[1040] Every Van Musings

I recently had a chat with a friend of mine who was also interested in the Suzuki Every. He watches almost the same youtube channels I do, and he's done a test drive of an Every from a dealer in Cavite.

One of the biggest takeaways I got from him was that the ride was hot. I do know you're sitting on top of the engine, but from what he said I'm not so sure if it was a design issue or if the surplus seller didn't add insulation below the seat. I'm thinking it's the latter.

I was also watching a Youtube video of a DA64W Turbo on a road trip to Bicol and one of the comments in that page was someone mentioning that he was sitting for five hours stuck in traffic in a DA64W and it was hard to walk after. I'm not so sure if it was the quality of the seats or the seating position.

So my takeaways from these are that you need to insulate the engine bay and probably get good seats. That being said, if I actually gain the courage to buy a Japan surplus Suzuki Every I'm still sticking with a DA17V non-turbo AGS as the base model. It can even the the most entry-level variant, since that has manual side mirrors and windows. Then add modifications from the surplus seller like the following.

• Upgrade to DA17W front and rear seats. I've seen videos and the Every Wagon seats look like they have thicker cushions. The headrests are also separate for the front seats. The rear seats are split folding and they're also equipped with headrests. I'd also require seatbelts for the second row since the so-called "captain's seats" do have provisions for seat belts.
• 7-inch Android Auto ready head unit with back-up camera. This is also a very common (and useful) upgrade since it gives you another way to see the rear when you back up.
• Front fog lamps patterned after the DA17W look. I'm curious about additional bumpers and bumper mounted fog lamps but honestly I'm not too keen on adding bumpers since it would add weight. So just copy the DA17W look and add bumper mounted fog lamps.
• Top load carrier. Basically the roof rack. Just have it added and registered so that you can load stuff on the roof when absolutely necessary.

And that's it. I think the mods I'm thinking of adding are pretty similar to the ones I was originally thinking of a few weeks ago.

Additional mods I'd have done that won't be from the seller would be switching the signal and wiper stalks to left-hand drive orientation, better sound system (including better and additional speakers, improved head unit, maybe an amp), rear chase light bar to replace the third brake light, and maybe even some performance related mods.

There's this youtuber who lives in Japan who owns a DA64V turbo and his mods are making me a bit envious of the modifications he's done to his Every Van. Aside from rims, he's added a blow off valve, coilovers, and aftermarket exhaust.

Out.

[1039] Bike Thoughts

Earlier this morning I rode my bike. I also rode it yesterday morning.

Since I'm on holiday until after New Year I decided to change up my morning routine a bit by going cycling instead of walking. I also go out a bit later, when the sun is out.

I have to be honest, my body is not used to riding a bike anymore. My elbows hurt when I ride, I can't bike as fast as I used to, and my stamina isn't there anymore. Quads hurt, right knee hurt, but I still had fun riding.

In fact on a spur of the moment decision I rode my usual East Service Road loop earlier this morning. Not as fast as I used to but I was still able to go around after doing a 2 km warm up inside the subdivision. It felt great.

I should ride my bike more often.

Out.

[1038] Random Thoughts

Trying to overcome a really quick and heavy negative episode now so I'll just ramble here to distract myself and help me overcome the negative stuff.

It's pretty interesting how this holiday break is going. It's a damn rollercoaster of positive and negative stuff, and I guess it's on me to not let the lows be low. I think I'm slipping in trying to control my thoughts so I have to be more mindful.

Aside from that I really wish I could find the strength of will and peace of mind I had been praying for since I was in my twenties. It's a journey and I do think that I have improved in those two aspects, not just what I was hoping for.

Out.

[1037] Rejuvenation

I'll be taking a long break these coming holidays. I'm hoping I can rejuvenate myself overall.

Surprisingly I'm not in a negative space at the moment. Things have been going well these past few weeks and I honestly cannot complain about anything. Well that's a lie. I can and do have some minor annoyances but nothing earth-shattering, to be honest.

I guess another reason why I'm not in a negative space is because I recently let out a decent burst of frustrations and I guess my "frustration glass" is relatively empty at the moment. I have no idea how long this will last or how bad it will be next time it gets full, but I'm hoping with my upcoming break that the "frustration glass" gets bigger. We shall see.

Out. 

[1036] End of the Year Retrospective (Part 1?)

It's the last month of the year. I can't think of anything to write about so I'll do a filler retrospective.

The year has been strange. Full of what ifs on my end. It sort of confirms to me that I really don't want to leave my comfort zone. Or it has shown that I've probably dug myself a hole that will be very difficult to climb out of.

I'm going to be cryptic since deciding I'd rather not be too transparent to internet strangers who stumble into my blog. Let's just say a rolling stone gathers no moss and I'm pretty mossy right now.

Let's just see what happens and if I can kick myself in the butt and keep moving forward.

Out.

[1035] The Suzuki Every Van

I recently discovered a youtube channel of a foreigner living in Japan who owns and modified a Suzuki Every Van. Based on his videos he's owned it for a few years already and has already broken it or something. I have no idea, I haven't watched all his videos.

I just found it interesting that you could modify the Every Van, and that there are aftermarket mods available in Japan. The only episode I've seen is when he replaced the air intake with a cold air intake and added a blow-off valve for his Every Van's turbo.

This just added strong points to the argument of getting a Japan Surplus Every Van here. A turbo Every Van. Though I think his van is a DA64, I still prefer the newer DA17.

Aesthetic mods I'd do are rims and a nice sound system aside from the other stuff I blogged about before.

Out.

[1034] Looking Back on November 2023

I don't usually do a retrospective of the past month, but I sort of feel like doing one now.

During the last weekend of October we drove over to Lucena to visit my aunt who had cancer. My wife always made it a point to remind me to visit my aunt. We had lunch on Sunday, and since we were staying with my folks for three days, we went a bit later on Monday and had merienda with her.

We got her chocolate ice cream, she was very delighted and ate a lot. Asked for a second serving, and even mixed some cake we brought the day before. That Monday one of my cousins also went to Lucena to visit her.

That week of Nov 1 she was visited again by my other cousins and their mom and dad. Spent an afternoon with her before driving back.

November 6 my uncle told me when he went to check on her she was so radiant and talkative, a far cry from how she usually behaved. She was so upbeat that he had to excuse himself instead of the usual other way around.

Early November 7 my aunt passed away.

I think I'm just repeating an earlier blog but I'm just processing my thoughts. I miss my aunt. I miss visiting her and chatting with her and telling her I'd be back so please buy some good food.

The rest of November was a blur. I can't believe it will be December in a few days.

Out.

[1033] Car Daydream

I've sort of narrowed down what four types of used cars I would consider. These were mostly aided by advice from the owner of the car shop we send our cars to for maintenance and repairs.

Basically the owner told me that Toyota's Vios and Yaris are good cars to consider. Veer away from buy and sell, and always ask for service records. When I asked if the Honda Jazz was a good option he also said it was.

So there you have it. I'll be narrowing my search to either a Toyota Vios, Yaris, or Honda Jazz. I'd like to get them as new as possible, maybe anything older than 2011. Of course I also need it to be an automatic since that would be the best option for a fuel efficient daily driver in Metro Manila conditions.

Engine size isn't a big deal for me anymore with those three options. Their smallest engines are 1.3L here and the biggest is 1.5L so hopefully it's not much of a difference with regards to fuel efficiency.

There's also the wildest of the wild cars, the Japan surplus DA17V Suzuki Every Van that has been on my dream car wishlist since a few months ago. The biggest hurdle here would be the fact that it is a right-hand drive conversion so a lot of quality of life features will still be for right hand drive.

Features like the wipers will be oriented for right-hand drive. The light and wiper stalks will be reversed. If the side mirrors are power adjust the angles will also be for right-hand drive. The hood opener and gas tank opener switches will be on the right side. If there's one thing I could change there it would be the wiper and signal light switches. That's the biggest thing i want converted to left-hand drive, second would be the wipers for better visibility in the rain.

