My Alaska Cycle Philippines 2015 experience

Six months after BGC Cycle Philippines 2014, I sign up for its summer counterpart. This is the first time I’m joining the Alaska Milk-sponsored version of one of the most popular mass participation ride events in Manila. How will it differ?

THE ROUTE

Because Bonifacio Global City no longer figures in the name of the summer event, the organizers have a little more leeway in the route design. They seem to have taken their cue from the SM Mall of Asia area, whose posterior bayside streets are now the stomping grounds of road cyclists that do loops upon loops of the streets in various pacelines every weekday morning.

The route reflects this. The start/finish straight is along Seaside Boulevard, where riders ply J.W. Diokno Boulevard and the southernmost tip of Gil Puyat Avenue. This three-kilometer leg is a launchpad for the meat and potatoes of the route: a 4.15km-long stretch of Roxas Boulevard to the Solaire Casino at Aseana Avenue, encompassing the Gil Puyat Avenue and EDSA Extension flyovers before doubling back on itself, over the same flyovers, back toward Vicente Sotto Street. (Ignore the Bradco Avenue U-turn on the map; that was scrapped.) This main 8.3km loop splits the difference between the 20km Community Ride and the 40km Challenge Ride; the only difference is the number of laps you make. Challenge riders do four laps; Community Riders do two. After their final lap, riders turn at Gil Puyat Avenue for the final approach back to the Seaside Boulevard finish line.

Apart from the flyovers, which provide elevation as well as bottlenecks, this course is flat, fast and wide-open. As far as road cycling goes, it’s basically a criterium race course. This compact layout allows the route organizers to minimize interference from the vehicular and rail traffic of the very busy Gil Puyat Avenue-Osmeña Highway intersection, which was an issue half a year ago.

CLAIMING THE RIDE PACK

The distribution of ride packs was done at Microtel Inn at the corner of Seaside Boulevard and Coral Way. Due to delays in the supply of the jerseys from long-time supplier F2P, Challenge Ride participants had to wait until 12:00pm on May 15th to claim their packs. I claimed mine on the morning of the next day, parking my bike at the secure bike parking area and walking into the second floor.

Bike parking at Microtel Inn.

Photo courtesy of Alaska Cycle Philippines/Sunrise Events.

As with last November’s event, Sunrise Events have gotten the distribution process of the ride packs down pat. I was in and out within twenty-five minutes. I was fortunate enough to have had a jersey size still in stock, though; one common complaint I heard was that some of the other sizes were exhausted.

Photo courtesy of Alaska Cycle Philippines/Sunrise Events.

What I did find somewhat questionable were the contents of the ride packs.

Rudy Project’s contribution is a “transition bag” that’s really three drawstring knapsacks meant for storing your stuff for swimming, cycling and running. A few of my buddies joked that we may have unknowingly signed up for a triathlon. Useful, I guess, but odd all the same.

All the official ride pack contents, plus Alaska Milk product freebies. The musette or feed bag is the one at the top.

 

The second item is a musette or feed bag. This is patterned after the same items that soigneurs (support staff; pronounced “swan-YOORZ”) of professional cycling teams hand out to their riders when they pass through designated feed zones. It’s a decent cycling-related freebie, but it could stand to be a little larger. I’m not sure many Pinoys even know what a musette/feed bag really is – they might just see this as a fancy printed bag with questionable capacity and usefulness.

Finally, Regent Snack Foods gives you a bag of snack foods and chips arguably larger than the actual ride pack itself; that seemed really out of place for me. I had trouble packing the thing into my panniers because of the sheer air volume inside the snack packs. Besides, with Alaska Milk pushing exercise on people with events like these, exactly how well does Regent’s snack food fit into the whole picture?

THE EVENT JERSEY

Delays in delivery and supply issues aside, this has got to be the best-looking Cycle Philippines event jersey yet.

Front view of the event jersey.

Rear view of the event jersey.

The print is striking yet flattering. By keeping the belly area free of large expanses of white, those with prominent guts need not be as ashamed of wearing this jersey as they would have been with the 2014 BGC Cycle Philippines one. I returned to my original XL size and appreciated the clingier,  more form-fitting cut of the material. Finally, the pockets are of a decent depth. They’re at that Goldilocks compromise between too shallow for security and too deep for hand ingress.

I still miss the silicone gripper tape on the rear bottom hem, and the extra zipped pouch on one of the pockets, but otherwise, a great jersey.

The XL size is spot-on for me.

THE RIDE

Wave A was released at 5:30am, with yours truly, Ems Chua, Xander Chua, Bryan Rivera, Nick Bordeos, and “Kuripot Biker” blogger Jojo Bartolome among the UFB representatives present. As people navigated the initial 3km leadout into the main loop, it was immediately obvious that the regulars of the SM Mall of Asia “peloton” might as well have had a homecoming.

