure not to go fast because his stopping

power needs to be upgraded.

It's a long way to go bro!....... You don't know

what lies ahead.

The trail..... dry.....

The trail....... palm oil trees everywhere

Faster bro...!!!!!! i'm ahead though before

this picture was taken.

the trail.....

down we go...... long stretch of dry trail

this is the new trail we found......

A pose after everything was done.....

Tuesday, November 27, 2007

Trail Search - Quarry/Unimap

Today, on my way to padang besar I came across this view which catch my attention and fortunately my camera was with me. The trail location is near the Unimap (Universiti Malaysia Perlis) construction site. I decided to take few pictures of it and i did noticed there are motorcycle trail over there. Maybe later this evening I'll explore the place and take more pictures. For the time being just enjoy the view.

Quite an unpleasant view eh!! For nature lover

View of Sugarcane plantation

Motorcycle/Pick up trail.....maybe!!

Open Burning...... No Lah!!

Another view of sugarcane plantation

Potential trail to be conquered

Monday, November 26, 2007

Deepavali Ride 8.11.2007

The ride ......

Abg. Din waiting for something......heheheh!!!
Next project woul be hydro. disc brake!

From Left: Abg. Lan, Cik On, Abg. Lan's Jr., Asri,

Zaki, and abg. Din.

(well! obviously i,m the one taking th picture.)
location: top of the hill

Giving my precious a rest at the top of the hill..

Aftermath.........

Oh my...!!!! how am I supposed to clear all that...

Abg Lan's Giant XTC

Few other casualties of offroading.....

Bike wash....... Behind my kitchen, Yes!

My wife wasn't aroud though...Hehehe!!!!

(Sorry guys, no riding action pictures....)

The meeting point was at Bang Said M&N restaurant in front of perlis polytechnic.

Zaki, abg. Din and I reached there first because the rest are still cycling from arau towards the meeting point. When they arrived we had a light breakfast and chat. about 8.50am the ride starts and today we decided to use the short route and we took araound 45-50mins to complete the course. It was wet and tiring.

Thank You everybody for making this ride happened and to be honest guys..... I nearly lost my breath before reaching the hill top. The downhill part was quite tricky and frankly....I love it!!!! at least the new XT08 hydro. brake is tested and performed up to it's reputation....thanked to SHIMANO

Sunday, November 25, 2007

Ulu Pauh Saturday Ride

From left : Abg Din, Farhan, zaki

My turn to be in the picture

The begininng of the ride and before the tyre got flat

Farhan and his bike controlling

This is where it happened

Ulu Pauh Trail

Just a snapshot of my bike

Magnified version of the breakdown.

The time showed 8.00am when the phone rang and it was zaki who called. he said he is on the way to the meeting point at Politeknik Tuanku syed Sirajuddin (Poli Perlis). Later after that when i checked the SMS another new rider is on the way and his name is Farhan, a lecturer at UUM.
They started to assemble the front tire and checked the drivetrain setting. The ride began at 8.30+- and the first obstacle appeared just 15 minutes after that when zaki's bike suffered a flat tyre. Abg din then rushed back to my house (Quarters) to take the air pump and tube. It turned up that the tube size is for 1.95 but zaki's panaracer is 2.1. He (Zaki) told us to proceed with the ride as he dont want to be the culprit hahahaha.... of not riding today.

Abg din, Farhan and I continue with the ride and then my stem got loosen and the handlebar revolves. I stopped right away and tighten the nuts and the ride continues..... and we took the wrong route and have to ride back to the starting of the route. Suprisingly zaki managed to fixed the tyre so that it suits well.
Then the first uphill came up, quite tiring though that zaki and me stopped once. Abg din and farhan were up in front and they stopped at the hill's peak for drinks.
We continued after 10 minutes of breath catching activity.
The next stage of the ride is medium(difficulty level) and we managed to discover new trail for the upcoming ride. I would like to welcome farhan to the group.

Friday, November 23, 2007

Northern-XTrailers

This is my hearthrob

Specs: Updated 17 April 2008

Frameset: KHS Alite 2k
RD: XT 08
FD: XT 08
CRANKSET: XT 08

CASSETTE: XT 08
BRAKE: XT O8 (Hydraulic)
SHIFTER: XT O8
SHOCK: Rock Shox Revelation 426
WHEELSET: SHIMANO Deore XT 08
STEM: FSA FR220
HEADSET: Ritchey WCS
HANDLEBAR: FSA XC180 (31.8)
SEATPOST: FSA SL-K
SADDLE: Fizik Gobi
PADDLE: X-Tension
GRIP: Hutchinson Scorpio
TIRE: Continental Vapor UST 26x2.1

NXT MTB

We welcome any suggestions from all of you in objective to improve mountainbiking scene here in Malaysia generally and Perlis specifically. As we can see nowadays the public has started to realize the importance of exercising and one of the way is cycling. It doesn't matter if it is road cycling or off road cycling as long as we give a hard time to our heart and let the sweat flows from our body. So, don't stop cycling and let us make this scene as big as ever. Cheers!

