Shallow End

Shallow End

After weeks of thinking about it, (Should I? Shouldn't I?!!) I finally took the plunge and started ordering parts for my new bike, which I plan to unveil to the World in August at the Desaru Long-Distance Triathlon. I've ordered a pair or 50mm deep section carbon wheels from the UK, complete with bags, tubular tyres, titanium skewers etc... and a couple of carbon bottle cages...

I'll have a fitting session in Singapore at the end of July, where I'll buy the frame. The Dura-Ace groupset and all other components will come from Edwin. It's going to be an all-black mean machine with yellow bar tape to make it look menacing to others like a poison-arrow frog!!

Hopefully I'll get a couple of short rides on it in before the first big test on 12 August (Desaru Tri) - to get everything all set for my main event of the year - S'pore Half-Ironman on 2 Sept.

Titiwangsa Run

As part of my plan to squeeze a bit more training into each week, and a desire to update my blog with a new PB, I went for a short 6km run around Lake Titiwangsa after work yesterday and... I managed a new PB time of 35:21 (17:50+17:31), over 2 minutes faster than my previous best set about 6 months ago.

All Excited

Now I've taken the plunge with my new bike, I thought I'd better start thinking about crank length, cassette ratios etc... so I checked my current bike. (Warning - Tech talk ahead folks).

I've always thought that my gearing was 52/42 with a 12-25 cassette, explaining why most cycling companions have it easier on climbs on newer bikes with a slightly smaller 39 chainring. However to my surprise it turns out that my bike is 53/39 and 13-23. No wonder I struggle a bit on long or steep climbs - I always thought I had a 25 for that, but its only 23! That means I climbed Genting on a 39 x 23! Wow!

So anyway my conclusion is that my new bike will also be 53/39 but with a 12-13-14-15-16-17-18-19-21-23 10-speed cassette. And it'll have to be the biggest size - XL (57cm). That's 3cm smaller that my current steed but that's normal these days now that seatposts are strong enough to be longer.