Out.

[1032] Thoughts

I was never looking for glory or acknowledgement when I heard some relatives tell me it was a good idea I asked my cousins to visit our aunt who passed away recently.

Truth be told I honestly didn't want to tell them to do anything. I'm not the type of person who does that, specially to my relatives. Like my uncle said, I may have had a gut feeling that made me go out of my way to message one of my cousins and give her a certain sense of urgency about visiting our aunt.

And they did visit her. A week before she passed a lot of people suddenly went to Lucena to visit her and have lunch with her. She saw the daughter of one of our cousins. She ate a lot of ice cream. She was happy.

My uncle told me the Monday before my aunt passed that she was so happy and talkative talking to him. She was saying how many people visited her and was also recalling stories of the Vietnam adventures of her other cousins.

Then she passed away that night.

I never asked my cousins to visit to get credit. I wanted them to visit because I knew it would make my aunt happy. And like I keep telling the cousin I was close to, dying alone sucks.

Out.

[1031] Life

My aunt passed away yesterday November 8, 2023.

Rest in peace, you will be missed.

Out.

[1030] Two Car Garage

I've blogged about two car garage rosters before. I'm too lazy to find and share the links here so just take my word for it. This time it will be a bit different.

Our 2001 Toyota Rav4 is my ideal second car. Just the right size as a road trip vehicle and a number coding car. Meaning this won't be the daily driver.

The other car has to be a smaller, lower displacement, more fuel efficient car. This would be the daily driven city car that should also be a practical car. Basically it has to be a hatchback.

I'm a really big fan of hatchbacks, probably because the Rav4 does have hatchback like qualities even if it's considered a wagon in the registration. The biggest difference between the Rav4 and a hatchback is that the Rav4's rear door opens sideways instead of getting lifted up.

So that's it. Ideally that's the two car garage I'd want. Our 2001 Toyota Rav4 and whatever practical, fuel efficient car I can find.

Out.

[1029] House Repairs

My folks recently decided to get some repairs done on our house. Started with the roof, and now we're having the ceiling and electricals repaired and updated.

Which is a good thing because I don't think the electricals of this house have been updated since it was built maybe fifty years ago. The only update I know is the change from a fusebox to a circuit breaker.

It's been stressful with the repairs, but I'd rather not blog about why. I just hope when I do look back and read this blog I will remember why. It is worth it, though. I've lived in this house almost my entire life and I honestly have plenty of great memories here.

Out.

[1028] Road Trip

Last Sunday we went to visit my parents and my aunt in Quezon Province. This was planned for a long time and something I was looking forward to because I wanted to drive to and from the province.

Usually we go to visit either on long weekends or Saturday to Sunday with my mom's driver driving, but seeing as how this week was going to be relatively work free (because of declared holidays or leaves filed) we decided to give him some time off and I would do the driving. How bad would it be?

Not that bad. Going there we got stuck for an hour or so because of a road accident and there were times I lost my cool because of selfish drivers who'll take the right lane and cut in front of you even if they can see from far away that the road funnels into one lane. Don't tell me about zipper lanes because they're running way faster than the average speed and will perform what I call the "braking overtake" where they will go really fast, slam on the brakes and dive into your lane. Usually without warning or signal lights.

Aside from that it was a pleasant drive. Same with the ride home. Biggest difference was I told myself to just let those assholes through and not to spend too much effort or anger trying to not let them get through. So we were basically plodding along around 60kmh along the provincial roads until we got to the expressway where speeds picked up to around 80 to 100kmh depending on how fast the car in front was or how open the roads were.

It was a great trip for multiple reasons. The road trip drive was something I guess I needed because I actually feel pretty great now. Hopefully this will carry me until the Christmas holidays.

Out.

[1027] With A Little Help From My Friends

Things seem to be going in a different direction career-wise. I will rarely talk about really personal things on my blog nowadays because of personal reasons, but I will say that things seem to have changed for me in my career.

Having a friendly and honest chat with some friends has helped a big deal, as well as coming to terms with some of my weaknesses and deficiencies.

Now all I can do is soldier on and hope that I can steer myself in a positive direction.

Out.

[1026] More Every Van Musings

This is a continuation of my thoughts from this earlier blog. Plus I also re-watched a youtube video from Surplus TV featuring a DA17 Every Van. I prefer the Every Van variant because they automatically (unless I'm mistaken) have a high roof. The DA17W Every Wagon variant I feel just has too many features that make it too expensive a surplus vehicle. Plus whatever working features (because I'm pretty sure they don't come here with all features, like having airbags?) the DA17W has you can offset with modifications on a DA17V.

I'll just add to my earlier opinions about the DA17V. As of this moment, with all available surplus units I've seen on Youtube, the DA17V is indeed the ideal base model in the event I actually win the lottery and decide to get a Japan surplus Every Van.

• The engine should either be the naturally aspirated R06A auto-gear shift (AGS) variant or the turbocharged R06A automatic transmission variant. Basically any variant that offers an automatic transmission. The simplest explanation is because traffic here sucks and I'd rather not have to juggle a third pedal just to go toe-to-toe with other motorists. I'd really prefer the AGS variant because then you'd have an option to go manual mode which would be useful for long highway drives or when you're driving inclines and declines.
• It should be an all-power variant. Power windows and auto-folding, auto-adjusting side mirrors. The reason is this variant has a wide shelf above the driver and passenger seats. As stupid as this sounds I'd rather maximize the cargo space of the van. You can probably store your car documents there as well as some emergency change of clothes. 
• It should have rear split-folding seats. Or "captain's chairs" as a majority of local Japan surplus dealers call them.

That's it. That will be the blank canvas from which I will add modifications. Here are some mods I would think should be added, in order of importance. These would most likely be additional costs and modifications I'd ask the actual supplier to do instead of me adding these. Specially the roof carrier and top-loading registration.

• OBD 2 multifunction reader. The DA17V dashboard I think just has a speedometer and a series of warning lights. Adding an OBD 2 scanner will give me additional information and from what I've seen in some videos these include oil temp, engine RPM, real time fuel consumption, and it also scans and reads your car's faults.
• Android ready head unit with a back-up camera. Android ready so I can pair my phone with the head unit. Back-up camera for added safety when backing up.
• Dash cam front and rear. Again for additional safety. I'd probably splurge for this so I get clear front and rear videos even during night time.
• Custom spoiler. If there's a stock spoiler of a DA17W or DA17V that's what I want.
• Fog lamps. I'm a bit torn here but I've seen videos where the Japan surplus suppliers add fog lamps that look just like the stock fog lamps on a DA17W so I'll probably be happy with that.
• Roof cargo basket and top-loading registration. I don't know how useful this would be but it's something that might be useful in the future.

Aside from those I'd probably try to look for some quality of life improvements to the car, namely making sure the side mirrors are fixed so they work for left-hand drive vehicles and swapping the wiper and light switches so that they're all left-hand drive oriented.

I'm not sure if there's anything else I'd want to add. I'm pretty sure this would become a permanent project car in the sense that I'd be doing some modifications or improvements to it the whole time I own it. Maybe getting better tires and rims, better speakers, or some aftermarket headlights I saw online.

Out.

[1025] Plans

Due to unexpected events happening these past few months I've decided it would be better to shelve my idea of getting a second-hand, fuel efficient car until next year.

It's a financial decision so that I can hopefully either increase my budget or find something more bang for the buck by next year. I could technically get one now but it just isn't the right time with regards to expenses and everything. I should ideally be looking and buying one by the first or second quarter of next year if everything goes according to plan.

I'm still sticking to my hope that I can find a decent 2nd generation Honda Jazz with an automatic transmission. I don't even mind if I can't get the 1.5L engine. However I'm not against buying a slightly newer, smaller displacement car if that's the best I can find. I just want a hatchback.

