Twisty Tales : Buying My 2nd Folding Bike

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Buying My 2nd Folding Bike

THIS REALLY HAPPENED TO ME!

I have recently taken up biking, riding bicycles as a leisure sports and not competitive biking. This, after a close friend Sin encouraged me to buy a foldie, i.e. folding bikes. Foldies can be, well, folded up and put into the car boot. Drive somewhere and assemble the bike within a minute or two - and off we go riding.

Sin seems to have taken his bike to many places, riding with one foldie group or another to small towns, parks, long-trails, etc. Reading his blogs hApPy HaPpY, encouraged me further. After all I need the exercise too.

Initially, I bought a basic foldie. One with bare minimum gear-speeds and not to expensive; as I wasn't sure whether my foray into biking would last. Whether it would just mushroom up and fade away all too soon. I started riding on my own, then joined Sin for some group rides getting to make new friends. We soon formed our own smaller group of 6. And I was really enjoying biking.

Just after 2weeks from my first purchase and I was bitten by the biking bug!

But some of the rides were tough, going up steep roads, and my basic 7-speed foldie just wasn't built for it. At some of the steeper and longer slopes I just couldn't make it to the top, humbly dismounting & pushing my bike up.

So what should I do? Up-grade! My biking buddies advised me. Upgrade!

Off I went around town with my son Nitaro, looking for better bikes - lighter and with more gear speeds. Surprisingly, there were so many shops around; and so many choices available. And I learnt a fair bit during my shopping stint. Frames as light as possible (from steel frames to aluminium alloy to reinforced carbon ones). Number of gears is also important with light gear ratio to go up the steep slopes, and heavy ones for speeding along the flats. Prices ranged from 2 times to 10 times my basic foldie.

I saw a few models, good bikes at just the right price, but I wasn't sure. So I went back to Johnny, the guy I bought my first bike from as he was a helpful fellow and should be able to give me good technical advice. He was just about closing his shop. I showed him the pictures I took of the bikes I viewed.

While he was advising me, out of the corner of my eye I say a midnight black foldie with lime green stripes - an 18-speeder. It was love at first sight and I just have to get that bike. As his shop was closed for the weekend, I told Johnny that I will be back the following Monday to purchase the bike.

All through the weekend, I was dreaming of my new love. On Monday, just after work I picked up Nitaro & drove anxiously to Johnny's.

Woe and behold! The bike was gone, my love was not there anymore. "What happened?" I asked Johnny. He sheepishly answered that there was something wrong with the bike, etc. etc. etc. I strongly suspected that another purchaser must have bought the bike in the morning! When will the next shipment come, I inquired. Johnny sadly replied, "Perhaps in another month's time." ONE MONTH!

Nitaro had to rush back to meet some friends, and I grudgingly left Johnny's, grumbling all the way back home. Reaching home, I was surprised to see my wife back home early. The look on my face told of my disappointment.

I was ready to flop into bed and sleep off my sorrows, when I heard Nitaro shouting, " Hey Dad! something is wrong with the guest bedroom. I rushed over and.... 
Lo and Behold! There was that bike standing mysteriously at the corner of the room.

You see - my wife was the other purchaser!

She, Nitaro & Johnny had conspired to give me a good surprise! My first love had bought me my second love! Mwaaah!

POSTSCRIPT:
They are two stories behind buying my second foldable bike, this is the hilarious one. For the serious, technical one read - Buying My 2nd Foldie

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WoW! : My Bike - Buying The Accessories Rnd.1

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MY BIKE - BUYING THE ACCESSORIES : ROUND 1

My bike - Out of the Bag.

With biking, one have to start buying accesories. Some for safety (like gloves, rear light), Others for convenience, i.e. bell, carrying case. And yet others, like stickers, to personalize and add a bit of vanity.

1. Carry-on Bag

My bike - Folded up and in the Carry-on Bag

I got this Dahon carry-on bag as I forsee, taking the bike onto buses or trains and going somewhere further away to enjoy biking in a different scenery. Fairly easy to use, this bag has a stringed opening at the bottom that can open up fairly large. Slip it over the folded bike, then lay the bike on it's side (i.e. the side away from the gears) and pull the string tight. There's is a small zipped pocket there to keep the long string after tightening. At the top is a zipped opening where one can reach into the bag and tie two straps (these are attached to the bag) to secure the bike properly. A large and wide adjustable belt on top allows easy carrying. Cost RM129/= from Roda Link in Sri Hartamas.

2. Carry-on Bag Pouch

Pouch for Carry-on Bag

The carry-on bag comes with a pouch for keeping it when not in use. Inside the pouch is a PVC attached smaller bag that pulls tight after storing the carry-on bag, keeping all water-proofed. The pouch can be easily attache to the bike's seat shaft and seat. When not storing the bag, it doubles up as a convenient carry all pouch. Cost FREE, comes with the carry-on bag.