The Kuripot Biker himself, Jojo Bartolome, astride his blue six-speed Brompton.

From left to right: Ara, Pao, Jogh and Phoenix.

Me and Timothy at the start gate. I’m on my TCX, while Timothy’s white Giant Anyroad 1 lies in the background.

Photo courtesy of Alaska Cycle Philippines/Sunrise Events.

In the early minutes there was a bit of wind to power through. The open asphalt and lack of shelter meant that a number of pacelines soon formed, with cyclists drafting one by one in measured efforts. This is in direct contrast to the start of BGC Cycle Philippines 2014, where the atmosphere was more “every rider for himself” and people pushed themselves “into the red” almost immediately.

Alaska Cycle Philippines makes the front page of the Philippine STAR’s May 18, 2015 issue as Wave A riders are shown being released.

Unfortunately this event would prove to be just as accident-prone as its November cousin.

For some reason, a 10km run coincided with Alaska Cycle Philippines – and used the exact same route. This resulted in me and other cyclists almost running over a few runners as we climbed the flyovers – which were slow areas by default not only because of the climbing, but also due to the bottleneck they created. The presence of the runners just complicated things no end. Sunrise Events insisted that they had secured all the necessary clearances and permits from the local government units, and did not know why this footrace was allowed to push through while its event’s cyclists were still out. I hear they may plan to take legal action on this matter as of this writing.

“Excuse me, space man coming through”

Even with the runners having largely gotten out of the way by lap 2, there were still quite a few mishaps. I heard a few cyclists hit the asphalt mid-ride. Some participants succumbed to mechanical issues; I saw one of the SM Mall of Asia regulars coasting on his bike barely carrying speed due to a snapped chain. As the early starters caught up with the slower riders, the more inexperienced cyclists posed a danger because they were weaving side to side and not paying attention to approaching faster riders to let them past. One of them weaved so far left that he hit a traffic cone and sent it flying into the other lane where oncoming participants were pedaling.

My average speed at the event as measured by my Cat Eye Commuter cyclocomputer.

After four laps around the main loop, I turned off into Gil Puyat Avenue to ride to the finish. I heard a lot of complaints from riders losing track of the number of laps they had done, losing time because they put in more distance than was necessary. It was starkly, immediately more serene as I joined fellow Wave A riders and cheered them on. Sprinting down Seaside Boulevard for the final 200 meters, headlights on and whooping like an idiot, I finished in 1:21:12. This was ten minutes faster than the same distance six months ago, at an average of almost 30 km/h. Not too shabby.

Crossing the timing beam at the finish line…while whooping like an idiot 🙂

Timing results from the event – released less than two days after. Timothy did a scorching 1:18:17, while first-timer Jojo put in a respectable 1:41:36.

POST-RIDE

That favorite Cycle Philippines recovery meal, the Sausage McMuffin, was waiting for the finishers. It’s a good shot of protein, sodium and some carbohydrate – you could do much worse as far as recovery foods go. As with the hydration stations, bottles of Gatorade were being handed out as well.

Timothy’s Anyroad 1 and my TCX SLR 2 cooling off under a palm tree.

ABS-CBN news crews were on site interviewing a lot of the finishers. Those that weren’t headed to the photo booth, where a long queue was forming up. I felt the onset of cramps on my glutes and quads on the final sprint to the finish, so I quietly ate my meal and walked my bike around the baywalk.

Mishaps, jersey shortages, questionable ride pack inclusions and cramped route aside, overall this was a good ride. I had invited a number of first-time Cycle Philippines participants, and all of them finished safely and happily.

We’ll see you again in November.

Me and my TCX SLR 2 at the start.

Me and my TCX SLR 2 at the finish!

Bisikleta Iglesia 2015 – An endurance challenge

Holy Week in the Philippines is usually characterized by a mass exodus from Metro Manila, which leaves the metropolis quiet and open for pedal-powered adventure. Many riders celebrate this by embarking on their version of a Lenten pilgrimage: the visita iglesia done by bicycle, called – surely enough – the bisikleta iglesia.

The way most people celebrate this tradition is by visiting various churches on Maundy Thursday in an attempt to complete praying the fourteen Stations of the Cross, each one commemorating an event in the passion, death and resurrection of Jesus Christ. Some people visit fourteen churches, some others visit seven. At any rate, it also doubles as an excuse to get out and see more of Metro Manila as it goes dormant, its usual hustle and bustle subsiding.

Bearing in mind that the provinces would be full of vacationing Manila folk, I plotted a route around the south of the metro, chaining seven familiar churches together in one ride. I set my Cat Eye Commuter’s ETA function to 70 kilometers to have a real-time estimate of when we would finish our ride. We set out from Parañaque at 6:00 am, a little incredulous of how brightly the sun shone at such an early hour.

