Part 2 - Physical Prep & Post-Mortem: Pengarang to Desaru, and Back Again: Cycling Adventure 29 - 30 Mar 2013

Super long rambly post. You should skip if you're not interested in cycling related information. This is a self-learning/ reflection post. Might be useful for other cyclists planning similar rides. Or experiencing similar pains.

• Part 1 - Tripping on Two Wheels
• Part 2 - Physical Prep & Post-Mortem [this post]
• Part 3 - Post-ride Bike Upgrades

The sweetest part of the trip was, perhaps unsurprisingly, the most painful part.

Sweet, because I made it back from Desaru to Tanjung Pengelih in spite of inflamed tendons on both knees. It wasn't a debilitating injury, because I recovered in a few hours time when I made it home. But the inflammation threatened to stop my ride. I had no idea how serious it might develop and it became more painful as the ride wore on.

The inflamed tendons was least expected. Whether it was 100% preventable, I'm not sure. Apart from that, I was quite pleased my preparation worked out.

WATER
Staying adequately hydrated was top of my list.

I brought my 3-litre hydration pack, with 2 spare bottles of water on the bike. From past longer distance rides, I knew that it was far better for me to take small sips continually than to rehydrate a lot at intervals. Hydration salts also helped to get the body rehydrated (though taking too much at one go may cause loose bowels!)

On Day-1, I finished all 4 litres just before we reached the resort. On Day-2, surprisingly I ended up with about 1 litre water to spare, even though the weather was hotter. When we stopped for lunch on both days, I ordered Coconut if it was available (best energy drink, imo) and isotonic drinks.


SUN
The sun will burn skin and sap energy. I brought my arm sleeves (UV rated), had a scarf that covered my head under my helmet, and I applied sunblock on my neck and face. I still felt heat radiating from my skin at the end of the ride, but I wasn't burnt.


WEIGHT
Keeping the packed weight to the minimum was part of the strategy. My 3 Litre pack could fit in the spare clothes, first spare inner tube, torchlight and batteries, bike pump (remember the pump, folks; no point having a spare inner tube when you can't pump up your tire), toothbrush and toothpaste, and that was about it. The resort would have other amenities. 

The other stuff, I carried on my bike. Like the spare bottles, hydration salts, some pre-packed almond powder mix (for "instant" sugar fix if I needed it) and deep-heat rub (kept on a small bag for easy access from the bike), another set of spare inner tube and bike tools.

I realised the 3 Litre hydration pack added about 3 kilogrammes to my own body weight. It was like instant weight gain. Unless the laws of physics change, I'll have to deal with that (or lose 3 kg before I start?)


FOOD
Breakfast was essential. I would be asking for trouble if I were to skip this on the day of the ride (I learned the hard way once). During our bike trip, I made sure I ate rather than try to "lose weight". Not stuffed till I couldn't walk, but to make sure I listened to my stomach.

After Day-1, for dinner I opted for the buffet spread at the resort. My body seemed to crave for carbohydrates. I took two servings of pasta, made sure I included proteins and vegetables. I tried to avoid sugar when I can, but gave in to temptation that night by eating up a spare bowl of coconut milk dessert with Gula Melaka (in the land where Gula Melaka was made, if not invented, I could not pass that up).


SLEEP
The day before the trip, I consciously avoided caffeine in case I could not sleep. I made sure I had at least 6 hours of sleep. I was quite excited about the trip and knew I would have trouble sleeping. So the past 2 days, I woke earlier than my usual and that ensured that I was sufficiently tired to fall asleep fast. 


ASSESSMENT
It all worked out. My hydration strategy must have worked, since I did not suffer cramps or headaches by day's end. I didn't feel exhausted so the food intake and sleep was enough.

Did I overeat? Hmm, I found that my metabolic rate kept up and 2 or 3 days after the ride, my pants didn't feel so tight around the waist.

The unforeseen thing was the inflamed tendons at the knees. I've ridden 80km plus and suffered leg cramps at worse. The sore tendons was very slight and not the sharp pain that I experienced on Day-2.

A fellow rider suggested it was Iliotibial band syndrome (ITBS). I looked it up after the ride and cross-checked against a few sites. It was ITBS.