This basically means my search for the fuel efficient hatchback will continue next time. Still hoping I can get a Honda Jazz, but if not I'm more than happy to get a Toyota Wigo, Suzuki Celerio, or Mitsubishi Mirage. They've all been proven to be practical and fuel efficient, and they can all do long drives. Plus they are indeed newer models to my dream Honda Jazz model.

Out.

[1024] Practical Car Dream Set Up

Still can't pull the trigger on getting a second-hand, fuel efficient car. Too much analysis paralysis and honestly I probably need to save up a bit more so I don't completely wipe out my savings. So I continue daydreaming about upgrades I would do should I finally get my practical dream car.

Register for top load. I believe this is required for the Philippines. You need to pay additional to the registration so you can mount cargo on the roof. I honestly plan on eventually adding roof rails on the roof so I can mount a bike rack, a cargo basket, or even a cargo box. This will give additional storage on the car.

Upgrade stereo head unit to an Apple Car Play and Android Auto ready head unit. Have a back-up camera installed at the same time. Pairing my mobile phone to the car will allow me to have the navigation and music from my phone connected to the car. A back up camera will help with maneuvering.

Dash cam front and rear. I'm guessing these are separate add-ons to the head unit and back up camera. We'll need this for security.

LED light upgrade for some lights. We can start with the interior lighting, and maybe the lights for the plate number at the rear. I'm not sure if upgrading brake, reverse, and signal lights to LEDs are plug and play, but if they are then I'll upgrade those as well. Headlights and fog lamps I will keep stock because I've read that not all headlights can use LED bulbs because of focusing issues.

Speakers. This is not a priority but a luxury.

OBD 2 scanner / readout. I've seen some of these in some Every Wagon videos and they seem like a nice addition. It can not only scan your computer for issues but it can also act as a temp gauge, fuel efficiency calculator, and other stuff.

That's it, basically. Nothing too fancy or extreme. Just get some quality equipment for those times I will want to go on long drives.

Out.

[1023] Practical Car Musings

I think I've finally decided that if I do end up buying a used car to become the daily driver for Metro Manila it would be the Honda Jazz GE. Ideally with the 1.5L engine and definitely with the automatic transmission. Even better if it's totally unmodified, though I will accept a new head unit installed, specially if it is an android head unit.

I just need the car to be reliable and fuel efficient. And yes I still ideally want a 1.5L Honda Jazz because at least I'll be owning one of my dream cars.

How would I feel if I have to get a Wigo, Mirage, or Vios? Not too bad, because I just really want to have a fuel efficient car we can use almost daily. Times are really hard and the gas prices are really screwing with my budget.

Out.

[1022] More Suzuki Every Musings

Learning a lot more about the Suzuki Every Wagon/Every Van by watching more youtube videos of different local Japan surplus suppliers. Plus I saw a few of them on the way to and from my folks' place in the province.

So the DA17 auto-gear shift is only available on non-turbo engines. The eco-mode that happens in an AGS equipped DA17 only works on auto-gear shift mode and not during manual mode.

Based on these two things I am once again adjusting the Suzuki Every Van I would like to have. It would still be the DA17 van, with a non-turbo engine and auto-gear shift. That's it. It would be nice if I could get the split folding rear seats (or "captain's chairs" like how local surplus dealers call them) and seat belts. Also hopefully get all-power windows and mirrors so that the shelf on the top of the front seats is available.

For modifications I'd like to ask for DA17W fog lamps, a 7-inch android head unit. roof rack and basket, and a rear spoiler coming from the dealer. Everything else is as stock as possible.

Then for additional modifications maybe the OBD 2 port digital temp gauge/OBD 2 for additional car info and a rear LED chase light bar I'd mount on the top of the rear tailgate. The chase light bar would be placed over the rear third brake light and I'd try to do some good wiring so that it can become a secondary set of signal, brake, and reverse lights.

I'd probably try to upgrade the speakers as well. Not sure about adding ceiling mounted fans to improve aircon circulation, but I have no idea how cool or strong the aircon is.

Out.

[1021] Practical, Used Car Update

Nothing major, I just think it would be best to get a locally sold car. I'm still leaning toward a relatively older Honda Jazz, either gen 1 GD or gen 2 GE. I'm not sure how factual some youtube videos are but they've spoken very highly about the quality of the engines the Honda Jazz uses. I'm also hoping that the repair shop we patronize can do maintenance on the Honda Jazz.

Moving to Plan B is the relatively newer use cars. Toyota Wigo, Mitsubishi Mirage, Suzuki Celerio, or Toyota Vios are all cars I would consider here. This drops to second simply because the Honda Jazz has been a dream car of mine since I was in my twenties. These cars are newer and have less kilometers on them, and they are probably more fuel efficient but most choices I have are smaller than the Honda Jazz and are probably less spacious.

Finally the last option is the Japan Surplus Suzuki Every Van. I just watched a video of a heavily modified DA17 AGS non-turbo and the "base build" of that car is around PhP330k. So I won't be surprised if the turbo variant costs more plus with some of the accessories and modifications I want this will probably end up being the most expensive option. Aside from the model and add-ons I also either have to pay for shipping to Metro Manila or I have to fly to Davao to get the unit and drive it all the way to Manila. Sounds like a fun adventure but also a very expensive one as well.

Out.

[1020] Practical Daily Driver

If you've been regularly reading this blog you'll know I've been considering getting a more practical, fuel-efficient, second-hand car. You'll also know I've considered the Japan surplus converted Suzuki Every Van/Wagon. I'm pretty sure you also know that one of the attainable dream cars of mine is a Honda Jazz GE, the second generation Jazz.

Now, the re-sale value of the Jazz here is pretty high. I'm seeing ten-year old models and older selling for almost the same amount as a 2016 Toyota Wigo. And these expensive Honda Jazz aren't even the top-of-the-line variants with the 1.5L engine and CVT transmission. I've seen 1.3L variants that are north of PhP400,000.00 and that's just a bit too much for me.

My biggest concern with getting a used Honda Jazz is the reliability. Who owned it, did they take good care of it, does it have issues that are about to show up but haven't yet? I haven't even factored in the question of buying from a private seller or from a used-car dealer. Will they allow me to have the car inspected before I make an offer?

Second concern would be maintenance. If I do end up buying a Honda Jazz that passes a mechanic's inspection I'm pretty sure I'd have it sent straight to a shop to have PMS (preventive maintenance schedule) done on it and to just make sure everything is fine. Once PMS is done I'd probably need to make sure the tires are still good. Basically spend additional amount just to make sure the car will be relatively headache free moving forward.

Once I'm pretty confident that the practical, fuel efficient car is ready for the daily grind only then would I start saving again for mods and improvements. An android head unit, better speakers, stick some blind-spot mirrors on the side mirrors, make sure the headlight plastic is still relatively clear, maybe non-stock rims.

Of course this plan of mine is pretty generic. I'll be doing this to any car I eventually purchase, as long as I break out of my analysis paralysis (if I'm using that term right). It applies if I get the Honda Jazz, a Suzuki Every Van, a Toyota Wigo, a Mitsubishi Mirage, or a Toyota Yaris.

Out.

[1019] More Every Wagon Musings

Yet another filler/Every Wagon blog post. Here we go.

First off I saw this in one of the facebook groups I was browsing. Left-hand drive DA64 conversion kit for the wiper and light stalks. I'm not sure if this works or how reliable it is, plus it says DA64 on the item link so I have no idea if this can or will work on a DA17. This is basically a "quality of life" mod that will make your converted Every Wagon be more left-hand drive.

I've been watching DA17 videos from the youtube channels of both Surplus TV and Surplus Pinas. There are a few things I'm noticing. Since the DA17 rear lights are the same on either van or wagon variant, and the wagon variant is the most expensive one, it seems more practical to get a DA17V with the engine, drivetrain, and transmission you want. Then you just add on the modifications you'd want.

