Trail Maintainance 21st Nov 2006

I will start the post without intro as all of you knew that we had adopted Shriner's Convention!!

First of all, i would like to show you some equipment that you definately will use it while trail working.


A proper saw!! This is important when you meet those deadfalls. Especially now aday, during rainy season. You will see a lot of deadfall here and there. Cut them into pieces and make use of them. Deadfalls are useful stuff, as you can see later.


Cangkul. I think i don't need to explain how useful a cangkul right? Do i need to do so?

We start our works @ Shriner's Convention about 9:30 am. Including Pat(Penghulu), NKeat(tweeter), Cs(Major). First, we get some deadfall cut them into pieces, then put them nicely on the soil, as the pic below:

looks weird? hahaha. Firstly, i don't actually know what Penghulu trying to do, as time go on, i slowly understand and i was able to see the picture.

Next, move the earth from 1 side to the other side. Since there is a ditch, Penghulu just widen the trail and make it smoother. As usual, i will show u the pix[s] and Tweeter cangkuling the earth!! This was a hard job. I can tell you that this job is tiring!!




What is next stage? Here it is:

Patching. Patch all those earth that we moved from the entrance to the first corner. We do some massage by punching. Oh did i say i massage the earth?

Here is the pic, and the berm created!!

Here is the first corner.. how about the entrance?

Here is the entrance!!



Who is the barger sleeping in the middle of the trail? I will keep this, and you guys make the wild guess!!

Here the words from Penghulu:
"Please take it easy for a few weeks, drop all your speed before you hit the entry and just roll into it softly so you don't have to slam on the brakes to make the corner. The berm will take some time to harden up. If you come in too fast and shred our work by either locking up your back wheel or blowing over the top of the berm we'll be very cranky. If you add up all the time the three of us spent it represents 6 man-hours of work, please be courteous and don't make it a waste fo our time."

And please riders, do not remove the deadfalls that we put on the berm!! They meant to maintain the berm and hold their shape. Slow down and dont lock your rear brake, so you will not be understeer and spoil the berms. Okay? Enjoy your ride!!

Check out our forum for larger picture!!

@}==Cs The Major=={@

14/11/06 - Trail Maintainance!!

Tuesday, Morning

NK~Montana and I sacrisfied our sleeping, went for some little trailwork @ SC. We only did the first half due to time constrained. It took us about 2 hours. At first, we really dunno what to do. But as you try, you will see a lot of thing, and "getting them up to your hand". That is what cantonese said, which mean you will know it as you start to work on it.

Create water bars not an easy job. as u cannot dig too deep because it will spoil the trail. Once you create, you will start to wonder, how if heavy rain? The size big enough to flow the water? a lot more conflicts and dilemmas.

And when we come to switchback, we saw how riders spoil the berms due to a lot of reasons. And Pat had taught us the way to for them ride in the right lane and not to under steer. Maintaining the berm is abit tough. You probably need something to hold the soil. As not to brake the rule of thumb from Pat, which is not to cut anything alive, we have to search for deadfall. Cut it into pcs, and put it @ side of the berm.

If you come across, please do not remove those deadfalls. They meant to hold the soil. And only 2 of us moved them from far away. I hope that our works will be appreciated. If you do feel we did the wrong thing, kindly tell us @ our forum or fakawi site, fell free to comment.

There are actually a lot of fun in trail maintaining. Why don't get youself involved? By doing trail works, you can see a lot of things rather than just ride on the trail.

Wokay, enough of cogs. Hopefully more people will get involve in the trail maintainance. Happy riding!! Thx Pat for the earlier tips, and they help a lot. Hopefully the next trail maintainance will be soon. Pic will postup later due to technical problems.

@{==Cs the Major==}@

These are the pics and some caption!!




The "RED" arrow shows the flow of water!!



We had use a lot of deadfalls to hold the soil.

Hardtail'ers Party?

Well, all out of sudden, we just feel like having a party and enjoy during the night.

uhm... Where should i start?? Okay, on the 3rd November 2006, after my study at the library, NKeat and I had went to Carrefour to buy some prawns for BBQ. Yap. I didn't type it wrongly and you see it correctly. The "prawns". Then we headed to his house, where our BBQ avenue is.

Of course, for BBQ, all you need is the charcoal and the fire starter, to start the FIRE!! How you place your charcoal is an important issue on how fast can fire created.


The sky getting dark, and 4 of us had just started the BBQ. Yap, only four of us. But the BBQ was enjoyable!! The most frustrating part was, there was no electricity during the mid of the BBQ. Damn the TNB.

Can you see haze in the house? Not. It was the smoke from BBQing.


NKeong fanning the Charcoal?