THE PAIN
On Day-1, it was only after we finished our ride and checked into the resort that I discovered the injury. My room (shared with 3 others) had a staircase. As I climbed, my right knee (the tendon on the outer side) felt sore to the extent that I limped up the stairs. Walking on flat ground was OK.

I didn't pay much attention to it other than doing some leg stretches. Then I went for dinner, came back, washed up and forgot all about it.

Next morning, while still in bed, I found my entire right knee was stiff. Simply trying to move my right leg under my own power was painful. Acually, any sort of movement of the right leg was just painful.

I remember wondering, groggy from sleep, how much it would cost to hire an ambulance. Or take a cab all the way to the jetty. And then as soon as I thought that, I quickly resolved that I had to make it back on my two wheels, no matter what. And that I could make it.

It took me 10 minutes of stretching -- on the bed -- using some yoga poses I'd learned, to be able to move the knee.

Somehow, that assured me that things would be fine.

I went for breakfast, came back to gear up, applied deep heat, still felt slightly sore while navigating the stairs up and down. But I felt confident this was only a small problem.

Cycling the first 10 km was fine. There weren't steep hills to tackle and only slight rises. Yesterday's uphill was today's easy downhill. Some cyclists in my group asked how I was doing (I told them about my tendon over dinner). I said it was holding up.

As much as I could, I transferred weight to my left and pedalled more with it.

After 30km, our group rested for lunch.

I got worried when both my left and right tendons (at the outer side of the knee) became painful by then. Standing was OK but I experienced pain when I tried to do 60 degrees knee bends. Trying a 90 degree bend would trigger a sharp pain at the sore tendons, painful enough that my legs felt like giving way. I needed to support my body weight with my arms if I needed to sit down or stand back up from sitting position.

Uh oh. I had a problem. The point in the ride where I'm experiencing real pain. 

For the remainder of the 20km, I couldn't enjoy the ride the same way a tourist would leisure take in the scenery. Frankly, the last two to three kilometres was a torture. I just focused on getting myself back.

I managed to complete the ride and made it to the boat. Ok, I thought. I can still stand. Not too bad.

It wasn't till I sat down in the bumboat for about 15 minutes that I discovered I could not get up without propping myself up. Both tendons near the knee were triggering a sharp pain. I didn't know it was ITBS then. Knowing what I know now, I would have done the related stretches every few minutes (see this and this).

The pain came when I tried to stand, or put weight (like climbing stairs). Otherwise I felt OK. Or so it seemed.

Back home, the longer I rested the knee/ tendon, the stiffer they were. Morning came and I couldn't move the knees without triggering a sharp pain. I took about 3 mins just to stretch out my legs before I can stand up. Had to prop myself up to stand. Then had trouble sitting cos knees couldn't be bent without experiencing sharp pain (and my pain tolerance was quite high).

Gradually my knees recovered. I didn't try to exercise my legs but I didn't remain stationary too long. By evening (almost 20 hours since the stiff pain) the slight swelling of the tendons are gone. I didn't apply any ice or compression. I seem to have recovered 90% after 24 hours thereabouts.

As I blog about this months after the ride, I have since learned how to effectively manage the ITBS. It's a matter of doing the right stretches before and after the ride. Should the pain come about in the midst of cycling, the same stretches could be done. Also, saddle and seat height adjustments helped (YouTube was instructive on how to adjust the bicycle).

I read one online article where the author suggested that ITBS shouldn't be treated with stretching. Well, stretching worked for me. Though, not all the various stretches. I employ two types of leg stretch postures that work well for me, so I think it depends on one's physiology.

I was mindful of risks in self-treatment. In this case, I had advice from a friend who's a physical therapist by profession. Another friend, who had experienced ITBS and recovered by applying stretches, advised me how to do it.

So far, since Pengarang, I have completed two 80km overnight rides and no serious ITBS.


THE REWARD
Part of why I'm blogging this is not to take for granted that we did this in a group. Friends helping friends out.

[Image credit: sivasothi, CC-BY-NC-SA]

Friends who take their duties seriously: making arrangements for the bumboat ride and feeling apologetic that the boat wasn't booked in advanced; helping a fellow rider with a flat; being the last Outrider and always stopping to make sure no rider was left behind; packing a medkit and taking notes on what to include for the next ride.