So yet again, a Suzuki DA17 Every Van, turbocharged R06 engine, automatic transmission or auto-gear shift, 4x4. If possible ask for the second row "captain's chairs" (or is it the split-folding rear seats?) Keep everything inside as close to stock as possible. Seat covers in dark grey. No "third row bench seats" since I value space. Fog lamps. Gutter mounted roof rails and cargo basket. Rear spoiler. Another common add-on is the OBD II port connected computer to show temps and other relevant data. Plus it acts as on OBD scanner as well. The left-hand drive light and wiper switch conversions. Additional ceiling mounted fan/blower for the second row (because I've heard that the A/C of these cars takes a while to reach the second row).

As for the paint job, I just had a very crazy idea earlier today. Paint scheme based on the A-Team's GMC Vandura. Basically black body with a red strip along the upper third then a metallic gray color for the upper portion. No need to add the additional front and rear bumpers since that would make the Every Van too heavy. Also hopefully have the red stripe be reflective because I really dislike black and dark grey colors for the car because I value road visibility.

If road visibility is really what I want then I can always go with a yellow bottom and white upper color scheme based on the VW Type 2 as seen in "Little Miss Sunshine."

Out.

[1018] Yet Another Every Wagon Blog

Despite deciding it isn't worth it (or is it?) to get a surplus, converted Suzuki Every Wagon I still keep watching videos. I've learned a few new things about some of the variants. Again, these are things I learn about locally imported Japan surplus Every Wagons so these are probably what happens to these cars when they get here.

The DA17 is currently the latest variant available in the Philippines and features drive-by-wire tech for the accelerator pedal. DA64 still uses throttle cable.

DA17 uses the R06 engine while the DA64 uses the K6A engine. The former engine has variable valve timing making it more fuel efficient.

The wagon and van variants of this new model both have their lights on the bumper, while the older DA64 had bumper rear lights for the vans and body mounted rear lights for the wagon variants.

Auto Gear Shift / Tiptronic DA17 models use gear oil instead of Automatic Transmission Fluid. I'm still not sure if these AGS variants are available in both non-turbo and turbo variants. I'm also not sure if they come with full-time AWD or 4x2.

The newer DA17 I think has an OBD II port, and most modified vans here have a temp gauge / OBD scanner connected to give additional information during drives.

I still am curious what the experience would be to own an Every Wagon, but I still think the pros are outweighing the cons.

I still stand by my earlier blog post that I would still ideally want a DA17 wagon with split rear folding chairs, AGS shifting, 4WD, turbocharged R06 engine, and a few other modifications. These modifications are for quality of life, not aesthetics.

Biggest factors for actually pushing through with buying one would be price, who did the conversion, and how the conversion was done. Maybe the first major modification I would have done would be to find a left-hand drive steering column with light and wiper switches to almost fully transform it to a left-hand drive oriented ride.

Out.

[1017] "Attainable" Dream Car List

It's been a few months, or years, since my last dream car list and it looks like I need a filler (heh) blog post so here we go. I'll be doing this in order of preference at this moment.

1. Honda Jazz GE 1.5L automatic transmission. This is the second generation Honda Jazz. I still think this is the best combination of size and looks compared to the first (GD) and third (GK?) that I see here in the Philippines. Used models are still damn expensive and I can get newer albeit smaller hatchbacks for the same price. Aside from having everything checked and repaired I'd probably try to upgrade the head unit to an Android ready head unit. Definitely buff the headlight plastic to make sure the beams are still clear and not diffused.
2. Suzuki Every Wagon DA17W high roof, auto gear shift, 4WD, turbocharged engine. As far as I know the DA17 is one of the newer models and it uses the new R06A engine that has variable valve timing. My dad and I have been watching so many videos of Japan surplus Every Wagons being sold locally that we both want our own. The reasons I am hesitant to pull the trigger despite the relatively reasonable price are the fact that they are a) converted b) Japan surplus used cars. So since they were never locally sold here I'm not so sure about parts availability. And since they're heavily used and converted I'm not sure how many more kilometers they have left in them. I've seen some units maybe six or seven years old have 150k kilometers.
3. Classic Volkswagen Beetle with a manual transmission. I can still find some really cheap beater Beetles on Facebook Marketplace. The biggest issue here is how much I'd have to spend to repair and modify and how much I would have to spend to improve some important components. Components like a disc brake conversion, a better and more efficient alternator, maybe a new wiring harness if the cables are really old, and maybe an air conditioner if the engine can handle it.
4. Toyota Rav4 XA20 with automatic transmission, all-wheel drive, and five-doors. Wait a minute, this is the car I take care of at the moment. I already "have" it. Why am I looking for a replacement? Sadly as much as I love this car, the fuel economy is relatively bad. It gets around 5 to 6 km/L when different people drive it. Aside from that I have no complaints. I'm doing my best to take care of it and make sure it is roadworthy for years to come. I love this car, but with rising fuel prices and traffic getting worse I honestly need to be practical and get a more fuel efficient car if possible.

These are my top attainable dream cars at the moment.

Out.

[1016] Mobile Phone Fiasco

Yesterday I blogged about my choice of mobile phone. Yesterday I also tried to purchase it online with cash on delivery (COD) as my main choice. Then the poop hit the fan.

According to my shopping app I could not continue checking out my order because my account had unusual activities. I thought it was an error so I tried checking out again, still no luck. I tried logging out, still no luck.

So I contacted the app's customer service and the agent basically said the same thing as the error message. I asked if I could find out what unusual activity my account did but apparently they were not allowed to tell me what that was.

Their solution to fix the problem was to find another seller or pick another payment method. I sure as hell don't plan on using my credit card with their app, nor do I have any plans of using their digital wallet yet again.

I'm really disappointed with their app and their answer, but all is not lost. I've decided to just look for another mobile phone that is sold in a physical store locally.

I already rarely use that online shopping app and now I will use it even less. I've stopped getting coffee beans from their sellers and the only things I buy there are cheap household related stuff like detergents and clothes covers.

Out.

[1015] Mobile Phones

The time has come for me to start looking around for a new mobile phone. Unfortunately my current OnePlus 6T is starting to show its age. Plus the lock button has lost tactile feel and is now challenging to press, and I don't want to wait for the time when I can't lock or unlock my phone.

It's been four years anyway, and I feel like I've maximized using my phone. My budget has gotten lower because as I grow older I realize that I need to be smarter with my purchases. So my target now is a mid-range phone that has a decent camera, decent ram, and good storage. I've got some candidates.

Actually I've already got a frontrunner. The Poco X5 Pro 5G (GSM Arena link here) has had some favorable reviews from one or two local youtubers who a friend of mine recommended to me.

My biggest concern now with the X5 Pro is that the only way to buy it is via online shopping so I don't know where to send it for repairs. Poco is supposedly tied with Xiaomi but when I went to a physical Mi Store they told me they don't sell that brand. Weird.

Out.

[1014] The Suzuki Every

I've been watching more youtube videos about surplus converted Suzuki Every Vans / Wagons being sold here. Apparently the V or W in the DA17V/W designation basically means "Every Van" or "Every Wagon." The vans seem to have their rear lights on the bumpers and a bigger rear cargo space, while the wagons have body mounted rear lights and relatively smaller cargo areas. I also think vans have a higher roof. This is all just based on videos I've watched.

It also seems better to get the newer models, the DA17s. They've got the newer R06A engines that have VVT, or variable valve timing. Probably makes them more fuel efficient. Although it can also make them harder to fix if something happens.

These newer Every Wagons / Every Vans can also have the Suzuki Auto-Gear Shit or AGS instead of the traditional 4-speed automatic. Rides with the AGS have more traditional handbrakes instead of the foot brakes.

So what does this all mean? Well basically if I do get a chance to order one, I'm going for a newer, AGS equipped, R06A VVTI engine Every Wagon. I'd ask if they could add an additional aircon blower for the rear, mounted on the roof a la other vans with dual aircon.