The mid of the process!!


Here are the food!!




Towards The End!!


The BBQ set in dark!!




Not much to talk about. The pics show you everything. But what a waste that i forgotten to take the pic of the PRAWN. The only words to describe it....SCURMPTIOUS!!

@}==Cs The Major=={@

really NO mood

It has been awhile since this blog got any, well... BLOG... So I'll do my part and keep this Blog alive.

There is nothing much to Blog about, either than the last ride @ FRIM on 5/11/2006. This would be my or rather OUR, since N.Keat was also together, 2nd ride with clipless pedals.. How was it ? Not much better than the 1st ride ! It is like learning how to ride off road all over again. Oddly, though this is the 2nd ride.. those shoes felt tighter. At least that is how it was for me... So as u can guess, this felt more uncomfortable than before.

Started as usual from FRIM main gate, this time however, thankfully I did not fall in front of the uncle and aunty.. No free show for them this Sunday !

We (CS, NKeat, Fish, Justin, Danny and I), made our way up all the way to the end of Rover track exit. Or some call it the Camp Site X-junction. Making my way till there was quite a challenge for me, my feet started to feel cramp / numb feeling. Told them to go ahead 1st while I rested my poor dear feet..

Made my way up all the way to Steroid Valley and rested at the foot of Steroid Hill.. By then my feet was going to cramp liow ! Quickly got off the bike and unstrap my shoes. WHAT A RELIEF !!! Those guys went up ahead to Steroid Hill... Just not for me... Initially I wanna try Steroid Hill with clipless, but then with the cramp. Such a mood-killer ! What to do, few of us waited at the Pondok lor. Before heading down to the Lake trail and then off to Wan Thanh Minn..

Short short ride ya, about 10km clocked only. Best part was, on our way out to the main gate. Passed by a photographer, since I was 2nd last in the group. He managed to focus and snap ME ! See... not so bad being last, after all. I wonder will he read our BLOG ?! Wonder if the photo turned out ok or not... Hmmmm.....

Anyhow, ended as a BAD Sunday = UNDER ride + OVER eat

Here are some post ride photos.. Bikes out to rest, while the riders FEAST ! errr... wan thanh minn kon lou, mar minn..


With those photos... I'm signing off, till the next blog.. There won't be any ride for me coming Sunday, due to some other engagements. Which I'm trying to get some road riding done in the evening. PLEASE don't rain on Sunday evening...

Till the next ride....

~::NK the wOOfer::~

::SIDI BULLET 2::

Oh yeah ! Finally, the day has come, earlier than I expected... Suppose to wait till next year before I change to clipless pedals. Probably it was being, at the right place at the right time, Shang was selling off his Candy ... For whatever the reason, faith probably.Initially I wanted to go for the Eggbeater rather than the Candy, but since I have no preference in either of them, so why not give a try I say.. Hey, it was a good deal, 2 pairs of Candy SL for a mere RM200++ ? Of course, then we (NKeat & myself) needed to get new shoes and new cleats.

The hunt for my shoes, weren't easy.. Due to the limitation of stock, 1st thing that had to look for is the size ! Then only open the box and see if the design & color is suitable to ur taste. Lastly then ask for the price.. Of course 1st up I headed to BikePro, brought my bike and the pedals there also. Semangat wanna change pedals and get new shoes.. Mana tau.. Sigh.. Disappointment, cannot find any shoes... Got size, but then OVER my budget. Sorry... It was Saturday afternoon, and only the day before that NKeat bought his pair of SIDI from BikePro. Looks like me not gonna get to test out clipless...

After quickie dinner at Secret Recipes, then collected my car from Tyrezone, just around the corner. Decided to head to KSH and try my luck. WOW ! Surprisingly, they got the SIDI Bullet 2. What the exact color which I wanted it. Got the correct size, tried on other Shimano shoes.. DAMN ! Those Shimano shoes are really more comfortable, coz they are wider as compared to SIDI. SIDI shoes are meant to be worn tight, as I have been told.. Doesn't matter lar, since the price is right. After hard & tough negotiation.. Ended myself with a NEW pair of black color SIDI Bullet 2 MTB shoes !

Wanna see ????


Oh yeah the other thing, make sure that u got everything in the box when you buy SIDI shoes. There should be an allen key, 4 screws and most important the manual/warranty book. Coz inside that book, got loads of cool SIDI stickers. Looks good on your bike frame and also on the Thule rack...

~::NK the wOOfer::~

Trail Maintenance Clinic @ Kiara

Hello all... Just another day ride in Kiara ? Don't think so, at least not for today. Special Monday, coz this time we were meeting up with Pat, the almighty-creator of Kiara trails. Nope we were not gonna be riding with him, naturally most of us would have a hard time just trying to keep up with him.

