[913] Bike Gear

There are plenty of things I wish I could afford for my current cycling hobby. While it may be true that I'm still too scared to go far because of the motorists, fellow cyclists, and pedestrians here in the Philippines and specifically Metro Manila, that still isn't stopping me from doing some online window shopping. So here are some wearables I wouldn't mind getting for my bike.

1. POC Omne Air MIPS helmet in white/orange. This helmet seems pretty visible and stylish while having the MIPS technology that helps make your helmet even safer. The reason why I like POC is because it's the same brand of helmet that Team EF Pro Cycling use, and I'm a big fan of them since I started getting into cycling.
2. adidas Five Ten Hellcat Pro Mountain Bike Shoes. These shoes also look great and being mountain bike shoes makes them easier to walk in than road bike shoes for the simple reason that the cleats aren't protruding from the sole. Basically I can walk around wearing these shoes and nobody would probably notice that they're cycling shoes. I was actually considering Crankbrothers' Mallet Speed Lace but then my tastes changed.
3. Shimano PD-M9020 pedals. Now I know I'm not planning on using cleats anytime soon but since this is just a wishlist then we can include these pedals. I was originally thinking of using the Crankbrothers Candy 2 pedals but right now my preferences are leaning towards Shimano.

That's it. Basically just want a nice helmet and shoes that can have cleats in case I decide to go clipless pedals.

Out.

[889] Cycling Progress Report

Yesterday was the very first time I had ever ridden along the East Service Road. Ever. And today I did it again, going through a loop where I turned somewhere about two kilometers from here and taking a road that led me to the back of our subdivision. I used my gravel bike.

It was pretty thrilling to actually finally ride outside the subdivision. I treat myself as a total beginner in cycling basically because I stopped biking after a crash I had in grade school and only started seriously cycling a few months ago, when I made it a goal to assemble a gravel bike.

It's basically a 3.5km loop that I do, something that takes me around 12 to 15 minutes inside the subdivision. Outside it's much faster since there are almost no humps and almost everyone outside is going way faster than me. I probably average around 15-16kmh inside the subdivision, but outside whenever I get the chance to check my cyclocomputer I ride at around 20kmh or so.

Yesterday when I finished my ride my hands were numb and sore. Today I felt like I cracked on the way home. I've been trying to adjust my bike's setup as well as my own fitness levels to avoid these things, and I'm glad that riding outside gave a reality check of the stuff I need to improve on.

My core strength needs improving so I don't lean too much on the bike. I've seen countless bike videos on youtube of bike fitters and cycling channels saying that engaging the core is important. I've also read a few articles from what I believe are legitimate and trusted sites that do say that one of the most important factors in riding well is the core strength.

My stamina also needs improving. I think the reason why I felt like I cracked in this morning's ride was because I tried pedaling on smaller gears today. Maintaining a high cadence with more effort is of course draining, and since I'm doing intermittent fasting I'm basically running on "empty" whenever I ride in the morning. Lesson learned, at my current fitness level I should go use the bigger gears.

I also need to work on my balance and spatial awareness. Cycling on public roads is very different here in the Philippines. You've got public transportation, motorcycles, other cyclists, and other vehicles sharing the road with you and they're not really bike friendly. So I need to constantly remind myself to ride at a slow but decent pace, stay on the right, keep a cool head, and make sure I'm riding properly.

Overall I'm quite happy and motivated at what I have done. I'm realizing a lot of things I need to improve as a cyclist, and I'm feeling a level of freedom. I do know I need a lot more training to do before I can even ride further than what I'm doing now.

I'll probably ride inside the subdivision again this week and ride outside on Sundays, when there are hopefully less vehicles on the road.

Out.