Externally I would prefer zero badges, even the the logo. A nice orange Every Wagon with matte black accents for the grills and door handles. Black front hood. Body matching side mirrors, and maybe fender flares just for looks. Keep everything else stock. Add a gutter mounted roof rail and roof cargo basket that would be registered so we can carry more stuff if ever.

Inside I'd want a 9-inch android unit with back up camera, and front and rear dashcams. Not the dashcams that have their screens on the rear view mirror, unless you have the option to actually use the rear view mirror as intended. Maybe a more aggressive sounding horn. Having temp gauge would also be nice since some models don't seem to have one. Seatbelts for driver, front row passenger, and left and right rear passengers would also be a must. Rear seats should be the split-folding so that if ever my family can go on road trips we'd have plenty of space for stuff while still have seats for three.

Finally if I could figure out what steering rack is compatible with the every I'd definitely upgrade the steering rack so that the wiper and light stalks are in the proper left-hand drive orientation so no confusion happens when driving the car.

And that's it. I could probably message one of the two Suzuki Every Wagon surplus shops I check out and ask how much that would cost, but I'm still not totally sold on getting a high mileage converted vehicle from Japan. I still feel more confident in buying a locally sold second-hand car.

Out.

[1013] Cross is Coming

Cross is coming. By this I mean cyclocross season is coming. As far as I know it starts around autumn or so and goes on until maybe February or March.

I got interested in cyclocross because the UCI youtube channel used to show live races. Then while I was researching on what bike to assemble I also saw a few videos comparing cyclocross (or CX) bikes versus gravel bikes. Plus I honestly think my bike frame is for cyclocross (because it's called the Tsunami Seaboard CX01 and they came out with a newer gravel frame named the Tsunami Gravel GR02).

What does this have to do with my blog post? Well I'm really really tempted to get a new wheelset for my bike. I've seen one already and it's both a 700c wheelset and it is tubeless ready. My current wheelset is 29 inches (so mountain bike basically) and it isn't tubeless ready.

Aside from getting a new wheelset I'm also seriously thinking about getting a new cassette for said new wheelset, something with less range than an 11-50, maybe 11-40 or 11-42. Then I'm also thinking of getting narrower tires. Either stick to Panaracer Gravel Kings that are either 32mm or 35mm or even go for some CX tires, not that I do CX. I'm also thinking about getting a bigger chainring. Specifically a 46T round narrow-wide chainring.

Doing these changes would make my bike a bit more of a road bike, and would probably be a bit more challenging for me to use for inclines but hey, I rarely ride outside the subdivision anyway. Also if you didn't notice by doing those changes I'll be building my bike closer to a CX build than an all-around gravel build, specially if I use tires that don't go past 33mm which is the UCI max width for CX bikes.

Out.

[1012] Rest in Peace, Chula

Our pet cat Chula passed away today. She was almost ten years old.

My daughter found her lying down full of slobber yesterday afternoon. We looked for any 24 hour vet in the area and I asked my mom's driver to bring her there. Traffic was bad and the driver had a motorcycle.

The vets tested her, my folks were ready to give the go signal to euthanize. The vets suggested giving her a fighting chance.

Earlier this morning my mom called and said Chula was getting worse. Unfortunately the driver and I would only be walking and taking whatever tricycles we could to get to the place. There is no motorcycle parking in the morning and we didn't know if they towed them if you left them along the sidewalks.

Two tricycle rides and a relatively long walk we were there. We were late. She passed away on her own and didn't need to be euthanized.

I cried as I gave her her last head scratches. I thanked her. I took one or three last pictures of Chula. So what if the staff saw and heard me.

Thanks for the memories, thanks for the love, sorry for the times I was mean to you. I hope you looked at me favorably. I will miss the times when I lie down during lunch and you sleep beside me.

Chula. August 23, 2023. If my brain forgets you, my heart will not.

Out.

Edit: I would like to thank everyone at the veterinary clinic. They were very professional, they were very accommodating when I arrived. They answered all my questions and were very respectful.

[1011] Adulting is Hard

Confessions of a guy entering his mid-40s.

Adulting is hard. Am I only figuring that out now, or am I just starting to realize that because I've decided to start taking on more and more responsibilities. If it's the latter why only now? These are things I will not be revealing in public anytime soon.

Anyway adulting. It seems like I can't have one problem free day. And not the minor problem but problems that need time and money to address. I guess that's a fact of life.

So now the question is, "How do I tackle these problems?" I'm still reacting too quick emotionally and getting pissed when things don't go my way, when I should have accepted decades ago that things almost never always go your way and that that is just normal. Don't get me wrong, I do love the feeling of satisfaction when we get a problem solved.

What's frustrating is the recurring problems. I know it's wrong for me to wonder why those problems happen to me and not to other people when they probably experience problems worse than mine. I guess that's just the "inggitero" (or envious? jealous? google translate says inggitero in English is indigestion but that's just wrong) in me.

So what am I saying? Well I guess that as life goes on I need to stay strong, fight the negative thoughts in my head, and just keep soldiering on.

Out.

[1010] Every Wagon Obsession

Thanks (either seriously or sarcastically) to youtube's algorithms I've been getting other Suzuki Every Wagon dealer channels on my recommended list. The first one I blogged about a few days ago was from Davao, this other one is from Cebu. And they've met each other when surplus tv went to Cebu with their Every Wagon, I think during their Philippine loop.

This new channel has a different method of converting their Every Wagons and since I have little to zero knowledge of proper conversions, I find both of their methods sound and reasonable.

Anyway I'm not as big a fan of the dealer from Cebu since most of the Every Wagon videos I watched featured stylized front bumpers already. I've always been a fan of "sleeper car" builds. I'd rather not call attention to my car, not that I actually own one.

Anyway I'm really really curious about owning an Every Wagon and youtube isn't helping me. As always my biggest concerns are reliability, spare parts, and I guess registration renewals of the Every Wagons. 

If I could afford owning and maintaining two cars then maybe having an Every Wagon as a secondary toy car would be feasible. Buy a locally sold reliable car as your main car and have the Every Wagon as the car you use on coding days and something I would drive primarily. But since I can't do that, then I'll just stick to daydreaming about Every Wagons.

Out.

[1009] The "Perfect" NBA Player

The No Dunks podcast had an episode a few days ago where they drafted and created their "perfect NBA player." They basically had five categories to draft players from different eras and once a player was drafted you couldn't draft them again for other categories. So here's what I remember about the categories.

• Body/Athleticism. Also covers athleticism and injury history. So if you pick Derrick Rose then the risks of the ACL injuries are there. Actually I can't remember if they discussed that their player will have the same injury history or not.
• Shooting. I guess this involves scoring and not just shooting form and percentages.
• Ballhandling and playmaking. One category for both.
• Defense. I guess this is also overall.
• Personality. Forgot what this means but I guess it involves on and off court stuff.

Of course I came up with my own "perfect" NBA player but I gave myself some restrictions. First, I had to use current NBA players. Second, they can't be all-stars but they can have All-NBA or All-NBA defensive team selections. And I think that was it. So here's my "perfect" NBA player, who could be the ultimate role player or a possible all-star.

• Body/Athleticism: Aaron Gordon. He's got good size and athleticism, and as far as I know he hasn't had any major injuries.
• Shooting: Desmond Bane. I checked his Basketball Reference page and he has good FG%, 3P%, and FT% his entire career. Another candidate I was thinking of was Duncan Robinson but the past few seasons he was in a slump, however he did break out of this in the most recent Miami playoff run.
• Ballhandling and playmaking: Tyus Jones. He also has great assist-to-turnover ratios his entire career and as his minutes went up, he maintained his consistency.
• Defense: Matisse Thybulle. I was also considering Jaden McDaniels here but I think my recency bias remains with Thybulle. He probably has better defensive instincts, though I also don't know if he gambles too much or not.
• Personality. This was the hardest, but I decided to pick Steven Adams. Other players I considered were PJ Tucker and Josh Hart.