3. Rear Lights

This is a must-have safety feature. The one I got from My Bicycle Shop was a Cateye Blitz Light. It is a 5-bulb LED type which runs on two AA batteries and can be set to Manual or Auto. In Auto setting, it will light up when dark AND only when moving (this is achieved by light & motion sensors inside). The lights continue blinking for 50 seconds after the bike stop moving. The LED lights themselves have several modes, single LED fixed light, 3-LED blink or 5-LED strobe. Batteries last 200hrs on full 5-light mode and 400hrs on economy mode. Buttons to set Auto and Light Mode are at the back. Cost RM70/=.

4. Biking Gloves

This is an important safety equipment, not so much for protection against accidents but more for better grip & avoiding blisters. I got this pair of nice blue Louis Garneau Mondo (half-finger) gloves from My Bicycle Shop for RM60/=. It comes with Velcro lock.

6. Ringing Bell

This is a convenience and safety equipment - lets people know you are behind them. The one I got a Cat Eye bell from My Bicycle Shop. It has a sharp and clear ringing tone.

Just less than a week after getting the bike, I was getting more accessories, most of them much needed. Will ride on and get more feel of biking and probably join some biking groups, see what accessories they have and consider whether I'll need those.

My advise to new bikers like me is not to rush into getting the accessories. Get the basics first, those that you need for safety. The rest will come as you ride along and socialize with other bikers.

So this next item is not at the top of the accessory list.

7. Riding Watch

This is not an essential item but more of an image item. Watches used in riding should be water-proof and shock-proof. This one from Hublot is rugged and can take on the rough riding anytime.

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WoW! : Buying My First Foldable Bike

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BUYING MY FIRST FOLDABLE BIKE

My First Foldable Bike - in its folded look

My friend Sin, a fairly new but avid biker has been encouraging me to take up biking. Looking at his various blogs at hApPy HaPpY, he seems to be enjoying himself - going biking, meeting up with new friends and having eats during his biking treks. Cycling trips up to 130km a day was commonplace to him. These crazy bikers, they have foldable bikes which they keep in their car boot, and pop it out to cycle whenever they have the urge. Lunancy!

But he kept on encouraging me, and there I was telling myself "Can I do it? Am I up to it physically?" No problem he said, start of with the short distances. So I made up my mind, and went out looking for a bike.

Top of the range "Bike Friday"

Through a Facebook friend, I met up with Andy at the pro-shop in the The Club @ Bukit Utama, Bandar Utama, Kuala Lumpur. He introduced me to a fantastic bike, a Bike Friday; these bikes are hand-made in the USA and custom-fitted to individual buyers. I test-rode it around the complex. It has an infinity gear-drum unlike most bikes which have gear-cogs, meaning that there are unlimited gears, perhaps something like a car's clutch. Changing gears was a breeze - seamless & so quiet it's hardly noticeable. But then the price at RM9,000+ was beyond my budget. Perhaps next time, if I get to be really keen on biking - AND if I hit a jackpot.

A Doppleganger from Japan

The "Bike Friday" did me a favor, it got me really interested in bikes. But the price wasn't right for a novice like me. So Andy then introduced me to the Doppelganger, a Japanese bike. It was both beautiful and rugged at the same time - appealing to the macho in me. The price at RM1680 was very attractive. But I decided to shop around first. By the way, I posted pictures both bikes on FB and most of my friends like the Doppelganger for its looks.

I had promised Sin that I would be getting a bike within a week, so he recommended me to Johnny, the owner of My Bicycle Shop located at the Oasis Complex in BU4, Bandar Utama also. Johnny was very helpful and understood that a new biker like me had uncertainties about their biking future and may not want to spend too much on their first bike in case their interests waver.

My Bike!

He showed me the XDS-AFB260. It was a beautiful bike too, although not as rugged looking as the Doppelganger. The price at RM980 was just right too. It came in two color themes - white & red, and black & orange. I went for the latter as it fitted well with my blog color theme. So I finally got my first folding bike!

Lock-set

Water Bottle & Holder

Johnny threw in some accessories - lock-set, water-bottle and holder for free.

And I got the most important accessory, a helmet, for RM80. It was futuristic space-age looking, with reflector strips, adjustable chin-straps and tightening head band.

Helmet - Front View

From the front, wearing it, I could pass for one of Darth Vader's death-troopers. Watch out you guys - make way!

Compact when folded - fits into car boot easily.

Folding it was easy, with multiple levers to unlock the folding mechanism. First, lower the seat shaft all the way down so that it forms a leg to support the bike, then push the pedals inwards and fold towards the bike. Unlock one lever and fold the handle down, unlock another one and the bike folds into two. Presto, a compact parcel.

I am slowly learning the finer points of biking. Weight is important, so is the number of gears. Then one have to consider whether the bike is for casual on-road travelling or for speed-racing or even for off-road / mountain biking. Me? I'll just stick to the basics and take it one step at a time, that is if I until proceed to take the next step. Heh! Heh!

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