National Shrine of Mary Help of Christians, Parañaque City. Our first stop.

Presentation of the Child Jesus Parish Church, Parañaque City. Our second stop.

Onward we pedaled, at an easy pace, to Alabang.

St. Jerome Emiliani Church, Muntinlupa City. Our third stop.

St. James the Greater Parish Church, Muntinlupa City. Our fourth stop.

From Alabang, we doubled back through BF Parañaque and made our way to the SM Mall of Asia area in Pasay. As we refueled at 9:30 am, the summertime heat was making itself noticed. We started to pick up the speed.

Shrine of Jesus, the Way, the Truth and the Life, Pasay City. Our fifth stop.

From Pasay, we rode along Gil Puyat Avenue to Makati, which to our surprise still had buses and jeepneys plying its length.

St. Andrew the Apostle Church, Makati City. Our sixth stop.

By the time we arrived at our penultimate church in Makati, it was 11:00 am and the searing heat was relentless. Not only was it coming from overhead, it was also getting in our faces reflecting from the asphalt. One final push toward Taguig remained.

Santuario de San Antonio Church, Makati City. Our final stop. Now to head back home…

Eighty kilometers and four and a half hours later, we had made it back home.

Success!

Looking back, perhaps we should have kept a slightly faster overall average pace in the early hours. That would have ensured completion of the distance while minimizing our exposure to the heat.

This was one of the most memorable rides I’d embarked on. This was not the longest; that goes to a 102 km effort, but that involved several loops within a large village, and that began to turn a little monotonous. This ride was a little shorter, but didn’t have much repetition involved, and it was much easier to stay engaged. This was a genuine challenge, and I relished every minute of it.

I can’t wait for next year!

My BGC Cycle Philippines 2014 experience

2013 marked the inaugural hosting of BGC Cycle Philippines, and I joined the 20-kilometer Community ride on my Vitesse. This year, with improved fitness, better endurance and a different bike, I decided to sign up for the 40-kilometer Challenge ride.

THE ROUTE

The route shared by the Community and Challenge rides of BGC Cycle Philippines 2014.

Perhaps due to logistical challenges, the event ride route is much more simplified this time around. From the start/finish gate at Bonifacio Global City’s 9th Avenue and 30th Street, riders make their way through some side streets before eventually climbing the Kalayaan flyover to Gil Puyat Avenue. Past the off-ramp, it is a straight shot all the way to the turn at J.W. Diokno Boulevard. Just before crossing the bridge, the route makes a U-turn and doubles back on itself returning to BGC.

The Community and Challenge rides share the same route, only differing in the number of laps. Community riders get one go-around, while Challenge riders lap it twice.

The 2013 BGC Cycle Philippines 20km Community Ride route. 40km Challenge riders kept on going along Gil Puyat Avenue toward Rizal Park.

All this is in contrast to last year’s event, where Kalayaan Avenue and the C5 leg from Pateros to Heritage Park played host to the 20km Community ride. Challenge riders didn’t make a U-turn at Gil Puyat-Paseo de Roxas, but rode on toward Rizal Park via Gil Puyat and Roxas Boulevard before heading back.

THE RIDE PACK

The ride pack for BGC Cycle Philippines 2014.

2013’s ride pack was an off-white canvas body bag with a wide strap and a side zip – very nice for riding. This year we have a knapsack with ropes in a drawstring closure. It’s more colorful, but also arguably less useful for a rider, especially when loaded up, where the weight will dig into a rider’s shoulders through the narrow ropes.

Number bib, helmet stickers, pins and waiver.

Inside the ride pack for Challenge riders are a bib number, pins, three helmet stickers, a seatpost sticker with timing chip, a waiver form, the event jersey, and a yellow-and-black Rudy Project sling bag.

The Rudy Project sling bag.

The sling bag is a little small. The straps are wide enough and offset to one side so it’s easy to ride with. The yellow top flap is made of the same PVC material as my waterproof Vincita panniers, but don’t expect waterproofing here as it doesn’t have a roll-top closure.

I may have found the ride pack a little underwhelming, but they massively improved the claim process this year. The Mind Museum hosted the registration and ride pack claiming, and the various steps were spread out across multiple areas of the venue spanning two floors. The event organizers had ushers stationed to ensure people didn’t get lost, and they retained the bike parking from last year.

It was such a pleasure and so well thought out that I was in and out within twenty minutes. This is in stark contrast to the adjoining function halls they used last year, which tried to squeeze everything in (even the sponsor booths!) and made for a frustrating queue. Well done, Sunrise Events.

Made by F2P, the BGC Cycle Philippines 2014 event jersey in its packaging.