I also decided to try to create my all-time perfect NBA player, so here it is. I won't be getting the players the No Dunks crew drafted.

• Body/Athleticism: Lamar Odom. Chris Webber is still my all-time favorite NBA player but he was injury prone. Lamar Odom is my second favorite all-time, and I can't remember if he had any major injuries like Webber. Both of them were around 6 feet 10 inches and 230 or so pounds. Both of them had good athleticism.
• Shooting: Ray Allen. I don't even have to explain this, one of the greatest shooters of all time, plus he was also one hell of a scorer.
• Ballhandling and playmaking: Ricky Rubio. I've never been one to pay attention to point guards but I've always been a big Ricky Rubio fan.
• Defense: Scottie Pippen. I have no idea why no one drafted him. One of the best on-ball defenders of all time.
• Personality: Bill Walton. I just checked a list of all-time Finals MVPs and he was one of them. I also remember he loves ball movement and the team game, and off the court he was, and still is, a character. I wanted to pick other personalities but I was thinking that personalities also contributed to dominance on the court.

And there you have it, my current and all-time perfect NBA player molds.

Out.

[1008] The Suzuki Every Wagon

The Suzuki Every Wagon isn't available in the Philippines, but I've seen a good number of them driving around, with more of them in the provinces. Basically Japanese surplus Every Wagons or cut up Every Wagons are brought in here, converted to left-hand drive, reassembled, and re-sold here.

There's a youtube channel I've been watching recently of someone who buy, rebuilds, and sells these cars. I've watched quite a good number of his videos and while I can technically afford one of them there are some reasons why I'm hesitant to get it.

I'm worried primarily about safety, reliability, and spare parts since they're rebuilt Japanese surplus rides.  How hard would it be to get a spare part if something breaks? How well was the car rebuilt? Was the left-hand drive conversion done in proper way? The conversion part was sort of answered in this video by the youtuber I mentioned above. I'm also worried about the car's registration here. Would I have issues when the car is up for registration every year? Was it even registered legally?

On the other hand, the Every Wagons are my ideal daily driver. They're small, they can fit my family since we're only three, it has generous storage space, it has an automatic transmission, and if you pick the right model it has all-wheel drive. I'm not sure how fuel efficient a 660cc engine with 63 horsepower is considering the mileages of some of the Every Wagons being sold are way over 100,000 kilometers.

The rear seats fold flat on the ground, I could probably jury rig a bike rack for the rear. If you pick the right options customizing the Every you can get split rear folding seats. I've seen models that have a cargo basket attached on the roof.

Some of the customized Every Wagons aren't my cup of tea. I feel like they've added so much extras that it would give the poor engine a hard time.

If I actually decided to get one I'd just get one of the better variants, the DA64W. This is the model that has the rear brake, signal, and reverse lights on the C-pillar instead of on the bumper. I'd want the automatic transmission, all-wheel drive model. Front fog lamps, automatic folding side mirrors, and split rear seats. I wouldn't want the automatic sliding doors, and I don't want the leather seat covers. I'd also probably ask for a roof rack and I guess a ladder mounted on the rear door.

Out.

[1007] Bike Frames

My daydreaming recently has gotten me curious about cyclocross frames. Anyway I was checking google for the differences between CX and gravel frames (again) and I came across this article from Ribble Bikes. Basically the gravel frame is more relaxed while the CX frame is more stretched out and aggressive is what I got.

Considering I've only recently started riding my bike again, and only in ten or so minute sessions on the trainer, it's pretty obvious I'm just bored and browsing bikes yet again, and my dream bike changes specs yet again. Now I'm curious about using a CX frame for my bike.

It's a happy coincidence that Ribble has a CGR (cross-gravel-road) bike available in their website. Even better, they sell framesets only. And it's way cheaper (without shipping and handling) versus either of Ritchey Logic's Swiss Cross frameset and Outback frameset. Not that I can afford any of them but at least there's a cheaper frameset out there.

Components are still going to be 1x mechanical groupsets, as I always blog. I don't think I'll choose the less common (ie China brands) components so this means it will be either SRAM or Shimano. I've blogged about this so much I'm starting to sound like a broken record.

Out.

[1006] Airnimal Joey Sport Road

I was browsing random stuff online yesterday when I decided to just search for "dropbar folding bikes" on google. One of the top results was a list of the best folding bikes for 2023 from Bike Radar, which I skimmed through until I saw the Airnmal Joey Endurance Plus. It had a pretty good review, so I decided to check out Airnimal's website.

Turns out there is more than one variant of the Joey that has dropbars. Aside from the Joey Endurance Plus there is also the Joey Sport Road which seems to be cheaper than the former, probably because it is smaller?

Anyway I still haven't done any deep dives, but I find them interesting. According to the review the Endurance Plus supposedly handles and behaves just like a road bike. And if the maximum tire clearance is around 32mm I'm guessing there could be a decent 26-inch 32mm wide bicycle tire than can be used both for road and off-road. Similar to gravel bike tires. You see where I'm going.

The biggest issue with the Airnimal Joeys are the price. I find them really expensive. Plus they have two different folding options, and the commuter one just might not be allowed inside local trains or buses. Last I remember you could bring folding bikes in our MRT but you need to have them inside a bag. Probably to avoid soiling someone else or hurting someone with your bike.

Anyway why am I writing this? I just want to remember the Airnimal Joey Endurace Plus. It might just make me reconsider having an n+1 bike. If I really wanted a new bike I'd probably try to sell my current bike first. With the Joey, I may have to make an exception. Good thing this is all just in theory, because I can't afford the bike at the moment.

Out.

[1005] Challenges of Everyday Life

I've lately been trying to be aware of when I'm falling back to the nasty habits I had as a younger person. I won't be writing what those are here, but I will tell you that I do my best to catch and remind myself not to think or behave that way.

It's a challenge, indeed. And I have to be aware everyday and to catch myself. Some days are great, and some not so great. I need to keep reminding myself that there is a better self for me. Old habits are hard to break. I'm in my forties and imagine how many years of this I'm trying to fight.

It's a challenge I have to face. I'm just thankful I have people around me who will help me.

Out.

[1004] Perspectives

I've been trying to change (and hopefully improve) my perspective in life. I've read all the stuff online and in books and while they are pretty helpful, I do tend to forget the lessons they try to impart.

I'm really thankful I have my wonderful wife who keeps being patient with me and trying to course correct my attitude when I start falling into a funk. I'm also really thankful I've realized I do need help and I do need to talk to someone about my problems. Unfortunately my self-awareness so far is limited to speaking to my wife about it.

So now I'm feeling a lot better than I was a few weeks ago, maybe because of things I've realize and maybe because of things I've come to accept. I do not know.

What is important is I keep moving forward, keep growing, and keep striving and thriving.

Out.

[1003] Musings of a Guy Getting Older

These will be random, train of thought musings of a guy who's getting older and also coming to terms with what's going on with his life.

• Money isn't everything, but it IS everything. And yes, it can buy you happiness. I say this because having financial security and having additional funds for hobbies or travel can help one get by life with a few less things to worry about.
• Those who say money isn't everything, or even those who promote a minimalist lifestyle are way richer than you think, hence the lack of dependencies on a lot of things. That's one of the reasons why I stopped listening to a minimalist podcast. They kept giving great advice but also looking at their situation they were also pretty well off enough that they could live simpler lifestyles. How does this work I can't explain but most of the people I've seen in youtube videos of small house living, van life, and minimalist stuff are people more well off than what they want you to think.
• I still have a lot of work to do to be more mature, more resilient, and more patient. It's a journey and at least I'm self-aware enough to know what I'm slipping. It's still a daily challenge and I honestly wish I could just change in a snap, but that's not how life works.
• I need to live a healthier lifestyle. I bonked (or got hypoglycemia) yesterday after jogging a little over 1 km. I was targeting to do 2 km after a few weeks of general inactivity. Big mistake, and I had to call my dad to fetch me a few hundred meters from the house. Now I need to go walking everyday to get my conditioning back up.
• It's all a matter of perspective. My wife keeps telling me this and I wish I could just force myself to adapt a new perspective. Best I can do is to reason with myself why I should have a better perspective.