Basically today's main agenda is to learn Trail Maintenance from Pat himself. WHY ? You may ask ? Just because we, Hardtail'ers, have adopted the Shriner's Convention trail ! For myself, it can be considered as quite a big leap. Cause for me, I still consider myself new to Kiara trails.

Anyway, we have scheduled to meet up with Pat @ 8:15am. Meeting point is at the gate entrance. Reached there few minutes before time, so instead of me waiting, I headed up the tarmac 1st. Rather than slowing the whole group, I decided to move 1st. On my way up, I saw Pat coming out from the Tangki. Let it be lar, I concentrate on pedalling up and wait for them at the tarmac X-junction.

Before I could even catch my breathe, they arrived liow.. So continue on our climb up to Shriner's entrance lor. Half way up, Pat already started his class liow. Basic on how to look out for the rain water flow path, and where to clear them. No way I was able to follow Pat's pace.. So took my time and met up with them again at Shriner's Convention entrance. Officially here is where our class began.

It was just a basic introduction to us. Pat thought us how to look out for critical spots, where we should give our attention 1st. And how we should do it... Don't know if I can give a summary, most of his advice was just to do it by trial and error. Rule of thumb, water MUST flow ! Thus create path for all the muddy areas. Also to look out for those "black yucky" patches, that is where the water clogs up and the soil and leaves settles. At switchbacks, better to have higher banks, it helps the water flow and also to avoid rider from widening the trail. That is as much as I can remember, either than raining weather is NOT good for trail maintenance. We'll just have to wait for the dry season, then start patching back the damages done so far... Certain parts of the trail needs immediate attention, especially the switchbacks. Pat also gave us ideas of where to get the soils from to patch up the trails.


So next time riding in Kiara, when see those humps and bumps on the trail.. Some of it are there for a reason. And please spare a thought to those who are maintaining the trail, but of course to Pat and his group who created those trails - which we enjoy every weekend !


The Artist and his Masterpiece


"Come on guys ! Put your back into IT !"


Just us trying to learn as much as possible from Pat..

Lastly, check this bike out.. Old skool, but everything still functions. Would assume this guy ride tarmac quite often. Realised the cyclo-computer is also mounted on the funny looking handlebar. Not something that you'll see everyday..


OVER and OUT.. Our next ride should be on Wednesday morning, either Kiara or FRIM. Yet to be decided... Cause long time never see wan thanh minn seller's daughter in FRIM. Wanna know more ? Why not join us ?

~::NK the wOOfer::~

Are you a loser?

Hardtail'ers challenge you? If you take it as a challenge, then it is a challenge. Why do i said so? uhm... Maybe i will be another NKeong to write you a grandmother story. "Long time ago......"

NO. I'm used to be very straight forward. Let start the story and challenge.

Lets start with the Tarmac climb. Half way, i noticed that my rear tyre not enough air. The air was leaking. I got down from my bike and "refilled" the air. Inflate will be the better word to describe.

Then we reach to the X-road. Quite lots of rider there. KSH gang went down 2k. By the way, Kwai, Jackson and I climb to the Janice Junction. Then had our "puff" there while waiting for others. I had my rest there about 20-30mins. Since everyone stop there TalkCogSingSong. And yap. Let me show you something interesting:




Hello Guys, he is only SEVEN years old. If he can survive in Kiara, why not you? Anymore excuses from you not to ride kiara? Your bike cannot take the drop? How about his bike? Dont you think his parts will be higher end than what you have now? Stop giving yourself the LAME excuses. Hardtail'ers would like to help you if you want to help yourself.

Cannot convince you to ride Kiara yet? Need some more? Okay let me show you another pic to make you speechless. Here it is:

Any more excuses? yap, you can see clearly from the pic that those are girl. Aiks. Nevermind, we move the the next section, to let you know more about kiara.


This drop looks small only right? You can take it as easy as makan taufu rite? Hardtail'ers would like to help you anytime, but you need to help yourself first. We can't confirm 100% that we will help you to do better, but atleast you go there and have a try first. If you got difficulties to ride @ Kiara, you can pay our :::Hardtail'ers Forum::: a visit, we might be able to help you.

Enough of cogs, show off time.


I know this mean nothing, out there a lot of riders can do much more better than me. If a fatman like me can do it, why not you?




Fun time. Let see how NKeong fail the first approach.


Dont you think he brake too much while he doing the drop? I don't know, maybe. Or maybe other reasons.




Now let NK[s] show you how they clear the drop!



:::Hardtail'ers Major:::
:::Hardtail'ers Resort:::