THE EVENT JERSEY

I was not supposed to get a jersey last year because of my category, but out of curiosity I went ahead and bought the limited-edition 2013 BGC Cycle Philippines jersey anyway. Made in the Lao PDR by F2P, I got the XL size, and it served as my only jersey for an entire year. The size I got is aggressively cut and clings to every bulge of my physique – there’s absolutely no hiding my belly here!

Me wearing the 2013 BGC Cycle Philippines limited edition jersey.

I slowly got used to its clingy fit and appreciated the many added touches it has:

• Silicone gripper tape on the rear hem
• A zippered center pocket in addition to the three standard pockets
• Reflective trim on the rear center zipper

Compared to this jersey, the 2014 event jersey feels like a step backward. It’s still got a full-length zipper, and I ordered a slightly larger XXL size which is a little more accommodating and flappy in the wind, but it lost all the features I listed above – which is a minor shame. Despite the more generous fit, oddly it’s less visually flattering because the belly area is white. Then again, I won’t say no to a proper cycling jersey, and F2P’s materials are still spot-on in terms of comfort and moisture wicking.

Me in the 2014 BGC Cycle Philippines event jersey.

THE RIDE

As part of Wave A, we set out at 6:05am. I had planned to take a relaxed pace and ride with my groupmates Ara, Jogh and Alex as much as possible. That plan lasted as long as the first climb up Kalayaan flyover. I tried stopping and waiting for them there, but promptly lost sight of them in the sea of similar jerseys when they passed me.

Wave A and B at the start line.

So on I rode, proceeding at “catch up” pace, trying to pass riders as safely as possible.

This is my only real complaint about events like BGC Cycle Philippines: we Pinoys don’t yet seem to have grasped the concept, dynamics and virtues of safe group riding, which apply even in pseudo-race or racing situations.

Despite the organizers telling the participants that this was not a race, that message was lost on most riders as they pedaled furiously out of the gate. Some even resorted to reckless maneuvers which might have led to crashes, and indeed two riders went down just after the first descent of Kalayaan flyover – and nobody else called out to the pack to inform about downed riders. Very few riders called out obstacles such as ruts and manholes to riders behind, too. Equally concerning was how ill-prepared many riders were to handle upcoming full-stop situations, such as the train crossing at PNR Gil Puyat Station, because they didn’t allow enough room for error.

Top whack achieved at the event, achieved on the downhill off-ramp of Kalayaan flyover. This is about as fast as my TCX SLR 2 will go, as the cyclocross gearing of the crank limits top speed but makes for more usable ratios for acceleration.

We had to compress into single file riding as we approached the Macapagal Boulevard intersection, filtering through two lanes of stopped cars. I was beginning to understand why the organizers had to simplify the route: there were a lot of agitated drivers. Even with advance notice of the road closures, the area is just too busy. Even with the simpler route, perhaps traffic rerouting should have been done to reduce the impact.

By the turnaround at J.W. Diokno Boulevard halfway through the first lap, lots of people lined up at the hydration station. It seemed these were the riders who went out too hard at the start, and went “into the red” (i.e. rode an unsustainable effort). Gradually, the pack started to thin out.

Riding back to BGC to finish the first lap, I was still feeling fresh. The eastward climb up Kalayaan flyover felt great, and it was a rush swooping down the right-hand turn at Rizal Drive riding in the drops immediately after the descent. From there, it was a U-turn at 3rd Avenue to climb back up Kalayaan flyover going west.

This was when I could really pour on the speed, as the path had largely cleared and I hit 55.6 km/h as the downhill off-ramp flattened into an open stretch of Gil Puyat Avenue. I was sustaining 48 km/h on these flats, already outspinning the TCX SLR 2’s 46×12 top gear, only stopping for the train crossing.

That’s me on the left with the yellow helmet and mudflaps on the bike.

By this time I was slightly worried about my groupmates, whom I had not found yet, but realized I now had to treat this as a solo ride. The second go-around at J.W. Diokno and return trip up to Kalayaan had me picking gaps and sprinting along the flats at full effort. As I approached the climb, I tried spinning up in an easier gear and high cadence, but got dropped by a couple of stronger climbers on 20″ folding bikes with really good technique.

Fifty meters from the finish, I dropped two cogs and tensed up my legs for a final spurt, but the exertion finally caught up with me as my right calf succumbed to cramps. I changed back to an easier gear and spun the cranks as efficiently as I can to avoid making the cramp worse – as I crossed the finish in high spirits.

Finishers’ area bike parking. Most participants brought road bikes, mountain bikes, folding bikes and mini velos to the event, although some riders brought bamboo bikes and fat bikes too.

POST-RIDE

At the finishers’ area there were a few beelines forming. The first of them was for claiming of the finisher’s medals, but the rest were for food and drink: Gatorade, Sausage McMuffins, a small serving of Jamba Juice, and even some free beer. The bike parking from the ride pack claiming period was back, so riders could rest easy.