For me, the real reward wasn't the sunrise view like this:


I surprised myself that I was quite 'zen' about the ITB pain. I've a tendency to over-think about stuff. Over-thinking sometimes leads to creating more worries and being stressed out before the actual fact.

Yet when I realised my right knee was super stiff, it wasn't a sense of doom that came to mind. Instead, it was a quiet resolve that I will get over this and I'll find a way to cycling back.

It wasn't climbing Everest. Still, I'm happy with myself and I want to remember that.

OK, I compared my list to Siva's Bicycle Prep List. Hmm, I had everything. Except for powdering my spare inner tubes.

My packing list for the trip: Pengarang Ride Mar 2013:

ON PERSON
passport
Photocopy of passport (hardcopy)
Emergency numbers (hardcopy)
Cash
Wallet
Credit card
Pen
Phone + battery extension

BIKE GEAR
2 x spare tube + kit
Check batteries + cable + plug
Pouch

IN PACK (hydration pack)
Hydration kit (check parts)
Helmet
Arm sleeves
Gloves
Headscarf
Pump
Front light
Back lights
Chain lube + cloth
Rainwear
Spare specs
water bottle x2 (carrier bag)
Heat-rub
Hydration salts
Moisturiser
Energy bars
Optional: Spares (Arm sleeves, Gloves, Headscarf)

NIGHT KIT
toothbrush + paste
Moist tissues
spare clothes (t-shirt, shorts)

[Next: Part 3 - Post-ride Bike Upgrades]

Feedback on the Khatib Bongsu Park Connector

Over the weekend, a few of my friends were discussing about Singapore's National Cycling Plan via email. One of our friends offered to collate our ideas and suggestions to relay to the right government agency folks.

I love our Park Connectors. I ride on the Khatib Bongsu park connector most often (sometimes connecting all the way to Woodlands Waterfront, through the Admiralty connector). I've noticed minor improvements to the Khatib Bongsu connector in the last two years. There's still room for a better/ safer experience for cyclists and pedestrians.

There was a suggestion that I should blog about my suggestions. It's fresh off my mind anyway, since my wife and I just completed an early evening 16km ride today, to the end of Simpang Kiri.

Ideally I should include actual images of the parts I've described. But I didn't really plan to give a comprehensive list until after the ride. Hope the map screenshots, with the descriptions, would help.

Well, I'd love to show the URA or NParks people first hand. Like a Ride & Review session. Wouldn't mind taking my vacation time on a weekday to meet them (wouldn't want them to work on a weekend). Ride along the path, point out actual situations. Also I'd like to be educated on why things were designed in certain ways or perhaps the constraints they faced.

Feedback on the Khatib Bongsu Park Connector

1) From the junction at Yishun Ave 1 & Yishun Ave 2, there's a stretch of asphalt that seemed worn out. The painted speed stripes seemed particularly high. It appeared as if the asphalt on parts unpainted were badly eroded (I've seen newer paved bike paths and they are definitely smoother). Going over the stripes slowly, as designed, was extremely jarring. I suspect most cyclists will choose to ride on the smoother pedestrian path. Which defeated the purpose of having the cycling path.



2) Along Yishun Ave 2, there's a side road for traffic to enter the carpark of Blocks 788/ 785. It splits the cycling path, though that's not the issue. The problem is that the sloped gradient (for a smooth transition from the path to the road, and then back on the path again) was only made for the pedestrian path. The sloped edge is for wheelchairs to easily transfer from pedestrain path to road, to make the crossing. The cyclist has to make a 90-degree turn to get to that sloped edge. Once I cross the road with my bike it's another 90-degree turn to get back to the cycling path and its a narrow turn. I consider myself quite OK on a bike but I don't feel confident making such a tight turn all the time. Cyclists don't want to get off and push the bike (be realistic!) so I noticed most cyclists go on the pedestrian path, which is more direct.



3) There's also more examples of 90-degree tight turns along Block 602. Then at the end of it (see the part marked 3.2) it's a dead-end for the bike path. You actually have to go on the pedestrian path to make the crossing to the PCN on Mandai. I find that part poorly-designed and inconvenient. I end up cycling on the pedestrian path leading to the traffic lights.