That's it for now. I continue doing my best to change for the better and to seek this happiness I honestly want to find.

Out.

[1002] Materialistic Birthday Wish List

Time for a shallow moment. Let's make a materialistic birthday wish list, because I need a filler blog post and because it's also been my tradition to wish for things way beyond my financial means.

• Flat mount custom built gravel bike. I have a blog about it. I keep going back between Shimano and SRAM groupsets. Up to now I'm not sure but I just realized I can go with either groupset because Shimano has a 40T chainring with 11-42T cassette, while SRAM has a 40T chainring with 10-42T cassette.
• A brand new car. If we're being realistic, I'll be choosing between the Suzuki S-Presso AGS or the 2023/2024 Toyota Wigo E. If we're going with an unlimited budget I'd still pick something semi-practical, like any CVT variant of the the Honda HR-V or the 1.0 Turbo CVT Toyota Raize.
• A condo unit in Makati or BGC with at least two parking slots. Minimum one-bedroom, max of two-bedroom. This would move us closer to my wife and daughter's respective schools, which would hopefully save us on gas and toll fees. Moving to either place also makes us closer to malls and groceries so hopefully we can just walk anytime we want. Traffic really is a bitch here, specially with the "camote" motorists.
• Garmin Fenix 7 Pro. I don't even know the specs but I do know this model is way over whatever budget I used to have when I was planning on buying a Garmin smart watch.

Actually the only ones I really want in the wish list above are the car and condo unit. Those are the two things I doubt I could be able to save up for.

Out.

[1001] Birthday Wishlist 2023

It's that time of the year again where I start magnifying my selfishness and making a wish list of stuff I want. So without further ado...

I just want to be happy. I have no idea how to achieve this, nor do I know what will make me happy. Actually I have some ideas.

Financial stability and security for one thing. I just want to be sure I have enough money and health to make sure my daughter finishes her studies until college. Just set her up enough for her to be a strong and independent woman.

There are other things I know would help make me happy but I'd rather not blog about them. I've learned my lessons and I have no plans of oversharing on a public internet blog.

Out.

[1000] Post Number One Thousand

I never expected my blog to reach this number of posts. Sure a good number of my posts are filler/shit posts, but still. One thousand blog posts.

Half the year is done, today was the start of the second half. There are so many difficult decisions and challenges in my life at the moment and I really, really, have no choice but to face them.

So here's to 1000 blog posts, and hopefully I keep my motivation to do at least six or seven posts a month.

Out.

[999] Musings

Last weekend I was chatting with some former colleagues of mine in Viber. These are guys I've known for well over ten years and they're also people I'd consider friends.

We were talking about our careers and how our lives have been. It was interesting that I share the same point of view as one my friends. This was basically the "wanting to miss doing 3D" thing I realized a few years ago. This is one of the things you want to feel again when you're burned out, and to be honest I really, really want to feel it again.

When I told this to my best friend though he told me that maybe I needed a vacation. I told him I'm not sure a vacation will make me miss doing 3D. The reason I say this is because I've already had a couple of 3 to 5 day vacations and I still feel burned out.

I'm just tired, I guess. And I don't know what to do. Or I know what to do, but I don't want to risk it.

Out.

[998] Filler Musings

Looks like I'm back to blogging filler posts just to achieve this unoffical "quota" I set myself of doing six blogs a month. And it was so close too.

The past few months I guess have been good for me writing wise, I had found lots of "safe" stuff I could blog about, specifically about bikes. However I guess fatigue is catching up to me. Not just physical fatigue but mental fatigue. Let's not even get into spiritual fatigue if there is such a thing.

So I write this down letting you, the reader, know a few things. I'm tired. I want a break. I probably need a change as well. We shall see.

Out.

[997] New SRAM Apex Groupsets

Yesterday evening I saw a youtube video from Ben Delaney about SRAM's new Apex 1x groupset. If I understood it right, Apex is SRAM's lowest tier groupset which makes it relatively affordable. I also checked online and found more interesting news about this new release of Apex groupset.

Now I'm not too familiar with SRAM products but I'm really curious about this if I do end up having enough disposable income to actually afford an Apex groupset. I'm aiming for the mechanical shifting with hydraulic brakes, as usual, because I think mechanical is better for how often I ride, which is close to zero nowadays.

I'm intrigued with the Bike Radar article mentioning that you can use Shimano HG cassettes for the groupset. I'm also curious about the possible range of cassettes you can use depending on what rear derailleur you decide to get.

Based on Ben Delaney's video I'm preferring a 40T chainring with 10-44T cassette. It's in a similar range with my current chainring and cassette.

And as an added bonus you can apparently also get a really cheap power meter with the groupset. Interesting times indeed. Now how can I save enough for this?

Out.

[996] Life Updates

Yesterday my daughter graduated from grade school. She'll be starting junior high school next school year.

It was a very amazing feeling seeing her graduate, and the bonus of getting an academic award only made my day even better,

Days like yesterday are meant to be treasured and used as motivation to keep on fighting.

Out.

[995] Bike Update

I rode my bike a few days ago to test my inner tubes. Holy cow I got tired easily. I only did two kilometers or so.

I guess that's what I get for not riding for a few weeks, or even months. Maybe I'll go out to ride again tomorrow and see if I can get my legs back. I always thought jogging would help me maintain stamina for riding but different muscle groups I guess.

Out. 

[994] Gravel Bike Build Revisited

This is connected to this previous blog post of mine about a new gravel bike dream build.

I'll be honest and realistic, I really want a GRX system for my bike but based on specs on Shimano's website the biggest low gear a GRX rear derailleur can have is 42T. Based on how fit I am and one short but steep climb I took I really need at least one gear ratio that's at least 1:1. Which means only one thing.

I'm going with the Shimano GRX 2x11 hydraulic brake, mechanical shifting. It'll have the ST-RX600-R and the ST-RX600-L brifters, the RD-RX812 42T max rear derailleur, the FD-RX810-F front derailleur, the FC-RX600-11 crankset with the 46/30 gearing, a BB-RS501 Tiagra bottom bracket, an 11-40T CS-M7000-11 SLX cassette. Basically you get my drift, all Shimano components, all GRX compatible, even the brakes. I've also decided to go with the Shimano SPD PD-M530 pedals instead of the Shimano Saints just because the former is cheaper (or at least I think it is).

Thinking about it I can also go 1x with the FC-RX600-1 40T 1x crankset with either the 11-40 or 11-42T rear cassette. If this is the case then I'll be using the BL-RX600-L left brifter instead. Come to think of it, this isn't that bad an idea since I don't plan on riding too fast anyway.

I didn't add a saddle before and I think I'd like to try the Brooks C17 all-weather saddle. Yes it's not the leather Brooks saddle but it is an all-weather saddle. And it's still Brooks. It also seems to have a positive review from a bike website I trust.

So there, some updates from my previous post where I was too lazy to add a decent groupset. Although I have heard the Sensah has a hydraulic braking mechanical groupset about to come out soon.

Out.

[993] My Thoughts on Sports Simulation Games

I've been playing video games since I was a teenager. I've always been partial to computer role-playing games (CRPGs) and sports simulation games like WWE Here Comes the Pain, NBA 2K18, Forza Horizon 4, and the latest I play which is Pro Cycling Manager 2022.