“Sir, ma’am, would you want some brain freeze after your ride?”

Sausage McMuffins – the post-ride breakfast of champions. Seriously though, the salty sausage might help with rehydration when combined with a post-ride chug of water.

A few bad shifts and lack of top-end gearing aside, my TCX SLR 2 worked brilliantly. I have to admit, safety niggles aside, it was fun unleashing this bike’s potential especially on the much more open second lap. I kept the fenders on and brought my rain poncho as I wasn’t sure about this November’s weather, but even so the bike just hummed happily along without incident.

My Giant TCX SLR 2 enjoying a well-deserved rest.

I never did get to see my groupmates again; I tried calling them up from the finishers’ area. Apparently, Alex finished a few minutes after me, while Jogh and Ara suffered rear punctures close to the railroad crossing and finished quite late, but otherwise they enjoyed and completed the distance safely. It was their first time and I was glad they had a good ride. They were raving enough about it to invite me to the Alaska Cycle Philippines event in May 2015 this early!

Because “Strava or it didn’t happen,” as the kids say these days

I’m A485 and I finished the distance in 1:32:01. Alex Samson, A486, was a fellow groupmate, but didn’t succumb to punctures and finished a short while after I did.

Here’s Alex on his mountain bike.

Punctures and a late finish won’t dampen Jogh and Ara’s spirits!

The Challenge, BGC Cycle Asia 2014

Today is the first day of registration for this year’s BGC Cycle Asia Event which will be held in Bonifacio Global City on November 21 to 23. I’ll be joining the Challenge ride on the last day of the event. It’s a 40 kilometer ride starting in BGC and will probably take us to some parts of Taguig, Makati and Roxas Boulevard in Manila. You can register online via this link: http://www.cyclephilippines.com.ph/bgc/

Here’s the table showing the cost to register and join the event.

The Challenge	Early Bird	Regular Rate	Late	Ride Weekend
	August 15 – 31	Sep 1 – Oct 31	Nov 1 – 20	Nov 21 – 22
Individual	P1,800.00	P2,100.00	P2,300.00	P2,500.00
Student	P1,600.00	P1,850.00	P2,000.00	P2,250.00
Package 3+1	P5,400.00	P6,300.00	P6,900.00	P7,250.00
Student Package 3+1	P4,800.00	P5,550.00	P6,000.00	P6,500.00

I’ll register with Alex, Marvin and Jorge so that we can get the 3+1 Package of Php5,400.00. Registration includes the bike jersey, timing chip, finisher’s medal and a Rudy Project sling bag. Not bad and definitely worth it if you ask me, (specially if you haven’t done this Challenge ride yet).

Audax 300km Brevet Ride (Subic to Dasol and Back)

Audax 300km Brevet Ride (Subic to Dasol and Back) July 5, 2014

EPIC. The whole experience was just beyond those rides that I did in the past (duh.. never even done a double century). 

We were up early and waited at the parking lot of Mango Valley Hotel. There were about 60 riders and 1 guy had a flat tire already. The bikes were so diverse. I’ve seen Strida foldies, touring bikes, roadies, 29ers, 26ers, tri bike, 16 inchers, 20 inchers, and holy smoke… a fat bike!

– Near Sta. Cruz Town Proper on My Way to The Turnaround Point

At exactly 3 a.m., the organizer on her road bike shouted out ‘Let’s roll’ and we did roll with our fancy headlights and rear blinkers. Our group is called United Folding Bikers led by my high school classmate Byron of bisikletaadventures.com. I got separated from the group pretty fast but found myself riding with fellow UFB Larry for some stretches of the never ending road.

 

– My Bike, a Bridge, a River and a Mountain… somewhere 🙂

 

The first few kilometers were ridden in the darkness of a familiar route where the White Rock Triathlon was held. The weather was fine and pedaling was easy. I had my cue card stamped at exactly 5:01 a.m. in the first control point at kilometer 51.7. It was at a gas station and some riders were resting for a bit.

 

– … and a Bridge

After a brief stop – maybe 10 minutes – Larry and I went off but when the rain fell hard at around 5:40 a.m. I went for my jacket and we got separated. Then came the rising sun with its mighty heat spread on every road and bridge that lied ahead. I arrived at Kilometer 105 control point, it was a gas station and this time there was no stamping just a time-of-arrival note on the cue card. 7:18 a.m.

 

– Told You There were LOTS of Bridges

I was about to leave the gas station when I noticed that my front tire was flat and was lucky enough to get it at the control point with our Support And Gear vehicle nearby.