4.1) At the stretch after the canal bridge (from Block 323) to the SAFRA Clubhouse: When the path was first constructed, I remember the asphalt part was designated as the bike path. But one day, the asphalt path became re-designated as a footpath while the concrete path (with iron grills for rain runoff) became a bike path. Pedestrians and cyclists get confused. Plus, the iron grills are not ideal when riding conditions are wet.

4.2) According to the map, it looks like a continuous PCN. But in reality, that stretch is a pedestrian footpath. Not a problem sharing the path, though it is rather narrow.



5) At Yishun MRT station, the hedges have gown quite tall (near the NTUC part). Pedestrian paths intersect the bike path and the hedges tend to prevent both pedestrians and cyclists from being able to spot each other far away. I try to ring my bell but not all the time. BTW, the same limited visibility issue affects some points along the Khatib-Yishun-Sembawang MRT tracks, where the cycling paths intersect with bus-stops/ overhead bridges pathways. Instead of plantings, the concrete columns are the ones preventing a clear view of oncoming pedestrians/ cyclists.



6) Outside Yishun Emerald Green condo, ideally the bike path and pedestrian paths should be switched. I've seen condo residents coming out the gates and naturally walking on the asphalt path, with is more immediate than the concrete footpath. My point is the bike path should be made further away from the gates, not the nearest.



7) The stretch along the Canberra Sembawang PCN: the asphalt seems badly eroded. Ride is very bumpy. Cyclists often avoid it and go on the pedestrian path instead.



8) On some park connectors (like Simpang Kiri), the bicycle symbol has been painted on the left and footsteps painted on the right. I've noticed cyclists, runners and pedestrians naturally ride/ run/ walk on the left side when heading towards the same direction. And it's usually the left side. If I were to cycle back the opposite direction AND adhered to the designated cycling side, it means I'd be cycling on the right side now, going in the forward direction (or the left side to the opposite cyclist/ runner/ pedestrian). If another cyclist were to head towards me, we're headed towards each other on the same side. It's currently not clear who has right of way -- should I go left or the other move to their left? A game of 'who brakes/ moves first'. In the end, I find that most cyclists/ runners/ pedestrians ignore the marked designated paths and naturally adopt a "keep left" position. In my view, just sticking to a "keep left" principle for everyone would be clearer. Paint a "Kept Left" on the asphalt.



Alright. Finally managed to 'dump' all the observations that I think can be resolved in the near term. It's not exhaustive of course. Maybe there are budgetary or infrastructural reasons that prevent more significant improvements to be made. In any case, I hope the feedback would be of use to the authorities (NParks? URA? LTA?)

Would be great if there was a dedicated Singapore Government website on the National Cycling Plan. For now, one can refer to the 2012 Budget website (near the end of the page). Or see this post of Mr Lui Tuck Yew's (Minister for Transport) parliament speech on 7 Mar 2012, where he mentioned the National Cycling Plan and Cycling Paths.





I'm glad to see that cycling was once again part of the Budget in 2013.


I've written about how I appreciate our Park Connector Network. If there was one on the National Cycling Plan, I'd love to be part of it.


ASIDE: I can now better appreciate the usefulness of having a National Conversation framework. Previously I've not been that enthusiastic about any of the National Conversation topics. But thinking about the National Cycling Plan, I'd like to listen to the official views, their thinking behind the plans, and also be able to constructively provide feedback and ideas.

(Thanks to Siva for the idea to blog my suggestions, and for reposting at the Cycling In Singapore) blog.

Part 1 - Tripping on Two Wheels: Pengarang to Desaru, and Back Again:Cycling Adventure 29 - 30 Mar 2013

Total time on the bicycle: 10 hours, thereabouts.

Total distance covered: about 112km over 2 days (51km each way).

Total energy burned: pretty sure it's 1,800 calories at least (extrapolating from my own 40 km rides in Singapore).

Total energy consumed: Won't be surprised if it's more than what I burned, so I don't really want to know.


[Image credit: Kenneth Pinto, CC-BY-NC)

My first post for 2013 would be a post about my first real ride for the year. Quite apt.

This post is a recap of the 1.5 day ride.

The "Good Friday" some two weeks ago was literally great for me, as 10 of us embarked on a day-and-a-half, Out-of-Singapore cycling adventure. From Tanjung Pengelih to this resort in Desaru, and back.

