Polygon Cozmic CX5.0 (2012)

Polygon Cozmic CX5.0 is one the top line hardtail mountain bike below the CX6.0. This bike comes with full set Shimano SLX 30 speed components and Shimano Hydraulic brakes. No upgrades are needed until the components wear out.

Another thing, this bike has Ritchey stem and handlebar which is not cheap if we were to purchase it separately. The suspension fork is Marzocchi Marathon LR which is an air fork with coil. From the Marzocchi website this fork is approx 1.9kg which is a bit heavy. Base on reviews, although this fork is lean towards heavy side, it is reliable.

For the detail you can visit the link below:
http://www.polygonbikes.com/index.php?pgid=d_bike&bikeid=378&par=78

Giant TCX Advanced SL – Just In - BikeRadar

Arriving on the BikeRadar office doorstep just as the heart of the cyclo-cross season is getting underway is Giant's TCX Advanced SL flagship, which is being raced on the World Cup circuit by Katie Compton, Bart Aernouts and Gerben de Knegt.

The TCX Advanced SL shares much of its design DNA with the road-going TCR Advanced SL, with features such as a tapered front end, rectangular-section MegaDrive down tube, extra-wide PowerCore bottom bracket with press-fit bearing cups, and integrated seatmast. Giant have made a number of adjustments to make the TCX Advanced SL more suitable for its chosen discipline, however.

Ride quality is high on the list of priorities here, with the TCX's shallower seatmast cross-section, offset seat cluster, slim seatstays, much flatter top tube and generally smaller-profile tubes throughout all intended to provide a smoother feel on rough courses. The tapered front end is also downsized from the TCR (1-1/8 to 1-1/4in instead of 1-1/4 to 1-1/2in).

Read below for more info:

Giant TCX Advanced SL – Just In - BikeRadar

Penang Arab Restaurant - TajSaba for Original Arabian Cuisine

It's been a while since I visited this Arab restaurant in Bukit Gambir. This place is the cheapest place for a good middle eastern food in Penang Island.

First to be served is the chili paste(Sahawak), soup and Arab blackcurrant drink (Vimto)

Next comes the mutton mandi rice set. As shown below the portion is quite big. It comes with some salad by the side.

Next is the Chicken Mandi Set which I tried last time. This time, the rice used are Basmati rice which are longer and more fragrant.

The mutton is one of the best I've eaten. The meat is tender and full of flavor. It is so tender that you can tear it just by using fork and spoon. Even the tendon parts are very soft and not tough.

They also have whole roast chicken which is made to order. The chicken is wrapped in foil and roast to perfection in the brick oven. This dish is made to order.

The chicken is very tender could be easily cut into half just by using fork and spoon.

For those who fancy economy middle eastern cuisine, this is the place you don't want to miss. They are open from 12.30 until at night. The best time would be around 12.30 when they just finish cooking as the dishes are fresh.

For bookings you can contact the manager
Ibrahim @ 016-4334460.

Address :2-1-18 Halaman Bukit Gambier, Ivory Plaza, 11700 Penang, Malaysia.
Email : sabarestaurant@yahoo.com

BM Mtb Carnival 2011

This event is organized by Love Pedaling (LP) Mountain Bike club. The venue of this event is Sg Lembu Bukit Mertajam in a light industrial complex which is almost abandoned. I took my friend's place as he could attend the event. All riders gather at 6.30am, it was a surprise to see so many of them. Approx 1,600 participants.

The riders are escorted by supercars at the start of the event.

Girls sticking stickers on riders number plates as proof. This is the first checkpoint which is the starting line. There are total 6 stickers which all riders need to collect from 6 checkpoints to complete the ride. Minimum 4 stickers is entitled for door gift.

This trail is quite tough as there are 2 hills to climb and most of it are single track. The amateur riders including me push our bike up the slopes as it is too steep for us to ride up. This is also to save energy.

The trail also led us into oil palm and rubber plantations which is cooling and nice in the morning. However, climbing up the hill is very tiring.

My friends and I was not really prepared for such a tough ride. My friends and I were told it was a tough ride but it beats our expectation. Some of the riders, whom we befriended during the ride also admit it was tough. We didn't finish the ride, after collecting our 5th sticker, we were told to ride back to finish line as it was getting late and hot. Overall, this is a valuable experience and I hope to join again next year.

Polygon Helios 200 (2011)

My friends and I were discussing if we should try out road bike since none of us has ridden one before. With a budget not more than RM2,500 we began to survey what does the market had to offer. I found a few 2011 models which fits into our budget range. We haven't seen the 2012 models on display yet as the shops say road bikes are not fast moving compare to mountain bike.

This bike above is the Polygon Helios 200 which cost approx RM1,600. This the the cheapest model that is I could find with 18 speed. It comes with alloy frame and carbon fork which is very common for a decent road bike. Next it comes with a mix of Shimano Sora and 2300 gears and FSA Vero crankset.

Not much can be said on the price and the accessories . However, if you are a newbie to road bike, this bike can be considered as a first bike before investing larger amounts of money for a high end road bike. If you find road bike is not suitable for you, it will be easier to sell than the high end models and you won't loose a lot.

King of Mountain (KOM) Cameroon Highlands bicycle ride

This is the 2nd King of Mountain (KOM) ride up Cameron Highlands on 10/9/2011. I didn't go for the ride as I'm not free on that day. These pictures are courtesy of my friend who went for the ride and this is his experience.

 From his observation, he told me most of the riders rode road bikes. There were not many on mountain bikes. From the pictures, it looks like an easy ride up to Cameron but in reality it is not.

Base on their feedback, it is a tough ride and it would be good to have a support vehicle following from behind if you plan to ride on your own in case there is an emergency. Other than that it is also a good place to train uphill rides.