 

– Beach at 150 Kilometers Out

I got to the turnaround point at 9:24 a.m. – Banana Beach Resort Kilometer 150. A lot of riders were resting and chatting  in the cottages. I just refilled my water bottle, took some pics and headed back.  The ride back was uneventful just lots and lots of roads and bridges with the second David’s Salon Women’s Team in sight for some time. Because of the headwind I was still pedaling conservatively at this point and got to the next control point – kilometer 195 – at 12:18 p.m.

 

– Banana Boat Beach Resort in Dasol, Pangasinan

With only a hundred kilometers left, I was beginning to think that I could really survive this epic shit 😛 intact and in time. Next stamping was done at the same gas station as the first stop which was at kilometer 248 of the ride. ‘Heure de passage’: 3:19 p.m.

 

– Control Point at Kilometer 195

I caught some riders on folding bikes at approximately 260 kilometers and talked for a bit before I stopped to ready myself for the final push with only 30 kilometers left. With the threat of another rainfall I rode hard clinging to the aero bar whenever possible and finished the Brevet Ride at 5:51 p.m. still far from the cut off time of 11 p.m. Woohoo!

I got my medal and they took the cue card so they can send it to France for official verification. 

 

– Cue Card and Medal at Mango Valley Hotel

It was a challenging ride to say the least and here’s how I did it: I rode conservatively for 270 kilometers and stopped often to take pics and relax, I ate a pack of Milky Way choco mini bars, drank lots of water and Gatorade, and ate 3 Spam and cheese sandwich sparingly for the whole duration of the ride. And I knew my fellow UFB teammates were with me and could back me up.

 

– United Folding Bikers at ACME Inn Subic (Photo: Byron Villegas)

After reading this and you’re asking yourself ‘Can I do this?’ the answer is a big ‘Yes you can’. I trained, but the longest ride I’ve had during training was 57 kilometers so if you’ve been riding for quite some time and do your homework, you’ll be fine.

– You can visit http://www.pinoytriathlon.com for more 🙂

Cyclocross, commuting and TypeVertigo’s 2014 Giant TCX SLR 2

Riding my Vitesse T10 day in and day out led me to a few realizations on what I wanted out of a bicycle. The little blue Dahon is a great machine, but not without flaws – many of which are just inherent to the small 20″ (406mm) wheel size and the folding bike form factor.

After lots of contemplation and study, I realized I wanted a cyclocross bike.

Mud, drop handlebars, running, and flying remounts – this is cyclocross. Photo from cxmagazine.com.

WHAT IS CYCLOCROSS?

For the uninitiated, cyclocross (or “CX” for short) is a sport originally meant to keep competitive road bike riders busy in the off-season cold of winter – but quickly developed into its own discipline. CX riders race their bikes in varying terrains normally unsuitable for a road bike, such as mud, snow, sand and gravel, so they run wider tires than road bikes do. The mud can clog up the caliper brakes on a normal road bike, so they run cantilevers instead. Riders may even have to dismount and shoulder their bikes while running and jumping over obstacles they can’t ride through, such as stairs and logs. Despite rising to popularity fairly recently in the Philippines, as a competitive discipline CX is much older than mountain biking (MTB).

Rider Don Myrah shouldering his cyclocross bike as he runs across a log. The rider behind him is in the middle of a running dismount. Photo courtesy of cxmagazine.com.

In 2010, competitive cycling’s governing body, the UCI, formally accepted the use of disc brakes for the unique demands of cyclocross. Normally the preserve of mountain bikes, this meant that dependable all-weather stopping power was now in reach for people who didn’t want MTBs, and served as impetus for mainstream road bikes to get their own disc brakes in the next three years.

A shot from the 2013 Cyclocross World Championship Masters men’s event. Notice the brakes on these two bikes – the left one uses cantilevers, while the yellow bike on the right has discs. Photo from cxmagazine.com.

Still confused? Here’s a video to show it all in motion.

CX = COMMUTER?

For the average Juan and Juana, a cyclocross bike can make sense as an all-weather commuter bicycle. The classic mile-munching road bike position is altered just slightly, with more relaxed geometry and a taller head tube made for greater comfort over long rides, and the large 700c wheels make for efficient progress and a higher speed range. However, they detract from the cut-and-thrust agility of a small-wheeled folding bike or mini velo, which is useful in urban gridlock.

A disc-equipped Surly Straggler fitted with a rack, full-length fenders and a front dynamo hub. Photo from joe-bike.com.

With disc brakes, a CX rider does not lose braking power when it rains or when the rims get wet. While made tougher than a road bike, a cyclocross bike doesn’t carry the added weight of a MTB and its suspension. Many CX bikes have eyelets for racks and fenders, both for loaded touring and to keep a rider and the bike’s drivetrain safe from dirty standing water.

Lastly, the wider tire fitment allows riders to run a little less air pressure for more ride comfort. Wider rubber is also a good fit for the bad potholes, ruts and road acne that characterize the typical Philippine urban street. With proper tire choice, fire roads and light trails aren’t off-limits either. In better conditions, traditional thin-width road bike tires can be fitted on a CX bike if the rider chooses.