We were a motley mix comprising of 20 year-olds to mid-40s, on Foldies and mountain bikes.

The day's adventure started at Changi Village. The jetty was packed, given it was a holiday. While we waited for our turn to get a boat and to clear customs, Kevin's super-sized Pugsley earned easy conversations from strangers. He's the original Aunty-Killer. "Got motor or not?" must be the most frequently asked question about his Fatbike.

[Image credit: sivasothi, CC-BY-NC-SA]

When my friends first planned for the trip, I thought Pengarang sounded familiar. Then I remembered it was in the news in late 2011 over the Malaysian government's plans to build petrochemical projects there.

On our way to Tanjung Pengelih, we saw Singapore's attempt to create more land. Our bumboat chugged past silent monster rigs, some in the process of turning sea into land. We passed stretches of massive sand banks on both sides, stable enough to support several heavy vehicles on them.


[image credit: Kevin Lim, CC-BY-NC-SA]


[image credit: Kevin Lim, CC-BY-NC-SA]


[image credit: Kenneth Pinto, CC-BY-NC]


When we reached Tanjung Pengelih, things felt slower and more idyllic. Probably the absence of human traffic at the jetty. We were the only ones clearing customs.

As we geared up to start our ride, Dinesh provided timely advice on general safety. He also prepared a set of walkie-talkies for the lead rider (him) and last Outrider (Kevin). I was quietly impressed. Talk about being professional.

Being a naturally cautious (i.e. overly pessimistic) person, I kinda surprised myself by feeling rather calm when we set off. I'm chicken-crap when it comes to new places. But this group had plenty of experienced and steady riders. Plus, I trusted my bike and that helped a lot. I'd stopped cycling for about three months, and only put in maybe 5 km worth of riding time a few days before the trip. It was enough to assure me of the ride-worthiness of my foldable bike though. Would have wanted to put in more kilometres for physical fitness (but maybe that turned out to be a blessing -- more of this in Part 2).

We rode through quiet paths with uncut grass waving on either sides; past houses at one stretch, and then hitting open roads with relatively few cars.


[image credit: Kevin Lim, CC-BY-NC-SA]


[image credit: Kevin Lim, CC-BY-NC-SA]


[image credit: sivasothi, CC-BY-NC-SA]


[image credit: Kevin Lim, CC-BY-NC-SA]


[image credit: Kevin Lim, CC-BY-NC-SA]


There's a certain zen when one rides under one's own power: hearing the hum and whirs of the bicycle, our own breathing, the wind in our faces.

This was a leisurely ride. The 20-somethings in our group had the benefit of youth. They easily kept up on their bikes. Actually the second (maybe third) oldest guy in our group used to run triathlons.

The Pengarang highways, perhaps being such long stretches, had the inevitable potholes. A few of us had bottles pop out of their bottle cages when they went through deeper potholes.

I had trepidations taking my foldie over a path with sharp chunky gravel. It was one of those "mind-over-matter" moments: tell yourself you might lose balance and you would. I had split microseconds of doubts when traversing the rough patch, but told myself to keep focused and stay balanced. And I did.

The sharp gravel probably got my front tire wall torn (see Part 3). But no puncture.

Riding in Pengarang was vastly different from cycling on Singapore's PCNs. The lack of urban noises created a different experience. In Singapore, there is no escaping the signs of urban constructs -- pedestrian paths, roads, traffic lights, street lamps. But that's just a fact. I suppose if one craved for open spaces, then a place like Pengarang would be superior to the cityscape of Singapore.

As we rode through kampungs (do they refer to their collective homes as kampungs in Pengarang?) the kids seem to be quicker to say Hello, and the adults more generous with their smiles.

Well, we didn't meet that many kids or adults, to be fair. But I've to say the drivers we passed by in Pengarang tended to wait for you to ride past before they made that turn. I sped up to make sure I didn't waste their time, but I didn't feel panicky. It was nice to wave them an acknowledgement, and seeing them wave back in return. Cars went fast on the highways, but most provided a wide berth between their cars and us.

Fact of life, I suppose: having ample space tend to create an air of generosity. It's the place that affect the vibes. Now THAT, I am envious -- of the vast land that Malaysians have.

Speaking of vibes, Siva blogged that he found it depressing in seeing large tracts of land cleared for timber, and basically left bare with no plans for development.