"NXT WELCOMES EVERYBODY "

RIDE SAFELY AND INTELLIGENTLY.

Setting Your MTB for Race!

Setting/Preparing you MTB for race.

Let's Try This At Home.

Step 1
Remove any additional accessories from your bike including racks, reflectors, mirrors, bells or lights (leave lights on if you'll be racing at night).

Step2
Inspect the frame, fork and all components on the bike for cracks or other signs of trouble. Repair or replace any obvious problems.

Step3
Set your saddle height by placing your heel on your pedal (in your riding shoes) and raising the seat up so that your leg is straight on the bottom of the pedal stroke (6 o'clock position). Your seat should never be so high that your hips rock when you pedal. You may want to lower your seat if the course is very technical and has many steep downhill slopes, but you may pay for that on the uphill portions. When your seat is at the optimum height it allows you to get full leg extension and full use of your leg muscles.

Step4
Set your saddle position - start by having it level with the ground and try it that way for a little while. If you are putting too much weight on your hands, raise the saddle's nose by a degree or two. If the nose is uncomfortable and you experience any numbness, lower the nose a degree or two. It may take a while to find the perfect saddle position for you.

Step5
Set your saddle's fore/aft position by adjusting it so that when your are seated and have your pedals in the 3 o'clock and 9 o'clock positions, your forward pedal spindle is in line with the small bump just below your kneecap.

Step6
Position your handlebars so that they are between an inch and 2 1/2 inches below the seat. The lower they are, the more control you'll have when climbing, and higher bars give more control when descending. Look for the perfect balance of the two to find the best handlebar position for you. You can adjust your handlebar height with riser or flat bars, different stem heights, and spacers under the stem.

Step7
Be sure that the ends of your handlebars are covered by the ends of the grips or are filled with plugs.

Step8
Position bar ends anywhere between parallel to the ground and a 45-degree angle from this parallel. Go to the lower end of the spectrum for more performance-oriented positioning.

Step9
Inflate your tires to a tire pressure that works with your weight, the tires that you are using and the course conditions.

Step10
Choose clipless pedals over platform pedals with toe straps. Although clipless pedals are a bit intimidating at first, you get a better connection with the bike, and they are much easier to get in and out of than toe straps.

Step11
Check to make sure that the chain is clean, lubed and not stretched. Chains stretch over time, and this will lead to bad shifting and gear slippage.

Step12
Check the front and rear derailleurs to make sure that they are shifting properly and cables are in good condition. Bad shifting is not only very frustrating but can also blow the race for you.

Step13
Be sure that your brake cables, pads and levers are in good condition and working well.

Step14
Turn your handlebars from side to side and see whether there is any play in the headset or whether you hear any grinding noises. Disassemble, clean, grease and adjust if necessary.

Step15
Check your suspension fork for smooth performance and no play in the fork legs. If your fork isn't sliding easily, refer to your owner's manual or check with a local shop for maintenance.

Step16
Ride your bike after doing any adjustments or repairs. You'll want to feel comfortable and confident at the start line.

Tips & Warnings

i.) The best upgrade that you can make for better performance is lighter tires and wheels. The rotational weight has a huge impact on how a bike accelerates and climbs. Start with kevlar-beaded tires and then go with a nice light wheel set. You'll notice the difference on your first ride.

ii·) When selecting a tire for racing, choose a tread design that works with your riding style and the course conditions. Semislick tires are great for racing, but they do take some getting used to, and they aren't for all riders and courses.

iii·) Higher tire pressure gives less rolling resistance and reduces the chance of pinch flats. Lower tire pressure gives better traction.

iv·) Many full-suspension bikes have different settings for the rear suspension, ranging from firm to soft. The firmest setting is usually best for cross-country racing.

v·) If you're unsure of how to check or adjust anything on your bike, such as the shifting or the suspension, bring your bike to a local shop.

vi·) Mountain bike racing is an inherently dangerous activity that can result in serious injury or death. We recommend that you seek proper training and equipment before attempting this activity.