CHOICES, CHOICES

As with many major things we plan to buy, we all have non-negotiables. Mine were disc brakes and mounts/eyelets for racks and fenders, and it had to be either a cyclocross bike, or an “endurance” road bike with the relaxed geometry to ride long-distance sportives or gran fondos in comfort.

My original choice was a Jamis Nova Sport, with a Claris drivetrain, Tektro Lyra disc brakes, and classic CX top-tube cable routing. Great value, but I waited for months in vain for stocks to arrive. Photo from cxmagazine.com.

The relative novelty of CX bikes in the Philippine context means building one from scratch isn’t the best way to go – especially since disc brake options for road bike levers are few and far between in the aftermarket. The best-known of these is Avid’s single-piston BB7, available in both Road and Mountain versions, differing in cosmetics and cable-pull ratio.

Initially I was keen on relatively inexpensive built-bike options that had 8-speed drivetrains, such as the Jamis Nova Sport, thinking that upgrading cogs would be easier than the braking system. Unfortunately, none of them were in stock – even after months of waiting.

A Giant Anyroad 1. This was attractive because of the good stock spec: Avid BB7 brakes, a wide-range Tiagra-class 2×10 drivetrain, and those uniquely shaped interrupter brake levers on the bar tops. Sadly I couldn’t get one in my size with this spec. The best I saw were Anyroad 2s in a size too small for me.

Moving up a notch on the pricing ladder meant bikes with 9- and 10-speed drivetrains. I had my sights on Giant’s Anyroad gravel racer, willing to give up a second bottle mount and awkward rack mounting for BB7 brakes and a drivetrain revolving around Tiagra-class parts and a Deore XT 11-34T MTB cassette. Disappointingly however, there was no stock of the bike in my size and desired spec.

The Orbea Avant H10D. Very good spec, but just a smidge too expensive – even in frameset form.

Spanish bike maker Orbea also popped up in my radar with their Avant H10D. TriSwimBikeRun is the closest local bike shop to where I live and they happen to sell Orbea bikes. The Avant is their endurance road bike model, and the aluminum-framed H10D variant is equipped from the factory with Shimano BR-R317 road mechanical disc brakes – very rarely seen on the aftermarket. Alas, while the cleverly hidden fender and rack mounts increase utility, the Avant H10D was priced a little out of my budget, limited to 28mm-width tires, and designed a little too cleverly.

AND THEN…

LifeCycle then offered me the Giant TCX SLR 2. At a slight premium over the Anyroad, it had everything I wanted, and then some. The componentry this bike came with beat out the Orbea Avant H10D’s, and pretty much future-proofed it for me.

Straight out of the box.

Rear non-drive side chainstay with TRP’s Spyre twin-piston mechanical disc brake caliper. Older single-piston designs such as Avid’s BB7 and Shimano’s BR-R317 push and bend the rotor toward an inboard “fixed piston.” You can see the rack eyelet on the right.

Mang Boy of LifeCycle Makati performing final assembly. Gotta like his workstand!

Shimano 105 FD-5700-F braze-on front derailleur.

FSA Omega 46-36T double crankset spinning within a BB86 press-fit MegaExo bottom bracket.

Shimano 105 RD-5700-SS rear derailleur mated to a Tiagra CS-4600 12-30T cassette. I have the exact same cassette on my Vitesse.

A look at the inboard side of the TRP Spyre front brake caliper. Pad spacing is adjustable on both sides.

Official UCI clearance stamp for cyclocross racing above the Giant spec and size decals.

A decent saddle made for Giant by Velo. A white saddle on a CX bike? It looks nice, but I wonder what they’re smoking over at the factory in Taichung…

Shimano 105 ST-5700 STI lever for the rear shifting and brakes mounted on a Giant Sport anatomic drop handlebar.

My cockpit. Yes, Giant throws in a dinky little bell and front reflector. Yes, that’s white bar tape on a CX bike. Yes, it gets dirty quickly. No, I don’t know what they smoke at the Taichung factory. 🙂

Front fork and handlebar.

Presenting my TCX SLR 2 in commuter duds with lights on. No rack and fenders yet, though. Check out the U-lock “mounting.”

Lights off, and with one f-stop worth’s light over the previous photo.

