deaninkl

Hi there, I’m new here so thought I’d say hello before I start picking your brains about stuff… I’ve recently started peddling again after an off and on relationship with bicycles going back to schools days in the UK, paper rounds etc., then later as a way of keeping (slightly) fit and seeing the country-sides; of China, Hong Kong, Indonesia and Malaysia where I found myself living over the years.

Right now I’m peddling for fun and to lose some of those midlife KG’s. I live in a hilly area which is unfortunate as I don’t like hills on a bicycle, but it does work on the fitness level. So far I am riding the same route every Sunday, 14.8km one way up hill, then down again to the starting point. Two months ago my first time for the up-hill part was 2 hours 25 minutes…. now I’m down to 1 hour 45 minutes, going down has gone from 37 minutes to 32 minutes…. I’m not planning on winning races.. ;o) and still having to push on a few steep parts of the up-hill.

My bike is 2008 Giant TCR Alluxx SL, I bought it a few years ago, but hardly used it till the recent drive.. lets see how long we can keep it up. I currently ride alone, I would not want to subject anybody to my lack of pace yet. As it is a common route I am passed a hundred times every ride… but now start to notice a few others out there that are as slow as me… it’s improving slowly. I seriously need 3 lower gears…. My current 14 allow me to get unto the lowest and the second from lowest on the up hill… on the down hill I hardly need to peddle the whole way down…
Conditions here in Malaysia are not the best for cycling, daytime temps are 35 degrees C in the shade all year round. So early morning starts when the temp. is about 25 degrees C are preferable..

But the roads are good and the countryside is beautiful, monkeys beside the morning roadsides, and vistas around most corners.

Dean in KL.