[Image credit: Kevin Lim (CC-BY-NC-SA]

Siva observed that traffic conditions will change and will affect some of the village detours. Meaning, the rides may become less idyllic and there will be an increase in traffic.


[Image credit: Kevin Lim (CC-BY-NC-SA]

Ah, meals.

The favourable currency exchange rates for Singapore dollar meant we ate like 'royalty' there.

Lunch, on both days, was in the town centre called Pulai Sungei Ringgit ("money town"?).


[Image credit: Kevin Lim (CC-BY-NC-SA]

They still have old-style hawker carts plying the town, like this beancurd seller who came by on our return leg. But her product has been modernised. She offered Hong Kong-styled beancurd pudding rather than the traditional type (much to the disappointment of one young rider in our group):

[Image credit: Kevin Lim (CC-BY-NC-SA]


The entire trip was largely problem-free. Maybe Kenneth (who opted for his Foldie rather than a MTB for this trip) would disagree. His foldie had a flat on day-one. But I thought the flat was resolved rather easily and in relative comfort. Understandably, he was frustrated with getting a puncture (seemed every ride to Pengarang he would get a flat). Still, the flat was discovered just as we set off after lunch. It would have been worse if the flat happened on an open road.

And then Kenneth discovered his spare inner tube had an inherent flat! I was glad I could help by giving one of my spare (the advantage of having similar sized tires, woo-hoo). Kevin even found a bicycle shop that sold tubes a few metres down the coffeeshop. Good to note for future rides.

Kenneth managed to fix the problem in the shade at a kopi tiam. The iced coffee was pretty good too.


[Image credit: Kevin Lim (CC-BY-NC-SA]

Several Firsts for me in this trip:

• Bringing my own bicycle on a boat
• Travelling out of Singapore with it
• Visiting Pengarang and Desaru

My last visit to Malaysia was about 10 years ago. It was quite telling because on Day 2, when I passed a Five Ringgit note to a shopkeeper, he didn't accept the note instantly. He looked at me and said, "Ringgit". I thought I'd brought Indonesia Rupiah by mistake. But no, the note said Ringgit and I pointed that out to him. The guy did a double take, as if he'd never seen the note before. Maybe he hadn't. The note has been out of circulation for years, I was later told.

The pace the group set was comfortable. Properly prepared (e.g. individual strategies to stay hydrated; physical preparation before the trip) this was/ would have been an easy ride.

Distance-wise, each day's ride was about 10km longer than my Yishun-Woodlands Waterfront PCN rides. One big difference was the hills in the last 20 km to the resort. They weren't the Killer Slopes that I thought they would be. I've found the NTU slopes were a lot more challenging. But I suspect my relatively lack of cycling fitness, with the 3-litres of water on me, gave rise to an inflamed tendon near the knee (I'll blog about that in Part 2).

I had looked forward to this cycling trip with the ZenDogs. I wasn't disappointed, even with the sore tendons. Very glad I went. Next time, I shall have to sacrifice the welfare of my dog and get my wife to join me (if you're a dog owner with a namby-pamby dog, you'l know what I'm talking about).


[image credit: Kevin Lim, CC-BY-NC-SA]

Kevin's photoset | Kenneth's photoset | Siva's photoset


Part 1 - Tripping on Two Wheels [This post]
Part 2 - Physical Prep & Post-Mortem
Part 3 - Post-ride Bike Upgrades

My journey towards bicycling zen (or, "How I am overcoming my fear of riding on the roads")

I've been hitting the roads and Park Connectors on a foldable bike the past four Sundays, thanks to the cycling friends at ZenDogs 2.0.

My initiation ride was 57km.

Prior to that, I had stopped cycling for about two years. After that 57km ride, I got such a kick I continued for another three straight weeks thereafter.

Recently I've even taken time off from work to cycle and explore my neighbourhood. Or just cycle down to visit my parents (they live about 10km away).

It's been a blast so far, to say the least. I'm seeing familiar places with new perspectives. And discovering new vistas of Singapore that I would not have seen on my own.



I get to meet people, new and old (talk about community-bonding). I see my aging parents a lot more often, as I make it a point to drop by their place on most rides. I'm not surprised that my recent blood pressure reading has gone down from borderline-high to normal.