One big thing I've noticed when I play sports career simulation games is that they're not as realistic as I like. What I mean is that your character's development is highly unrealistic. You start out sucking ass so bad but if you play patiently and game the system your character can be one of the greatest of all time at the end of one season.

One possible solution I can think of for this unrealistic progression would be to copy the CRPG way. Start off in a similar tier as your opponents. Let's use basketball as an example. Start your career as a decent bench player with decent stats that can make you useful early on. Make the player hit goals during the season that can slightly increase his stats. Give him buffs that will make him play better or worse, similar to what happens to athletes in real life.

You can't tell me NBA 2K does this because your career player usually starts with a rating in the 60s while decent bench players probably are in the low to mid 70s. Then during the course of the season you can finish with a rating in the 80s. When the offseason comes in that's when you give the player the opportunity to give massive leaps to his stats while working on his game.

Or maybe I'm one of the few that wants to have a realistic career simulation game. I honestly don't know. Maybe give players the options of what kind of career simulation they can experience.

Out.

[992] Inner Tubes

A few days or weeks ago my bike tires finally flattened due to either lack of use or the sealant not sealing anymore. I wasn't really regularly inflating them but to see them flat on the trainer was disappointing.

I'm going to install the inner tubes I bought way back in 2021. No more tubeless and tubeless sealants. Here's why.

• Sealant quality. I'm pretty happy with the sealant I'm using. However even though it's price has dropped considerably it is sort of a pain in the finances to reapply sealant every two to three months. Now I don't know if those more expensive and well-known sealants last longer but at the moment and with my current components I'd rather not spend on expensive sealants.
• My rims. They're not tubeless ready. I just followed along with some videos I saw on youtube on how to convert rims to tubeless set ups. It worked, I've had tubeless tires for a little over a year, but I think I should take a break from doing this to my bike.
• I rarely use my bike anymore. You read that right. I've been spending more time jogging lately than riding my bike. I can't get a decent ride around the village and I really don't want to ride outside during the weekdays so I'd rather jog. I mostly use my bike what my dad is here and I go ride with him for a kilometer or two.
• I can now build a real tubeless ready wheelset with narrower tires. This is maybe the most bullshit reason but I can finally upgrade my wheelset while keeping my current wheelset as reserve. To no surprise though I'm still sticking with an 11-50T cassette, but I'll be looking for narrower tires as I wrote before. Maybe 32-35mm. Or if I can find the parts and tires, a 650b setup.

Out.

[991] Life Musings

I met my very first friend when I was around three or four years old. He was my neighbor. We've been relatively good friends since. He and his family have moved abroad but we still manage to stay in touch and communicate once in a while.

His mom passed away last Monday May 15, 2023. She was seventy-four. It's a good thing he was here since the week before. She was already sick and he flew over to spend some time with her and maybe say goodbye, but I was not expecting this to happen.

I'm getting older.

Out.

[990] Slump

I've been slumping in terms of fitness lately. Or maybe not. Let me explain.

I've been jogging thrice a week now: Sundays, Tuesdays, Thursdays. My initial reasoning was that I couldn't do 3km for two straight days, but to be honest my motivation has been slumping lately.

It's a challenge for me to try to break out of this slump but I guess real world stuff is affecting my focus on fitness. Heck, I haven't even ridden my bicycle in weeks.

So yes, I'm in a slump.

Out.

[989] Exercise Update

The past few jogs I've decided to stop looking at my heartrate watch and mobile phone. I decided I would just jog and try to be mindful of my pace. I didn't need to see my pace, nor my heart rate.

Zone 2 sure it's nice but I guess I was shackling myself too much on my jogs trying to make sure I was in that zone. I wanted to stick to this certain pace that I believed would keep me in zone 2. However I noticed that before I stopped looking at my watch I was already maintaining my pace but I wasn't in zone 2. I was mostly in zone 4. I was getting frustrated.

So I stopped looking, maybe the past three or four jogs. I would jog three kilometers and the only time I would use my watch and phone would be to start and end my jog. My phone would still have an audio notification whenever I jogged one kilometer and gave some metrics, but really I wasn't paying too much attention.

So what's different? Physically almost little. I'm jogging at a slightly faster pace. When I check my heart rate I'm still way off of zone 2. I honestly couldn't care less to be honest, because I think now what's more important is I can get some exercise in. Maybe in the future I can try focusing on that again, but I'd rather just jog for the sake of getting physical activity in.

Out.

[988] Latest Dream Gravel Bike Build Dump

So I've been watching a lot of youtube videos about the latest bike tech and news and I've got this urge to start building my dream gravel bike build yet again. So for the nth time here are some components I'd want for my dream gravel bike build.

Just remember that this build is purely a mental exercise. I don't have the funds to buy any of these. Sadly.

• Ritchey Outback Frameset size XS. I have no idea if XS is the right size for me because I'm just basing it from rough measurements I've taken from my current bike, the Tsunami Seaboard CX01. I do like the external cable routing of the frame, as well as the multiple mounting points for bottle cages, fenders, and bags.
• Ritchey Comp Zeta Disc Shimano 11 speed wheelset. Another Ritchey component? Hell yes. And they're aluminum as well. There's no reason I can give for why I chose this wheelset because I've never been that interested in wheelsets and tires since I just bike casually and not competitively. I'd replace the front hub with the SON 28 12 Disc 6-bolt Hub Dynamo so I can have a power source for lights or charging power banks.
• Specialized Pathfinder Sport 700x38 gravel tires. I've heard great things about the Pathfinder tires from the Bonk Bros Podcast, though I'm guessing these aren't the tires they're talking about. If these tires are too thick I can always go with the IRC Boken Plus 700x32 gravel tires. I have no idea if I'll be going tubeless or not so in case I decide to get inner tubes it will most likely be Tubolito's Tubo-CX/Gravell-All inner tubes.
• For the seat post and stem I'm going with Redshift Sports' ShockStop System. I've also heard good things about their suspension seatpost and stem and wouldn't mind having a more comfortable bike when I go out and ride.
• For the handlebar I currently want the Coefficient AR carbon handlebar either in size 38 or 40. This handlebar supposedly gives you a more comfortable and efficient ride. I just hope the science behind the handlebar complements the suspension stem from Redshift Sports.
• For the groupset I'm going with my ever reliable Sensah SRX Pro 1x11. By groupset I mean the brifters and the rear derailleur. The reason why I'm picking the SRX Pro is because it's RD can handle up to a 52T cog. I checked Shimano's GRX specs and the biggest gear it can handle is 42T. And yes, I want a mechanical groupset. None of those battery operated groupsets. The reason why I want a dynamo hub is for lights and/or charging power banks.
• All is not lost though because I'll be using Shimano components for other parts of the drivetrain. Like the GRX 42T crankset and the Tiagra BB68 bottom bracket. At the rear is the Deore XT Linkglide 11-50 cassette. Everything will be pulled by a Shimano 105 11-speed chain. If you're wondering why I "only" picked a 105 chain, it's because I'm less of a competitive and more  of a casual cyclist. My current bike also has a 42T chainring and 11-50 cassette so I think this is more than enough for my kind of riding.
• For brakes I'm going with TRP Spyre brakes. They're mechanical dual piston brake calipers that should be enough for the kind of riding I'm doing. Also today I learned that the TRP Spyre is their road brakes and the TRP Spyke is for mountain bikes. So Spyre it is.
• Finally for pedals it's either going to be a Shimano flat pedal or their Saint SPD dual clipless pedals. I was also considering Crankbrothers but according to some websites Shimano has more durable pedals.

Well there you have it. One option for full groupset, crankset, and brakeset would be Campagnolo's Ekar 13 speed groupset. Reasons why I didn't pick this is because a) I'm not sure the cassette will fit in with my chosen wheelset, and b) their cassettes don't reach 50T. At my age and riding style (take a swig of beer every time you read this in this blog post) I'd rather have big gears in my cassette to help me because I've experienced going up a climb and needing my really big cassettes.

Out.