“Crouching Dahon, hidden roadie”

RETURN TO FORM

It had been almost 15 years since I last rode a road bike and it took some patience to get used to the sleek riding position again. Once I did, though, the TCX came alive. The frame has both light weight and stiffness, harnessing all my pedaling power without flexing or creaking, while the carbon-fiber fork and seatpost take the sting out of Manila’s pockmarked roads. Shimano 105 STI levers and derailleurs smartly shove the KMC X10 chain across a familiar Tiagra 12-30T cassette and an FSA Omega 46-36T double crankset. Best of all, the TCX came with TRP’s twin-piston Spyre calipers – arguably the best mechanical disc brakes around. All of this rode on Giant S-X2 wheels shod with bespoke knobbly Schwalbe rubber. I thought the Anyroad 1 looked handsome in its gray and blue, but heck, the TCX SLR 2’s stealthy gloss black finish with red and white accents is pretty damn good too.

Cockpit pieces may get swapped out as I go, but mechanically speaking there is practically nothing left to upgrade on the TCX. All it needs is a rear rack and full-length fenders.

Checking the bike fit on the TCX while riding on the hoods. From what I’ve studied on road bike fit, the frame is correctly sized for my body. Any adjustments afterward will be minute tweaks.

Maximum leg extension. Looks like saddle height’s fine

I repurposed a few decals that came with my Fox helmet to personalize the TCX and make it my own without overdoing it. This one is on the top tube.

Another decal on the fork blade where the speed sensor is. I like how this one fits.

A last decal on the seatpost. This is a handy way of marking the saddle height too.

I took it on a 41.3-kilometer ride around Daang Hari and Daang Reyna and it felt great. Some cockpit aspects could be improved, but this is a good start.

Since taking delivery of the bike, I’ve taken it on quite a few long rides and logged 280 kilometers on it pretty quickly. It’s a fun machine to punt around, and definitely a contender for a road bike that will do almost everything you ask. The price may be a little steep, but you’re also getting a whole lot of bike for the money and it’s a great all-rounder. The Giant TCX SLR 2 just might be all the bike you need…I know it’s the last bike I’ll be buying for a good long while.

It didn’t take long for me to take the bike out on my longest ride yet.

Thanks for viewing!

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SPECIFICATIONS_
2014 GIANT TCX SLR 2 

FRAME

• Size S, 50cm
• Giant Aluxx SLR triple-butted 6011A aluminum alloy frame, internal cable routing, BB86 bottom bracket
• Integrated seatpost clamp with included rack adapter
• Carbon-fiber composite fork, OverDrive 2 aluminum steerer tube

DRIVETRAIN

• KMC X10 10-speed chain with Missing Link 10R
• FSA Omega 46-36T double crankset, 170mm crank arms
• FSA MegaExo press-fit bottom bracket (BB86)
• Shimano Tiagra CS-4600 10-speed cassette sprocket, 12-30T
• Shimano 105 ST-5700 STI 2×10 brifters, Lodestar Black
• Shimano 105 FD-5700-F front derailleur, braze-on mount
• Shimano 105 RD-5701-SS short-cage rear derailleur, Lodestar Black

ROLLING STOCK

• Giant S-X2 wheelset
  • Giant S-X2 rims
  • Giant Tracker Sport hubs, 6-bolt disc mount, 100mm F/135mm R
  • 9mm quick-release skewers
  • Stainless steel 14G spokes x28 per wheel
• Schwalbe Super Swan knobby tires, 700x35c (ETRTO 35×622)

BRAKES

• TRP Spyre double-piston mechanical disc brakes
• TRP 160mm rotors F and R
• TRP semi-metallic pads, Shimano BR-M515 compatible

COCKPIT

• Giant Performance Men’s saddle by Velo
• Giant D-Fuse SL carbon-fiber seatpost
• Giant Sport handlebar, 31.8mm x 400mm x 140mm, anatomic drop
• Giant Sport stem, 90mm
• Dartmoor Cookie flat plastic pedals
• Giant Sport bell

LIGHTING

• Cat Eye Volt 1200 HL-EL1000RC front light
• Cat Eye Omni 5 TL-LD155R safety light
• Cat Eye TL-LD170R safety light

OTHERS

• Lezyne Power Cage bottle cage
• Topeak MonoCage CX bottle cage
• Deuter Bike Bag II saddle bag

Our group photo in Aling P

We love Aling P. We found our old group photo pasted in their board when we rode there yesterday. Guys, sinong nag print at nagbigay ng photo sa kanila? Super thank you, 🙂

UFB on Tropang Pochi

In November last year, our group, the United Folding Bikers joined the annual Tour of the Fireflies. After the 20+ kilometer ride, we were interviewed by the staff of Tropang Pochi, a weekly TV show for kids on GMA. We talked about folding bikes and this is what the segment looked like. (special thanks to Retro Man for the youtube upload).

Chill Ride sa Marikina Bikeways

What a way to start the second half of January. We did this super fun but super newbie friendly ride in Marikina yesterday. Alex was our ride leader and he was ably assisted by friends from Marikina. Here are some of the nice shots by Alex himself, Papa Rocky, Maica, Michaella and Michael.