WHAT MADE ME JOIN THE GROUP
Two years ago I rode on my neighbourhood PCN quite regularly. But quickly got bored of that. The PCN near my home wasn't (and still isn't) fully connected with other PCNs. After some months, each ride on my neighbourhood PCN felt like I was a hamster powering a wheel that turned but got nowhere. I could ride on pavements but pavements are for pedestrians after all.

In short, I craved to see outside my neighborhood.

DECONSTRUCTING & TACKLING MY 'FEAR' OF THE ROADS
Before I joined my cycling friends, I had to overcome my fear of riding on roads.

Even though I was assured that the Sunday morning traffic would be light and the group would avoid busy roads, I still had concerns. "Fear" might be too strong a word. I am not paralysed into inaction. Just that there was a nagging sense of self-doubt and uncertainty about riding on roads with traffic. I've ridden on roads when I was younger. But I was never properly educated on the Dos and Don'ts. Now that I'm much older, I'm less reckless or perhaps more risk adverse.

The root cause for me was not being 100% sure how I should behave as a cyclist on the road. That uncertainty translated into being a danger to myself and to others. It was that sense of 'danger' that made me hesitant.

TURNING POINT
One step towards joining my cycling friends (I knew their routes took them on roads) was when Kevin assured me they had road safety in mind at all times. That much I was convinced, as the core group of riders were my friends. It also helped that I knew them as friends first, rather than cyclists. They were a thoughtful and considered bunch.

I've also read their cycling adventures and escapades from time to time -- dutifully documented by Siva.

Actually, those two posts with the "thrills and spills" should have discouraged me from joining them! But they made me think of why cycling accidents might have happened. Probably because of:

• Insufficient physical preparation and/ or fitness of the cyclist (fatigue)
• Insufficient practice on handling the bicycle (the senses can't cope with too many new variables)

That helped me identify areas that I needed to work on.

From that first 57km initiation ride to the last one (fourth ride), I've distilled the learning points into what I'd pretentiously call a 'FRAMEWORK FOR CYCLING ZEN', roughly in accordance to the ease of preparing for them:

1. Equipment readiness (including road safety gear, cycling gear)
2. Physical conditioning (fitness and balance)
3. Mental conditioning (including road safety)

In the next few posts, I'll blog about my preparation in tackling the roads, and to be able to join the ZenDogs for their 60-plus km rides.

p.s. If you've been following my blog regularly (I know there's maybe one or two of you), you'll be asking why I seem to have shifted from blogging about librarianship to cycling. Why not? There's much to read and learn about cycling. And this blog is about how I'm educating myself, and sharing in the process. :)

Dear Tern Bicycles: I love your Link P9 but...

Bought a Tern Link P9 foldable bicycle about four weeks ago. Just posted to the Tern Bicycles forum:

[thread starts here]
Link P9 chain falls constantly
Same problem here. Got my P9 about 4 weeks ago. Rode it slow first week and never went on gear 9. Then second, third and fourth week, I rode with my friends on the roads and park connectors. Each ride, the chain would drop at the front. Each ride, at least once. What's consistent is the drop occurring when I engage 8th to 9th gear.

I took the P9 to the retailer for a check. The bike tech spent an hour trying to fix the problem. I have no reason to doubt his skills. In the end, it was a compromise. The chain tended to pop out but he lowered the top plastic piece near enough to make sure it guides the chain back. Is the P9 designed like this? I'm not sure.

I asked if I could trade the P9 back to offset and get a P18 (I'm still a Tern fan!) but was told not possible. Which disappointed me. A lot. I now ride with a sense of uncertainty with my P9, which I really adore if not for the chain drop problem. And frankly I don't feel safe riding on the roads now.

Tern Bicycles please do something about this. I wanted to sell my P9 even taking a loss but cannot do so without feeling guilty. Feel like I'm passing on a defective bike. And could you make my Christmas come early? Please convince my dealer to accept my P9 as a trade-in so that I can buy the P18. As I mentioned, I'm still your fan. But right now I'm also telling people not to get the P9 at all. Until Tern manages to address the problem.

I'm still a fan of Tern foldies. But less so of the P9 now. If they can help me with my P9 and/ or help me get a trade-in, I'd be their raving fan.