Thursday, October 6, 2011

Stay Hungry, Stay Foolish!


Today we are informed that the father of personal computers and the trail blazer of modern technology has left us.

The world has lost a visionary, and the company has lost a great pilot of innovation and leaders of immense foresight. He has change the whole world on how computing should be. If not for him, there will not be social media, beautiful and well-spaced fonts in your documents, and most of all without him, the whole world will not have smart telecommunication on our palm.

Rest In Peace Steve! We Love You and you will always be remembered for the one that change computing!

Wednesday, October 5, 2011

God's Creation (Mystical and Unbelievable)

Chance upon this link lately. This is a documentary series by Discovery Channel that explore the human body by investigating the ultimate testing that human body is able to take and to find the superhuman ability that we have never discovered.

Perhaps this superhuman ability is what people say "God's Strength". This is the strength that perhaps God has put it in way in the beginning that it will only be used and run on overdrive when challenges, crisis and danger happens. That is the awesome and mystical creation that we never knew.

Episode 1




Episode 2




Episode 3




Episode 4




Tuesday, October 4, 2011

Chronologue of Bikes




I am not sure how many of you have keep tap of the bikes that you have ridden or at least your mountain bikes. Anyway, I have decided to put down mine since I have just looked back at the bikes that I used to own:

1) 1992 to 1994 - Marin Bolinas Ridge - Rigid Chromoly Straight Gauge with SR Suntour parts

2) 1994 to 1998 - Marin Eldridge Grade - Rigid Chromoly Double Butts with XT parts (Later Upgrade to Manitou 2) and Avid and Paul Component Parts)

3)1998 to 2003 - AMP Research B2 (First Full Suspension in my attempt)

4) 2003 to 2005 - Scott Pro Racing (Aluminium Hardtail)

5) 2007 - Ridley Cobra (Carbon Hardtail with Shimano XT and Disc Brake)

6) 2008 - 2009 - Tomac Automatic (Aluminium Full Suspension)

7) 2009 - 2010 - Tomac Carbide XC (Carbon Full Suspension)

8) 2011 - On-One Inbred (DN6 Chromoly Hardtail)

9) 2011 - Current - Pipedream Cycle Scion (Reynold 853 Chromoly Hardtail)

Guess, I did not go through too much bike in the span of close to 20 years of riding mountain bike after all. But I guess, I have kind of coming full circle. Started with Chromoly and now back to riding one again. I must say this love affair with the metal on two wheels have bring along not just the fun, pain and sure pleasure but also other more inward benefits.

Life on two wheels brought along the friendship forged that lasted and also a great perspective of the preciousness of life. It draws one closer in the spiritual sense of the surrounding environment and the importance of safeguarding those thoughts and gifts.

A bike is not just a bike but the personification of the owner and his love for the cycling and his appreciation of life.

The New Steed

This is a very interesting year. A year that I disregard weight, modern technology but went straight back to an all time classic in my choice of bike. Call it back to basic, I started going on a hunt for a steel bike that I truly and surely going to keep it long term in my arsenal of bikes.

My mountain biking love affair started way back in 1992 when I was 16. I was introduced to mountain biking by my then teacher. To cut the story short, we do not have many high end aerospace technology then. Carbon Fiber was available but then it was still in its infancy on the bike development, then there is the cool Aluminium and of course you have Titanium which to a 16 year old boy, the price tag will be too much to bear.

Scion fresh from the package
I was introduced to Chromoly, the steel material that was more common then as it has a very hardy property and beside rust and a little weight issue, it is consider one of the toughest. In fact, I start and went through 2 Chromoly Steel bikes before I migrate to Aluminium. So impressionally speaking, I do have a love; hate relationship with Chromoly Steel. Love the rides and dampening, hates the weight and the maintenance.

Scion, all setup and ready to roll!

I started the year with a good old DN6 steel frame called the On-One Inbred. I was enjoying it for about 3 months. Happily riding it and for a decent time and then, suddenly remembering that this british design bike is a little bit off on the weighing scale (a little of weight-weenie bug in me). So, I started on a quest to hunt for another piece because I know for sure that I will not be happy to keep the On-One Inbred as a potential Heirloom in my bike collection. So, I stumble upon Pipedream Cycles. I have known this brand for five years and was hoping to see some shop in Singapore would bring them in. Finally, a company decided to bring them in and I found them in a local bike shop.


Scion 2nd outing in Mandai

I picked the lighter and more slimmed down version of the Pipedream Steel range. It is called the Scion for the weight and it runs on the Reynold 853 steel which is extremely strong the weight is really good in terms of lightness. I am really satisfy with the whole hunt for the perfect love affair with a steel bike that I know I will hand it down as a heirloom, provided that it survive the punishment of rides that I will be putting it through.